"Is that a VHS?" I heard Kid Flash say.
About to respond to the not-so-subtle jab right after inserting the tape and before hitting play.
Super-boy said "Wait! Aircraft headed this way!"
As soon as he was done speaking, he moved towards the door with Kid Flash and Robin following.
Robin stopped and turned back towards me looking me dead in the eye saying "Gar, stay put!"
I was fully intent on doing exactly what the superhero told me to do but... The animals are locked up in the barn.
Moving quickly to the underground tunnel we had to the barn in case of emergency I rode the wheeled platform to the barn entrance and quickly went about opening the stalls we had just recently placed the Wildebeest and the Gazelle in.
Running to the big barn door to let them out I heard my mom asking about me, so I shouted to her "Mom, its ok. I got the animals out!"
Waving so she could see me, I heard what sounded like a chainsaw coming towards me and turned to look.
All I saw was some dirt puffing up and then I was thrown through the air in surprise with noise and heat all around me.
Feeling someone catch me I turn and see the green version of my mom with me in her arms and then I just blacked out.
Next thing I knew I was waking up in my room with an IV in my arm running to a blood pack.
My mom was sitting in a chair and half laying on my bed as she slept with her head on my lap.
Curious about how it felt, I started stroking her hair and was surprised at how calming it was.
With a soft moan she started to wake up and then jerked herself upright and looked at me with a trace of panic still in her eyes.
Seeing me awake her eyes softened and then they got the piercing look I knew to dread. "What were you thinking?" she shouted.
"I had to save the animals mother; they couldn't run because we put them in a pen!" I defended my actions.
Careful to not hurt me she hugged me saying "You are so much more important to me Garfield."
I felt her tears make my shirt wet and didn't say anything further.
Looking to change the subject I quipped "Good thing the blood packs survived, though to be honest I always thought it was weird to have bags of blood sitting around because of me."
Looking at me with fear returning to her eyes she said "They didn't survive the explosion Garfield, and none of the guys were a match to you so Miss Martian had to change her blood to match yours. We were very lucky she was able to do it, or I would have lost you forever."
"We still don't know if there will be any side effects, so you must tell me if anything feels weird. Please son, it's very important!"
Hearing a scratch at the door she got up and opened it letting Monkey into the room who quickly ran to me and sniffed where the IV was inserted.
Mom picked him up and placed him on my shoulder where he leaned his head on mine.
"Monkey was very worried about you and kept bringing you stuff, leaving it on your bed when you didn't react only to bring more stuff. I had to shut him out in case he woke you luckily, he didn't scream to loudly about the closed door."
What about the mission the team was on I thought, then another thought hit me superseding the previous one.
"You said Miss Martian was the one to give me blood?"
Seeing her nod, I shouted in glee "You mean I have a Martian blood brother? That's so cool!!!"
"Well, I believe it's more of a blood sister but yes, it was Martian blood changed to O- just for you." she chuckled.
"She left this phone number for us just in case she wasn't able to return, if we noticed any side effects due to the transfusion, we are supposed to call it. She said if there was an issue either her or her uncle would know what to do."
I quickly memorized the number and remembered to ask about the mission.
She said she didn't know so she turned on the TV to see if the news had anything, only to see the lone figure of Queen Bee standing outside the capitol building swearing vengeance for this act of outrage.
After that mom removed the IV and brought me something to eat to help replenish my strength, then I felt very tired.
As I started to doze off, I watched her take Monkey out with her and close my door softly.
Sometime after that I heard a whisper in my ear and then it felt like someone put an IV back into my arm and my last thought was of a gentil weight lying next to me in bed playing with my hair.
Suddenly my eyes and mind refocused and I came eye to eye with Monkey, jumping in fright I shouted "What was that? Why did you shove those memories into my head?"
Turning his head quizzically he said "I just opened up the memories in your blood. I find it weird that they end right there, that was defiantly not the last time I saw you. Very curious!!!"
I felt my head trying to split apart until a sort of shift happened, where my life as Garfield Logan the soldier started to feel more like a movie, I watched hundreds of times.
"There, that should be better." I heard Monkeys voice say.
"Wait, I'm Garfield Logan! The 36-year-old solder looking to start a civilian life. I'm not 8 years old, barely halfway through elementary school!!"
Clutching my head in pain I screamed into the Red that surrounded me.
Feeling my voice go much lower pitched suddenly and the growling tearing voice was much more in tune with the rage I felt I continued until my enormous chest was devoid of air.
Still feeling the rage in my head and fire in my heart, I looked around for something to tear and shred with my claws before that thought caused me to pause.
Claws? Since when did I have those?
Trying to calm down, I focused on one thing at a time unit I could fully understand it.
I was Garfield Logan, check.
I was clenching and unclenching a paw in front of me. Check
That paw was VERY large and green. Check
Feeling all the energy leave me as my hand and body returned to normal, I fell to my knees and spaced out again trying to work my way through this.
"Wow, you regained yourself very fast. In this place that's no mean feat." I heard Monkeys voice say.
Turning to his voice, I about dropped a brick big enough to build a house.
I was staring at a green Super Saiyan 4. Green hairy arms and stomach, bare green chest and a hairdo reminiscent of a close call with an electrical socket.
"Monkey, I'm seriously about to lose my mind here! Can you break this down 'Army Private' stupid for me?" I requested.
"Well Gar, as far as I can now tell. You are in a body that has 8 years of blood memory I can read, that looks 16 years old, with powers you never showed in all my memory of spending 10 years with you."
"You also have memories that have 36 years of life in you, were even The Red doesn't have the format for some of the animals you have seen."
"Like this form I am currently enjoying, and a giant spined lizard that breaths massive amounts of energy for an attack who by the way beat a giant ape with a low blow and another lucky shot."
Squatting down to look at me eye to eye again he says, "Was that 'Army Private' enough or do I need to go 'Marine' for you?"
"No need for low blows, Monkey!" Looking around I ask, "What can you tell me about this Mars looking landscape??"
Spreading his arms out he answers, "This my boy is The Red, the Cosmic flow of all animal life in the universe. If it lived its records are here."
"Interesting claim for something that has no formats for animals I have seen don't you think?" I snidely reply.
"You my boy are an anomaly; your memory doesn't fit this particular Universe and as such you are a treasure trove in the fight against The Black. As well as for the continuation of The Red!" Monkey said to me.
"What is The Black and The Red to each other?" I ask?
Taking a moment Monkey Replies "You know of the Infinity stones; I vaguely see that in your memory. But what you don't seem to know is that while the stones were all part of the Multiversal container of the beginning, it was the Cosmic Red, Green and Black flowing that provided the pressure to blow the container wide open to what we have now."
"Before you ask, The Green is all plant life in the cosmic flow and The Black is the Decay of all at the end."