Starwing

<Philadelphia, Pennsylvania>

"Billy, come on! We're gonna be late!"

Called a seventeen year old boy at the bottom at a flight of stairs. He was dressed casually, wearing a denim jacket, lean jeans, a blue T-shirt, and a pair of white converses. He had curly black hair, sky blue eyes, and an annoyed look on his face. His arms were folded over his chest as he waited for his friend to finally arrive. It wouldn't be long before the sound of running could be heard above him on the second floor. That

was when a boy at least ten years old appeared at the top of the stairs. A beaming smile was on his face as he descended down the stairs quickly. He had on a red sweater, tan khakis, and white converses. His hair was also curly, with him having blue eyes as well.

"What's the rush, Brayden? You can't rush perfection!"

Billy spouted with confidence, then found Brayden grabbing him by the ear.

"Listen here, you little brat. You might have forgotten, but I've got guitar practice in an hour. So hurry the hell up before I pretend that I left you behind."

Brayden scolded, then released Billys' ear, who rubbed it with a pained look. Then his beaming smile returned before he pointed at his older friend.

"You just want to check out all the girls who are gonna be there." Billy teased

"You know what, Billy...."Brayden said with a small smile coming onto his lips, "You're right, too bad no girl is gonna wanna get with a chump like you."

With those words exchanged, Brayden walked out of the front door of where the two were conversing. Billy followed after him not long after spouting nonsense still. Outside was a semi busy street where cars continued to drive by in different shapes and sizes. Brayden walked up to a parked black and blue streaked 1970s Mustang Mach 1. It was in prestine condition surprisingly enough, as if it had just gotten out of the assembly line. It was a two-seater car, with the interior having a beige look. Brayden got in on the driver side after he unlocked the door, and then Billy entered the passenger side. With a turn of the key, the car came alive. Its engine roared across the street block. Billy smiled estactic, then looked to Brayden with an excited expression. It was six o'clock in the morning, and only one of them had somewhere to be. With a sporting smirk, Brayden immediately put switched gears as if practiced, showing that the Mustang was a stick shift. Then, with a swerve, they were on the road headed to school.

Billy let the window down, then howled outside of it playfully. Brayden let out a light chuckle as he drove them through Philadelphia. Just when it seemed like that the both of them would continue without any interference. Brayden changed gears quickly, moving his Mustang slowly. Billy looked over, confusion marrowing his face. Then, he faced forward to see that they were arriving at school. With a sigh, the child sat back in the seat. Brayden looked over and gave his friend a sporting smile.

"When you get out of school, we'll take the scenic route home."

Brayden offered, then found Billys' beaming smile pointed up at him once again. As soon as Brayden pulled up to the car riders lane, Billy got out of the car. Brayden watched his younger friend wave at him and run off to school. He continued to watch Billy, even as the boy entered the schools' front doors. Then swiftly, he changed gears and almost sped off from the school. Now, he was headed to the other side of the city. The drive was long and quiet, almost a dozen thoughts going through his mind. He was thinking about his future, or rather how his life was going to go. After all, he was an orphan just like Billy. He was about to reach the age when he could legally move out. The teens' plan was to move out, get a well paying, and then adopt Billy as his younger brother. The two were practically brothers in all but blood. Right when he was about to think more about his future, Brayden came up on the turn that he had to take.

Turning left, Brayden found himself arriving at a one story building with a guitar symbol on the top. He parked his car, exited it, and then opened the trunk to reveal a guitar case inside. He took it out and started to walk towards the building. That was when the sound of screeching tires was heard. Brayden turned to find a speeding van headed towards him. He frowned, then moved a little faster to the guitar building. Just before he could get to it, the van came to a stop. He glanced back to find three men rushing at him, cloaked from head to toe in black clothing. With his heart beginning to race, Brayden ran towards the building to get inside. However, he suddenly felt a sharp pain at the center of his back. That was when his body just about shut down on him, causing him to fall face first into the pavement.

"W-what do you want from me?! Just take whatever you want!"

Despite his plea, Brayden felt his body being grabbed and picked up as if he weighed nothing. His guitar case having been left behind as the kidnappers flung Brayden into the van. Just before the door slid closed, Brayden heard one of the men speaking. They had said something that put fear in every ounce of him, despite not truly understanding what he meant.

"We have a test subject, returning back to base."

The man said before putting a white rag up to Braydens' face. In a matter of seconds, Brayden found himself slowly losing consciousness. Only a single thought went through his mind, one that he didn't want to ask himself so soon.

'Am I...going to die?'

<Two Years Later, Location Unknown>

"The subject has responded well to the tests, though I would like to make sure that he is prepared for any field operations. Mr. Luthor, you've outdone yourself with this one. He is easily a better alternative than Projects Match and KR."

A calm and professional voice said, nearly rousing Brayden awake. His body was suspended in the air, restrained with reinforced steel and titanium alloys. His hands and feet were restrained, keeping him in the air as his head was lowered.

At the back of his mind, he felt that he had lapses of his memories. Some of which he knew and others that made him think that it were dreams. His body ached, feeling drained and sore. As if he were exhausted from a workout. At the back of his mind, Brayden felt like he knew the name that had been spoken.

"Luthor..." Brayden uttered under his breath.

"Is he awake?" Luthor questioned with interest.

"He shouldn't be. The sedatives that we gave him were enough to put more than a dozen elephants to rest."

"Well, Subject El seems to be speaking."

"That shouldn't be possible...I'll give him an even higher dosage before-"

"That won't be necessary, Dr. Miles."Luthor interrupted and disregarded, "I think that it's time that our prototype finally opened his eyes."

As if on que, Braydens' eyes slowly opened. He was in a large, spacious room that had a black chrome interior. In front of him was a transparent glass, and in front of that glass was a middle-aged man in a lab coat. He had a blank look on his face as he stared up at Brayden. The teen stared at him for a moment in confusion, before noticing his own reflection. He found that his hair had changed. as well as having a blue streak in it now. Lowering his head once more, Brayden found that he was decked out in a blue spandex like suit. An S crest was on the center of his chest, along with a white interior behind it. He even looked older, with a body that resembled an Olumpic athlete. Braydens' eyes widened as he looked at the man before, a thousand questions formulating in his mind.

"Brayden Liu, it's nice of you to finally wake up," Luthor greeted, "I hope that you slept well. This Dr. Desmond Miles. He had a hand in uplifting-"

"W-where am i?!" Brayden interrupted, already wanting out of this place.

"I can't really tell you that Brayden, but what I can tell you is that you have been given a special purpose. You see, I have been trying to create something that would work as a Superman...my Superman."

"What are you talking about?"

"Ah, to be young and ignorant. Dr. Miles? I believe that you should make sure that the intruders are dealt with. I'd like to speak with him, alone."

"Of course, Mr. Luthor." Desmond replied, then promptly turned and began walking towards one side of the room. Brayden watched as Desmond approached a large steel door. Then, with an eye scan, the door slid open, revealing a red grotesque hallway outside. The door slid closed, leaving Luthor and Brayden alone. Luthor was speaking through some kind of intercom system since he obviously wasn't in the room.

"Now that we are alone, can you remove yourself from your restraints?" Luthor asked

"What do you mean? I don't know what you did to me, what is happening, or wherever I am!" Brayden shouted, feeling frustrated more than scared now.

"You will know soon enough, Brayden. If you want to get out, you're going to need to concentrate. Focus on a pull at the center of your back, and you'll see what I gifted you."

"W-what?"

"Focus-"

"Not that! What are you even talking about? Why do you want me to try and escape?" Brayden interrupted and demanded.

"Because I want to see what you can do unrestrained, I want to see how strong you can be, I want to know what your truly capable of."

Brayden was taken aback by that answer, not knowing what he should say to that. Then, slowly, he tried to do what Luthor had instructed him to do. Concentrating, Brayden tried to feel whatever pull that he was supposed to feel. For more than five minutes, the young man felt nothing. No pull, no rush of energy, nothing. Braydens' face contorted into a frown as frustration fueled every fiber of his being. Just when he was about to call Luthor a liar, the man spoke once again.

"Focus Brayden, your gifts can only be accessed if you focus. Think of a goal, a drive for you to follow. And believe me when I say this, you will see what I'm talking about."

Brayden began to inhale and exhale slowly, thinking upon what Luthor said. He tried to think of a goal or a drive. Three goals came to mind, with each making him feel afraid but not for himself. Brayden Liu wanted to go home, he wanted to get out of these restraints, and he wanted to make sure that Billy was alright. At that moment, Brayden a pull at his back. Then, a rush of adrenaline ran through his body. A gasp escaped him as he opened his eyes. He found himself covered in what appeared to be lightning. With eyes wide with shock and awe, he wasted no time to see if he could move. With small effort, he pulled at his hands. No sooner than he did that, the restraints holding his arms blew off and burst through the window in front of him. He grunted and pulled his legs out of their restraints as well. Brayden fell face first onto the floor. The rush of energy left him as suddenly as it arrived. Panting gently, Brayden looked up at the steel door between him and freedom, then forced himself to stand. As soon as he stood up, he found that he was taller than his original five foot nine inches. He was easily six foot one inch.

"Remember that feeling Brayden, it will aid you in your new life. Now go, there should he others headed down the hall who can help you. Good luck, I will he watching your progress with great interest."

With that said, Luthor finished speaking. Nothing else uttered from the speakers in the room. Brayden let put a deep breath, then approached the steel door. He inhaled then exhaled, then concentrated on his drive once again. Energy rushed through him as blue lightning enveloped his body like an aura. Cocking his fist back, Brayden sent it forward and watched as he blew the door off its hinges. The door collided with a beast that he had never seen before, a creature that looked like it was straight out of a nightmare. Cringing at the side, Brayden realized that the door had knocked the creature out cold.

"Whoa..." A voice called.

Brayden turned his attention to his right to find a group of teens in costumes that looked familiar to him. His eyes widened as he came to realize who they were. Standing several paces from him were Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Wonder Girl. There was also one more who he didn't know, it was a boy maybe a year younger than him. Said boy had black hair and olive skin and wore a white bodysuit like his. Except the boys' suit was cloud white with a red S crest on their chest.

"Superboy, is he a relative of yours?" Asked Kid Flash.

Superboy stared at Brayden with a surprised look on his face, and then his eyes narrowed as he prepared to attack. Brayden held his hands up about to speak, but Superboy had already pounced at him. Cocking his fist back, Superboys' fist cracked against Braydens' jaw, sending him into a wall. Brayden felt as if he had been kicked by a kid. He let out a groan as he rubbed his jaw. Superboy let out a growl as he went to attack Brayden once again. This time, Brayden felt as if his body moved on its own. Moving with precise movements, Brayden got Superboy into armbar, then made his face kiss the floor. Superboys' face impacted the floor with a rumble, making a small crater.

Realizing what he had done, Brayden quickly released Superboy and held his hands up once more.

"W-wait I didn't mean that, i-"

Brayden didn't get a chance to speak. A silver lasso was wrapped around him by Wonder Girl. She had a stern look on her face as she held Brayden in place.

"Who are you?" She questioned.

"Brayden Liu." He answered with no resistance.

"Why are you here?"

"I don't know."

"Are you here to kill us?"

"No."

"Then what are you trying to do?"

"Go home."

At those words, Wonder Girls' eyes widened, and her expression softened as she slowly removed her lasso from him. She approached Brayden then placed a hand on his forearm.

"Don't worry, we'll get you home, Brayden." She comforted.

"Uh, don't you think that you're being a little too quick on letting him go Wonder Girl? He just put Superboy out of commission!" Kid Flash spouted.

"That's because Superboy attacked him when Brayden here didn't. The Lasso of Truth makes anyone tell the truth, Kid, so our friend here is a good guy."

"I'm not so-"

Before they could continue to speak, more than a dozen screeches could he heard behind them. Brayden looked behind the group of young heroes, and found gray grotesque creatures like the one he accidentally knocked out rushing at them.

"We have no time to debate, we have to move!" Aqualad ordered.

"Right, get Superboy and run!" Wonder Girl ordered.

Brayden was confused as to what was happening once more. That said, he wasted no time to pick up Superboy in a dead man carry position. Then, with haste, he rushed after the group of heroes. Brayden found it easy to keep up with them. Actually, he was running faster than everyone but Kid Flash.

Brayden hadn't a clue as to why he had powers or even what had happened to him. Even then he didn't really care, all he cared about was getting out of this place and getting home. Despite being surrounded by a group of heroes, he was no fangirl like Billy.

'I'm coming home, Billy.', Brayden thought as he carried Superboy on his back. 'I'm coming home...'