Aquaman

Tritonis was surrounded by a ceremonial wall and main gate. It was of little real defensive value as any invaders could just swim over with ease, but it had been built - or rather re-built - as a reminder of times past. Millennia ago, when the city was still on the land, the wall was a mighty show of the city’s impregnability. Armies of barbarians had thrown themselves to their deaths against the impregnable boundary of the city, all trying vainly to gain entrance to the riches stored within. The wall was now a memory of the time: of rampaging, invading hordes and attacking foes. While Tritonis still had enemies most no longer walked up to the wall and started hitting it. It was also served a ritualistic purpose which was currently occurring.

The guest approached in plain sight and swam up to the main gate. He moved slowly and declared he was a foreigner to the city. The guards moved forward and crossed their spears to block entry. The guest slowed and kicked himself slowly forward as he spread his arms as a sign of peace and that he meant no harm. He had a weapon on his person, but it was not held in his hand which would be an act of aggression.

One of the guards bowed in a ritual greeting. “What is your purpose in our city?”

“I seek an audience with King Iquila.”

The guards nodded and uncrossed their weapons and let him past. The gates opened to him past and he swam down the long main street towards the sprawling mail palace in the middle of the city. The palace was a military designed structure built to stand up to rampaging hordes and modified to withstand aquatic sieges. The exterior resembled a colossal coral growth with long tower-like spires spreading outward organically. The main doors were opened and palace guards led the way to the throne room. The king of the Tritons, Iquila, was sitting on his throne scanning the day’s news and events. He was an impressive figure of a merman, easily a foot taller than the average, another foot wider, as well as very powerful in appearance and imposing in attitude. He put the parchment down when his guest entered.

“I am sorry to have disturbed you, your majesty, but I request an audience.”

Iquila rose himself up to his full high. A stray strand of his long black hair flicked over his long face. Iquila brushed the lock behind one of his pointed ears. “My kingdom welcomes you, Seren of Atlantis.”

The young prince of Poseidonis bowed. “I am surprised you recognize me.”

“I know of few Atlanteans who are touched by Kordax and wear a modification of an old Atlantean prison uniform,” Iquila said formally.

Seren blinked. “I thought this was my father's choice in costume. What do you mean ‘prison uniform’?”

Iquila raised an eyebrow. “It was the uniform of political prisoners in ‘the Aquarium’. A prison used to hold Atlantean convicts.”

“Oh,” Seren muttered, his face reddening in embarrassment.

“No matter. Why have you returned to the city of your birth? You are of course always welcome here despite your choice of legs over fins.”

Seren looked down and his legs distorted and became a single large tail. “I am not yet the true prince of my father’s city or kingdom,” Aquaboy began. “The coronation is still some weeks away. Recently I suffered a… I was… I got my tail kicked in a fight.” Seren said glumly.

“I see. And you doubt your skills?”

“Yes. I want to learn how to fight better!” Seren declared, swimming closer. “You are known as one of the greatest warriors of Atlantis. You are as strong as my father and skilled fighter.”

Iquila nodded. “It is true that I also am gifted with strength like you and your father. But why come to me instead of some more known to you? Such as the youth Tempest or your father?”

“Tempest is a hero but he is better with his powers than fists. And my father is a king by birth and skill, not from the battlefield.”

“I have faced your father in battle before and I know few people I would rather face less. Or more. He is my equal.”

Seren nodded and paused for a second. He looked right at Iquila. “But I don’t want to have to ask him for help.”

Iquila nodded knowingly. “Ah. Now I understand. Come, let me show you how mermen do battle,” he said, rising and holding out his hand.

Aquaman concentrated on his hand. By focusing all his willpower on his prosthetic limb he could shape it into more complicated forms, and by tapping into the wills of marine life across the globe he could increase his mental endurance enabling him to do even more. Given enough peace for concentration that is.

“So, fish-man, hope that poker ain’t for me cause I wanna keep all my internal organs internal for the new few hundred years!” Plastic Man howled as his head bounced round the corner to where Aquaman was sitting. The Sea King jumped slightly in his seat from the sudden interruption.

“I am busy at the moment,” Aquaman growled and returned to the task at hand. He was turning his hand into a long, thin needle as sharp as he could make it. It had to be so sharp at the tip as to split hairs effortlessly.

“Planning on making a movie about a longhaired outsider with odd hands that can easily hurt people by accident?” Plastic Man asked as his body caught up to his head. “I think it’s been done.”

“I’m turning my hand into a needle to help the medical staff draw some of Superman’s blood.” Aquaman replied coldly.

During a recent incident Superman fell ill from yet unknown causes as was currently a resident of Metropolis General Hospital.* Martian Manhunter had assumed the role of chairperson of the League and while rest investigated potential causes of Superman’s affliction Aquaman and Plastic Man had been chosen to guard the fallen Man of Steel.

*(See the With or Without arc of JLA #17-20. This story takes place during issue #17. If you haven’t read that issue yet, why the f*ck not?!)

Aquaman carefully slid the needle into Superman’s arm. Plastic Man started chewing on his fingernails in tension and after he finished with them he went on to his fingertips and knuckles. Doctor Robinson, the metahuman specialist who was working on the Superman case looked down as the tip pierced the Kryptonian’s skin.

“I thought… that Superman was invulnerable,” the doctor said quietly. “How did you pierce his skin?”

Aquaman gritted his teeth and focused on the task at hand. “Superman is slightly vulnerable to magic. This had is a mystic artifact so it has a slight advantage. Even with that it still needs to be insanely sharp and have super-human strength behind it.” The needle tip poked through the vein and the thin tube began to drain out a thin stream of blood.

“So why are we on Candy Striper duty anyway?” Plastic Man asked, leaning over the patient as a naughty night nurse. “Superman takes one for the team and the green guy takes over. Aren’t you a king? Shouldn’t you be calling the shots here? Can’t you pair me up with Wonder Pants?”

Aquaman frowned. “J’onn has been doing this longer than any of us. He was a Manhunter back on Mars and a hero before even Superman and Batman. If anyone is qualified to give orders it’s him. I may rule one of the most powerful nations on the planet but if J’onn asks me to jump I’ll ask how high.”

“I’d rather just watch while he asks WW to jump.”

Aquaman rose and emptied his hand into a blood vial. “O’Brien, if you don’t stop talking Diana like that…” he started.

One of the nurses ran frantically into the room. “Help!” she cried. “Someone’s attacking the nurses. He’s demanding to know where Superman is!”

Aquaman frowned and spun around. “We’ll finish this conversation later.” He said running out of the room with Plastic Man following behind him.

He pulled his long black coat tighter around him and adjusted his sunglasses. The round lenses bounced the light of the setting sun against the wall of the grey building. He smiled gleefully and moved his head up and down and watched the circle of light bob up and down. Then the smile vanished as quickly as it appeared. He pulled up the collar of his coat and walked through the sliding automatic doors and headed straight for the bank elevators.

“Excuse me, sir,” a feminine voice called from behind him. “Can I help you with anything?”

He stopped and stood still for a second. He placed both hands in his expansive pockets of his jacket and smiled again. “Yes, I believe you can,” he said softly. The woman exited her information booth and walked up behind him. He turned slowly and pulled a hand out of his pocket. He extended the gloved fist outward and slowly opened his hand. It held a small rubber ball.

He bounced it a few times off the tiled floor. The ball bounced back obediently into his palm. He smiled then tossed the ball at the information woman. She threw up her hands on instinct and caught the ball. She smiled nervously in return and bounced the ball herself. He turned and continued to walk towards the elevators.

The woman blinked as he pushed the call button and stepped forward into the small space. She looked down at the bright red ball and began to walk back to her desk. She let out a soft gasp as a sudden stab of pain shot through her arm. She looked down at the ball and watched as it began to melt. Contact with skin caused the small object to turn into a sticky paste acid. She began to scream as the glue substance began to burn away at her skin. She tried to rub it off but it just began to cling to her pants and dissolve them as well.

Behind her the elevator doors closed on a smiling face.

Aquaman dodged to the right to avoid the blow and examined his foe carefully. The hulking purple skinned being known as the Parasite swung again, trying to make contact with the Sea King’s skin.

The Parasite was transformed into an energy vampire after exposure to experimental chemical waste at S.T.A.R. Labs. A single touch was all it took for him to steal a hero’s strength and powers. Knowing this Aquaman was trying to keep his distance.

Parasite lunged forward at Aquaman who jumped into the air and pushed off the wall and over his assailant’s body. Landing across the hall, Aquaman grabbed an orderly’s cart and threw the metal object at the Parasite’s back. It struck directly but the cart bounced off the leathery hide.

“You can’t stop me without punching me,” Parasite said with a sneer. “It’s not like you can zap me with energy rays or telekinetic blasts.”

Aquaman grunted and slammed a chair into the side of the Parasite’s head. Wood and metal cracked and broke. Aquaman looked down at the shattered weapon with disgust and tossed it over his shoulder. Parasite shook his head to clear his vision. “That wasn’t very sporting,” he said, rubbing his jaw.

“I’m not letting you at Superman,” Aquaman said firmly.

“You’re going to stop me how?” Parasite asked, taking a step forward. “There’s only so much furniture here.”

Aquaman checked behind him for more chairs. Parasite took the opportunity to lunge forward at his distracted enemy. Aquaman spun round and sucked punched Parasite with a left hook. The metal hand collided hard with the purple villain’s jaw and sent him skidding down the heavily waxed hallway into a cart full of spare hospital gowns. Parasite groaned and checked to see if he still had all his teeth.

Aquaman strode forward and shifted his hand into a harpoon. “Still want to continue?”

Plastic Man shot round the corner. “All the nurses check out as fine, just weak. Got yer back, partner,” the Loony Leaguer declared, spinning his six-shooters and adjusting his hat.

Parasite smiled with a plan. He leapt to his feet and tossed the cart behind him at Aquaman. Gowns filled the air and the purple fiend shot forward and dived at the heroes. Aquaman dived to the side to avoid the charge, but Parasite hadn’t been leaping at him.

Parasite landed on top of the surprised Plastic Man knocking both to the floor. Purple hands grabbed the funnyman’s head as the villain laughed in victory.

“Don’t worry, he can’t absorb me. Plastic is an insulator and immune to his power,” Plastic Man declared, safely.

Aquaman rose. “You’re not made of plastic, you just have a fluid molecular structure.”

“Oh,” PM said as Parasite began to twist and distort. “In that case you might want to run.”

Aquaman ducked to the side as a clawed purple hand shot out from the writhing mass and stuck the wall beside him. Two more hands followed quickly behind. Parasite hissed through his distended mouth. Aquaman took a step back as the villain rose from the limp form of the very human Eel O’Brien.

Aquaboy bounced off the wall of the arena and floated down to the silt floor. Iquila swam over to his fallen opponent. “You are still too slow,” he declared.

“I’ve gotten used to fighting on the surface,” Aquaboy lied, slowly rising. He picked up his dropped weapon and resumed the fighting stance.

The two were sparring with spears tipped with razor sharp coral tips. When Aquaboy had asked why they were not using practice weapons Iquila had looked strangely at the youth like the boy was talking another language.

“Ready?” Iquila asked, raising his weapon.

“Aren’t you going to explain to me what I am doing wrong? So I can improve?” Seren asked.

“You already know what you are doing wrong,” Iquila said plainly. “You are losing,” he said, speeding forward.

The spears met and Aquaboy floated backward from the force of the impact. Iquila wasted no time and changed his grip and tried to smash the butt of the spear into his opponent’s face. Aquaboy kicked backward hard and narrowly kept his teeth. Iquila flipped over and slapped his fin hard into Aquaboy’s torso knocking the lad to the ground. He placed the spear over the youth’s neck.

“You are still too slow,” he declared.

Aquaboy spat into the water and rose again. “How do you expect me to learn like this?” he demanded.

“The same as everyone else. By surviving.”

“I knew I should have just asked Batman…” Seren muttered, picking his spear back up.

Aquaman jumped backwards as the fist stuck the wall and exploded like putty striking a fan. The Parasite lunged forwards and launched another assault. Aquaman leapt over the gelatinous thrust and fired his harpoon at the far wall pulling himself away. Several small tendrils lashed out after him.

“You can run but you can’t run forever!” Parasite howled from behind the hero. “Uh… no wait… You can run you just can’t hide… but you’re not trying to hide…”

Aquaman dashed down the hallway and the purple blob that was the Parasite crashed along behind him like a large violet and hungry amoeba. Arms lashed out almost randomly after the fleeing hero as mouths and heads popped out of various places in the elongated form.

“Even Plastic Man doesn’t have complete mastery of his power,” Aquaman called behind him. “You’ve had it for five minutes. What kind of threat are you?”

“A big one!” Parasite called from behind, managing to send six long arms rocketing out at once. Aquaman dived through a set of double doors and found himself in the spectator gallery of an operating theater. Behind a glass screen and below was the white and sterile OR, luckily without a patient at the moment.

Parasite tried to turn and follow Aquaman but found his rubbery legs unable to obey in time. He stuck the far wall like a wave striking a pier. He forced himself to try to turn around and a face grew out of his spine. He howled in impotence.

Aquaman looked around for a weapon that could affect Plastic-Parasite. Like a tactile nuke. Nothing handy presented itself. Mouths opened in the sides of Parasite’s body as he howled. Arms reached out and tugged on the sagging flash as he tried to pull himself back together. The handfuls of flesh just stretched and distended like Play-Dough.

Aquaman backed up father down into the galley and looked for another exit. Plastic Man was theoretically immensely powerful, almost unstoppable. Completely immune to physical assault and resistant to most forms of energy. He could adapt to any change in environment or situation and change from jelly to rock hardness in seconds.

Aquaman reached out telepathically. Parasite’s mind was fluid, as was Plastic Man’s. Randomly changing and flowing it was hard to telepathically penetrate. Plastic Man saw reality through his own distorted and fluid perception, a cartoon maelstrom. Parasite was probably suffering similar side effects, Aquaman reasoned.

Parasite smashed through the double doors shattering them as if they were a Hollywood prop. He lunged and slid down the aisles of the galley. He looked like a giant with the skeleton of a baby, his sagging rolls of purple flesh rolling over his small frame. Limbs and heads poked out randomly as he almost rolled down.

Aquaman jumped from chair to chair as Parasite thrashed about after him, scattering the hard plastic seats like confetti. Aquaman looked left and right for another exit. He saw one on the far side and made a quick dash. Multiple tentacles lashed out from the violet mass. A long tendril struck home and wrapped around Aquaman’s calf.

Parasite screamed in victory. He raised Aquaman up in the air and swung him around like a flag smashing him back and forth into walls and back down into the ground. Aquaman grunted as he struck the hard floor of the gallery. He could feel his energy and strength leaking out into Parasite.

“Damn, you’ve got more kick that I thought,” Parasite commented, slamming Aquaman into the roof. “Like a mule. Or a donkey. Or a deer. A female one. Doe. Ray. Me… to happening What’s…? Can’t focus. Feel like I drank a gallon of whiskey, something with kick. Like you, little Fishy.”

Parasite casually tossed Aquaman through the glass and into the operating theater. The Sea King landing with a crash on the operating table shattering it below him. Parasite ran to the hole he made and carefully poured himself through the hole.

Aquaman stood using the remains of the table to steady himself. His vision blurred as he watched the purple blob join him in the OR.

“I can kill you at my leisure,” Parasite said, lazily sliding around.

“Of course you can,” Aquaman muttered, looking around.

Parasite lashed out with multiple limbs. Aquaman barely ducked to the side as the flailing arms clumsily shot through the air striking the far wall or bouncing off each other. Aquaman picked up the small table and tossed it into the middle of the gelatinous mass. It struck with a splat and slowly sunk in. Parasite looked down quizzically as the table slid into his body. “Now that’s just creepy,” he commented. “How often do you see a table smoosh into your bed sized gut?”

The Atlantean ran for the exit of the OR. There was a loud squelch sound and a purple slime covered table flew across the room and slammed into the door blocking it off. Aquaman sighed.

Parasite slid forward doing his best Jabba the Hut impression. “No getta yoo outta heer,” he said with a large mouthed smile. Parasite stopped for a second and rubbed his six eyes. He lost concentration for a second and his body began to melt. He shook his head to clear his focus sending violet droplets raining about the room.

“Feeling alright?” Aquaman asked, standing defiantly by the blocked doors.

“Oh no, you’re trying to get me to charge and let you out,” Parasite said, rubbing his temples. Pain was rocketing through his brain like hundreds of needles stabbing at his cerebellum.

Aquaman shrugged. “You’re too smart for me. Come and get me,” he said calmly.

Parasite tried to move forward but the extra concentration doubled his migraine. It felt like someone was crushing his skull slowly. “Ghaaa… what did that plastic freak do to me??” he howled.

“That’s not him,” Aquaman said walking sideways across the room. “It’s me.”

“My brain is on fire…” Parasite moaned. “How?”

“You absorbed too much of my power. You’re connected to all marine life on the planet, but I still have enough power to connect as well. The aquatic animals know me so they want to help me, and they don’t like you so they’re not helping you. Right now every fish on the planet is willing a headache on you.”

Parasite screamed with rage and lashed out at the blurry figure of Aquaman. Even weakened, the Sea King easily dodged the clumsy thrust. He dashed across the room and grabbed a large tank of anesthetic gas.

Parasite fought past the pain that blurred his vision and weakened his cohesiveness. “What are you going to do with that? Put me to sleep?” he asked with a pained laugh

“Shut up,” Aquaman said, tossing the tank into one of the gaping maws. Parasite blinked as the large white canister struck his face. Aquaman raised his harpoon and smiled as he fired. All the Parasite’s eyes went wide as the point struck the tank.

The explosion rocketed through the small OR as the high pressure tank breeched. Aquaman jumped up through the glass window and ducked down as the shrapnel few in all directions and the jelly like body of the Parasite erupted in all directions.

Aquaman stood up and looked down into the purple mess that covered all the walls and floor. “Eww,” he muttered, brushing broken glass off himself.

The ‘former’ Plastic Man, Eel O’Brien ran down into the galley. “AM!” he shouted. “Are you all right?”

“Fine. Better call the Slab and tell them to come prepared to deal with that,” Aquaman said, gesturing into the OR.

“Eww,” Eel commented.

“My thoughts exactly.”

“Good plan,” Eel commented.

“Thanks,” Aquaman said, heading back to Superman’s room. “I got it from a movie I saw once.”

“Which movie?”

“Jaws.”

“Jaws?!”

Aquaman shrugged. “Back in the early days of the League Hal rented it for me. He thought it would make me feel at home.”

“Let me guess, you were rooting for the shark,” Eel said with a smile.

“Actually I spent the entire movie wondering why no one ever tried talking to the shark. I was still new to the surface then.”

Eel was still laughing as they walked down the hall to Superman’s room. They passed by the small nursing station and down the battle damaged hallway.

Aquaman raised an eyebrow. “Does something seem odd to you?”

Eel nodded. “Now that you mention it…” he said looking around. The nursing station was empty and the several call-bells were going off unanswered. “Where is everyone? Shouldn’t someone be on duty here?”

Aquaman nodded and quickly sprinted down the hallway to Superman’s room at the end off the featureless corridor. He spurn around through the doorway and into the dark room. The fluorescent lights were shattered and the floor was littered with broken glass. The nursing staff was piled in a corner tied up with long metal slinkies. The thin metal coils bit into their exposed skin where it bound them so that thin trickles of crimson blood slowly slid down from their wrists and ankles. Aquaman looked about frantically at the Man of Steel who was still unmolested where he lay on his hospital bed.

“Hello. Have you come to play too?” a cold voice said from across the room. Pearly white teeth appeared in the darkness and two circles of eyeglass lenses caught the little light from the room. Sitting calmly at the far end of the room was a pale and bald man in a long black coat that seemed to absorb what little light crept through the far doorway.

Eel caught up to Aquaman shortly and huffed for a second out of breath. “What’s going on?” he asked.

“The Toyman,” Aquaman said plainly.

“Is he attacking Superman with an army of toy soldiers?” Eel half joked before he caught a glimpse into the room. “Or not…”

“What do you want?” Aquaman demanded taking a cautious step into the room. The broken glass on the floor snapped underfoot.

The Toyman held up one pale hand and raised a long knife in the other. He placed the tip of the blade in front of the eye of one of the hostage nurses. He lowered all the fingers on his other hand except the index finger which waved back in forth chastising the heroes.

“Not very talkative for a villain, is he?” Eel muttered quietly.

The Toyman continued to smile. The knife continued to hover in front of the captive’s eye. “Hello,” he said almost cheerfully.

“Um… hi,” Eel said, wishing he could stretch even an inch. His body still felt rubbery and flexible but he couldn’t change his shape to save his life. Or anyone else’s. He looked carefully at Aquaman. The Atlantean looked exhausted, battered, and generally drained.

Toyman’s smile disappeared as quickly as it appeared. “I have a problem. I can’t kill Superman. His skin is too tough for any of my toys, even as ill as he is.”

“So you are going to take your frustration out on the nursing staff?” Aquaman said, inching forward slowly. Toyman slowly raised his hand again in a stop gesture.

“Them and the children’s ward,” he said quietly. His hand lowered and produced a small box front his flowing coat. It was a simple box with a long antenna and a large red push-button in the middle. Toyman ran the thumb of his right hand in circles around the button. “I brought them some gifts. They were very ungrateful. Only interested in video games and trading cards. No appreciation for classics. For works of art. No imagination anymore. Naughty children.”

Aquaman scowled. “Booby-trapped toys I assume. Push the button and the entire children’s ward becomes a memory?” Toyman nodded and his smile reappeared.

“You sick son of a bitch!” Eel said angrily, taking a step forward. Aquaman raised an arm to stop him. “They’re sick children and you’re planning on blowing them up!”

Toyman frowned. “You’re naughty too,” he said slowly. “But I will give you a chance to save all the naughty, ungrateful children. And the nurses. All you have to do is kill Superman.”

Aquaman looked over at the sedated Kryptonian, peacefully oblivious to the matter at hand. “Not a chance,” he declared.

“Pity,” Toyman said adjusting his grip on the knife. The tip brushed against the eyelashes of the hostage. She blinked instinctively and felt the cool metal tip caress her eyelid. Toyman placed his thumb on the middle of the button.

“Not so fast,” Eel said taking a small step forward. “We’ll do what you want. Just don’t kill the kids.”

“Plastic Man!” Aquaman snapped.

Eel turned to face his teammate. “I can’t just stand here and let them die.” He turned back to Toyman then suddenly spun around and decked Aquaman on the side of the face. The surprised Sea King staggered backwards from the sudden blow. O’Brien stepped closed to Aquaman and gave him a hard right to the nose. Aquaman wobbled back and forth for a second before falling backwards to the ground. Eel looked at his fallen partner. “Sorry,” he whispered.

Toyman took his finger slowly off the button. Eel walked over to where Superman slept. “It’s actually really easy to kill Superman like this,” he told the maniac.

“Really?”

“Yeah. Observe,” Eel said, taking the pillow from behind the sleeping hero and placing it tightly over his mouth. “As invulnerable as he is he still needs to breathe, all you have to do is be patient. Luckily he’s sedated.”

Toyman stood up and glided across the room for a closer look. “Of course. Patience. It’s a virtue.”

Eel held the pillow tighter over Superman’s face. “It might be a while. He can hold his breath a long time.”

Toyman giggled slightly and slid the knife inside his coat. “Nighty-night,” he whispered.

“My thoughts exactly,” Aquaman said from behind Toyman. The psycho spun around and moved his thumb over the button. Aquaman’s readied hand shot forwards and crushed the small detonator like a discarded pop can.

Toyman’s mouth grew wide with fear and he took a step back. “But… but…”

“You didn’t really think I’d kill Superman?” Eel said, tossing away the pillow with a smile.

Aquaman grabbed the Toyman’s arms and held him immobile. “Plas, would you like the honors?” he asked.

Eel nodded and cracked his knuckles in anticipation. “Yes. Yes I would.”

“Just hit him harder than you hit me.”

“I did pull my punch,” Eel protested as he slugged Toyman.

“Of course you did.”

“I guess the police can take him away when they arrive for Parasite,” Eel said, stepping back from the unconscious villain. “We better notify the bomb squad as well.”

“You do that,” Aquaman said. “I’ll telepathically update J’onn on our situation. Then I think we need a short coffee break. It’s been a long day.”

The End...

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