Chapter Text
Chapter 1 – Issue 1
“What is it?” Tim asks, resignation already heavy in his tone. Whatever it is, he is very very unlikely to enjoy it. And his friends’ reactions aren’t helping his unease.
“Young Justice or should I say, Young Just Us” Bart replies joyously, and Tim resists the urge to groan out loud.
“Why? Why does the universe hate me?” Tim despairs, dropping his head into his hands with a muffled whine.
Bart pats his back with a distracted hand, already picking up the book and handing it over to Kon with Cassie’s disapproving eyes watching over them.
The league, meanwhile, watches, some with confusion, some with amusement. Some with understanding.
Not even all the Bats were there for Tim’s whole run with Young Justice.
And if he’s being honest, he’d prefer those days stay quiet and under the rug. So much happened in those days that Tim cringes just thinking about. And by the way Kon and Bart are smiling, they know this, fully. But they also know that it will make Tim suffer. And they’re willing to suffer along.
“What are you talking about?” Jason demands.
Tim waves a hand, hoping to dismiss Jason and stop this lunacy before it even takes off. But they’d read the Red Robin book. They’d read the Teen Titans book.
They weren’t gonna skip on reading this one just because Tim asks.
“Are we gonna invite Cissie?” Cassie asks, her eyes brimming with joy at the concept.
Tim falters.
The sheer unmitigated chaos that this Young Justice book will cause? Terrible.
The unmitigated chaos caused by this book and all the other members of Young Justice?
Nothing, and Tim does mean nothing, will survive.
Almost as if feeling his hesitance, Kon turns to Tim with wide, pleading eyes, joining Bart’s puppy eyes and Cassie’s bright grin.
“No” Tim states, knowing that it’ll only get worse if he allows it.
“We cannot allow unauthorized personnel in here” Superman agrees.
“They’re not unsupervised. They’re old members of Young Justice” Kon protests.
“It would be somewhat amusing to see them again” Diana muses, smiling.
“No” Tim argues, meeting Diana’s eyes in the hopes that she would understand the situation at hand here.
“Fine. No more members” Bart agrees, mischief shining in his eyes.
“For now” he whispers, like Tim can’t hear him perfectly.
“Wait a second. Who’s gonna read?” Tim asks, staring at the dreaded book.
Bart’s hand automatically raises and Tim pushes it down almost immediately “You read too fast”
“I’m happy to take a swing at it” Cassie says, but Tim knows her too well. “You’d skip all your embarrassing parts. If I get to suffer, so do you”
“What about me?” Duke asks, raising his hand slightly. Tim acknowledges his offer, thinks about it for a second and nods.
Tim falls back down onto the couch with Cassie, Bart and Kon, sprawling across them all and waving at Duke with a dismissive hand.
Tim meets Duke’s eyes. “You get the book” Tim states and that’s when Duke starts to look scared.
He’s good. I’ll give him that...
Very good
Difficult to trail...He has about twenty minutes on me
I’ve followed him to the outskirts of Gotham...
East – Here to the Southern edge of the Harbor...the abandoned train yards
Desolate. Hard.
Following in his tracks
He’s clever
A predator rarely takes time to cover his trail
He’s a skilled fighter.
“Are you monologuing?” Kon asks, a smirk on his lips.
It’s a question aimed at Tim but Tim is just as confused. This isn’t his inner monologue. Especially not at that age. Tim knows himself. And he doesn’t think this is him. But then, who else would it be?
Thinking as he strikes
Training to use his size to his advantage
To maximize his power
And to use his opponent’s power against him!
His movements are graceful
Fluid
But not flawless.
“It really does sound like you, dude” Kon teases.
Tim shakes his head, squinting at the screen. Who...?
He turns to Bruce, who tenses.
Oh.
A slip on the oil and suddenly it’s serious
And just as suddenly, I’m met with an image that stabs at my memory and makes my blood run cold...
A vision of unbearable pain...
Bane.
Tim sees Batman tense even more, the image of Tim on screen very reminiscent of the moment Bane broke Bruce’s back. Tim can see how that might be stressful for him.
But also most likely tense because all the Bats are now looking at him. They all know now that this isn’t Tim’s inner monologue.
It’s Bruce’s.
But I exist on suddenly’s and abandon the role of observer
The moment of fear has transformed me into his protector...
Guardian.
“I was watching.
Are you all right?”
The room is silent for a moment as everyone digests that revelation.
“That was Batman’s monologue?” Kon asks, eyes wide and lips pulling up slightly on the sides.
Bruce grunts and Kon quickly pales.
“It was cool! Totally cool!” he blurts out.
Tim can see Bruce forcing back a smile. He knows that, to anyone else, it would look like a glare. But they know. All the Bats. They all know.
“Batman? I...
Yeah. I’m good to go. Let’s get this guy. I-”
“I’ll get him. Go back to the cave”
“But I’m fine. I rode this guy this far and I-”
“Robin”
He wouldn’t understand.
“Ohhh man...”
“You do realize how that looks and feels to a kid, right old man?” Jason asks, tone joking.
“I didn’t want him to get hurt” Bruce grunts.
“It looks like you’re sending him home cause he did something wrong” Dick sighs. They all know that isn’t how Bruce meant it. But they also all know what Tim thought. What all of them thought when they slipped up and Bruce stepped in.
Bruce grunts again, thoughtfully this time.
“Downtown Metropolis has, where Centennial Park has been turned into a veritable battleground
With the sudden appearance of a stories-tall giant bent on duking it out with the Man of Steel!
Fortunately, the robot’s rampage is being quickly quelled by the equally sudden appearance of the Kid himself.
Superboy!”
“Superman...”
“No, Jolly Tin Giant! Superboy! Boy!”
‘This giant robo wannabee was sent down to throw down with Supes? It’s weak! I’ve only been here two minutes and I’ve already for this thing tottering
One last “twisker” punch and it’s-”
“Man, I forgot what you were like at that age” Cassie says, nose scrunched up in disgust.
“Hey! I was awesome!” Kon proclaims.
“You were a being made of puns, jokes and cornfields, Kon” Bart interjects, causing Kon to stare at him in betrayal.
“You were very...southern” Tim admits, smiling.
“I didn’t even live in Kansas yet!”
“Woah! Players on the field?!
How’d they slip past the police-”
“Superman...”
“So you wanna mess with the kid?
Tell you what...
I'll be the Kid...
And you be the mess!”
“See what we mean?!” Bart demands, laughing.
Kon just crosses his arms and leans back, huffing in offense.
Tim smiles.
Maybe he won’t be the only one to suffer, after all.
“Superboy, that was magnificent! Tell us, what are you doing in Metropolis?”
“Thanks! Thanks! Actually, I was just passing through, kinda, running a super-errand for project Cadmus-
When I saw that thing stomping around! Gues it was looking to tussle with the big S -
But turns out it couldn’t even kick a little S!
Well...Gotta boat, thanks for the gratitude...it was my pleasure”
“But-”
“Young man, you don’t intend to simply fly away, do you?”
Kon groans, Bart throwing popcorn at the screen while booing, Cassie staring at them in amusement.
“Lex is pretty annoying” Tim says, trying to hide his smile.
Kon hits him with a pillow.
“Huh?”
“Look at the damage caused by your little testosterone driven tete-a-tete with that automation! Aren’t you going to assist with the clearing of the debris?”
“Testosterone driven tete-a-tete?” Jason whispers, looking confused “Did the English language change while I was dead?” he demands.
Tim laughs “No. But the slang was pretty weird... And Lex has always been pretty odd” he admits.
“Luthor?!
What are you doing here?”
“I should be asking that of you.
If you must know, I was just picking up a little trinket for my daughter, Lena”
“And of course he just has a keychain of the robot casually dangling from his fingers” Duke comments, raising an eyebrow.
“Well he likely was the one who made the robot” Bart comments back.
“Well yeah but he could at least be more discrete about it!” Duke argues.
“It’s like the Bruce Wayne is Batman thing. Or the Clark Kent is Superman thing” Tim explains, feeling both Duke and Bart turn their eyes to him.
“People are so used to seeing Luthor as a paragon of humanity and all around good guy that they don’t want to see him as anything else. People don’t like to admit that they’re wrong about people. They like to think that they have good judgement. They want to think that they’d know if Lex was a bad person. Especially back then.
Bruce Wayne can’t be Batman. He’s a ditzy playboy that ended up with many kids because he has a heart of gold. He’d never hurt a fly!
Clark Kent can’t possibly be Superman! He’s way too dorky! I saw him run into a doorway once!”
The room is silent for a moment.
“Ok yeah. That tracks”
“Look, Luthor, I know how you like to manipulate people for your own ends-
But I just saved the entire city from that thing, and I’m not gonna start jumping through your hoops!
So...see ya”
“Huh?
Superman?”
Kon winces.
He and Clark hadn’t had the best relationship at that time, Tim knows.
But watching Clark and Kon interact on screen, he can see the tension.
Kon not knowing how to act around Superman, the man who he was cloned from and Clark not sure how to act around Kon, his clone.
He’s glad that they worked it out. Eventually.
“Sorry, Superboy.
As bad as a taste it leaves in your mouth, Luthor’s right. As heroes, we’re obligated to set a good example. Do the right thing
And take responsibility for our actions”
“You actually think Lex is gonna do that some day?” Kon asks, his voice floating around the room but only pointed at one person.
Clark sighs.
“I can’t just accept that he’s a bad person. Bad people don’t exist. People exist and they make choices. Lex is a person that has chosen to be bad. And I can hope...that one day, he’ll make a different choice” Clark says, meeting Kon’s eyes and giving a strained smile.
One that says he knows that Lex will likely never change. One that says that Clark’s hope is likely in vain. One that says hope is the only thing he has left in this regard.
It reminds Tim of Bruce, when Arkham breaks open like a beehive every second month.
“C’mon Kid, I’ll give you a hand”
“Oh, man...”
“HA! You look so disappointed!” Dick laughs.
Tim raises an eyebrow.
“That is exactly the same face that you get when Alfred asks you to fix the chandelier that you broke. Again” he says.
Dick pouts, Steph laughing raucously as Cass giggles. They were there to see Dick’s face fall when Alfred handed him a broom.
Manchester, Alabama
At the quiet, suburban home of Helen Claiborne
(Also the current residence of one Max Mercury and Bart Allen-
And the visiting Carol Trent, the friend who wouldn’t leave)
Shortly after dinner, just around dusk – More specifically
Homework time!
“Oh no” Kon says, knowingly, a smile on his lips.
“Honestly, Bart”
“Pop
Pop
Pop
Pop
Pop”
“You are the only person that I know that could get impatient with a microwave!”
“They are so slow, ok”
“They literally, are not” Damian corrects.
“They’re slower than I am!”
“So why not use your speedster body heat and electricity to pop the popcorn?”
Bart is silent.
Damian smirks.
“Pop!”
“Sorry Carol – But why does it have to take so long to pop?!”
And shortly...
“Lalalalalalala”
“Bart!”
“Don’t worry, I’ll get it”
“You are a living cartoon character” Damian deadpans, as Bart grabs the flung popcorn out of the air.
“Well, you aren’t far off there” Cassie agrees.
Bart makes to argue. Cass gives him a look. He doesn’t argue.
“Bart, you were sent to your room over an hour ago, and you’ve easily been out here ten times since then...
Now I want you to stop procrastinating, get back in there. And focus on that homework
Then you can play with your little friend”
“Okay, Okay”
“And remember, you’re to study at normal speed. Slow down and think! It’s important that you learn how to learn
You know that speed learning doesn’t stick
Now get to work”
“That was a bit...” Jason comments, squinting at the screen “Harsh?”
“Nah. Sometimes you need a firm word with Bart. He has the attention span of a goldfish” Tim says.
Bart gives him an offended look, squawking.
Kon pats him on the head “He’s not wrong, remember what happens with Bedlam?”
Bart glares at him.
“But the visuals though? Is that what your mind is like? Just cartoon pictures instead of actual monologue?” Hal demands, staring at the image of Bart’s imagination, Max throwing molasses over Bart’s head.
“What. Like that’s weird?” Bart demands huffily “I mean, you guys are just constantly talking to yourselves. And I’m the weird one?!”
“Oh and one more thing. I’ll be-
?!”
‘Where?
Goat sucker?’
“Puerta Rico?!”
“Okay. Nevermind. Now I get it” Jason says, staring at Bart in understanding.
“C’mon out ,little Chupaca-”
“Who taught Bart about cryptids?” Cassie demands, already looking angry.
“I’m serious. I just want to talk” she continues when nobody speaks.
Everyone knows better than to take her up on that.
“Max?!”
“What
Are
You
Doing?”
“I’m...back in my room...? Doing homework...?”
“Now”
“Man, you were even more insane back then than you are now” Dick comments.
“You have no idea” Tim clarifies.
“And maybe, young man, you can learn to slow down and think
And be more responsible with your powers
While you’re grounded this weekend. Now get to that homework”
“Oh, man...”
The Stuart home
In a suburb outside of Boston
“And...now we’re just watching a random civilian home” Jason says, leaning back against his chair.
“Should we be...watching this? It is a civilian house” Diana comments.
“It’s not like you cared for my privacy” Tim snarks.
“You’re a Bat. The word “privacy” isn’t in your vocabulary” Jason snarks right back just as Steph comments “Coming from the kid who stalked Batman and Robin since he was like 10”
“-Dear Ma-att, Happy birthday to you!”
“Now c’mon Matty, blow out the candles!”
“Okay, already...but it’s not even like a real birthday! I mean, I’m turning thirteen and dad’s not even-”
“I’m home!”
“Daddy!”
“Daddy”
“May I ask. Why are we watching a civilian birthday here?” Dinah asks, starting to look a bit uncomfortable.
“You’ll see” Tim, Kon and Bart comment.
“Matthew...?! Come and say hello to your father!”
“Matt! Happy birthday , buddy! I toldya I’d make it!”
“Ya almost didn’t”
“Ooh. Kid’s upset” Steph winces.
“Fair. Birthday, important” Cass says slowly.
Tim almost winces.
“Oh, so I’m the reason for the attitude...?
Well, I think I have something that qualifies as a birthday present right here that ought to turn that mood around!”
“Wh-what is it...?”
“Looks cool, huh? We found it on the dig. Professor Jones believes it was a toy for a boy around your age, but we couldn’t figure out just what it was!
I said if anyone could make it work, it would be you!
What do you think?”
Tim actually does wince this time, the reminder of his childhood digging deep.
His parents didn’t even bother to bring him trinkets from their digs. Though, now that he thinks about it, that’s likely a good thing. Especially given how this turned out for Matt back then.
Tim feels Kon lean in a bit closer, Bart nudging his way between Kon’s shoulder and Tim’s. A physical presence and reminder of their support.
“It’s fine.
But I wanted a Playtendo...”
“Brat” Jason snarks.
Tim scoffs without thinking. Jason turns to him in question.
“A gift is a gift. And it’s the thought that counts” Tim says, choosing his words carefully to explain his thoughts, his protectiveness of this kid “but sometimes it’s not about the present. It isn’t even about the Playtendo. I’m willing to bet on that. This, if I had to guess, was all about his dad not being there. Not listening to him when he explained what he wanted. It’s not about the gift. It’s about everything but”
“Matthew Stuart! I’ve had enough of this!
Your father came back from his expedition early, just for your birthday, and I won’t have you treating him like this!
You change your tune now, or you’ll go to your room!”
“That was not the correct way to handle that situation” Dinah comments.
“A 13 year old child’s brain is rarely emotionally mature enough to express verbally what the problems are that he is experiencing. Which is likely why the child is lashing out” J’on comments.
“Oh...It’s my birthday but as soon as dad walks in, he’s sooo important!”
“Fine!”
“It is also likely that having this confrontation in front of siblings was a drawback. These types of things generally happen in private for a reason” Arthur continues.
“I’ll go to my room!”
“He’s been so Fresh lately...”
“It’s all right, Kath. It’s just his way of “punishing” me for being away so much”
“That may not be the entirety of the story. But it likely is at least a facet of it” Diana agrees.
“”Go to your room! Go to your room!” I just wish they’d all just go away and leave me alone!
Stupid present! Looks like some kind of flashl-
Huh?”
“What’s in there...?
It looks like...
Gotta let it...”
“Also, bringing home unauthorized objects from archeological digs, especially ones like Atlantis, where magic is a known factor...Likely not a good idea” Arthur says, wincing as Matt on screen frees something made of light and smoke, violet in colour. Something that looks almost like a genie from the Aladdin movies from when Tim was a kid.
“It’s also illegal” Tim cuts in, voice knowing “Archeologist can’t just take home whatever they please, especially not from international digs. There’s paperwork and studies and likely native importance”
“Didn’t your parents bring home a bunch of stuff, though?” Steph questions.
Tim nods, eyes knowing and asking her very much to Not Ask.
And he drowns in the dark purple energy
Immersed in the thick, liquid light, he is assaulted with a rush of ancient images, scenes from pre-history
Visions of the time that time has forgotten!
A mad, malefic sorcerer, conjuring before an earth-well, summons to him a power only known in crumbling tomes, only whispered of in the darkest of shadows,,,
A power that feeds off of wishes and on dreams, the power to reshape the world...
The power of a god!
“Why is it always infinite power and all that? Where did all the power come from?” Clark asks, looking done with the concept already.
But while the power is near-infinite...
The vessel is still but a man!
His evil campaign is challenged by yet another sorcerer -
His brother!
“This reads like a soap opera” Jason comments, annoyed.
The mad one’s treachery and hatred blinds him and limits his imagination.
This allows his sibling to purge the malevolent energies from the vile mage -
And into the crystal chamber.
There, it is imprisoned and kept from the memory of man for all time!”
Until now.
“Power of a god...? Change the world?
Cool
Well, we’ll see what the world would be like if I was in charge.
Yeah. We’ll just see...”
“I am usure if I want to know what a kid ruling the world would look like” Dick says.
“It is borne from history. Tutankhamun took the throne while he was still a child” Diana states.
“Yeah and he also died at age 19” Jason reminds with a smile.
“Mostly, I’m just not sure kids have the understanding of physics needed to actually keep a world running. Like, what did I know about planetary orbits and gravitational forces at age 13?” Dick continues like Diana hadn’t even spoken.
“I don’t think that’s how bending reality works, Dick” Tim argues.
“Maybe it is! Have you ever asked?!”
Dawn, the next day, at the venerable estate of Jack Drake
“Tim?!
I’ll be having breakfast on the table in a few minutes! D’ya want three eggs or more?
Well, I’ve never known a boy that could sleep so...
Up and gone...Already?!”
“Why does your dad look so old?” Bruce asks, drawing back at the depiction of Jack Drake. He does look quite a bit older than Tim remembers him being at that point in time. He’s fairly certain Jack still had colour in his hair...Fairly certain.
All across the country, across the world – it happens -
“Jordyn? Where are you?”
As sleeping and unbelieving parents -
“Tyler?”
“Casey! You come here right now!”
Come to the slow and terrifying realisation that-
“Grechen?”
“Hank?!”
“They’re gone! They’re all gone! All of the children have just...dissapeared!”
“Jake!”
“Huh” Jason muses, leaning forward. Everyone else remembers this event. It wasn’t even 10 years ago, after all. But Jason was dead. At least, Tim thinks. Jason was never really clear about when exactly he came back and when his memory after being dead starts.
Barry also looks confused, along with Hal. They’d both been dead or lost during that time as well.
Manchester, Alabama
“He’s gone!”
“And I thought I was being lenient when I grounded him for just the weekend...! When that boy shows up, I’ll - “
“Max, stop! At that speed, pacing will wear a hole in the carpet!”
“I love how they thought I just ran away” Bart rolls his eyes.
“Well you did technically ruin away to Puerta Rico like the night before, Bart” Tim comments
“It’s not running away if you’re planning on coming back! That’s called adventuring!”
“Now let’s just remember who we’re talking about here. Bart is -”
“Missing! Authorities wish to remind you that panicking and rioting will only impede investigations into this situation! A state of emergency has been - “
“What is he...What’s he saying?!”
“-Declared as government agencies look into-
The strange disappearance of seemingly all juveniles below the age of seventeen. All are urged to remain calm-
And stay in your homes until further information is available. The president is expected to interrupt programming within the hour with a statement
In hopes of quelling the already rampant hysteria that is sweeping the globe! The Justice League of America is being contacted in their command centre on the moon”
“How exactly...” starts Tim
“Even we were...” Kon starts as well, trying to sugarcoat.
“Sure, we had stupid kids doing stupid stuff but man. At least we didn’t have riots!” Bart states, looking delighted.
“A technological marvel that is the watchtower, where a handful of Earth’s greatest heroes...
(Currently; Steel, Flash, Plastic Man, The Martian Manhunter, and Aqua-man)
Have been working desperately for the last half-hour in an effort to determine the cause of this worldwide crisis!
To no avail!”
“Huh. League is smaller than I remember it being” Jason states
“This is so frustrating. I’ve never felt so hopeless in my entire life!”
“Tell me about it!”
“I get nothing, J’onn!”
“Neither NORAD, nor STAR labs are report any atmospheric or seismic anomalies in the last 24 hours! I’m requesting a tertiary check, but-”
“Incoming!”
“Green lantern!”
“Hey guys”
“J’onn, I’m all done. As you told me, I used my power ring to scan the entire planet for any sign of weird energy readings that might’a been caused by a teleportation device.
Nada.
Whoever nabbed the kids did it without leaving a single clue”
“Chaos” Tim comments, smiling at the image of scrabbling adults on screen.
“Excuse us for being a bit panicked, given the situation” J’onn says, tone light, like he’s joking.
“So it would seem”
“And if that’s not bad enough, the KidsWB has given up completely -
All they’re running is a test pattern!”
“Man, Kyle. How can you joke at a time like this?!”
“Oh sure – Mr Silly Putty makes a face and everyone shoots milk out of their nose laughing-
But when I try to lighten up the station with a little levity and -
Fine, Wally!
At least Steel has a sense of -
Aw, c’mon guys!”
“Did he just...Kyle. Man. Now I know why everyone thinks the corps is a joke” Hal says, staring at his counterpart with resignation.
“Nope. That’s all you” Dick jokes.
“And Kyle” Jason includes.
“And maybe Guy too” Jason says a moment later.
Hal looks offended.
“Kyle’s right, J’onn - we haven’t got a clue! We have state of the art detection equipment and every information gathering agency in the world at our fingertips -
And we’re still coming up empty!”
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned in all my life, both here and on Mars, Aquaman, it’s that every mystery leaves clues-
It’s just a matter of knowing where to look”
“What concerns me more at the moment, is this.
We are seeing the effects this incident is having on the adult population of the world: Mass hysteria, paranoia, rioting, religious leaders and zealots proclaiming the apocalypse-
But what of the children?
Abducted from their beds in the dead of night...spirited away without the protection and security of their parents...
Truly the stuff of nightmares...
Wherever those children may be, Arthur...
They are undoubtedly consumed with terror”
“You are overestimating children everywhere” Tim states without hesitation.
“Yeah, maybe dealing with hero children and vigilantes has given you a warped view of kids” Kon agrees.
Elsewhere.
In a place simply known as Kid World
Where, brought upon by the lack of any parental figures, whatsoever, the order of the day is...
Party!
On average, the kids’ reaction to the missing adult runs about 7.9 minutes of fear and or loss, followed by 3.4 minutes of mild disorientation
And then suddenly, the clouds lift. Their eyes open. For seemingly the first time each child comes to the realisation that their shackles are off!
That they are liberated from every rule and responsibility every imposed upon them by any authority figure!
“Ok. Maybe we did overestimate the knowledge and wisdom of children. Human children, the whole world over” Arthur says, wincing at the image of chaos on screen.
The children playing on overturned cars. Dressing in mom’s clothes and doing bad make-up.
Some, of course, discover rather quickly that some things aren’t as much fun as they imagined.
While others...
“C’mon Justin...Jump!”
“I....I dunno. It’s pretty high. What if I fall?”
“Aw, don’t be a wuss. You’re not gonna fall. You’re gonna fly!”
“Now, jump!”
“Now we know why children need adult supervision” Cassie laughs as Diana whispers “Is that a chainsaw?”
“I’m more worried about the child about to jump from a roof with an umbrella” Clark says.
“But how is he holding the chainsaw? I have been told that chainsaws are heavy! Possibly for this exact reason!”
“Ferget it, Brian! He’s not gonna do it...
Justin’s too much of a baby to be a superhero”
“I am not a baby!”
“Jump! Jump!”
“Stupid kids” Hal grumbles as Justin gives into peer pressure, jumping off the roof with only an umbrella to slow his fall.
“It’s Okay. I’ve got you”
Her name is Mary Marvel.
“I hope that scared you enough to not try it again
Now promise me that you won’t jump off houses with umbrellas anymore”
“I promise”
Years ago, she was granted wondrous powers from the enigmatic wizard Shazam, with the intention that she use those powers to fight for Justice against the evil of the world!
She, along with her brother, Billy, are some of Earth’s Mightiest Mortals!
“Hey, maybe if we get balloons!”
“Yeah, balloons!”
Tim laughs at the image, Mary looking completely done with life as the children strategize behind her. Kon, Bart and Cassie join in shortly after.
They all remember this whole thing. Kon and Bart had been with Tim saving the world, but Cassie had been left with the kids, dealing with all of them without parental supervision.
She feels more like Earth’s mightiest Baby-sitter.
“Well that isn’t exactly wrong” Steph giggles.
And so it goes around the globe-
As Kidworld’s adolescent heroes, overwhelming pandemonium, working continuously to divert a planetful of disasters!
In Manchester, the archer hero Arrowette extinguishes a pair of would-be arsonists-
In Gateway city, the Neo-hero Wondergirl halts a wayward minivan-
“Man I forgot what you looked like back then!” Kon exclaims at the image of Cassie on screen.
“Yeah, the glasses and black wig were not a look on you, Cassie” Bart comments.
“At least I tried hiding my identity!” Cassie defends.
“I’m from the future”
“I’m a clone of Superman”
“Why would either of us need a secret identity?”
Cassie slumps.
Inferno defuses some enterprising young pyrotechnicians in New Mexico-
The Teen Titans work to neutralize an amusement park gone haywire in Ohio.
“Oh man, we hit CM3!”
“Stupid roller coaster”
“Ah yes. Captain Marvel the third” Dick states with a straight face.
“You know what. Freddy might actually hate that name even more than Captain Marvel Junior” Tim comments.
Spoiler rescues a sailor from his less-than seaworthy craft in Gotham Harbor.
“Make one joke about the costume and you’re dead”
And at Ferris Aircraft, OFH Kosh, Wisconson -
“This is gonna be so cool”
“I have a bad feeling about this” Hal drawls as a kid sneaks into Ferris aircrafts.
“I trained for years to be a test pilot. I almost feel bad for the kid” he admits a moment later.
“Eagle one to towers. Request authorization for take-off.
Wow, this is just like the Playtendo flight simulator...only Louder!
Confirming clearance, tower. This is Major Jonathan M Denson,
About to embark on the most dangerous mission ever”
“A reaally bad feeling about this” Hal repeats.
‘Hasta La Vista, Baby’
‘Can’t wait to get back to Cadmus
Maybe there, I can figure out what’s going on. What happened to all the adults
And what is with all these ki-’
“Wouldn’t Dubbilex have counted as an adult?” Tim asks, tilting his head, bumping it against Kon’s shoulder.
“It depends. Dubbilex wasn’t more than a few years old. But he was mentally an adult” Kon admits.
“Yeah but like. You were also only like a year old. And so was I” Bart reminds him.
“Yeah but we stayed in Kidworld either way” Kon refutes.
“You’ll have to ask him one day” Tim states, curious.
“Woah!
What the heck is that guy doi-
What am I saying?!”
‘Is all the adults in the world have pulled a houndin’, then the guy flying that jet...
Is a kid?!’
“A bit slow on the uptake there, Kid” Jason snarks.
“Excuse me for not automatically assuming that the person flying a jet at that kinda speed is a kid. This is literally a once in a lifetime situation” Kon snarks right back.
Jason smirks and nods in concession.
Meanwhile, at the Montgomery Zoo
“I’m tellin’ ya, dude. This is gonna be so fresh
My uncle used’ta work in a place like this and he showed me how to do it...
All you gotta do is access the right programs and Bam!
We’re watching the Discovery Channel, Dude!”
“More like living the Discovery channel. Blood and all” Bart corrects.
“Tawny...?”
“Not Tawny” Diana intones, seeing the literal tiger on screen growling at the child.
And in Gotham...
“Well, I had just about enough of you, Jonah Hex...Let’s see who’s the fastest draw now
Now that’s what I call shootin’!”
“Is that a Jonah Hex arcade game?” Barry demands, staring at the screen.
“Yup. Gotham has the best arcade games” Jason brags.
“And also the easiest access kids can have to a gun” Clark reminds him.
“Ok. But like, most people think Jonah Hex was a bedtime story” Barry reminds them.
“Jenny would be mildly offended by that insinuation” Tim states.
Kon scoffs “Jenny barely knows what her grandfather did in his spare time”
“But she is kinda proud of her heritage” Tim refutes.
“Ow!
Hey! Who...?”
“Go home.
Stay there. Use your head.
Don’t do anything your parents would tell you not to”
“You overestimate children and their capacity for logic” Kon states, sighing.
“And you underestimate how scared people are of Batman and Robin” Tim says, smirking.
“Batman, maybe. But the whole thing about Robin is to not be scary” Dick corrects.
Damian scoffs.
Tim glares at him for the betrayal, Kon giving him a shove to rub salt into the wound.
‘I feel like I’m just wasting my time, dealing with the results of the problem rather than the problem itself.
I’ve gotta figure out what happened and then – more importantly – how to fix it’
Meanwhile
‘There’s our pint-sized Chuck Yeager now! Man, he must have this thing going close to Mach 3!
But I bet his heart is racing faster! Poor Kid’s terrified!’
“M’scuse me there, sport, but I’m gonna have to ask you to pull over...
Would’ya mind cuttin the engines, please...?
Thanks”
“My dude. What the fuck did you say to that kid? What is with you? Is this how you were back then? Man” Jason demands at Kon’s words on screen.
“I’m more confused about that face. What, were you going for a Joker smile there?” Cassie asks, wincing after the fact and glancing at Jason, but relaxing when he doesn’t look angry.
“Honestly, if this is what you all were like at that age, I am looking forward to this” Jason states.
‘Ok. I’ve got the kid’s confidence. Let’s hope I don’t screw this up
This thing’s moving so fast that if I try to stop it all at once, it’ll come apart in my hands
Hav’ta be delicate with my tactile Telekinesis.
Bart, Cassie and Tim all groan at the reminder of Kon’s TTK, but more at his constant mentions of it at that age.
Kon smirks. He’s not ashamed in the slightest.
‘Find the right leverage to slow this bird down gradually’
“C’mon baby, we can do this!”
“What’re we gonna do? The animals are gonna scare all the people and each other and …”
“Time me”
Sec 02
Sec 14
Sec 27
Sec 30
Sec 32”
“Bart” Barry sighs, exasperated.
“We’resorry. Wewon’tdoitagainwepromise!”
“Good”
“Well it worked, didn’t it”
‘Well, that’s a fine job if I do say so myself. I brought this baby down without her shaking apart
But that might not be true of our pilot!’
“C’mon out “Maverick”, this ride’s over!
Y’know I don’t want to tell you what to do or anything, but how about a suggestion...
No more planes”
“No more planes...No more planes...
I think I need to lie down for a bit...”
“You do that”
“It’s kinda weird seeing you like that. You were such an asshole after that and here you’re so nice” Tim states, ducking the slow blow Kon aims at his shoulder for the remark.
“You’re misremembering. You were the asshole” Kon argues.
“I am not misremembering. You were a whole person back then. But yeah. I was also kinda an asshole” Tim admits, remembering the whole thing with Suzie and Spoiler. And the thing with his identity.
“You were both assholes. We live, we grow, we cringe at our younger selves” Cassie proclaims
“Hey, Superboy, is that kid gonna be alright?”
“Huh? Oh, hi, Impulse. Yeah, he’ll be fine once the world stops spinning”
“Wait, you guys already knew each other?” Clark asks, brow furrowed in confusion.
“He crashed my tour”
“He was jealous cause his friends liked me better than him”
“They did not”
“I didn’t see any of the Ravers ask for your signature!”
As a minor play-fight erupts behind him, Tim turns to Clark, completely ignoring the fight to say “Yeah. We’d all met before. Bart and I on a ski trip and Bart and Kon while Kon was still with the Ravers”
“Oh, is that gonna happen too?”
“Oh, forget it”
“It’s a valid question!” Bart exclaims, stopping in the middle of their play-fight to glare at Kon.
“Well something’s happened. Where are all the -?!”
“That’s what we’re going to find out”
“Hey, Robin. How’d you find us?”
“Radar, aside from your friend in the jet
You two are the only thing showing up on it
I figure between the three of us, we might put together what happened”
“Really? You chose those two?” Cassie drawls, making it clear how bad of an idea she thinks that is.
Tim shrugs, ignoring the unimpressed expressions of Bart and Kon. They’ll all be very offended very much in this book. They were all hooligans.
“I already knew them”
“Why us?
What about the JLA?
They on stike or somethin’?
Cool bike”
“Dude, have you not been paying attention?” Duke asks, glancing up from the book to give Bart a Look.
Bart looks right back, not backing down “I had the attention span of a toddler. At least back then”
Duke raises an eyebrow but nods in concession.
“Don’t be a dope, Bart
If all the adults are gone, then so is the JLA
There is no Justice League”
“No. If they’re gone, then we’re all there is
We’re it!”
“Uhm” Dick says, eyes wide and panicked, before he shuts up, like he didn’t mean to say that.
“I take offense to that” Tim states mildly, already knowing what his brother was going to say.
“I was just gonna say...that I don’t think you all, at that point in time, would have made the best Justice League” Dick defends.
“Oh. And why is that?’ Kon questions leadingly, already glaring.
“You were all insane. I don’t even know what all happened but I distinctly remember there being much chaos” Dick states.
Tim tilts his head, glancing at Kon, Bart and Cassie and then nods. Because, ok, true.
But Dick doesn’t even know the half of it.
“So...”
“Wow”
“What are we gonna do?!”
Shortly after
“You brought them to the cave?” Bruce asks, voice questioning but dead and resigned. This is all in the past. There’s nothing they can do to change it now.
“Where else was I supposed to lead my miniature Justice League, Bruce?” Tim questions, a smile on his lips, watching Bruce stop and almost shudder at the idea.
“Nothing but “Snow”, the computer’s set to continue scanning for any additional broadcast...
But I wouldn’t count on it.
All communications systems – everything!- is shut down! There’s no adults to keep things running! Unless we do something fast, soon we’ll be out of food, water, electricity.
I’ll try to establish contact with the Justice League’s watchtower
Even if they’re not here
Maybe their computer can give us a clue why-”
“Hey, Robin!”
“Howcum you keep your old costume in a glass case like this?
Does it smell funny r somethin’?”
Jason scoffs at the sight of his uniform in the display case, crossing his arms over his chest. The suit is still a point of contention between them. Jason doesn’t like it. Bruce needs it.
It’s something they’re working on.
“Get away from there!”
Jason glances at Tim with a raised eyebrow at the vehemence of that order.
Tim rolls his eyes, but he knows that the tips of his ears are red.
He never told Jason that Jason was his Robin, the one that he photographed the most, the one that was his favorite Robin.
Dick, Tim always thought, would grow into being something more. Something better. Something like Nightwing. Something that fit the angry, heartbroken boy Tim had seen that night at the circus, but without letting go of the joy he’d seen on Dick’s face before, when they took that picture with his family.
And Dick had managed that, with Nightwing. Robin was too bright, it hid all the dark parts. But Nightwing allowed Dick to be a whole of himself, not just a facet.
But Jason, Jason had embodied Robin. Had been bright and dark and happy and angry. Had helped those who were lodged in the darkness. The street kids. The corner girls. Those were the people Jason cared most about.
And Tim had been crushed when Jason just...hadn’t come back one day.
“There’s no response from the Watchtower at all”
“Because there’s nobody there?”
“Because it’s not there
According to the computer...there is no watchtower!”
“Huh. Why wouldn’t there be a Watchtower? The two worlds were supposed to be identical, weren’t they?” Barry questions.
“Yeah. Maybe. But maybe it was more about the Earths being identical. Like. Literally, the Earths” Tim theorizes.
“Like, the Watchtower wasn’t included because it wasn’t part of the Earth? It was on the moon?” Bart questions, tilting his head to the side.
“But wouldn’t that also mean that the Earth wouldn’t have a sun then? Or a moon?” Clark asks, frowning.
“A planet would not be able to survive long in a situation such as that” Diana advises.
“So I was right!” Dick exclaims. “A kid wouldn’t be able to keep the world running with their imagination because the finer details would slip their mind. Like physics!”
“Maybe. The planet still exists, so obviously nothing went terribly wrong” Tim reminds him.
“-awcet City, where –andemonium in the streets”
“We’re getting something!”
“-wrecking ball though-
-illy Batson for-
-station whiz, Fawc – ity. I’m all alone here, and wondering if – nybody's still listening...if there’s any hope.
And where is the Justice League?”
“Does he mean us?”
“He does now”
‘....Batson?...’
“Red Robin” J’onn intones, voice mildly questioning “You were aware of Billy’s secret identity even back then?”
Tim smiles. “I was aware of a lot of idents, J’onn” he states, smiling cryptically.
The Watchtower
“-check out a few hunches of my own. I’ll get back to you later”
“Doing everything we can, Mister President. Whoever is responsible for this has covered their tracks very well! I’m sorry I can’t give you a more optimistic report, but-”
“Unfortunately, Superman, I have nothing to offer but Hope. An occurrence of this nature is completely out of my realm of expertise-
The UN has no protocols or actions to take should half the population simply vanish from the face of the Earth! Please keep me posted on whatever progress you might make”
“Well, maybe there should be” Bruce grumbles, looking annoyed.
“You can’t prepare for every and any eventuality, old man” Jason reminds him.
“But he isn’t wrong. In a world of aliens, magic, metahumans and people coming back from the dead, there should be protocols for situations like these” Tim states, furrowing his brow.
“Of course, you’d say that” Jason says a moment later, rolling his eyes.
“I’m confident we’ll find something, sir.
We have to...”
“Huh. So maybe you did actually care” Kon says, brow raised at Clark’s intonation.
Clark sighs “You and I may not have had the best relationship at that point in time, but I actually do care for you, Kon. Even back then” he states.
“J’onn, how can we be missing this? There must be some trace evidence – something we can go on to unravel this thing!
I mean, to me it looks like we’ve covered everything three times over! Didn’t you say that solving a mystery is knowing where to look?
Well then maybe the real question is...
Where aren’t we looking?”
The Bat-cave
“Simply vanish from the face of the earth – face of the Earth – Face of the Earth – Face of the Earth” “
“You knew something” Tim states, knowing.
Tim sees Bruce smile out of the corner of his eye. “I did”
Tim hums.
“Begin sequence”
“Carbon dating. Smart” Tim comments a moment later, already knowing what Bruce is doing from the screen, knowing what he’s thinking.
After all, just because the children are gone doesn’t mean that they were the ones moved.
Somewhere Dark
He calls himself Bedlam (He calls his new world that as well)
And the air crackles and bends with violent violet magik as he excercises his newfound, near infinite powers, his every whim and desire instantly realised before his darkly glowing eyes!
The imagination of a thirteen year old kid brought to life (Albeit with a roiling bruise-coloured tinge)
And utters his first words
As a god!
“This is sweet!
With these powers, I can do anything, have anything, be anything that I want! I can create anything just by thinking about it!
I thought up a whole world and all it took was using the right...vessel? Using the most powerful child’s mind as a...a conduit...to keep that world existing
And the more that they believe, the adults and the children too, the more imagination they feed me with
The more powerful I become!”
‘Baseball player’
“Yes. This is absolutely a child. He is not even wielding the power correctly, or effectively” Damian scoffs.
“I think that is probably better for us” Tim says.
“He has the power to do anything he wishes and all he does is segregate the world and cause chaos” Damian criticizes.
“Oh. And what would you have done differently?” Kon demands.
Tim intervenes before Damian can actually answer “I don’t want to know and you don’t either”
“Soon I’ll be invincible, unstoppable! Then they’ll see...”
‘Racecar driver’
“Yeah, then Mom and Dad will...
Then...
Mom and...
Dad?
Wait. Wait what’s happening?”
“He is not fully in control” Diana notes, observing the image on screen.
“No. I’m not even sure he knows what’s going on. Not fully” Dinah agrees.
“The preview did say that it is an ancient evil. And that it was removed from an evil mage. So who’s to say that it isn’t just using Matt as a vessel?” Clark asks.
The mute creature's eyes flash briefly in silent disapproval.
An almost imperceptible nod
As knives of energy stab out to “correct” this situation.
“Yes, then they’ll see.
Then they’ll all see”
“This seems to confirm that theory, at least. He is at the very least being influenced. At the worst, he’s likely being possessed” Bruce states.
“What happened to the kid, after?” Tim asks, question pointed at Bruce. He remembers that Matt had been comatose and wheeled away. But he doesn’t remember what happened to the kid after.
He’s just a victim who received a gift from the wrong place.
Bruce inclines his head and Tim decides that actually, he doesn’t want to know.
Meanwhile in the adult-free, kid infested Fawcet city
“Okay, there it is”
Jason starts laughing as soon as the image on screen pops up. Bart racing ahead, as Kon flies, carrying Tim along by carrying him by the armpits.
“Is that how you get around with the Supers?” Jason asks, still laughing.
Tim sighs, rolling his eyes. “As if I haven’t seen Bizarro and Artemis carrying you with exactly the same method” he reminds.
“Yeah, but I don’t generally look like I’m T-posing" Jason states, voice still laced with laughter.
Tim closes his eyes in dismay “T-posing wasn’t even a thing back then, Jason”
“So, you were ahead of the trend! SO proud of you, little birdy”
“The radio and TV station we saw? What are we gonna do here?”
“We’re not gonna do anything. I just want to have a word with...
Him!”
“You could have just told us that he’s a hero” Kon grumbles.
“Yeah, we were worried that you’d gone insane and started stalking normal civilians” Bart states.
“You both know that I don’t just go around giving away secret idents” Tim reminds.
“You were such a stickler for that” Cassie remembers.
“Superboy?!
Robin?!
Kid Flash?!”
Bart just rolls his eyes.
“I get that a lot”
“What are you guys doing here...?”
“Superboy, Impulse, excuse Billy and I for a moment”
“We thought you were going to eat him alive” Bart comments.
“What happened to Ribin not being scary?” Tim asks back, smirking.
“I mean, there’s nothing that I can do”
“Actually, I was hoping there was something you could do. Or rather something you could say...?
I know who you are
We could really use your help”
“Hold on a sec. I know Bart and Kon are standing like a bit away. Supposedly out of hearing range. But doesn’t Kon have Super hearing?” Steph asks, leaving her real question unasked.
“I like to be polite” Kon answers, giving her a look.
“You have more self-restraint than I do. I would listen to absolutely everything. Especially when I’m not supposed to” Steph states.
“Yeah, you learn pretty quickly how that backfires” Kon says back, wincing.
“But it’s not that simple. I’m...afraid
All of the adults are missing. What If I say the magic word and become Captain Marvel? What’ll happen?
What if I become a grown-up and...
And what if all the grown-ups are dead?!”
“A valid concern with the information at hand” Tim acknowledges.
“I don’t think that...”
“Are you trying to peer pressure an actual child there, Timothy?” Kon asks, his eyes already fixed on Tim, the corners of his mouth lifting into a smirk.
“No peer pressure needed. Just reasonable discussion” Tim refutes.
“Yeah right. I don’t think you get what it’s like, talking to you in costume. It is always peer pressure” Bart argues.
Cassie sighs “There is a certain level of pressure to live up to the actual Robin. Especially for new heroes”
“Billy works with the actual, literal Justice League!”
“And that still has nothing on the experience of the actual, literal Robin being disappointed with you” Cassie sighs.
“Whataya think they’re talking about?”
“Oh probably, you!”
“Oh”
“Hey! Waitaminute, whaddaya mean, me?
Why would they be talking about me?”
“Oh, yaknow, like although you’re very fast, you’re not too...
Swift”
“Very funny”
“I take it back. You were indeed an asshole. How dare you call me stupid” Bart deadpans, eyes drifting to the side, already looking bristled like a cat, ready to fight.
“Bart. I love you, dearly, I do. But sometimes, even I questioned your sanity and intelligence” Tim says, earning himself a glare from Bart before his look softens.
“Ok. Yeah. But everyone looks stupid to you. Kon though, I take offense to” Bart replies.
“Holey Moley! The national weather service satellites are going crazy, showing a monster weather anomaly originating over-
Happy Harbor, Rhode Island?!”
“Which is a problem but what does that have to do with the current catastrophe?” Hal asks, leaning back into thin air and floating there, staring up at the screen like a person watching television. Tim almost wants to knock him down.
“You’ll see”
The Watchtower
”Carbon dating various samples – of everything – around the cave, only to discover that they’re all the same age! Roughly seventeen hours old!
Everything down to the minutest detail – everything on this “Earth” is a replica designed to maintain the illusion that it’s business as usual
But the truth is, the kids weren’t abducted
We were”
“Which is freaky. But makes sense. Matt didn’t want to be away from the adults. He wanted the adults to go away from him” Kon remembers.
”What?!”
“That’s Impossible!”
“Who could’ve...who has that kind of power?”
“Then we can only hope the younger heroes will be working to get this situation under control”
“That is absolutely a mistake” Bruce grumbles.
All the kids turn to look at him.
All the Bats begin to smile.
Bruce winces.
“Big mistake”
“The children?! What are they up against?!”
“Hey, that’s right! I forgot that the Titans would be there to restore some of the order...
And they’ve got Robin”
“Superboy is there...And the new Wonder Girl!”
“Oh no!
Nonononononono!”
“Wally? What is it?
“Bart...! They’ve got Bart!”
“Hey! I take personal offense to that!” Bart yells, facing Barry.
“I wasn’t even there!” Barry defends.
“Yeah, but Wally was Flash and so, I get to yell at the Flash” Bart reasons.
“I was literally presumed dead!”
“Don’t care! Doesn’t matter!”
Kid World. At the Whiz studios
“Happy Harbor?! Isn’t that where the old-”
“Were you just waiting for someone to let you run?”
“You look like you’re about to vibrate out of your skin. Literally”
“What are you doing?”
“Why does Bart look like that?’
“Excuse me! They were being slow!” Bart defends.
JLA headquarters is and where the legion-
Was hanging out for a while?”
“See?!” Bart demands “In the time it took for them to talk about the place, I went to check it out!”
“And that almost always comes back to bite you in the ass” Tim reminds.
Bart hesitates, but only for a fraction of a second “Only sometimes”
“Yup. That's it.
Guys, you have gotta see this”
“Billy, are you sure there’s nothing you can do? I mean c’mon, you’re a hero and-”
“Don’t you see it?
It wouldn’t do anyone good if I disappear too...
I’m just a kid...But maybe I can think of something else”
“You are trying to peer pressure a child” Kon realizes.
Tim doesn’t hesitate. “We were alone. We had no backup. No JLA. No Superman. No backup in case something went wrong. We had no idea what happened. If Billy could get in contact with the adults. If he could give us any kind of glimpse into what was happening, I was going to push for it” he explains.
“You know, the book kinda makes a funny scenario of this” Cassie states “But it was chaos back then. I have no idea how many kids died or got injured because they were without supervision. There were only so many heroes to keep track of everything. And I have no doubt that things slipped through the cracks”
“It’s the tone. And the fact that we know the adults aren’t dead. But with a few alterations, you could absolutely make this whole thing into a horror movie” Tim says.
“What was that all about?”
“Nothing. It’s okay. I thought that maybe Billy could help is...
But I guess I was wrong”
Bart, Cassie and Kon all wince, instinctually knowing the tone Tim had spoken in, glancing at Tim, who stares impassively at the screen.
“Billy situation aside. You look like you are wrangling cats” Barry says, trying to lighten the mood.
Tim allows it.
“They are worse than cats. This is wrangling Speedsters and Supers” Tim reminds.
“We were not that bad” Bart claims.
“I was not that bad” Kon claims in contrast.
“You were both terrible” Tim says instead, gesturing to the screen where he can be seen pushing Kon out the door, and dragging Bart by a hand.
And shortly, on a cliffside overlooking the aforementioned Happy Harbor
“Wow! Weird weather whatitsits was an understatement
Look at this place!”
“It’s like some kind of twisted nightmare brought to life! What could possibly be-?”
“Woah!”
“Move! The ground’s giving way!”
“I don’t like the look of this”
“Superboy, can you pull us up...?”
“Oh! This is good!”
“The hell were you even talking about? Nothing in that whole situation was Good, Tim” Kon says, huffing.
“It was a pretty good trap, though” Tim says, narrowing his eyes. Maybe he could incorporate falling floors into his safehouses. Floors giving way. Like the one that saved him, Pru and Steph back when the ninjas were after them. But with less explosives.
Whis studios
‘Aw man, I must look like a chicken!
Robin probably thinks that I’m letting the fear of the unknown keep me from becoming Captain Marvel!’
“I was not peer pressuring the 10-year-old” Tim claims “At least not unnecessarily” he says when he gets disbelieving looks in return.
‘When I just might be our only hope!
The old wizard gave me my powers so I could help people...so I could do what was right! It’s my duty...
My responsibility.’
“And that, is exactly how kids get killed” Jason states, eyes glowing mildly green.
Kon goes to argue but Jason raises an eyebrow “Have you not died, because it was your responsibility to fight Superboy Prime?”
Kon shuts up.
‘And we could use some help right now...
Robin’s right...I can’t just sit here, waiting for a better idea...I’ve got to try!
Even if you are a little scared
Just say the magic word
Say Shazam! Say-
“Sha-!”
“And of course we cut right there. Naturally, we always get a cliffhanger” Hal complains.