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#25
AUG 11 |
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“Epilogue”
In Elseworlds, heroes are taken from their usual settings and put into strange times and places...
some that have existed or might have existed, and others that can't, couldn't or shouldn't exist. These are their tales.
some that have existed or might have existed, and others that can't, couldn't or shouldn't exist. These are their tales.
SIX MONTHS LATER
He blinked as he looked out the window. The helicopter was flying over Metropolis and the sun reflecting off the buildings had almost blinded him for a moment. He fished in the pocket of his sleeveless t-shirt and pulled a cheap pair of sunglasses out. He put them on and studied the familiar skyline. Despite himself, he felt nervous as the helicopter began to descend on the roof of Loren Jupiter’s building.
The skids touched down and the rotors slowed. The door opened and he stepped out, hurring forward to get away from the winds of the rotors. Loren Jupiter himself stood there with Mr. Smith at his side.
Jupiter stepped forward and extended his hand. He clasped the offered hand and Jupiter smiled. “Welcome back, Mr. Harper,” he said. “It is good to see you.”
As Jupiter led Roy through the tower, he noticed a change. “It’s a lot busier in here than it used to be,” he said.
“Yes,” Jupiter said. “Following the team’s battle in New York, we became quite the media sensation. We have many new heroes training here now. Even Flamebird and the Titans West are taking part in training exercises.”
Smith glanced at his watch. “Excuse me,” he said. “I have to go.”
“Of course,” Jupiter said. Smith nodded once and started down the hall at a brisk pace.
Roy froze as he heard a blood-curdling scream. Despite himself he ran to the door. “What’s going on in there?” he asked as the door opened.
His eyes went wide as he saw what was inside. A man was standing there with most of his body replaced by robotic implants. “Get out of here!” he yelled as he threw a chair at the door. Another man in the room waved his hand and the chair changed into mist.
Roy jumped back and bumped into Jupiter, who began to explain what he’d seen. “Mr. Stone was severely injured when a nuclear plant exploded. Radiation was minimal, but he was badly crushed by falling debris. He has undergone massive amounts of surgery and those implants are keeping him alive.
“The other man in the room was once two: a nuclear scientist and an assistant. During the explosion they were in the control room of the station and were fused together into a form we call Firestorm. We are working to see if the two can ever be separated again.”
Roy stared at the door a moment longer as Jupiter resumed walking down the hall. Roy hurried to catch up.
Finally Jupiter stopped before a familiar door. “I believe that this is your room,” he said. He opened the door and stepped aside. “I’ll let you get settled.” Jupiter turned and walked away as Roy entered the room.
Dick Grayson was seated at his desk, studying. He turned when Roy walked in. “Look who’s back,” he said with a slight smile.
“Hey, Bird Boy,” Roy said as the two shook hands.
“How’re you doing?” Dick asked.
“Better,” Roy said as he sat down on his old bed. “Being back on the reservation was what I needed to clear my head.” Roy dropped his head. “I really got into some bad stuff for a while there.” Roy’s voice trailed away.
Dick thought a moment before changing the subject. “Nice ink,” he said as he indicated the tribal band around Roy’s bicep. “What’s it mean?”
Roy raised his head and smiled. “It was a gift from the tribe. It means that I’m now a full member with a new name and everything.”
“Cool,” Dick said. “What’s the name?”
“Well, they’d always called me Lost Arrow because I don’t know my parents,” Roy explained. “Brave Bow chose the name for me. Now they call me Found Arrow.”
“Sounds like you’ve been through a lot of changes,” Dick said.
Roy nodded. “Guess I have,” he said. “What about you guys?”
Dick thought a moment. “Garth’s been spending a lot of time with his dad in Atlantis. Plus, Tula’s there and they say that she’s really making progress. The Atlantean doctors are trying to reverse her brainwashing by Orm. Wally’s, well…Wally.”
“What about Donna?” Roy asked.
“Donna’s really doing well,” Dick said. “She found her mother.”
ONE WEEK AFTER TRIGON’S DEFEAT
“Where is she?” Wonder Woman would not be denied as she made her way into Loren Jupiter’s office.
“She’s waiting for you,” Jupiter said as he tried to calm the anxious JSAer. “She is, however, a bit nervous.”
“Understandable,” Wonder Woman said. “She was only a child when she was abducted from my ancestral home by one of my enemies. I had been searching ever since but had never been able to locate her.”
Jupiter opened the door and Donna Troy made her way in. “Mom?” she asked as she began to cry. Wonder Woman ran forward and the two embraced.
NOW
“Good,” Roy said. “She deserves to be happy.”
“She’s been spending a lot of time with her mom,” Dick said.
“And what about Smith?” Roy asked. “You said in one of your letters that he was some kind of alien or something.”
“Yeah,” Dick said. “He says that he’s a Martian. The last one.”
“Always figured old Smith was from another planet,” Roy mused. “Wonder where he took off to so fast.”
ELSEWHERE
Once more in his natural form, Smith shimmered into existence in a transparent tube. He stepped out and looked around the LEGION observation satellite, one of five that Vril Dox had placed in orbit following the Trigon invasion.
Superman stepped up to him with his hand outstretched. “Good to finally meet you,” Superman said. Wonder Woman and Batman soon made their introductions as well and the four took seats at a meeting table.
“I’ve gathered the four of us here today because of the recent Trigon event,” Superman explained. “It seems that our generation of heroes has missed a great opportunity that only Mr. Smith’s Teen Titans are grasping. The Trigon invasion proved that we need an alliance of heroes like the Justice Society.”
“It would help a great deal,” Batman said as he placed his elbows on the table and steepled his fingers. “It would be easier to contact others in case of emergency and would also, with training, provide us with a more experienced force.”
“Agreed,” Wonder Woman said. She sighed. “I am immortal, but the rest of the Justice Society is aging. Their peak years are behind them. If there is an emergency they will respond, but it is unfair to expect them to be our world’s first line of defense.”
“Exactly,” Superman said, “and it’s also unfair to expect Smith’s young charges to fill that void. I propose that we do. The four of us would form the core of a new group of heroes…a new Justice Society.”
“I don’t like that,” Batman said. “We’re not the Justice Society. We’re something else.”
“A league of heroes,” Wonder Woman said.
“A Justice League,” Smith offered.
Superman smiled widely. “The Justice League of America. I like how that sounds.” He paused a moment and looked at the others. “I guess the next question is who do we ask to join?”
The meeting continued as the four began discussing candidates for membership.
JUPITER’S TOWER
Roy Harper was almost overwhelmed as he stood on the tower’s observation deck. As he looked out over the city, in his mind he could hear the buzz of the new students circulating throughout the Titans’ floors. He thought a moment about how he fit in before the doors opened.
“I didn’t realize anyone was here,” a familiar voice said. Roy turned and saw Donna Troy standing there. “Roy,” she whispered.
“Yeah,” Roy sadly said. “Just me.”
Donna walked over and leaned on the rail a small distance away from him. “How are you?” she asked.
Roy shrugged, realizing the awkwardness of the situation. “Better,” he said. “Better than I’ve been in a long time. Congratulations. Dick told me that you found your mom.”
“Yeah,” Donna said. “It’s been really cool getting to know her. She’s taught me a lot.”
Roy nodded. “I’m sorry about what happened,” he finally said. “I was out of my mind on that stuff. It’s no excuse. I know that. I’d give anything if I could go back and stop myself.”
“I know,” Donna said. She stood and gently laid a hand on his shoulder. “I’m trying to forgive you,” she said. “Maybe someday…”
“I don’t deserve that,” Roy said.
Donna silently turned and walked out the door, leaving Roy alone.
Roy leaned over the railing again and looked out over the city. He didn’t even turn when the doors opened behind him again.
“What’re you doing here?” Wally asked.
Roy turned. “I’m starting to wonder,” he said. “I think I made a mistake trying to come back here.”
Just then he noticed that Wally was in his Kid Flash costume.
“What’re you talking about?” Kid Flash asked. “We’ve got a mission! Come on!”
Roy smiled as he ran out of the room after Kid Flash.
Roy climbed into the Titans’ jet. As always, Smith was piloting. “Mr. Harper,” Smith said before closing the door. “I am pleased to see that you decided to join us.”
Roy grinned a cocky grin. “I knew I couldn’t miss it,” he said. “I know you guys would be lost without me.”
Aqualad folded his arms and scowled while Smith fought back a smile. “It is good to have you back with us,” Smith said. “I have missed your particular brand of wit.”
The plane glinted in the sunlight as it rose into the sky with all of the Titans aboard.
The End...
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