Young Justice #1 - The Kids Are Alright
by
A bright Sunny day that could be anywhere in America. But it’s not. It’s in Keystone City. A town that is known to be home to the Fastest Man Alive, The Flash. But this is not his story.. he’s who knows where doing who knows what trying to save the day. Blah blah blah. There on the basketball courts. Those are whom our story is about.
Impulse – From far in the Future, he’s a speedster.. with ADD to the Nth power.
Wonder Girl – Just your average Girl… 'cept gifted with powers, from the hands of Zeus himself. And a regular hot tamale.. rrrrrow baby rrrrow.
Superboy – Kon-El, Super Clone and general Stud in his own mind. Oh wait..not so super currently still without his powers. He can’t say tactile TK all the time anymore.. gasp and horror.
Robin – Uh…. Urban legend..
Secret – Shhhhhhh… and another one of those cute things.
They’re Young Justice. A group of superteens who do the goody goody thing yadda yadda yadda.. as for me I’ll tell you more about myself a few issues later. I’m not in this arc. Sigh.
Now back to the story I’ll just be here for occasional color commentary… don’t mind me..
It’s true. It’s a fabulous day in Keystone. One of those early fall days where the leaves have just exploded with color looking like an autumnal kaleidoscope. There on the courts are kids.. looking like kids. No one in costume even Robin. He had to take some prodding but they promised just to call him Rob to help with the whole identity thing. B-Ball Basket ball.. a game. A work out before the picnic. They weren’t allowed a camp out this time.. but a picnic while their parents met. That was allowed. Heck they made Cissie come out and join them even. She may not be on the team, but if they were just going to be playing around, eating and stuff. She should be there ('sides they needed her to make the teams even 3 on 3). If you didn’t mind the Giggling from Cissie and Cassie, and Suzie looking perplexed then going ‘Ohhhhhhhh’ as she finally got it. This had happened about 7 times so far. Thus it came down to, Basketball. No powers allowed. And no nifty tricks. Bart had already gotten the girls’ team a couple points. Every time a foot moved too fast they would get a free throw. It was killing him to move so slowly…
“But you said I was supposed to get the Ball across the court as fast as I can!” The bushy haired speedster wailed. His golden eyes looked so lost. He was told as fast as he can. And well that’s fast.
“Awww jeeeez, Whizbang.. listen you can’t run over as fast as you can.. look don’t do it any faster than Birdboy can do it…” Kon decided that maybe trying to give Bart some sort of example might work. Cassie and Cissie leaned against each other laughing. They looked more and more like sisters when they were like this. It was nice.. but it would be nicer… if the three team vixens weren’t stomping on him and the other boys.
“But.. but that’s sooooooo slooooooooow.” It would take AGES for him to get across the court, why not ask him to crawl on his belly. Bart looked on at Kon in frustration.
A shaggy haired young man, who is seldom with out his mask but is today smirked at Bart, “Just be glad he didn’t indicate you should go as slow as him..” Robin shook his head and took up the ball again, “Suzie..catch..” He passed the ball to her with an easy move.
“HEY! Whazzat supposed to mean Robby?” Kon glared at his teammate, “I can lick you in a race with out my powers…”
Suz caught the ball in her misty hands. It was tempting to reach out with a coil of herself to snatch at the ball but she didn’t. She knew she wasn’t supposed to and she could do this. Feet were harder but they agreed… so long as she didn’t try to do a whole slam dunk thing or used her mists to make shots she would be okay. The honey toned smoke swirled about her as she moved to the free throw line.
Bart was suddenly zipping about examining Kon and Robin. Examinations by Bart usually looked like forty Imps surrounded them at once. He cleared his throat as he finished, “Well.. you see Kon.. it seems .. you are a tad bulkier than Rob, and that would make you a tad slower.”
“HEY! I am not bulky!” Kon planted his hands on his hips to glare at the speedster. The golden eyed boy merely blinked back.
This was the point where Cassie and Cissie fell to the ground sobbing with laughter.
“You heard the man, Kon… Bulky.” Robin grinned. This was great. They were together having a good time. And just being.. well them.
Superboy brought his hand to his face in that universal sign of frustration and just growled, “Its MUSCLE!”
At this point even Suzie was getting the giggles…
“Suz! Toss the ball already!” Robin called to the ghost-like girl. She blinked and grinned, “Oh yeah!” Then with a gentle bounce bounce the ball left her hands and spun towards the net…
“I would like to thank each one of you for coming, as you might know we have gone through a rather unusual experience as a team and I felt it would be important for me to inform you as to how each of your charges are doing.” Red Tornado stood patiently at the table in Young Justice’s headquarters while the others seated themselves. “Allow me to introduce you all being we have some new faces this time..” He cleared his throat and indicated the blond woman seated in the seat that was marked with the Flash sigil “This is Jesse Quick, she is here representing Max Mercury, Impulse’s Guardian, who is currently under the weather and has sent his regrets for being unable to attend.”
Next his hand gestured towards an elderly gentleman, who was dressed rather dapperly. Tailored suit, he set a bowler hat down gently and a carefully polished cane next to him on the table. He was seated at the chair that had the logo of the boy trained by the world’s greatest detective. “Batman has again been unable to attend due to prior commitments, this is Albert Pennington, an associate to represent Batman’s interests in Robin.” The gentleman gave a light nod before folding his hands carefully across his lap.
“Some of you may of course recognize Superman. He is here because he expressed interest in Superboy’s current status…” The red android gestured to the man who had taken a seat that for several years was his own. It no longer cradled him quite the way it used too, having molded itself to someone much slighter than he. Kal-El grinned and just raised a hand in greeting to the others.
“Last but not least, I would like to present Dr. Helena Sandsmark, Curator at the Gateway City Museum of Cultural Antiquities and Mother of Wonder Girl.” The youngish looking woman leaned back in her seat, trying to be collected about this. She’s yelled at a varying number of these heroes before even Diana once or twice. However Superman being right across from her made her simply hope she wouldn’t embarrass herself at the meeting. With her right hand she reached up to adjust her glasses and gave a slight grin to the grouping.
“Now that we are all here.. I would like to begin by describing the events that happened. Through the combination of both Arcane and scientific forces, heroes’ ages were altered from their actual ages.” Red Tornado began his explanation quietly of the events that had happened just a few weeks ago. (Sins of Youth – FiM)
However there weren’t just these five in the room. Someone else was there.. someone who was concerned over the one child who didn’t have any sort of guardian. Someone who couldn’t be seen.
Deadman hovered above the table, *Deadman.. deceased acrobat and friend of Secret.. no please.. please sit..* He settled above the table Indian style and watched from above. There was something in Secret that he’d bonded with, well it helped that she could see him, but he genuinely liked the kid and wanted to see how these things went. Sides everybody should have a someone at a parent teacher conference.
“HA! 75 to 29.. you lose!” Cassie hung from the hoop doing a slam dunk in celebration of the girls creaming the guys, thanks to Impulse’s near inability to keep under Warp 9. Kon was the only one with any reaction to this. He scowled, he pouted. He glared at Bart who simply blinked back at him. Robin made his way to the grill, he was dressed like a normal person. Which was pretty cool if you think about it. He was wearing just a pair of jeans and a Gotham Knights jersey. If one didn’t know better they might actually have thought he was relaxed.
“Hey Bart, come over here and help me get the grill going..” The golden-eyed speedster was next to Robin before the boy finished the sentence. He stood lightly on his feet, it was as if he needed feet that large to keep him on the ground other wise he might just blow away he was that slight. The unofficial team leader took up a pair of sticks and passed them to Bart, “Light it as quick as possible..” At any other time with any other person it would have taken hours. However with a quick rubbing of two sticks and a puff of friction induced smoke the grill was soon getting to temperature. However Bart wasn’t about to stop the stick rubbing. Cassie grinned and reached out placing her hand on the speedster’s, “Yo Bart. It’s lit. C’mon lets grab the food…” The blond wrinkled her nose with a grin.
He blinked up at her with that slightly weird look he’d been getting around the blond as of late. After all it wasn’t very easy to forget the sight of a grown up Cassie in the official Wonder Girl outfit. He swallowed hard and just coughed, “I’ll do it you um.. talk to Cissie and Suzie bout.. stuff…” With that he was gone but back with in nanoseconds clutching coolers and bags of stuff, reappearing next to the grill. Somehow Robin found himself next to Superboy while Bart was, complete with chef’s hat and kiss the cook apron, slapping burgers onto the grill at sublight.
The Boy o’ Steel was already helping himself to a handful of chips with one gloved hand while the other was poking about in the cooler trying to find the coldest soda.
“Kon are you sure you want to eat all that…you are looking a tad puffy..” Tim grinned almost impishly at his friend.
Kon made a growling noise and dropped an ice cube down the back of Robin’s jersey. The boy wonder yelped grabbing for the back of his shirt. Now that was unexpected.
“But in general I think the experience benefited them. The idea of knowing someone, you have to walk a mile in their shoes. They can no longer automatically look at the world as just they have youth thus they are right. They handled themselves very well. Living up to their mentors standings quite well. Now as to what we have learned about from this whole experience.” He clears his throat, unnecessary for Red Tornado to do such a thing but well it was appropriately timed.
His eyes first went to Jesse Quick, “Miss Quick, Impulse from what we have seen will grow up to be everything that Max Mercury wants him to be. There will be maturity and he will think more, though he will need to pick the best option and not try to think of every option.” The blond idly jotted down a few notes, she took her duty here very seriously and if she could take Max back a good report, even better. He seemed so odd. Jesse was glad to do this for him, but.. still something wasn’t being told to her and that made her unhappy. “It would seem that more than anything else, Impulse needs time..”
Red moved onto Helena, “Your daughter has become an unofficial spokesman for our team. She is poised, speaks intelligently, and was able to put across our cause best. I will probably be making the position official in the near future. She doesn’t like being in the duty but it seems to suit her. There are times when she is mature beyond her years, but others when she is exactly what you are used to. She is valuable and dear to everyone on this team.” He reaches up to rub the back of his neck, “Though still.. she has the tendency to see her way as the right, and sometimes I do not think she sees that she endangers herself trying to live up to the standard of both the previous Wonder Girl and of course Wonder Woman. It is something you might wish to discuss with Artemis.” Helena Sandsmark went in a span of a few moments from grinning with pride to a look of intense concern. Cassie always could use a tad more sense when it comes to her own protection. Everyone else she takes with the utmost seriousness, herself.. sometimes she just forgets.
“As for Robin, Mr. Pennington, I hardly know where to begin…”
Kon shoved about his fifth burger down, “Mmmph.. so anyways.. is it just me or should we be probably working out like in training more….” He took up his can of soda and drained it
It was as if a bomb had been dropped on the table. Dead quiet followed Superboy’s words…there was only the sound of Kon grabbing a fist full of chips. That was when he realized he was the focus of attention. Everyone, even Bart, had their eyes affixed on him and wide. The Boy of Steel (in name if not currently in power) rolled his eyes and sighed, “Look guys.. I’m y’know.. depowered right now. I need to learn a new way to fight and I don’t want to endanger ya.” His eyes went to look into the eyes of each one of his friends, “And none of you will be able t’ protect me all the time either. We’ll just have to learn a new way to fight…”
He grew quiet., Kon-El had been really surprisingly brave about his whole situation. Carefully he placed his gloved hand on the table and traced the grain of the wood with a slow touch. His eyes were serious, even dark. There was a grimness to his appearance. Even with his powers he’d failed the one who’d mattered to himself, his powers were increased even and still he’d failed to protect her.
Cassie cleared her throat first, she looked at her friend and she quietly said, “No.. you’re right Kon. It’s probably something we should have done from the beginning. We need to work as a team.. now more than ever.. “ Somehow she’d thought that Kon would have taken a break.. or just taken some time for himself. But she was going to support him in this. They all would or else. She trails her gaze over the others. Her own blue eyes meeting with other blue eyes, golden ones, and smokey ones. Each set of eyes a friend she would trust with her life and more. The others nodded.
No one voiced what they felt. Not even Robin, Tim trusted Kon with his life. It wasn’t that. But it was the fact that now.. Kon was a liability to himself. He would be a liability to them. He had to speak. The boy shook his head, “Kon… I understand. That you need to be here with us as a part of the team. I don’t want to pull you out of it. But I don’t think its fair you should risk your friends or yourself.” Superboy started to open his mouth but Robin didn’t give him a chance, “You said you didn’t want to endanger us. But you will. Not intentionally but you will. What if you get targeted. Cassie who’s our brick now might choose to protect you instead of focusing entirely on what we need to get done. Any of us might get distracted at you. Yeah you need to learn a new way to fight. But until you do Kon, all you will be doing is endangering us. And frankly I don’t think it would be a bad thing if all of you learned that way to fight with out powers…” He flicked his gaze towards Bart and Cassie who both had their mouths agape at the Boy Wonder. “Cassie..what if Zeus stripped your powers away.. or the connection to Olympus was gone…” His eyes flick to Bart, “What if you lose your connection to the Speed Force.. again” (Remember Dead Heat, natch. FiM)
Kon finally spoke, “You.. don’t want me…” Kon-El felt as if he’d been kicked in the gut. One of his best friends was telling him that he needed to be off the team. Not help.
“Its not that I don’t want you here. We all want you here. You are part of this Kon, you are a founding member…you are our friend, but I’ll be damned if anyone here gets hurt because you were out there when you shouldn’t be.” Kon just stared at his hands. How .. insulting. How wrong.. he’s.. he’s… his world is upside down and his friends don’t want his help. Robin’s voice comes again, “I mean, Christ Kon.. I’m going to be helping you learn to fight as it is. Get over it. You can’t help us right now.”
Cassie blinked at Robin, somedays she really hated him. It’s not an all the time thing. But why the hell did he have to be so damn grown up about it all. The kid barely had fun, and here he was making a decision for them all. Is that fair no. But was he wrong about Kon-El? No.
“And that Mr. Pennington is all I have to say about Robin. I’m sure that the Batman will be pleased to hear such.” Red Tornado clears his throat and glances towards Superman, “As you know for the first time in his life, Kon-El has due to an unfortunate result of the recent events is currently with out powers..”(Sins of Youth, Duh. FiM)
Kal-El steepled his fingers as he listened to Red Tornado. His brow furrowing. He’s been without his powers a few times, for most of his life he was powerless. To be without his powers for the first time, it must be a harder experience than he could ever imagine. His brow furrowed while he glanced towards Red Tornado so as to continue to listen.
“Kon-El reached acceptance rather quickly but some might think he is suffering from a sort of denial. He won’t be able to help his friends and this team as he used to. At least for now. And he will need help getting through each and every thing, but I don’t think he quite sees that right now…”
The Boy of Steel leaned back against a tree. The mood was definitely killed now. Everyone was sullen and quiet. Cissie would look at Cassie as if asking if it was time to go yet. Robin was cleaning up, Suzie was pensive and helping to disperse smoke. Even Bart was affected by everybody’s mood. He was kicking rocks at the back of Robin’s legs. While the rocks would be almost there about to hit the Boy Wonder, Mystery boy would always just manage to move out of the way. Oddly enough it was Cissie who moved first. She gave Cassie’s shoulder a squeeze and then made her way next to Kon.
“H’lo Ciss.. come to tell me not to be so down.. not to be upset that one of my best friends stabbed me in the back..” Kon mumbled as he picked up a stick and snapped it into two pieces. He stared at the way they laid in his hands his brow furrowing.
“Come off it Kon. Y’know he’s worried about you.. its not a back stabbing thing… it’s a good god if you go with us you’ll get yourself killed trying to over compensate for your lack of well because your normal Kon. Its not like even you have years of training like Robby and me. I mean I’m not out there because I’m a threat to people sometimes…. Not all the time..” She raised a hand to halt his protest, on it there were still calluses that would probably never go away. A roughness that had to do with years of training. Years of her human hands pulling on tight cords and sending arrows into targets were harder than his felt. No matter how much lotion she used, Cissie's hands bore the scars of her training. “I took myself out of the Game because I knew that I would put others at risk. So far not you, but whose to say what could have happened. S’pose Cassie had gotten in the way of my arrows. She’s not completely invulnerable y’know. Pointy things can really hurt her. Do you think I could have lived with myself had I hurt her, my best friend.” The blond playfully poked him in the chest as she kept speaking, “You say that this will be good for you.. okay.. you get used to being with out your powers.. then you’ll learn. Y’know both Robby and I will yelp you train.. we’ll figure out something than your just being the brick. And no you aren’t that slow.. or bulky.. we’ll figure it out Kon.”
The boy laughed and reached out to ruffle Cissie’s hair. “Jeez Ciss. Alright alright.. I’ll go apologize, Okay?” He stood and then he took her extremely strong hand in his own. Funny how such a little blond thing actually had a grip stronger than his now. Well not so funny considering the things she does with them. The pair moved together with ease, each unintentionally matching their paces to each other. Their steps took him near their leader..
“Hey Robby.. I just wanted to say..y’know you’re right..” Robin turned around to blink at Kon-El. This is unexpected. His face still wore the fifty-year-old frown that emerged when he was at his most pensive. Cissie’s face wore a smile as if she’d just negotiated peace in the Middle East.
It was in this moment. That the day changed. It went from happy.. sweet and even with all the teen emotional flux, from a good day.. into the most awful they would ever know. A soft puff of wind.. a thwang from a bow cord snapping. An arrow moving so quick, so silent that in the moment that Bart’s back was turned, it sped past him. Cassie was draining the cooler. Kon was playfully shoving Robin back. Everything seemed to slow down, and it was Robin who saw a glimpse of something red and swift and dangerous. But it was too late for any of them to stop. He tried to reach it, but it slid through his fingers.. odd even at that speed the feathers tickled his fingertips.
The cry was soft and Cissie’s eyes dilated with pain and fear and horror as she stared at her chest. A red blossom of blood emerged on the front of her shirt. A scarlet arrow shaft emerged from the center of her chest as if it had grown there. “No?” It was the only thing that could spring from her mouth before she fell against Robin. Her blood was splattered across his innocent face, Kon also wore the stains of her injury and not a word could come from his mouth.
Robin only managed to whisper, “Cissie?”
Next Issue: Cissie? Hang on now.. wait.. will she survive? Who the hell shot her? WHY? What could they possibly want with a retired teen Superhero.. or do they want anything with her at all. Join us in 30 for Shot Through The Heart!