Chapter 28

Batman and Aquaman climbed to the top of the platform, still pursued by the magma-monsters.

"Can you make telepathic contact?" asked Batman.

"Do they look like fish to you?" demanded Aquaman.

"Don't despair, old chums." The two turned to see Wind Dragon flying next to them, borne aloft by a tornado underneath his feet. Gathering his power, Wind Dragon unleashed a massive gust of wind.

To keep them from being blown away, Big Chill turned into Humongosaur and used himself as a shield between himself and Shifter, while Long Shadow increased in size, catching Wonder Woman in his hand. Then, to everyone's surprise, the monsters didn't get blown away; instead, they were frozen solid.

When the wind subsided, the other Ultimen then gathered around their leader.

"I didn't know you could do that." Said Long Shadow.

"Neither did I." replied Wind Dragon.

…

After the monsters were removed, a news crew arrived, and the Ultimen took center-stage. The League members didn't exactly mind, since none of them really liked the attention, but they were annoyed by Wind Dragon's pompous speech about preserving the planet. Not that they disagreed with the subject matter, it was just that Wind Dragon sounded like a commercial, albeit a passionate one.

"He's certainly… earnest." Said Aquaman.

"I think the word is 'corny'." Muttered Superman.

Wonder Woman walked over to the Ultimen. "Our paths keep crossing and our goals are very much the same; isn't it time that you accepted our offer?" she was referring to the times that the League had offered membership to the Ultimen, but they'd been refused each time.

"All right!" Long Shadow was the only one who seemed to want to join, but Wind Dragon held up a hand to stop him.

"We're truly flattered, Wonder Woman; but we're simply not ready."

"I don't know," said Humongosaur, "you seem pretty ready to me." He saw both Long Shadow and Shifter smile a bit at that, but they made no other move to join them.

Wind Dragon smiled up at him as well, but said, "I appreciate the compliment, but why don't we ask you when we feel we've earned it? After all, we must earn things for ourselves first."

Humongosaur shrugged, then turned into Diamondhead; he wasn't going to push it if they didn't want to join. Long Shadow tried to speak to Wonder Woman, but kept stuttering, until he was pulled away by Juice. As Wonder Woman and Diamondhead walked into Ship, the alien noticed Shifter waving at him. He waved back, then Ship took off.

…

Watchtower

I thought I was done getting trash-talked on national television, Ben thought bitterly, as he and the other Leaguers from the platform mission watched the Ultimen's sponsor and CEO, Maxwell Lord, insult the League, calling them "aloof" and "loose cannons".

"I can't listen to any more of this." Superman said as he turned off the TV, "That guy's dripping more oil than that platform ever did."

"Yeah, I got enough bad press in my own universe, thank you very much." Said Ben as he rested his chin on his palm.

"Ship ship." Commiserated Ship, who was sitting on the chair next to Ben.

"He has the gall to take cheap shots at us." Grumbled Aquaman.

"I know Maxwell Lord," said Batman, "and all he cares about is money."

"Well, it takes money to do what we do," argued Wonder Woman, "after all, not all of us are independently wealthy."

Batman wasn't convinced. "Lord's a walking ego who will do anything for a buck and some free publicity. If he's involved in this, it isn't about helping people."

"Well, I don't know about Lord," said Ben, "but the Ultimen seem all right, if a little annoying." He glanced up to see Batman, Superman, Aquaman and even Ship giving him weird looks. "What? They kind of remind me of myself when people found out my secret identity; a little full of themselves, but their hearts are in the right place."

"They do seem to be a nice bunch of kids." Added Wonder Woman, trying to put a little optimism into the conversation.

…

Ultimen HQ

The Ultimen sat around, surrounded by money and sample of their merchandise. Juice was watching TV, Wind Dragon was talking on his cell phone to his girlfriend of the week, the twins were playing poker, and Long Shadow was leaning against a wall, brooding.

"So last night," said Downpour, "Inside Celebrity did a whole segment on Wind Dragon, and Mr. Swelled Head here doesn't even mention the rest of us!"

Shifter looked at her cards and smiled, showing four aces, and winning the enormous pile of cash that was the pot.

"When do I get to be team leader?" demanded Downpour.

"When your teeth sparkle like mine." Said Wind Dragon, as he hung up his phone.

"What I want to know," complained Shifter, "is why I can't get a conversation with that alien guy!"

"Oh, is having a conversation all you want to do?" teased Juice.

"Yes!" cried a blushing Shifter, "I never get to talk to other shapeshifters! I want to know how he does it!"

"We all know how he does it, sis," said Downpour, "he hits that button on his chest and bam! He's a different alien."

"But I want to know how that works!"

"Kids, kids!" the Ultimen turned to see Maxwell Lord enter the room, "Why would you want to be associated with those has-beens? Your faces are on the walls of every twelve-year-old in America!"

"Well, I don't know about the rest of you," said Downpour, "but I'm sick of being a teen idol; there's more to me than just a pretty face!" He glared at his now-snickering sister.

"Did I forget to give you the royalty check for the new water-spouting Downpour action figure?" Lord handed the hero a piece of paper. Downpour's eyes widened at all the zeros. "And that's just domestic."

Long Shadow finally stopped brooding and said, "What I want to know is…"

"Why can't we join the Justice League?" finished Wind Dragon, Downpour and Juice. Long Shadow had been asking that question for weeks now.

"Hey, it's all right," said Wind Dragon, "I used to think like that."

"Used to?" echoed Long Shadow, "What changed?"

"I don't know," said Wind Dragon, shrugging, "Guess I just started wanting stuff."

The Ultimen heard a ringing, which was coming from Lord's cell phone. He picked it up, glanced at the caller ID, and immediately marched out the door. The Ultimen looked at each other for a moment, then shrugged; Lord had calls like that on occasion.

In the next room, Lord was arguing on the phone. "Yes, but… just because Wind Dragon has a new power we… yes, I know, but… but…" he sighed, "I'll check it out, ma'am; I'll have them all checked out."