-Full disclosure: This chapter starts with a fight scene, I'm not great at writing fight scenes.-
-IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT AT THE END-
"Canary?" He ducked for cover. "I thought you were watching the--"
"The kids figured out the security systems." Her voice echoed over the comms.
"What?" Flash's voice joined the frequency.
Bruce cursed himself for believing those kids and their big, shameless eyes. They were liars. He should have known better. "Everyone keep an eye out."
The operation was so simple a child could have done it; take down internal security measures, get the bioship out of impound, and head for Washington.
This League had fallen for their innocence as easily as their league had.
"I'm picking up several small aerial bots." Robin called from his station. "Like, a lot of them."
"Murder drones." Wally cheered. "This should be fun!"
"Artemis and Robin can work best from rooftops." Kaldur decreed. "Superboy too. Kid Flash, you'll be helping me with on evacuation."
"On it, boss." He followed his friends to the back of the ship, searching for their rappelling gear.
"Ms. Martian, I need you on air. Use the ship to lead the target closer to our defenses."
A flash of yellow drew Green Lantern's attention. "Flash, what colour does your counterpart wear?"
"I've got one in sights." Kara interrupted.
Batman huffed. "Extend evacuation efforts to the children."
"Are you sure? We need all the help we can--"
"They're kids. They shouldn't be out here." The other batman might have failed that poor boy, but he wouldn't. "Get them somewhere safe."
Hitting flying targets was a walk in the park for Artemis. She'd been shooting down Frisbees and model airplanes since she was a kid. "Meg, this way." She loaded a trick arrow and drew back. "This one ought to get three or four at once."
Across the street on a slightly higher roof Conner was poised and ready to pounce, waiting until the drones were within his range. Robin was right beside him, throwing enough projectiles to draw the opponents closer. "Con, get ready to jump, kay?"
Wally shot through the streets, dragging a barrel-of-monkeys line of civilians behind him, handing them off to Kaldur before taking off again.
"You. Aqualad." Hawkgirl landed in his path.
"Civilians." The boy replied. "we need to get them to safety."
"Call off your troops." The woman ordered. "You're interfering."
"I'm sorry, I can't do that until the threat is subdued." He stooped, lifting a crying toddler into his arms. "Excuse me." The boy took off, leading the procession of pedestrians towards the metro station for cover.
She didn't stop him, not wanting a dozen or so civilians let in the lurch, but she was far from happy about it. They'd have to do something about these children.
Unstoppable force met unstoppable force, both toppling to the ground in shock.
"Ow!"
"Dang!"
Two pairs of clover green eyes met.
"Kid?"
"Sorry, Gotta go." The younger Wally hopped up.
"Hold on!"
"There's a crowd outside the school," The kid yelled, taking off. "Help me clear them!"
Conner missed by an inch, shooting across onto the opposite rooftop, landing on his back.
"Careful!" Artemis scolded. "You coulda killed me!"
"I didn't try to miss!" He sprinted to the edge of the building again, arms spread. He caught one this time. It fought, but couldn't hold his weight. He tore the drone flat like a paper clip. Landing in a heap on the street below, Conner leapt to the next nearest building, crouching and waiting for his next target.
Kara watched from just above, completely forgetting her main objective. Why wasn't he flying? Why wasn't he shooting the threats out of the sky? Was the kid seriously stupid enough not to realize how helpful freeze breath would be right now?
She was hit just below the ribs, the force of impact sending her into the roof below. She hit the concrete hard, mere inches from the teen.
"GET OFF HER!" She heard him snarl. He sprang forwards, ripping the bot into bisections.
"You aren't supposed to be here." She finally said, sitting up. "C'mon, let's get your teammates." She kicked off the ground, waiting for him to follow her. "Come on."
The boy scowled. "No."
"What?"
"No." He readied himself and kicked off the roof, catching another drone and dragging it down to the sidewalk, leaving Kara floating where she was.
The fight was short and sweet. There were many drones, but nothing that twenty-ish heroes couldn't knock out in a couple minutes.
The worst part was, they'd done well. The kids were competent. That was somehow worse than if they'd done poorly. They weren't kids, they were near-perfect heroic machines. They didn't have the innocence they deserved; they were used to being attacked, they were used to being put on the front lines.
"We're contacting Dr. Fate." Bruce said, staring down the assembled teens once they'd returned to the satellite. "You ought to be home by tomorrow."
"I'm sorry we didn't listen." Aqualad replied, cutting to the point. "But we're used to assignments like this, we can't just sit back while people are endangered."
Ah, that was it. That selfless truth that was at odds with their giggling and childlike banter. They treated an attack on the city like it was homework. This was as normal to them as household chores.
"You did well." He admitted. "But I wish you had stayed put."
"Wow, uh, thanks?" Robin said, a little shyly.
"To be fair," Kid Flash added. "We aren't very good at staying put."
"We aren't very good at getting bossed around either." Artemis agreed. Kaldur smacked her arm gently. "What?"
"It's been a while since we had a real fight!" Ms. Martian smiled. "We should be thanking you!"
That didn't sit right with Bruce, but he kept his mouth shut. "Go get cleaned up."
Before Conner could follow his friends, a thin, tight hand grabbed his bicep. He whipped around, trying to shake off his assailant. It was supergirl, Superman close behind.
"Let go." He ordered.
"Let go, Kara." Superman agreed.
"But..." She did, reluctantly. "Look, we've got questions for you."
"Am I in trouble?"
"No!" Superman exclaimed. "You're not in trouble."
"We just wanted to know why you didn't want to fly back with us when you and your friends finished up down there."
"I wouldn't leave them." Conner said, and it was true; still, his gut burned with shame. He was given a chance, a superman who seemed to like him, but he had to ruin it. He wasn't a liar. "Ac--actually..." He'd have to deal with this superman hating him lest he smolder with the guilt of the lie his entire life. "I can't fly"
"What?"
He swallowed hard, staring at the floor. "I don't have all your powers."
"Superboy, it's okay, you don't get all your powers at once..."
"But I never will!" He burst out. "I... I'm not kryptonian."
"What?"
"I'm half human..." He gripped his arm so hard it was numb, his fingernails digging deeper and deeper. "I was cloned from you and... and Lex Luthor."
"Oh."
Superman's rather unspoken reaction left Conner with a hot face and the need to explain himself.
"They-- They tried to clone before me but Match-- that clone-- was unstable. They needed human DNA to ensure I would survive and... and to make sure I was stable enough to impersonate Superman should he die."
"Superboy, Conner," The other superman began. "You don't owe me explanation."
"Oh." It was his turn now to be left speechless. Conner toyed with the bottom of his shirt, staring at the supers.
"Your DNA doesn't matter to anyone except your doctor." Superman assured. "and if you have even a drop of kryptonian blood, I'd be proud to say you're one of us."
"Here here." Supergirl added, he eagerness to agree surpassing her need to say anything helpful.
"But... but he's a bad guy." Conner said, voice breaking slightly, his eyes wide.
"But you aren't him." Superman replied.
Conner thought over this. "Oh."
"Come on." Supergirl interrupted, grabbing the boy's wrist such that he recoiled in shock. "I wanna get to know you before Dr. Fate sends you guys back!"
"I wish..." Superboy began. "I wish superman was this understanding."
"So, did we kill it, or did we kill it."
"Don't let batman deceive you, we're all very angry." Wally's older self scolded. "You should have stayed put."
"But we didn't, and everything turned out okay!"
He couldn't argue that, but still. "I'm not... comfortable with that. Where are your parents, I mean, you started when you were thirteen? I get why bats might feel safe taking his own kid under his wing, but I doubt... y'know."
The younger Wally shifted uncomfortably. "Well, you know how dad is..."
Wally thought he got where this was going and he wasn't ready for that conversation either. "Mom then?"
"She just cares that the dishes get done and I clean my room once a month." The little Waly laughed. "Come on, I need to replenish my supplies after that fight or I'm gonna barf again."
"Sports Master?"
"And my sister is Cheshire-- if she exists here too." Artemis sighed. "Let's just say being a hero was the only option to keep me out of Juvie or the unemployment line."
"But, but you have me."
"You already pay our rent and groceries." Artemis replied. "And let mom know I'm not dead yet. You do enough for us."
Oliver sat back, taking it all in. "Red Arrow wasn't..."
"No, he's just some normal poor kid you picked up." Artemis laughed. "I'm pretty sure I'm the only one with underworld connections 'round these parts."
"Why don't you like Red Arrow?"
"I mean he's fine, he's just really pretentious and thinks we're below him cause we work for you guys. Apaently unionizing the apprentices wasn't enough for him, he thinks we should all go solo like him."
"Well I'm glad you haven't."
"Don't worry. I won't ditch you-- Green Arrow, that is-- at least until mom's back on her feet financially."
-SOOOO JLU CROSSOVER IS BECOMING ITS OWN BOOK!!! It's up now but I'm still adding tags/cover.-
-Link:-