[IC] Teen Titans: Sidekicks Unite

If you are interested in joining, please take a look at the initial story concept discussed in the original interest check thread and then post your ideas here in this OOC.

Interest Check

[CaptainManbeard]

[CaptainManbeard]

THE HALL OF JUSTICE
WASHINGTON, D.C.
FRIDAY (EARLY EVENING)
AUGUST 18TH, 2023

Nightwing stood on the roof of the main building, clad in his black combat suit with a blue bird icon on the chest and a stylized domino mask. His green eyes were obscured by all-white nanotech contact lenses, a color setting he used to help conceal his civilian identity. The lenses also erected a heads-up display within his visual field so that he could help Batman monitor various communication channels. He was surveying the influx of vehicles into the parking lot as a gentle Summer breeze rustled his neatly-combed dark brown hair.

The Justice League’s Tenth Anniversary Celebration was expected to be one of the biggest social gatherings of the Summer, attracting celebrities, media personalities, and even politicians. It was also coinciding with the grand re-opening of the Hall of Justice, which had been remodeled and converted into a museum and event space since the League now used the Watchtower satellite as their new headquarters.

Dick smiled to himself as he saw a few big names arrive, such as Lady Gaga, Post Malone, Snoop Dogg, and Anthony Mackie to name a few. He frowned as he spotted New Jersey Senator Harvey Dent, a former district attorney from Gotham City who usually said very harsh things about metahumans and vigilantes in general. The man was a favorite guest on G. Gordon Godfrey’s news programs and was likely at the event to gather ammo for his next interview. Most of the heroes didn’t like him very much.

Both costumed heroes and uniformed security personnel were managing the flow of people into the building, which opened into a spacious lobby with polished marble floors and support pillars of white stone and gold trim. Long halls extended to the left and right, with map displays showing how to get to the various museum exhibits, gift shops, restrooms, conference rooms, kitchens, food court, etc.

Giant stone statues of the founding League members lined the far wall, and between each one was a set of double doors which all opened into the enormous Grand Ballroom. A sea of round tables sat facing a stage, not unlike what one might see at the Golden Globes. Hundreds of people were coming back and forth, finding their chairs or heading out to see other parts of the Hall before the main event started.

Dick found his way back inside, smirking as he overheard someone say, “This place is so beautiful! I’m overwhelmed!” Just then, Kid Flash came up beside him, wearing his red and yellow supersuit.

Nightwing turned to his friend. “Everyone is always either overwhelmed or underwhelmed. Why isn’t anyone ever just… whelmed?”

“Beats me dude! But you see that fine specimen over there in the red dress? I’m totally getting her number tonight!” the speedster replied.

“Either that or a restraining order!” Dick said with a smirk.

“Duuuude!” Wally threw his hands up, then grinned.

Meanwhile, Scarlet Beacon entered the Hall with his twin brother, Superboy. Both were also dressed in their superhero suits. “I don’t know why Dad is making us come to this thing,” he complained. “All these people give me anxiety. I’d rather go back home and finish getting caught up on One Punch Man.”

Soon everyone was getting settled into their seats, mingling, and ordering food and drinks from the menu. It wouldn’t be long before the first presentation started, which was a cinematic retelling of the Justice League’s formation narrated by Superman. Unbeknownst to them, a nefarious plot was underway that would drastically alter the course of events that night…

[WhiteAngel25]

It wasn't long before Cassandra entered The Hall of Justice with Diana, Wonder Woman herself. She was excited to experience an event like this on a such grand scale. Cassie had been to the small galas that her mother's employers held to promote the museum. After training with Diana this morning, Cassie was excused from her teachings with Artemis and Athena to attend the Anniversary Celebration. Her mid-length blonde locks twisted and curled into an elegant French twist instead of her normal ponytail or headband. She wore her typical Wonder Girl uniform: dark red leggings, gold sneakers, and a black tank top with the gold W across the chest. Cassie wore her Bracelets of Submission, similar to Diana's, on her wrists and her Lighting Lasso was attached to her gold belt.

Cassie wasn't paying much attention when Diana abruptly stop right in front of her. The quick action caused her to quickly sidestep and look at her mentor. Diana was dressed in her uniform for the presentations tonight. Although it was a bit more dressed up with a full-length ball gown skirt instead of being cut off at her thighs. The skirt could be ripped away if Diana needed to fight. She informed Cassie that she was going to go check on a few things before leaving Cassie to her own devices.

Cassie looked around and spotted a few familiar faces. Nightwing, Kid Flash, Super Boy, and Scarlet Beacon, all were sidekicks like her. This night was going to be an interesting one to remember. She was close enough to hear Kid Flash talking about getting someone's number and she couldn't help but laugh a little at Nightwing's response.

"Not only that but we're supposed to be working this event, not giving goo-goo eyes to the attendants," Cassie said as she approached the two with a smile and half wave.

[Crimson Flame]

Unlike his brother, Jon was giddy with excitement. “Are you kidding Con? Do you have any idea where we are? This is a big deal! You can watch One Punch Man anytime.” He spotted Nightwing, Kid Flash, and a girl that looked like Wonder Woman’s sidekick, and his eyes went wide with excitement. Soon, he started hovering off the ground, and in an instant, flew in their direction, and straight into Nightwing. Knocking both of them to the floor.

Jon’s face flushed, and he immediately got off of Nightwing. “Ohmigosh! I am so so so sorry!” He helped Nightwing up, and kept right on talking to the group. “Hiiii, I’m Jon… I mean uh… Superboy… Uh… wait are we supposed to use our other names here or what? Um… anyway I’m Super Excited to be here and meet all of you! Pun definitely intended!”

[Ignorancebliss]

Jinx, clad in his superhero attire, stepped into the grand hall of the superheroes gala. The dim lights shimmered on the polished marble floor as elegantly dressed figures mingled beneath the ornate chandeliers. His black jumpsuit, adorned with pink geometrical lines, clung tightly to his form, accentuating the tension that danced beneath his skin. Heart pounding, he watched as the crowd parted, revealing the mesmerizing figure of Lady Gaga. A wave of crimson rushed to his cheeks, as though the intensity of her presence had ignited an inferno within him. His eyes lingered on her, a mix of longing and uncertainty swirling within their depths. In that fleeting moment, amidst the opulence and grandeur, Jinx felt both insignificant and overwhelmingly alive.

Unrecognized and invisible amidst the swirling currents of heroes and heroines, he stood in the shadows of the grand hall. A cynical smile played upon his lips as Wonder Girl's laughter rang through the air, mingling with the infectious mirth of Kid Flash and Nightwing. They were the popular ones, the cherished sidekicks to the celebrated champions. With studied nonchalance, he observed their antics from a distance, a subtle facade of indifference masking the sting of exclusion. Once a villain, now an outcast, he bore the mark of Madame Rouge's tainted legacy, forever banished to the periphery of this revered realm.

Amidst the uncomfortable milieu, the golden boys, Superman's twin sons, materialized within the hall's threshold, their radiant presence a stark contrast to his own shadowed existence. Yet, as fate would have it, the universe conspired to add another layer of unease to his already burdened shoulders. Approaching him with the grace of a vulture descending upon its prey, Liliane Carlton, the relentless Vanity Fair reporter who had once penned an exposé on his transformation from villain to hero, intercepted his solitude. The mere mention of her name conjured bitter memories, a reminder of the aftermath that awaited those who dared to embrace redemption. Though a fraction of him reveled in the fleeting acknowledgment within the pages of a fashion magazine, the price of trust among his fellow heroes grew steeper.

"So, what is someone like you doing here?" she asked, her voice dripping with both curiosity and a tinge of malice. "Why isn't your mother, Madame Rouge, on the guest list?" A bitter smile danced upon his lips as he met her gaze, the weight of his past intermingling with the shadows that cloaked his present. "She's not my mother," he retorted, his words laced with a dryness that concealed a multitude of wounds. "And unlike you, I no longer find pleasure in weaving misery into others' lives. My name is on Santa's 'good boy' list now."

"Aren't you a treat?" she said, a mocking laughter escaping her lips. He shot back a retort, his tone laced with a cynical edge, "Yes, and you are a pain in my ass." Snatching the champagne glass from her grasp, he downed its contents before abruptly departing. "Bye, I have some catching up to do with my friends." As he approached the gathering of teen heroes, Superboy offering a helping hand to Nightwing, he couldn't help but feel a sense of detachment. Perhaps something had slipped away during that encounter with the viper. With a confident stride, he greeted them, a sardonic smile playing on his lips, certain that his name had yet to grace their ears. "What's up, nerds?" he quipped.

[Crimson Flame]

Jon’s face lit up with a grin as Jinx approached the group. He warmly shook the pink-haired guy’s hand, holding on a little too long, and said, “Hey bro, didn’t expect to see you here!” Jon’s eyes twinkled with excitement as he continued, “I read that article about you, Jinxie, and I must say, I don’t care what that lady says. I believe in second chances. People can change, just like my dad says. And you know what? Pink is a fun color! How can you be a bad guy with pink hair?” Jon chuckled and playfully rubbed Jinx’s hair, enjoying the unexpected encounter.

[Eviledd1984]

@Crimson Flame @CaptainManbeard

&

Gar was quite excited that he was invited to the Hall of Justice by Martian Manhunter. He had been a solo hero for a couple of years now, and he was not sure a group so well known would want him in the group. Garfield walked over toward the other heroes trying to mingle and strike up a conversation. Making his way over towards the group of more well known sidekicks waving towards them. “Yo, my name is Beast Boy but ya probably hear of me, The coolest and most awesome of the Doom Patrol members and super badass hero.” He said posing in a classic superhero pose with his hands on his waist.

Meanwhile a few moments before Beast Boy entered the Hall another superhero walked in. A blonde haired teenager floated from the doorway and towards the group. The teenager moving Connor and Jon. “Hello, it was nice of Kal to invite me to this party. I am excited to meet the other what did you call them again… superheroes. Speaking of my cousin where is he? I thought he was supposed to be here soon?” She looked around before floating up to try to find her cousin in the crowd. After a few moments in the air, she floated back down onto the ground. She looked quite nervous and rightfully so as this was her first time meeting strangers. She had been living with the Kents for a couple of months now. For most of that time harnessing her powers and also learning English. Something she still has some issues with. She didn’t notice the newly introduced Beast Boy turning towards her.

“Man, I must be dead? Because I think I just met an angel. ” He slinked a bit closer towards the blonde who looked utterly confused. “I do not think you are deceased as I can still hear your heart beating. And I am a Kryptonian, not an angel.” The blonde corrected his assumption that she was of supernatural origin.

[CaptainManbeard]

Wally’s lips curled into a cocky smirk at Wonder Girl’s remark as she approached them. “What? Are you jealous? There’s enough of me to go around!” Dick playfully punched his shoulder. “Ow!”

“You will never learn and - whoa!” the dark-haired hero saw a flash of red, blue, and pink as a figure slammed into him faster than he could dodge, sending them both to the floor. It was Superboy. He waved off the apologies as he was helped to his feet. “Don’t sweat it. And yeah, you should definitely not use your real names here.”

“I’m glad I came after all. That was hilarious!” Scarlet Beacon said, smirking as he poked fun at his brother and patted him on the shoulder.

“You know, I could have moved fast enough to get you out of the way before Superboy slammed into you,” Kid Flash revealed, then stuck his tongue out. “But payback’s a bitch!”

The teens laughed and talked for a bit, soon joined by several other young heroes. “He should be speaking on the stage soon,” Conner replied to Kara’s question about Superman.

(any further back-and-forth chatter between the characters prior to the arrival of Batman takes place here chronologically)

The group spotted Batman approaching, who motioned for them to follow. He had gathered some of the other sidekicks from around the Hall and led them behind the stage, into a long utility hallway, and through a set of metal double doors leading to the main security office. A few uniformed personnel sat at desks with multiple flatscreen monitors, which showed camera feeds from both inside and outside the Hall of Justice.

The older hero handed each of them earpieces. “As some of you know, your main responsibility tonight will be security, and you’ll be referred to as Junior Squad for the duration of the event. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone uses the publicity of this celebration to make a scene, so keep your eyes open and stay focused. The personnel at these surveillance stations will communicate anything suspicious to you, so take a good look at these feeds and familiarize yourselves with each camera position.”

“But can we still, like, have fun?” Wally asked cautiously.

“As long as you don’t neglect your duties,” replied Batman, emotionless as ever. “Does anyone else have questions?”

[WhiteAngel25]

Cassie crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow at Kid Flash. She was about to reply sarcastically when movement in the corner of her vision allowed her to quickly move out of the way. Nightwing was knocked to the ground with Superboy being the culprit of the crash. She rolled her eyes when Kid Flash mentioned how he could have moved him out of the way but didn't as a payback. "Are you two okay?" Cassie asked as she couldn't help but giggle along with the others.

Cassie smiled welcomingly at Jinx. "Hi, Jinx," she said with a small nod. She felt bad for the guy, he got a bad rep when it came to publicity with magazines and newspapers.

Cassie waved at Beast Boy, Supergirl, Steel, and Ray with a relaxed smile. She knew how awkward these meetings could be, it wasn't the easiest to make friends when the general public had their eyes on them. The superhero/sidekick life wasn't an easy one, it was nice for Cassie to know that she wasn't alone in this lifestyle. They had a responsibility to uphold and sometimes it could be quite suffocating.

----

As they followed Batman to the security room, Cassie frowned slightly as she looked at the camera views. They were a few blind spots behind statues, column supports, and other such view blockers whether it was a speaker or another piece of equipment. They were going to have to have regular shift changes in order to keep fresh eyes on all the blind spots. She took one of the earpieces from Batman and slipped it in her ear.

Cassie rolled her blue eyes at Wally asking about having fun. She reached over and flicked his ear, saving Nightwing the trouble later. "Not the time to comment," she quipped as Cassie could appreciate Wally's abilities to keep situations light but sometimes they were poorly timed.

Cassie crossed her arms across her chest with a smirk once Batman was gone. "I also predict that Red Dress Girl either gives you a fake number or rejects you altogether," she said as she was always willing to knock a cocky guy down a peg or two.

[Ignorancebliss]

Superboy's grip on Jinx's hand tightened, the subtle pressure revealing a strength that belied his calm demeanor. The mischievous glimmer in Superboy's eyes hinted at his fascination with Jinx's rebellious appearance. It was as if Superboy had been captivated by the raw edge that emanated from Jinx's tousled hair, multiple tattoos, and worn leather jacket. Jinx couldn't help but smirk, recognizing the allure he held over Superboy.

"Oh, trust me! I can do a ton of bad things..." he said with a mischievous grin, his words laced with a playful undertone. "Even with pink hair." Jinx couldn't believe his ears when Superboy recognized him and brought up the exposé Liliane had written about him. It had been one of those stories that flew under the radar, barely making a dent in Liliane's career, but it had become another mocking point for Jinx. And now, Wonder Girl, with genuine kindness in her eyes, called him by his alias. Did she actually know him, or was she simply paying attention to Superboy's conversation? "Hey there, doll," he responded, a mixture of surprise and curiosity in his voice. "You're looking stunning as always."

---

Amidst the lively chatter among the teenage superheroes, Batman's commanding presence suddenly cut through the noise. Jinx had caught glimpses of the dark knight before, but always from a safe distance. The man instilled a fear in him, even now that they were on the same side. Jinx's gaze lingered on Batman, his head feeling somewhat weightless, whether from sheer fascination or the effects of the alcohol he had consumed. Lost in his own thoughts, he barely registered what Kid Flash was saying. When Batman opened the floor for questions, Jinx, felt a blur from the champagnes. He kept his words to his mouth as he met Batman's stern, unyielding expression, realizing he had better hold his tongue.

[Martian]

Raymond Terrill, better known as the Ray, at least in his hometown, was amazed by the size of the Hall of Justice. The grandeur of the structure instilled a sense of importance about the Justice League to Raymond, telling him that these heroes were serious business. He still couldn’t believe that he was invited here, the building where the world’s greatest heroes gathered. Or at least they used to, as Raymond had been informed that they had moved into a satellite orbiting the Earth. But the fact remained that these were hallowed grounds, and Raymond was just glad to walk them.

Like the old man that he was, Raymond’s father Langford had insisted on coming early. Raymond only agreed to the early arrival because he thought that it would give him a chance to meet some League members before the gala started. However he wasn’t even allowed into the Hall early, instead waiting on a nearby lawn with the press. Though he was in his superhero garb, not one journalist tried to interview Raymond. Apparently the hero of Vanity, Oregon was too obscure for the big press to care about.

Like most of the other gathered people, Raymond tried his best to spot any superheroes coming and going from the Hall of Justice. However, all he saw was support staff who were changing the Hall from a museum into a gala. And thus Raymond just waited outside for several hours, not really listening to his father’s tale of how the last time he was in the capital was when the government forced the Justice Society to disband. It was a story he had heard several times since learning about the legacy of the Ray.

Eventually the doors opened, and people began to stream in. Raymond and his father were some of the first in as they had special League passes. Once the initial smattering of heroes were inside the Hall, the other special guests began to enter. Raymond and his father took a seat at one of the tables, close enough to see the celebrities entering the Hall. Raymond’s eyes were immediately drawn to the very striking Lady Gaga. While his super-sheltered upbringing meant he didn’t know a lot of celebrities, Raymond did love Lady Gaga’s music.

As Raymond’s eyes were fixated on her, Langford noticed and told him to go mingle and have fun. Not needing anymore permission, Raymond rose to his feet and began to walk over to the pop star. He had a million things he wanted to say to her, but found that he couldn’t formulate the words in his head. But before he could make a fool of himself, Raymond saw Lady Gaga ushered away, talking to another celebrity he wasn’t familiar with.

Left by himself, Raymond would look around for someone to talk to. As he wasn’t too good at interacting with others, due to lack of experience, he thought that this would be a perfect opportunity to perfect the skill. So he wandered over to the first group of superheroes, recognizing several of them from online videos.

“Hey guys, I’m the Ray,” said Raymond, feeling immediately awkward, “I don’t know if you’ve heard of me. I’m kind of a big deal in Vanity. Uh..that’s a city in Oregon.”

Raymond nervously rubbed the back of his helmet. He wondered if the other heroes would write him off like the media did. But he was trying to stay positive and put himself out there.

---

This was not Natasha’s first time at the Hall of Justice. Back when she used to live in Washington D.C. she would visit all the time. Of course that mostly stopped when the Justice League transitioned to the Watchtower base. After that it was mostly just a museum of things she had seen before.

As such she decided to arrive fashionably late. Instead of waiting outside the Hall of Justice with the large crowd, Natasha took to the skies. With a fully charged Steel suit, Natasha could of circled the capital for days. However, she was going to keep it brief this time, maybe about an half hour. So she had BORIS send her flight path to the FAA, as most responsible flying heroes did. While she could get away with zooming across the sky in Metropolis, here in Washington, they were a little more cautious of who was in the sky.

So Natasha zipped through the clouds, the sky darkening as she did so, telling her that it was getting closer to the start of the gala. Still, Natasha decided to remain late, as she didn’t want to run into her uncle. While she loved the man, John Henry and her had been in a tiff lately. Natasha wanted out from under the shadow of the original Steel, considering changing her codename and leaving Metropolis. John Henry on the other hand wanted things to stay the same way.

Natasha considered stopping at the Lincoln Memorial for guidance, as so many people do, but decided against it as she saw the time in her suit’s HUD. While she wanted to arrive late, she didn’t want to be that late. So she turned around in mid air, her thrusters taking her back to the Hall of Justice.

Landing among the various stretch limos, Natasha tried to sneak in, avoiding the paparazzi. Luckily for her, Snoop Dogg was entering around the same time, drawing all the press’s attention. With as little noise as possible while wearing a metal suit, Natasha crept into the gala. Based on the time in her HUD, she knew that Superman would be speaking very soon.

However, as she had a few minutes before that, Natasha felt like hanging out with someone she knew. As she looked around the Hall, she spotted her uncle, who she still didn’t feel like talking to. Instead she went over to the three super-kids, as she called them. They were standing with Nightwing, Kid Flash, and some heroes that Natasha didn’t recognize.

“So some party,” said Natasha as she rested her Kinetic Hammer on the floor.

But before she could continue with small talk, she noticed the dark figure of Batman approaching.

---

The Caped Crusader cut both Raymond and Natasha’s attempt at conversing short as he motioned for the assembled heroes to follow him. They exited the main gala area through a utility hallway and entered the main security room. While Natasha had seen this room before when her uncle was stationed here, it was all new to Raymond.

As Batman handed the assembled heroes earpieces, he stated that apparently they were Junior Squad. Natasha groaned on the inside, as she did remember Superman saying Batman might do something like this when she was being invited to this event. Raymond on the other hand was just happy to be involved, this Junior Squad being his first team up experience.

The Caped Crusader then asked if anyone had questions, and as Raymond did, he asked, “So are we expecting trouble? I mean who would try anything? We’ve got the whole Justice League here, plus almost every other hero.”

Natasha decided to remain silent. She thought that in all likelihood, Batman was just being over cautious. From what she had heard from other heroes, he had plans within plans, always prepared for the worst. Yet he was ever vigilant, a trait that Natasha couldn’t disagree with.

[Eviledd1984]

@CaptainManbeard

&

“Nah, I meant um, never mind.” Gar didn’t think his moves would be able to impress the blonde. Gar looked quite excited that he would be able to do guard duty for the Justice League. The green-skinned teen jumped up and down, pumping his fist. This would be his chance to show that he was good enough. He raised his hand high up in the air for Batman to notice him. “So, will we be partnered with any of the other squad members? I choose to be paired with her.” He scooted closer toward Supergirl.

“That sounds like a good idea. I believe two heads are better than one, as you earthlings would say.” Supergirl said, floating closer toward Beast Boy. Gar seemed quite happy to be anywhere near Kara. Supergirl raised her hand floating a little higher than the crowd so she could be noticed. “Is there anything we need to be on the lookout for?” She put her hand back down when she was noticed by Batman.

“Perhaps each of us could take a section of the room just so we got all of our bases covered?” Gar suggested, thinking they would have a better chance of finding any bad guys by keeping their eyes open.

“How should we divide who is patrolling which part of the room? I could float above the crowd and with my enhanced hearing, I could listen for any disturbances.” Supergirl added, thinking of how they could conduct the plan. "What do you think we should do cousin?" She turned towards her cousins, wanting to get their opinion on what to do.

[Crimson Flame]

More people started to arrive, including his first cousin once removed Kara! Then Batman took them all to the security room where there were people watching the CCTV looking for danger. Jon was just excited to be here. “Don’t worry Batman! You can count on me!” He gave the caped crusader a salute, then leaned over and whispered to Wonder Girl. “Although, we may have to keep an eye on some of the Junior Squad too eh?” He giggled.

Supergirl then thought of ways they could do their job. “My bro and I can fly too. All three of us can monitor the whole building! No one’s is going to try anything with thre kryptonians watching the place!”

[Damo021]

Stargirl.

&

Killer Frost.

---

Courtney had been at the hall of justice for the majority of the evening proceedings having arrived earlier riding Cosmic staff in full suit and a matching colour domino mask to help keep her identity, and proudly holding her Cosmic staff. For tonight she was Stargirl and she was in the freaking hall of justice for the first time in her life, she always wanted to visit the place, but to be here on the ten anniversary was so flipping awesome that it took all her might not to squeal in excitement at the top of her lungs to potentially be seeing heroes she looked up to, not very professional like, but somehow she managed to contain herself.

Although the whole point for her was to be suited up and act security for the event, Courtney found herself getting distracted with the star stubbed event, celebrities and other important people were present having the teen a little bit star struck, she did her best to keep an eye on things but found herself mingling with guests, answering questions and general having a great time. She saw some of the others suited up security for the event mingling and planned to go and introduce herself at some point.

Crystal on the other hand found herself leaning on the wall in a quieter part of hall arms crossed, she felt out of place and couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable. She couldn’t quite fathom any reason why ‘Killer Frost’ would be invited to such a momentous occasion on a grand scale such as this one. The Media presence made her uneasy considering how quite a few branded her responsible for a horrific incident she can’t even remember before breaking out of her ice cocoon. The glitz and glamour was a bit much but her mentor had insisted it would do Courtney some good to accept the invite and interact with other like herself more her age.

---

Either way Frost was content on just quietly minding her own business and observing the celebrations of the event. She was suited and booted, her mentor was somewhere in amongst the gala and probably talking to all types of people no doubt. Crystal was in her own thoughts, she had not really found a reason to speak to anyone, other than the most obvious, Crystal didn’t really know the others. That was until a voice came from the shadows. “Come with me” the voice was deep and honestly made the teen jump. It was batman, Gotham’s own vigilante and a part of the Justice League. “Jesus…!!” Crystal blurted out as the two stared at each other for a moment, just what was the bat thinking right now? She probably didn’t want to know but the few seconds felt like eternity before the hero before walked off towards a group of others, motioning the teen to follow. “Christ” she finished under her breath, Batman was one dude she didn’t want to annoy and so eventually followed along having to play catch up and was last into the office.

Stargirl had followed along also, again doing her best to contain her excitement in coming face to face with Batman, in her mind the dude was a bad ass. The pair came in at the tail end of the ten others, slightly late but nonetheless was able to still listen in on the brief, they were part of junior squad. When batman handed out the ear pieces so they could stay in contact, Crystal hesitated for a moment before eventually wearing it. Stargirl on the other hand placed it on straight away, looking at all the monitors and couldn’t help but crack a big smile. “Oh this is going to be so awesome guys! Oh erm, I’m Stargirl by the way. And seriously who would be stupid enough to attack the hall of justice with the Justice league here?” Crystal was content to looking at the monitors, maybe something interesting could happen this evening after all?

[CaptainManbeard]

“Hard to say, but best to be prepared regardless,” Batman replied to Ray’s question. He then turned to address the others as they inquired as well. “The security personnel here will keep a close eye on the cameras and alert you on your ear pieces if they see anything suspicious. I’ll leave it up to you to decide who to patrol with, but…”

“Batman?” Nightwing asked, puzzled that his mentor suddenly stopped talking, seemingly listening to something on his earpiece.

“The situation has just changed,” he finally spoke. “There is a massive prison break at Belle Reve that requires the response of the full Justice League. It is no coincidence that this is happening right now.”

“Wait, what?” Kid Flash’s eyes went wide as he blurted out.

“So you think their intent is to draw the League away from the Hall?” Dick inquired, following his mentor’s line of thinking.

“Yes,” the caped crusader confirmed. “This is either a trap or a distraction, but we must respond regardless. Which means the safety of everyone in the Hall will fall to you all. There very well may be a separate attack here while we’re dealing with the prison break there, so do not let your guard down until we have returned. Nightwing, you will be the leader of Junior Squad while we’re gone.”

“I understand,” the teen nodded.

“We will try to resolve this as quickly as possible,” Batman insisted.

Superman made a statement from the stage explaining the situation, and they brought some of the musical talent out to keep the crowd entertained while the League was gone. Soon the older heroes were assembled, gave reassurances to their respective sidekicks, and then departed via their various high-speed transportation methods for the swamps of Louisiana, where Belle Reve was located.

“Well, I suppose this is our first real test as an independent team,” Nightwing said to the other young heroes as they stood in the lobby of the Hall, watching their mentors leave. “I have faith that we will all rise to the task.”

For about thirty minutes, nothing extraordinary happened, and Junior Squad just casually walked back and forth between the lobby, the ballroom, and the security room. But then, they heard a guard on their earpieces.

“Attention Junior Squad, suspicious vehicle entering the parking lot. A black van with tinted windows.”

“Roger that,” Nightwing immediately responded. “Investigating now.”

He motioned for the other team members to assemble and they walked up to the glass doors leading out of the lobby as the van came to a stop just outside. “Be on your guard.”

Suddenly, the door on the side of the van slid open and a tall Metallo-Bot stepped out, a large chunk of Kryptonite in his chest, glowing green. He extended an arm, which was mounted with two barrels, and began unleashing rapid-fire green energy bolts that shattered the glass and hit Scarlet Beacon in the chest, sending him flying back and sliding along the floor. The others threw arms up to shield themselves from the glass shards.

“Ah!” Conner yelped out at the attack, several scorch marks on his suit. The robot then began firing at the other Kryptionians.

“I got him!” Kid Flash sped off in a flash of yellow lightning towards the metal enemy, but then slid to a stop as he was confronted by Reverse-Flash. “Thawne! I’m surprised you’re here instead of facing the Flash!”

“We flipped a coin. Zoom won,” he replied, shrugging. He then grinned, eyes glowing red, and charged at Wally.

A third figure exited the van, holding a grimoire of some kind. Nightwing didn’t recognize him, but gasped as the man began chanting in Latin and called upon a magical blue light. The book floated up from his grasp and at least a dozen scorpion monsters began materializing in little flashes. They roared and charged into the Hall of Justice.

“Don’t let them get to the crowd!” Nightwing called out, slipping out his batons and gripping them tightly. “We must halt their advance here in the lobby!”

[WhiteAngel25]

Cassie laughed with Superboy about keeping track of some of the other team members. She was about to bet him how long it would take Wally to be rejected by Red Dress Girl. Suddenly, Batman spoke of how there was a prison break and then Nightwing said that it was most definitely a way to draw the heroes away from the Hall.

Cassie crossed her arms and frowned slightly. A lot of them hadn’t fought together, many barely knew each other and only by their sidekick alias. If they were attacked, this wasn’t going to end well, or so she feared.

Cassie wandered through the lobby, her blue eyes taking in any odd behavior that was more than just the normal weird by some celebrities. ” I don’t like this you guys. We’ve hardly trained together,” She commented as the warning of the black van came over the earpiece. She took off and met the others in the lobby just as Scarlet Beacon was shot in the chest.

Wonder Girl skidded in her shoes to a stop as her flight was cut short by the flying glass from the broken windows. She paused to help Scarlet Beacon up onto his feet. Cassie grabbed her Whip of Lighting off her belt and gave it a warning snap as a giant scorpion man was standing in front of her.

” Time to fry some bugs,” Cassie said with a smirk as she attempted to lasso the scorpion man in front of her but the guy grabbed her lasso before she had time to charge it and pulled her close. “Whoa!” She cried out in surprise but used the momentum with her fist to land a good punch to his face.

Cassie was able to use her flight power to level out and steady herself to get in a defensive stance. She put her whip back on her belt for now, she would need time to charge it if she was going to use it to her current capacity.

“Any thoughts on how we incapacitate these guys?” She asked as she barely dodged a charge and punch. “They take quite the hits,” Wonder Girl added as she did a flip backward simultaneously kicking the scorpion man in the face to avoid the poisonous tail. She quickly grabbed the spot below the poisonous tip and lashed the tail hard hearing a sickening crack and the creature cried out in pain before grabbing Cassie by the throat.

Wonder Girl clawed at the scorpion’s hand as the creature cursed her in an unknown language. The scorpion man began to throw her around like a bit of a rag doll before throwing her across the room. She cried out in pain as her back slammed into a pillar. Wonder Girl slowly got back up as the scorpion man charged at her from across the room. Cassie’s eyes began to glow a slight light blue color as she took out her whip.

“Alright, no more Miss Nice Wonder Girl,” Cassie growled as she lashed her whip at the scorpion man and upon meeting contact her electric charge tased the creature. She began to swing the scorpion man around with the lasso to disorient him before she flew fast and landed a series of punches on his face.

“Hey, Nightwing, just a thought but if we get that book and shut the Latin up, these scorpion guys will stop, right?” Wonder Girl asked as realized how these creatures were summoned.

[Eviledd1984]

&

During the course of the event, Gar transformed into a large wild cat. Using the animal’s hearing to listen for anything suspicious going on. But he did want to enjoy himself a little bit, Occasionally speaking to the other superheroes. Mostly mentioning in conversation the many dangerous missions he was a part of while a member of the Doom Patrol. “So how long have ya been a hero? What is The Flash like? How long would it take for ya to run a lap around the world?” He said to the young speedster. Meanwhile, Kara was floating around the room, ensuring no trespassers were trying to ruin the party. She took a moment to breathe and floated over towards the snack table. She took a handful of baby carrots and a bottle of water, slowly eating her food. She made her way over towards her cousins.

She had only really been training ever since she had woken up a few months ago. She did not have much experience being a hero. So this would be the first real test to see if she has what it takes to be a hero. Conversing with her cousins on what pointers they could give when looking out for potential criminals. Her conversation was disturbed by Connor being hit by a green-looking bolt and knocked onto the ground. “Connor.” Kara yelled out running over to try and help him back up. Her attention turned towards the robot. Looking around the room for anything to use as a weapon. Grabbing a nearby pillar, and ripping it off from the ground. Flying at top speed towards the robot swinging the pillar back trying to hit the robot with the pillar.

Gar meanwhile was focusing on the scorpion-like creatures that were attacking the other heroes. Transforming into a rhino charging toward them and ramming into a few of them before quickly transforming into a gorilla. Trying to grab and throw them like a rag doll. “Who the heck are these guys?” He thought while trying to punch one of those creatures.

[Martian]

Batman’s talk of just being prepared put Raymond at unease. However he was even at more unease when the Caped Crusader broke the news of the breakout at Belle Reve. Even for an inexperienced hero like Raymond, he could tell that this was a big deal. Raymond had heard of Belle Reve before, on online discussion forums. Apparently it housed the worst of the worst, super-villains who were too dangerous to keep in a city.

To make matters worse, Nightwing suggested that this could be a diversion to draw the League away from the Hall of Justice. Batman seemed prepared for such a situation, as he put Nightwing in charge of the so-called Junior Squad. While Natasha had never personally teamed up with Nightwing, she knew that, even though he was Batman’s sidekick, he was probably the best choice for a leader of the young heroes.

After putting on the comm ear piece, Raymond and Natasha returned to the main lobby. Superman had finally shown up on stage but instead of starting the festivities, he explained that the Justice League was needed and would return shortly. While murmurs of discontent were voiced by some of the guests, Superman seemed to placate them by bringing out a band. Unfortunately it was a band Raymond had never heard of, so he quickly stopped actively listening to them.

Natasha also ignored the band, instead having BORIS patch her through to the Hall’s security systems. It seemed like the firewalls for the Hall of Justice hadn’t been upgraded much since the days she lived in D.C. Natasha bet that the firewall for the Watchtower was much more impregnable.

Before Raymond started patrolling the Hall, he made sure to check in with his father. Langford was pretty understanding about the situation, telling Raymond that he too had been put on guard duty several times back when he was still the Ray. Raymond was surprised at how relaxed his father was, as he grabbed another glass of champagne.

Raymond would spend the next thirty minutes wandering the lobby. No one questioned him as he went about, as he made sure that all doors and windows were secured. Meanwhile, Natasha had remained nearby the stage, using BORIS to check all the cameras in the Hall at the same time. As she cycled through the video feeds she saw a black van pull into the parking lot. But before she could mention it someone else did.

Hearing of the mystery vehicle, Raymond immediately began heading toward the main entrance, several of the other junior heroes joining him. But just as he got within eye sight of the van, Raymond saw the door slide open and a metal man get out. Before Raymond could react, the metal man began firing green bolts, striking one of the other heroes and raining glass on the others.

Raymond instinctively threw himself back, landing on the floor a few feet back and putting some distance between him and the villain. Thankfully none of the glass had done any damage as his suit repelled the various pieces. As Raymond was pulling himself off the floor, Natasha came blasting down through the lobby, headed straight for the villain.

However, Kid Flash moved faster than Natasha and was upon the metal man first, only for an equally fast man in yellow appear in front of him. Natasha ignored the two speedsters conversation, instead jetting toward the metal man. Only for another villain to emerge from the vehicle, this one a mage of some kind. Before Natasha could raise her kinetic hammer at the metal man, the mage summoned forth a whole bunch of scorpion monsters.

Natasha’s hammer would hit one such monster, bouncing off the creature. Now out-gunned, Natasha used her reverse thrusters to hastily reunite with the Junior Squad, just as Nightwing ordered the team to protect the guests.

Raymond, now back on his feet, scanned the room, seeing Wonder Girl’s trouble with monsters. Noticing another one approaching her, Raymond shot forth a burst of light, sending the scorpion thing skidding backward and away from Raymond’s fellow hero. He would then keep doing this, pushing the scorpion monsters back, but not doing any real damage.

Natasha was doing much the same, firing at the monsters with her wrist-mounted plasma cannons. Like Raymond she wasn’t having much luck as she was just slowing them down slightly. Wonder Girl then suggested going after the mage to stop the monsters. While Natasha knew very little about how magic worked, she did figure that was a possible solution.

Attempting to get back outside, while dodging the monsters and the super speed battle going on, Natasha had her kinetic hammer at the ready. Meanwhile, Raymond was still blasting the scorpions, who were slowly making ground, only for a green rhino to bulldoze its way through the monsters.

“Thanks for the save,” Raymond said as Beast Boy transformed into a gorilla, “So I guess your thing is animals. Cool. Me, I can shoot light.”

Raymond felt immediately uncool as he went back to firing at the scorpion monsters. Here he was, shooting ineffectual light that was doing nothing to the enemies. Still, he persisted, the thought that he was protecting his father helping him push forward.

Natasha had her thrusters at maximum, preparing to strike the mage in the head. However, as soon as she began to swing her hammer down, a super fast force collided with her, pushing her several feet to the left. The kinetic hammer still fell, but it now completely missed its target, instead smashing down into the front of the black van.

“Damn it!” shouted Natasha as her suit took a few seconds to recalibrate.

Once she had straightened out her Steel suit, Natasha saw that more scorpion monsters had positioned themselves in front of the mage. Natasha gritted her teeth unsure of what to do. She could go in for another swing, but there were far too many other enemies in the way to screw up her strike. So instead she had BORIS try to scan the scorpion men, seeing if they had any weak points.

[Crimson Flame]

Things went from peaceful to chaotic very quickly. There was a breakout at Belle Reve, which meant all the heroes had to leave. Shortly after that, a bunch of strangers bust into the building including a robot that blasted a burst of green energy that knocked his brother down. Jon’s eyes went wide with worry, and flew to his side. “Bro, or you ok?”

After checking on his brother, he saw his cousin fire heat vision at that robot that struck his brother. He tried to take a more direct approach and flew to punch out the robot. But once Jon got closer, he fell to his knees. It was then that he noticed the large chunk of kryptonite in the robot’s chest. Kryptonite?” No wonder that thing had been able to hurt Conner like that. This thing must have been built to fight Kryptonians.

With whatever was left of his strength, he took a deep breath, and let out his freeze breath hoping to freeze the robot. Then he fell on his face.

[CaptainManbeard]

As the teens fought the scorpion monsters, they discovered them to be quite durable, each one standing about six and a half feet tall. Nightwing ducked and rolled between the legs of one that had charged him, then heard Wonder Girl mention stopping the caster who had summoned them. “If we can get to him, yeah!”

When Steel scanned them for any weaknesses, BORIS picked up strange energy readings, as if they were reinforced with magical protections. Meanwhile, there were flashes of red and yellow lightning as the two speedsters’ fight spilled out into the rest of the parking lot.

The Metallo-Bot saw Supergirl come flying at him swinging a giant pillar like a bat, but she hadn’t anticipated the radiation from the Kryptonite in his chest weakening her. He reached up and blocked the blunt weapon with an open hand, then fired several green energy bolts at her, causing her to drop to the ground. Immediately after this, Superboy also charged him, unleashing his freeze breath. The robot swung the pillar around to block the attack, which encased the stone in ice. He then smashed it down onto the teen boy, shattering it.

“No!” Scarlet Beacon screamed, having recovered some. Acting out of pure emotion instead of logical thought, he flew at the Metallo-Bot as well, firing up red energy balls in each hand as he shot out of the building like a bullet. “You son of a b-”

Before he could finish his sentence, something dark dropped out of the night sky and slammed him into the ground with such force that it cracked the asphalt around him. The being then pushed back off him, floating in the air as lightning crackled in his hand.

“Such fools,” Black Adam said, his voice carrying a light Egyptian accent. “You rush the very thing which is your greatest weakness? Pathetic! You made this too easy!”

He fired out an arcing electric blast that hit the three Kryptonians at the same time, causing them to writhe in agony. He then used telekinesis to lift them up and lay them at the feet of the Metallo-Bot, getting them even closer to the Kryptonite.

“We take these three out, and the rest are childsplay,” the evil sorcerer laughed as he dropped down again, digging his knees into the backs of Conner and Jon and grabbing Kara by her hair. “Klarion, now!”

The magic-user who had summoned the monsters nodded and began speaking Latin again, when suddenly a blue spherical forcefield encased each of the villains and the scorpion beasts. Kid Flash suddenly realized what was happening as Reverse-Flash came to a stop and grinned, also covered in a shield. The speedster gasped and began running towards Black Adam as fast as he could.

“No! He is about to-” Nightwing started to yell out, but it was too late.

“SHAZAM!” Black Adam screamed out in an echoing voice. A giant bolt of lightning descended from the sky towards his position, and at the last second, he dodged out of the way, allowing the blast to hit the three Kryptonians.

(VISUAL REFERENCE)

The resulting explosion sent a giant shockwave out in every direction, denoting the gas tanks in nearby vehicles and shattering the front walls of the Hall of Justice, sending glass and stone and metal flying. Nightwing was sent crashing through one of the support pillars, and that paired with the one Supergirl had ripped out and the explosion caused the ceiling to crack and start caving in. Even the wall leading into the Ballroom started crumbling, and the guests began screaming and frantically rushing for exits at the back of the building.

The teen heroes tried to process what just happened, but there was ringing in their ears, dust in the air, and the sounds of panicked shrieking all around. Superboy, Supergirl, and Scarlet Beacon all laid in a large crater in the parking lot, unconscious and horribly burnt as the Metallo-Bot continued to stand over them, ensuring the Kryptonite radiation would prevent them from healing.

“Attention Junior Squad,” came the guards on their earpieces. “We lost the camera feeds with that explosion, so there is nothing more we can do from in here. We are going to begin aiding in the evacuation of the guests. Try your best to hold them off as long as you can!”

Just then, Nightwing spotted a few familiar figures amongst the scrambling crowd - it was Shimmer, Mammoth, Psimon, and Gizmo, villains he knew had a history with H.I.V.E. He also kept a close eye on Jinx just in case. What are you up to? He thought to himself.

Shimmer knelt down in the middle of the ballroom, laid a hand on the floor, and then used her transmutation powers to turn a ten-foot circle of the floor into glass. She then stepped back and let Mammoth shatter it with a fierce punch, which revealed a hidden tunnel underneath the Hall of Justice leading straight down. Shimmer then looked up, winked at Jinx, grinned, and the four villains hopped down through the hole.

“Whatever is down there is the point of all this!” Nightwing yelled to the others as the opponents up top renewed their assault. “They drew the League away, and are keeping us busy up here so they can go after whatever is down there! We need to end this as quickly as possible so we can go after them! Everyone, focus your attention on Klarion first! We take him out and then get the Kryptonians as far away from the Kryptonite as possible!”

The scorpion monsters rushed to circle around their master, having heard Nightwing’s plan. As the heroes charged towards them, Black Adam fired another electric blast from his hand at the teens, which Dick had been anticipating this time. He flipped around and threw two grappling hooks out from each hand - one wrapped around the Metallo-Bot’s arm and the other intercepted Black Adam’s bolt, channeling the lightning along the metal wires from one hook to the other, causing the robot to short-circuit and crumble to the ground, smoke rising up from it. Luckily the hero’s suit had protected him from being shocked himself.

Nightwing then ran towards the fallen metal man and ripped out the Kryptonite chunk, shoving into one of his pouches that was lined with lead, thus blocking the radiation. Within seconds the three Kryptonians returned to consciousness, their bodies healing themselves rapidly.