DC: New Age Volume I IC Thread

[Johnny Blaze]

MEMORIES ~ Part 4

"Your old buddy, Hunter Zolomon", spoke Barry aloud as he stood before the statue of his father.
"We thought he died in the invasion...guess we were wrong."

Bart, Iris, and me had just stopped the Trickster from blowing up the Acme Toy Company in Central when he showed up. At first we thought it was some new soldier that the government had sent after us as they had been trying to stop us for months from operating illegally.

"If only", said Barry with a forced chuckle.

He was wearing a different costume...like a cross between that other you, Walter, and the Black Flash, but it was Hunter all right. And he was freakin' nuts. He had learned to manipulate time in certain ways like you could manipulate speed. And I guess whatever he did to himself to learn those powers drove him insane.

He was no longer concerned about making a better hero out of us. He wanted to end the Flash legacy once and for all and start over. Make a new one by himself.

Well, he almost succeeded. Like an idiot I rushed in on him, so I got to taste his new powers first hand. Like you could lend and steal speed, Zoom could now lend and steal time. Once I got close to him, he just reached out and stole time from me. Within seconds I was seven years old again.

Iris came to my rescue, as she always did, and got him the hell off of me. But she was soon the victim of his new trick and found herself de-aged to year older than what I was.

Before Zoom could kill us, Bart moved in. I don't really remember too much of the fight, guess it's from the sudden trauma of aging back into a kid in seconds, but I do know it was a brutal battle.

Bart had more control over the Speed Force than we did, that was obvious. And somehow he used it to counteract Zoom's new trick. Least to an extent.

I don't know how long it lasted...seconds, minutes...I don't remember. All I really remember is seeing Bart standing over me when it was over. He looked like he had just been through hell, but he was still alive.

He grabbed Iris and me and ran us home. Mom wasn't too happy to see what Zoom did to us, and her and Bart went to every specialist they could to try and reverse it. But nothing worked. We would have to grow up like normal kids...again.

As for Zoom, it wasn't until a few years later when I found out what happened to him. From what I was told he threatened to go after Mom, and then all the other heroes and their families after he was done with us. He was going to wipe them all out and start over. Creating new heroes for the world. Better heroes, he said to Bart.

He was too powerful to lock up, and too twisted to be allowed to roam free. So Bart did the only thing he could do. He killed him...he got behind him and broke Hunter's neck.

And once again a Flash murdered a Zoom.

"I guess that's another little legacy of ours", said Barry to the statue of his father as he sighed and hung his head low.

 

[The Question]

"I really have a yen
To go back once again,
Back to the place where no one wears a froowwn,
To see once more those super-special just plain folks
In my home toowwn."

The Joker strolls down the streets of Gotham, singing happily to himself as he takes it all in. The sights, the sounds, the smells. It's always a good to go home again. He looks at the people around him, walking up and down the streets, on their way to work, or a hot date, or a family dinner they'd rather not go to. Many of them were children the last time he walked the streets. But he still recognizes them. He even knows many of their names.

He always made a point of learning people's names.

"No fellow could ignore
The little girl next door,
She sure looked sweet in her first evening goowwn."

He walks up to three prostitutes, dressed as former members of the Teen Titans, standing on a street corner. He smiles at the sight of them.

"Now there's a charge for what she used to give for free
In my home toowwn."

By this point, he's realized that no one's noticed him. They all just think he's some tranny, or some punk arriving early for the midnight showing of Rocky.

He'll have to fix that.

He takes a deep breath, and exhales, releasing a torrent of green and purple flames. They engulf the people around him, and then, naturally, the screaming starts. The one thing he never liked all that much was the screaming. Far too distracting. But he always knew to block it out with a laugh and a song.

"I remember Daaan, the druggist on the corner, he
Waaas never mean or ornery,
He was swell.
He killed his mother-in-law and ground her up reeaal well,
And sprinkled just a bit
Over each banana split."

 

[Byrd Man]

​

​

It's been a long night so far. The crooks, the chopper, dad, the black-ops guys I'm wailing on right now.


"That's right! Who's your daddy?"

My elbow goes into the soldier's nose and breaks its. I kick his legs out from underneath him and jump on top of him to add insult to injury.

"Tell The president, mister clean, that Robin says: If you want me, come and get me yourself."

I hear footsteps off in the distance and I leap into the shadows just in time to see the other soldiers stop to help their fallen friend.

"Jesus! That kid did all this?"

I smile as I quietly climb the building, suckers.

I'm close to the clocktower when I hear a scream.....

I haul ass towards the screaming and see it all....

"God almighty..."

"I really have a yen
To go back once again,
Back to the place where no one wears a froowwn,
To see once more those super-special just plain folks
In my home toowwn."

The Joker strolls down the streets of Gotham, singing happily to himself as he takes it all in. The sights, the sounds, the smells. It's always a good to go home again. He looks at the people around him, walking up and down the streets, on their way to work, or a hot date, or a family dinner they'd rather not go to. Many of them were children the last time he walked the streets. But he still recognizes them. He even knows many of their names.

He always made a point of learning people's names.

"No fellow could ignore
The little girl next door,
She sure looked sweet in her first evening goowwn."

He walks up to three prostitutes, dressed as former members of the Teen Titans, standing on a street corner. He smiles at the sight of them.

"Now there's a charge for what she used to give for free
In my home toowwn."

By this point, he's realized that no one's noticed him. They all just think he's some tranny, or some punk arriving early for the midnight showing of Rocky.

He'll have to fix that.

He takes a deep breath, and exhales, releasing a torrent of green and purple flames. They engulf the people around him, and then, naturally, the screaming starts. The one thing he never liked all that much was the screaming. Far too distracting. But he always knew to block it out with a laugh and a song.

"I remember Daaan, the druggist on the corner, he
Waaas never mean or ornery,
He was swell.
He killed his mother-in-law and ground her up reeaal well,
And sprinkled just a bit
Over each banana split."

"Umm, Reddy?"

"Yes, Master Drake?"

"Tell John to get his ass over here ASAP. The....the Joker's back in town."

I crouch and watch Joker for a moment. My brain formulating a plan. I should wait for John to get here, but the longer I wait, the more people die. I pull out a few 'Robinrangs' and get ready.

"Hey, Pagliacci!"

I toss a few of the 'rangs at him and draw my sword.

"I know this sounds cliche, but the circus doesn't roll around till next week!"

I leap into the air, my sword cutting through the air as it heads towards Joker's body.

 

[The Question]

It's been a long night so far. The crooks, the chopper, dad, the black-ops guys I'm wailing on right now.


"That's right! Who's your daddy?"

My elbow goes into the soldier's nose and breaks its. I kick his legs out from underneath him and jump on top of him to add insult to injury.

"Tell The president, mister clean, that Robin says: If you want me, come and get me yourself."

I hear footsteps off in the distance and I leap into the shadows just in time to see the other soldiers stop to help their fallen friend.

"Jesus! That kid did all this?"

I smile as I quietly climb the building, suckers.

I'm close to the clocktower when I hear a scream.....

I haul ass towards the screaming and see it all....

"God almighty..."




"Umm, Reddy?"

"Yes, Master Drake?"

"Tell John to get his ass over here ASAP. The....the Joker's back in town."

I crouch and watch Joker for a moment. My brain formulating a plan. I should wait for John to get here, but the longer I wait, the more people die. I pull out a few 'Robinrangs' and get ready.

"Hey, Pagliacci!"

I toss a few of the 'rangs at him and draw my sword.

"I know this sounds cliche, but the circus doesn't roll around till next week!"

I leap into the air, my sword cutting through the air as it heads towards Joker's body.

The shuriken lodge themselves in The Joker's torso, and the blade hits him on the top of his head, slicing his body right down the middle. The two halves flop to the side for a moment, before they pull themselves back together, with the sword now lodged in his stomach.

"How rude."

He hits Robin with a telekinetic blast, hurling him backwards. He then pulls the sword out and starts twirling it around.

"So, you're the new Robin, huh? What happen to the last one? Some crazy guy beat him half to death witha crowbar and blow him up? HA!"

 

[Byrd Man]

The shuriken lodge themselves in The Joker's torso, and the blade hits him on the top of his head, slicing his body right down the middle. The two halves flop to the side for a moment, before they pull themselves back together, with the sword now lodged in his stomach.

"How rude."

He hits Robin with a telekinetic blast, hurling him backwards. He then pulls the sword out and starts twirling it around.

"So, you're the new Robin, huh? What happen to the last one? Some crazy guy beat him half to death witha crowbar and blow him up? HA!"

I land on my feet, my cape flowing in the wind as Joker plays with my sword.

"What's your story, buddy? You the real thing, or are you some tranny that gets his kicks by dressing up as a really, really, ugly chick?"

I throw more Robinrangs at him, these have nitro tips on them. The shuriken's explode the second they come into contact with Joker's skin.

"Because, the last I heard, Joker went out like a punk b****."

I do a quick handspring and leap through the air, landing on a nearby car, poised and ready for his next attack.

 

[Karem-Knight]

Metropolis.

Clark woke up from his sleep in his hotel, tomorrow was the big day, He stood up off his bed and went to his wardrobe grabbing his suit and tie and putting them on.

When he had them on he finally put on the main difference between him and Superman, the glasses. He then headed outside the hotel.

He walked towards the heart of Metropolis, the city itself was something incredible but the centre of Metropolis was the most spectacular, Clark headed down with a more optimistic view on things when all of a sudden it hit him like a punch in the face.

Total devastation, the death total was nothing short from a hundred Clark stood in disbelief, As soon as he could he went to a Metropolis police officer.

“Excuse me Sir, What happened here?”


Clark said in his Daily Planet disguise.

“What you didn’t here!? It’s been on every news channel, The Joker’s back and he came to Metropolis!”

Clark closed his eyes.

Dammit! If maybe if I just DAMMIT!

“Ok, thanks Umm, Is the Daily Planet open by any chance?”

The cop raised his eyebrows,

“Slightly the damage was heavy but they’re still going, the editor’s pretty shook up apparently that clown attacked him.”

Clark closed his eyes.

“Thanks.”

Clark then walked towards the Daily Planet building, A lot had happened to it when Clark was Superman, But those were better times, now with The Joker back and doing this to Clark’s city, It made his stomach turn.

He went into the main reception.

“Excuse me, err is P-, The editor in chief upstars?”

The receptionist got the phone.

“Name please?”

“Err, Kent, Clark Kent.”

“You don’t have an appointment.”

“But I’m an old friend of Jimmy’s, Just say Clark’s here to see him.”

The receptionist went onto the phone and as soon as she hang up Clark knew Jimmy’s reaction.

Clark then went up the elevator; everyone was shook up over this Joker attack. But times are different now.

The elevator reached the top floor, To Clark’s surprise despite what happened the Planet was busy as ever.

He casually walked towards Jimmy’s office.

Knocking on the door a smile came across Clark’s face.

“Hello Jimmy.”

Clark said with his hand out.

“Clark, It’s good to see you!”

They both shook hands and gave each other a pat in the back.

“Do you want anything to drink?”

“Nah I’m all right.”

Jimmy looked different, His red hair was more greyish, He wasn’t skinny any more a bit chubby now, He was smoking cigarettes a lot and had an entire bottle of scotch in his cabinet.

“I heard what happened yesterday, is everything all right?”

Jimmy turned around.

“Well you know, the police are patrolling the entire city so that makes me a little more safer, Some A.V.A. specialists have been recruited.”

Jimmy shook his head a bit trying to stay optimistic and gave himself a smile.

“Hey sorry Clark, thing are really messed up, I mean the 20th anniversary of D-Day approaching now this, Metropolis used to be such a brighter face when he was here.”

Clark looked at Jimmy who looked at the first photo he took of Superman.

“Sorry Clark, I haven’t seen you in god what is it, 20 years man, Where have you been all this time, you practically disappeared!”

“Oh well I’ve been in um…”

Clark looked at the digital map.

“Travelling the world.”

Jimmy reaction was intense.

“Wow, Man you look so different, Not saying that you look bad or anything!”


Clark chuckled.

“You don’t look to bad yourself.”

“Are you married?”

Jimmy nodded.

“Yeah, two girls as well, one’s in university the other works in Keystone City as an accountant, What about you, How’s Christopher?”

Clark voice stopped,

“He’s, He’s good, yeah. Err he graduated recently.”

Jimmy nodded.

“That’s good, what did he take?”

“err, Film yeah Film and TV.”

“That’s nice, eh maybe we might see him on TV some day.”

“Yeah that’ll be nice.”

Hmm, Sould’ve asked Ma what he majored in! DAMMIT!

Clark then noticed a picture of him, Jimmy and Lois.

He looked on the floor.

“So, Will you be at the memorial tomorrow?”



“Yeah you?”

“Yeah of course, Luthor and a few other world leaders are making a speech.”

Clark tried to resist his anger, Why was Luthor still President?

Clark then stood up and gave Jimmy his hand.

“It was good to see you again Jimmy, Always nice to see you again!”

Jimmy shook Clark’s hand.

“It’s a pleasure if you ever need a job at the planet, Give me a call!”

“Will do!”

Clark then walked out of the Daily Planet, as he walked out the street he noticed on the sidewalk he looked up at the sky, He sighed.

As he walked on he whispered to himself.

“……………..People need to believe a man can fly again…………"

 

[Catman_prb]

Tim Drake​

Tim finished packing his over-night bag for Metropolis, and wrote a note for Jason, leaving it on the dining room table. It explained a lot of things...​

He needed to go to President Luthor's memorial. He needed to hear things. He needed to see who else turned up. He needed to remember.​

Also he'd heard reports of the Joker at large in Metropolis. To be honest Tim didnt care, as long as that psychopath stayed as far away from Jason as possible.​

He took the battered squad car up to the train station before hurrying over to the platform. He arrived with two minutes to go.​

He took out his cell-phone and ran it through his hands, before flicking it open and typing in a number he'd almost forgotten. The cell picked up immediatley.​

"Cassy..." Tim muttered. There was a squeak of delight from the other end.​

"Tim!" she screamed "You finally called back! What's it been? Fifteen years?"​

"Exactly that long Cass. And you know how bad i am at answering messages. Cassy you made me an offer all those years ago-"​

"Tim, I'm sorry. Just forget about it-"​

"I'm back in,"​

"What?"​

"I'm in. After the memorial in Metropolis. I'm back in,"​

"Tim thank you, you've no idea how happy tha-"​

"I'm pretty sure I do. Are you going to the memorial?"​

"I may. I'm not sure. I want to, but if Luthors there..."​

"I know what you mean," Tim smirked. It was good to hear her voice.​

"So what happened between you and Rose?" came her tinny voice. Tim froze.​

"...We have a son...Jason...and I looked after Bab's son for a while as well...John,"​

"Thats great Tim. I'm really happy for you,"​

"She left me...three years ago. Slade attacked John. She left me three years ago to find him. I don't know what happened. I dont know if shes alive or dead..." he whispered. He could feel a tear rolling down his cheek. He'd never told anyone...
"She's left me Cass. A few weeks after she left...I got divorce papers through. She's gone...for good. She may be happy with someone else...I don't know... She left me alone...So alone for so long...So alone..." he whispered, the tears falling freely.​

"Oh, my God, Tim i'm so sorry," she said.​

"Not nearly as sorry as i am..." he muttered.​

 

[Oh Snap!]

Hal Jordan
Part IV​

The words struck him harder than anything he'd ever felt before, 'Ollie's dieing Hal.. he needs you', Hal felt the phone break in his hand and dropped it to the floor, he knew exactly what he needed to do now. He grabbed his coat, threw it on and floored it until he reached Star City, he and Ollie hadn't spoken in years, after D-Day they had never been the same again; Hal had always felt responsible for their friendship falling apart, they used to be like brothers.. When Darksied attacked nobody out there fought harder than Green Arrow, Ollie was an inspiration to him, he was like a brother, he'd do anything for him. Now he found himself standing outside a hospital room looking at the weak frame that once housed the muscular and jovial Green Arrow, a shadow of his former self, he still flirted with the nurses and reached for one of their bottoms. Hal smiled and opened the hospital door, Ollie's eyes opened wide and he jumped from his bed and hugged Hal, sobbing silently on his shoulder; JC ran in and Ollie stepped back, wiping the tears from his eyes and smiling broadley.​

"How in the hell did you manage to get that ugly mutt in here? Jeez, i'm not allowed to eat anything other than that crap out of a tube and you get that filthy thing in and no-one even bats and eye-lid?"​

"Well... I guess you could say I know some people.."​

"Oh right.. you know people do you? Pfft.. I used to be Mayor of this damned city and you're more connected than I am"​

"Damn right.. Look, I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier.. Dinah called me last night, I got here as soon as I could.. You know I never wanted our fri-"​

"Don't worry about it, I'm just as much to blame as you are.. But heck.. Dinah's been my rock Hal, I don't know if I'd of lasted so long without her.."​

Hal smiled and the two sat down on the bed, you wouldn't think that two men with so little in common would be such close friends, but they were. They had known each other for decades, been through thick and thin together, Hal felt guilty that when Ollie needed him the most he was nowhere to be found, no matter how much his friend tried to assure him it wasn't his fault.. it made no difference. The JLA had been through alot over their time, fought off just about every single danger in the universe, but it looked like this was one battle Green Arrow couldn't win; Jordan had a talk with one of the nurses before he came in, she told him Ollie didn't have long left, he couldn't bear to think what he'd do without him.​

"So when're you gonna' get better, old boy? You better not go dieing on me.."​

"Heh.. I'm not making any promises, but i've beaten tougher enemies than testicular cancer before.. can't say any of them cost me a ball though.."​

"Should do you some good, you old dog.. You always did have too much testosterone, where's Connor?"​

There was an odd silence before he answered the question, Hal knew straight away something was wrong, he didn't need his ring to tell him that. Ollie sighed and looked up at the sky, he reached for Hal's hand and looked him deep in the eyes.​

"Would ya' believe me if I told you I didn't know?"​

"Last I heard he'd taken up the mantle full time, right?"​

"Yeah.. my boy done my proud, he always has, can't argue with that. But.. I haven't heard from him in a long time, I think.. Hal.. I think he's in trouble"​

"How long are we talking about?"​

"Two years.. and I... you know.. I don't wanna leave without him, I tried to do right by him, he always was a good lad. But.. I don't think I can.."​

Hal nodded and stood up, he took a burger from his pocket and threw it to his old pal, who licked his lips widely and bit into it. Hal whistled and JC ran to his side, he opened the hospital door and smiled and his old friend, he'd do whatever it took to make his friend happy; even if that meant Hal had to travel to the other side of the world, he would do it. No matter if he had to die trying, he would.. He wouldn't let Ollie go out unhappy, heck.. he wouldn't let Ollie go out at all. He knew what he had to do and God knows he was going to do it.​

"Alright Ollie.. I give you my word, I'll find your boy"​

Ollie smiled, it was common knowledge to almost everyone that had every met Hal Jordan; if he tells you he'll do something, he'll find or way. Ollie wasn't sure whether his son was alive, dead, in a coma or in prison.. but he knew that Hal would find out, he felt warm inside for the first time in years, but he also felt a fear creep over him.. what if Connor was dead? What if Hal couldn't find him? What if Hal died trying? Could he deal with that on his conscience?.. He heard Hal's motorbike speed off outside, slowly closing his eyes with a smile smile and whispered quietly.​

"God-speed Jordan.. God-speed"​

Hal Jordan
Part V​

It had been a week since Hal had been to visit Ollie, it had left him broken inside, seeing the strongest man he had ever known laying in a hospital bed withering away. Hal had called in a few favours to find out where Connor was last scene, it had taken him a while to get there, but.. it's no easy task getting to China when you have hardly any money. As he found himself hiking up the large mountain aimlessly looking for he monastery Connor had grown up in, he'd asked himself hundreds of times, what am I doing here? The thought of Ollie laying in the hospital bed silenced his every doubt, he was freezing his balls off climbing up a mountain, but he was doing it for his best friend. He knew if Ollie was in this situation he'd go to hell and back, so that's exactly what Hal intended to do. He stopped for a second and looked back, how high had he climbed? He wasn't sure how he'd make it back, but he knew he would, he had too much hope riding on him to give up now.​

"Don't you go giving up Jordan, you're only as old as you feel.."​

To tell the truth, he felt ancient, his bones ached and with every step he felt like he was going to fall; He groaned and kept on fighting up the side of the mountain, he shouldn't be here, he should be at home with JC watching daytime television and eating cold beans. As he reached a ledge he hauled himself up and sat on it for a while, getting his breath back, suddenly a gust of wind swept him off his feet and Hal fell of the side of the mountain, as he helplessly fell to his death his life flashed through his eyes. Every little detail, his father's death, falling in love with Carol, becoming a Green Lantern, joining the Justice League, Parallax, D-Day.. And killing John. Maybe he deserved to die? Maybe it was about time he paid for his sins.​

Suddenly he felt himself something grab his leg, he looked up to see the intimidating figure lurching over him, he couldn't see who it was until he was lifted by the scruff of his collar and his saviour looked him deep in the eye. It had been a while since he'd seen him, but he was thankful, without him he would died.​

"Hal Jordan, my name is August General in Iron, you have met my predecessor, you fought him. If you do not state your business in my country, I will let you fall to your end, now.. speak, Green Lantern"​

"I'm looking for someone, someone very dear to a close friend of mine"​

"I thought it was made very clear, China doesn't want America and it's imperialistic lapdogs in our country? Why should I allow you to live? You would wield your ring against China, and it's people if I let you go"​

"I'm not the Green Lantern anymore, I'm just a normal man, drop me if you want.. my best friend, Green Arrow, he's dieing; I'm hear to find his son"​

August General seems to smile, and make a hideous noise Jordan can only guess to be laughter, he slowly descends to the bottom of the mountain and puts Jordan on his back; at this time Hal was either too nervous or tired to complain, but as they reached the city he was shocked when August General stopped and set him down.​

"I apologize if I have caused you distress, I know where the man you seek is, there. If you have come here to take him back to America, then you will have your work cut out for you"​

He points and flies away, the building he was stood infront of was massive, Hal walked back a few metres until he could read the words that were printed at the top: "BEIJING SUPER PRISON". What could Connor have done to get himself in prison? He was the single most modest person he had ever met, probably the nicest aswell. As Hal attempted to knock on the massive gates they opened up, and a smiling chinese man in a very nice suit stood there with his hand extended.​

"Mr.Jordan, it is an honor, August General informed us that you were coming and I must say, you are as impressive in person as you are on television. Have you come to visit someone, perhaps?"​

"I guess so.. Does Connor Hawke ring any bells?"​

The warden's face turns white, and the Warden shouts something in chinese at the top of his voice, a few dozen guards come running towards Jordan with their guns pointed in his face. Hal sighs and puts his hands in the air, one of the men handcuffs him and drags him away; why couldn't Connor have become a financial advisor in Keystone City? But no, he has to travel half way across the world and get himself locked up, and now get Hal locked up aswell.​

"Well.. even on your deathbed your still managing to get my ass into trouble, Queen"​

He laughs as one of the guards shouts something at him in chinese, presumably "shut up" and hits him in the stomach with a baton, he laughs again and spits out some blood.. Just great.​

 

[The Question]

I land on my feet, my cape flowing in the wind as Joker plays with my sword.

"What's your story, buddy? You the real thing, or are you some tranny that gets his kicks by dressing up as a really, really, ugly chick?"

I throw more Robinrangs at him, these have nitro tips on them. The shuriken's explode the second they come into contact with Joker's skin.

"Because, the last I heard, Joker went out like a punk b****."

I do a quick handspring and leap through the air, landing on a nearby car, poised and ready for his next attack.

The smoke from the explosions clear, and he is unharmed. With a thought, he causes the car to rise into the air.

"Kid, leave the jokes to the professionals."

And then the car shoots, sideways, into a nearby building.

 

[Byrd Man]

The smoke from the explosions clear, and he is unharmed. With a thought, he causes the car to rise into the air.

"Kid, leave the jokes to the professionals."

And then the car shoots, sideways, into a nearby building.

I scramble to get off the car, leaping off just as it shoots into the building. A piece of shrapnel from the car scratches alongside my ribs, breaking the skin and causing me to bleed.

"Tell you what, old man. You turn yourself in and I won't have to call in Batman. That's right I said Batman, as in 'The Dark Knight'."

I see a curious look cross The Joker's face when I mention Batman.

"You don't honestly think that there would be a Robin without a Batman?"

While Joker's thinking, I scramble for my sword and pick it up. I don't know how much it'll help, but I'd rather have it than not have it.

A few seconds go by as Joker and I just stare at each other, not making a move.

".....Yeah.....any second, Batman is gonna be here......"

 

[The Question]

".....Yeah.....any second, Batman is gonna be here......"

"I'm counting on that, actually."

The Joker's hand streaches and grows, grabbing Robin and lifting him in the air. The fingers of his other hand transform into large razor blades. He smiles, in a chillingly nonchalant way.

"I do hope he's as fast as he used to be."

 

[trustyside-kick]

OOC: Previously...

Spoiler

Owen sprints as if that's all he knows how to do; a fast young guy he is. When he makes it to the entrance of the inner gates, he approaches the guards.

"My prince, what seems to be the rush?"

"Let me pass through, please. I feel a bit faint. I...I feel a good swim would do me good."

"A bit dehydrated, are you? Take my water pouch, my prince. You will feel better."

Owen swipes the guard's guesture, knocking the pouch to the ground. One of the guards bends down to pick it up, and as he gets up, Owen's eyes are locked on his movements; giving a cold stare.

"I think a good swim would be better, now if you'd please."

Immediately the guards's javelins lock in place, creating an "x" to block Owen's pathway. They step forward in unison, further pushing back the prince.

"Your father decreed we guard these gates. You know when you are allowed to take a joyous swim outside the inner gates. Now, I'd recommend standing down, my prince. And just so you know, I shall not report your misconduct with your father."

"I know when I'm allowed to swim? I'm your future King and by that right, I demand you to stand down, guards."

Owen tries to move forth, pushing against the guards' javelins, but they keep their footing. Owen cries out in anger, trying to push harder, but the guards still do not move. As they push him back, now they both bring out their shields from their sides, and change their footing into a battle stance.

"You'd dare attack me? You know the consequences in harming the heir."

"You're father makes the laws, prince. I'm sure he'd understand. No swimming outside the gates at this time. You should know better."

"I...I should know better? It's as you said it, oh faithful guards. I am indeed my father's son."

The guards look at each other, confused for a second, and Owen uses this small distraction to spring out at them, jumping onto one of the guard's large shields, and flipping over them as the guard falls back. As he sprints to the gates, he tries to find the override code to open them; but he doesn't know it.

"Get word to the King! Now!"

One of the guards starts heading to the royal palace, as his higher-ranked officer commanded. The one who remains gets up, slowly picking up his javelin and shield as he looks over at Owen.

"You'll never figure out the code, young Prince. Now, just come with me and--"

Out of anger, such strength seems to fill Owen's fists, as he punches through the control panel in anger, breaking it. As a result, the gates start to open and the guard starts to run towards Owen.

"My Prince!!!!"

Just as the gate finally opens, Owen tries enter the chamber between the city and the water outside of the inner dome, but guard grabs him by the shoulder, pulling him back.

"I cannot let you do that, Owen. My orders are to--ARRRGGGHH!!"

Using the whiplash effect of the guard's pull, Owen swings a punch at the guard in the helmet. Instantly, the guard is down. Owen looks down at his hands, for he made quite a large dent in his helmet, completely shocked. And before that, he was able to tear through the control panel like nothing almost. He tries to shrug it off, and exits into the sea.

It's a few miles til Owen will be able to reach the outer dome, but he doesn't care. All he can think about is what he's going to do when he gets there. Twenty long years he's been a prison of his own world and by his own father. Twenty years he's been asking the "why" behind everything, only to get pushed back further in the dark. Now he's going to take charge. There's something, some reason Owen's father will not allow passage beyond the outer dome, and Owen is going to find out what that is.

Growing up, kids would always tease about the reasons behind the outer dome's existence. Some said that they heard the surface world that once stood strong above was ravaged with fathom and disease til it was wiped off the face of the Earth. Others believed that the reason King Orin created the dome was because past a certain point, any one could easily be sucked into the cosmos by a gravitational pull, believing the Earth to be nothing but ocean. Owen always laughed at such bizarre reasoning, but it didn't mean he didn't think about it. He had to know.

It's so...hollow to him. So empty and yet so full. The miles of water between the inner and outer dome is just that; water. Right now, aside from the tides, it is only Owen that lurks the deep, for the animals of the sea swim beyond the great dome. But all things must survive, therefore all things must eat. Owen's father would always say a prayer to unknown gods each time they sat down to eat, as if it was some honor that the animal they were about to eat gave their life up so that they may survive; like some duty to the Sea King. But if the outer dome is really to restrict mobility past its barrier, then there must actually be a way to get out; after all, where would all the seafood come from?

A world of science and magic, Atlantis may be...but being a student of neither, he was determined to penetrate the dome himself. The water did more than just soothe Owen's body, and it did far more than just rejuvinate him; it was as if they had a bonding. Such a bond was something he could never understand. His memories, while a bit groggy and faint, are unexplainable to him. But he has done what none have ever done; or at least the ones not allowed to do so. He has exited the great dome.

And even his father cannot deny it, for it is no myth. Owen doesn't know how he did it, but as a young boy, he seemed to pass through without trouble. Now he must try to find out how. He is almost there, he can sea the sparkling and ever glittering waters that make up the outer dome. In the background, not too far behind him, he hears the horns and shouts of the Atlantean army. Owen's in big trouble now. As if it wasn't enough that one of the guards send word to his father, now he had an entire batallion of the Atlantean army on his tail. And as he looks back, to his shocks he sees Cerdian among them, as if leading the way.

"You will not deny me my desires..."
​

Owen turns, and starts to pick up his speed. Whether it is the strength in his muscles or the swiftness in his legs, he cannot truly describe it. It's as if the water around him aids him, further pushing him along; there is not a being of the sea that can match such speed...say for one.

He can almost feel it, water begins to get colder towards the surface of the magical water. And as his body continues to take in the oxygen of the water, it is as if it only continues to further full his ambitions and his desires, for Owen just simply closes his eyes, and he soars through the magical dome; where few can follow him.

He feels free. He feels exhilarated. He feels...home. Yes, it is not just the mighty and proud city of Poseidonis, but the entire ocean that is his home. In his heart, he knows this to be right. He's to be the next king of Atlantis. Surely he cannot be tied to one mere domain, when the oceans are many.

Behind the magical dome, the troops stop abruptly as a few try to swim through the dome, failing miserably. Cerdian floats among them, as angry as the rest, and raises his brow.

"How the devil did he do that?"

Looking out the clear dome, Cerdian remains to float, continuing to question the logic of Owen's feat and becomes distracted. Little does he know it, but the rest of the soldiers seem to back away and bow. As he points outward, he is about to speak when a hand touches his shoulder.

"We must summon the--"

Cerdian stops immediately when he sees the figure before him. Shamefully, he quickly bows down and signals for forgiveness of his lack of manners. He gets a pat on the shoulder, and as he looks up, he is gone before his eyes. He gets up, and turns around as all the men do; witnessing a miracle.

With one calm motion, the man lifts up his left hand, and presses it against the great magical dome. Closing his eyes, the man almost seems to become surged with power from their point of view. A great flash of light emits from his left hand, and he slowly, but surely floats to the other side. Shocked and amazed, the men float with awe.

"This isn't so bad. What's so damn wrong with me--"

That's when Owen sees it. Some kind of light at the top of the ocean; it's beautiful. He's never seen anything like that shine in the oceanscape. It reminds him of one of the streetlights, or lamps seen throughout the city, yet different. From the radiant glow, and mesmerizing glare of light, it seems so much more potent. He must go see it.

"Can it be? Fire? In water? Were the rumors true? No, it cannot be. No way an entire civilization of man could be wiped out, where would that light be coming from then? Could it all be ablaze? A world scorned and burned by fire? And that is why we stay so far away? Could my father indeed be trying to merely protect us, and now I realized I actually am in the wrong? I must know."

Little does Owen understand, he sees the Sun shining down through the water. And as he gets closer to the surface, the rays of light become more visible. Out of mere lack of knowledge, Owen tries to avoid the light as he swims closer to the top; afraid of the heat it could emit.

But he doesn't make it to the top. Out of no where, he is pulled down into the depths, by an unknown figure; a figure far surpassing his strength. He tries to break free, struggling like a struck down prey against a predator, but is merely wasting his energy; he cannot break this bind on him.

He descends. Fast. Even he cannot fathom the quick changes of pressures he feels as they descend, barely having time to adjust to each amount of added weight. It takes a lot out of him to try not to faint from the impact. And all of a sudden, he is free, floating in open water. He shakes his head, trying to get used to the deep depths once more, and turns around.

"...You?"

Owen's fists clench, and his teeth grind tightly.

"...YOU?"

Owen swims at the man with such speed and force, that he catches him off guard. Again, it's as if the water around him gives him its strength, diving at the man. With this same speed and newfound power, he strikes at the man, uppercutting him in the jaw. All of the men behind the outer dome gasp in shock, but Owen's eyes just begin to get cold. Owen goes in for another attack, but the man catches his arm, grabbing his other, and Owen tries to break free, cursing with rage.

"WHY?"

Being impatient for his answer, Owen just continues to squirm and wiggle out of the hold.

"WHY?!"

Growing angry, the loose on him seems to lessen, but not by the man's own doing. It is as if the water around the two begins to widen, creating a sort of bubble around Owen in one final cry.

"WHY!?!?!?!"

The water pushes the two away from each other, the man faltering just a bit, and Owen getting knocked back abruptly against the magical dome; but he does not fear harm. Water it may be, it is magical water and it very durable and strong. But he feels no pain. As Owen became knocked back, it was as if the magical dome itself sunk in just enough to cushion him.

"Owen, I..."

Orin slowly swims towards Owen, and Owen remains still, but not calm. As the man reaches out his hand, Owen tries to swipe it away like some weak and scared cat; lashing out against him. Frowning at his son's behavior, Orin firmly grabs one of his arms as he tries to swim at him once more, and pulls Owen close to him.

After he tries to guide Owen closer towards him, eventually he doesn't have to, and Owen embraces him in a hug. Owen tries to do the impossible--underwater at least--and it results as it normally would. More and more bubbles begin to form and float upward as Owen tries to cry.

 

[Batman]

​

The Dark Knight found himself quickly turned from hunting the prey to being hunted himself.

Swinging above the economically devastated Robinson Blvd., Batman tossed himself into the air, freeing himself from his line as the helicopters behind him charged forward, glaring infared scopes at the mobile vigilante. Looking back as he continued to run, Batman noticed that the copters were heavily armored, unlike the one that Jason had easily dismantled minutes earlier. Which indicated both that a similar tactic of taking out the copters by force wouldn't be quite as simple, and that whoever was persuing him now were of higher calibur. But in any case, Batman didn't care. It was only his second night of active duty, and he was more than a little determined to live to see the third.

"GIVE YOURSELF UP, BATMAN!", A voice boomed from within the helicopter, over a loudspeaker. "YOU'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO EVADE CAPTURE! NOT WITH ORDERS FROM THE UNITED STATES GOVERMENT FOR YOUR ARREST!"

Batman looked back, visibly confused at this notion. The Goverment? President Luthor's in on this, too?

With an increase in his sprint, Batman heard the booming of the engines within the choppers behind him. They were gaining. And he was beginning to run out of ideas. Gritting his teeth, Batman pressed two buttons on the side of his belt simultaneously. Something had to work. There had to be some way to lose these clowns.

"I'm not interested!", Batman growled back, loudly.

"WE NEVER GAVE YOU A CHOICE! NOW STAND DOWN, OR WE'LL BE FORCED TO OPEN FIRE!"

Batman narrowed his eyes, as he came across a building's ledge. Just a few more seconds...

"Yeah?! Well, take your best shot!", Batman yelled back in response, purposely provoking them to slow their chase in order to activate the weapons within.

This was absolutely insane, even by John's standards. But as Bruce Wayne had quoted to Dinah Queen, as he learned in his years in being taught under her guardianship... "Make only the most absolutely nessacary decisions". And if that meant getting a little reckless, even bardering on suicidal tendancies, then Batman knew he was doing at least one thing right.

Inside the copter, the Black-Op agents only grew increasingly annoyed with the vigilante's apparent arrogance. "He's not backing down. Take him out!"

But it was already too late.

With a powerful leap into the air, Batman spread his cape as far as it could reach, creating a massive wingspan as he caught the wind of the air around him. From beneath the cloak, unseen to the agents, a thick white smoke spewed from two capsules, blanketing Batman within, and soon masking his form within a cloud. The helicopter turned, sharply, trying to avoid the cloud, but failed as they violently spun into it, and blindly flew over their prey.

"Switch to infared! Switch to infared!"

"Dammit, I heard you the first time!"

In seconds, the windows of the copter displayed an infared scan of the area, as the cloud of smoke became a non-issue through it's sensors. But upon surveying what was through it, the agents made a grim discovery. The Batman was gone. Completely out of view. "We... We lost him!"

"Jesus Christ. You know what Luthor's gonna do to us when he hears about this?"

"Where the hell could he have gone?"

Batman could only listen as the copter made it's sweeping rounds across the area, no doubtedly looking for any signs of his prescence. But what they hadn't counted on was the fact that John had taken extensive liberties to Bruce Wayne's original Batsuit design. Now, instead of simply relying on the darkened colors of the cape and cowl to mask him from detection, the body armor was coated with a special paint that trapped any sort of external body heat within. In short, for as long as Batman remained hidden, he'd be undetectable by the copters.

Moments passed, before Batman turned his head, hearing the copters swoop out of the city, and back towards Metropolis to give their leader the devastating news. Crawling above the railing he had clung to, Batman stood, his cape billowing in the wind behind him, as he thought of how much he wanted to see Helena or Dinah's faces right now. They'd surely be proud. They'd just go to extraordinary lengths not to show it.

"Master Gordon, I do hate to bother you at such an inopprotuned time, but-"

Batman pressed the side of his cowl, activating his link back to the Clocktower.

"It's fine, Reddy. Go ahead."

"It's Master Drake, sir. He's run into a bit of trouble."

John's eyes widened, beneath the lenses of his cowl.

"The police?"

"Negative. Master Drake specified a codename that I managed to bring forth from the Batcomputer archives."

Batman looked down at his wrist monitor, as it displayed the file in full view. But upon viewing the name attached to it, Batman couldn't hide his evident surprise... and his even bolder dread.

"Good god..."

"Trouble, sir?"

Taking out a grapnel from his belt, Batman wasted no time in firing it, and leaping from the railing, into the night. With a fierce tug, Batman vaulted deeper into the city, laying aside any fearful thoughts or imaginations of what would happen, were he arrive too late to save Robin.

"Get me my brother's exact location, Reddy. Now!"

"It is done."

Focusing on the homing signal put into his monitor, Batman looked down at it, and immediately knew the location. Leaping off his line, the Caped Crusader took to the rooftops, and raced forward with every ounce of his strength and stamina that remained. Whoever Jason's fighting, he's using the name of the absolute worst criminal in Gotham's history... and the man who murdered Bruce Wayne.

The chances are slim... but god help me, I can only pray he isn't the genuine article.

 

[Byrd Man]

"I'm counting on that, actually."

The Joker's hand streaches and grows, grabbing Robin and lifting him in the air. The fingers of his other hand transform into large razor blades. He smiles, in a chillingly nonchalant way.

"I do hope he's as fast as he used to be."

I shrug my shoulders as Joker holds the blades to my throat.

"Ummmm....help?...Somebody?...anybody?"

I hear the russiling of a cape behind Joker and I see him gliding through the air.

"Look who it is..."

Joker looks at me curiously before he turns around to see John. I smile as Joker turns his attention to John.

"Are you dense? Are you ******ed? It's the goddamn Batman."

 

[The Question]

The Joker's eyes light up as a familiar silhouette makes it's appearance, like an old man seeing his long lost love sitting across a crowded bar.

"Batman..."

That light, however, quickly fades.

"...darling?"

"Are you dense? Are you ******ed? It's the goddamn Batman."

"No..."

The Joker tosses the young man to the side, and his eyes are filled with the hate and bitterness of a broken heart.

"...that's not Batman."

His arm becomes a torrent of shifting matter that slams the caped crusader to the ground.

"THAT'S NOT BATMAN!!!"

 

[Batman]

Batman's eyes burst open with startled life, as the arm of the homicidal maniac does the unexpected, and inhumanly shifts upwards, turning itself into a material as dense as solid concrete. The Dark Knight does not even have the time to reach for a line from his utility belt, before the arm slams him straight in the chest, and sends him violently rolling across the sidewalk.

Clutching the emblem on his armor, in pain, Batman looks up towards his newest foe, and Wayne's oldest, as the Clown Prince charges at him with unconditional hatred. Something Batman expected, upon The Joker seeing his old nemesis appearing to be back from the dead. And yet...

"THAT'S NOT BATMAN!!!"

...It isn't quite what he imagined at all.

Batman raises an eyebrow, confused, beneath his cowl. What could have possibly given him away? The age? The fact that he was alive? Or was it something more? Something clear? A sort of sick, demented knowledge that The Joker had kept hidden that had distinguished his one time nemesis among any imposters or pretenders? He didn't know. But that rivalry died with Wayne. Now it was his turn to deal with the clown.

"Says you,", Batman growls back, before slamming his forearm on the pavement, popping out three metal Batarangs from an internal pocket his gauntlet.

With a roll forward, Batman grabs them and tosses them at the white-skinned maniac, aimed directly for both of his legs, and an artery in his arm. But the closer they come to piercing the clown's skin... the slower they appear to travel. Batman can only watch in astonishment, as suddenly, without warning, the weapons stop in mid-air, and turn around, before sailing right for him instead. Reacting quickly, Batman siderolls out of the way, as one of the batarangs smashes into a window, the other a stopsign. But the third, for which he doesn't see coming, hits him directly in the abdominal, piercing his armor with the same metal blade used to forge the costume.

Batman gasps, in intense pain, as he rips the batarang from his abs, revealing a faint trail of blood already pouring down to his belt. Crawling up, desperately trying his best not to black out, he peers towards the maniac heading for him.

"You can't be The Joker...", He continues. "He wasn't even close to being capable of the things you do. He was nothing like you."

 

[trustyside-kick]

EDIT. Damn hype.

 

[trustyside-kick]

Orin and a small group of his most trusted friends sit around a large table in the royal palace. What is normally a room that served the purpose of discussing battle preparations, has turned far from it.

"What must I do about my son? I just do not understand it. Not too long ago, it felt like we were finally acting as it was intended."

"He's young, Orin. And he's more of a hot head than you ever were, no doubt about it."

"What I believe my husband is trying to say, Orin...is that you have to look at it from Owen's point of view. He sees this...utopia that you've finally been able to hold together for all these years as his prison. He does not understands why things are and why they must continue to be."

Garth is taken a back, and then winks as he smirks over at his wife Dolphin. Cerdian, who sits at this table soley for the reason being that he is Garth and Dolphin's son, and Owen's best friend, gets up from his seat.

"I've tried talking him down. Heck, I tried even being straight forward with him. Neither tactic works."

"This is not some war we are talking about, son."

"I'm well aware of that, dad. But you know exactly what I mean. You try to approach him peacefully, he blocks you out. You try to do it with more of a nudge, he blocks you out. I know what he thinks, or at least I think I do. Hell, I think he may even be holding secrets from me even. Also...how the hell did he do that? How did he manage to escape the outer dome?"

The room is silent for a moment. Everyone else knows it but him. It is quite clear that Owen has inherited some of his mother's gifts. The extant of Owen's gifts are not fully comprehended just yet though. Cerdian finds himself without an answer and sits back down.

Rodunn, long time loyal warrior of Atlantis, leans towards Orin and whispers something into his ears. Orin's eyes move over to Cerdian's, and Cerdian grows worried. He cannot place it, but it cannot be good.

"Thank you for reminding me, Rodunn. I almost forgot. Cerdian, you two went into The Archives a few weeks ago, did you not?"

"What? No! We--I didn't!"

"No. You were merely the look out."

"What do you know?! You--"

"Do not think you can do something so anticipated and not get caught."

"What? What are you talking about? Cameras? You're telling me that there are--"

Dolphin slams her to hands down on the table as she stands up from her seat, and interrupts abruptly.

"This is exactly why your son is acting out so savagely, Orin! Cameras? By Poseidon--I didn't even know about this!"

"My love, it was necessary, for the good of--"

"You knew about this? Just how much more secrecy is there? Hmm? How many more cameras are there among the palace? Among the city?"

Dolphin pushes her seat in, and leaves the conference room. The entire duration Orin's eyes fell upon Cerdian, and his eyes to Orin's. Eventually, however, Cerdian mustered the courage to get up as well, and he too leaves the room in slight disgust; backwards however. It is a kind of slow walk out of the room, and up until he turns to exit through the door, his eyes never gaze off of Orin's.

The room is again silent. Orin sighs and leans back in his seat as he covers his face with his two hands, and Garth speaks up.

"You have to tell him Orin; the truth. We may not know what exactly it is that Owen read while in The Archives...but it is clear that it is enough to justify his recent actions."

Orin drops his hands to his side, and leans his chair forward. He stands up from his chair, and walks around the room. As he paces around, he stops and puts his hands behind his back as he sees the image in front of him; it is a map of Poseidonis. What catches his eye, are the lines representing the outer dome.

"What if it only makes him hate me even more? What if he still doesn't understand?"

"At least he'll know, Orin. You already finally told him how his mother lived...now tell him how she died."

"Garth is right, your majesty. I've gone into battle with you countless times, only because I was fueled by your own confidence. Now have some confidence in yourself."

Garth gets up from the table, and nods Rodunn to get up as well. Slowly, but surely, the two leave Orin alone as he continues to stare at the map of Poseidonis on the wall. Orin starts to recall part of the speech he made the day he announced the project to construct the outer dome.

"...For the good of Atlantis..."

And then slowly, Orin finds his legs weak, but keeps his grip on the map, causing it to tare and rip as he sinks to the floor, an emotional wreck. The same day of the announcement was the day of Mera's funeral. He made it such so that it was a tribute to her memory. One final act to ensure the safety and stability of the future of Atlantis. But now he merely sees it as something else; and he doesn't like it.

 

[The Question]

Batman's eyes burst open with startled life, as the arm of the homicidal maniac does the unexpected, and inhumanly shifts upwards, turning itself into a material as dense as solid concrete. The Dark Knight does not even have the time to reach for a line from his utility belt, before the arm slams him straight in the chest, and sends him violently rolling across the sidewalk.

Clutching the emblem on his armor, in pain, Batman looks up towards his newest foe, and Wayne's oldest, as the Clown Prince charges at him with unconditional hatred. Something Batman expected, upon The Joker seeing his old nemesis appearing to be back from the dead. And yet...

"THAT'S NOT BATMAN!!!"

...It isn't quite what he imagined at all.

Batman raises an eyebrow, confused, beneath his cowl. What could have possibly given him away? The age? The fact that he was alive? Or was it something more? Something clear? A sort of sick, demented knowledge that The Joker had kept hidden that had distinguished his one time nemesis among any imposters or pretenders? He didn't know. But that rivalry died with Wayne. Now it was his turn to deal with the clown.

"Says you,", Batman growls back, before slamming his forearm on the pavement, popping out three metal Batarangs from an internal pocket his gauntlet.

With a roll forward, Batman grabs them and tosses them at the white-skinned maniac, aimed directly for both of his legs, and an artery in his arm. But the closer they come to piercing the clown's skin... the slower they appear to travel. Batman can only watch in astonishment, as suddenly, without warning, the weapons stop in mid-air, and turn around, before sailing right for him instead. Reacting quickly, Batman siderolls out of the way, as one of the batarangs smashes into a window, the other a stopsign. But the third, for which he doesn't see coming, hits him directly in the abdominal, piercing his armor with the same metal blade used to forge the costume.

Batman gasps, in intense pain, as he rips the batarang from his abs, revealing a faint trail of blood already pouring down to his belt. Crawling up, desperately trying his best not to black out, he peers towards the maniac heading for him.

"You can't be The Joker...", He continues. "He wasn't even close to being capable of the things you do. He was nothing like you."

"Oh, I just went and got some super powers. I know, I know, people say it's out of style, but I say it's "retro-chique." Besides, I was given a pretty damn good offer. I'd be crazy to refuse. Now, let me tell you why you can't be Batman. Of course, there's the fact that your voice and face are completely different, and that you're a good three inches shorter. But more to the point, everything about you screams "Newbie who has no ****ing clue what he's doing." And I only ever saw that in Bruce once."

 

[Batman]

"Oh, I just went and got some super powers. I know, I know, people say it's out of style, but I say it's "retro-chique." Besides, I was given a pretty damn good offer. I'd be crazy to refuse. Now, let me tell you why you can't be Batman. Of course, there's the fact that your voice and face are completely different, and that you're a good three inches shorter. But more to the point, everything about you screams "Newbie who has no ****ing clue what he's doing." And I only ever saw that in Bruce once."

Batman stops dead in his tracks, at the utterance of the last name. His eyes widening as his breath shortens, he crawls up to his feet, still in singing pain. But with hesitation to face the madman. Guess I shouldn't be surprised he knew... that. They were the worst enemies in history. It's only natural they had eachother figured out.

Reaching into his belt as he advances, Batman fires a grapnel line to a nearby rooftop, and swings forward, ignoring the pain that dulls his abdominals, and slows his movement. With a thrust of his legs upwards, he kicks The Joker straight in the chest, knocking the Clown Prince of Crime back. If only a few inches.

"Yeah? Well, then. Let's get something straight between you and me, right now..."

Leaping off his line, Batman lunges for a devastating punch.

"I'd rather be a 'newbie who has no ****ing clue what he's doing' than a senile mass murderer who doesn't know when to stay down!"

 

[The Question]

Batman stops dead in his tracks, at the utterance of the last name. His eyes widening as his breath shortens, he crawls up to his feet, still in singing pain. But with hesitation to face the madman. Guess I shouldn't be surprised he knew... that. They were the worst enemies in history. It's only natural they had eachother figured out.

Reaching into his belt as he advances, Batman fires a grapnel line to a nearby rooftop, and swings forward, ignoring the pain that dulls his abdominals, and slows his movement. With a thrust of his legs upwards, he kicks The Joker straight in the chest, knocking the Clown Prince of Crime back. If only a few inches.

"Yeah? Well, then. Let's get something straight between you and me, right now..."

Leaping off his line, Batman lunges for a devastating punch.

"I'd rather be a 'newbie who has no ****ing clue what he's doing' than a senile mass murderer who doesn't know when to stay down!"

The leather gloved fist connects with The Joker's jaw. His expression doesn't change.

"Geez, you punch like a girl."

With a telikinetic push, "Batman" is nocked back. The joker stands over him, but finds no satisfaction with the scene. He then stops, for a moment, and looks around at the scene he's caused. He realizes, in one sickening moment, that it's all a tad stupid. Pointless, uncreative violence that resulted in nothing he wanted. None of it's very funny, even in the most macabre sense of the word. This makes him very unhappy.

He looks "Batman" in the eye.

"Well, I'm bored, and this ws just a waste of time. See you around, Newbie."

And with that, he fades like colored smoke in the wind.

 

[Batman]

The leather gloved fist connects with The Joker's jaw. His expression doesn't change.

"Geez, you punch like a girl."

With a telikinetic push, "Batman" is nocked back. The joker stands over him, but finds no satisfaction with the scene. He then stops, for a moment, and looks around at the scene he's caused. He realizes, in one sickening moment, that it's all a tad stupid. Pointless, uncreative violence that resulted in nothing he wanted. None of it's very funny, even in the most macabre sense of the word. This makes him very unhappy.

He looks "Batman" in the eye.

"Well, I'm bored, and this ws just a waste of time. See you around, Newbie."

And with that, he fades like colored smoke in the wind.

Batman blinks, once, as The Joker disappears before his eyes. Switching the lenses in his cowl to nightvision, then infared mode, he quickly realises that the clown is actually gone. ...Goddamn it.

Standing up, he wonders forward, before leaning on a nearby car, exhausted. He had trained for years, and had become the closest to succeeding both his father and his father's mentor... but nothing could've prepared him for a night like this. It was almost as if too convienient... as if this were some big test for him to pass, to prove himself worthy. But it wasn't. The Joker was back, and more powerful than ever. Which probably meant that he was worse than ever.

Looking back, trying his best to hide the wound beneath his cape, Batman surveys his brother, who watches the scene, still stunned.

"R-Robin,", He asks, staggering on his words. "Are you alright?"

 

[trustyside-kick]

Owen sits in his room, on his bed, and spaces out. He doesn't exactly ponder about anything specific just yet, more like an overall view of his life; he'd never felt so free. When he was out there, swimming out of the outer dome, it was as if it was entirely different water to him; fresher, better.

And then he thinks about that large ball of fire he saw shining through the water. Its rays were so radiant and bright, cutting through the oceanscape. Owen didn't touch them, for fearing the unknown, but now that he thinks about it, he wish he had. A whole new world of wonders awaits Owen upon the surface of the sea, but he missed his opportunity it seems.

Someone knocks on his door. He doesn't answer right away, partially because he finds himself lost in thought. But quickly, he shakes himself out of it, and answers.

"You can come in."

The door creaks slowly, and his father steps in. He walks over to Owen's bed, and takes a seat at the edge; Owen doesn't budge one bit. What he merely does is shift his body weight, laying back along his bed.

"So, what kind of consequences am I looking at for this endeavor?"

"I'm not here to talk about your punishment...if I even decide to give you one."

"What?"

Owen sits back up, putting his arms locked around his knees.

"Then what could you possibly be here for then?"

"Can't we just talk? We did a pretty good job at it the last time."

"Keywords, dad: pretty good."

Orin gets up from his bed, and walks over to Owen's night stand. He kneels down a bit, finding the switch to his lamp, and turns it on.

"It's a marvelous thing, isn't it? Light, of course."

"It's okay, I guess."

"When I found you out in the ocean, before I pulled you back in I--"

Orin stops for a brief second, wishing he had chosen better words. However has didn't therefore he must just move on."

"...I saw you reaching out towards the surface, grasping for something."

Owen doesn't respond. Orin turns around, and their eyes meet. Course, this doesn't last too long because Orin turns back facing the window now. He slowly glides his hand loosely across the smoothly crafted window sill.

"In case you were curious...it's called the Sun."

"How could you do that to me? Hmm? I never felt so free, but you just had to stop me; you and your damn laws. Well I broke your laws father, and you know what I felt? Do you know what I experienced? Happiness at its fullest. It was like I was one with the sea."

Orin's creates a sudden grip on the window sill in reaction to Owen's last sentence, cracking it as he does so. He turns around, as if seeing a ghost; Mera said something similar to him once about such a feeling whenever she swam.

"Our last conversation, while better than right now, wasn't entirely complete, son. I never spoke of some of your mother's most fondest of memories. And for that, I apologize."

Orin turns from the window sill, and pulls up a chair to his bed from his small table, sitting down.

"She, like you, viewed the entire ocean as her playground. When you were little, it was clear that someone would see you swimming, and point out 'that's Mera's boy'. It wasn't cause of your green eyes either, my son. It was because you were so much like her."

Owen smiles, and Orin stands up, putting his arm around his son as he points outward towards the window.

"And there are times when you are still like her. Oh, the similarities sometimes are too many to count. She too probably would've hated the idea of the outer dome...but...at the time it seemed for the best."

"Probably, dad?"

"It had been talked about for years, tracking back to even before my time as King. But many argued that what is now known as the inner dome, was enough in the old days. But it was for the sake of mainly your mother, that I never allowed such a job to be started. She loved swimming freely outside the city of Poseidonis, playing with the animals; a lot like you did when you were still a baby. She argued that the only thing measuring close to her love of her family, was her love and freedom of the sea. And yet...now I look upon the magical waters that make up the outer dome, and feel like I've betrayed her...perversed my own dream for the greater good and protection of Atlantis."
​

"Why did you do it then, dad? If even Mom was against it...why did you go through with it?"

Orin's grip around his son's shoulders loosened, and he sighed a great deep sigh before he answered his son. He turned to face him, and again their eyes met, and again Orin grew weak as he sow those same green eyes he used to see in Mera.

"I became...fragile, and strucken with loss...becoming desperate, I finally gave in to such a construction. But that time around, I proposed to change the initial plans. And that is why, it is now an almost invisible magical cloak of water; impenetrable to say the least."

"The loss of what?"

"Please...do not continue to play this game you are playing, my son. I already know. I know you entered the Archives. But I do not feel any betrayal or anger more than I do for myself, for it is I that has betrayed you. I shouldn't have kept it all a secret, my son. The very idea of making Mera's memory nothing more than a ghost has haunted me ever since the day she was taken from me."

"...from the disease you mean, right?"

Orin responds shocked in his expression. He hadn't known what Owen read, only assumed.

"What did you read back in the Archives?"

"It was how you met mom. She didn't die from a disease?"

"No."

"...I knew it..."

Owen gets up from his bed, and walks around his room as he takes it all in. He tries to hold back any anger he has for his father, because he feels he may finally understand some of it; why the way things are. Perhaps now he will learn it all. So he turns, leaning against his small table.

"...How did she die?"

 

[Eddie Brock]

Oh my God...Ms. Fleming's English class is THE most boring thing I've ever had to endure! I kid you not! This woman could make naked women sound uninteresting! I mean, I realize that it's probably not her fault. She's a pretty old teacher, and maybe back in the day she was a hit, but...

"Yo, Roy," my friend, Gary, whispers as Ms. Fleming rambles on about alliteration. Then, without another word, he extends his hand and opens his palm. Inside, he's holding a plastic straw.

I arch an eyebrow. I know exactly what he's thinking. I reach out and take the straw. Then I rip the corner off of my paper, rolling it into a perfect little ball. All the while I'm glancing up at Ms. Fleming to check to see if the coast is clear. But, as usual, she's too busy listening to herself talk than to pay attention to the class.

I place the paper ball into my mouth and roll it around with my tongue for a minute. Then, once it's nice and soggy, I pull it out and force it down the straw. Once loaded, I wait for the perfect moment. Then, Ms. Fleming turns her back to write on the board.

"Bingo."

I put one end of the straw in my mouth, and I raise the other end with my fingers. Ok...I'm in the back of the class, so I have to arch it high. I also need to account for the weight of the spitball and the speed at which it will travel. The window is open, so I have to aim it so as to counteract the breeze. When I finally have it positioned properly, I take a deep breath and blow into the straw.

The tiny, damp ball of paper races across the room. I instantly put my hand down and drop the straw into my backpack. I watch as my masterpiece unfolds. The spitball lands - and sticks - directly to the back of Ms. Fleming's head. It instantly becomes entangled in a jungle of gray hair.

Ms. Fleming instinctively reaches a hand back and feels for the small projectile. Once her fingers locate it, she spins around quickly - scanning the class with her beady little eyes. Gary is laughing openly, while I have a hand over my mouth as I attempt to stifle my laughter.

"Mr. Queen, perhaps you would like to tell the Principal about this?" Ms. Fleming snaps. Somehow, she knew it was me.

I shake my head. "Not particularly."

"Now!" she commands sternly, with a finger pointed angrily at the door.

I grab my backpack and throw the strap around my arms. Shamelessly, I walk out the door as the class erupts into fits of laughter.

At the Principal's office, my ass gets chewed out.

"And furthermore, I don't care who your daddy is," Principal Monaco assures me, "Your antics are unwanted, unneeded, unappreciated...and we will not tolerate them any longer!"

"Of course not, sir," I respond politely with a smug smile on my face.

Principal Monaco leans in. I can see the vein on his forehead pulsing slightly. He barks, "Don't you get fresh with me, Mr. Queen. I have the power to make your life a living Hell. Would you like that?"

I shake my head. "No, but I would like a Pepsi. Do you have the power to give me one of those?"

"OUT!"

 

[Byrd Man]

Batman blinks, once, as The Joker disappears before his eyes. Switching the lenses in his cowl to nightvision, then infared mode, he quickly realises that the clown is actually gone. ...Goddamn it.

Standing up, he wonders forward, before leaning on a nearby car, exhausted. He had trained for years, and had become the closest to succeeding both his father and his father's mentor... but nothing could've prepared him for a night like this. It was almost as if too convienient... as if this were some big test for him to pass, to prove himself worthy. But it wasn't. The Joker was back, and more powerful than ever. Which probably meant that he was worse than ever.

Looking back, trying his best to hide the wound beneath his cape, Batman surveys his brother, who watches the scene, still stunned.

"R-Robin,", He asks, staggering on his words. "Are you alright?"

I take a deep breath and think before I say my next words.

"Holy **** on a shingle, Batman. Th-...that was the Joker."

I bend down and put my hands on my knees. I don't know if it's fear or nerves, but I gag and in a few moments, I'm staring down at the Hamburger Helper I had for dinner. God, that seems like a life time ago.

I wipe my mouth with my glove and stand back up, looking at John.

"Now. I'm alright. Well, except this..."

I lift up my cape and show the cut going down my shoulder. It's starting to clot now.

"I think we should get back to the Clocktower."

I reach into my belt and pull out the grappling hook. I can already hear sirens and choppers in the distance as the night starts to give way to morning.

"Hell of a first night for The Dynamic Duo, huh?"