25 Chapter 25

° Mars Underground Kingdom

The boys somehow managed to settle the situation without further fighting and were escorted deeper underground, to a wide throne room with a viewing platform at the end overlooking a vast advanced, underground city bustling with life. A stark comparison to the barren wasteland of the surface.

"I can't believe it" Matthew wondered "They actually made a whole civilization underground"

"And we're officially the first to make contact with them" Mark said, marvelling at the spacious throne room.

They both fell silent as they neared the edge of the room, where a martian with a metal crown stood in front of the viewing platform. A number of martains stood strategically around him and the room, securing every exit and important looking martian with ample fire and man power with them. To the side stood the astronauts, their tension showing clearly by the way they stood while more martian guards stood behind them.

Matthew mentally scanned the room, sensing a dozen or more guards positioned outside the room itself and felt the nervous tension in their minds as they waited for something to happen.

It was easy to see that their circumstances wasn't appealing for any of them and decided to stay on guard just in case the entire situation blew up into full blown chaos.

The brothers stopped just a few meters in front of the crowned martian just as it addressed them.

"Welcome to Mars, Earth-men" the crowned martian said in perfect English despite the growl in his voice.

"Thanks for having me... Mars-man" Mark greeted back.

Matthew almost kicked his brother in the ass for the less than diplomatic approach and so took the reins of the exchange. Lucky for him, he could easily read the crowned martian's thoughts about Mark's improper decorum. He cleared his through and spoke up.

"Greetings, Martian Monarch" Matthew said, offering a small nod in place of a bow "I am Superboy of Earth, and this is my brother Invincible"

The crowned martian looked at him with a quirked eyebrow "What is your purpose here, Superboy and Invincible of Earth?"

"It's funny, uh--" Mark began but stopped when Matthew put a hand in front of him. Mark looked and met his brother's demanding eyes, giving him a hesitant nod to take over.

"We were sent here to safeguard the representatives who wish to explore your beautiful planet, and also to make contact with your people if we can" Matthew said calmly.

The crowned martain looked to the astronauts, seemingly for confirmation.

"Uh, yeah, we don't know who they are" one of the astronauts said.

"It was a secret mission" Mark added for clarification.

"Well, you suck at it then" another of the astronauts said bitterly.

Matthew waved the matter away, sensing so much fear in the astronauts that it almost seemed to wash over him.

"Mistakes have been made and we are currently in the process of correcting them. I would like to apologise on their behalf" Matthew said.

"The sequids are the very reason I captured your people" the crowned martian said firmly.

"They are not a local species?" Matthew asked.

"No. They are a world-destroying race who left a trail of destruction across the universe, before crashing onto my planet" the crowned martain answered "Alone, their group mind is scattered and weak, but with an appropriate host, they become unified and unstoppable"

"My people's shape-changing abilities let us resist them" the crowned martian continued, pointing at all the none martians in the throne room "But if a single sequid fuses with one of your people, they would rise up as one and will savage Mars quickly and, soon after, Earth"

"Oh" Mark said with a hint of surprise.

Matthew paid attention to the crowned martian's mind as he spoke and saw the memories it relivedas it spoke. The horrific scenes of the sky covered with 3 tentacled brainy creatures plaguing the planet for years still left a bitter taste in it's mouth.

"So tell me, Earth-men, how is it that you and your companion are able to resist them?" the crowned martian asked the brothers pointedly.

"We are part-Viltrumite, part-human. That might play a part in our resistance towards the little pests" Matthew answered.

"Ever heard of us?

"I am the Emperor of Mars! Of course, I've heard of you!" the Emperor martian shouted indignantly.

A memory flash by the martian's mind that made Matthew frown. A floating man in a white tight fitting clothes floated above the red landmass and sneered at the staring martians below him. The memory was brief but he could still see it and the feeling it brought with it. The martian emperor felt rage and indignation at the figure that Matthew could easily tell was his father, specifically at the way his father was looking down on them like they were insects. Matthew had a hard time understanding the look on of scorn on his father's face and was silent for a long time.

Seeing Matthew go silent, Mark spoke up in his stead and tugged on his arm.

"Okay" Mark cleared his throat "Well then, you know we like to help out wherever we can, which is why we were sent to protect these astronauts, so if you're all good, we'll finish our science and head home..."

"Impossible!" the martian emperor roared.

The loud voice snapped Matthew out of his thoughts and focused back on the matter at hand, growing cautious when he sensed the hostile intent filling the martian's mind.

"The humans are scheduled for immediate execution. We cannot risk them coming in contact with a sequid" the martian emperor declared.

The martian guard around the room moved as one and leveled their spear weapons at the astronauts and brothers alike.

"I see" Matthew sighed "Well, so much for diplomacy"

"Mark, get the astronauts and be ready" he quickly whispered.

Then he raised a foot and then slammed it back into the floor with a level of force that completely shook the entire throne room. The martians stumbled and were momentarily shaken, which was just what Matthew intended.

"Let's go! Now!" he shouted.

*

° Mars, Surface

Matthew rammed himself into a band of chasing Martains, making sure to not accidentally hurt or kill those he collided while pushing them away as far as he could manage.

He disarmed a Martian off its spear weapon and tossed it to the side, doing the same thing with another spear when it was thrust towards his face. Batting it aside with a forearm, feeling it rip through the durable costume he was wearing and glide harmlessly through his skin.

He twisted and zigzagged out of the away from Martians mounted force firing energy bolts and throwing speaks at him, making his way towards the fleeing backs of his brother and the 4 astronauts.

Matthew nearly burst a vein when he saw them running.

He flew closer to them and started barking in anger "Invincible! What the hell is taking this so long!?"

"We're running aren't we!?" Mark said, unaware of his own glaring mistake.

"Right! Because you can't just fucking carry them to the shuttle, can you?" Matthew shouted, catching a Martian weapon with one hand and throwing it back at the chasing martians.

Mark cursed and flew behind the astronauts, ordering them to hold hands tightly before he grabbed and flew away with them in hand.

"Finally!" Matthew shouted "Protect the launch while I distract them!"

Matthew hurled the last spear machine forwards and leaped into the air, waiting for the explosion before he forcefully drove down and slammed both fists into the ground. The impact generated intense shockwaves that flung the Martains a good distance away.

"That's a SMASH bitches!" Matthew roared "Come and get some!"

At his taunting, the Martians charged. Matthew shielded his face as a volley of green energy blasting all over his body. The familiar situation was easier for him to deal with now and retaliate.

He rushed out forward and crashed into a Martian pair, grasped tightly on its arms, and lashed around using it like a whip that stretched with each swing.

No one could reach him at that moment, each one that tried was slapped away by a stretchy shapeshifter. The method of attack became useless once the Martian slithered off his grasp.

Unbothered, Matthew took a few steps back and raised his arms defensively. He reached out mentally towards the direction of the shuttle, searching the minds within to see their progress and silently cursed in annoyance after sensing them going through pre-launch checks before even priming the shuttles launchers.

Without thinking, he pushed his frustrated impatience out of his mind. Somehow accidentally sending it through the mental connection and into the minds of leading astronauts panicking mind. They stiffened and immediately went to heat the engines and lift off. His connection snapped to a close when a concentrated energy blasts prickled his costume again, disoriented.

With numerous holes burnt through his costume and after another round of rushing attacks, he finally heard the shuttle lift off and didn't hesitate to blast off the spot and headed towards the ascending shuttle.

He easily noticed Mark first with his blue and yellow colors and shifted his path to head towards him, then stopped as he suddenly remembered an IOU he needed to fulfill.

"Matt!" Mark waved at him.

"In a minute!" he said, turning back and rushed straight towards the still gathered Martains below.

The Martains spread out just as he landed with an intentionally heavy impact, cracking and shaking the ground around him with both shoes sinking a good few feet deep through.

Matthew looked at the landing spot and smiled at the fortunate placement of 4 martian spears just laying a few feet from him.

He looked at the martians, who were all cautiously watching him and pointing their weapons in a threatening display, and gave them his most charming smile.

"I am very sorry with how we acted. Hopefully we can have a better meeting the next time" he said as he picked up the spears, his actions made a particularly nervous martian to fire at him. The bolt landing on his chest.

The martians went still for a moment until they saw Matthew floating upward, looking non-hostile with the amused smile on his face.

"I'll remember that. Till next time, martians!" he said before he soared higher and caught up to the shuttle within seconds.

Mark stared at his brother and the spears in his arms with a mix of confusion and bewilderment.

"Don't ask" Matthew said, urging his brother to move so that he can enter the shuttle "Just think of it as me paying off my debt to a particularly unreasonable blonde"

He entered through the small ship's hatch only to meet the expectant and impatient gazes of the astronauts inside, save for the one nearest him who seemed busy giving the spears in his arms a questioning look.

"Right. Cat's out of the bag, huh" Matthew said.

One astronaut scoffed "You kidding me? The cat's brains are scattered all over the floor like my shit! What the hell is going on?"

Matthew groaned and set the spears to the side before he began to brief the astronauts about the mission assigned to them by Cecil.

***

°Earth

°Several Hours Later, Evening

Both brothers arrived ahead of the astronauts given that they didn't need to keep guard as they passed the moon on their return to earth, both feeling the weirdly familiar and pull of the planet's gravity on their bodies.

Before any of them could even speak, their helmet's communications system blared an alarm for an incoming call.

They both looked at each and, after a round of rock-paper-scissors, Matt put his on and answered.

"Hello?"

{You got back quick. Mind telling me what happened?} Cecil asked with a hint of frustration.

Matthew gathered his thoughts before he replied, giving the man a short summary of what happened on Mars.

{So they were hostile from the very start?}

"I think they were being extremely paranoid about the sequid bonding thing, not that I would've wanted to test out just to verify the claim" Matthew said, keeping his words vague and non specific.

{And you think the way you handled it was a good move?} Cecil suddenly asked.

"Uh...yeah. I admit, it was a bit too much for a diversion but it got us out there in one piece. Except for my suit though" Matthew answered.

The line was silent for a long moment as Cecil took his time.

{Very well. Not exactly the outcome I was expecting, but it's better than nothing. Good job, kid}

Matthew smiled "Thank you"

The line cut off and Matthew felt relieved as he removed the helmet off his head.

"What'd he say?" Mark asked, flying closer to him.

"Says we did a good job, even with the mission ending a week and some days ahead of schedule" Matthew explained.

Mark let out a short laugh "You mean how we managed to make a 2 week research trip into a 2 day roundtrip and also managed to piss off the martians?"

Matthew shook his head and shrugged.

"Anyway" Matthew shook the spears in his arms "I'm gonna go on a quick trip to drop this off at Mady's. Meet you back at the house in a bit"

"Sure" Mark nodded and surged ahead, following a path that would quickly lead to their home.

Matthew banked to the side and made a quick turn towards the general direction of Madison's home.

He arrived moments later and made a beeline for Madison's room window when someone nearby cleared their throat. He looked and saw Thena Laurel standing in the balcony with a raised eyebrow, looking at him like she happened to catch a horny teenager climbing on to her daughter's window. She was wearing a simple white lacey night gown that hugged her impressive figure, with her long raven black hair set to the side and a glass of wine in one hand.

He gave her his most charming smile, trying and failing to stop his eyes from roaming around her body "Good evening, Mrs. Laurel"

Thena smirked "Matthew. I'm...surprised to see here, so late in the evening"

"Yeah, sorry about that" he said, lowering to the balcony to meet her eyes "I just got home from--"

"Oh, I know" Thena said, pointing to the glass tablet near her "I was alerted to your early arrival once you arrived with the proximity of one of the GDA owned satellites"

"You were? Why?" Matthew asked, a little surprised at the tidbit.

Thena giggled "Who do you think made the come system for those helmets?"

Matthew realized her meaning and nodded absently, his eyes once again wondering to her slender curves.

Thena cleared her throat, again.

"Back to the more important point, what are you doing here? And what are you doing with those spears?" Thena said, to get things back on track.

"They're the weapons the martians use. I brought them here as souvenirs" Matthew said, holding the spears up for a clearer view "Madison asked for some and it doesn't get any better than this"

Thena stared at him and began laughing after a moment.

Matthew watched her laugh, once again trying and failing to stop his eyes from roaming around, and frowned.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

Thena calmed before she replied, a small smile still on her lips "You want to give my daughter a set of weapons, as a souvenir? And in the half-naked state of your clothing? Now that is just silly"

Matthew looked away, embarrassed and made slightly self-conscious by her words.

"Well...it was either these or some red rocks" Matthew reasoned.

Thena smiled and walked closer, putting a hand on his cheek with a slow tap.

"It's a sweet thought, Matthew, but I still thinks it's a bit weird" she said, then offered a compromise "How about this? Give me the spear and I shall examine and depower one before I give it to my daughter. That way, we all get what we want. You get to give your souvenir, Madisom receives it, and I get to reverse engineer martian technology. Win-win, right?"

Matthew thought it over and nodded in agreement, "Okay"

Thena beamed and gave him a slow, light peck on the cheek "Great! I've always wanted to examine martian technology but the GDA always hounds me about it so much that I can't get anything done, so thank you for giving me this chance"

Matthew blushed furiously at the show of affection as he scrambled to calm himself down "W-wh-I...Is M-madison still awake?"

Thena shook her head "No, she's asleep. And I don't want you to wake her up. You can talk to her tomorrow"

"But I need to give the--"

"I know, I know. My daughter can be a bit impatient with gifts, or souvenirs in this case, so I'll drain the energy out of one and give it to her in the morning" Thena said, reassuring Matthew immensely.

"Okay then" Matthew said, stepping back and placing the spears on the side of the table set nearby "I should go. I wouldn't want to intrude on you any further, Mrs.Laurel

"Of course, young man" Thena said in reply.

She waved him goodbye as he flew towards the sky, watching him go and disappear into the dark night with a smile still on her face.

Matthew soon arrived at his house and the first thing he noticed as he walked in was his parents giggling to each other as they sat side by side on the couch. Mark was nowhere in sight.

"Hey Matt" Nolan said, greeting him with a nod.

"Hey, honey" Debbie said with a hint of mirth "Mark already went upstairs. Do you want some dinner?"

"No thank you, I'm not hungry. But I am tired" Matthew said as he headed for the stairs.

"Okay~" Debbie said.

As Matthew went up and headed to his room, he caught the sound of the cough squeaking repeatedly as if someone was bouncing on them. He groaned and rushed to his room, shutting the noise out and going straight to his bed after getting out of his clothes.

And then he went to sleep.