Argument In The League and a Talk

POV Change - 3rd Person, Justice League

"So what you're saying is that you humiliated a young adult purely because of his race?" Batman glowered down at the Man of Steel as he leaned onto the table, his hands scrunched into fists as his usually indifferent face was twisted into a scowl. The man in question, Superman, only hung his head in shame, fully realizing his actions were over the top.

But Batman didn't stop as he pressed a button on the table, a hologram coming to life and showing a picture of two blond people hugging. One was a tall youth with blond hair and wearing a graduation cap and gown. His face was joyful and his smile seemed unending - this was Jacob Fletcher. Next to him was his mother, Sara Fletcher, who looked just as overjoyed as Jacob, if not even more so.

"His name is Jacob Fletcher just like you said," Batman continued, his gravelly voice sounding out with a reprimanding anger, "He's lived on Earth for 19 years. 19 years where he could have committed crimes with his powers. 19 years where he could have enacted the horrible plans you feel like he's a part of, Clark," Batman stopped leaning on the table before turning around, his cape flicking behind him, "He's just a child, Clark. You see that person next to him? That's his mother, Sara Fletcher. You think you're the only one who has things you can't lose? You think you're terrified?" Batman asked a rhetorical question, before turning back around and tearing his mask off, his ice blue eyes digging into Clark, "He's no doubt more terrified than you are--he's just a 19-year-old who's never been put through these situations before--and he gets a chance to ask the Man of Steel himself for help, for the help he no doubt desperately wants. But what does he get? Humiliated and man-handled like some kind of monster."

Batman's words echoed through the Hall they were in and the only other person in the room, Wonder Woman, was just off to the side, watching the interaction.

"I...I..." Clark stammered out before sighing and bringing a hand to his face, "Bruce, you don't know the Viltrumites like the Kryptonians did. They're a bunch of murderers," he weakly said into his own hands but both Bruce and Wonder Woman could tell he was just trying to convince himself what he did was right.

"I expected more of you, Clark," Bruce said before turning around and walking away. Clark, hearing Bruce leave looked up from his hands, his eyes widening as he stood up.

"Where are you going, Bruce? We need to prepare for the Viltrumites," he seriously said but from his shame-filled face, you could see that regret and guilt were battling with his own fear and prejudice in his head.

Bruce stopped before giving Clark a sidelong glance from across the hall, "I'm going to apologize to the young man you humiliated. He could have been a brilliant asset against the Viltrumites, and for Earth in general, but your own prejudice got in the way. I'll leave you with one last thing, Clark - what would your mother, Martha, think, if she knew what you did today. That should explain how over the top and outrageous your actions were."

And with that, Bruce pulled up his hooded mask and became Batman again before entering the teleporter and being sent back down to Earth.

Clark just collapsed back into his chair, sighing and closing his eyes.

Wonder Woman, who hadn't spoken to this point, came and sat next to Clark, "Clark...I know why you're in so much fear. Believe me, I would act the same if I had a child of my own but the way you acted today...are you okay? That wasn't like you," she said, her voice gentle yet also having the firmness of a mother in it. Because that's what Wonder Woman, or Diana, was to everyone in the league. She was either a big sister or a mother to them.

Clark just shook his head before opening his eyes in time with another sigh, "I...I reacted the way I did because I though the boy was trying to get to Kara, to hurt her. When I arrived, him and Kara were..." he trailed off and Diana's eyes widened as she gave a slightly surprised reply.

"Really? They were having sex?" she asked and Clark gave a rapid shake of his head.

"No, no, no," he gave a weak chuckle, "Nothing that serious. But they were kissing and there was some very heavy petting going on between them," he said before pushing onward, not wanting to dwell on the image of his cousin doing such things, "But what I thought he was doing when I found out he was a Viltrumite was that he was trying to get close to Kara to use her as a Hostage against me. It all seems so...stupid now, so exaggerated and stupid but at the time, I was so sure of it," Clark suddenly stood up before going to walk to the teleporter, "I need to go and apologize to him. I may not like his people but he should not be held to the image of his people; Bruce was right," he said with enough shame to truly show he did regret his actions but as he went to walk, Diana put a hand on his chest to stop him.

"I think you wait here, Clark. Let Bruce smooth things over before you go to him. I'm sure the last thing he wants to see is you, right now," Diana gave him a smile before standing up and giving him her own gentle reprimanding gaze, "You need to go and speak to Kara. You said some unnecessary things earlier and you've no doubt put a wedge between her and a boy she likes - that wasn't fair to either of them," she said before walking to the teleporter herself and disappearing back down to Earth.

Superman just stood there before sighing for the umpteenth time today. After shaking himself out of his regret and shame, he walked deeper into the Justice League Satellite HQ to find Kara.

It wasn't hard - she was in her room, after all.

Sighing, he lifted his hand up and knocked the door a few times before waiting for a few seconds and then Kara opened the door.

. . .

POV Change - Jacob

"Jacob..." my mom said, her face looking slightly haggard - probably from worry - but as she went to rush and hug me, she stopped, obviously remembering what I last asked her, "A-About your last question--" I cut her off with a smile as I walked over and hugged her.

Luckily, on the way back I found a fountain where I could clean the blood from my ears so she didn't notice that I'd been in a fight. Any damage to my body had been healed by now anyway.

Because if there's one thing Viltrumite body's can do - it's heal and survive.

"It's okay mom. I know you did your best even if you didn't tell me," I said before releasing her from the hug and walking toward the kitchen. But before I could get in there, she stood in front of me, her arms akimbo. She just looked up at me, her green eyes going over my face before she finally decided to speak.

"So...I assume that the disk your father left with me went off and told you about who you are?" she asked with a slightly sad smile.

Hearing her question, I nodded, "Mhm. I know I'm half-Viltrumite," I said before lifting up my, considerably, shorter mother and putting her out of my path.

For reference, she's around 5'3" and I'm 6'2".

"Why did it activate?" she asked, putting aside her annoyance for me moving her out of the way.

"The Viltrum Empire are on their way to Earth. Dad's on his way as well, it would seem," I said as I walked into the kitchen but as I opened the fridge, I looked over the fridge door and at my mom's eyes which were slowly lighting up with a vague happiness, "But it's not a good thing, mom. They're coming here to conquer the planet, not to make friends. I've already told the Justice League," I said, leaving out the fact I got into a 'fight' with Superman after I told him.

Her face paled a little as she stumbled into the kitchen and sat a chair next to the table in it, "...And you're father? Is he just going to let it happen?" she asked, her voice trying to stay neutral but from the shaking, I could tell she was hurting on the inside.

"He said he was sorry. He didn't seem to agree with the whole thing...but there's not much he can do," I said and she looked at me, as if to ask 'how do you know that?', so I complied and answered, "Within the disk was a data bank that he gave me. I gained a lot of information about the Hierarchy around Viltrumite culture. Dad's an Elite - strong, even among Viltrumites, and a cut above the rest - while the top dog, a guy called Thragg, is the Grand Regent. Elites are strong but the Grand Regent is usually the strongest Viltrumite available. They're part of different castes; they had different training, different upbringings, different nutrition and food...Thragg is just a better warrior. Not to mention that even without Thragg it'd be dad versus dozens on Viltrumites just as strong as him," I said before downing some orange juice, straight from the carton.

Wiping my mouth with the back of my arm, I put the carton back before closing the fridge and looking to my mom who was resting her chin on hands, her expression being thoughtful rather than neutral like before.

Suddenly she stood up and turned to me, "I need to take this information to my superior. They know who your father was when he was on Earth. He barely ever tried to hide his powers, just like you, so they have a wealth of knowledge about him," she went to leave but I hurriedly grabbed her arm and shook my head at her.

"That really won't do anything, mom," I said before carrying on, "All you'll do is start a mass panic if it gets out to the public."

"It won't get out to the public. It'll stay with my superior and he'll only tell people he trusts," mom said before taking her arm from my grip, with me having no choice but to let go before she hurt herself against my strength, "I know what I'm doing Jacob. It may seem like I'm taking a risk, but we need to get stuff ready if an invasion is going to happen. Otherwise people will get hurt."

Once she said this, she rushed off.

She seemed to be trying to distract her away from this entire situation but she could be distracting herself with worse things, right? At least she's trying to help people.

Sitting down at the table, I just sat there as I felt all of what happened today just playing on my mind. What a weird day. Closing my eyes, I thought back to Kara's reaction and despite it still stinging like a bitch, I knew why she had it - she was confused, most likely. Confused and full of conflicting feelings makes for a very volatile mixture.

She needs time to think, so I'll give it to her. Not like we're gonna see each other all that much anyway.

"Jacob Fletcher," a voice came from behind me, coming from the doorway into the kitchen/dining room. I rapidly stood up and turned around before seeing who it was and giving a sigh before sitting back down at the table, followed by a pause.

"Batman," when I finally spoke again, I sighed, again, "Come to lecture me about how I'm evil or something? Because if you have, Superman's already done that," I said, feeling a prick of my injured pride from being dealt with so easily but also something else - an indignant annoyance for what was said to me purely because of my race.

But to my surprise, Batman just walked over and sat opposite me at the table. What he said next was even more surprising.

"No," he started, his gravelly voice being just as deep and intimidating as the rumors said it was, "I've come to apologize on behalf of Superman and his actions against you. You didn't deserve that," he said with an even tone but even then I could tell he was...angry with how Superman had treated me. But what he said was soon smothered over as he continued, "And we need to talk about the Viltrumites coming our way. I'm sure you'd have some keen advice on how to best defend ourselves against them, no?"

This day...just keeps getting weirder and weirder.