(Star City Docks - July 17th - 11:16 PM)
(Aqualad POV)
There are a few times when I find myself genuinely excited for something… however, learning of the prospect of making our own team, of fighting our own battles on our own missions, was something I was looking forward to.
I've spent years under my king, learning his ways, how he fights, as well as how to introduce my own magic style to my sense of combat… and with him taking up more responsibilities within Atlantis, I find myself taking to the surface world more and more.
When I first arrived, I never thought I would be able to fit in, that my Atlantean heritage would set me apart from everyone else, but then I met Kid Flash and Robin, and I felt the same sense of content when I usually work under my king.
"Kid, Aqualad, got arms smugglers 2 o'clock…" I hear Robin over my earpiece, and as I look to my right, I see a truck pull up… intel from Green Arrow says that Speedy has been targeting Brick's operation… probably a play again to get into the League. I could admire his drive, but there is something to be said of biting more than you can chew.
As my tattoos begin to buzz, I see the arms smugglers get out with their package, preparing to board ship, most likely taking them to Gotham or Metropolis.
Brick gets out of the truck, but as he does, so do a few other of his goons. A few arrows rain down from above, causing small explosions, sending a few of them flying.
Brick looks up and smirks. "Never thought I'd see Green Arrow Junior trying to break up my operation. Didn't think he would send a kid to do a man's job."
Speedy says nothing, but begins to fire a few more arrows into the ground, and as a few of the men begin to gather up, they aim their pistols towards the direction where the arrows are going, and as Robin throws a flash pellet, all of the men are blinded. As Kid Flash and I move in, immediately summoning nearby water, I slam the men into the truck while Kid Flash takes their guns.
In the next moment, I see Brick trying to line up a shot on Speedy, but before he can do so, Speedy shoots one of his arrows into Brick's pistol before it can fire, causing a small explosion in front of him which shreds the top part of his suit.
"AHHHH!… It costs over $3000 to get suits in my size!" Immediately, he grabs the ground and begins to try to throw rocks at Speedy, who just jumps down from his position on a crane onto a nearby shipping container.
As I summon more water, I grapple onto the crane and jump, landing right next to him. "It is good to see you again, my friend."
"Not exactly the best time for chitchat…" In the next moment, he fires an arrow into Brick's face, causing a large amount of smoke to pour from where the arrow hit.
"You've already heard our proposal over the comms, but we just came here to let you know of some of the benefits. For example, the cave is perfect… isolated, remote…"
"Perfect for covert ops. You know, spy stuff…" Robin says after jumping onto the shipping crate himself.
"And wait till you meet Superboy. Not exactly the best personality, but we're working on it…" Kid Flash flips onto the shipping crate while Speedy just gives us all an apathetic stare.
"AHHHH! I despise being ignored… why is the sidekick brigade messing with little old Brick today?" Again, he tries to throw a couple of rocks, but Speedy just fires a single arrow into his chest.
"That it? Didn't think any of the arrows had defective equipment… hope it doesn't apply to everything." In the next moment, Speedy presses a small button on his belt, causing the arrow to explode into a foam-like substance that begins to cover Brick.
As he struggles to escape, he soon is covered in the red foam-like substance… a type of polymer?
"High-Density polyurethane foam… nice. Although aren't you worried he's gonna suffocate?" Speedy then flings a knife he had on his belt, making a small air hole.
Without even saying a word, he turns away. However, as he does, a portal opens up right in front of him.
In the next moment, Solomon exits the portal, and it may just be me being more mystically inclined, but his presence just seeps into everything around him… if I were to compare him to anything, it'd be like staring at a beautiful piece of art, not only admiring how it looks, but also how it makes one feel in its presence.
"Well, this is one way to introduce yourself… I never imagined you'd be going after mobsters." As Solomon passes by Speedy and looks at the pile of foam that used to be Brick, his eyes change color from their normal emptiness to a slight green.
"Good. He's still alive. Don't imagine that would go down with the Green Arrow too well if he didn't survive…" Speedy just scoffs as he turns towards Solomon.
"Why are you even here? I imagine you're not a part of this junior Justice League these guys have going on." Solomon just chuckles…
"No no, I'm not. I'm just an average third-party. These three wanted to make proper introductions for us. The last time we met, you weren't exactly in the best mental space." I could see Speedy, his eyes slowly lowering.
"Don't you feel the same? This team that's being made isn't something to be proud of. It's just putting you all in your place… I don't have time for rookies… I know my worth. The question is, do you?" Solomon, instead of answering, just simply looks up towards the moon.
"You know, this whole hero gig, this thing we all do—it's incredibly dangerous, borderline suicidal… nothing ever changes, no matter how many times we put the criminals in prison. This whole idea that you have, that you feel inherently lesser just because you're not a part of the Justice League, is foolish and you know it." Speedy grips his bow tighter as he walks towards Solomon.
"What do you know? You've barely been a hero for a couple of weeks. You've barely got any scars under that belt or under that mask, I assume… you do not have the right to lecture me." Solomon just stares at him right in the eyes, the empty mask just seeming so deep.
"That's the thing. I'm not trying to lecture you. I'm trying to make you understand that you can refuse. Just don't alienate those that genuinely want to help you succeed. Any day now, a villain could mount a surprise attack, something you could never see coming by yourself, and on that day, you'll realize that it's better to have a team behind you. But like I said, it's your choice. And to be honest, it might be a bit hypocritical of me to even say that… but the benefits of magic and all that." Speedy just huffs before putting his bow on his back.
"I don't need lectures on teamwork. What I want is respect… I don't need Green Arrow. I don't need any of you, and I don't need you getting in my face about it… all I need is myself and my skills. But… I do admit your point is valid… I'm not turning against the League or any of you. I've been working with the Green Arrow for years now. I thought we were partners, yet the world just simply branded me as his sidekick… I'm done with that. If you guys want to be all buddy-buddy then that's fine. Just don't expect me to get involved." In that moment, he begins to walk away into the darkness between a couple of shipping crates.
Solomon just stands there. It may just be due to the mask, but I can't get a read on him. He tries to plead our case, but also understands other perspectives. It's nice to know that peer has an open mind.
"If I need your help, I'll ask for it… but for now, and I'm saying this as politely as I can, stay out of my way. And Solomon, be careful. I hear the Shadows are looking for you. And they don't exactly play nice and fair." In the next moment, he disappears. I can still sense him within the vicinity, but he's already almost left the docks.
Turning towards Solomon, I see him simply shrug. "He seems like a decent fellow. Bit of a chip on his shoulder, but I kinda like that. And it seems like I've made a favorable impression."
"Dude, you two looked like you were about to take each other's head off for a second…" Subtlety, thy name is not Kid Flash.
"It's all right, Kid. They were just sizing each other up… Batman does it a lot too. I still remember the first time he met Superman. I could almost see him try to puff up his chest… don't tell him I said that." A bit too late, Robin. Batman seems to have a keen eye and ear everywhere.
Walking over to Solomon, who had turned around and was continuing to stare into the sky, I stood next to him and stared in the same direction.
"We appreciate you trying to make favorable impressions with Speedy. I was afraid that the meeting would be a bit confrontational…" Solomon says nothing for a few moments.
"He has a dream, a goal, and the drive to do it. I just hope he doesn't get too deep. Men like him tend to do that without having a means to get back up or to know when to call for backup. I knew he wasn't going to join just based on our first meeting at the Hall of Justice alone. He desires to make his own mark on the world. It's inevitable. He's a young adult. They all do that."
My brow is slightly raised. "I was under the impression you were of the same age as us."
"I am mentally older… my mind must be strong to practice the Mystic Arts… something I'm sure you know in great detail… however, I do appreciate you all setting up this meeting. How do you feel about this arrangement for yourselves?"
"Feel like it could be nice to run with a crew. When it's just a two-man show, it gets a bit quiet, especially when you're dealing with Batman being Batman." Understandable, given his years of experience with him.
"To be honest, I'm just doing this to prove to the Flash that I can… it's a bit hard, knowing that I'm not going to be as fast as him." I placed my hand on Kid Flash's shoulder, which he seems to appreciate.
I see Solomon's eyes change from green to almost a jewel-like red, and every sense of danger I have immediately goes off. However, as we all stand and stare at one another, his eyes disappear into the depths of his mask. "That's good… it's good to have goals, even if they start out a bit immature. Now, who's going to take Brick and his accomplices into custody?"
"Already called the Star City Police Department. They should be getting here right about now." In that moment, we all hear sirens we can do approach.
"Do you want me to transport us back into the cave?" Wally seems genuinely excited as Robin nods, and I do find myself curious…
As easily as breathing, a portal appears in front of Solomon, and as he gestures for us to enter, I do so first, and just as easily on the opposite side is the main entrance to the cave. As I exit, I see Robin and Kid Flash behind me.
"Well, that was a bit anticlimactic…" I chuckle at Wally's expectations.
"Well, if you want me to summon a genuine portal, have fun falling for 30 minutes…" Wally immediately races behind me.
"No need, oh wise sorcerer… by the way, how did you really do that?" As the portal closes behind us, Solomon simply raises his hands and waves them in front of his face.
Sparkles together, as within the multicolored light, it just says magic.
"Keep your secret secrets then… by the way, you guys hungry? I could kill for a good hot dog right now." As the ramp to the cave opens, we all begin to enter. However, Solomon does not move.
"Are you coming with us, Solomon?" For a few moments, he says nothing before beginning to follow along.
"Thank you for inviting me in… by the way, Aqualad, I can see that you are curious. If you have questions, ask them. However, do be aware I may not be willing to answer all of them." Am I so easily seen through?
"I was simply curious. Your forms of magic are different, ones that I've never seen…"
"Magic itself doesn't have a form. We give it form. Magic can be anything and everything. It's just how much you are willing to give it." As we are about to enter the main entrance, I simply stop as Solomon goes slightly ahead of me before doing the same.
"And how much have you given?" Again, he is silent for about a moment.
"Everything…" And with that, we both remain silent as we enter the cave…
Solomon, a true conundrum. However, I do believe he is on our side… at least I hope he is.
I can see the wisdom of ages from him. Great mystery seems to emanate from him… it makes me wonder if he is truly our age.
But for now, I do believe I've learned enough for today.
(Gale POV)
Wow, Clone Speedy really is a dick… at least before the character development and him learning he's actually a clone.
To be honest, even if I didn't know he was a clone, my Mystic Sight would allow me to learn of it almost immediately, as my eyes see not just through magic, but also into the very soul.
Speedy and his soul are new… artificial… the same as Superboy.
[+200 CP Milestone]
[600 CP Banked]
Nice to know you're still there, Grimoire… I do admit, though, it is hard trying to switch Mystic Eyes on the fly… while my perks give me control over my powers, it's up to me to improve them.
I want to try to combine my Mystic Eyes into one without having to switch… however, before I can think of some other method, I see Superboy still sitting at the bar table.
As he sees me, he gives me a small wave, which I return with a small fist bump, the air pressure involved pushing away any nearby papers.
He just smiles at me before turning his attention to the others.
"Speedy is not coming, I assume?" All of us sit at the table and shake our heads.
"Speedy desires his own path. It is respectable. However, I do hear we are gaining a new member tomorrow…" Aqualad almost looks at me as he says this, but I know who he is referring to.
"Really? A new member? Sweet. Who is it?"
"Sorry, Kid Flash. Gotta keep this one classified for now." As Robin says this, he seems to almost shrink in his seat.
For a few moments, we just sit and enjoy the silence. However, Robin, with that same gremlin-like smile, asks the forbidden question. "So since we're all here… any of you guys wanna play Uno?"
Superboy just looks confused while the others seem like they're ready to run at any moment.
Superboy, seeing the others' reaction, looks confused even more. "What's Uno?"
Robin seems to smile even further than his face should allow. "Allow me to explain Uno, Superboy…"
Seeing the look on the other two's faces, I decide to see myself out. "Well, this has been a fun time, but I must return home. Magic to learn, lessons to get ready for. If any of you require mystical assistance, do let me know."
Before the other two can beg to come with me, I immediately jump through a portal into my room.
I always make sure to keep the blinds down, and the house is warded against any means of spying, such as infrared and various other measures.
Dismissing my costume, I decide to roll for the day, and as the book is summoned in front of me, I mentally ask it to roll.
[Rolling…]
In the next moment, my mind is filled with at least 20 different spells, and while immediately I had felt disappointed, I then realized my own folly…
Bleach/Kido Training (-200 CP):
"The arts of the Shinigami are many, fitting given their long existence. Few Shinigami pursue training in all the disciplines available and Kido is by far the most neglected. Many Shinigami possess only rudimentary skill in the Demon Magic Art, the spellcasting system of Soul Society. Some have no knowledge at all. But you've eagerly pursued such things, reaching the level of a capable caster in both Hado and Bakudo spells. Hado spells largely deal with offense and destruction, while Bakudo is for both defense and a variety of support uses. At least ninety-nine spells exist for each form, numbered in order of power. You know over a dozen spells for each discipline with your maximum abilities being a pair of spells in the 30 range. 31 Shakkaho, a powerful blast of fire in the Hado arts or 30 Shitotsu Sansen, a Bakudo spell that creates restrictive triangles of light around an opponent. In Shinigami terms, you're the equivalent of a graduate of the academy who received top marks in Kido, which may explain the natural talent you have for learning more Kido down the line."
[400 CP Remaining]
While I didn't gain access to spiritual energy like in Bleach, I can simply substitute it with my own energy. As I point with my right index finger, I utter under my breath, "Hado #1: Sho."
As I do so, the rubber ball I was pointing at on the nearby table proceeds to bounce all around the room, and as I catch it, I feel a small bit of happiness. Soon enough, I'll be putting people in gigantic cages in no time.
Deciding to keep the streak going, I mentally ask my Grimoire to hit me again…
[Rolling… Happy for you…]
In the next moment, my eyes are blessed with a truly amazing sight… a sword, a greatsword to be specific, appears in my hands, and in the next moment, I am thrilled by its beauty. Simply holding it makes me feel invincible.
I can hear faint whispering coming from the blade, and as I examine it with my Mystic Sight, a tear leaves my eye. In but a few seconds, I experience the final fleeting moments of sanity of Seath the Scaleless.
I feel his anger, his betrayal, his rage, his sadness—sewn deep within the blade—his laments of his mortality and the fading of the light, and mostly the guilt he feels for his heresy.
As my hand hovers over the blade, I hold it above me… mine now… guiding moonlight…
Dark Souls: War of the Ancients / Moonlight Greatsword (-400 CP):
This sword, one of the rare dragon weapons, came from the tail of Seath the Scaleless, the pale white dragon who betrayed his own. It shines with an arcane light, dazzling many who gaze upon it. As it is imbued with Seath's own magic and empowered by the moon, it is capable of unleashing a devastating beam of arcane moonlight when swung, allowing you to hit far-off enemies with ease. If the weapon is ever broken, it shall repair itself by the time the moon passes overhead.