1 Independence Day

Gotham City, July 4th, 12:00 EDT

Freeze is attacking picnickers in Gotham City park, many of them running in fear only to be frozen. One family stares at the cliff he's standing on in shock.

"Enjoying family time?" The villain questions rhetorically, then freezes the family. "My family has other plans." He then slides down the ramp now going from the cliff. Taking aim at the running citizens of Gotham. Only for a Baterang to throw off his aim. "Batman." He says, as if he's expecting it. "I was wondering when-"

He turns to find no one there. Only a childish laughter echoing around him, which in an open area is impressive. From above, a black shadow is over his head. However what lands on him isn't the Batman. But rather Robin. Decked out in red/yellow/black tactical gear. Knocking the ice villain down, then throwing two more birdarangs at his helmet, cracking it.

"Oh. Boy Wonder." Freeze drawls. "The Bat sent you to drag me off to prison. Frankly, I'm underwhelmed." As he stands back up, aiming his ice gun at Robin this time.

"Great, but I'm kinda in a hurry here." Robin dismisses, despite the fact that the gun is buzzing to life.

"Kids." Freeze says in annoyance. "Always in such a rush."

"Not talking to you." Robin says in a sing-song tone. Freeze looks confused, so Robin just points behind him. Only to see Batman arrive with a flying punch to Freeze's face, breaking the glass of his helmet.

Star City Main Bridge, July 4th, 9:01 PDT

Icicle Junior lands and ices up the bridge, before using his powers to create a shell of ice. Knocking cars off balance and causing many crashes. He laughs almost maniacally before arrows start raining down. In two colours, three green fletched ones and two red fletched ones. He pauses for a moment only for another green one to hit him in the shoulder. The nock of the arrow blinking red and beeping before blowing up. The small explosion knocks him off balance and towards the other arrows that then blow up and knock him back to where he was. As the head trauma begins to subside he turns his head, looking to one of the towers on the bridge. On it stands Green Arrow and his partner Speedy. Both aiming another arrow at the ice- themed Villain.

"Finally!" Icicle Junior growls, "I was wondering what a guy had to do to get a little attention around here." His left arm, now the one facing the archers, grows and becomes more mace-like in style. Before he brings it back and begins launching icicles at the archers. Following it up with another volley from his right hand which has mirrored his left.

The two archers begin releasing arrows with ease.

"Junior's doing this for attention?" Speedy asks, surprised. The first batch of icicles explode thanks to their arrows, but the second set still come through. Forcing them to run across the tower's width and down to the suspender. They continue to launch arrows, and dodge the ice that cements to where it hits before growing. "I'm telling you now. This little distribution better not interfere."

The two archers launch a pair of arrows at Junior, who creates a shield in front of himself. However, the arrows are explosive, creating a hole in the shield. Junior uses it to his advantage, launching ice at the younger archer.

Speedy jumps, flipping over them as he grabs and strings another arrow. As he straightens out he takes aim and fires straight at Junior, hitting him right in the jaw. Knocking him down and out.

"Ha ha ha!" Green Arrow chuckles, standing mere feet from where Junior ended his slide. "Kid had a glass jaw." He comments as his partner lands gracefully a few feet away.

"Hilarious." Speedy drawls stepping a little closer to Green Arrow. "Can we go?" His patience is clearly wearing thin. "Today's the day."

Pearl Harbor, July 4th, 6:02 HST

The harbor has many large shards of ice sticking out of the water. Many the ships are frozen in place. Zooming in on one, Killer Frost continues to use her powers. Icing more of the ship and creating even snowfall. However who she's throwing it at is Aquaman. Who dodges and comes down from the open Bridge to the Turret, than to the second Turret before jumping to the deck.

She predicts this and freezes him before he can get more than two feet down the deck.

Behind him and off to his left is Aqualad, jumping from the First Turret and over his mostly frozen mentor who breaks out and follows after him.

"Don't tell me you're not excited." Aquaman begins conversation with his partner.

"Right now, my king, I am more focused on the matter at hand." The dark-skinned Atlantean tell him in a very formal tone. Dodging under a shot of ice, before taking right and getting Killer Frost to shoot in that direction so he can fake left and get in the opening.

She stops her right strike and aims for the area right before the younger Atlantean, but he jumps, pulling out his Water-bearers that form dual maces, causing the eel tattoos on his arms to begin their bright glow. Again she aims at the teen. Nearly hitting him, until he puts his Water-bearers in the way of the strike. Freezing them, and freezing his hands to the handles. He lands barefoot right before her, before completing a strong double uppercut. Shattering the ice around his hands and what made up the maces, and knocking the ice villain out. As they do his tattoos return back to their normal black colouring.

Aquaman stops a few feet behind him, crossing him arms and gaining the teen's attention. "Well?"

"Yes, I'm excited." Aqualad admits. "Today's the day."

Central City, July 4th, 11:03 CDT

Ice covers the edges of a hole in the wall of a Jewelry store. In the road Captain Cold is trapped by the Flash and Kid Flash running circles around the ice-themed villain. He attempts to shoot them twice, but isn't even close to hitting either of them. His third shot is closer, but he misses the Flash and ends up hitting a car. Freezing it solid in what it would look like if it had gotten in a car crash and went flying.

"Stealing ice? Really? Isn't that a big cliché for even Captain Cold?" Flash asks, still running circles around the villain.

"Come on!" Kid Flash calls out. "We don't have time for this!" With that he slips his red goggles over her malachite green eyes, cutting out of the circle and heading for Cold's turned back. However, his talking gave him away and Cold turns towards the sound of his voice. Cold Gun aimed at the teen.

He dodges, some of the ice hitting his shoulder as he turns away from the stream. Then facing back towards Cold, snagging the Cold Gun and Knocking the ice off his shoulder as he skids to a stop in the T intersection.

Cold growls, clenching his empty hand in frustration, but can't get any farther before Flash hits with a hard cross to the face. Knocking him a good five or six feet to the side, and out for the count. "Calm down, kid." He says nonchalantly.

"Oh, please!" Kid Flash cries out in annoyance. "You'll chat it up with the cops, with bystanders, with Cold even." He gestures to the now unconscious criminal to prove his point. "No. No way!" He steps up to his mentor, despite the height difference Flash seems to actually be taking him seriously. "Today's the day!" His bright green eyes are glowing with excitement.

The Hall of Justice, Washington D.C., July 4th, 14:00 EDT

Before the Hall of Justice stands Batman and Robin, Green Arrow and Speedy, Aquaman and Aqualad. Batman turns to his Sidekick.

"Today's the day."

"Welcome to the Hall of Justice." Green Arrow continues.

"Headquarters of the Justice League." Aquaman finishes.

"Oh, man!" Kid Flash's voice cries out, catching all of their attention and causing them to turn away from the Hall for a moment. Flash skids to a stop first, followed closely by his sidekick. "I knew we'd the last ones here." He gripes crossing his arms, causing Flash to raise an eyebrow behind his cowl.

As they walk down the area opened so that they can get to the Hall the crowd goes insane. One spectator who's particularly far off questions quite loudly. "Is that Batman?"

"I see Flash and Flash Jr." Another calls out, this one female.

"His name is Speedy. Duh." Someone objects, clearly having heard her get that sidekick's name wrong.

"No, Speedy is Green Arrow's sidekick." Another, younger male, corrects.

"Well that makes no sense." A fourth spectator quips. (And so agrees 90% of the people)

"Ready to see the inner sanctum?" Green Arrow asks Speedy.

"Born that way." Speedy says, with a minute glance back at his mentor.

"I'm glad we're all here." Aqualad says, turning the conversation towards the two boys younger than himself and the one older than him.

"Have all four sidekicks ever been at same place at the same time?" Kid Flash questions, looking mostly towards Robin, because despite the fact that he's the youngest he would know.

"Don't call us sidekicks." Speedy commands, practically growling the first words. "Not after today."

Kid Flash smiles. "Sorry." He apologizes, seeming rather sincere. "First time at the Hall. I'm a little overwhelmed."

"You're overwhelmed. Freeze was underwhelmed. Why isn't anybody ever just whelmed?" Robin asks, as they walk through the doors. "Oh." He manages, staring up at the statues of the initial Justice League members. "Maybe that's why."

They arrive at a large door with AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY written on it. It slides open, revealing Martian Manhunter and Red Tornado, a human-sized red robot. The two step out of the hallway and into where the cameras can see them.

"Robin, Speedy, Aqualad, Kid Flash," he lists them off in order, his voice calm but monotonic and formal. "Welcome." Then he turns around, leading them inside. The two leading protogés, Robin and Kid Flash, fist bump with each other as they begin to follow him. "You now have unlimited access to the gym, our fully stocked gallery, and of course our library." The door opens revealing a massive library with massive computer and extensive amounts of books.

Flash turns back to the four teens. "Make yourselves at home." He says with a grand gesture and a smile. Robin and Kid Flash literally jump into their chairs, while Aqualad calmly takes the one across from them. Speedy, however, remains standing. Looking directly at the mentors.

"Quick debrief to discuss the coincidence of four ice villains attacking on the same day." Batman then turns to the teen's." We shouldn't be long." Then he turns to another door, and a fisheye camera pops out.

Recognize: Batman, 0-2, Aquaman, 0-6, Flash, 0-4, Green Arrow, 0-8, Martian Manhunter, 0-7, Red Tornado, 1-6. The door behind the camera illuminates before opening reading out JUSTICE LEAGUE MEMBERS ONLY.

"That's it?" Speedy demands his anger and volume catching all of their attention instantly.

"You promised a real look inside not a glorified backstage pass." He crossed his arms since his eyes can't show his emotions as he has lenses in his mask.

"It's a first step." Aquaman speaks up, though calmly. "You've been granted access few others get."

"Oh, really?" He questions, gesturing up to a group of people taking pictures on the other side of (presumably) soundproof glass. "Who cares which side of the glass we're on?"

"Roy, you just need to be patient." Green Arrow tries, even using his sidekicks civilian name to attempt to get through to the teenager.

"What I need is respect." Roy growls, before turning around to take a look at the other three protogés. Who are still sitting down and not intervening in the conversation they were so obviously listening to. "They're treating us like kids." He tries to speak directly to them. "Worse like sidekicks!" His anger is steadily growing but that one word makes it nearly double. "We deserve better than this."

All three exchange looks, kid Flash looking to Robin, then to Aqualad, who exchanges a small glance to the both of them, then all three turning to Roy, but Robin's eyes have gone wide beneath the lenses of his mask.

Roy's voice drops. "You're kidding right?" The three don't object. "You're playing their game?" His anger is growing again. Worse this time. "Why?! Today was supposed to be the day, step one in becoming full-fledged members of the League."

"Well, sure." Kid Flash speaks up, looking to the other two protogés. "But I thought step one was the tour of the HQ." He says, sitting up straighter and looking to the older teen.

"Except the Hall isn't the League's real HQ." Green Arrow looks mildly surprised, while Aquaman's eyes bug in shock. Not to mention all three protogés mouths drop open, Kid Flash's in shock, Robin paired with surprise and Aqualad has his accompanied with confusion. "I bet they never told you it's just a false front for tourists." Green Have gone wide, but he looks less surprised in a shocked kind of way and moreso like he can't believe his protogés is telling this in front of the other boys and Leaguers. However, Aquaman's shock has faded and as he takes one look at Green Arrow he calms entirely. "And a pot stop for catching Zeta-tubes teleporter-tubes to the real thing." He gestures up twitch his right hand in indication satellite called The Watchtower."

Green Arrows turns, showing off Batman's glare, which is probably what got him to turn towards the Dark Knight in the first place. "I know, I know, but I thought we could make an exception." Batman continues to glare. "Or not."

Aquaman steps up slightly. "You're not helping your cause here, son. Stand down or..."

"Or what?" He demands. "You'll send me to my room? And I'm not your son!" He snaps then turns to Green Arrow. "I'm not even his." His anger seems to die out as he speaks again. "I thought I was his partner, but not anymore." Emphasizing his point by taking off the canary-yellow hat and throwing it to the ground.

All three younger protogés can only watch in wide-eyed shock.

"Guess they were right about you three." Roy comments as he walks between the three who stands up in an attempt to either say something or physically get in his way. "You're not ready." With that they all watch as he leaves the library. They can't sit on it for long, an alarm begins blaring from the supercomputer. Turning they find Superman on the screen.

"Superman to Justice League." The Kryptonian prefaces. " There has been an explosion at Project Cadmus. It's on fire."

The Justice League members all step up to the supercomputer. "I've had my suspicions about Cadmus. This may present the perfect opportunity to in-" Batman begins, but is cut as another alarm comes through.

"Zatara to Justice League." This time the Magician shows up in a small screen in the lower right-hand corner. "The sorcerer Wotan is using the Amulet of Attan to blot out the Sun." Now he has their full attention. "Requesting full League response."

"Superman?" Batman questions.

"It's a small fire." The big blue boy scout assures. "Local authorities have it under control."

"Then Cadmus can wait." The Dark Knight states, then presses a key on the massive keyboard below. "All Leaguers rendezvous at Zatara's coordinates. Batman out."

The three protogés step up to their mentors.

"Stay put." Batman states, barely even looking at them before he gives his order.

"What?" Robin questions, shocked. "Why,?"

"This is a League mission." Aquaman says.

"You're not trained." Flash continues.

"Since when?" Kid Flash demands mere moments after the last syllable leaves his mentor's mouth.

Flash is prepared to clarify. "I meant you're not trained to work as a part of this team." He says, gesturing to the other two mentors beside him and in extension the computer with Zatara still showing.

"There will be other missions, when you're ready." Aquaman states calmly.

"But for now, stay put." Batman glares at the end to accent his point. The screen fully black behind him, making his lenses pop even more.

All three look sad, but as their mentors walk away anger comes over their faces.

"Glad you didn't bring you-know-who?" Green Arrow asks Martian Manhunter with a small tease in his tone.

"Indeed." The alien agrees rapidly.

They walk in behind Aquaman, Batman, and Flash, but Red Tornado looks at them for a moment before following. Then the door closes. Kid Flash scoffs. "When we're ready?" He questions, looking between the two beside him. "How are we ever supposed to be ready when they treat us like." He's very animated, stepping forward and throwing his hands up, before turning around and glaring up at Aqualad. "Like sidekicks." He too growls out the team that they are typically referred with.

"My mentor, my King, I thought he trusted me." Aqualad says sadly. "Trust?" Kid Flash questions sarcastically. "They don't even trust us with the basics!" He points out the obvious. "They've got a secret HQ in space!"

"What else aren't they telling us?" Aqualad questions, voicing what they're all thinking.

Robin sighs. "I have a better question: why didn't we leave with Speedy?" Kid Flash crosses his arms and looks down, annoyed, while Aqualad looks down sadly.

"What is Project Cadmus?" Aqualad asks slowly.

"Don't know." Robin admits, then grind/smirks. "But I can find out." He walks over to the computer, instantly typing out codes and searching for information.

The computer buzzes. Access Denied. The automated voice states.

Robin laughs. "Wanna bet?" Hitting a few more buttons before he starts looking codes of the files at nearly Lightspeed.

"Whoa." Kid Flash murmurs surprised. "How are you doing that."

Robin smiled as he hits two more keys. "Same system as the Batcave." With that he hits one last key.

Access Granted. The voice states. Showing a two story complex, and all the data showing up around it.

"Alright. Project Cadmus." He states simply. "Genetics lab here in DC." Then he frowns. "That's all there is, but if Batman's suspicious..." He glances at Aqualad. "Maybe we should investigate." Then turns to Kid Flash.

"Solve their case before they do." Aqualad gives a small smile. "It would be poetic justice."

"Hey." Robin manages through his chuckle. "They're all about justice."

Aqualad sighs. But they said "stay put."

"For the blotting out the sun mission, not this." Robin says, smiling and putting his hands on his hips.

"Wait." The speedster starts, grabbing the younger's shoulder and turning him towards him "Are-are you going to Cadmus?" He uses his finger pointing skills to emphasize. "Because if you're going, I'm going!" Both boys turn to Aqualad smiling, Robin utterly beaming and Kid Flash with a dash hope in his.

"Just like that?" Aqualad asks. "We're a team on a mission?"

Both their smiles die down, bit Robin gains a smirk. "We didn't come for a play-date." Aqualad joins his with a look of pure determination.