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Junior JSA
The Junior Injustice Society
Book Twoby starsky_hutch76 & the_time_trust_2000
Continued from The Junior Injustice Society: Book One
THE JUNIOR INJUSTICE SOCIETY: Part 14a
by starsky_hutch76
"Alright! You kids quit yer lollygagging and get in here, so we can have ourselves a meeting!" Ma Hunkle called out.
"Guess we'd better do as she says," Batwing chuckled, setting down his cue stick.
"Yeah, beware the wrath of the 'Red Tomato'," Superboy said.
"Is she always like that?" Arrowette asked.
"Aw, don't let her fool you," Batwing said. "She's really a softy."
"This century, people!" Ma Hunkle called out from the meeting room.
"You coming guys?" Superboy said to Superboy, Damage, and Star Sapphire, who were huddled around the Galaga machine.
"Just a minute," Damage said through gritted teeth as he tapped away at the firing button of the video game. A trace of sweat had broken out on his forehead. Next to him stood a calm, collected Whiz Kid. Suddenly, there was the sound of an explosion and an electronic dirge sounded from the machine.
"Aw man!" Damage yelped.
"The winner and still champeen!" Whiz Kid cried triumphantly, raising his arms in victory. This brought a giggle from Star Sapphire.
"Yeah... whatever," Damage grumbled as he exited the game room, followed by the triumphant Whiz Kid.
"Mina?" Flare said. "You're not going to let me face the dragon lady for the first time by myself, are you?"
"Wha... huh?" Coral said, looking up from the notepad she had been doodling on. On it was a heart with her initials M.C. and the initials F.F. inside. "Sorry Beth, what?"
"Somebody's a space cadet today," Flare said.
"Bet I know why," Arrowette laughed.
"What does F.F. stand for?" Star Sapphire asked as the four girls walked towards the meeting room.
"His name's Fredereich," Coral said as they entered the meeting room.
"What about his last name?"
"It's Faust."
"Like the guy in the play who sold his soul to the devil?" Whiz Kid said, turning around in his chair towards them.
"No!" Coral said, annoyed. "Not like the guy in the play who sold his soul to the devil! Gyaah!"
This brought chuckles from around the room. Whiz Kid grinned sheepishly.
"Ol' John's got himself someone, too," smiled Superboy.
"Really?" Coral said, almost sounding amazed.
"Quite a looker, too," Batwing said.
Whiz Kid pulled out a wallet-sized photo and received several astonished gasps.
"How'd you manage to land a babe like that?!?" Damage blurted.
"Cuz he's a little cutey," Arrowette said, pinching Whiz Kid's cheek, making him turn several shades of red.
"Her name's Henrietta," Whiz Kid.
"Like the..." Coral started to say. Unable to think of anything to match what Whiz Kid had said, she sat down fuming.
THE JUNIOR INJUSTICE SOCIETY: Part 14b
by starsky_hutch76
"Alright, enough yakking," Ma Hunkle said. "Lets get this show on the road. If you kids make me miss Dynasty again I'm gonna be royally ticked off."
The members of the Junior JSA (and guests) sat around the table as Batwing called the meeting to order (under the watchful eye of Ma Hunkle). Whiz Kid read the minutes from the last meeting and then they moved on to new business.
"We have three new candidates for membership: Arrowette, Flare, and Star Sapphire. All in favor of Arrowette for membership in the Junior JSA say 'aye'."
A resounding "aye" came from arround the table. "Unanimous," Batwing said.
"All in favor of Flare joining?"
"Aye!"
"Again unanimous," Batwing said. "All in favor of Star Sapphire for membership in the Junior JSA?"
"Aye!"
"That's three for three," Batwing said. "Like there was ever any doubt. Welcome to the Junior JSA." Everyone gave a round of applause.
Next, they went arround the room and gave a report of their activities since the last meeting.
Superboy had saved the residents of a Latin American village hit by an earthquake.
Batwing saved a youth from throwing away his future by becoming involved in streetgangs. Subsequently, he also managed to head off a massive rumble by several of Gotham City's largest gangs.
Damage managed to use his explosive powers to rescue miners trapped in a cave-in and reunited a father with a daughter who had pleaded "Please save my daddy." It had prompted Damage to use the best controlled use of his abilities so far.
Coral had stopped a ruthless pack of whalers along with her brother, the second Aquaman, on her most recent visit to see him. Between the two of them, they managed to put them out of business.
Then they moved on to the new members. Arrowette and Flare told the story of how they rescued a billionaire's kidnapped daughter.
Star Sapphire told of how she had exposed a con-artist who used special effects to convince rich and foolish UFO enthusiasts that he could deliver a real-life experience with the extra-terrestrial for the right price. She had used her own abilities to turn the tables on him and make him think that aliens were paying him a visit. It scared him into an early retirement.
After they had all told their individual tales, they moved on to new business such as public appearances, charity events, and places where they just thought they could do some good.
After reciting the group affirmation, Batwing adjourned the meeting and they divided into smaller groups to socialize for a little while longer. After that, the various members went their own way. All, that is, except for Damage, who went to the game room to practice for a rematch with Whiz Kid, and Coral, who went upstairs to dream some more about the new man in her life.
THE JUNIOR INJUSTICE SOCIETY: Part 15
by starsky_hutch76
Grant Emerson walked down a solitary street towards the subway after having dinner with the Pratts. As usual, Al had offered to drive him home, but he had politely declined. He liked these quiet moments when he could gather his thoughts.
Another reason he never let Al or Mary drive him home is that he didn't want them to see how upset he was when it came time to leave. It was almost embarassing the amount of attention they gave him when he was there. It was so different from what he was used to. The people he had thought were his real parents barely acknowledged his existence until it would come time to tell him what a screw up he was. Then would come the hateful words. If not worse. He wished Al and Mary were his real parents. Things could have been so different for him growing up.
A feeling of melancholy began to overtake him, and he was barely aware of his surroundings. The nearby figure cloaked in shadows, with legs stretching for several stories, went unnoticed. For one brief second, he thought he saw a man-shaped shadow pass in front of the full moon. He quickly dismissed it as his own imagination playing tricks on him.
The next thing he failed to notice was two arms stretching across the street to anchor themselves against the roof opposite the abandoned building the elongated figure had wrapped himself around. When he did look up, the arms simply looked like cables and gave him no cause for suspicion.
When he finally did hear something suspicious, the breaking of masonry and cement, it was too late. He was just in time to see several hundred pounds of brick and cement falling on top of him.
If not for his powers, he would surely have been crushed to death. But it was too little too late. Much of the debris still found its intended target. He was having trouble thinking straight. And from the warm, wet feeling running down the side of his face, he knew he must have a concussion.
"Nice move there, Ace. Probably saved your fool life," a voice said. Suddenly, he was struck by a giant fist that sent him flying and he bounced painfully across a terrain of broken and jagged brick.
"Wh... who?" Damage sputtered, his mouth filled with the coppery taste of his own blood.
"That's for me to know and you to find out," the voice said, delivering a sharp kick to Damage's side. He was suddenly lifted by gigantic hands and thrown through the brick wall of a building on the opposite side of the street.
Damage lay stunned and bleeding in the broken remains of the wall. "Whu... why?"
"Ask yer old man," the voice said, walking into the view of his blurry vision. Damage couldn't believe his eyes. He looked like an ordinary street punk: jeans, a plain white T-shirt, and sunglasses.
"My... my father is dead," Damage coughed.
"Not him. Your real father," the youth said.
"My real father? What do you mean?" Damage said, raising his head up.
"You know... Al Pratt," Stretch O'Brien said, repeating the information Faust had given him for this encounter, "...the Atom. He and Mary Pratt are your real parents. But I guess they never told you, did they?" he said with mock gentleness. "Since they gave you up. I guess they just didn't love you enough. It sucks when that happens. I oughtta know. But what can you do?" Suddenly, he turned and ran in the opposite direction. His legs stretched to enormous lengths as he ran, carrying him off into the distance.
Damage slumped back to the ground weakly. He knew that he should run after him in pursuit, but he suddenly found himself unable to move.
THE JUNIOR INJUSTICE SOCIETY: Part 16
by starsky_hutch76
John Garrick whistled happily as he walked to the coffee shop that had become Henrietta's and his regular hang out. He still couldn't believe he had such a beautiful, glamorous girlfriend. He found himself caring about things he never had before, like fashion, music, and dancing, just so he could look like he deserved to be with someone like her.
He opened the door to the coffee shop and smiled as he saw her sitting in a booth, waiting for him. She didn't look up. Instead, she was focused on a shallow box in front of her that looked to have some sort of unfinished device sitting in it. She was tugging at small wires with two sets of tweezers and let out a small squeek as a spark shot out.
"What's that you're working on?" he asked, sitting down across from her.
"A project I'm doing for school," she said. "The science fair's coming up and I could really use the extra credit."
"What's it about?" John said, eyeing the project inquisitively.
"I'm trying to use inertia as a means of producing cheap and plentiful energy. The faster it speeds up, the more energy will be produced, which will then make it go even faster and produce even more energy in an infinite loop."
"Wow," John said admiringly. They had so much in common. "Perpetual motion. I've got a few theories on that myself. It's supposed to be impossible, so naturally I'm out to prove the experts wrong."
"Naturally," Henrietta said, smiling at him. Another spark flew out and she yelped in frustration.
"Do you want me to take a crack at it?" John asked, looking at the project with piqued curiousity.
"Yes, please," the pretty blonde said, shoving the unfinished contraption towards him.
John dug into the project enthusiastically. Soon, he was lost in a deep concentration, becoming oblivious to anyone or anything around him.
Henrietta King watched him and smiled slyly. If only he knew what the device he was building for her would really be used for.
THE JUNIOR INJUSTICE SOCIETY: Part 17
by starsky_hutch76
Superboy was all smiles as the flock of teenage girls mobbed him, pushing pencil and paper towards him for autographs. This was the part of the job he loved. Growing up in the Smallville of Earth-Prime, he never dreamed he might one day be considered a celebrity.
"Good work in putting out that fire," the large fire man said, working his way through the crowd of girls to clap an appreciative hand on the boy of steel's shoulder.
"I'm just glad I could help out," Superboy said. "Is everyone I pulled out of the record store okay?"
"Yes, thanks to you. If it hadn't been for you, whoever the sicko was who started the fire would've made sure they were the 'Dead Kids on the Block'."
"I'm just sorry he got away," Superboy said. It won't be for too long, though. I have a friend who's pretty good at detective work."
The fireman smiled, knowing who that was and who had taught him. "I'm sure their manager will be really appreciate it, and there will be some sort of a reward."
"Tell them to give it to the Junior JSA Charity Fund," Superboy said. "I've got to be on my way now."
The teenage girls parted so they could make way for the young hero and see him take off in the same way his famous adoptive father had so many times before.
He started into a run, but before he could take off, something hit him with the force of a bullet and began shoving him into a faster and faster run.
Superboy looked down in alarm and saw two grey-clad arms wrapped around his waist and a blue mohawked head by his side.
"Who the heck are you?!?" Superboy cried out in alarm as he tried to dodge objects and people in his path as they moved faster and faster down streets, fields, and roadways at a breakneck pace.
"I was trying to kill two birds with one stone. Thanks for screwing that up, boy scout. I thought you people were supposed to work for the betterment of society."
"What are you doing?" Superboy gasped in alarm as their surroundings began to blur. It was getting harder and harder to dodge innocent bystanders.
"Just following orders," Bluestreak said. "Quite a ride, isn't it? This may be the fastest I've ever gone before. But it's far from the fastest you will. See this?" He held up a yellow, metal, cylindrical device. "A buddy of yours whipped it up for my boss-lady. A real whiz kid he is, I tell you."
Bluestreak reached over and attatched the device to Superboy's belt and they began to accelerate dramatically, their speed multiplying by the second. "This is where I get off!" Bluestreak yelled out. "I don't want to go where you're headed." He let go and watched as Superboy rocketed off uncontrollably with a boom that shattered every window for several miles in all directions. Fom the looks of things they were somewhere in the Orient. Superboy sped by three more times, having spanned the globe in nanoseconds. Only Bluestreak's speedster eyes could see him. On the fourth go-around, he disappeared from sight completely.
THE JUNIOR INJUSTICE SOCIETY: Part 18a
by the_time_trust_2000
Star Sapphire (secretly Amanda Carol Martin) flew over Washington, still thinking about the recent meeting of the Junior JSA, in which she'd been inducted as a member. It was an exciting time for her. She'd just seen her mother marry the love of her life, Charles McNider (who, she was well aware, was actually the JSA member Doctor Mid-Nite), and had now herself become accepted by the younger version of that legendary super-group. Could things be any better?
She'd slipped silently out of her dorm room at Holliday Academy for Young Ladies, run by Etta Darnell, rumored to be a close friend of Wonder Woman's, just minutes earlier. Just lately she'd been taking her super-heroics a step up, and began patrolling the city each evening just after curfew, leaving behind only an image of herself as Amanda Martin asleep in her bed, and hoping that none of the other girls or, God forbid, Mrs. Darnell herself discovered the star sapphire-created illusion.
Slipping into downtown Washington, she made herself invisible and flew through a few back-alleys, patrolling for trouble. Trouble which she could stop with either her star sapphire powers or her powers over the human nervous system which she'd been born with due to an accident with a device called the Cryotuber, which her mother had been exposed to.
"Bugger off!"
Amanda heard the angry shout, and followed the sound into a nearby alleyway. She saw a single black teenage boy about her age, overdressed in formal wear, being confronted by three larger teenagers who looked to either rob him or beat him up. Well, she would put a stop to that now, wouldn't she?
"Hey, boys," she said, hovering just behind and above them in the air, and now glowing in a purplish hue, "three against one, huh? Why, that's not fair at all, is it?" Hey, I think I'm getting the hang of this, she thought as she was saying these brave words.
The largest teenager, who appeared to be the leader of this little gang, quickly recovered and pulled out a large Bowie knife. "Well, lookie what we have here. It's a flying girl. I ain't scared of no flying girl..." And he made a lunge into the air at her, his knife and arm passing right through her.
"Missed me," she said five feet away, as the image she'd left vanished, to the confusion of the teens.
The gang leader flew into a rage and ran after her again, lunging at her with the knife. His two cronies were hot on his heels this time.
"Ah ah ah..." Star Sapphire said again, as his knife failed to penetrate her force-field, "...didn't your mom ever tell you it's not fair play to hit a girl, let alone try to stab her? Well, enough of this playtime. You boys have an appointment with Washington's Finest." At that, she bound all three of the young hoodlums in a purple force field bubble. Then she turned to the well-dressed teenager who was being robbed. "Hey, are you okay?"
"Yeah, 'm all right," he responded, sticking his hands in his pockets and unable to look at her in the eyes. She was a very pretty blonde.
"That's a cool accent you have. Where are you from?"
"I'm from England," the boy said. "My father's the Ambassador."
THE JUNIOR INJUSTICE SOCIETY: Part 18b
by the_time_trust_2000
"You look a bit overdressed," she said, noting the suit he was wearing. "Why were you walking through the alley dressed like that? It's not safe around here at night."
"So I've noticed," he said, shyly looking at her. "Um... I just arrived in DC, and I was bobbing around, looking for a nice spot. Er... you wouldn't happen to know of any interesting places around here, would you?"
"Well, now that you mention it," she said, but stopped as she heard a noise, deeper in the alley. "What was that?" she said, turning to look, but seeing only darkness in the shadows.
She turned back again, and found she was alone. The boy she was talking with was gone. She looked down and the gang members were gone as well. Gone without a trace. As if they had never been there at all.
"What the heck is going on?" she said, as she began to shiver from fear. Something's just not right here...
"HATE Sapphire! HATE Sapphire! HATE Sapphire!"
Amanda heard the monstrous voice just in time to turn her head and see the large figure heading straight at her from the low roof overhead. She had no time to scream.
She felt huge fists pummeling at her, and barely had time to raise the minimal protective field she'd need to keep from being killed. The creature was screaming hatred at her and pounding at her with an animal-like ferocity. Who? Why? None of this made sense, and she couldn't stop to figure out what was going on. All she could think about was getting away.
The huge figure was on top of her and had her pinned to the ground as it tried to smash through the purple force field which was protecting her from death. It kept shouting "HATE Sapphire! HATE Sapphire! HATE Sapphire!" over and over and over and over and over... and she'd never seen the thing before in her life. She was certain of this. Could it be one of her stepfather's enemies, like the Gorilla Boss? It could've been -- he was just as large and strong, if not moreso -- if not for the lack of hair all over the body. And in the dark alleyway she couldn't make out much more than that.
She knew that she couldn't hold up to much more of this. Sooner or later she would pass out, and then nothing in the world could save her from being smashed into a pulp on the concrete she now lay pinned on by the monster. She had to do something -- anything!
Amanda attempted to use her power over the nervous system to affect the creature's motor control. A difficult thing to do, considering she was already using her star sapphire's power to keep the force field up. She somehow concentrated on the creature's nervous system, even as the huge fists kept on slamming down on her now-bloodied face. (And her mother had said she was so pretty just this afternoon...) Nothing. Either this creature had no real nervous system, or she had no power over it. It was almost as if it were dead already. And she'd be dead soon as well, if she didn't get herself out of there.
She felt like crying, and stinging tears began to well up in her bruised eyes, even as blood-vessels began to burst around her eyes. She could barely see, now. Only a few days ago she'd joked with her stepfather about his giving her a nose job for her next birthday, in a playful attempt to shock him. Well, she'd need it now.
The pain was welling up so much now that she was starting to become numb. The force-field seemed to be doing no good. This creature had so much more will-power than she. In fact, it seemed to be pure force... pure will. She'd be dead in another few seconds if she didn't do anything, she knew. Oh, God, she knew. But she was pinned under his weight and she couldn't get up and she couldn't fight back and she just wanted this to end -- why wouldn't it end?
THE JUNIOR INJUSTICE SOCIETY: Part 18c
by the_time_trust_2000
The creature kept on pounding away at her, as insanely angry at her as ever. For what reason she couldn't possibly know. Why? Just because she was who she was? Was that all? How could anyone, even a creature like this, hate so much? What had she ever done to anybody to deserve something like this?
"...no..." she moaned. She had tried to scream, but it had only come out in a moan. "...no... no... no..." She needed to do something. Now. Right now. C'mon!
The purple gem she wore around her neck was becoming dimmer and dimmer. Any second now, she'd fall unconscious and the force field would collapse, followed by her skull and the rest of her body seconds afterward, under the fists of this pale-hued monster on top of her.
She frowned (and even frowning was difficult, as she felt the blood dripping down her cut-up forehead) and tried her best to concentrate. Get off! Get off! Get off of me!
"GET OFF!!!"
The star sapphire glowed brightly, like a nova, and burst outwards against the monster, pushing it away from her with pure force. A second afterwards, she collapsed, the star sapphire glowing dim.
The monster leaped back towards her, about to crush her into the pavement as he'd been trying, once again screaming, "HATE Sapphire! HATE Sapphire! HATE Sapphire!"
"Kid Grundy," a male voice said. "Stop."
Immediately, the beast calmed down. The clenched fists loosened and the muscles flexed in tension suddenly relaxed, as the monster backed away and sat down on a garbage can.
A robed figure walked out of the darkness and knelt down, next to the unconscious figure of Amanda Martin. "Oh, Grundy... you've broken another toy... How sad..." he said disingenuously. He bent over her and whispered in her ear, which had largely remained undamaged in the beating, "I hope you'll have learned your lesson, little girl. Go back to playing with your Barbie dolls and trying on your mommy's dresses. You're in over your head here. Best to just... quit. This is your final warning." He rose once more and brushed the dust off his robe.
"Come, you disobedient ogre," said Faust as he turned back into the darkness of the alleyway, the monster known as Kid Grundy in tow. "You're keeping me from a very important date."
"I wan' 'Etta."
Faust sighed. "Yes, I know you do. Well, you'll be reunited with your precious Henrietta soon enough. Now come on." And walking into the shadows, the two figures disappeared, leaving the battered and bloody body of Amanda Martin laying there.
A few minutes later, a young black teenager, the son of the United Kingdom Ambassador dressed in a business suit walked through the alleyway, and saw Star Sapphire laying there. "Bollocks!"
Hours later, Dr. Charles McNider left Amanda Martin in the E.R. after the operation which had saved her life. She'd been declared clinically dead for nearly one minute, and the other doctor had said she'd been very lucky to have survived with her life. All he could do now was comfort his wife, Myra Mason McNider, her mother.
"Why, Charles?" Myra said, sobbing as she buried her face in his arms. "Why would anyone do this to my little girl?"
"I don't know, Myra," he said, barely keeping himself from crying himself. "I don't know..."
THE JUNIOR INJUSTICE SOCIETY: Part 19
by starsky_hutch76
Damage awoke in the hospital. For many hours, he had simply laid there, feigning sleep so he wouldn't have to talk to anyone. He didn't want to move, let alone have to deal with other people or their questions. Especially not those of the adult JSA members.
That changed when he heard that another of his teammates was in the same hospital. After hearing the room number he waited until no one was around, and then rose painfully out of his hospital bed, reached for the crutches left near his bed, and hobbled down the hallway.
Finally, he came to her room. What he saw made his breath catch in his chest. "Amanda," he said hoarsely.
She had taken his breath away the first time he had seen her, too, but for much better reasons. She was one of those girls so beautiful that they actually seemed to glow. Whenever he was near her he felt as awkward as Whiz Kid. If he ever ran into the person who did this, he might not be able to control himself. If it turned out to be the same guy who jumped him, all the better. He reached down and took her hand in his. "Get better," he whispered.
He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. "You're awake," a voice said from behind him. He turned and saw the smiling, concerned face of Al Pratt, known to the world as the Atom. "You gave us quite a scare there, son."
"Don't call me son!" Damage snapped. "You haven't earned the right!" He shoved his way past the man he'd recently learned was his father and hobbled down the hallway as fast as he could.
"Grant!" the Atom called out with hurt confusion.
THE JUNIOR INJUSTICE SOCIETY: Part 20
by the_time_trust_2000
Bonnie Jones-Carter rose from the hospital bed of Amanda Carol Martin, who had been going by the name Star Sapphire when she was beaten by an unknown assailant or assailants. The best guess of the police was that she had been beaten up by one of DC's gangs, as she was found in a pretty rough area of town. Her Star Sapphire costume was so dirty and torn that she wasn't recognized as the heroine, but was assumed to be dressed in a casual outfit. Exactly why she had left her school after curfew and gone all the way to that part of town, where she was beaten up was still a mystery to them, though.
But Bonnie knew. She had been patrolling as the Junior JSA member, Star Sapphire. She was caught, however, by someone powerful enough to subdue her, despite her powers over the nervous system and her power gem. But who could have done it? And why?
After returning back home to Star City that evening, Bonnie called her friend Beth while feeling very depressed. They talked for a long time. Apparently, the feeling was mutual. Amanda had become their close friend in recent weeks, and they had been inducted into the Junior JSA at the same time as her -- Bonnie as Arrowette and Beth as Flare.
"I'll talk to you later," said Bonnie as she began to hang up the phone. "And thanks for listening."
"No prob. See you soon," she heard Beth say before they finally hung up.
Bonnie, as Arrowette, had been in the habit of going out on patrols along with Flare almost every night lately, but after what happened to Amanda, they were both much more cautious. Hearing what had happened to Grant Emerson, alias Damage of the Junior JSA, had only confirmed the growing fear that they were being hunted. Or toyed with. Amanda could easily have been killed once she'd become unconscious and lowered her shields. And yet, whoever had beaten her within an inch of her life had chosen to let her live. A warning? she thought bitterly. From who? And why? None of this made any sense at all.
She turned off her bedside lamp and crawled into bed. But somehow, she couldn't feel comfortable enough to close her eyes. It was probably nothing, but she had the eerie feeling that she was being... watched.
THE JUNIOR INJUSTICE SOCIETY: Part 21
by the_time_trust_2000
Bethany Harper, simply called Beth by all her friends and Flare by the newspapers when she fought crime with her partner Arrowette, was working late on her homework. Bonnie's call had been over an hour ago now, and she had decided to catch up on things now, with finals coming up and all. Somehow, though, she found it hard to keep her mind on her work, and she found herself having to go over sections and questions over and over again, as she kept on thinking about what happened to Amanda and Grant. Finally, after reading the same paragraph for the seventh time, she slammed the book shut in frustration and gave up for the evening.
She wasn't tired, though, and she had no desire to go to bed. It was only eleven o'clock in the evening, and as she was quite a "night owl", she decided to stay up a bit later than usual. She lit the candles she had for just such an evening like this, and opened up her bedroom window, sitting in front of it and breathing in the cool night air.
It was a full moon, and so was bright enough outside to see all the way down the street. She lived in a pretty sleepy suburb of Star City, and the only people outside at this hour were dog-owners, getting one last walk in before going to bed. God, this is a boring town, she thought. But it's times like this that I love it.
She closed her eyes and found herself relaxed on the windowsill.
A breeze suddenly wafted inside, though, and all her candles blew out. "Oh, shoot," she mumbled as she reached to shut the window. Then she noticed the moon disappearing behind several clouds. Or at least what she assumed to be clouds. Little did she know that the entire city was slowly being cloaked in a similar darkness.
THE JUNIOR INJUSTICE SOCIETY: Part 22
by starsky_hutch76
Al Pratt knocked on the door frame of the hospital room, getting Grant Emerson's attention. "I think you and I need to talk."
"There's nothing to talk about," Grant said. "I know the truth now."
"And what truth is that?" the man known as the Atom said.
"That you're my father," Grant said in a low voice trembling with restrained anger and hurting. "That you and Mary abandoned me."
Al Pratt was clearly stunned. "Would that it were true," he said. "The part about you being my son. My... our son died in childbirth. It was the hardest thing Mary and I ever went through. The war... the Crisis... nothing compares to losing a child. Nothing ever prepares you for that kind of pain. He sat down on the side of the hospital bed as the full weight of the memory came back to him. "If he had lived, he would've been about your age."
Al turned to Grant and suddenly saw his wife's eyes staring back at him. "Oh God," he gasped.
Thirty minutes later, Al Pratt and Grant Emerson showed up at the shadow-filled office of a weary Charles McNider. He, too, was feeling the weight of memories though his were far more recent. He sat at his desk with his head in his hands. When he raised his head, his expression changed from one of sadness to surprise. Both his visitors looked as if they had been crying.
"Charles?" Al said. "I know this is a really bad time, but I was hoping you could run some tests for us."
THE JUNIOR INJUSTICE SOCIETY: Part 23
by starsky_hutch76
Superboy's scream was swallowed by the force of his projection as he continued to soar forward, propelled by the device created by his team mate.
His muscles now ached from running as long as he had. Since his powers first surfaced, he thought they were endless and nothing could give him a work out. Now, though, he felt he was near his limit. If this continued, he realized, it could kill him.
He reached down and tried to grab the device to pull it from him. "Agh!!" he yelped. It was hot to the touch. Well, of course it was! It was using his own kinetic energy.
Well, if it was energy it thrived on, then energy it would get! He wrapped his hand in his sleeve and grabbed it. He began shaking it to make it vibrate at an even faster pace than he was moving. He seemed to be moving even faster now as the device tried to feed it's excess energy into his propulsion. Something more was needed.
He fired his heat vision at the center of it's surface to the point where it seemed to take in kenetic energy. He would force feed the sucker!
The device began to glow red hot. Then suddenly, it exploded! Superboy went flying, wildly, like a rag doll caught in a hurricane.
He collided painfully with a rocky surface. He rose shakily to his feet. His uniform was badly singed. There was a big smoking hole in it where the device had been. Unlike his old uniform, this one wasn't entirely indestructable.
As he stared out at the barren ladcape, none of it was familiar. All the stars were in the wrong place and where the moon had been, there was now a line of big shining rocks going across the sky. Where... or when... was he?
THE JUNIOR INJUSTICE SOCIETY: Part 24
by starsky_hutch76
John Garrick was on his way to meet his new girlfriend, Henrietta, when he saw her walking walking down the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street. Strangely, she didn't seem to be heading in the direction of their usual rendevouz.
"Henrietta!" he called out. "Wait up!"
As he began to cross the street, he saw her roll her eyes and continue walking in the same direction. What was going on?
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"What business is that of yours?" she said coldly.
"Well, we usually meet at the coffee shop about this time," he said.
"Well, we won't be doing that anymore," she said.
"What? Why not?" he gasped.
"Look, you're a nice kid and everything, but it would never really work between us. I mean, just look at you and look at me. The only reason I associated with you was because I needed an egghead to get me through my science classes."
"But... you and I..." he stammered in hurt confusion, reaching towards her.
She pulled her hand back and screached, "Eewww! Don't touch me! Did I say you could touch me? Go on! Beat it!"
A horrified look came into his face and he turned and walked off in the opposite direction. He waited until he was sure he was out of her line of vision before he broke into a high speed run. He wanted to be as far away from her before the tears came. He wasn't going to give her that satisfaction.
Savant sighed as she began to walk back towards her flat. She had used her abilities to make men fall in love with her before, but never was it so distasteful. When she would look into their heads, what she saw would make what she eventually did to them all the more enjoyable. Particularly their thoughts towards her... which were usually disgusting. This time, she had liked what she saw in her victim's head. Especially his thoughts towards her. Rather than repulse her, they had made her feel warm and safe. A tear rolled down her cheek and she brought her hand up to it. She cursed herself for an emotional fool, gritted her teeth, and continued on.
THE JUNIOR INJUSTICE SOCIETY: Part 25
by starsky_hutch76
Grant Emerson lowered himself into the wheelchair achily. He had wanted to leave on his own two feet, but it was hospital policy for all patients to leave in a wheelchair. So he allowed himself to be rolled out as someone else carried his crutches.
As he rolled through the halls, his thoughts were with his team mates. Star Sapphire was recovering, but badly shaken.
He'd never forget the way she had shrunk away as he tried to lay a comforting hand on her shoulder. He had also heard that that Superboy was missing. It occurred to him that it was more than likely tied to the attacks on him and Star Sapphire. He worried how his team would handle a threat that could take out Superboy.
All thoughts and worries fled his mind as the exit doors opened, he proceeded down the exit ramp, and he saw Mary Pratt's teary-eyed, smiling face beaming up at him. Next to her stood Al Pratt with an expression mirroring hers. Grant felt tears welling up in his own eyes as well.
He leapt from his wheelchair and moved quickly down the ramp towards them, despite the cast on his leg. Mary and Al caught him in a hug.
Mary took his face between her hands and looked at him. "My beautiful boy," she said in a choked voice, pulling him to her again. "My beautiful boy."
As they helped him into the car, it dawned on him that taking such a beating may have been the best thing that ever happened to him. For the first time in his life, Grant Emerson was going home.
THE JUNIOR INJUSTICE SOCIETY: Part 26
by starsky_hutch76
When Dick Grayson had been the ward of Bruce Wayne, he had been a regular sight at charity balls and other events. The society column often showed him accompanying Bruce and his date. Such was not the case with Jason Todd, now that he was the ward of Richard Grayson. That sort of thing simply wasn't his style. So this evening found him joining a few friends to see Agent Orange at a local club known for punk acts, while Richard went with Karen, Helena, and her date to a fundraiser.
Jason cut the evening short with his friends so he could spend the rest of the night on patrol as Batwing. Red Robin had told him he needed to get used to doing it by himself from time to time should he ever suddenly be out of commission. He didn't like to hear him talk like that, but he was realistic enough to know he had to acknowledge the possibility in their business.
Batwing drove his motorcycle down a darkened street when an object struck him in the jaw, knocking him over. As he flew through the air, he tucked and rolled to control his impact as he collided into a line of garbage cans.
His mouth tasted coppery with blood. As he rose to his feet, he rolled his jaw to see if it was broken. "Nearly broge my freagin' jaw," he spat. He looked down at the object that had struck him as it rolled by his foot. He picked it up and looked at it. It was a jawbreaker.
"Oh look! We almost match now!" a high pitched voice giggled. "You've got a red dot on one of your cheeks, too!" He looked over to see a lithe girl with blonde spitcurls, a bow in her hair, and a short baby doll dress. Her face was painted like that of a doll, with red circles on each cheek. In her hand was a bag of jawbreakers. She took one out and hurled it at him. "Lets see if I can tag the other one! Then we'll match and we can go steady!"
Batwing dove out of the path of the jawbreaker and it struck the brick wall behind him. It hit hard enough to shatter against the wall and actually chip the brick.
He grabbed a batarang out of his belt and sent it flying towards her hand, braking her grip. The bag fell to the pavement.
"My candy! Oooooo!" she cried angrily.
"Too much sugar's bad for you," Batwing said. "Obviously, it's gone straight to your head."
"My daddy says it just makes me even sweeter," Dollface said, folding her hands behind her and swaying from side to side coquettishely.
"That's debatable," Batwing said.
"Now don't go and hurt my feelings, cutesy-wutesy," she said, breaking into a somersault. "I wouldn't want to have to hurt you back!"
She landed on his shoulders and locked her thighs around his neck, grabbing him in a chokehold. Batwing gasped, flinging himself against the wall in an effort to knock her off. "Sorry," she said. "You can't dump me that easily!"
Spots began to appear before his eyes. He knew he had to get this nut off him soon, or he would black out. Trying to pry her legs from around his neck wasn't working. Her grip was too strong.
Batwing reached into his utility belt and grabbed another batarang. Rather than throw it, he took hold of it and jabbed the point of it into the fleshy part of her rump.
"Yeeeoooww!" Dollface screamed, leaping from his shoulders.
Batwing coughed furiously, trying to regain his air. He took a battle stance, preparing for her next move.
Dollface pouted and rubbed her injured posterior. "Hey! That's cheating!"
"So's hitting a guy when he's not looking," Batwing said.
"Aww... our first spat," Dollface cooed. "How sweet!"
"What are you talking about?" Batwing said. "You make it sound like we're a couple or something!"
"Playing hard to get, huh?" Dollface said, diving at him again.
THE JUNIOR INJUSTICE SOCIETY: Part 27
by the_time_trust_2000
"What's her condition?" Dr. Charles McNider asked his daughter-in-law's doctor, trying his best to keep his voice from cracking. Myra stood at his side, holding his arm close to her.
The doctor looked concerned. "Well, the fact is, Dr. McNider, that she should be healing by now. I can't explain it, there's been no recovery at all since she became conscious."
"What do you mean, no recovery?" Myra said frantically.
"Frankly, I've never seen anything like it before. It's like her body itself is preventing her from being healed."
"What are you going to do? She's my baby!" said Myra, thinking of her daughter in her hospital bed, her pretty face now a bruised, purple mess. They'd had to break her nose again in order to set it properly.
The doctor considered for a moment. Then said, "This may be an unorthodox idea, but..."
"What is it?" said Charles.
"It may be that she's not allowing herself to be healed. She's been through a terrible trauma and she feels absolutely powerless. That's the only thing that I can think of that could possibly explain this. I'm sorry, but until she decides to get better, I don't see any changes happening. I'm sorry, Mr. and Mrs. McNider. I am very sorry." At that, he regretfully walked away.
"My baby..." Myra said, weeping in Charles' chest. "My baby..."
"Don't worry, Myra," Charles said, trying to believe it himself, "she'll get better. She'll get better..."
But in his heart, Charles McNider, alias Doctor Mid-Nite, couldn't see a way out of this. And he still had no idea who it had been who attacked her. But considering that she had her powerful Star Sapphire gemstone to protect her, as well as her power over the human nervous system, her attacker or attackers had to have been powerful, indeed. Something had to be done... but what?
THE JUNIOR INJUSTICE SOCIETY: Part 28
by starsky_hutch76
Batwing quickly dodged out of the way as Dollface somersaulted towards him, bringing her legs down into a kick. Her feet connected with the spot on the brick wall behind where his head had been.
"You could love a guy to death," he said, looking back.
"Ain't it the truth?" she said, launching herself off the wall to do a back flip. Her body folded backwards in an impossible position as she spun three times in the air before landing.
Batwing watched her, clearly impressed. "I don't know what you're doing wasting your time attacking me. You should be trying out for the Olympics."
"So sweet of you to say," she cooed. "Come here and let me give you a hug!"
"No, thanks," Batwing said. "One from you is enough to last a lifetime."
"There you go again. Hurting my feelings!" She leapt in the air, pirouetting, and flung a jawbreaker she had grabbed unseen from the pavement as she spun around.
Batwing's eyes grew wide as he dove out of the way. He somersaulted through the air, moving head over heels down the road.
"We have so-o-o much in common," Dollface said, watching him. She skipped after him in pursuit.
Suddenly, she kicked one heel against the other and roller skates popped out of the sole of a shoe. She repeated the action with the other foot.
Dollface swept forward, lifting Batwing off his feet. "Weeee!" she cried as they began to coast downhill. Batwing let out a cry of dismay, wrapping his arms around her neck, hanging on for dear life, as they sped out into traffic.
"What fun, huh?" Dollface squealed.
"You're going to get us killed!" Batwing said as cars whizzed past them.
"Sure! maybe!" she said. "But we'll die together, and isn't that what really matters?"
Batwing turned his head at the sound of the blaring of a car horn. He leapt out of her arms and onto the hood of another car.
Dollface leapt and landed onto the hood of the Corvette that had been bearing down on them. Using it's slanted hood and windshield as a ramp, she launched herself into the air. She laughed giddily as she landed on the hood of another car will a loud thud. After leaving an enormous dent, she proceeded to skate from car to car.
The highway quickly became a scene of chaos. Panicking drivers slammed on their brakes and skidded into one another. I've got to stop this lunatic before she kills somebody, Batwing thought.
Batwing leapt from the car he was perched on. Then another. He leapt at Dollface, but rather than flee as she had expected, she flashed an even bigger smile and threw open her arms. "Lover-man!" she cried, locking him in an embrace. She planted a huge kiss on him as they tumbled from the car she had been standing on.
"Mmmmmwahh!" she said with a loud smack.
"Knock it off!" Batwing snarled.
"You're doing it again!" Dollface cried. "I just can't handle this kind of rejection!" With a flip and a swing of her leg, Batwing suddenly found himself airborne.
He let out a cry of horror as he flew over the guard rail of the overpass and looked down at the waiting pavement below, knowing that in seconds he would be dead. As he plummeted, a truck carrying bales of hay suddenly pulled out from under the overpass. He landed on his back in the midst of the pile in the truckbed. Dust and bits of straw flew up as the hay broke his fall.
As he raised his head and looked up, Dollface grinned down at him and waved her fingers. "Catch you later, cutesy-wutesy. Buh-bye now!" She skated off happily singing to herself. "La la la..."
"Not if I catch you first," Batwing groaned as his head slumped back into the hay as the truck rolled on.