Watchtower
Batman had woken up in the infirmary a couple of hours ago but was still on his bed watching the news on the infirmaries television while flipping through his tablet catching up on what happened when he was indisposed.
Normally he would have already gotten out of the bed and headed to the bat cave or the watchtowers monitor but this time he waited patiently bidding his time till Black widow who was on the bed beside his woke up.
He had read and watched about the new alien shapeshifter in the news. Ben was his first thought. The aliens he had turned to were new ones and just as powerful as the others according to the footage of it pummeling doomsday to the ground.
The news channel helicopter did a pretty good job of recording most of the fight. This was because Doomsday was too busy with the Leagues heavy hitters to notice them hovering high up around the battlefield. Batman knew it was Lois Lane and Jimmy Nelson in the chopper because those two had the knack for getting themselves in the middle of any justice league operation, no matter how dangerous it was.
Batman observed how every sentient specie he turned into was quite powerful. Especially the one with the four arms who had a physique much like the hulks and doomsdays who if not for doomsdays superior speed and reflexes would no doubt have fought doomsday to a standstill. He then vaguely remembered telling Natasha to tell Banner to stand down lest the city get destroyed by the two giants. It was a good thing Natashas judgement was as sufficient as his.
He had also retrieved CCTV footage of how Ben had changed into a fluid like alien seemingly with circuit lines running all over its body, which then merged and completely restructured one of their holding cells to fit one that could hold Doomsday…at-least long enough for them to come up with a sufficient strategy to handle it.
"That watch sure is something else." Black widow spoke up making him pause for some seconds then continue flipping through the videos.
"All these forms seem powerful." Batman replied looking at her then at the machines hooked up beside her checking her vitals.
"Yeah…that is what happens when you are dealing with technology above level 15" she said. Batman looked at her again.
"How do you know that?" Batman asked curiously.
Black widow raised an eyebrow at him, "Is it not quite obvious?" She asked then continued. "The fact that it can change him into different aliens with different powers makes me think it is way above these lower levels." She explained shrugging.
Batman thought for some seconds, "Perhaps" he agreed with her before turning to the tablet again.
"FYI…Your utility belt is impressive" she initiated a conversation already bored of the seconds of silence.
"I am not telling you what is in that compartment." Batman stated.
"Who says I want to know." Black widow looked offended and defended herself. Indeed she was angling this conversation to eventually ask him that.
"Besides if I wanted to know I would have opened it." She smirked at him even though she had tried that particular approach very many times during the battle but she just couldn't get it open. All her skills could not get it open.
Batman merely looked and gave her an are you serious look to which she just shrugged.
"Thank you." She spoke up. "We both know it's supposed to be the other way round." Batman stated.
She ignored his answer and continued. "I wouldn't have survived that fall."
"We were doing our job." He said saving them from the awkward moment creeping up through the emotional thanks being given.
"Yes we were." She agreed. "This earth has way more dangerous Villains. Abomination does not compare to that Doomsday." She said still watching the news replaying parts of the fights from the television in her side of the room.
Batman looked at her, "Abomination?" He asked.
"He is basically an underdeveloped and corrupt version of the hulk which was attempted to be recreated using an altered process different from Banners . He is a villain." Black widow explained to which Batman nodded and continued scrolling through his tablet.
Black widow was getting bored again and contemplated turning to either make conversation with Batman or annoy him…something to be decided depending on her mood and how interesting the television set was. She noticed Batman had turned his head slightly and was staring at her but not her face from the corner of his eyes. Confused, her gaze followed his line of vision…her face turned into a smirk.
"Like what you see?" She asked out loud still watching the news. Silence.
Looking at Batman, he was scrolling through the tablet eyes trained on it.
"You're not so bad yourself." She added, her eyes lingering on batman's upper body which was not covered. His back was still too sore and a couple of ribs broken from the fall that he did not put on his costume upon waking up in the infirmary.
Batman was about to reply but was interrupted by the door opening revealing Wonderwoman.
Upon arriving at the Watchtower, she had witnessed Ben reconstruct one of their holding cells to fit a being with Doomsdays powers albeit temporarily till it broke out again. She then headed to the infirmary to check up on batman and Black widow after she had escorted Thor to his room. Despite everyone not recognizing Thor at the moment because they were busy looking at a knocked out Doomsday, she knew that if it were not for him, a lot more damage would have occurred by Doomsdays hands. He had managed to hold it up in one particular part of the city before back up arrived.
"Are you alright?" she asked Thor upon arriving at their wing. Thor was already healed up from all the bruises and injuries he sustained from the fight and looked brand new except for his torn warrior suit and armor.
"I assure you Wonderwoman, I am well. It will take a lot more than an alien weapon to bring down the Mighty Thor." He assured her with a smile. Wonderwoman loved the way her name sounded from his lips and his charming smile and well chiseled chest and rock hard abs peeking through the holes from his armor.
HERA! What is happening to me! I need to go back home and possibly talk to mother. She must be worried…they all must be. She thought about not seeing her mother and sisters for a long time and also not having experienced this sort of thing or feelings before.
Thor failed to notice her discomfort and continued, "Besides, it is my duty to protect the nine realms, whether our universe or a different one." He spoke with so much conviction.
Wonderwoman was brought back from her thoughts, "Thank you for that. You probably want to rest and fix that… I will go and check up on Batman and Black widow" she told him gesturing to his torn up armor.
Thor glanced down at his armor noticing its tattered state, "My apologies." Thor stated slightly embarrassed that he had walked through the Watchtower with his torn up warrior armor. In Arsgard it was normal for them t walk around in their tattered armors but he had learned that any form of indecent exposure in Midgard was highly frowned upon, that is if you were not a model or any form of celebrity.
He gripped Miljonir then small bursts of lightning sparks travelled all over his body much like Shazam's usually does and his armor began repairing itself. Wonderwoman was not completely surprised by any of it since she had witnessed similar things in Mount Olympus after their duels and sparring sessions. This just proved to her how powerful Thor Odinson was.
"How is she?" Thor asked referring to Black widow. "She's a fighter." Wonderwoman replied thinking back how she pushed through the pain and fatigue to help her search for Batman. She reaaly needed to check up on them.
"I should get going…" Wonderwoman told Thor who simply nodded in acknowledgement. "Thank you for your hospitality." Thor spoke up before Wonderwoman left.
"You're welcome." Wonderwoman replied backing away from him before turning and walking off. Thor stood watching her walk away with a sway of her hips which were accentuated by her fitting feminine warrior armor.
Truly a goddess He thought before retreating into his room.
Wonderwoman walked into the infirmary and winced, noticing the tension between Batman and Black widow. She had definitely walked into something.
"Is that cell going to hold it?" Batman asked meaning to diffuse the tension in the room. "It will hold it temporarily till we figure out the best way to handle it." Wonderwoman explained. "How are you feeling?" she asked him.
"I've had worse." Was his only reply. "What about you?" she asked looking at Black widow who was now trying to get up from the bed. "I've been better." She answered her. There was now a mutual respect between the two female superheroes. This was attributed to Wonderwoman saving her from near death to her also saving Batman.
"We need to convene a meeting immediately." Batman informed them before proceeding to send out emergency meeting text to the founding members of the league while he knew that Black widow would also inform her respective team of the same.
"You are in no condition to attend such a meeting. You are on bed rest." Wonderwoman complained looking at the struggling Batman who was putting on his costume and proceeding to try and get up from the bed.
"You can either help me or get out of my way." Batman told them with Black widow now standing beside Wonderwoman.
"Hera! You're as stubborn as Loki." Wonderwoman moved to help him. "That's about right…considering I met the guy." Black widow spoke up much to both their surprises.
"I forgot you're from the same place Thor comes from" Wonderwoman said still a little surprised.
They helped Batman get up then walked out of the infirmary before batman dismissing their help and continuing alone despite the pain. "Men!" wonderwoman and black widow sighed at the same time.
"Stop!" Superman shouted at Supergirl who was seething approaching him and an amused /concerned Supreme (Bens kryptonian form). "What's going on?" he asked his cousin knowing how she could let her temper get the best out of her. Teenagers.
"How dare he tarnish the memory of our people!" Supergirl demanded glaring at Ben who was standing safely behind Superman. Supreme raised his arms up in surrender, "I swear I did not…"
"Shut up!" Superman ordered Supreme who was not helping his case. He knew he would not be able to stop Supergirl from getting to him should her anger rise exponentially. "I understand that, but did you listen to his explanation or why he would say such a thing?" He asked her with an eyebrow raised.
"Well…no.." she started "but he still should not tarnish the name of Krypton!." She said with conviction.
"I know.. but let him explain before this gets out of hand." Came Superman's advice. He had noticed their little stunt had attracted unwanted attention to them. Some of the heroes were curiously looking at the trio trying to figure out what was happening. Supreme and Thor had become the talk of the Watchtower since the battle with Doomsday. They knew Supreme was Ben because of the uncanny resemblance between them and the familiar huge watch strapped to his wrist but they still thought he was a shapeshifter.
Supergirl narrowed her eyes at Supreme waiting for his explanation who still refused to get out from the protection of superman as a human shield. "I am…uuuhhh.." Ben was still thinking on how to tell her without annoying her again. His mind was completely blank. He could not think of a way to phrase his explanation to her without sounding like a jerk to her.
"Currently he is a Kryptonian." Superman decided to help him out since Supreme couldn't form the correct words. "What is that supposed to mean? Isn't he a human or a shapeshifter…"or whatever he is" Supergirl asked getting confused by the declaration.
Supreme seemed to find his voice at that precise question, "I usually am…most of the time.. but I can turn into sentient beings if I choose to." Supergirl seemed to process the new information. "So you are a shapeshifter" she stated the only explanation that would make sense of everything to her.
"Yes and No. My watch allows me to transform into various aliens at any time each with their unique abilities." Supreme explained. "Oh.. and no one except the founding members and the justice know about it."
Supergirl nodded her head. That makes more sense she thought.
She had earlier been taken by surprise when she could not seem to overpower Supreme, a mere shapeshifter. Only a handful of leaguers could be able to contend with her in terms of strength and Ben had not been anywhere in the list, until now that is.
"Okay" she said finally relaxing making Ben to come and stand beside Superman after noticing her calmed state.
Whaaack The sound echoed through the watchtower bringing everyone to a halt and turn towards the source of it only to see Supreme holding his left cheek wincing and an astonished Superman.
"Now we are even" Supergirl announced before turning and walking away not giving them the chance to react to what just happened.
Sure, the pain had already subsided but his hands stuck to his left cheek definitely taken a back at what just happened. "Did she just slap me!?" Supreme asked Superman who had since broken out of his daze and was subtly chuckling at Ben. "I think that would definitely qualify as a slap" superman pointed out rubbing his own cheek unconsciously. He was just glad that Supremes biology could handle the strength of a kryptonian.
"Why would she do that!?" Supreme exclaimed. The only other person who had ever slapped him was Gwen and that reminded him of his home world making him sad. Superman noticed the sad expression on Supremes face, it was the only time he had ever seen Ben sad.
"That is a question best suited for her, don't you think?" he answered his question with a question. He knew it was something to do with the fundraiser they had attended but he couldn't tell him. The last time he meddled with his cousins business he had to take a couple of days off from work to fix up everything she destroyed during her tamper tantrum at the farm and he was not going to build the barn form the ground up again.
"I believe you are right." Ben spoke up before following Supergirl using Trixx to monitor her route via the CCTV footages.
"Good luck" superman called out to Ben / Supremes back.