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Captain Marvel comes from an alternate dimension, one where instead of Captain Marvel, Kid Marvel was the one who existed, a hero who first appeared during an invasion of tree monsters, he protected the city for three years, even if some people didn't quite agree to it, saying that a child shouldn't be endangering himself, others refusing to trust a child with their lives.When he was 13, a new hero arose, Starlight, a hero who ended up turning out to be a villain hellbent on getting rid of Kid Marvel, and for this he first got people to love him by creating scenarios where he would save the day.All while he fought Kid Marvel behind the scenes, he then came up with the perfect scenario of recording his death and make people believe Kid Marvel had killed him.He revealed to the world Kid Marvel's identity.
William Joseph Batson.
Because of this Billy was forced to hide his foster family, wanting to protect them from villains and civilians alike who wanted to harm them one way or another. He was hated and hunted down, got shot and insulted. People threw things at him and attacked him whenever he was within reach, but he never stopped helping people. Until his family was found and subsequently murdered.A villain hung them all up in the trees at the park.He searched the whole city after coming to an empty house, he froze as he came to an brupt halt at the park where a crowd was gathered at, he flew up to each and every one of them, his parents, his siblings, shaking them and calling their names, but no answer came, their skin was cold, no pulse.The crowd whispered to each other.
Should have known this was bound to happen.
Everywhere he goes, death follows.
Karma always gets back at you.
Rotten child.
Well deserved.
The whispers are too much, he covers his ears, magic litting up inside him as his breathing starts coming in short gasps, tears blurring his vision.He screamed.A giant lightning bolt struck down, forcing people to jerk back and run, screams of fear filling the air, but even over the screams, the lightning could be heard wailing, the magic in the city shifted, the world screamed.
A fissure opened somewhere in the multiverse.
When the lightning died down, Kid Marvel was nowhere to be seen. ~
Somewhere in the multiverse, another fissure opened in the middle of a small city by the name of Fawcett City, it would be days later where it would run on the news the report of the biggest thunderstorm ever recorded in history.For some miracle, the thunderstorm didn't brought casualties with it, left no damage whatsoever in the city despite the near apocalyptic thunderstorm that the city was subjected to for two days straight where the skies had wailed, wind blowing dangerously and rain pouring down.Some people claimed to have sighted a figure hovering in the skies. There were even blurred pictures spread all over the internet.A week later Captain Marvel made his first appearance.Theories arose regarding the thunderstorm and his strange apparition, but he never confirmed anything, the people eventually stopped asking, quickly growing attached to the overly energetic and joyful hero who seemed eager to help and befriend anyone within reach.He could be found helping at soup kitchens, playing with the children at the park, hanging around hospitals or just giving away blankets and food to the homeless.It wasn't until a year later that the Justice League came into the picture. Having studied him from afar and come to the conclusion that he would be a good fit for the League.He became one of their heaviest hitters, cheerful and friendly as he was, he had shown to be one of the few, to not say the only one, capable of going against Superman and actually managing to subdue him, something that put him under Batman's obsessive watch.The fact that the bat couldn't for the life of him find the man's secret identity or a weakness for that matter didn't particularly help his paranoia.It wasn't until he had been with them for over two years, that the League learnt something about him that left them with more questions than answers.
~ Flash had been wanting to ask this question since Captain Marvel first joined the Justice League, but he had felt like that might be a question he had more chances at getting a real answer or even an answer at all if he first established some trust between him and Marvel.As time went on he forgot about the question, two years and he finally was reminded of it by Wally, he had gone on a trip with his friends to Fawcett City where they actually heard some rumors regarding Captain Marvel.Thus, Wally had asked him if they were true.That's when Barry decided to ask the question, Marvel might keep people at arm lengths despite his friendliness and open persona, but this didn't seem like a question that would make the man lie, at least he didn't see it like that.He had been fidgeting more than usual throughout the whole meeting, desperated for it to end at once so he could ask what was eating him inside.Captain Marvel, as usual, was spacing out, he was frowning in thought as he seemingly stared right through Batman who just ignored the man.That wasn't new, Captain Marvel's had the habit to space out since he first joined, he spaced out sometimes, sometimes he seemed to be listening to something, other times he flat out looked like someone who was struggling to remember something.But since it didn't affect his work and he somehow always knew word by word what Batman was talking about even if he had seemingly been staring into space, no one questioned it.Still.As the meeting ended he was quick to stand up and speed up to the man, unable to wait any longer."Hey Cap." He greeted as he came to lean against the table, waving his hand infront of the man for good measure. Marvel blinked a few times before glancing at him with a smile, he could never guess how could a man who was in all the sense of the word spacing out not get spooked over someone appearing out of nowhere anywhere near him."Yes?""Question, is this you?" Flash said, pulling out his phone to show the man the picture, he had even spent several hours searching through the internet, Fawcett's forums, old ones related to Captain Marvel and the thunderstorm from three years ago.It had taken him two hours exactly to find a decent picture, Captain Marvel's popularity was almost as widespread as Superman's, which made it almost impossible to find an specific thing without knowing the right hashtags or whatever to look them under.Captain Marvel frowned at the screen, tilting his head to the side. Some from the League who's curiosity got perked at Flash's words peeked at the screen where a picture was at, it was seemingly nighttime, the only light on the picture being from the clouds as lightning branched over the sky, inside the biggest lightning a mildly humanoid figure was at."So? Is it you?" Flash asked curiously, Marvel frowned even more, and for a moment, Barry could swear he saw the man's eyes flash with a gold hue."Where's that from?""Three years ago, you know, that big ass thunderstorm in Fawcett City? Some people believe it was the biggest thunderstorm ever recorded in history, weird thing is that there was no damage, no deaths, not even injuries, in fact, some of the homeless people who were sick or hurt odd enough healed overnight."Marvel stared at him with a blank look."So?""You appeared a week later." Flash said, now feeling a bit awkward, Marvel was looking at him as if he had no clue where this was going."You think that was me doing all that?""Was it not?" Now it was Marvel's turn to look uncomfortable."...I don't know." That was not the answer Flash was expecting."You don't know?""I don't know, I mean, a lot of people used to ask me that too when I first started, but I didn't have an answer for them then either. Much like I don't have it now. I'm sorry.""How can you not know if it's you or not?" Wonder Woman asked before she could stop herself, because Marvel's answer made no sense.Marvel for his side didn't answer, to be honest? Billy had hoped for the League to never bring that up, because he remembered nothing from that week and back. All he remembers was waking up at the Rock Of Eternity, that was his first memory, he woke up in pain, had been unable to move for God knows how long as he laid there on the ground, shaking and crying over something he had absolutely no idea.All he had known was that he had had the overwhelming sense of having lost something important, the fire in his chest had been all consuming.It faded away, eventually, leaving nothing but a cold emptiness behind.The Gods had filled him in on who he was.Or at least his name, age and birthday.Had also told him what his purpose was, and even if he even had the memories of the past Champions, he never managed to understand how come he didn't have memories of his own, he was human, shouldn't he have memories too?But the Gods were masters at dodging his questions.It terrified him their silence, even more so because Black Adam claimed he had been the previous Champion, but how could he still have his powers if Billy was now the new Champion?It felt like he was missing something, what were the Gods and the Wizard hiding from him? Where were his memories? Had he done something? What were they hiding? What could be so bad that six Gods and an ancient Wizard were hellbent on keeping it from him?He trusted the Gods and the Wizard, as ominous as them all were, he knew they genuinely cared. But then why would they keep his memories from him?He wanted to know, but it also terrified him. Sometimes, he would hear someone make a comment about something or see something that made his head ache, made him feel like he had something at the tip of his tongue. But he could never grasp it.Solomon warned him against reaching too deep, to ignore it. But how could he ignore the idea of getting the smallest glimpse of who he had been?It terrified him... the idea of the League finding out that he was a blank slate until three years ago, that he might have been an incredibly horrible person.But if he had been evil, how come had he been entrusted to be the Champion Of Magic? But look at Black Adam.Would also explain the lightning scars that covered him from head to toe as Billy, lightning didn't hurt him, but when he had first woken up he had been burning, and the lightning scars had felt painful to the touch. Meant he had just gotten them.What if the League kicked him out? It was bad enough he refused to tell them his secret identity, telling them he had no memories could become the last straw and make them kick him out, no one wanted anywhere near them someone with an unknown past."Marvel?" Green Lantern's sudden voice caught his attention, and he realized he had been quiet for far too long, everyone was looking at him, he looked down at his hands, wondering... should he lie?Or should he tell the truth? But this was all he knew, the Watchtower had become like a home to him, felt less cold than the Rock Of Eternity, less empty. And the League was like a family to him, they were the only friends he had. Should he risk losing that?"Only the true friends will stand with you during your toughest times." He clenched his fists at the sharp stab of pain, the distorted voice speaking those words making a knot stick at the back of his throat. Who had said that? Who was that? No. Solomon had said to not look for it. No matter how much he wanted to.But no.He wouldn't risk losing that. He wouldn't lose his home.Thus, he plastered on his best fake smile and looked up at the League."It's nothing. I've gotta go."And with that, he was quick to stand up and leave the room.Little did he know lies could never last forever.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Captain Marvel was prompt to zoning out at the most random of times for no apparent reason whatsoever, this has been a known fact among the League since he first joined.But since it has never gotten in the way, no one really paid it any mind.Until it did.The League had broken into a warehouse where several hostages had been kept at, all of them loved ones from several politicians from different cities, Captain Marvel had been supposed to get the still living hostages out once fred.He hadn't.He had froze and completely zoned out, Green Lantern got the hostages out, so no one really got hurt, but it still left the fact that Captain Marvel had put the hostages in danger.He hadn't said a word throughout the whole flight back to the Watchtower, had looked more tense than usual even, but he hadn't attempted to make an escape when Batman asked for a meeting.He sat through the whole meeting in complete silence, still looking stiff, in fact, he seemed to be growing even more tense by every passing moment.Meanwhile, Billy was currently having a very difficult time grasping a single word from what Batman was saying, his head was pounding with vengeance, jaw clenched and fists so tight it hurt.But not even that could make him focus past the pain.That damn pain that had begun when he had seen that woman at the warehouse.One of the hostages who didn't make it.She had been hanging from her wrists, barefoot, a pool of blood beneath her, drip dripdrip.
A woman hangs by her throat from a tree, barefoot, blood dripping beneath her from the gaping wound on her stomach. Empty brown eyes stare back right at him.
"Captain Marvel!" Batman's sharp voice caught his attention, he glanced at the man, he could see his mouth moving, but the words felt like water slipping through his fingers. His head was pounding much too loud to focus on anything but the fact that it felt as if his skull was splitting open.The more he thought about the woman, the more the distorted flashes of a similar woman kept popping up, making his throat close, he felt like he might go sick.
Billy, you must stop. You won't like what you will find.
Solomon's whispers did nothing but make him think even more about the woman, he wanted to know who she was, she was important, he didn't knew how so, but she was important. Batman was glaring at him now, he noticed.
Billy stop.
This time Achilles was the one who spoke, his voice almost pleading, pitiful. It irritated him, who was this woman? Why did it felt like his soul might tear apart the longer he tried focusing on her? His skin was burning, he didn't had them in this form, and still, the lichtenberg scars had never burnt as intense as now.He could almost peek over the knotted threads, get past the stained glass, he could almost grasp the woman's face.The sudden hand on his shoulder made him flinch, something deep inside him snapped with violence, hot and dark and unforgivable. His hand snatching the wrist in a bone crushing grip, for a moment, all he saw was red, his magic howling like a furious storm wanting out. Electricity leaking out.Billy. Zeus' booming voice rattled his insides, making him stiffen, someone else was talking, like an echo.
Cease the use of your powers child. You are in no danger, but you might put in danger those around you.
Zeus' voice was firm, but also gentle, and it took him more than he was willing to admit to break through the sudden fog of darkness that had enveloped him.He wasn't quite prepared to be met with the fact that the wrist he was holding in a bone crushing grip was none other's than Wonder Woman's. She didn't seem bothered at all, not even with the electricity crackling all over her arm, though that one might be related to how she was the daughter of the God of Lightning. Meant it shouldn't surprise him if she was immune to electricity.Still.The moment he realised what he was doing, the second he was quick to release her arm, cursing at himself, shit, shit, what the hell had he been doing? Had he seriously attacked Wonder Woman? Did he break her wrist? Bruise? What if it had been someone else? Shit. Shit."I'm sorry." Why did he do that? Why did he attack her? How did he even not realize she was the one by his side? Fuck. Fuck. It never even occurred to him this would happen around the League. He had had several 'dark' moments before, usually at the Rock Of Eternity. One moment his head would be pounding.And the next thing he knew he was inside a door from the Room of Doors, soaking in goo and other questionable stuff and with his heart racing and a gawning sinkhole in his chest.A gawning sinkhole that never stopped growing. Never stopped feeling ever biting freezing.It was one of the many things that terrified him to no end. It made him feel like there was something dark inside him, forever waiting for a moment of weakness so it could sink its claws into him.And sometimes, he feared that the claws would one day not let go.That the Gods' voices might not be enough to keep him afloat.
And he didn't even knew why.
The worst? Black Adam liked looking at him as if he knew something he didn't, as if waiting for something.It terrified him. ~ To Diana, Captain Marvel was like a brother to her, he had her father's powers coursing through his veins. She grew to care a lot about him, and she trusted him with her life.It was because she trusted him with her life that she didn't even twitch when he grabbed her wrist when she touched him, he had been zoning out too much, more than usual, and he didn't even seem aware of it, it was like he couldn't control it at all.So before Batman decided to do something stupid, like going up to him and punching him, because he apparently didn't learn anything from punching Superman that one time. She decided to go up to him herself and hope to get his attention.She hadn't expected him to flinch at her touch, much less the bone crushing grip on her wrist, his eyes were glowing between gold and silver."It's fine." She stated with a firm voice, giving the team a warning look. For them to stand back. The lights above flickered, electricity crackling all over her arm, but it did nothing but tickle her, he was staring at her, but his eyes were pretty much unseeing, like he wasn't quite there. And still.The storm was there in his gaze, crushing and unforgiving, tormented and filled with a hatred like nothing she ever thought him capable of wielding.Danger was what it spelt.She tried to appease him, not quite sure where his mind might be at, but wanting him to know he was safe.He did seem to react at last, the glow from his eyes fading completely alongside the storm, for a moment, he stared at her arm.And then he withdrew his arm as if she were on fire, looking positively horrified. "I'm sorry."He looked a bit pale if not a bit haunted."It's alright." She tried to assure, he shook his head, he seemed like he wanted to protest but kept himself from it. "Marvel?"Batman called, voice hard. He was fighting the urge to grit his teeth, he's never been more hateful of his inability to find anything on the man than he was now, because he had practically attacked Wonder Woman with no provocation whatsoever. And even without moving, the air had felt heavy. Heavy enough he had been quite sure, that had he tried it, walking would have been near impossible.He hadn't even know Captain Marvel could cause such effect in people. Which made him wonder how many things was the man hiding. And made him resent the fact that he couldn't find a single weakness in the man.Marvel looked at him."Explain." He demanded, not bothering to be polite at all, because the man had already tested his patience today by putting those civilians in danger.And now this?He could ask Martian Manhunter to get into his head, if it was possible, but J'onn had long told him Marvel's mind was inaccessible for him.Marvel didn't answer, all he did was look down.For a long moment, he didn't answer.And then."Do you remember what I told you when you first asked me if I wanted to tell you who I was? About not having a secret identity even though I was theoretically speaking human? I wasn't really lying, I don't have a secret identity."Because he didn't even know his last name. The Gods were so tight lipped about things regarding his past it both infuriated him and terrified him. Made him feel like he might not like what he might find. Even if the urge to know who he was sometimes became almost downright insane."Truth is... I woke up at the Rock Of Eternity three years ago and that's it. I don't remember anything from before that, I didn't even knew my name. Sometimes, someone will say or do something that reminds me of something, but I can never really remember what exactly it reminds me of. Other times..."He didn't want them to know this part, a part that never failed to make him fear going to sleep or even leaving the Rock Of Eternity, he has been Captain Marvel for three years, and in all that time, he's never left the Rock Of Eternity as Billy.Terrified of what could happen if he went dark while in that form, he still had magic as Billy, Captain Marvel doing horrible things could be seen as someone controlling him. Superman could even attempt to take him out alongside the League.If Billy did horrible things, he would be permanently tagged as a villain, even if he was 15, villains could be any age now days. And the last thing he wanted was having the League seeing him as a villain, something to be contained and locked somewhere where he could never see the light again.But he couldn't lie. Not after attacking Wonder Woman. He couldn't run anymore."Other times I can see things... like distorted images... if I focus on them for far too long... I don't know what happens, it's like I black out, and when I wake up, I'm at the Room of Doors fighting my way out of whatever door I might have gone through. I know this isn't exactly the explanation you wanted, but I can't really give you something not even I know."He never looked up as he spoke, he didn't think he could bear to look at their faces right now, afraid of what he might find there. Would he be kicked out? He had just flat out told them he had black outs that led him to finding himself in situations he had no idea how he even got in.
They saw what he did to Wonder Woman, which alright, he didn't hurt her, but what if Zeus hadn't managed to break him out? What if next time he did that to a less invulnerable League member?
Or worse. To a civilian?That sudden thought filled him with horror, because if these episodes could happen outside the Rock Of Eternity, what assured him he wouldn't hurt an innocent?"Why didn't you say anything before? I mean, do you at least know your name now?" Flash was the first one to break the silence, three years ago? Christ, how did the guy even manage to put on a smile on a daily basis? Barry couldn't imagine himself being able to act like Cap did when he had absolutely no idea who he was, if he had family, if anyone was looking for him.How did he even got by without anything to aid him? Did he seriously spend 24/7 as Captain Marvel? Barry had joked with Hal about that, but it never occurred to him that that might actually be the case."I do know my name, Solomon told me. And I didn't tell you because I didn't really see it relevant.""We could have helped you find your way back home." Wonder Woman stated as a matter of fact, if he had no memories, who was to say there weren't people looking for him? Marvel shook his head."I looked everywhere, and I'm 100% sure I might not even be from here.""Here? Like an alien?" Green Lantern questioned in confusion, it was no secret Superman had once thought Marvel to be kryptonian."No. I'm human.""A time traveler then?" Flash asked, there were several heroes from the future in the League."No. Or at least I don't think so, remember the Room of Doors I mentioned? It's a place at the Rock Of Eternity with thousands of doors that lead to different places, like dimensions or something, when I first woke up at the Rock Of Eternity, I was in that room.""You think you might be from another dimension?" Batman questioned, thousands of doors leading to different dimensions? How did Marvel never mention something like that before? Were those doors locked? Or could anyone go in, or come out?"Maybe, would explain why I don't seem to exist here, and why Black Adam still has his powers even though that shouldn't be possible."At their looks he elaborated."Living Lightning is a potent spell, it can't be split in equal parts nor taken by force without risking destroying it, or at least that's how Solomon said it was. My point is, he has powers, but so do I, he's said so himself, there shouldn't be two of us, not even him seems to know how is that possible."Batman narrowed his eyes at that, if Marvel was right, if he was from another dimension... it would explain why he couldn't find anything on the man even though this one didn't even wore a mask, but if he was right.Then what was he doing here? If he woke up at this Room of Doors with no memories, had he come on his own volition or had there been another person behind this? What for? With what purpose did he come or was he sent here? Or had it all been an accident?But what if it wasn't?"Maybe Black Adam is the reason." Martian Manhunter's voice caught everyone's attention."Black Adam?""You said so yourself, his powers cannot be split or taken by force, he's a very dangerous foe, and Zatanna's said before that the Champion Of Magic is the one who controls all the magic in the world, that in killing him, it might cause an enormous power vacuum. Maybe that's why you were brought here, a world where the Champion Of Magic has gone rogue, maybe whoever brought you here did it with the intention of you stopping him.""But wouldn't that mean another world has lost its Champion Of Magic?" Hawkwoman stated, how was that even fair? To Captain Marvel and the people he might have left behind? He didn't even remember any of that. Had it even been something he had had a choice over? Hadn't Diana said once that the Champion Of Magic was bound to the Gods' will or something of the sorts?Had he been brought here against his will and so he wouldn't attempt to go back his memories had been erased? You couldn't go back to something you didn't knew existed."It's not as simple as that, there shouldn't be two Champions Of Magic, there's dozens of other worlds, but the Champion Of Magic is just one, after all, magic is connected throughout the multiverse, there's no need for more than one.""Who told you that? The same Gods who apparently know who you are but won't tell you anything?" Hawkwoman asked, Marvel didn't answer."What's the first thing you remember? You said you woke up at this Room of Doors?" Wonder Woman questioned, on one side, she knew that the life of the Champion Of Magic was a cruel one, chained to the will of Gods, but on the other hand?He was her brother, she didn't care with what high purpose had the Gods sent him here or what. It was wrong and cruel to take his memories. They were literally manipulating him by keeping everything from him and just telling him what they deemed useful for them."I... I'm not sure... The first few times were a blur, I don't even know for how long was I there for. All I remember is that it felt as if I were burning from the inside out." Billy refused to say how much of a mess he had been, crying and shaking, feeling like the pain in his chest might just kill him.He didn't like thinking about that feeling, how it had felt like... it made his throat close and his head hurt."You were injured?" Batman asked, Captain Marvel has been thrown into buildings and hit with giant laser beams, and never had he ever come out with a single scratch. Not even a grimace."...Kind of..." He looked down at his hand on reflex, even if in this form he didn't had them. As Billy Batson, he was covered in lichtenberg scars from head to toe, but as Captain Marvel, his skin was completely free of them.He could never make sense of that, lightning didn't hurt him, but somehow, it had done once, was that the reason he ended up here? Had someone sent him or had he come here? "Kind of? Were you or were you not injured?""Does it matter? I have made peace with it, I'm fine with how things are now. Sometimes there are things better left unknown. I apologize for what happened, I will make sure it doesn't happen again." Billy said, he didn't want to talk about this anymore, it was starting to make him feel sick. If they wanted to bench him so be it, but he didn't want to talk about this anymore. He shouldn't have said anything to begin with.The silence that stretched in the room made him feel nauseous, he didn't meet their gaze, not wanting them to see the fat lie on his face.Because who was he kidding? He hadn't made peace with anything, he wasn't fine with anything, he wanted to know even if that meant having to feel like he might die from the pain.Because he hated not knowing, hated feeling like he had forgotten something important. Something that should have never been forgotten.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
It's been over a week since Captain Marvel revealed to the League things that still got them thinking at times.Years wanting to know more about him, and now that they did, it made them feel depressed.Because the man was always so happy, always smiling, always willing to help anyone with anything.To know his background was as it was... he hadn't even known his own name. Someone had just taken him from his world and thrown him into a completely different world where he had no one and had no idea who he was, for what? To get rid of Black Adam?Whatever the reason, it didn't excuse what had been done to him, and Flash couldn't even hope to jump through the multiverse through the Speedforce because there were billions of other universes, it would take him forever to find the one universe where a Captain Marvel existed.And that if the man had even gone with the same name, or even the same costume. He had no idea what he was suppose to look for.It was frustrating.But Marvel had said he was fine with it, even if it had clearly been a lie. But the last thing the League wanted to do was risk crossing a line or pushing too much.So, they tried to act normal, go back to how things were...And it would have worked, if Black Adam hadn't teamed up with Grodd of all possible things. ~ Billy's known from the moment he first woke up at the Rock Of Eternity, that his luck was trash.So having Black Adam and Grodd teaming up wasn't surprising. It was very on his 'the universe hates Billy' alley.What he didn't expect though, was for Black Adam to call him out on the fact that he wasn't from that world, how did the man even found that out? He had no idea, but Black Adam had casted a spell he didn't recognize, which weird, he knew every spell in existence.The last thing he remembers is light engulfing him with the echoing shout of a voice that sounds a whole lot reminiscent of that of the Wizard's.And then the world goes black. ~ Batman was the first one to wake up.His last memories being those of Black Adam reciting something in an unknown language right after shouting about Captain Marvel not being from 'this world' and demanding him to go back to his own world.And then the bright light had hit. God, he seriously hated magic.He stood up, roaming his gaze around, narrowing his eyes as he realized them to be at the roof of a building. He first checked on everyone, counting heads to make sure no one was missing; Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkwoman, Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, Captain Marvel, all of them unconscious on the ground, but alive and unharmed.Thus, he took it to walk up to the edge of the roof, the first he noticed, was that this was not Fawcett City. It looked like Fawcett City. But something in the very air felt wrong. In fact, the whole city looked wrong, the Fawcett City he had visited was bright, flooding with colors, noises and just something about the whole place that seemed to ooze a strange sense of warmth.Disturbing for outsiders, not so much for its inhabitants, at least that's what he had gathered from his investigations. Zatanna had once told him it was the magic, Fawcett City had been built on top of one of the biggest leylines on the planet, making it a rich bottomless well of magic.
One of the most magical cities in the world.
To that add the fact that the Champion Of Magic lived in it. It was his presence what made grass and trees look greener, what made flowers bloom before their time, what made clean water and power run through even abandoned buildings. Why there would never pass more than a week without rain.It was him the reason rain could cure simple diseases or injuries on the homeless and other people in general, the flu, cuts, broken bones, colds, headaches, migraines, poisoning, they would all disappear if the person stood under the rain.Batman has studied the planet since Captain Marvel's first apparition. Those cities closest to Fawcett City also looked much more alive, greener, healthier.Point was.This place looked dead compared to what it should look like. Sick people, abandoned parks, chipped paint from the buildings, even the trees were incredibly dry, and so was the grass. Dead. As if it hadn't rained in a long time.And there wasn't a single stray animal or animal in general in the city, no birds, no dogs, not even a single butterfly.But what made realization hit was glancing at a billboard.
2015.
That wasn't right.
"I will send you straight to where you came from!"
Black Adam's words came back to him.Ah.He knew what this place was. Captain Marvel's original world."2015?" Flash was standing at his side, leaning onto the edge to look down, Batman yanked him back by the scruff."We should not let ourselves be seen. We do not know if we exist or not in this world nor if we pose a threat to this world." Batman states, he had been in worlds where the Justice League didn't exist, others were superpowers or heroes didn't exist but in comic books, and others were the League were the villains.No need to raise attention to themselves.The rest of the League was awake at this point, standing up and looking around. Except for Marvel who was still sitting on the ground and staring at God knows what with a frown. He reached out into the air, waving his hand around before frowning even more."Uh, buddy? You alright?" Green Lantern asked, noticing the odd behavior, he totally didn't flinch when Marvel's glowing eyes fell on him."Magic's dying." Was the ominous answer as he went back to waving his hand around, in fact, looked at it better, he seemed to be weaving something. Something only he could apparently see.But again, Zatanna had once said he could see the fluctuations of magic, whatever that meant."Dying?" Batman asked, narrowing his eyes."More like agonizing, I can't explain it. I can't feel any leylines either, at least not in this city, it's like as if they had completely dried out and the magic's only coming from nature itself at this point, but even then, it's fading quickly. It's... it feels shredded? Like when you rip out something and it's left frayed?" Billy had no idea how to explain it, he has never seen anything like it.
Not even on grounds with dying magic.
The magic here... he could tell from a mile that they weren't in their world anymore, but one where magic was dying, where its source had been cut off from it, or more like torn away. Leaving it all frayed and agonizing.The power needed to damage the magic of an entire world to this level... it was terrifying.
The planet itself was agonizing.
"What would that mean for this place?" Superman asked, he could feel it, there was an overwhelming sense of wrongness in the air. And he couldn't hear any animals around, not even the wind was blowing. The sky was grey, but there were no clouds.And even the heartbeats he could hear were few, as if there were less than a thousand people. And the most unnerving fact was that he couldn't hear a single child in the city. But how could that be possible?It was unsettling."I'm not sure. I have never seen something like this... the planet is agonizing, but it will recover, eventually... but the city... It's like the city itself is dying, magic would alter the balance if it were to disappear, but not to this extent."Something else was killing the city, but what? "Billy, find the Rock Of Eternity, you must return back immediately." Solomon's sudden tense voice caught his attention, he tilted his head to the side, frowning."You know something about this?" He can't help but ask, at the League's looks he holds his finger up, he always tried to not answer back to any of the Gods' remarks whenever he was around the League. He knew it unsettled people to see him talking "alone".But right now, he needed to know how come was a whole planet agonizing, an entire city dying, and he hadn't been made aware of that. Hadn't Shazam said it was his job to make sure the balance was kept? How was letting a whole planet die keeping the balance?"You must go. That's all you need to know, the planet will be perfectly fine." Achilles interjected, he sounds cold, sharp, it made him narrow his eyes, what were they hiding from him now?"Why?""Because you must." Atlas stated, leaving no room for argument, but Billy wasn't so easily persuaded."That's not an answer.""Because you don't belong here! That's all you need to know." Zeus' thunderous voice snaps, anger burning in his voice, it burns so hot Billy feels it rush through his very veins. A deafening thunderclap splitting the sky above before lighting strikes on a nearby roof, Billy doesn't even flinch, unlike the League who clearly startle under the unexpected display."You seriously need to work on that temper. You know? Just because you are the God of Lightning it doesn't mean you get to make those tantrums.""As if I care!" Billy rolled his eyes. And he was suppose to be the child here."Billy, all we do, we do it for your safety. You understand this, right?" Hercules' voice made him frown.Of course he knew it, even if at times he hated being told what to do or having things be kept from him, he trusted the Gods, he knew that they all had his best interest at heart, they had shown many times that they cared about him, not because he was the Champion Of Magic. But because of just who he was.Solomon didn't have to teach him things because he couldn't go to school. Achilles and Hercules didn't have to agree to his childish request of wanting to learn how to use a sword because he thought it would be cool, Mercury didn't have to lend him his speed as Billy Batson just so he could take big leaps at the lake and make giant splashes.
Zeus didn't have any need to let him use his lightning to do something as mundane as charge his phone. Nor Atlas let him use his stamina so he wouldn't get tired whenever he wanted to stay up late.
But all of them did, they were the closest thing to a family he would ever get.Thus. He sighed."Fine, where's the door?""At the subway tunnels, this city is very similar to your Fawcett City. But do not fly over there, no one must see you. You cannot teleport either. Because of the state of this city, you cannot make big spells, the magic's insufficient, you must preserve your magic, we cannot risk you losing the transformation." Solomon told him, Billy nodded, finally standing up."Well, good news. I can take us back home. But we will have to walk there." He announced to the League, using his magic to materialize some civilian clothes based on what he's seen them wear as civilians in the past. "You should wear these, we don't want to attract attention to ourselves." He said, holding the pile of clothes out for them to take.Using his own magic to change his costume for civilian clothes, a trick Solomon had taught him after he was expected to go undercover with Flash and Martian Manhunter. But his costume could not be removed. That's when he learnt he could alter his Captain Marvel's costume using magic. He still messed up sometimes, like that time he just changed the upper half, leaving him with a red and yellow shirt and Captain Marvel's lower half of the costume.At least now he didn't mess it up, red jeans, yellow sneakers and a red long sleeved shirt with yellow cuffs."I know you can't really change the color, but you seriously need to work on the style, that's worse than the obnoxiously yellow shirt with the red stripes." Flash said, grabbing some clothes from the pile. "That shirt looked just fine." Marvel defended."Dude, you need glasses." Green Lantern told, shaking his head before de-transforming, the only one with his civilian clothes at hand.Marvel snickered.After the League had changed into civilian clothes and Marvel had put on a glamour on Hawkwoman to hide her wings, they left the roof, courtesy of the ones who could fly taking the ones who couldn't down onto the alley by the building.The streets looked almost barren, just a few people walking around despite the fact that it seemed to be noon, there weren't even many cars. "This place gives me the creeps." Hawkwoman mutters as a man who walks past the group gives them a long ominous look that seems to take a bit too long on Marvel."You said before that the city is dying, don't you think we should try to do something?" Superman said, Marvel frowned. Yes, why did he not revisit that fact?"It cannot be saved. Its inhabitants doomed it themselves when they chose to stab on the back the same Gods who served them." Atlas' ominous words made Billy frown. Was that resentment he was hearing from the God?Still."Atlas says it cannot be saved, that its inhabitants doomed it themselves when they chose to stab on the back the same Gods who served them." He relayed."What is that suppose to mean?" Aquaman questioned, Marvel shrugged."Don't know, they won't tell me.""You do are aware that this isn't a random world, right?" Batman asked, Grodd and Black Adam hadn't thrown them in here at random, this was Captain Marvel's home world. He was sure of it.The agonizing magic and dying city raised many questions, had Black Adam not been the motive for Captain Marvel to come into their world? Could there have been possibly another reason? And what did he meant by stabbing Gods on the back? Was the city's dying state because of the Gods? Something was missing here. But what?Captain Marvel halted, looking at him with a confused expression. So did the others. Had they seriously not paid attention to anything Black Adam had said? "This is your home world. Your city." Batman stated, Marvel stared at him, Batman stared back. "Are you sure you are fine by just leaving it to die without trying to save it?""They deserve no saving!" A deafening thunderclap of lightning split the sky above, several street lamps and windows across the street exploding into a million pieces, sending a few passersbys running with frightened screams.Billy couldn't help but flinch this time, bringing his hands up on reflex to cover his ears, the booming voice from Zeus feeling way louder and infuriated than he's ever heard it before."Dude what the hell?" Flash whispered, his voice beyond mortified as the League stared at the glass scattered all over the sidewalk and street. "That wasn't me. It was-""Zeus." Wonder Woman finished for him, giving Marvel a narrowed look, she would recognize her father's anger anywhere. Her father was a man hard to anger, even more so to the point of having him showing that rage in the form of thunder.But this made it two already. Two displays of raw anger, in less than an hour. Why? Last she saw him threatening to split the skies apart with his rage had been three years ago, while in Fawcett City that abnormal thunderstorm had been raging, in the middle of the Atlantic, an even worse thunderstorm had been raging.He had been beyond furious. Talking about ungrateful scoundrels, traitors and how their actions should be paid with slow suffering, for them to see their deaths coming and know that there was nothing to be done about it.At the time, Diana had thought he had been spilling things in the heat of the moment, everyone said things they didn't meant when angry. Her father was a good man, in his own way, he had reformed.But this... He had shown his anger when Marvel had asked about something. And then now after Batman's words... Did he have something to do with this world's lack of magic and the city's agonizing state?"Captain, what are the Gods saying about this city's state?" She asks, her answer is an uncomfortable look as he tries to look anywhere but at them."... They... don't really care, they keep insisting that I must leave immediately, and Zeus... He has some strong opinions about this place.""You don't say." Hal mutters, glancing at the mess of broken windows and lampposts across the street."We cannot just leave this people to die. There must be something to be done about it." Superman said, he couldn't just abandon a whole city to die, it wasn't right. He couldn't on a good conscience leave.
He just couldn't.
Another booming thunderclap was heard above, this time, lightning struck dangerously close to Superman who reflexively jerked back. Marvel groaned, clutching his head."Dude, will you stop with the shouting already?! And stop calling down lightning, you are gonna hurt someone." Marvel snapped."What did he say?" Batman questioned, he hated that he couldn't understand what was happening.Marvel didn't answer."Captain?" Superman asked, feeling like his heart was starting to slow back down. Lightning from Marvel was never pleasant. His lightning was magic, meant it could harm him. His lightning which came from Zeus. He didn't want to know how it would feel like to be struck directly by Zeus' lightning."You don't want to know." Was Marvel's answer, he looked like even he was having trouble swallowing whatever was it that Zeus might have said. "But they say that the planet will be fine once it settles into its new non-magical state, and that while the city is dying, those who are innocent are free to go.""Free to go? As in these people are trapped here?" Flash asks, horror written on his face. Marvel doesn't answer, he seems just as confused about his own words."There are 878 people as of now in this city, 878 of which 50 are children. Nothing excuses taking the life of children." Martian Manhunter said, he had been quiet since their arrival, studying the city's minds, but many minds he couldn't read, and some others were as if he were trying to look past broken glass.And he couldn't read any minds outside the city. It was as if there was a giant dome on the city, keeping everything else out."They won't die even if the city dies, they will just be forced to move away, the ones who can't leave are the ones who participated in anyway in stabbing the Gods." Marvel said, he seemed to be relaying whatever was it that he was hearing, growing increasingly confused if not a bit judgemental by the minute
As if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Dude, that is so messed up. What did these people even do?" Green Lantern asked, because what the hell would lead six Gods to grow incredibly resentful of a whole city to the point of trapping the culprits inside while also killing the city?"Don't know, they won't say, they just keep insisting that we really need to leave.""Then we should leave." Diana states to the collective surprise."I'm sorry, what?""No one can change a God's mind, even less Zeus', not even me. If he's doing this, there must be a reason, I know that no one who isn't the cause of his anger will be hurt. I'm not agreeing to what he is doing, but sometimes, it's best to not interfere with the Gods' doings, not if it's of this magnitude, Gods haven't interfered with humans' affairs in centuries, if they are doing this, it means something awful must have been done, something we are better off not interfering with." Wonder Woman states, she wasn't sure of the cause, but if six Gods were targeting the whole place, it couldn't be good.What had these people done to gain the wrath of six Gods? She could tell, that her father has kept rain from coming this place for years now, she knew it in the complete lack of the tendrils of magic left in the aftermath of every rain.Meanwhile, the rest of the League frowned at her words, on one side, it didn't felt right to just turn their backs to these people, no one deserved to die. But on the other hand, none of them knew a single thing about this world, they didn't knew what had happened, magic was dying, the planet was agonizing because of it, and the whole city was apparently cursed.And for a world that was meant to be Captain Marvel's home world, the few people who had passed them on the streets hadn't reacted to him at all. Yeah, he wasn't wearing a costume, but the colors in his clothes and his face should be a dead give way.
He didn't use a mask.
Point was, none of them knew anything. Should they leave? Or should they try and help? But fighting against six Gods didn't seem reasonable.Even less if said Gods were the ones who gave Marvel his powers, same man not even Superman could take down. "Can we at least walk around before leaving?" Flash asks, he didn't want to leave without at least attempting to make reason of this place, of why had a whole city been cursed. Marvel said innocents were free to go, that those who didn't participate in stabbing the Gods on the back wouldn't suffer harm.But what did that meant? Were it actual innocents or were people's innocence based on the Gods' own speculations? He needed to know at least who was he giving his back to.And he knew he wasn't the only one."Alright." Marvel conceded, Billy pointedly ignored the Gods' protests against it, tuning them out. What could he say? He was curious to know about this place, what was making the Gods do this.Maybe he shouldn't be so calm with the idea of people being hurt, but sadly, as the Champion Of Magic, his job had very ugly sides to it, sides he hoped the League never learnt of.Point was, if the Gods themselves claimed people here didn't deserve saving... something huge must have happened. But what?He wanted to know what were the Gods hiding, why would they curse a whole city and never tell him a planet's whole magic had been agonizing.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The Justice League walked around the city for a while, the city was very reminiscent of their world's Fawcett City, though it was less... vibrant.And while most of them didn't notice it, Captain Marvel did. He noticed the loud differences.Some stores were missing, others had different names, and that ice cream shop that he loved going to wasn't there, it was a cafeteria instead.This place... it made him feel weird, and it wasn't just the lack of magic in the air. It wasn't nostalgic, it was more like an uncomfortable weight. A feeling that crept up his spine like dark claws, sinking onto his shoulders and whispering into his ear.What? He did not know. But it made his hairs stand on end.As he walks past a restaurant, he halts as something catches his attention, inside, across the restaurant there was a table where a couple was at with their two children, two boys laughing as they steal each other's fries and playfully fight. He winces as pain flashes through his skull, his hand flying up to grab his temple on reflex, an image of a dark haired boy stealing fries from him and laughing. "Dude!" His own voice is like a distorted echo, he bites his tongue as the pain intensifies."Th&$%se a#÷×e y&ur t@#$xes f&/%r t@#day's trai$&%ng!" The black haired boy speaks, voice even more distorted. Christ, it felt like his brain was about to be split open."Trai&$#ng?! You j#$%st told me to j'#$mp off a buil&/ing and see if the mo&$/%ntum would let me fly!" His own voice hisses back, the words are too muddled, distorted, he can't understand anything. Who was that boy? He couldn't see his face, it was blurred, much too blurred, but it hurt.It hurt more than when Superman on red kryptonite used his heat vision on him, he had dodged it, but it had still gotten his arm, he had hidden the injury with a simple glamour after the fight was done and Superman had been subdued.He had hidden it so Superman wouldn't see it and feel guilty. Because it hadn't been his fault.Point was.It hurt. There was a sense of increasing emptiness that threatened to swallow him whole. His heartbeat pounding in his ears."Marvel? Are you okay?" Superman's sudden voice catches his attention, and he realizes he had been standing infront of the restaurant, and that the League had been seemingly midway crossing the street before they realized he wasn't following.He gives the man of steel a short nod, forcing his legs to move, forcing the flashes to stop bombarding his head."Dude, you alright? You look pale." Hal's question flies over his head as he hurries past them, wanting to get as far from that restaurant as possible. He fights to regain some semblance of calm, but he can't.It just gets worse when he turns on a corner and comes face to face with a park, and for some reason he can't explain, his body completely betrays him, his throat closes and his stomach flips, he clutches his chest, pain flaring up, hot and overwhelming, all consuming to a point where it feels like he might die.It's such, thunder rumbles above as grey clouds spread over the sky.And this time.It's not Zeus' doing, but his own."Hey, what's wrong?" Diana asks as she comes to his side. He shakes his head. He doesn't understand what is happening, all he knows is that it's burning him from the inside out. "Something's wrong." Is all he manages to rasp out. His breathing is uneven and he can feel himself shaking, and why is this happening? He feels nauseous and his vision blurs, he isn't sure of the reason, but it feels like there's a bleeding wound deep inside that he has never noticed before. He wants to lie down and never get up.Diana shares a concerned look with the rest, and before she can do or say anything, a giant lightning bolt crashes down right infront of them, and for a moment, Diana hears it. A much too familiar voice that sizzles across the lightning like static.
"Take him away my daughter. Do not let him see the park. He must not remain in this world any longer."
The whirring of static dies down alongside the lightning bolt, and Diana doesn't even stand to wonder what had those words meant, if she knew something, that was that her father didn't make requests lightly.Thus. She grabbed Marvel and pulled him back around the corner, cutting his view of the park, but not even that seemed to do much, he just slid down the wall, sitting on the ground and curling in on himself, arms shielding his head as electricity crackled all over his body, thunder still rumbling above."We must leave immediately, I don't know what's happening, but I heard my father's voice, the Captain must not remain in this world any longer." Diana said firmly."Did he say why?" Batman asked, narrowing his eyes, something else was going on here. Something big. Diana shook her head before kneeling infront of Marvel, touching his arm lightly. "Marvel? We must leave this place, where's this door at?" He didn't answer, but lightning did strike a nearby building, exploding the windows and making the League flinch.Even more so as wind rose out of nowhere, strong, wiping up the trash on the streets as thunder roared above, furious, almost as if a monster of lightning itself was the one howling in the skies. Lightning threatening to split the skies apart, even the air grew thick, something in it shifting and making the League's hairs stand on end. A most terrible feeling that something horrible was about to happen overtaking them."Marvel? Friend, brother, you must get a hold of yourself, if you keep this up, someone might get hurt. Let's just leave, yes? Please? Let's forget we were ever here, whatever happened, it's alright. It can't happen again, we won't let it happen again. I won't let it happen again. So please... Let's leave this place." Diana said, grabbing his hands when she noticed he was gripping his hair way too tight.She had no idea what had happened here. But she had the sudden and most horrible feeling that maybe, just maybe, Black Adam had had nothing to do with how he ended up in their world, and that her father's rage happening on the same time as that thunderstorm everyone said was the birth of Captain Marvel were connected.That maybe the betrayal the Gods spoke of hadn't been towards them, but towards the man before her.Her father had reformed, but Diana had come to learn something about him.And that was that he wouldn't hesitate to go back to his vile actions towards humans if he saw one of his children being wronged by said humans.Like that time he set a hurricane of pure electricity upon an army of parademons after her arm almost got ripped off by one of them.Or when he set loose an electric tornado upon the same village who had tried to execute Hercules.And now a whole city was cursed. She knew for a statement of fact that her father considered Marvel a son, another reason she had adopted him as her brother. So it shouldn't surprise her her father would go far enough to curse a whole city if his son had been wronged.Just that this time, Zeus' wrath was backed up by another five Gods, and Diana knew for a fact how deadly Achilles' and Atlas' anger could be.The fact that the city was still standing, looking so normal, it made her blood curl, what had they done to make the Gods go for a slow and agonizing revenge? She hasn't seen such skin crawling and methodical approach in her life.The electricity around her cut off abruptly, wind going eerily quiet.And for a moment, a pin drop could be heard in the city."Captain?""Fine." Diana frowned, that didn't seem to be directed at her, he looked up, a distant look on his face for a moment as he tilted his head to the side, as if listening to something, he scowled before scoffing and standing up. "Alright, alright we are leaving. There's literally no need to get so hung up about it."He sounded very much annoyed, as if anything from the past few moments hadn't happened at all."You coming?" He called, waving at the stunned League, what the hell did just happen? "Dude, you-" Green Lantern's words were cut off by Batman at his side raising his hand, stopping the question as he narrowed his eyes, he wasn't sure why, but he had the feeling that Marvel might have actually forgotten what just happened.Which made him wonder, how much control did those Gods had over his memories and head in general? What were they hiding that they wouldn't hesitate to alter his memories, Marvel's reaction before... this city hadn't betrayed the Gods, had it?This whole curse thing wasn't about them, it was about him. Captain Marvel.That was the reason he had been thrown into their world, wasn't it? It wasn't Black Adam, not even wanting to switch him to another world. It had been a last resort to protect him from whatever was it that this world had done to him, apparently bad enough they had chose to send him to another world.But what? What could possibly be so bad?Still.The League followed after him, now with the tight realization of what this was all about. Why were his memories gone and why was this city cursed.Suddenly, an old woman stepped out of the store they were walking past, grabbing Captain Marvel's arm and prompting the man to stop abruptly, giving the old woman a confused look. "Can I help you..?" Mrs. Bambi the nametag in her dress said. "Mrs. Bambi?" He added, it could be his imagination, but he could have sworn speaking her name made her grasp on him tighten, it felt like a de javu to speak her name in general."You are him, aren't you?" The old woman, Mrs. Bambi, questioned, making the League tense, how come did this woman recognize him but no one else seemed to?"I'm afraid I don't understand..." Marvel said, giving Mrs. Bambi an apologetic look, woman who released his arm and grabbed something from the counter near the door behind her, a newspaper.She held the newspaper up, showing the headline.A headline that froze the League and made Marvel lose all color on his face.There was a child on the front page. No older than 12 or 13, on one picture, it was a regular picture, but on the one besides it, there was a child... wearing a red mask with gold trims, and an awfully familiar red suit, a bit different, there was a golden belt of silk on his waist and the cape hung up sideways on his shoulder, much shorter.But the League would recognize that smile anywhere.On top of both pictures, the worst title stood.
Kid Marvel, unmasked. Revealed to be 13 year old William Joseph Batson.
First, shock came, a child. He had been a child, had been doing this since he was a child.And then anger came, pure, unadulterated anger, over the realization of what had exactly happened.Somehow, someone had found out who he had been, and whoever was, had given a flying fuck on the fact that he was a child, and had still exposed his identity for the world to know, completely disregarding his safety and the safety of those around him."You are him, aren't you?" Mrs. Bambi asked again, breaking the silence, Marvel didn't answer, he was still staring at the newspaper, but the woman didn't wait for an answer as she pulled the newspaper away. She then hurriedly pulled a pen out from her pocket, grabbing Marvel's hand and scribbling what looked like coordinates on his palm."Coordinates?" He asked in confusion. It weren't even coordinates from the city, not even the country. In fact.It was from Khandaq."I know you left, and I know you will leave again, and that's alright, but before you do, you must go here, I believe there's someone there you should take with you. I know it can't make up for what this city took from you, but I hope it can at the very most bring you some peace." She told, and something about her gaze as she looked up at him, the way she held his hand...She had known him. Hadn't she? There was such sadness in her gaze, sorrow..."Who are you?" He found himself asking, because the Gods weren't asking him to ignore the woman, there wasn't even thunder above to signal Zeus' anger.In fact.The silence in his head was almost eerie. As if the Gods were listening intently to whatever the woman was saying. He knew because the eerie silence just happened whenever the Gods were particularly interested in something.But what had caught their interest this time? And who was this woman? He felt like he had heard her name before... somewhere...Still.The woman didn't answer him, all she did was pat his arm and give him a sad smile."It doesn't matter. Just go, yes? Don't stay here any longer.""But-""Billy, we must go to Khandaq, immediately." Mercury cut off, sounding between stunned and like he was having troubles coming around something.He frowned. What the hell was happening?"Alright." He agreed at last, giving the woman one last look before turning away, looking down at his hand, these coordinates were familiar now that he thought about it.It wasn't just Khandaq...It was Black Adam's palace."What's in Khandaq?" He asked, turning to look at the woman over his shoulder, she just smiled before stepping back into the store and closing the door. Not ominous at all."Those are from Khandaq?" Batman asked, narrowing his eyes at the coordinates."Yeah... But it's not just a regular place, I'm not sure if it's the same in this world, but in our world, these are the coordinates to Black Adam's palace.""Black Adam exists here?" Aquaman questioned, not quite sure believing this, hadn't he said before that even Black Adam didn't knew how was it possible for him to be there?"Not sure."
"Black Adam does exist in this world. But he is not someone you should worry about, he means you no harm."
"I find that hard to believe." He muttered at Atlas' words, Black Adam? Not meaning him harm? That was like expecting babies to not cry.
"Look... You must not know about this world, it's for your own safety, but the Teth Adam of this world wasn't a man of greed who became twisted with power, he wasn't even chosen, his son was the original champion."
"He had a son?"
"Yes. His son gave him the powers of Shazam to save his life, his son was executed infront of him, and in his anger and thirst for revenge, he destroyed the palace, he was sealed away as punishment for abusing the power he had been granted, but he was fred centuries later, he isn't what you would call a hero, but he is not a villain either. He doesn't harm innocents."
Solomon's words got him frowning, still not convinced of what he was hearing. "I still don't see how it's smart to approach him." He said at last, he didn't want to approach Black Adam if he could help it. Not when he felt so unbalanced and weird."You were allies. He knew your identity, he would never harm you." Zeus' words froze him. What?"Billy, you must go to Khandaq." Hercules' voice was almost urgent, making him frown."But what's in Khandaq?" The Gods didn't answer. "We are not sure. We can't be certain, it might be a false alarm, something different. So it's best if you go see for yourself." Mercury's words made him roll his eyes."Of course, because going to Black Adam because an old lady asked me to is totally not leading to a trap.""Watch it boy. That old lady was once the reason the CPS didn't take you nor starved to death." Achilles' words got his eyes widening, what? He looked back at the store, if she had been good, why was she still living in this cursed city?"Uh, Cap?" Flash's voice caught his attention, fuck, he seriously had to stop doing that, he never got distracted talking to the Gods around the League, but today he's been doing that way more than he's ever done it."Mind filling us in?" Hal asked."Right, sorry, uh... Black Adam does exist here, but they say he isn't a villain nor a hero, more of an anti-hero I guess? And that apparently we were allies or something?"Captain Marvel's words send the League for a loop, Black Adam? An anti-hero?? Allied with Captain Marvel? It was hard to imagine, Black Adam was merciless and brutal, he wouldn't hesitate to kill Marvel if he had the chance, that much was known. He harbored an insane hatred for the man.So how the hell had this Black Adam just allied with him? It was hard to believe."Did they say what's in Khandaq?" Superman asked, he didn't felt comfortable with the idea of letting a friend go up to a potential trap."No, they are being very ominous about it, they aren't sure if it's true, whatever it is, they want me to see for myself."
Which he seriously had no idea whether to trust or not.
"I will just take you to the Rock, and-""Wait, you are seriously not thinking we will let you go there alone, right? I know Black Adam's someone you deal with regularly, but we have no idea how this Black Adam is." Hawkwoman cut off, she was not leaving a friend behind to walk into God knows what. He was insane if he thought they would just let him go alone."Also, I thought you couldn't use your powers, how are you getting there if you can't fly or teleport?"Wonder Woman's question made Billy realize he hadn't thought about that. How the hell was he getting there without his powers?"If Khandaq is in the same place, it means we can travel through the ocean, Hal can make a submarine or something with his ring and keep everyone else undetected." Aquaman suggested, it wouldn't be the first time Hal made a vehicle to transport people."You trusting the water of a completely unknown world?" Flash asked, reminding Arthur very much of the fact that water wasn't always harmless just because he was atlantean, like that world with the creepy multicolored tiny Pac man ghosts-Like octopuses that went feral on anything that touched water.
Or how he almost got himself killed for getting too close to Gotham's waters.
Meanwhile, Aquaman glanced at Marvel with a raised eyebrow.
"The ocean is safe. But do tell him to not use his powers to call sea life, mermaids exist by a lot in this world, and they are very dangerous creatures. They ended the Atlanteans and any other intelli gent humanoid sea creature centuries ago."
That last bit of Zeus' words made Billy's stomach twist."You shouldn't swim, it's not safe." He told, not bothering to elaborate, he didn't want to have to tell Arthur his whole specie was gone, he wanted to spare the man that knowledge. And also avoid the risk of any mermaid coming anywhere near the atlantean. He was not losing anyone in this world.The thought alone for some reason made him feel claustrophobic. No one could die here. No one would die here.Aquaman gave him a look, as if he could tell he was hiding something, but he didn't push. Good."Alright, so we all go into the Green submarine." Hal said, grinning, the group making a face at his words."Dude, stop calling it that." Marvel said, which just made Hal grin wider.
And now to see what the hell was in Khandaq.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
William Joseph Batson.
William Joseph Batson.
William.
Joseph.
Batson.
Billy couldn't help but repeat the name over and over again in his head, his name, his full name, he had a name. A last name. A middle name. He had a name."You alright?" Diana's sudden voice almost made him jump out of his skin, he turned to look at her, she was giving him a concerned look."What?""You have been... quiet. You alright?"He shrugged, what was he suppose to answer to that? He didn't want to think about the fact that his identity had been revealed to the world, that the League had seen his face as Billy Batson. Even if this world was like 20 years into the past from theirs. Which seriously messed up with his head.Because it had been three years since he came into their world. But it has been five years since that newspaper was published. How the hell did that even work?"I'm fine, just thinking... that I have a name now I guess." He ended up conceding, he was thinking about his name, among other things."William's a fine name. Means resolute protector or strong-willed warrior, I think it fits you." Diana said, his name was... not what she had expected, but it still fit him rather well.And still."I thought the Gods had told you your name." She said, remembering his words from before."They did, in a way, said my name was Billy, which I guess isn't a complete lie." He said, glancing out, staring at the open sea and watching the fish swim by. It felt weird, to say his name out loud, he had always tried his best to hide his name, all so the League would never have anything on him.Not that it mattered anymore, he wasn't even from their same universe. Why care anymore about hiding his name?"Billy? Can I use that? I mean..." Flash trailed off, Marvel shrugged."I don't care, it doesn't matter."Nothing did. He wasn't from their world, but he apparently didn't belong in this one either, where did he belong then? His identity had been exposed, by whom? Why? And most importantly.What had happened to the people around him? Had he had friends? Family? What had become of them? Who had been Mrs. Bambi? She had seemed nice, and Achilles said she had kept the CPS off his back and made sure he didn't starve to death, which made him wonder if he had been homeless here too.And if so. Why? Back at home, he was initially homeless because he literally hadn't known anything, had had nothing but what he had been wearing, it had taken him a long time to even get a job, to learn how anything worked, even more so get an apartment.He wanted to know, even if the answer might not be one he liked, he wanted to know who he had been, about the life he had here, the people he might have had in his life. But how would he even learn of that? Mrs. Bambi had given him the impression that she wouldn't tell him if he asked. Would he be able to find it on internet? Did internet even exist here?"There's something I still don't understand." Superman's sudden voice caught his attention. "That was from five years ago, but you arrived into our world three years ago, it said you were 13, which would make you 16 in our world, but 18 here, but you are neither. How can that be possible?"That was an amazing question Billy himself had no idea how to answer, at least not without revealing the truth behind his age. So all he did was shrug."I don't know, time's weird."The silence that followed didn't quite register to him, something that should have told him something wasn't right.Meanwhile, the League stared at him, a sudden suspicion taking root, how old was he really? I mean, just because he looked old enough it didn't meant he had to be the age he looked like. Right? Even more so when one considered the fact that he was magic. Magic was an enigma that went beyond logic.There was also his behavior to take into account, Flash and Green Lantern were childish, but there was something about Captain Marvel that made it seem genuine, like it was a natural thing for him. There was also how he interacted with the Young Justice and the Teen Titans, appearance aside, he did act as if he were their age, he even spoke like them. Had no interest or understanding on things one would expect anyone to.He didn't look like one, but he did act like one.A teenager.And it made them wonder... if magic could mess with people's ages, if it could turn adults into kids... who was to say that somehow, it couldn't do the opposite? Turn kids into adults.Or maybe they were thinking too much about it. ~ "You sure a Justice League doesn't exist here?" Flash whispered to Marvel, the group was walking through the streets of Khandaq, people were staring at them with mistrust."I'm sure. Just ignore them, even in our world they don't trust tourists." Marvel reminded them, which was true, Khandaq didn't trust outsiders, even less the Justice League.It seemed like in this world, it was the same.Walking towards Black Adam's palace was not something Billy felt at ease doing, it felt like he was walking into a trap, and still, something about his surroundings... it felt like a de javu.There was a difference though, in this Khandaq, there was a giant statue of stone, it didn't look like his Black Adam, but maybe this Black Adam looked different?Answers came to him when lightning struck infront of the group, bringing them to an abrupt halt, alarm going off. Even more so as they looked up, and no, that Black Adam definitely didn't look like Black Adam, he was a whole less muscular. In fact, if Billy didn't knew better, he would dare and say the man wasn't even in his Champion form, he stood at the top of the stairs that led to the palace, righteous fury in his eyes, black co-webs spread across his cheek. Black magic. He could tell, it was eating his own barely existent magic away, it strengthened it, but it was also destroying it.And he was holding a sword. An actual very huge sword. Sword that he lifted, pointing at them with it."You are not of this world. I recommend you go back to wherever you came from, before I make you. And you." He pointed the sword straight at Marvel, a new kind of hatred taking hold of his face, resentment. "I don't know who you are or what you intend by coming here, but I do know one thing, and that's that that power does not belong to you."His words made Billy's stomach twist, and this was suppose to be a completely different Black Adam? He was literally saying the exact same thing the other one did on a daily basis. How this power didn't belong to him."Who does it belong to then? You?" He couldn't help but ask, anger leaking into his tone, because why? Why couldn't he for once meet someone who didn't had anything against his magic? Even in his own world Black Adam had been the same. So why had the Gods said it was different?And still. His words for some reason seemed to anger Black Adam even more."It belongs to no one. Those almighty good for nothing that call themselves Gods deserve nothing but to rot away, and if you were smart, you would know that they care not for their hosts. You are of this world, surely you know what happened to the last one. And I know what happened to the one before him. And I can tell, that you are the same as them."Those last words made Billy's hairs stand on end, fear gripping his chest as he met the man's gaze, somehow, he didn't knew how, he knew exactly what Billy was behind the champion form.It made panic grip him.But before he could so much as move or speak, Black Adam moved, faster than expected from someone who should not be able to move so fast when his magic was as it was. An invisible force knocking the League back as a hand yanked him forward by the neck of the shirt."You know nothing of what they will do to you, and I am not letting them get away with it. Never again."Those were the ominous last words Black Adam said before thunder roared above and lightning came howling down.He thought Zeus might divert it.He didn't.And the lightning struck, panic seizing him as he felt the transformation be stripped away, no.
"Billy, calm down. He won't hurt you."
"That easy for you to say!" He snapped back at Zeus.As the lightning died down, all anger in Black Adam's face morphed into pure shock, surprise, confusion, denial. The man released him so unexpectedly he landed on his backside."Impossible." The man whispered, taking several steps back and looking very pale, like he had seen a ghost.But he didn't got to see his face for long, because suddenly, the entire Justice League was standing infront of him, all of them very much in fighting position, but Batman came to stand by his side, offering him his hand, there wasn't judgement in his eyes, not even anger over the lie, just sadness. Batman.Was sad. Why?Still. He took his hand, letting the man help him up."You are dead. You are suppose to be dead. I saw... You were gone." Black Adam stated, and something about his voice... it reminded Billy what the Gods had said, his son had been the champion. On their way here, Solomon had shown him the previous champion's memories, but Black Adam's and the other one's.He had also been a child. A child who got executed right infront of his father. All as he was unable to save him.He couldn't imagine what it must have been like, to see another child as the champion, he wasn't sure of the relationship between them, but Black Adam's face told him that maybe, just maybe, the man might have cared about him in ways he might never understand.If he thought he had died, had he seen his son's death all over again? Another child he couldn't protect?It was that thought what led him to sneak past the League, a hand on his shoulder stopping him, he looked behind him to be met with Diana's concerned gaze."It's alright. He won't hurt me." He told her, he wasn't sure of the reason, but he has never felt so sure about something in his life. Or that he would ever feel so confident about such words regarding Black Adam.Diana didn't seem all that sure, but she still removed her hand, letting him go.He went over to Black Adam, unsure on what to say or do, but very adamant about making the man stop looking at him as if he were a ghost."Look, uh... I don't really know what kind of relationship we might have had, but I'm not dead, and uh, we mean you nor anyone any harm." Billy said a bit awkwardly, Black Adam didn't answer, he just stared at him.And stared.The expression on his face indecipherable. "You don't remember?" Was what the man asked, was that hope in his voice?"...No. I... I woke up with no memories of who I was or even where I was. The Gods told me enough to get me moving and that was it. They don't really like talking about... This world I guess?""So you don't remember anything? Nothing at all?""No, why? A Mrs. Bambi sent me here, but she was seriously ominous about it all. And now you are being weird, can't we just be done with whatever is it that I'm suppose to be here for? I want to go back." He told dryly, crossing his arms over his chest, he might not belong on that world, but he didn't belong here either, he belonged nowhere.But at least in that world the lack of magic didn't make him nauseous nor the world in general made that feeling of wrongness sit so heavy in his chest.The fire at the pit of his stomach that he couldn't explain, that overwhelming feeling of hatred, resentment, anger. All of it tangled into a boiling ball that buzzed somewhere deep down. Waiting. For what? He did not know.But it made him feel claustrophobic to even focus too much on it. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. If he didn't leave, he had the horrible feeling something bad might happen, something he might do.Still.His words seemed to get Black Adam's attention."That woman's still alive?" He genuinely looked impressed."Yeah... she told me that there was something that I should take with me. Something that was here." He doubted it was Black Adam what he was suppose to take, that would so not go well, if his Black Adam was mad enough as it was with another champion he didn't want to imagine what he would do with another champion. A variant of his.And what if his Black Adam managed to manipulate this one into joining him? He couldn't fight two Black Adams!"Yes. There is, but when you said the Gods told you just enough to get you moving, how much is that enough? What do you know about yourself?""My name, my age..." He trailed off, saying it out loud just hit the sore reminder that he didn't even know three things about himself. And why did this Black Adam look so friggin glad about his memory issues? Was he seriously good? "Why does it even matter? Just give me whatever was it that I needed to take with me. Why do you have to prolong this so much?"He regretted his words the second they were out, even more so at the hurt that flashed across the man's face, he shouldn't let his relationship with the other Black Adam influence how he treated this one, variants weren't at fault for what their variants did. All of them were their own person. The Gods said he had been allied with him, meant he had to be good. Right?"I'm sorry.""It's fine, you have all the right to not want to be here, but this that you must take with you is not something I can just give to you, not if you don't remember anything, don't remember who she might be." That made Billy's brain do a flip."She? A person? You want me to take a person with me?" He asked, definitely not expecting that, who the hell was it? Why had Mrs. Bambi looked so adamant about him having to take it, her, with him? And why were the Gods so ominously quiet? What was happening?"It's not just a person, she was very important to you.""... Important how?" He asked, why did Black Adam look so hesitant to speak? Who was she? Family? Friend? What?He seemed to come to a decision, because he spoke his next words with determination. Next words that froze him to the core."She's your sister."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Losing Hurut had been devastating for Teth Adam, he had resented the Gods and the Wizard for a long time, even more so when he woke up centuries later just to learn that there was a new Champion.
A Champion that much like Hurut, had been a child, but this one hadn't even hidden behind an adult's glamour, something he came to learn wasn't even the natural state of the magic, Hurut had transformed into an adult because the magic had sensed that that's what he had wanted, to be big and strong,
an adult everyone would take seriously, an adult that could fight for freedom, if he was big he would never be afraid again or worry about being weak.
Billy Batson didn't got chosen at the brink of death nor in the middle of a most horrible situation, and because of this, the magic hadn't enhanced him into an adult. He kept his natural appearance,
that of a child.
At first he hadn't liked it, hadn't wanted him to keep on going around doing the Gods' job, afraid he might end up just like Hurut.
But the kid had been just like Hurut, far too stubborn and with an unwavering fire in his heart, wanting to protect and help people, refusing with tooth and nail to let those in power abuse those with less power.
Teth had been unable to not see Hurut in him, and so he had allied himself with him, at least he would be able to keep watch over him like that, help him when needed,
he wouldn't let him be hurt, this time, he wouldn't fail.
But he did.
Billy trusted the wrong person, and his identity was exposed, Teth had done everything he could to protect him, but it wasn't enough.
Someone had found the boy's family, and in their blind rage, had murdered them,
hung them at the park,
not even the children had been spared.
He had blamed himself for weeks, hated himself even more, because he should have been there, he should have convinced him to move his family to Khandaq,
he should have done more.
But he didn't.
And because he didn't, Billy was gone, just like Hurut. He failed him.
A month later, he discovered that he still had a chance at redemption, Amon had come to him with a child in tow.
A very familiar child.
Billy's sister.
The girl had come with nothing but a backpack and a letter.
From Mrs. Bambi, that irritating woman, she had told him of how one of the forensic people at the park had found a pulse on the girl, weak, but there, he had taken her with him, nurtured her back to health before getting in contact with her, and so Mrs. Bambi had done the wisest thing she could think of.
Send the girl to Khandaq, she was no longer safe in Fawcett, and she trusted no one but him to be able to keep her safe.
So Teth did just that.
He kept her safe, and with some help from Isis, Karim and Amon, he had managed to get her to start healing more than just physically, it had taken a long time before she began smiling or even talking again, when magic began dying, he made a logical choice.
He turned towards dark magic. Just enough to keep himself strong, just enough to be stronger than those who might attempt to hurt her or anyone around him.
When he heard of the man in red and a lightning bolt, he had been furious, even more so when he saw that much like Hurut and Billy.
It was yet another child.
Forcing him into de-transforming just to be met with a face he thought he would never see again... it had been overwhelming, he was taller, older,
but it had been him.
Billy.
Knowing that he remembered nothing... He had been glad, but also sad,
but glad
, glad because he didn't remember that fatidical day. Glad because he didn't remember how rotten people could be. Glad because he had no pain in his eyes.
He knew, that he was being hypocritical, he would never not want to remember Hurut, and if asked, he would kill anyone who so much as dared to implie he should forget his family's death.
But what was done to Billy...
He shouldn't have to remember that. He could not remember that.
Because if he did, Teth had the feeling that the kid might end up doing the same thing he had done.
And he could never allow that, he had to be better than him,
he was meant to be better than him.
So how did he tell him about his sister?
~
Captain Marvel was a teenager.
And while the League might have once focused on that fact, right now, what had their complete attention was the fact that this world had done serious damage to a child, enough that
Gods
were taking it out against them, it had been serious enough he had been thrown into another world and all his memories about this world disappeared.
It terrified the League to imagine what must have happened. Even more so because Black Adam didn't even bother to hide his relief at finding out he remembered nothing.
Black Adam... He didn't seem dangerous, he didn't have that crazed look the one in their world had, and he didn't look at Marvel with hatred, he looked at him with... sadness. Guilt.
But he also looked incredibly glad at seeing him alive
.
Alive.
He had said so himself, which led the League to believe that this world might have thought him dead all along.
And still. None of them expected him to announce Captain Marvel had a sister.
A sister he didn't remember.
And remembering the old woman's words didn't soothe them at all.
'I know it can't make up for what this city took from you, but I hope it can at the very most bring you some peace.'
What had she meant with that? Having his sister back couldn't make it up for what was taken from him? What had been taken from him? Something sickening loomed in the horizon, something that the League refused to even acknowledge,
because no,
they had to be wrong, it couldn't be, no one was so cruel, no one could be so vile...
Right?
~
Sister.
Sister.
Sister
.
He had a sister, a sister, that's all Billy could think of,
he had a sister, family, he wasn't alone.
"Follow me." Black Adam's sudden voice pulled him out of his thoughts, and he didn't even hesitate to follow after the man, he had never been in Black Adam's palace, but it sure didn't look like what he had expected.
It almost looked like a home.
Just bigger.
There was even a skateboard near the door.
"Your sister… her name's Darla." A beat of silence, the man seemed to be waiting for some kind of reaction.
When there was none, he continued.
"She just turned 12, she's a hugger, and she has an outstanding talent to blackmail people into doing whatever she wants. She's also been learning some magic with Amon." Black Adam explained.
"Amon?"
"My son."
"You have a son?" Billy blurted out,
he certainly didn't expect Black Adam to chuckle at his reaction.
"You don't have to share blood with someone to be family."
Fair point.
"Wait here, I will go get her." Black Adam said, having brought the group to the throne room… which looked more like a living room than a throne room.
The bottom half of the throne had even been bedazzled.
Huh.
He watched Black Adam disappear through a hallway, not even a second later, there was an arm on top of his head as Flash used him as some sort of recliner.
"Gotta say it baby taser, I definitely didn't see this one coming, but thinking better of it, it explains how somehow, you are able to understand teenager talk." Billy narrowed his eyes at Flash.
"Don't call me that… old man." He added as an afterthought, making Flash smirk.
"You know what? That's fair." Barry conceded, stepping back,
Captain Marvel was a teenager.
Like, he couldn't be older than 14 or something of the likes,
he definitely didn't look older than half of the Teen Titans.
And would you look at that, he was wearing a Flash hoodie.
Barry might actually tear up.
~
"So he doesn't remember?" Darla asked, when Teth came back, the last thing she had expected to hear was that her brother was alive.
Billy was alive. Here. Right now.
But he didn't remember.
Not her. Not their family. Not what happened.
Nothing.
"No, I'm sorry." Teth apologized, he sounded sad,
for
her, but he didn't need to be, while it did break her heart to know her brother didn't remember her, she was also glad.
Because it meant he didn't remember what had happened. Meant he wasn't sad, meant he didn't have the same horrible nightmares she herself sometimes had,
he wasn't in pain, he wasn't hurt, he wasn't prompt to just start crying out of nowhere. He was fine.
Happy.
And that's all she wanted, she wanted him to be happy, to not have nightmares,
to never be afraid or in pain.
So there was nothing to be sorry.
Really. It was fine.
It wasn't. She wanted her brother.
"Can I see him?" She requests, even if he didn't remember her, even if he didn't remember the memories they made together, he was still her brother.
And all she really wanted right now was to see him.
"Of course, come."
~
"It
is
her."
The Gods' surprised and shocked voices were all the warning Billy got before the girl appeared, and moving at a speed no normal human being should be capable of, she tackled him with enough force he stumbled. Her arms wrapping around his waist in a tight grip.
He almost had whiplash with the deja vu that hit him. Breath catching in his throat and shoulders tensing, for a moment, he completely forgot how to breathe,
because no one's ever hugged him while in this form.
At least not that he can remember.
And still, this feeling is familiar, he looks down and she's grinning up at him with the happiest look he's ever seen on anyone, her eyes filled with happy tears.
"As if Darla didn't have enough to cry about."
That voice made his head pound,
someone had been mad when saying that.
Still. He tried to not focus on that as he decided it wouldn't do harm to hug her back.
His sister. Very real, sister. He had a sister.
And for some reason he couldn't quite explain, it filled him with relief, such overwhelming relief it made his chest burn, vision blurring as he tightened his hug on her.
Just to be sure she was truly here.
Alive
.
Her fingers gripped his shirt,
and why did it felt like she was seeking for a comfort he couldn't even begin to understand? What had truly happened in this place? What had she seen? What did she know?
Would he be able to find about the truth through her?
And most importantly, where was the rest of the family? Or had it just been her?
Why did he find that hard to believe?
"Darla? Why don't you show Billy your room?" Black Adam's voice cut through his thoughts, ending the rabbit hole he was near tethering over the edge of.
He didn't particularly like the feeling of ending the hug,
he still wanted to hold onto her, just to be sure she was still here.
She grinned at him, grabbed his hand before pulling him along.
"Come!"
And with that, both kids were gone. Teth waited until he heard Darla's door close, and he waited a little bit more after that, once he was sure they were gone, he turned to look at the group, he could tell that they cared, more than they themselves might be aware, he had no idea what kind of relationship Billy had with these people.
But he knew they truly cared about him.
And since he couldn't go with him, he needed to make sure someone would know what they were dealing with,
for Billy and Darla's sake.
To give Darla people that would at least
know
and be there for her when Billy couldn't. People that would be able to be there for Billy if things ever went wrong and his memories came back.
Especially
if his memories came back.
"Come with me, there's something you need to see."
The group seemed hesitant for a moment before following after him. Billy had been the same, and he mildly wondered how was his variant from their world.
Scratch that, he didn't want to know.
He led the group to his office, a room off limits, and even then, what he wanted them to see was in a safe,
things he kept to remember at what he had failed.
Meanwhile, the League followed after Black Adam, trusting the fact that this one looked less… evil.
He led them to a room that looked more like some sort of office, closing the door behind them before going over to an old paint, removing it in order to reveal a safe. He opened it, pulled out several old newspapers, and put them on the desk, spreading them to show them all.
The League got closer, some newspapers had the same headline that woman back in Fawcett City had shown Captain Marvel, and others spoke of…
“Murder?” Green Lantern couldn't help but ask,
because the headline honest to God spoke about people seriously thinking a 13 year old had killed someone.
“There was once a man who appeared out of nowhere. He called himself Starlight, posed as a hero for months, made lots of people love him, I told Billy that he shouldn't trust him, something about that man always felt wrong, like he was trying too hard.”
Aiming to make everyone love him.
“And I was right... He caused a huge battle, got Billy roped into it, he killed himself in the midst of battle after a failed attempt to kill Billy, made everyone think Marvel had been the one to kill him. At that same time, his identity was revealed.”
Teth still remembers Amon barging into the palace with his phone,
remembers seeing the footage of Starlight just revealing to the world that Kid Marvel was Billy Batson.
“He got a lot of hate, people would throw things at him, call him murderer, he got a lot of threats too, and so did his family.”
“He was a child.” Superman stressed, horror in his voice, disbelief, because who could ever be so vile towards a child? A child who had done nothing but protect and help people when he should have been leading a normal life? Same people who paid him back with threats and insults…
Sometimes, Clark forgot how horrible some people could be.
“That didn't matter to them.”
“What about his family?” Batman asked, and even if he did, Bruce had a feeling he wouldn't like the answer to that question.
He knew it even more as Black Adam sighed, expression growing dark.
“He hid them in a safe house, but someone found them…” Black Adam told them, placing another newspaper on the desk,
with five covered bodies on the front page.
Curses and sharp intakes of breath left the League as realization hit.
“They murdered them all, not even the kids were spared. And because they didn't have enough with that, they hung them all at the park. I wasn't there, but for what I was told, they had the gall to blame him for that.”
“He
saw
them?” Wonder Woman couldn't help but ask, horror eating at her at it,
because how could they do that? How had they dared to do that to anyone? To a child? To kill his family and just hang them?
And great Hera, had it been the same park they had seen? He had reacted very strongly to that.
They had killed children too.
That little girl, his sister,
how old had she even been when they did that to her?
How heartless could someone be to do that to a child?
To even go as far as to blame him for his family's death?
No wonder the Gods were so angry. What those people had done was unforgivable.
“He did see them… It seriously messed him up, Amon said he saw it in his eyes, as he tried to get to him through the crowd... I always thought that the situation had been so overwhelming, that his magic just destroyed him…”
But it hadn't been, now that he saw Billy alive,
with no memories.
He had a different theory.
“You must be careful with him, if he remembers. He might hurt people, not on purpose, but he might. When I lost my family, the power blinded me, and in my rage, it exploded. And for what Amon told me, Billy almost did the same. Maybe that's why the Gods threw him into another world and took his memories away. To keep him from being corrupted by power and rage as I was."
The League didn't answer, Black Adam's words…
The Gods had thrown him into their world as a last attempt to save him from himself.
It explained their insistence on wanting to leave this place, what they had done to Fawcett City…
And it also made them wonder if that was part of the reason he had reacted so aggressively when he had spaced out and Diana had touched him.
Everyone reacted differently to trauma, and if the Gods had thrown him into another world that exact same day… had he even been allowed to
cry
their deaths? To mourn them at all? And God,
they couldn't even begin to imagine what that must have done to him, he had been 13, why had these people thought it was fine to harass and threaten a child?
To go after his family?
And just kill them all and hang them all at the park for him to see?
Who was so sick and twisted to do something like that? And now… if he remembered… What would he do? How would he react?
It didn't matter the answer to that, he really deserved to know he had had a family at the very most.
"Darla remembers what happened, she's better now, but she might still need someone to go to when she needs it. I know she won't tell him anything, that girl has always been far too selfless for her own good. That's in part why I'm also telling you this, so you can be there for her when he can't. And to protect him from himself if it ever comes to worse."
If these people were half as good as he thought them to be, he knew Darla and Billy would be fine.
"We have someone who can help her, she will be fine. And if he ever
does
remember, we will be there to make sure no one gets hurt, not even him." Batman said as a statement of fact, he knew Dinah would be able to help that girl, and Captain Marvel… Bruce would also make sure he was taken care of if it ever came to it.
Even if he didn't felt comfortable with the idea of hiding from him what had happened to his family, but sometimes, that was for the best,
what he wouldn't have given to just take away Dick's nightmares when he first came to live to the mansion and kept having nightmares of his parents dying infront of him.
He also knew what that did to a child,
to see your parents die right infront of you.
Just that Marvel didn't see them die,
he found them hanging at the park in a most sick and twisted scenario.
And that… Bruce didn't even want to know what that might do to someone, let alone a child.
Captain Marvel was always so cheerful,
a cheerfulness born from oblivion.
And he didn't know whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.
But Bruce would be damned if he didn't fight up to the very end to keep the world from finding out, to keep
Billy
from ever having to go through that.
He didn't deserve any of what this world had done to him. And maybe, just maybe, Fawcett City didn't deserve to keep him at all. They had their chance, and they completely destroyed that child.
Bruce would be damned if he ever let that happen in Fawcett City from his world,
he would wipe that kid's face off the internet if he had to, but no one would ever know who he was, never would he allow for his identity to be compromised.
There was a reason he didn't keep online files regarding the Teen Titans or Young Justice's secret identities,
he would never allow a soul to know who those kids were.
Meanwhile, Teth Adam stared at the group, the determination in their gazes… and he
knew
he could trust them to keep their word.
Billy and Darla would be just fine.
Finally, he could go in peace, knowing he hadn't failed, that he hadn't let history repeat itself.