You know facing a crazed scientist who wanted to kill us all wasn't something I ever considered to be a possibility before I woke up in this world.
Not to mention how graphic and disturbing it was to watch a person turn into a hulking giant with its skin falling off.
Desmond's transformation was a grotesque sight to behold. It started with the veins popping under his skin, almost as if they were trying to escape the confines of his flesh. Then, his body convulsed and writhed as his lab coat and shirt were torn apart by his bulging muscles.
The sound of fabric ripping echoed throughout the room. As Desmond fell to his knees, his head lifted from his arm, revealing his twisted and contorted face. His sclera turned black, and his irises glowed bright red.
Then, some of Desmond's skin began to tear off, revealing the grotesque grey skin underneath. It was thicker and rougher than his normal skin, with veins pulsating beneath the surface.
Kid Flash and Robin's eyes widened in shock at the sight of Desmond's transformation. Aqualad, grimaced in hesitation, unsure of how to proceed. Superboy was frowning but looked mildly disgusted. I on the other hand felt slightly queasy, by this nightmarish performance.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Desmond stood back up, his growls filling the room. His muscles bulged with superhuman strength, and his posture was now towering and menacing. He looked like a monster, ready to unleash his fury on anyone who dared to challenge him.
He roared as his grey skin rippled with every step, muscles bulging and veins throbbing he charged at us.
I happened to be standing at the front of our group so I prepared myself to whether his attack. I ducked and countered with a swift uppercut that knocked Blockbuster off balance. I followed up with a quick cross and a roundhouse kick, but Blockbuster's thick skin absorbed the blows without flinching.
Not one to dally Superboy came in charging with a hard cross to his jaw. The mutated scientist hardly seemed affected and retaliated by punching downwards on Superboy's shoulder and upper back. But the Boy of Steel planted his feet and turned a tight 180 to hit an uppercut, before jumping to deliver a double-cross combo while the villain was still off-balance. Blockbuster found an opening and unleashed his own hard cross to Superboy's face, knocking him back ten feet.
I joined the fray. Since my strength ramped up depending on what I was trying to apply my strength to, I took advantage of him being distracted by superboy and I grabbed onto to him and heaved him on top off me. Desmond's limbs flailed in the air, and I decided to not give him any chance to recover and threw him.
The villain crashed through a nearby wall, he slowly got back on his feet and charged at us again. Kid Flash reacted first, using his super speed to evade Blockbuster's attack. Aqualad followed, summoning a powerful wave of water that crashed into the villain and momentarily stunned him. Robin ran to join us, his acrobatic moves allowing him to dodge Blockbuster's blows with ease.
We stood together, ready to face our enemy. Blockbuster roared and charged at us, but this time we were ready. Superboy and I engaged him in close combat, while Kid Flash used his speed to dart around him and deliver quick jabs. Aqualad summoned more waves to batter the villain, and Robin used his batarangs and explosive charges to keep him off balance.
Our team worked together as a well-oiled machine as we methodically tore him down. And it wasn't long before Blockbuster let out a final whine of defeat.
By the time the fight was finished my strength had ramped up to match Blockbuster's own strength and I was currently winding down as the fight was over.
Turning with some relief to my teammates, I saw that Robin and Aqualad were fine, if a little worse for wear. Aqualad was the first to speak, panting heavily as he did. Superboy just looked satisfied, standing there with the entire chest portion of his solar suit torn cleanly off his body.
"We…. did it." Aqualad said.
"Was there ever any doubt?" Kid flash said high-fiving Robin, they both sat back down in exhaustion and moments later I joined them.
I briefly thought using my horse talisman's power heal their exhaustion, but then changed my mind. They could handle it, and I did't want them to get used to it, since they might subconsciously start taking more risks knowing that I could heal them, whenever something bad happened to them. Best to reserve it to emergencies, or serious injuries.
" Let's get out of here. The league should have probably figured where we are by now." I spoke.
Robin nodded. " That elevator over there should take us above ground."
It didn't take us long before we were out of the facility and standing under the night sky. Superboy took in his first ever look at the moon, a childlike expression of wonderment on his face.
Wally himself turned to join in, squinting slightly as a small dot became larger in the distance. In a flutter of blue and red, Superman slowly descended from the sky, with Zatara, Captain Marvel, Red Tornado and Martian Manhunter beside him.
Grinning, Wally walked up to Superboy, laying a hand on the clone's shoulder while the remaining heroes floated down from the sky. Most of them stared at Superboy, eyes widening as they took in the clone.
"The moon and Superman too. Told you we keep out promises Supey!" Superman's eyes widened at the nickname. He stared at the clone as if confused while Batman descended on one of Green Lantern's power constructs. He was accompanied by Black Canary, Green Lantern and Aquaman. As Flash zipped up, the protégés realized what was going on.
The whole Justice League was here.
Robin strolled up with Aqualad, holding a scrap of white cloth which he handed to Superboy. The young kryptonian nodded and stretched it out so that the leaguers facing them could see the red "S" emblazoned on the front.
So far, only Batman and Superman had seemed completely unaffected by Superboy's appearance but now, Superman's eyes opened in surprise as Batman's narrowed.
Superboy smiled nervously at Superman, but the man of steel almost seemed to avert his eyes. Superboy's disappointment was clear. Batman stepped forward, his expression flat and uncompromising. "Is that what I think it is?"
Wally frowned a little."Supey doesn't like being called an it," he advised. Batman pointedly ignored him and raked his eyes over our beaten-up team.
"I'm Superman's clone!" Superboy announced.
Many of the leaguers raised eyebrows at this, with big blue himself scrutinizing Superboy with renewed shock. Batman looked unfazed but forbidding.
"Start talking."
They left Robin to do the explaining, with Aqualad occasionally tempering his hyper-activity with a few words. Batman's protégé finished the explanation, causing the Dark Knight to step aside and begin conversing with the remainder of the league.
Superboy looked downcast; glancing at Superman often who made a bad pretense of listening to Batman fixatedly.
The Green Lanterns along with Captain Marvel flew off with Blockbuster just as Martian Manhunter touched Superman, forcing him to acknowledge Superboy. They could see him sigh resignedly even from a distance as he walked over to face Superboy.
The two kryptonians were of almost equal height, Superboy barely having to look up at his original.
"We'll, uh-we'll figure something out for you," he said awkwardly.
"The League will, I mean. For now, I'd uh- better make sure they get that Blockbuster squared away." And with that, the man of steel flew off into the sky, leaving us and Superboy in the dust.
Superman had barely even looked at him, and Superboy looked crushed, but before he could mull on the disappointment too long, Batman walked up and was beginning to address us. I knew that I would have to talk to Superboy sometime later and if possible Superman too.
"Cadmus will be investigated, all 52 levels, but let's make one thing clear-"
"You should have called!" the Flash interjected.
Batman cast a glance at him before turning back to us."End results aside, we are not happy. You hacked Justice League systems, disobeyed direct orders, and endangered lives." Batman finished his statement with a leveled look at me. I was mildly offended by it, but he probably figured out I wasn't the one to instigate this little incursion of ours but probably deduced I didn't do anything to stop it.
"You will not be doing this again." Batman announced.
I barely held myself from scoffing, but Aqualad beat me to it by saying "I am sorry, but we will."
I was slightly impressed by Aqualad since. The sheer weight of the justice league presence was hard to overcome and a lesser man would have quailed at the league's force of presence as well as the respect it demanded.
Aquaman crossed his arms and addressed his protégé. "Aqualad, stand down," he commanded.
In some form of salute, Aqualad laid a hand across his chest. "I am sorry my king. But no."
Aqualad continued. "We did good work here tonight, the work you trained us to do. Together on our own we forged something powerful, important."
The Flash stepped in. "If this is about your treatment at the hall, The four of you-"
"The five of us" said Kid Flash firmly, cutting his mentor off.
Now Robin was speaking, adding his own voice. "Batman, we're ready to use what you taught us, or why teach us at all?"
Superboy spoke, unable to remain silent. "Why let them tell us what to do? It's simple. Get on board or get out of the way."
I also stepped out, "This team can be so much more than what you initially planned. I chose to be a hero to help people, but at the same time you have to trust us. Trust that what you have taught us is enough to carry us through. And, as much as we would like your approval, we don't actually need it. So, as Superboy said, Get on board or get out of the way. "
Superboy gave me a slight smile and the rest of my new teammates nodded in approval. Batman's eyes narrowed, considering this. It seemed an eternity before he spoke again, but when he did.
"Give me three days."
(Chapter End)
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