July 12, 2010
Grace Balin/Orca
Grace's life had changed in a dozen ways since the Silicon Dragons had attacked her. She lived in a cave now, but in a room three times the size of her old apartment. She had roommates that were adorable animals from a different dimension. Oh. And she was a giant Killer Whale hybrid.
Learning to sleep with a dorsal fin had been tough until she put a pool in her room and found out that sleeping while swimming was far more comfortable. Mudkip joined her sometimes, and she loved that.
Lots of changes. But in her heart of hearts, she was still a scientist. So when Giovanni announced she was getting a new laboratory, she was excited. No matter who she was sharing it with.
"My word!" Clock King said as Giovanni led them into their new shared laboratory. "Giovanni, this is far beyond what I imagined!"
"Spared no expense," Giovanni said confidently, the handsome billionaire (He'd apparently become one after his recent medical advances and merchandising businesses began selling) chuckling. "After all, you both are quite the minds. I'm sure I'll be reimbursed for this little investment."
"Little?" Grace asked, her toothy maw gaped wide as she spun in place, looking around. "This place is insane."
The new lab was large, and situated in Giovanni's research facility. They'd been given a section connected to a pool outside, which itself was connected to the ocean, allowing Grace to easily enter the lab through there while she had the security tags for the gates. The lab itself was split diagonally.
Tockman's section was filled with his clockwork technology, including a massive clock in the center of the roof pointed towards the sky. Combined with the bookshelves, gears, and the plush furniture, it all looked very steampunk, if it wasn't for the advanced monitors and computers resting on the antique desks.
Grace's own section was much more contemporary. Same tiles, but with more modern stylings, though still colored to match Tockman's section. It gave the place a very warm coloration.
Also, there was an aquarium in the center and a chair sized and shaped for Grace. She walked over to it, sighing as she rubbed at it. "Wonderful. You know how hard it was to sit on normal chairs now?"
"I did. Thus why I made the effort," Giovanni said with a chuckle. "But of course, this is all in service of our greater goal. The defense of Hawaii."
"Until we defeat the Silver Dragons?" Grace asked.
"Not at all! I can see it becoming a real fixture of the state," he said with a small smile. "After all, Hawaii has long served as an easy stopping point on the way to the mainland! We'll need to keep crime at a level I can approve of."
"...Something about the way you said that-"
"Anyways!" Giovanni cut her off. "I have some thoughts on our next project. William?"
"Of course," Clock King said cheerily. "As you asked, I've monitored the comings and goings of our opponents. Your own advice was quite helpful. It was only a matter of time before I discovered the pattern!"
Grace smiled a bit softly. "You really do like the whole time thing, don't you?"
Tockman chuckled. "Well, admittedly, it's more fun now that I'm not as stressed. Now. Based on what I've put together, I believe I've come up with a plan on how to defeat the Silver Dragons. Or at least, a plan to put together the plan. We need more information, and we need to make sure whatever plan we make is a final strike."
"A dismantling of the organization, rather than a blow," Giovanni said. "I don't mind missing one or two of the individual members, but preventing the whole of the Silver Dragons from coming back is imperative."
"Am I really the one you want here for this?" Grace asked. "I'm not a… what, a war strategist?"
"No, you are a scientist, my dear," Giovanni said gracefully. "And thus, you can give us advice on the best ways to counter their scientists. Including the creatures they've made with your research."
"...I have some promising results using a compound that can be turned into a gas?"
"An aerosol?" Tockman rubbed his mask's chin, the clock eyes ticking away as he thought. "Why, that may be just the thing for one of my more hair-brained schemes."
"Let's chat then," Giovanni sat down in a comfortable looking armchair, steepling his fingers before his face as he leaned back. His smile was particularly vicious now, almost… evil? "I'd like them defeated before my next big announcement after all."
Sitting down, the three minds worked as one.
Kahu Kiaʻi/Mahmoud
Empress dropped down from a rooftop with her baton flashing. Below, three men were accosting a couple and their child. I watched from the roof above as she smashed it into the face of one guy, lashing out with a roundhouse kick on another. While she dealt with his friends, a third one ran off.
"Empress, try out what we talked about."
"Tyrunt!" She half-yelled, half-yelped.
"Ty!" My violent dino-dragon came out of an alleyway, ramming into the running thug with his stone head, sending the guy flying back into Empress's clothesline. He roared triumphantly, his mask tied on perfectly around his eyes Ninja Turtle style.
The three thugs knocked out, Tyrunt and Empress looked over at the couple and their kid.
"Uh… hi!" Empress said nervously. "You guys okay?"
"Y-Yes!" The dad said, sounding surprised. "T-Thank you so much!"
"Ty!" Tyrunt came over to them. The little girl nervously held a hand out towards him. The mom tried to stop her, only to pull back when Tyrunt gently pressed his head against the girl's palm, the small child giggling at the purring sound he let out.
"That's why I didn't send you down," I told Smiley next to me, watching Empress call the police while she calmed the couple and Tyrunt played with the child. "You aren't as good with comforting people."
He tapped on his tape recorder. "All we're saying is… give war a chance!"
I rolled my eyes but kinda smiled at the familiar voiceline. I looked over at him, my eyes landing behind him. I froze. "Smiley. Can you go somewhere else? I need to have a conversation apparently."
Smiley cocked his head to the side. Looked behind him. And stared. After a long moment, he got up and walked over to the roof, dropping down. Unusually, he didn't use his recorder to make a joke or comment.
Or maybe that was understandable. The figure who had been standing behind him came forward into the light.
I'd met Bruce Wayne. It didn't prepare me for meeting Batman.
Sure, his chin was the same. But the set of it was different. Even without that armor and the flowing cape that seemed almost to meld into the shadows, his stance, posture, everything about him, screamed dangerous.
Combine that with my own impression of him, built by years of media, and I was very impressed.
"Batman. Sunnier climes than you're used to, aren't they?"
"Hn," Batman grunted. "Kahu Kiaʻi. Robin, Aqualad, and Aquaman all speak well of you."
"Thanks."
"But you keep some very untrustworthy company." His voice had a sort of gravely tone to it, giving his every word more weight. "Even ignoring your pets."
"They're no more pets than Robin is," I snapped immediately.
"...I see," Batman acknowledged.
"Why are you here?" I finally let my genuine confusion come out. "Seriously? I know you have no jurisdiction, but this is still a little out of your way."
He seemed to have been expecting that. "Because Kaldur has invited your team to meet his. Members of your team, as well as your own affiliations, worry me. Grace Balin is a gifted scientist. But Smiley," hearing Batman say his name was ridiculous. "Only has a reputation as a violent vigilante."
"So do we."
"Don't pretend that's the same," Batman said firmly. "Then there is the final member of your team. Empress," Batman glanced down into the alleyway. Empress was looking up at us, Tyrunt next to her. The young girl's mask prevented us from seeing her expression, but I could easily imagine how gobsmacked she was. "Another unknown."
"She's good," I said.
"Hm… and Giovanni?"
"Giovanni isn't good. But he is self-interested. And our interests align," I sighed. "Batman, I'm not going to reveal anything about the team, if that's what you're worried about. Kaldur and I are friends, and we want our friends to meet. That's all."
"Is it?" Batman didn't sound angry or anything. Just matter of fact. "I'm willing to give you a chance. As I said. People I trust believe you are trustworthy. But break that trust. And it won't matter who you have by your side. Understand?"
"Yeah. Yeah… has anyone ever told you the difference between caution and paranoia?" I couldn't help but ask.
"Yes. The difference is knowledge. Such as knowing that William Tockman's problems are as much because of his own psychological issues as his familial ones."
How the hell did he know about Clock King?
"...What was it, the watch?" I asked. The stopwatch was in one of my pockets, but maybe he'd figured it out based on the shape poking out or something? Empress or Smiley might have taken it out as well at some point.
"It doesn't matter," Batman said. "I'm willing to give you, and your team, the benefit of the doubt. Don't waste it."
"Don't plan on it," I said. I turned my back on him and hopped down into the alleyway. When I landed across from Empress, she ran over.
"That! T-That was, that was-"
"Batman."
"THAT WAS BATMAN!" she said, sounding her age. "You were talking to Batman! Did he ask about me?"
"Yeah."
"Eeeeeeee-"
"Tyrunt?"
"Uh," I looked down at him. His tail was wagging and he looked very excited. "Yeah, we talked about you too."
"Tyyyyyyy-"
The dinosaur and girl let out twin sounds of excitement. I sighed, chuckling. The two hero nerds (Like I had room to talk) geeking out was cute. But I had to focus on that encounter.
Batman had dropped into Hawaii to give a warning/threat. A relatively light one honestly. Granted, a bit of a hypocritical one considering how dangerous or untrustworthy some heroes could seem, but I had to see it from his perspective. A bunch of unknown's suddenly interacting with the future leaders of the hero gig was rife with potential for sabotage and spying. Even if the kids were sincere, mind control, cloning, or simple blackmail, it could all happen.
Batman just wanted to keep them safe while allowing them freedom. I could respect that.
"We're going to move to the next location," I told Empress and Tyrunt as they stopped squealing.
Empress suddenly looked around. "Uh… Where's Smiley?"
A very manly and not at all screeching voice echoed in the distance. I sighed, turning and running towards it. "Never a dull moment I guess. Empress, let the police know they might need the hospital."
Thank god that, without fail, every person Smiley brutalized was some level of evil like a rapist or murderer, rather than merely some desperate idiot. Yay for magic ghost powers…
Alakazam
Alakazam watched as his trainer ran through the streets below. The Psychic-type was flying high above the streets, floating on a bed of thought.
After a quiet moment, he looked to his left. Coming towards him was a powerful mind. A mind as powerful than any he'd ever encountered, and more powerful than any he'd met in this world. He'd heard of some Psychic-types with similar levels of power, though he had yet to meet all of them. The being flying towards him was likely on a similar plane of power.
Alakazam turned in the direction of the flier, watching it approach until it came to a stop floating in front of him. "Hello."
"Good evening," the being before him was familiar. Only from television and the internet however. And none of that matched the presence of the being in person. In appearance, he was tall, human-shaped, with a blue cape on over a black bodysuit and a red pair of straps over his broad chest. He had green skin, and pure red eyes that shone oddly in the light.
But his mind pressed against Alakazam's. That was something much more than his false form could contain.
"You know of me?"
"The Martian Manhunter, as they call you. The media of this world is comprehensive," Alakazam sent waves of amusement, which the other being returned with similar amusement. "Your companion just threatened my trainer. Were you planning to do the same?"
"No. And Batman was simply warning. He is overprotective?"
"And you?"
"I wished to speak with another telepath," The green man's lips flickered. "On this planet, many of my meetings with others are antagonistic."
"I can imagine," Alakazam thought. "You would love my own world. While Psychic Pokemon fight, we are a wide and varied type. Would you like to see? In trade for your own memory?"
"Please," Martian Manhunter said politely. "I cannot share anything confidential about Mars, you understand?"
"I do."
With that, they opened their minds, sharing their memories, emotions, and impressions. The process didn't take long, both because of the speed of it and the fact they understandably still kept their guard up, but when it was over they shared a deeper understanding of each other than before.
"Your world…" J'onn J'onzz, as his true name went, spoke aloud for the first time. "It is beautiful. So much like this one, but the beings like yourself…"
"Thank you," Alakazam said. "Your own people seem a worthy race."
Although Alakazam wasn't a fan of the idea of living underground. Well, technically he did live underground, but at least he could go above whenever he wanted.
"Strange that the nature of psychic power in our universe should be so similar and yet different at the same time," J'onn's mind was filled with wonder. "I wonder how our techniques may be taught to one another."
"Something worth exploring indeed," Alakazam stroked one of his long whiskers. "It would be to our advantage if it could be done. Let us discuss."
The two minds, among the most powerful on Earth, came together to work the problem to the bone.