Justice League: The New Wave (IC)

[ChasNicollette]

Interlude: Do What You Can Kid.

Distances whipped past beneath him.

He wasn't as fast as Superman had been. Wasn't as fast as Wonder Girl was now.

But his flight was self-propelled telekinesis-- autotelekinesis-- and sheer force of will could push him to shatterneck speeds.

It was over Metropolis, blasting over the city's skyline towards the nearby Mount Curtiss and The Cadmus Project embedded beneath... that that speed was turned against him.

One of the Bestowed spacetime-shifted into place atop The Newstime Building as Superboy streaked past and smirked to herself... hissing softly. She extended her hand.

And agony clutched the still-healing laser burn on Superboy's chest, heat seared his veins, his inner ear spun like a centrifuge and he plunged helplessly to the streets below...

...crashing hard and plowing a trench for three blocks down Clinton Street, screaming and groaning the whole way down.

Trembling, shaking his head, he attempted to pick himself out of the trench, the rubble, his healing factor was fighting to catch up, his telekinetic aura flickering in and out as he struggled to maintain consciousness, focus...

...and then that Bestowed teleported next to him.

"It would seem that not just your elder and better SSsssssuperman had that nasssty weaknesssss to magic..."

"SSsssscrew you, lady," Superboy retorted defiantly.

She held up her hand again and Superboy roared in agony as she redoubled the boiling in his veins...

"...let us see if your invulnerability is sufficient to keep you from exploding when your blood boils. If so, I can always turn your gutssss to sssssnakesssssss."

"Faith to Kali Yuga."

Superboy was brash, inconsiderate, a shameless flirt, aggressive in a fight, all ego all the time.

But he had potential.

And he had heart.

It was that heart that kept him alive, pounding in his chest as his blood soared to temperatures bordering on the magmic.

But then the power dropped out from under that Bestowed and she cried out in startlement and dismay, staring at her hands and wondering how she had failed the All-Mighty Kobra to be so robbed of his blessing.

"My turn!"

Just long enough for Superboy to slap the road bed with his trembling hand and send a shockwavefront of tactile-telekinetic force skidding across the asphalt-- knocking the Bestowed woman flying ass over teakettle with another scream of surprise--

--a scream that was immediately cut short as The Guardian came sprinting up and backhanded the hurtling woman with his shield. Insensate, the woman went crashing to the ground.

"Superboy," he barked as he hurried to the boy hero's side. "Are you all right?"

"Sure, a-okay, Guardian," Superboy grimaced, not quite managing to stand. "Fastest healing factor in The West." He coughed and wheezed, shaking his head to clear it as the pounding faded in his ears, in his chest. "Too bad we're East Coast, huh?"

"We've known each other your whole life," Guardian pointed out. "You can call me 'Jim.'"

"Nope, too weird," Superboy trailed his fingers through his hair. "That'd be like calling MacGyver by his first name."

"Can you fight? Fly? Can you at least walk?" Harper shook his head. "I can escort you to safety if you need, but if not, I need to keep providing support for civilian defenses and the other heroes in the city. Traci 13's going to use her urban magic to harness the collective energies of Metropolis, Gotham, and New York for some sort of defensive countermeasure-- and we're her ground support."

"I'm good, I'm good, go!" Superboy waved him off stubbornly, but then hesitated. "...though maybe a lift to Cadmus could be good? I have genetic data that they need to sequence, stat."

"My shortcut to Cadmus is miles from here, at the waterfront," Guardian shook his head. "Across miles of hotzones and enemy-held territory. You'll never make it in this shape. But-- but if you need a geneticist-- Serling Roquette is in New Justice League HQ on Bessolo and Sullivan. Only a few blocks away!"

Superboy's programming to fill in for Superman if he were to fall in battle included a map of Metropolis in his head-- Superman knew-- had known? --these streets like the back of his hand, thus Superboy had to. The location emerged from his subconscious like he had a compass in his brain-- kind of a creepy feeling, but he pushed that aside. Heroes didn't squick when shit got real.

"Yeah. Yeah. I got this. Go throw your mighty shield, Guardian, I'll schlepp my ass to the fakey H-o'-J."

Harper nodded. "Good luck, Kon."

"Never needed it," Superboy fired back, already turning to limp off. "And neither do you."

Guardian smirked faintly, and then turned to carry on sprinting towards The Daily Planet Building.

 

[Varshanka]

The Rider, Karan, Renegade, Raven (Tags.. The Archer, Rose, GRID)

With the presence of Evil finally gone, the Rider found a new vehicle, though the lack of equestrian transport was missed. Straddling the bike, it stood up and dropped down, kicking the bike over into an angry roar. A roar that belched fir from the tailpipes, and flames ripped from tire to tire.

Looking over at The Archer, The Rider said nothing, but simply gave a dipping of it’s helm. Either in an acknowledgement of deeds done, or a silent offer of a rider, it was hard to tell.

*****

She didn’t think. She didn’t hesitate. She just.. moved.

Lightening fast. Thought quick. Darting Karan moved so fast teleportation would have been slower, but so was staying on the ground, so she flew.

To Rose’ side.

*****

Inhaling deeply as the last of his wounds closed Renegade sat up, his fingers closing around his backup. Looking around he wondered for a moment how long he’d been out, as it appeared as if the battle was over, and he was on the side of victory. Again.

“GRID, Right?” He asked, climbing to his feet and taking stock of the situation. Recovering the sniper rifle it took only moments to inspect the weapon.

*****

Teleporting as far from the battle casters as possible, and still staying under the dome, Raven sighed. Big ego’s were going to be the death of the world. Someday. And with the way things were going it was definitely going to be in her lifetime.

Maybe it was time to relocate to a world already ravaged beyond life.

 

[TertiusHuman]

What is the quickest way to get out when told to run, yet you know that you will never make it?

You go down.

One moment an emerald Woolly Mamoth steamrollered over a crippled Ajarkar, forced forward by momentum even if it was halted for a few split seconds. The next the mamoth was gone.

There was no sign of Garfield though and even as Kiz unleashed his total destruction Doomsday endgame, there was still no sign of Garfield. Even in the aftermath, when even a timid mouse would come out after the furious battle, there was no sign of the Beast Boy.

 

[Wyldfire]

Mick Rory considered this for a moment, and barked a short sharp laugh, and trailed burn-callused fingers over Thea's cheek. "...shiny."



Cold snorted. "It ain't over 'till the cat-lady sings. I'll call this time 'good' when we get our turf back from out under Kobra's scaly boot. 'Till then, we're all still on the clock, so don't anybody go thinking it's all good to flick their Bic in anyone's furnace."

Heatwave grunted. "...yet."

Cold half-shrugged. "Yet."

"Yeah it is shiny," she almost purred, "And yeah when we're clear of this all we'll get some quality time." She gave Heatwave a wink.

She looked at Cold. Just like his name. One cold ass bastard. "Yeah Cold, still on the clock."

One moment an emerald Woolly Mamoth steamrollered over a crippled Ajarkar, forced forward by momentum even if it was halted for a few split seconds. The next the mamoth was gone.

There was no sign of Garfield though and even as Kiz unleashed his total destruction Doomsday endgame, there was still no sign of Garfield. Even in the aftermath, when even a timid mouse would come out after the furious battle, there was no sign of the Beast Boy.

The green guy. Where the hell did he go? She looked at Cold and Heatwave. "Did either of you see where the green guy went?" Was he still going by Beast Boy? Or had he changed it up? She started looking around at those that had gotten clear in this direction. Nowhere to be seen. Damnitall, he'd been one of the ones that had tried not to kill. Tried to be a "good guy".

She began looking around and walking the area. "Hey Beast dude? You alive around here somewhere? You better be or I'm going to kick your ass!"

 

[Aussie_Wolf]

Velocity had been standing next to Kaldur when she heard the message in her head. It basically boiled down to 'get the hell out of town'!!

She turned to grab Nightwing but he had disappeared. Well that was his problem then, she was not going to search for the guy. He had heard the message as well and was probably making his own way out of Dodge. That left her and Green Arrow. He was already sprinting for the exit but Velocity knew he wouldn't make it in time. Well that was what she was for.

Zooming up behind him she picked him up and in the twinkling of an eye they were next to the rogues. She figured there was safety in numbers and they just happened to be the closest allies. Most people would wonder how she picked up a guy twice (or nearly) her weight and the simple fact is she didn't. She basically only had to get him off the ground for a half second or so to transport him the short distance and that she could do considering he had been running.

She stopped his momentum with her own and he turned back with a sort of queezy look. First timers often had that look. It was hard for the brain to process being in one place one instant and somewhere else the next. It took it a little bit to catch up.

She watched as the stadium went Bye bye and then Kiz and Golden Glider sat in the middle of the now massive car park. She was tempted to go and help but it looked like they were having a moment so she refrained. If she needed help Goldy would signal.

 

[Aussie_Wolf]

Arrow heard the announcement and started running then saw the Rider. Smiling he began to head for her then suddenly he was somewhere else. He felt dizzy and disorientated and his gits felt like they wanted to forcibly eject from both his mouth and bowels at the same time but couldn't make up their mind which.

Finally he got things under control and looked around. He found himself well out of the stadiums surrounds and next to Cold, Heatwave, Wild cat and Velocity. He noticed that the Cat looked a little more Feral than she had before but maybe that was just a trick of the light and because she looked a little beat up. Hell he probably looked the same.

He supposed his current discomfort was due to the speedster girl and the fact he had not been able to get a ride with his leather covered squeeze. Still he supposed she had just been trying to rescue him so he couldn't be angry at her, however much he had wanted that ride. Despite what she had looked like he just couldn't get over his crush. Besides who wouldn't want a badass as a girlfriend. He smiled and began looking around for her. Maybe he could still get that ride to their next destination.

 

[Zet_Cross]

Inhaling deeply as the last of his wounds closed Renegade sat up, his fingers closing around his backup. Looking around he wondered for a moment how long he’d been out, as it appeared as if the battle was over, and he was on the side of victory. Again.

“GRID, Right?” He asked, climbing to his feet and taking stock of the situation. Recovering the sniper rifle it took only moments to inspect the weapon.

GRID looks on at the vacant lot that now is present.

Dimensional tear detected. Aether systems non-responsive.

"What the heck are Aether systems? Doesn't matter right now." He looks at Renegade. "You doing OK?"

 

[TertiusHuman]

The green guy. Where the hell did he go? She looked at Cold and Heatwave. "Did either of you see where the green guy went?" Was he still going by Beast Boy? Or had he changed it up? She started looking around at those that had gotten clear in this direction. Nowhere to be seen. Damnitall, he'd been one of the ones that had tried not to kill. Tried to be a "good guy".

She began looking around and walking the area. "Hey Beast dude? You alive around here somewhere? You better be or I'm going to kick your ass!"

From the nearest storm drain burst a sudden swarm of green carapaced cockroaches. They scuttled about for a few seconds and disappeared to leave Gar standing on the asphalt, wiping off his sleeves and shoulder.

"Hey guys, what did I miss?"

He noticed that a few stares were directed to his left, he turned to see that the whole stadium had disappeared. His arms dropped to his sides and his jaw went slack again.

"What the hell?"

 

[Wyldfire]

From the nearest storm drain burst a sudden swarm of green carapaced cockroaches. They scuttled about for a few seconds and disappeared to leave Gar standing on the asphalt, wiping off his sleeves and shoulder.

"Hey guys, what did I miss?"

He noticed that a few stares were directed to his left, he turned to see that the whole stadium had disappeared. His arms dropped to his sides and his jaw went slack again.

"What the hell?"

Thea was grossed out at first by the roaches, but she notice the color and was relieved. Good. The good dude here made it through. Thea had to wonder if this wasn't the reason she was attracted to the kind of guy she is. A guy like 'Wave could go through hell and back and still walk away. He was willing to do what he had to. Good guys can't always say that.

As she approached the now human Gar she said "Yeah, when Spooky gets crazy, he goes "full retard"." She stopped in front of him. "You kinda had me worried dude. The way you hit that bulldozer in a freak suit was kind of hard." Yeah, and that thing could have killed him. Then it would have been another funeral. Most of these guys would stay dead if it happened. Thea would probably grow cat ears or a tail next time. Guess that curse hadn't failed. It was just taking her in pieces.

"Do an old lady a favor next time. Try not to get yourself killed."

 

[TertiusHuman]

As she approached the now human Gar she said "Yeah, when Spooky gets crazy, he goes "full retard"." She stopped in front of him. "You kinda had me worried dude. The way you hit that bulldozer in a freak suit was kind of hard."

As he looked up at the red haired costumed woman, he felt that he must have heard or read about her somewhere. He just couldn't quite shake the feeling that he knew her from somewhere, not in person, but somewhere else.

"You should have seen the Blue Whale incident, I wasn't even aware that falling on something like those big guys while in whale form could hurt so much."

He grinned, but that grin vanished with her next words

"Do an old lady a favor next time. Try not to get yourself killed."

He grew somber, "Well so far I have been lucky, I don't even know why I'm here. I am just a normal college student, I have done some bad things in the past, but apart from that I am just a normal guy."

He looked from her to the two dudes she seemed to hang out with, then his gaze traveled from them to the other members of the team. "I am nothing like them. They have powers, they have been trained, they have a place to belong... well except that biker chick with the armor and flames, I don't think any group could hold her. But me?"

He looked back at Thea, "I'm just me. No group, no family and still trying to do the right the wrongs I did even if the courts did acquit me."

He grinned then, "But I will try to not get killed and if bad things comes to worse, I can just change into a jellyfish and live forever."

 

[Wyldfire]

As he looked up at the red haired costumed woman, he felt that he must have heard or read about her somewhere. He just couldn't quite shake the feeling that he knew her from somewhere, not in person, but somewhere else.

"You should have seen the Blue Whale incident, I wasn't even aware that falling on something like those big guys while in whale form could hurt so much."

He grinned, but that grin vanished with her next words



He grew somber, "Well so far I have been lucky, I don't even know why I'm here. I am just a normal college student, I have done some bad things in the past, but apart from that I am just a normal guy."

He looked from her to the two dudes she seemed to hang out with, then his gaze traveled from them to the other members of the team. "I am nothing like them. They have powers, they have been trained, they have a place to belong... well except that biker chick with the armor and flames, I don't think any group could hold her. But me?"

He looked back at Thea, "I'm just me. No group, no family and still trying to do the right the wrongs I did even if the courts did acquit me."

He grinned then, "But I will try to not get killed and if bad things comes to worse, I can just change into a jellyfish and live forever."

Just a normal guy. A green skinned, shape changing college kid. Kid had some ghosts, that was for sure. But then too this is the kind of kid she was being paid to help out. Just because the Bat had vanished didn't mean the revenue sources he had established to keep her on retainer had vanished. This guy could use some help.

"You're more than you're giving yourself credit for," Thea said making some serious eye contact, "For just a normal guy you did real good. Gave that big block of meat a good beat down. You didn't have to get carried away from that one, unlike a certain someone." she winked a green cats eye at him.

Thea reached down to her waistline to one of the hidden compartments in her suit. What was it with her benefactor and keeping stuff at waist level? Thea had wondered about that once or twice. She opened up the small compartment and handed Gar a business card. It simply said "Thea Grant. And her Gym's Bronx address. There was also a phone number"

"You ever want to learn how to fight in the normal sense or just need someone to talk to to keep your head on straight in this gig, give me a call. We can talk or you can learn to fight or just blow off steam."

 

[Varshanka]

Bring on the witches..

"What the heck are Aether systems? Doesn't matter right now." He looks at Renegade. "You doing OK?"

“I don't know what an Aethyr system is either and I'm fine. I’ve suffered worse.” Renegade replied with a smile that looked like it was half snarl. Maybe it was a sarcastic grin. “Looks like the spellcasters finally decided to get involved and make us useless. Maybe if they’d done more earlier more lives would have been saved.”

Reloading the sniper rifle and Anaconda he looked at the armored individual. “Robot? Or is there a biological inside that thing? Name like GRID doesn’t provide a lot of information, and GRID sounds like an acronym for something. And less like a persons name.”

Looking around, and across the rather large and obvious eyesore of a parking lot, that had no purpose and would thusly point out a massive temporal continuity error. “Anything left to shoot or at least maim?”

 

[Zet_Cross]

Reloading the sniper rifle and Anaconda he looked at the armored individual. “Robot? Or is there a biological inside that thing? Name like GRID doesn’t provide a lot of information, and GRID sounds like an acronym for something. And less like a persons name.”

Looking around, and across the rather large and obvious eyesore of a parking lot, that had no purpose and would thusly point out a massive temporal continuity error. “Anything left to shoot or at least maim?”

"Human and as far as reinforcements these cultist types always crawl out of the woodwork."

 

[TertiusHuman]

Garfield took the card and looked it over, slipping it into a pocket, he looked up at Thea once more, "Thanks if this is all over, I will take you up on the offer. It never hurts to know how to throw a punch or duck away from one."

He blinked and looked at her eyes again, "Uhm this might sound crude coming from me, but your eyes looks like a cat's... Do they function like a cat's as well?"

 

[TertiusHuman]

Double post

 

[Wyldfire]

Garfield took the card and looked it over, slipping it into a pocket, he looked up at Thea once more, "Thanks if this is all over, I will take you up on the offer. It never hurts to know how to throw a punch or duck away from one."

He blinked and looked at her eyes again, "Uhm this might sound crude coming from me, but your eyes looks like a cat's... Do they function like a cat's as well?"

Eyes look like a?????? Thea tried her damndest to keep her calm. What the hell? Must have been a gift from the last life she had spent. Not to mention the claws. This last death had kind of proved what she had been thinking. Claws like a cat and now obviously her eyes had changed too. She took in a breathe before saying "Haven't had them long enough to notice if there's a change in my sight yet."

She smiled her best. "Imagine how bad ass it would be being a gorilla and knowing choke holds," she made a muscle of her bicep, "The things you could do with some of the things you seem to be able to turn into."

 

[TertiusHuman]

"Haven't had them long enough to notice if there's a change in my sight yet."

She smiled her best. "Imagine how bad ass it would be being a gorilla and knowing choke holds," she made a muscle of her bicep, "The things you could do with some of the things you seem to be able to turn into."

Haven't had them long enough? That just sounded... Weird.

He had to admit that she had a nice smile, even if you take into account the mask and all that.

"Of all the creatures I have seen and changed into, it sure would be good to be able to use their power and abilities without having to change into them."

He shrugged, "To be totally honest, I have no idea how I am doing it now...and do you have any idea why Aquaman is crying?"

 

[WiredIn]

Stand Up (tag Aquaman)

Static looked towards Aquaman and smiled sadly, he looked on towards what was once the stadium and his somber look deepened. He struggled to his feet, feeling his sore muscles and the wounds that were still healing protested at his movement. He walked forward and laid a hand on Aquaman’s shoulder.

“Come now. There is no time for tears. There is work to be done.”

He looped an arm under Aquaman’s and went to lift him to his feet.

“Bottle it up. Put it on a shelf to deal with later. But now, now you need to do your job and get up.”

 

[ChasNicollette]

Live to Rise. (tag Static)

Static looked towards Aquaman and smiled sadly, he looked on towards what was once the stadium and his somber look deepened. He struggled to his feet, feeling his sore muscles and the wounds that were still healing protested at his movement. He walked forward and laid a hand on Aquaman’s shoulder.

“Come now. There is no time for tears. There is work to be done.”

He looped an arm under Aquaman’s and went to lift him to his feet.

“Bottle it up. Put it on a shelf to deal with later. But now, now you need to do your job and get up.”

Static helped Aquaman up, and Aquaman nodded to him, expression grim and focused, eyes like the sea before a storm.

"I will not bottle it. I will not set it aside. Before a wave crashes upon the shore, first it must build. I will let this swell within me and with it I will wash our foes away."

"I am sorry for the darkness that befalls our consciences this day, Static. But I am grateful to have a soul like yours with us; we cannot find our way back out of such darkness without light to guide the way."

As if to reinforce his point, he reached out to shake Static's hand... and his tattoos lit up like blue white neon fire, providing an extra charge to repair the wounds that remained thorns in Virgil's flesh.

"Come. Let us go and finish this."

 

[ChasNicollette]

"Icarus," by Bastille. (tags G.R.I.D.)

"Human and as far as reinforcements these cultist types always crawl out of the woodwork."

Lysl provided a sitrep update, already checking the woodwork for knotholes.

Scan Visor on Maximum Zoom.

Hostiles detected at the eye of the spacial energy distortions between the two cities. They appear to be holding position. This must be a significant target.

Population density approaching maximum possible saturation in that vicinity. 'Standing room only.'

Suggest we don't keep them waiting.

 

[ChasNicollette]

I feel it in my bones. Enough to make my system blow. (tags Wonder Girl)

She didn’t think. She didn’t hesitate. She just.. moved.

Lightening fast. Thought quick. Darting Karan moved so fast teleportation would have been slower, but so was staying on the ground, so she flew.

To Rose’ side.

As Karan blurred to a stop beside her...

...Rose's smile was almost as bright as the solar energies that thrummed in Karan's skin.

The losses had been heavy.

But they had triumphed. They had saved such a massive fraction that wouldn't otherwise have lived... and that had to count for something.

And there was this beautiful Kryptonian creature that just played merry hob with her heart and desires...

...flinging her arms around Wonder Girl's shoulders, clutching the back of her head with one hand, Rose pushed up on her toes and kissed Karan for all she was worth. Call-and-answer to the kiss that Wonder Girl had laid on Rose when they had first talked upon that beach in Australia.

<This isn't over yet.>

<But if you're here, I think it's going to be okay.>

 

[LuckyVic]

Lysl provided a sitrep update, already checking the woodwork for knotholes.

Scan Visor on Maximum Zoom.

Hostiles detected at the eye of the spacial energy distortions between the two cities. They appear to be holding position. This must be a significant target.

Population density approaching maximum possible saturation in that vicinity. 'Standing room only.'

Suggest we don't keep them waiting.

Nightwing stepped out of some nearby shadows. He was already pulling out a pad-like device. "GRID, what type of sensor range do you have?" he asked.
Nightwing didn't want to go into other situation without as much intelligence as possible.

 

[ChasNicollette]

And I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem. (tags Kiz)

He didn't smile often, but when he did it held. "You are a sight to behold," He said in a croaked whisper, because speaking any louder would expend more energy than he had to give. He didn't have the strength to raise he hand up to stroke her face, but he could move it several inches to wrap one of tendrils around his finger. He would have liked to have the energy to at least raise the tendrils to his lips, but thought better of it when he started to pass out from expending so much effort.

"I don't have to let you see me," Lisa grinned down at him. "So, you're welcome."

"You're not bad for sore eyes yourself, y'know."

Finding that finger around her tendril and the tendril around his finger to be... sweet... but insufficient to her tactile hierarchy of needs... she slithered more of that tendril down the length of his oak branch of an arm and raised his hand to her face after all.

"Do you need me to get you out of here? Get us out of here?" she wondered, leaving the innuendo intact.

(Are you done fighting bad guys now? Can we get our rocks off or what?)

"I can carry you if it wouldn't bruise your masculine pride and chivalry too much," she teased.

 

[ChasNicollette]

Hot and Cold running sarcasm. (tags Velocity, Arrow)

Eyeing Thea and Gar as they exchanged contact information-- networking had always been a big thing in the costumed crowd--

--rolling his eyes a little bit at his sister's wafting all around Kiz, "networking" in a whole 'nother sense--

--Captain Cold then rested his cold gun back on his shoulder and turned and glanced at Velocity and Arrow.

"Nice work out there, Green Team. Good hustle, good shooting. Efficient."

Then he glanced at Heatwave, who was glancing back and forth between Thea and Ghost Rider, stroking his flamethrower absently, leathery face scrunched up a bit like he was having an emotion somewhere amidst his sociopathy and was trying to identify it without much luck.

"Mick, you all here?" Cold wondered. "Need a cold shower?"

Heatwave snorted. "Thanks but no thanks."

...right about then, Ruby managed to limp up to them, circling the perimeter despite looking like twelve kinds of exhausted.

"Hey, you lot. Everyone in one piece? Only I think I voided the warranty on my mobile..."

She glanced around. "Has anyone seen Rae? Raven? She didn't go down with the big sports complex ship, did she?"

 

[Zet_Cross]

Nightwing stepped out of some nearby shadows. He was already pulling out a pad-like device. "GRID, what type of sensor range do you have?" he asked.
Nightwing didn't want to go into other situation without as much intelligence as possible.

"I can see straight to the eye of the distortion and its standing room only for Kali cultists. It's not over yet."