2,635AN: Hey all here I am with the next chapter, I hope you all enjoy it! Response to last chapter was pretty positive, and the recommendation were really appreciated so thanks for that, I now have plenty of stuff to check out. That being said the recommendations are for all sorts of fandoms and crossovers, some of which I have never looked into or read before, like One Piece and a thing called Gate.
So yeah if you fancy any check out my reviews, there are some brilliant suggestions in there. Including one chap/ chapess who recommended me one of my own stories, which I found sweet, but also pretty amusing.
Anyway here's the chapter I hope you enjoy it and leave a review.
Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson or anything from the DC universe.
( - )
(Last Time)
"You're telling me that you wouldn't have tried to stop me?" Percy retorted, only for Wonder Woman to pause, as she found she couldn't answer that. "I thought so."
Wonder Woman frowned at that, even as she looked over to where Batman, Aquaman, the Flash and Black Canary were confronting the other three sidekicks and Superboy. The conversation looking tense as Batman apparently told them something they didn't like, which in turn made them group together as they looked challengingly at their mentors.
"So what happens now?" Percy asked into the silence that followed, bringing Diane's attention back to him.
"I… I'm not sure." Diane replied, shifting about as she met Percy's eyes, before she then looked over his shoulder to where the sidekicks now seemed to be celebrating.
( - )
Chapter 4
( - )
(Nine months ago, on the island of Themyscira)
There was an abrupt feeling of tension as fifty, armed and armoured Amazons waited in front of the Gates of Tartarus, one of the few exits and entrances to the infernal hell-scape, that was the Pit, and a place that had been guarded by the Amazonian's of Themyscira for millennia now.
It was a place that they had protected with blood, sweat and tears, from both those that sought it to release the monsters from Tartarus, and those that found the ever moving and shifting gateway in the endless pit of hell, and tried to break out.
At present that was exactly what these Amazonians were doing, the fifty of them were the guardians, women that had trained for centuries, some even millennia, and had tested their mettle in scores of battles, with all of them having devoted their lives to sacred duty of guarding the gates and safeguarding the mortal realm.
"Ready bows!" One of the Amazonian's shouted, her crimson red hair tied back in a waist long pony tail, and her body clad in burnished bronze armour. "Remember to show no mercy, as you will be shown no mercy in return!"
All around her twenty Amazonian warriors knocked arrows on their bows and drew them back, their enhanced physiology meaning allowing them to hold their two hundred and fifty pound bows firm, the barbed shafts aimed at the colossal black door sin front of them, even as they shook again, small motes of dust falling from the caverns ceiling as they did so.
"Whatever comes through that door, we bring it down. We cannot allow a single eldritch monstrosity to pass through those doors, for that is our duty!" The red head continued loudly, whipping her spear through the air and thrusting it at the chained, shaking doorway, even as it ominously shook again, an ominous thud reverberating throughout the rocky chamber they were in, as if someone, or something was slamming into the door from the other side. "We are the guardians of the gate, we are the eternal watchers, those who guard this world against the infernal forces of darkness!"
"Yes Lady Pyrrha!" The Amazonian's around her chorused, even as they readied their weapons, all of them wielding an assortment of weapons, either swords, shields, bows, spears, axes, or maces, an mixture of magical weapons that had been crafted by the finest Amazonian smiths, fletcher, bowyers and enchanted by their greatest spell casters.
These were weapons that would allow them to pierce the flesh of immortals, whether they be god, Titan or monster. With them all also wearing magical armour, designed in the style of the ancient Greek Hoplites, a perfect mix of protection and manoeuvrability.
As if in response to her words, the gates shook again, only this time they opened a crack, an ominous red light beginning to leak out as the crack slowly but surely widened, the protections around the gates, both physical and magical groaning as something pushed against them.
Eyes narrowed and weapons clutched tightly in their hands, the guardians watched as the colossal gates continued to shake, even as a shadowed figure began to push through the small gap.
"Ready!" Lady Pyrrha roared, hoping as she did that the reinforcements she requested were on their way, even as she raised her round, bronze shield in front of her, her body lowering to the ground and her spear raising, the tip pointed at the still emerging figure.
Around her the rest of the guardians did the same, their technique perfect, as their centuries of practices and experience came into play. These were some of the finest warriors in the known world, and they were ready to crush anything that forced its way through the gateway.
A low roar emerged from the gates, even as a bloodied hand erupted from the shadows, the distinctly human looking appendage gripping onto the edge of the gate, even as the figure it belonged to heaved himself through the gap he had created.
"For Blood and Honour, for Death and Glory, for the Gods!" Pyrrha shouted, her emerald green eyes narrowing, as she saw the figure continue to emerge, the ground below her trembling ominously, with rocks beginning to fall from the cavernous roof overhead, even as a cold, cruel wind seemed to swirl around the chamber.
"Unleash hell!" Pyrrha continued, letting loose a battle cry, her fellow warriors doing the same as they saw the figure finally pull himself loose from the gates of Tartarus, the great black, hell-forged metal gates slamming shut behind him with a deafening boom.
"Charge!"
( - )
(At the present time, in the Justice League Headquarters)
"Speak Diana, just what is this Perseus to you?" Batman asked bluntly, as he stood across from Wonder Woman, Superman, Martian Manhunter, the Flash, Aquaman and Hawkwoman.
All of them standing around in a closed off conference room, just off from the main atrium, all of them listening in patiently, as they met up in the Watchtower, the Justice League's orbiting base, to discuss recent happenings.
"I suppose you could say he is my cousin." Diana replied carefully, her blue eyes boring into Batman's own, her own gaze unwavering.
"I thought there were no men allowed on Themyscira?" Batman replied abruptly, knowing a she did that he had only been to the place once, and only then for a short time, as Wonder Woman had asked for his and a couple of other Leaguer's help. Other than that though, none of the members of the League were allowed there without Diana's permission, nor were any males that he knew of allowed to reside on the island either.
"Exceptions can occasionally be made, as you should know." Diana replied stiffly, her blue eyes flickering around to the others, reminding them of the half day they had spent on the island.
"How long have you known him?" Superman asked next, his approach much warmer than Batman, even if he had his own reservations about this Perseus character and his actions, then again he was also deeply disturbed about the Superboy clone too, and as such maybe being too harsh on the teen.
"I met him for the first time around nine months ago." Diana replied, looking over at Superman now, before retuning her attention to Batman, the main questioner here. "But he left the island two months ago without telling me, so I have only intermittently known him for around seven months, and even then I only spent time with him in between my duties as Wonder Woman and as an Ambassador for my people."
"Seven months is not long, especially considering he is family, and the trust that you placed in him, when you vouched for him." Hawkwoman pushed, her gaze much warmer than Batman's own as she approached this more like a discussion between friends, as oppose to an interrogation, which was what Batman was obviously trying to make this out to be.
"As you say he is family and I trust him, that is all you need know, the rest is personal." Diana retorted curtly, though she did soften her tone slightly when speaking to her friend, Shayera. "He has a good heart, and good intentions too."
Hawkwoman nodded at that, personally satisfied by the fact Diana trusted him. Plus she wasn't all that concerned about the teen in the first place, he got the job done, and she wasn't going to lose any sleep over a villain being put down. If anything she applauded his resolve, then again she was from Thanagar where they tended to do things somewhat differently to earthlings.
Batman however was not so easily assuaged, not even by the words of one of the founders of the League. "There is a few more things I would still like to ask. What are his powers? Why did he leave the island? And I would like more clarification on his origins, and connection to you?"
Diana scowled as she heard these demands. Batman, or rather Bruce Wayne as she knew him, was a good man at heart. However the man had serious trust issues, was paranoid and was obsessed with control. It could be very grating at times, especially when it came to him demanding things of his allies, like he was currently doing. It often tended to alienate and annoy people.
"Bruce." Superman said, a frown on his face as he stepped forward.
"What happened to people being entitled to their secrets?" Flash also spoke up, referencing the words Batman himself had spoken only hours earlier.
"There are exceptions." Batman replied bluntly, before he fixed his gaze on Diana. "I would like to know at least a little more about the boy, before we do anything."
"First things first, he is not a boy, he is a man, and a Heroic one at that." Diana said her expression brooking no argument. "As for your questions, I will tell you what I deem necessary. I presume he left the island to explore the world a bit more and because he wanted to use his powers to fight the good fight. His powers and origins are his business, and it is up to him whether he tells you. I will not betray his trust."
"Diana." Batman said with a scowl, disliking how intransigent she was being.
"Enough," Aquaman cut in when he saw the stubborn look on Diana face and the Batman's hard glare. "We get nowhere by arguing. Diana trusts him, even if he is a very rude, and abrasive person, in spite of that she believes in him. As such the real question here, is do we trust Diana?"
"Absolutely." Superman replied immediately.
"Without question." Hawkwoman tagged on.
"She has proven herself trustworthy many times over, her character should not, and has never been, in question." Martian Manhunter spoke up next, his red eyed gaze shifting between the other members of the League.
"Eh," The Flash chipped in, before he let loose a weak smile when he saw the other members looking at him. "I mean all jokes aside of course, I trust her completely."
"As do I," Aquaman nodded, before he and the rest of the members looked to Batman. "Batman?"
Batman scowled as he saw the other members of the inner circle looking at him, before he locked gazes with Diana. "Diana herself has my trust. But I still want to know more about her protégé."
"Protégé?" Diana asked, smiling around at her companions, glad that she had their trust, and that this conversation would soon be coming to an end. After which she looked back to Bruce, her lips curving upwards in amusement. "Perseus is not my protégé, he is a Hero in his own rights. One that I think would be a great boon to the League."
"How old is he?" Superman asked suddenly a slight frown on his face as Diana floated the idea of the teen joining the League. "I've never heard of him before, nor do I know of any city with a Hero like him in it."
"As I said he has only been in Man's world for two months now, so I doubt he would have had much of an impact yet. Especially since he was likely getting the lie of the land as he tried to establish himself as a Hero, which was also probably why he was in Washington DC, the site of our public headquarters, to begin with." Diana replied, her tone easier now. "As for his age…, well that's a slightly trickier question to answer."
"Tricky how? Surely his age should be an easy question to answer." Flash spoke up with a slight laugh.
"Indeed." Batman added, his eyes narrowing, though not at anyone in particular, as he instead looked to be in deep thought over what Diana had just said.
"Biologically he is eighteen-ish, mentally he is probably older." Diana replied carefully, before she frowned. "It is complicated to explain, not without giving away secrets about him that I feel are not mine to reveal."
The other members of the League all looked confused by Diana's answer, save for Martian Manhunter and Batman. With the Bat still looking deep in thought, not reacting to her words in the slightest. Whilst Martian Manhunter was not as confused as the others, after all Martian's aged and matured at different rates to humans, and so he had some experience of things like this already.
"Ok, that's helpful." Flash said with a chuckle.
To which Diana shrugged, before she looked around. "If that is all?"
"Yes," Superman nodded, "Thank you for speaking with us like this, I know it was probably taxing. But still we appreciate it, just as I hope you appreciate why we needed some clarification about this Perseus."
"It's fine," Diana nodded, even as some of the other Leaguers began to speak up, echoing Superman's comments. "Bruce, I take it my answers were satisfactory?"
"For now," Batman said slowly, not mentioning that she hadn't actually told them all that much about the mysterious Perseus, as he instead forged on with what he was saying. "For now I will put my trust in Perseus, or at least until he proves himself anything but trustworthy."
"Very well." Diana said after a few moments, knowing as she did that that was the best she was going to get from Batman. Thankfully though the others were a lot more open and trusting, with even Aquaman, despite Perseus's deliberate provocation, acknowledging the teen, if only because Diana had spoken up for him.
( - )
(With Percy)
Entering his home base or 'lair' a couple of hours after his jaunt in sublevels below Cadmus Labs, and his meeting with many of the big hitters in the Justice League, Percy looked around the place that had been his home for the last few months.
It was a small, derelict, old shoe factory, one that was situated on the outskirts of the city. With it being a moderately large building that had had all the machinery stripped out of it decades ago, after which it had been left to rot.
Noticeably most of the windows on the factories main floor had been smashed, and since been boarded up, and the electricity and water going to the building had been shut off. But other than that it was fine, it was watertight, had strong walls made of red brick and decent foundations.
A diesel generator and some lights he had pinch from a building site on the other side of the city, one for a new Lex Corp facility, had sorted out most of the issues. Plus a bit of tinkering around with the water pipes had allowed him to reconnect to the water mains, even if he wasn't paying for it.
Obviously it wasn't the most comfortable of places, but it would do for the moment. Besides he only used the main floor for training really, he didn't exactly live there, instead he made his home in an old office just off the main floor. A small room he had made himself comfortable in with a lumpy old sofa, a fridge, TV, and an electric heater all of which had been connected up to the generator.
Wandering through the large, empty main floor, Percy looked for any signs of intrusion, not that he expected to find any, before he then headed for the office. Entering the small but comfortable room with a sigh of relief, before he then pulled off his tan coloured Nemean Lion skinned coat, throwing it onto his sofa as he did so.
Twisting around again and looking out of the office's windows and down at the factory floor below, Percy then began to undo the straps on his celestial bronze cuirass, first loosening both of his spaulders with practiced ease, after which he unstrapped the rest of the cuirass's buckles, pulling the entire piece of armour off as he did so.
With another sigh of relief leaving his mouth as he dropped the heavy armour onto the sofa as well, after which he looked down at his undershirt, which he could already see was damp from his sweat, with him then pulling that off too, before he threw it into a corner of the room. He would need to head to the laundromat later that was his last good shirt.
Twisting his body and rolling his shoulders, Percy was taking off his belt, and the sheathed Drakon bone sword he had hanging from it, before he was then interrupted by the sound of something landing on the roof of the factory with a thud.
"What now." Percy grumbled to himself, unsheathing his Drakon bone longsword as he did before he threw the belt and attached sheath onto the sofa, after which he headed outside and down the metal steps which led to the factory floor, his sea green eyes fixed on the roof as he did so, even if he had a good idea just who it was that was visiting him.
What followed next was a grating of metal as one of the panels on the roof was bent and warped by the intruder, the panel bending upwards revealing the darkening sky above, but only for a moment, before the gap was filled by a familiar, dark haired woman who clambered through before she then floated easily to the ground.
"You know I do have a door, you didn't need to break in or anything." Percy said grumpily as he watched Wonder Woman land on the shop floor, her lips pursed in disapproval as she looked around at her surroundings, before a scowl passed across her face when she saw Percy walking towards her, his longsword resting easily on his shoulder.
"Perseus." Diana said irritably, her blue eyes narrowing as she saw him approach.
"Diana." Percy nodded, not even bothering to tell her how he preferred Percy to Perseus, after all if he had said it once, he had said it a thousand times, and every time she ignored him. "How did you find me?"
"No doubt the same way you found out that the League was suspicious about Cadmus Labs." Diana replied, her lips curving upwards slightly as she did so, in spite of her current irritation with Percy.
"Donna, you really can't tell her anything eh." Percy sighed, rolling his eyes in exasperation at the thought of the loud and lively dark haired girl, a girl that he had become very fond of during his time on the Themyscira. "Though to be fair she just clued me in about how you mentioned the League was suspicious about the place the last time you visited. I was the one who did all the investigations, scoped out the place and found the lab and what not, you know when the fire started."
"I don't know, she managed to not tell me what you've been up to for the last few months, and it took a lot of bribery and a bit of investigation to even find this place." Diana replied sharply, not pointing out how Percy had only found out about the sublevels due to the sidekicks getting there first, no she would point that out later.
"What business is it of yours what I do?" Percy asked irritably, a scowl on his own face now, before he turned and walked to a nearby table, pulling the dust cover off of it as he did so, before he dropped his sword on the pitted and aged surface, alongside the other things already on there.
"You are my family, I reserve the right to know what you're up to." Diana replied swiftly, before her blue eyes trailed over to Percy, moving over his tanned, heavily scarred and muscled chest and instead down to the table. Her gaze narrowing as she saw what was on it, before she then looked around at the rest of the factory. "Besides as the Princess of the Amazon's I believe it is also my business when you apparently raided the armoury before you left."
And that was putting it nicely, because as Diana looked around the warehouse she quickly noted several Amazonian bracers, similar to the ones she herself wore on one of the tables, as well as several finely crafted, sheathed Amazonian swords of Greek, Roman and Medieval European design, a pair of identical axes, a red plumed Greek helmet, three sets of greaves, two round bronze coloured shields, a large Halberd of all things, a flanged mace and a dust covered bow with several wrapped up sheaths of arrows.
"Well sort of family." Percy replied easily, as he turned to face Diana, not too concerned about her discovery. In fact he kind of enjoyed pissing her off, which was partly why he had pulled the cover off of his weapons table in the first place. "As for the stuff, well it was just lying around gathering dust so I thought I would help myself."
"We are cousins whether you like it or not. The ichor of the gods flow through our veins, they may not be of the same world, but they are of the same Pantheon, as too are we." Diana said patiently, not allowing Percy to shrug off their connection so easily.
Percy rolled his eyes at that but didn't deny Diana's words. "I've not met the gods of this world so I can't compare, but I am pretty sure from what I've seen and heard, that they are different beings to the ones I knew."
What Percy didn't say though was that although each of their worlds may have a different set of Olympians, they did possibly share the same Primordial Gods, beings that apparently transcended dimensions, after all how else could Percy fall into Tartarus on his world, and come out of Tartarus on another. Or at least that was what he thought, after all it was the only thing that made sense to him in regards to his current circumstances.
"Maybe, but it does not change the fact that we are connected, and the Amazonians and I will never abandon you, no matter how much you try and push us away." Diana replied firmly, not backing down as she instead approached Percy and placed a firm hand on his bare shoulder.
Percy winced at that, though not at the tight grip she had on his shoulder, but rather at her words. They hit him like the blows from a warhammer.
"As for you raiding the armoury, well you better put it to good use, otherwise I'm taking it back." Diana added on, her blue gaze flickering over to the dust covered bow as she did so. With her full lips curving upwards in amusement, even as her gaze shifted back to Percy.
Following her gaze, Percy chuckled slightly. "Yeah I was probably being a bit too ambitious when I took the bow, I tried it out, and trust me I couldn't hit a barn wall from five paces using one."
"We all have our talents." Diana replied a slight smile on her face now. "Even if your talent is annoying your older cousin."
"Well we are family apparently…." Percy retorted, his tone once again dry as he parroted her words back to her.
"I'm glad you finally admit it." Diana replied with a smirk as she released him and instead began to look around his 'lair' with a look of disapproval on her flawless face.
"That wasn't what I…" Percy began, before he sighed, Amazonian's apparently didn't understand sarcasm.
"So this is where you've been staying?" Diana spoke up loudly as she finished surveying the dusty, derelict old factory and looked back to Percy. "Well this won't do at all. No, you will be moving to Mount Justice and staying there."
"Come again." Percy replied, folding his arms in front of his chest as he did so.
"It is the Justice League's former base of operations." Diana replied easily.
"With a name like that, who would have thought…?" Percy replied sarcastically. "What I meant is why do you want me to go there?"
"The Justice League has decided to put together a covert team made up of some of the younger Heroes, including the sidekicks you met at Cadmus. I would like for you to join up, I have already cleared it with the rest of the League, subject to your agreement of course." Diana replied bluntly.
"And why would I want to join some kiddie team, why can't I join the proper Justice League?" Percy replied, he wanted to join the Hero profession and use his abilities to safeguard the weak and vulnerable in society, but even so he was no sidekick or junior Hero. It might be his ego speaking, but considering his feats, he deemed himself far above the level of a sidekick.
"It's partly experience." Diana replied abruptly, before she continued on when Percy opened his mouth to object. "You are a skill warrior Perseus, your swordsmanship is on a par with even some of the greatest Amazonian sword masters, and your Demigod abilities are powerful and versatile. However you, by your own admission, are used to predominantly fighting monsters. The villains of this world are different, there are many hundreds of them, all of whom have different skills and abilities. You need experience fighting against these types of foe, and more than that you need to learn to show more restraint. I and some others in the League may not disagree with how you dealt with Blockbuster, however some of the others are more… squeamish. There is a reason why we don't kill our enemies."
"So what you would rather let them run free? Or put them in jail cells only for them to breakout a few months later and continue committing atrocities?" Percy asked, his voice incredulous as he locked onto this last statement, after all he couldn't deny her previous ones. He didn't have experience fighting the many villains of this world, some of whom had a whole range of powers and abilities he had never gone up against before.
"It's tricky and an area of great contention for the League." Dian replied carefully. "Everyone has a different opinion, especially on killing, incapacitation and imprisonment. Thus far though the Heroes of the League aim to incapacitate, that way we can then let the governments of the world process and punish the villains, with the onus being on them to make sure true justice is served. To do otherwise would scare some people especially those in power, and would likely gain the League more enemies than friends."
"You're talking about politics?" Percy spoke up, his voice tinged with disgust.
Diana sighed as she heard that, before she leant against a nearby table. "Unfortunately yes, for the League to work we need the acceptance of most of the world's countries and governments, and funding too. That means that we need to act in a certain way, or at least that is the way I see it. It is annoying, but it is unfortunately necessary."
Percy grumbled at that, he wasn't some maniacal sociopath that enjoyed killing for the sake of killing. However he very much believed in efficiency, you could give a violent, murderous criminal a second chance maybe if they prove themselves redeemable, but a third chance or a fourth or a fifth? There had to be a limit to how many chances a person could get before you had to write them off as a lost cause. It was a difficult line to toe, but Percy was willing to step up and do what was necessary if it meant protecting the many from the violent and volatile few.
"That being said, although executing captive criminals is not acceptable, if one were to die in battle, well that would be a whole other thing." Diana continued, her tone very careful now as she locked eyes with Percy. "After all when fighting against some powerful, violent and mentally unstable supervillain accidents can happen…"
Percy narrowed his eyes as he heard this, but didn't respond to, or even acknowledge Diana's last statement. "So this team?"
"I think it would be a good thing for you. It would give you a good place to live, free bed and board, provide you with top of the line training facilities, and it would give you access to any equipment you may need. All you need do is undertake low profile missions, which will allow you to build up the experience you need to join the Justice League." Diana replied, her tone easier now as she saw that she had Percy's attention. "Which won't be long as I am planning on recommending you in six months' time when the League comes together to discuss the new members they will be inducting into the Justice League. Until then you just need to gain experience and to not alienate too many of the other Heroes in the League."
"So a temporary placement then?" Percy asked curiously, ignoring the jibe about alienating people. He had only made those snippy comments to Aquaman because he was feeling petty, and didn't like the man's presumption in calling himself the King of Atlantis and Lord of the Sea. It was a Son of Poseidon thing.
"A temporary testing ground for you to gain experience, learn about the many superpowered villains that roam this world, and hone your skills." Diana clarified with a nod. "Plus I will feel a lot better knowing where you are, as oppose to bribing your location out of Donna every time I visit. Already her mother is getting irritated with how many sweets I have been giving the girl." Diana then continued, her lips twitching upwards at the thought of her precocious, nine year old half-sister.
Percy hummed in response to that, his sea green eyes trailing over his lacklustre surroundings before moving back to Diana. He liked a lot of what she was saying, enough to know that he probably would go for it. After all joining this team would be similar to being at Camp Half Blood, he would get bed and board, equipment and facilities for training, in return for which he undertook quests, or rather missions, gaining experience as he did so.
He would have to be an idiot to say no to such an opportunity, that or someone who's ego knew no bounds.
Fortunately Percy was not such a person, turning to Diana he nodded his head. "Alright then, I'll join the team. Though I'm not letting you micromanage me."
"Ha! As if I would, I have my own life to live you know." Diana shot back with a smile. "I just want to make sure you don't pick a fight with someone you're not ready for yet and end up dead."
"Wow, your confidence in me is overwhelming isn't it?" Percy retorted dryly.
"Don't be shitty, you know what I mean." Diana replied easily, before she looked around the factory once more. "But anyway let's start packing up your things, tonight you'll be staying with me, in a place that actually has heating."
Percy rolled his eyes as he heard that, but didn't refuse.
( - )
(A few days later)
Currently the sidekicks, Kid Flash, Robin, Aqualad and Superboy were standing in the main chamber of Mount Justice, near the town of Happy Harbour. The place in question being a hollowed out volcano, one that had once been the original sanctum for the Justice League in their first couple of years.
At present though the place was being refurbished as the security was updated and the old facilities stripped out and replaced, the Green Lanterns with their power rings making very handy labourers as they did what would take dozens of men several days, in mere minutes.
Looking around at the ongoing activities, the four sidekicks were all noticeably dressed in civilian clothing, with Superboy now wearing a black and red Superman t-shirt as oppose to his white body suit. The other three however just wore casual trainers, trousers, shirts and coats.
Though Robin did still wear a pair of sunglasses, despite being inside, obscuring his eyes, and thus making it more difficult for anyone to work out his identity, even if those around him were all allies. This of course was due to the ingrained paranoia that had been trained into him by the Batman.
"This cave was the original secret sanctuary for the Justice League. We're calling it into service again. Since you four are determined to stay together and fight the good fight… you'll do it on League terms. Red Tornado has volunteered to live here and be your supervisor, Black Canary's in charge of training, I will deploy you on missions." Batman said curtly, his tone stoic and blunt as he rattled off his 'welcome speech' as fast as he could.
"Real missions?" Robin asked, his gaze on his mentor.
"Yes, but covert." Batman replied promptly, his cowled head moving to Robin for a moment, before he looked back at the rest of the group.
"The League will still handle the obvious stuff. There's a reason we have these big targets on our chests." Flash added in from where he was stood next to Batman, his loud, red and gold outfit standing out prominently when next to the Batman's grey and black clad form, even as he tapped the lightning bolt symbol on the front of his chest.
"But Cadmus proves that the bad guys are getting smarter. Batman needs a team that can operate on the sly." Aquaman chipped in too, the blonde haired man folding his arms in front of his muscled chest with a smile on his face, his own orange and green costume clashing with Batman's just like the Flash's did.
"The six of you will be that team," Batman finished, his gaze shooting to the two other Heroes beside him, before he looked back down at the sidekicks.
"Sweet!" Robin said, going to high-five as he did so, only to pause as he clocked onto just what Batman had said, "Wait, the six of us?"
Batman scowled as he heard that question, before he nodded to the Zeta Tube, where Martian Manhunter approached from the shadows, accompanied by an attractive looking green skinned girl, who had waist length red hair, a smattering of dark green freckles and warm brown eyes. With the girl looking eerily similar to Martian Manhunter in terms of skin tone, as well as with the cloaked costume she was wearing.
"This is the Martian Manhunter's niece," Batman then introduced, glancing over at the girl as he did so, before he turned back to the sidekicks, "Miss Martian."
"Hi." Miss Martian said shyly, giving a half wave to the other sidekicks as she did so.
"Liking this gig more every minute." Kid Flash muttered to Robin, before he sent the green skinned girl a massive smile and sidled over to her. "Welcome aboard. I'm Kid Flash. That's Robin, Aqualad, and Superboy. But don't worry though, it's cool if you forget their names." Kid Flash then continued cockily.
"I'm honoured to be included." Miss Martian said, her eyes lingering on Superboy longer than the others as she greeted the other sidekicks.
Not that Superboy really cared as he was more concerned with being rejected once again by Superman, who hadn't even bothered to show up.
"Superboy, come meet Miss M." Robin said as gestured for Superboy to come over and join the other three in greeting the Martian girl.
Looking over Miss Martian morphed her shirt into the same colour as Superboy's, her gaze locking onto the dark haired, blue eyed boy, even as she sent him another small smile.
"I like your t-shirt." Miss Martian said shyly, in response to which Superboy smiled.
Aqualad also smiled slightly as he saw this, before he looked around in confusion. "Wait, Miss Martian makes five, who is the sixth member of the team."
Aquaman shifted uncomfortably as he heard that question, sharing a look with Batman as he did so. Whilst Flash just smiled nonchalantly and nodded over to the other side of the chamber where two figures could be seen approaching. One of whom was the familiar, dark haired, beauty Wonder Woman, wearing her full costume as she strode confidently towards them. With the other one as also familiar to at least four of them, with it being Perseus, only now he was wearing a pair of blue jeans, his brown leather boots, and a plain orange T-shirt over the top of which he had on his tan coloured coat, with its golden coloured, fur lining.
"Wait." Aqualad said in surprise.
"No way." Kid Flash tagged on.
"You've got to be kidding me?" Robin added on incredulously, looking to the stoic Batman as he did so.
"Hn!" Superboy grunted, recognising the dark haired teen from Cadmus, after all he was one of the few people he actually knew, and one of the few he had already fought with.
"Ermm hello." Miss Martian said shyly, waving awkwardly to Percy when she saw some of the other sidekick's reactions.
"So today is the day, eh." Percy grinned, as he looked around at the other five, younger, surprised looking sidekicks.
( - )
AN: So what did you all think? There were some important bits in this chapter, as well as more of a glimpse into Percy's history. Don't worry though, the other parts such as the previous bit of backstory will all be explained as the story continues. There is a method in my maddness. I'm just trying something different in regards to my writing style.
Also it allowed me to explore more about the ethics of the different members of the League, I never liked the fandom belief that every single member of the League thinks alike in regards to how they deal with psychos like the Joker.
That being said there will be a lot of division in regards to the Justice League, just as there is in the wider world, and wider universe.
Also I've taken liberties with the origins of some DC characters that aren't in the Young Justice series, due in part to the sheer amount of different versions of these characters that inundate the DC universe.
Other than that there were a lot of suggestions for who the pairing might be, but none of them were right for the one I am angling for. Though if the story doesn't develop how I want it to then that won't happen either. I say I have a pairing in mind, but that is just my preference, if it doesn't fit with the story though I won't include it. I don't want to force anything, nor do I want to ruin my story just fit in a pairing I like.
For those who desperately want to know my ideal pairing choices I'll be angling for, ask and I'll happily tell you.
So yeah, hoped you all enjoyed the chapter and leave a review.
Thanks for reading and I'll catch you later.
Greed720.