Lethal Lottery 2014: Young Justice(c) vs. Cerberus-Tag Team Titles

[Richard Blonoff]

Deadline is Wednesday, July 30th, 11:59PM CST. Extensions available on request.

 

[DarksideEric]

Drops fell from his fist, splattering on the concrete floor to create a miniature crimson Jackson Pollack painting.

“Do you want to be the best?”

He turned, glacier eyes staring past the speaker as if they were trying to focus on the question that lingered in the air.

“Well? Finish it then.”



* * *



Jonathan Hyada, a man in the early part of his thirties, stood front and center inside what has been dubbed the ‘Arena Hall’ by both the students and faculty that surrounded him.

“Attention. Attention! Settle down, all of you, this is our last final of the night.” Guardian, a wall of a man wrapped in yellow and blue, the Head of the Council shouted over the rowdy crowd as the anticipation grew for the ‘main event.’

Jonathan didn’t hear a single voice other than Guardian’s.

As the crowd began to settle down, Guardian walked out onto the arena floor to stand between Jon and the woman who stood across from him, a teacher and Council member herself, the Iron Wasp. Unlike the student opposite to her, she was smiling out to the crowd, waving and treating this more like a pep rally rather than the moments before a coming explosion. And she had every reason to act this way, as she’s been here many, many times before and her record was quite extraordinary. Iron turned to glance at Jon, offering him a smile as he studied her. She was curious, but if she was worried, she hid it far too well for Jon to pick up on it.

“As I was saying, this is our last final of the night for the student body and faculty to watch. This final tonight is to be the determining factor in whether the challenging student, Jonathan Hyada, will graduate in the face of his test, Council member Iron Wasp and a second, unknown opponent. This final will be conducted under the rules of a hand-to-hand Practice Spar. Unique talents and equipment may be used sparingly, and this fight will cease when either opponent is called unable to continue by a show of stoppage by the Council or by a participant ending the fight by way of giving up.”

Jon, trained on every word Guardian spoke, finally broke his concentration when the head of the Council placed his hand on his shoulder.

“Jonathan, you are aware that if you lose this or the second fight, you will be barred from graduating the Accelerated Program for the period of a full regular semester, a period of three months, and will not be able to participate in a re-match until that time?”

Icy eyes stared across at his still smiling opponent. He nodded.

“Do you have any questions before we conduct your final?”

Hyada reached behind his head and pulled the black and crimson Iron Fist inspired mask down over his eyes and stepped away from Guardian and into his pre-determined starting circle.

“Do you want to be the best?”

“Wasp, any questions?”

“No, sir.” The woman backed away into her own starting circle. When she entered it and settled her gaze on Jon, her face changed. The smiling pep rally expression became replaced with the confidence of a veteran fighter. Every bit of curiosity about Jon melted away to reveal her superior feelings. In her mind, well apparent in her eyes, this was nothing more than a time wasting formality.

“Then, without any further del—“

“KICK HER BUTT JON!” The shout came from a well known green hero in the stands, waving at his partner when he turned to look at him in the stands. Jon broke his stoic expression long enough to smile and shake his head at his tag team partner, Haven. The crowd all cheered in unison for the antics of Haven and the big fight that was brewing.

“As I was saying…” Guardian looked out at the crowd that had livened up even more thanks to the outburst. “Without any further delay, I give you Jonathan Hyada versus Iron Wasp, round one of Jonathan’s final test.” The Head of the Council nodded to each combatant and left the arena floor to return to his seat to watch and judge the contest.



* * *



“Do you want to be the best?”

“Of course I do.”

“Then, do what I’m testing you to do.” The man took multiple puffs from his shortened cigar, blowing a stream of grey smoke down towards the figure curled up at his feet.

Jonathan looked to his left, past the shoulder of the man laying out the test for him, to stare at the man in the corner who was working over his own cigarette. Behind heavily tinted grey sunglasses, Nathaniel Black knew Jon was looking to him for confirmation, asking him for moral absolution for the decision he was about to make. The older man, who had not too long ago had become Jon’s trainer, pushed himself off the wall and strode up to the conflicted fighter. He paused beside his new found friend and tipped his sunglasses down low enough so he could look Jon in the eye.

“I did it.”

Black took a side long glance at the poor bastard on the floor that was now pulling at the slacks of the man in charge in a feeble attempt to get up. He then turned back to Jon and put a whisper in his ear, “if it’s not him tonight, it’s you at a later date,” before exiting the room, leaving his friend to his own principles.



* * *



Jonathan lifted his left arm to align with the kick that came sailing at his head, preventing damage to himself and allowing him to grab Wasp’s ankle with his right hand. He shifted his feet and hips, pulling the woman further forward than she expected to spill her down to the floor, allowing the wrestler to give himself some much needed distance. The first opening minutes of the match against the Council member had seen him nearly completely on the defensive. She had pressured him back to edge of the sparring floor, which was raised a foot above the room’s floor, multiple times now. While there were no ‘Ring Out’ stipulations for this fight, it still provided a blow to the confidence and pride to be ejected or ran off from the fighting area. After sending her to the ground, Jon took many back steps from his opponent to set himself back into a neutral state. Wasp rolled to her feet as soon as Jon had settled himself and was on him again a second later with a quick combination. Every shot thrown was blocked or avoided within a hair’s breadth of connecting, and those that weren’t glanced off of him to dot the tag champion with one of many small welts. He could barely keep up with her speed, let alone her agility and all the odd angles her attacks came from. If he lifted his arm to block high, she’d sneak a follow up kick just barely beneath the elbow to threaten his ribs if he didn’t yanks his arm down.
And she was having fun. She was giggling. And Jon was fairly confident that he couldn’t stop her.



* * *



“Well?”

“…why must I do thi—“ Hyada’s words were slapped from his mouth by the man in charge.

“You work for me. You fight for me. I only want the best fighting for me. If you don’t want to be the best then you can leave. Or you could join him as a token for someone else to prove how badly they want their full potential realized.”

Jon pushed his knuckles across his mouth to wipe away the blood that began to trickle, mixing it with the crimson already caking his hand and wrapping. The glare he leveled on his employer could rival that of a legendary creature of myth. His employer simply smiled and clutched the man crawling up his legs by the hair, yanking it back to reveal the damage to his face that Jon had already done.

“Well?”



* * *




Jon rolled away from the kick, collecting himself near the center of the arena floor and gasping for breath. He clutched at his ribs as they screamed at him, the fire of his old injuries igniting thanks to the spark Wasp kicked off. He simply could not continue at this pace, he’d get nowhere if all he did was defend without taking any offensive action of his own. Hyada sucked in a giant gasp of air and grit his teeth before hauling himself from the floor and running forward to meet the incoming Wasp. He feigned a right handed punch, snapping his hips when he saw her guard come up to give her a taste of her own medicine with a well aimed kick… that missed and had Jon sprawling back on the ground with the woman floating a few inches off the ground. The student body all gasped in amazed disbelief as the Iron Wasp had seemingly not only created a quick burst of air to separate Jon from herself, but also made her float out of harm’s way. Hyada lay stunned in silence as Wasp gently landed back on her feet and revealed a pair of tubes hidden in her costume under her wrists.

“I had forgotten that I fight so rarely that people don’t know what my ‘unique talents’ actually are.” The woman smirked and shot her arms downward, kicking up a stream of highly compressed air from her wrists, back harness and feet to jet her upward into the sky a few feet and keep her hanging there. “I’m somewhat of an inventor you see. To put it simply… I can fly.”

Jon’s glacier colored eyes washed over with a tinge of indigo.



* * *



THUD!

The man was hoisted from his prone position and slammed up against the closest wall, held in place by Jon’s well placed left forearm. He stared at his provided fodder for a moment, reading the man’s desperate eyes.

“Pl…ease, don—“

And his desperation was silenced with a well placed punch between the teeth, a second to the nose and a third to the eye socket. The man’s head swam in pain as he felt himself drop from the wall, only to be slammed into it again with a shoulder charge. He felt ribs break as a haymaker connected with them, his breath cut short by another shoulder charge that pinned him to the wall for a third time. Blow after blow left a permanent impression on the man’s very short future; tendons were snapped when his arm was bent at an angle it was never supposed to go in, muscle bruised when a stiff shin collided with it, bones cracked when they were introduced to concrete.
All the while, eyes that were once as blue as the sky were clouding with a violet storm.



* * *



“Oh no… Jon…” Haven muttered to himself as he witnessed the subtle changes in his partner during the continuing fight. The crowd around him was too into the spectacle to notice the wisps of indigo that followed Jon’s every attack. They cheered too loudly to hear the deeper ‘ki-yah’s’ that his friend screamed out. Haven wanted to get up to stop the fight but was held back by the flailing arms of those around him and the respect to trust his friend.

Jon pushed through another blast of compressed air, resisting the knockback so that he could guide his fist towards his opponent’s jaw. She slapped his arm away before it could reach her and circled around to try and drive her knee into Jon’s exposed back. The former fighter accepted the blow and retaliated with an impromptu back fist that glanced off Wasp’s shoulder and glided across her throat. She blasted him away again to avoid the follow up kick that came sailing in for her ribs, creating some breathing room of her own. She ran at her student opponent after collecting herself, with every intention to bait him into a high attack so she could sweep in low to trip him up. However, Jonathan was the one to drop low, arching a well placed punch directly into her stomach that trailed a thicker flare of indigo behind it. Wasp gasped for air as she doubled over onto Jon for a moment in pain, long enough for the angered wrestler to follow up the punch with an overhead elbow that connected with the back of her neck.



* * *



Blood pooled on the concrete, staining it crimson, as Jon held the beaten man up by nothing other than his shirt collar. He stared down at his gasping victim as his employer looked on and pulled from his cigar.

“You’re stopping?”

“Look at him.”

“…you’re stopping?”

“He’s done.”

The man in charge pulled one last puff of his cigar before flicking it at the man Jon was holding. If he had felt the sting of the tiny fire, he made no announcement of it. Jon’s employer stared at his fighter for a good long while then sighed, shaking his head and retrieving his cell from his pocket.
“Jon. You have so much potential, so very much that I can’t afford to replace you. But you lack the ability to cross into the end zone… so I guess I’m just going to have to push you into it.” The man dialed a number on his phone and brought it to his ear. “Bring her in,” were the only words stated before he hung up the cell and placed it back in his pocket.

“What are you…?”

“You’re scoring for me. One way or another.”



* * *



Jon screamed out in pain as Wasp focused a return blow into his bad ribs, forcing the man to break up his attack and stagger away. The Council member wiped a smear of blood across her face to get the taste of it off her lips. She had fully expected Jon to be a more than capable fighter, but she hadn’t actually expected him to keep up with her after this long. Catherine St. James, the Iron Wasp, glanced to her left, spotting the grey hooded figure hiding amongst the crowd in the stands. The look the pair shared told the story of uncertainty and of a reckless decision that was about to be made. Catherine subtly shook her head at the figure, trying to appease the vengeful emotions that brewed there. Her attention was then redirected at Hyada as he came in for another attack, raising her hand to blast him away yet again. But the fighter darted to his right, avoiding the defense, and aimed a kick to her head. Wasp ducked low and sprung to her feet thanks to the aid of her suit’s invention and whipped around to throw an attack of her own at Jon again. This time her fist was coated with a thin skin of flexible metal, the ‘iron’ in ‘Iron Wasp,’ which caused even greater damage to the wrestler when it connected just under his arm. In both pain and anger, Jon locked his arm around Wasp’s elbow and secured her wrist with his other hand. He jerked her forward while guiding himself towards the ground, sandwiching the woman between himself and the floor. She gasped for breath as she felt a crunch in her side, a few ribs cracking from the introduction to the floor and Jon’s body weight. The fighter rolled off the woman, his hand catching the underside of her chest armor and drawing the plate from her body.



* * *



“What’s going on here?” Jon’s words were filled with confusion and anger as one of many nameless burly thugs ushered a young girl in her early teens into the room, her hands tied behind her back and her mouth gagged and duct taped shut. She screamed as soon as she entered the room, recognizing her older brother that was hanging from Jon’s hands, and was forced to her knees beside Jon’s employer.

“You want to be the best?”

“What’s going on here?!”

“Jonathan, I’d like you to meet Samantha St. James, sister to Jefory St. James.” He nodded at the man Jon was barely holding up. “You do what I tell you,” he nodded at his thug who wrapped his arm around the girl’s throat, “or he won’t be the only St. James that clocks out tonight.”

“Why are you—?”

“I only employ the best. And the best are willing to do whatever it takes to stay that way.”



* * *



It wasn’t the first time that the entire crowd was in stunned silence, though this time the faculty and Council joined them as they all stared at the exposed portion of Wasp’s armor. Where metal had once been now laid bare skin tight black fabric that was imprinted with a pure orange insignia.

Spoiler

“Cerberus…” Guardian muttered under his breath, not believing what he was seeing. He leapt from his chair and called out in challenge, “You?! Cerberus?!”

Catherine dusted herself off as she slowly rose to her feet, still grimacing in pain from the battle that had come to an abrupt end. She smiled and folded her arms beneath the insignia, pushing it upward so everyone around could clearly see.

“What in the…?” Haven muttered to himself as he stared at one of his favorite former teachers.

“Explain yourself Catherine!”

“HIM!” The cold shout came from the back of the crowd to Wasp’s left, from a figure wrapped in a grey shroud. She stepped forward and pointed directly at Jon who was staring at her in confusion. “Jonathan Hyada!”

Guardian turned his attention to the figure as she pulled off the cloak to reveal the grey, white, and now black attire beneath. A brand new suit adorned with its own orange insignia. The crowd again was shocked to find a second teacher with the symbol of a criminal organization on her person.

“Moonlit? Sam, what the hell is going on here?!”

“Please Guardian, it’s not just Samantha,” she leapt down the eight rows of bleacher seats to the ground and strode up to stand directly in front of Jon, “it’s Samantha St. James.”

Jon’s eyes widened in stunned recollection.

“And don’t worry, I’m not looking to stay with Cerberus any longer, as so far they haven’t been able to fulfill my needs.” She cast a side long glance at her sister, alluding to the failures that frustrated the traitorous teacher. “I’m here… for him.” Moonlit flashed a white blade, arching it across Jon’s chest to cut through the Kevlar protection of his Iron Fist outfit. Jonathan staggered backward, clutching at his bleeding chest. She hadn’t cut him deep enough to cause any serious damage, but the look upon her face proved that was her next intention.

“WHAT IS GO—“

“JON!” Haven leapt down from his own spot in the stands and ran up to put himself directly between the blade and his partner, arms held out wide in protection. “You touch him again…”

“You’ll do what, you pathetic green haired freak? You’ll protect a killer? You’re supposed to bring villains to justice, not align with them.”

“The only killer I see here has a sword in her hand in a school.”

Moonlit set her grey eyes in a dead stare, looking past Haven to focus on Jon behind him. Her fist clenched and unclenched several times around the handle of the blade she carried. Sam flipped the sword over to catch it in a reverse grip while at the same time punching outward with it towards Haven’s jaw. The surprise of the blow knocked Haven away from his partner, allowing Samantha to step in and produce a second sword to level at Jon’s midsection. Hyada darted to the side, snapping his arm outward to smack an open palm on the attacking sword arm to shove it further away from its intended target. Moonlit answered with a spinning slash from the reverse blade, arching it high then dropping it low to cut off Jon’s retreat. It was Haven this time to block the blow, having found his feet beneath him and bringing both hands up to catch Moonlit’s arm as she brought it down, stopping the momentum of the attack.

Iron Wasp leapt over the trio and doubled her body over, a high pitched shriek echoed through the arena hall as her suit sucked in the air around the foursome for a brief moment. Just as a large collection of the student body and faculty, including the Council, started to surge on the villains, Catherine released the drawn in oxygen, sending an explosive blast out around the small group to keep the intruders away. Students and practiced heroes alike were knocked back, rolling into the limp stop of unconsciousness amongst the bleachers. The few that had weathered the storm stood dumbfounded by its power, reassessing their desire to interfere with the personal battle unfolding.



* * *



Nathaniel Black watched his new friend storm down the hallway towards him, ripping away at the bloody taping that still clung to his hands.

“Did you…?”



* * *



“So, you haven’t told him then Jon?” Samantha smiled wickedly with her words as she slowly began to overpower Haven’s guard, guiding his struggling arms out away from his body so she could line up for another attack. Jonathan Hyada was frozen in place, held captive by the cold tip of steel that ever so slightly lifted his chin upward and the deadly eyes that bore down on him. She knew she had him, both of them, but she’d been focused on revenge for so long that it was vital she enjoyed it.

“Haven doesn’t know what you’ve done? Forget Haven, the Council doesn’t know what you’ve done?!” Moonlit looked over towards the struggling Guardian whom refused to remain still even after multiple blasts from Wasp.

“I know.” Haven gritted through his bloody teeth, a present given to him by the earlier punch. “He’s told me.”

Moonlit studied Haven as she continued to put pressure on his guard while teasing Jon’s throat with her blade. The woman then began to laugh, softly at first, though it quickly grew into a vile cackle. “You are a terrible liar. He’s not breathed a single word to you about the St. James family. He hid it then and he hides it today. Jonathan Hyada, the Killer of Innocents.”

Frosty eyes flared indigo.

“You’re afraid of the justice you deserve. So afraid that you left the real world to join a charade; to choreograph battles with the lackeys of Cerberus to make yourself feel powerful again. You weren’t on any soul finding, honorific quest. You needed a setting where you could claim weakness while you built your real strength back up again. So you could return to doing what made you ‘the best.’” She slid the blade’s tip up along his neck and cut it slightly into his cheek, though Jon didn’t even grimace. “And you came here to see how well you could weed out the herd that might clash against you when your time came.”

“Yo—“

“You’d be right to believe that. If this were any time prior to my meeting of Haven.” Jonathan flinched his head to the side to free it from the blade’s bloody kiss. A steady ring of indigo rimmed his blue eyes as he glared at the child he had saved, a child that was now attempting to repay him for his good deed. “Three years wasn’t enough time to create a barrier thick enough to keep the fire within me in check, especially after meeting with a Catalyst.” Jonathan stepped forward into Moonlit’s space which caused her to reposition her blade against the Kevlar protecting his heart. “But my desire to ‘be the best’ wasn’t so I could hold gold, or be feared. The best that I wanted to evolve into is exactly what I told Guardian when I applied for this school. I wanted to become a force that people like the man who threatened to kill you would have to clash against. The type of person that you have seemingly evolved into.”

“You’re labeling me the evil one here?!”

“No… but I have given Haven enough time to slip away from you.”

“Wha--?” Moonlit snapped her head to the side where she had thought Haven was still struggling against her, only to find that she had been fighting to hold up nothing but the air. She had been so preoccupied with Jon that Haven had been allowed to disappear. Moonlit’s head snapped again, though this time into the opposite direction thanks to a well placed kick from the green themed hero. She staggered forward towards Jon, dropping her blade low which allowed the former MMA fighter to grab her arm and swing her around into Wasp who had turned around in time to be bowled over. The sisters fell in a jumble to the arena floor while the tag team champions collected themselves beside each other, though as quickly as they were toppled, they too regained their composure together. Samantha began to step forward with both blades at the ready before her sister snatched her arm to hold her back.

“What are you--?!” Moonlit cut her words short as she looked back at her sister... and the growing number of bystanders who had grown tired of being spectators. Wasp had been very effective at keeping them at bay, but even the brief reprieve of Young Justice’s counter attack had rallied the large group of established and would-be heroes to mobilize.

“We didn’t think this through…” Catherine hissed at her younger sister, tugging at her arm.

“We aren’t leaving now!”

“We are. We can’t face them all, not anymore.”

“We just need him!”

The crowd began to creep in closer while Jon and Haven prepped themselves for the resurgence of battle.

“We’ll get him later.”

“Now!” Samantha surged forward to strike but her sister’s grasp held firm, yanking her back as she released a final concussive blast that threw everyone around the pair back a dozen paces and shattered the glass ceiling above them.

“NO! HE NEEDS TO DIE!”

The eldest St. James daughter ignored her sister’s wails of revenge as she took off into the sky with her in tow, leaving the heroes behind to their minor victory.



* * *



Jonathan charged past the older man, leveling his shoulder into him to knock him out of the way as he passed out of view. Nathan watched him go, a frown growing on his features as he turned to look over his shoulder so he could better hear the crying screams of a distraught sister.

“Everyone does it...”



* * *



“We’ve thought it through,” Guardian spoke softly to Young Justice, winching now and then as he was finally getting attended to by staff hours after the escapades of Jon’s final. “The Council has unanimously voted that due to Jon helping to uncover traitors within the midst of the Academy on this night, as well as not long ago with you Haven, that he has earned the right to graduate.”

“What about my…?”

Guardian lifted a hand to silence the wrestler. “You stated when you came here that you wanted to right the wrongs of your old life. The Council feels that you were never dishonest with us, nor would we hang a person’s past over their head if they actively pursued a path to atone for it. You are not the first to take a life, willingly or unwillingly, so we will not treat you as such. You have earned yourself the right to be a certified hero Jonathan Hyada, do not waste it.”

Hyada nodded silently but kept his eyes cast down at his feet for a while as Haven patted him on the shoulder for reassurance.

“What is next for you two, after graduation?”

“Jon and I are facing off against our rivals, Cerberus, for the tag team titles as well as participating in the Lethal Lottery match.”

“Do you feel you are up to these tests?”

Memories, old and new, of prior life and current events flashed through his head. The former fighter focused in on what had been fueling him ever since his debut in wrestling, the Man in White, Ramparte. His fist clenched as he lifted his eyes to meet Guardian’s gaze.

“I am the best. And they will come to learn it…”

 

[Kermit]

Issue 12: Graduation​

The scene begins with a shot of Hyada standing at a podium with blue and silver regalia on. Out in front of him is a dozen other graduates, council members, Haven, and an auditorium full of people. Hyada, with a bandage on his left cheek from his battle yesterday, leans up to the microphone.

Hyada: My fellow graduates, I am honored to speak on behalf of our accelerated class today. I’d like to talk about what makes a hero. Being a hero starts simply from wanting to do good.

Ramparte and Flex crowd around Haven, shoving him around. Hyada, wearing a Green Lantern hoodie, is walking up the hallway. He notices the scene in front of him, and decides he needs to get involved. He pushes away Cerberus, and squares up to fight. Flex and Ramparte look to one another... And back away, for now. Hyada looks over his shoulder, to see a roughed up Haven.

Hyada: Hey....

He turns around, to look at Haven.

Hyada: I think heroes have a place here... Name's Jonathan Hyada.

Hyada offers his hand to shake... Haven seems reluctant at first, but shakes his hand.

Hyada: You ever need help... Let me know.

Hyada walks away, leaving Haven to himself.

Hyada looks out to Haven in the crowd.

Hyada: Kindness goes a long way.

Ramparte: You.

Hyada: Me. What is this about?

Ramparte: You've been quite the thorn lately. I believe we need to finally remove you before things go any further.

Hyada stood nearly nose to nose with The Catalyst and stared him down.

Hyada: "We?"

Flex: Haha, of course "we" my lonely friend. Do you not understand the concept of a team?

Flex Mussel appeared behind Hyada, sandwiching him between the two allies.

Jonathan glanced over his shoulder to acknowledge Mussel before turning back towards Ramparte who used the momentary distraction to level a cane swing into Jon's left side, the bad side, ribs and the fight was on. Hyada stumbled back into Flex who secured the fighter into a Full Nelson so that Ramparte could land a series of punches and cane attacks to the face and body. Mussel then tossed Hyada towards a high stack of equipment boxes, sending them crashing as he fell to the floor.

Unbeknownst to the fighting trio, a caped crusader had been observing the scene from high atop a perch on his own set of equipment boxes. Haven leaped from the "building scape" with no regard for his own safety, crashing into Flex with a clothesline from above.

Hyada: But just like a hero’s duty never ends, evil never sleeps.

We see a clip from when Young Justice faced Cerberus at the Unscripted Pre-show.

------

We cut to a shot of Cerberus battling with Young Justice at the TLC 4-way at All or Nothing.

-----

Finally, we cut to a shot of two rounds ago where the three members of Cerberus laid out Young Justice.

Hyada: A hero’s job is never done.

Hyada puts his hands up on the podium.

Hyada: I’ve learned a lot this past week about what a hero is.

We cut to a shot of Hyada studying vigorously in the library.

-------

We switch to a shot of Hyada, Haven, and Lexi battling the UT fraternity in the inflatable obstacle course.

-----

We switch again to a shot of Hyada and Haven standing side-by-side in battle yesterday.

Hyada: And I’ve learned a lot about what a hero is not.

We cut to various shots of Black Fencer, Badger Dan, Iron Wasp, and Moonlit

Hyada: But I could not have put together everything I learned if it were not for my friend, who helped me get into the accelerated program in the first place.

Haven smiles in the crowd and leans over to the person next to him. He whispers to the stranger.

Haven: That’s me.

Hyada: Thank you, Haven.

Haven gets serious as he looks up at his tag team partner. Hyada smiles as Haven fights back cartoonish tears. Finally, Haven yells out.

Haven: You’re the best sidekick ever!

Hyada: For the last time, I was never your sidekick.

Hyada shakes his head “no” towards the crowd as he looks somewhat embarrassed by Haven’s loud proclamation. We see Haven blowing his nose on the stranger’s shirt that is next to him. He mutters under his breath.

Haven: Yeah, sure. Specifics.

Hyada: Anyways, I promise that I will take what I have acquired here and apply it to my lifestyle going forward. I may receive my diploma when I walk off this stage, but it will only be validated by what I do out in the world going forward. No evil, here-

We see a shot of a scowling Moonlit

Hyada: Or there-

We see a shot of all three members of Cerberus raising their fists high in the air.

Hyada: Is safe under my watch. Our watch.

Hyada nods at Haven in the crowd.

Hyada: Thank you.

The audience begins clapping as Haven gets overzealous and claps louder than anyone else. He rings the stranger next to him by the neck and fist pumps his other arm in the air. The stranger looks highly annoyed.

------------------------------------------------​

We cut to a shot of Hyada waving to other graduates as they walk away. Haven comes up from behind and pats Hyada on the back. He has his WZCW Tag Team Championship strapped around his waist. They chuckle as Haven holds out his arms for a bro-hug. Hyada rolls his eyes, but finally goes in for a celebratory bro-hug.

Haven: Thank god, you graduated. I was running out of filler.

They both awkwardly laugh off the breaking of the fourth wall.

Hyada: Hey, Haven.

Haven: Yeah?

Hyada: So, I need to do my follow-up internship and I thought I might do it in a place called WZCW.

Haven: No way! That’s where I am!

Hyada: Oh yeah? Is there a lot bad guys to stop there?

Haven: Yeah, I actually am competing against this bad guy team at Lethal Lottery. You know, I had a partner, but he was a d-bag and left for college. Do you think you could fill in?

Hyada lifts up his regalia to reveal his own tag team title under his robes.

Hyada: Yeah, I’ve got an opening.

Hyada and Haven clasps fists together in an epic gesture. Millions of miles away a tsunami is formed by the fraction from the clasp of their two fists.

Haven: Hey, Hyada.

Hyada: Yeah?

Haven: Let’s go validate your degree by kicking Cerberus’ ass!

Hyada: You got it, buddy.

They both turn to face the camera. Haven jumps forward in a crouching position. Hyada walks up behind him and clinches his fist as both of their tag titles glimmer in the light. They speak in epic unison.

Young Justice: Look out, bad guys of WZCW! Young Justice just got a whole lot more awesome!

The scene pauses on a still of Young Justice looking poised and ready to take on their next challenge in Cerberus at LL in an epic Falls Count Anywhere Match. Only one team will prevail as tag team champions, and Young Justice looks forward to it being them! The scene goes black.

A scene starts playing at the end of the credits. We see a figure of a man sitting on the bottom of a rickety bunk bed. A small amount of light fills what appears to be a jail cell through a barred window. Suddenly, the wall of the cell explodes. The figure of a man covers his face as another figure enters the cell from the outside. It is none other than Moonlit! She peers over at the man.

Moonlit: Are you the Black Fencer?

We see a closeup of her lips as she smirks. It is finally revealed that the figure in the cell is actually the Black Fencer. He stands up and stares at Moonlit.

Fencer: Yeah, why?

Moonlit: I’m recruiting.

Fencer: Recruiting for what?

Moonlit: For the desolation of Young Justice.

The screen goes black.

 

[FlexAmerican Dynamite]

It looks as though the Tag Team Champions are looking to put this match to bed with the Burning Star but any thought of that is interrupted as both Mussel and Taylor enter the ring – illegally involving themselves in the match.

The scene opens up at the tail end of the encounter between Cerberus and their heroic counterparts at Aftershock 36. With the hounds knowing they’re on the ropes any regard for the rules are thrown out the window.

Mussel and Taylor, almost surprisingly, take control of Haven and Hyada as Cerberus force Hyada into the corner before both mount the second turnbuckle – a rain of punches being fired down upon Hyada. But any thought of reclaiming control of the match is short-lived as Lexi Hayes re-introduces herself into the match, running across the ring and landing a double kick to the backs of Taylor and Mussel, sending them flying over the top rope and onto the mats below

The beauty queen and bodybuilder’s plan of attack is foiled once again however as the southern belle finds a way to eject them from the ring. This is much to the dismay of Flex who’s recent self enforced famine has caused himself to be irritable, easily angered, and even a slight loss of intelligence.

Haven gets back to his feet – mirrored by Ramparte. The crowd know what is coming... BURNING STAR!! Haven rolls out of the ring as Hyada covers his opponent. 1... 2... 3-NO! Mussel slid into the ring just in time to break up the pin. Mussel starts to stomp away on Hyada, until Haven gets back into the ring and hammers him across the back.

Angered by the fact that he is seemingly always one step behind the caped crusaders Mussel narrowly saves his partner and begins to stomp furiously on anything that resembles Hyada. That is of course until his attention is gotten by the man he’s truly after….Haven.

Mussel powers Haven over the top rope and quickly slips out of the ring. He slams the head of Haven into the announce desk, sending him staggering, before Mussel grabs a chair. He swings, but Haven ducks and the chair slams into the ring post. Flex drops the chair and Haven connects with a dropkick that sends Mussel shoulder first into the post.

Completely enraged and obsessed by the sight of the emerald avenger the prophet of health uses his immense strength to force Haven to the outside where his intentions become more dangerous every second. Not wanting to wait till the Lethal Lottery to show the type of damage he can inflict he smashes Haven’s head on the announce desk but doesn’t stop there. He grabs a steal chair intending to make sure Haven doesn’t even make it to the Lottery! However, due to Flex’s lack of protein and electrolytes he can’t swing fast enough to hit his target allowing Haven to escape and dropkick him hurling the bodybuilder into the steel post.

Flex: (This hurts….much more than anticipated…)

Usually a blow like that would only temporarily stun Flex but this time that’s not the case as he can’t seem to shake off the injury. The healthiest man alive can’t even seem to walk straight as he takes a tumble to the floor still clutching his shoulder. His allies notice this and they quickly help him up the ramp while still keeping focus on their enemies in the ring. The two teams continue jaw jacking until Cerberus makes it behind the curtain with Eve and Ramparte still being a crutch to an injured Flex.

Eve: Flex are you okay?

The monsieur of muscle gives no vocal response but instead continues the painful grimace that has plagued his facial expressions the last minute or so. The fashion model looks to Ramparte almost as if she’s asking what to do next but the catalyst has nothing to contribute but an uncommon look of concern he has for the fitness trainer. It’s almost as if he’s never seen his ally in such a vulnerable state. Eventually the dead weight of Flex is too much handle for the other two heads of Cerberus and Mussel collapses to the floor unconscious. Eve rushes to see if she can help as well as other backstage workers. Meanwhile Ramparte stands clear of the situation only looking on in terror of what he’s witnessing.

Eve: Somebody call the para-

MEDICS!

Woman: Somebody please call the paramedics!

Man: Don’t worry honey I’ve already called, everything will be okay.

A very agitated married couple can be seen in a cozy living room huddled around an unconscious and overweight child while a group of people less concerned than the parents yet still very worried watch in a gathered circle. There seems to be chocolate frosting around the mouth of the unconscious child, in fact it seems the setting is a birthday party which explains the devoured cake and the abundance of presents all brought by the group of onlookers.

Father: Come on Franklin, snap out of it son.

Mother: I knew I shouldn’t have bought him the double stuffed chocolate cake!

The Mother erupts into the tears as the Father attempts to soothe her while also making sure his son is still breathing.

Father: He would have found a way to get it anyway honey, you know how Franklin loves his sweets, and it’s not your fault.

At that moment paramedics are let it the door by others attending the party. After a couple attempts they are able to lift Franklin’s body onto a stretcher and cart him into an ambulance that drives off to a nearby medical facility while his parents follow close behind in their car.

Sometime Later

Mother: He…he has diabetes?

A now awoken and bed ridden Franklin and his parents are being informed of the cause of his medical emergency by a Physician.

Physician: I’m afraid so, it seems Franklin passed out due to a heart attack caused by what I can only assume is the massive amount of double stuffed chocolate cake he ate. After doing further tests we realized Franklin’s blood pressure is alarming high and in turn we’ve come to the conclusion he does indeed have diabetes. What also concerned us is the amount of tension and unhealthy buildup in Franklin’s shoulder.

Father: Is that the result of the diabetes?

Physician: Yes and it’s a contributing factor to Franklin’s heart and weight problems. If something is not done about his health soon we may have to consider amputating it.

Flex: NOBODY TOUCH MY SHOULDER!

The monsieur of muscle erupts out his coma in a cold sweat quickly grabbing the attention of Ramparte and Eve Taylor who were seemingly in mid conversation on the other side of the room. He quickly goes to look at his left shoulder to make sure it’s still there and while it’s still intact there are indeed needles poking in and out of various places in his body. They all connect back to various monitors and machines as he’s in a hospital bed seemingly in a nearby medical facility.

Eve: I think one of us should get the doctor now….

Ramparte: …Will do….

The second head of Cerberus leaves to find the Physician while Eve goes to comfort her fallen comrade.

Eve: So how are you feeling?

Flex: Confused, angry, hungry.

Eve: Well relax; we’re going to find out what’s happening with you any moment.

Physician: Mr. Mussel, nice to see you finally awake.

The doctor enters the room followed by Ramparte who instead of joining Eve by Flex’s bedside stays alone on the other side of the room.

Flex: What’s happening to me? I’m in peak condition, I shouldn’t be here!

Physician: Well Mr. Mussel for a man in your….situation…you are indeed in the best shape you can possibly be. However there are certain problems currently plaguing you right now that I’m not even sure House M.D. can explain.

Flex: What problems?

Physician: Well for one you grossly in need of nutrients, when was the last time you ate?

Flex: I’m on a hunger strike.

Physician: For religious purposes?

Flex: Until Young Justice are no longer tag team champions.

Physician: Uh huh….well along with that it seems your blood sugar, stress levels, and even your diabetes seem to be extremely prevalent for your body’s shutdown earlier. There is quite a lot of pressure in your left shoulder. I’ve pulled your medical records and it seems this isn’t the first time that shoulder has been a problem.

Flex: Nobody is cutting off my shoulder…

Physician: Settle down there tiger I don’t think that’ll be necessary. That may have been a possibility back when you were younger than and not nearly as fit as you are now, congratulations on that by the way, your home work out videos did a wonder for the wife and I.

Flex: Thanks but can you please get to the point?

Physician: Well the best way I can put it is that despite your multiple medical calamities your body still seems to be capable of some amazing feats of strength and that has led you to become number one on my interest list and I’ve recommended that you stay here the next couple of weeks for medical testing.

Flex: Weeks?! I’ve got to fight people in a couple days I don’t have time to be your lab rat!

Physician: I’m very well aware of your Lethal Lottery obligation Mr. Mussel. In fact the wife and I are taking a flight out to San Juan tonight, should be a fun time for everyone. Well…except for you of course, in your current state I don’t think partaking in what will be a very violent encounter is wise.

Flex: I don’t care what you think is wise I’m walking out of here, heading to Puerto Rico, and Ramparte and I will crush Young Justice into oblivion.

Physician: I thought you might feel that way, so I’ve informed security not to let you out of the building and there are men placed on every exit. I know you’re a strong guy so I’ve given them the go ahead to use stun guns so I don’t think it would be wise to try to escape, though if you don’t eat something soon you won’t be able to walk any further than the end of the hallway. Have a nice day.

The doctor exits the room leaving Cerberus reeling with the devastating news.

Eve: Well that certainly wasn’t fabulous.

Soon after the doctor’s departure the benefactors of Cerberus Haxel Draxel and his humanoid enforcer The Winter Soldier enter the room looking very displeased.

Draxel: I’m seriously starting to wonder if we made the right decision putting you three at the forefront of Cerberus.

Flex: Now is really not a good time Draxel.

Draxel: Well I’m starting to wonder when it will be a good time. When you joined us you promised the destruction of Young Justice yet all I’ve seen the last couple of weeks is setback after setback and now that you’ve finally got the chance to end them and Flex can’t even be medically cleared.

Eve: It’s rude to eavesdrop.

Draxel: Cerberus has eyes and ears everywhere, I’m always listening.

Flex: Then why don’t use those senses along with your robot over there to get me out of here so I can go end Young Justice?

Draxel: Because the boss I answer to just like me is very concerned with whether or not you three are really worthy of being in Cerberus. We’ve given you all the resources you could have possibility need to take care Haven and Hyada yet you can’t get the job done. So from here until we decide to contact you again you find away around this mess.

Draxel storms out of the room with the Soldier following closely behind once again leaving Cerberus with another obstacle in their path.

Eve: Well I’m going to head out too…

Flex: Where could you possibly be going?

Eve: Look somebody has to deal with the media. A lot of people saw you pass out backstage and I can’t even begin to tell you the number of tweets, blogs, and articles questioning whether or not you’ll even make it to the Lethal Lottery. You’re not in any condition for any interviews and Ramparte over there isn’t exactly the most social person. I’ll go and hold them off for the time being and tend to some other matters. I’m sure you two will figure this out though, and when you do I’ll be at ringside to make sure Lexi Hayes won’t fan girl out and cause any problems and I’ll raise your hands in victory when you guys win.

With that the fashion model quickly scurries out leaving only the original two members of Cerberus alone to their thoughts. Neither seems very anxious to start a conversation about how to solve this pile of problems currently in their way but what’s even more noticeable is Ramparte’s inability to even look in Flex’s direction. The prophet of health notices this and attempts to find out what is wrong.

Flex: You’ve been quiet lately, like more than usual, what’s wrong?

Ramparte: Nothing…it’s just….I’m not use to seeing you like this.

Flex: Well don’t, soon enough we’ll be out here and-

Ramparte: You can’t seriously tell me you believe getting out of here is an option with the amount of security. That along with Draxel seemingly not having our back and even Eve has seemingly left us on our own.

Flex: This was our fight long before it was Eve’s, she’ll be of use to us when the time comes. Besides she should be focusing on the Lethal Lottery match itself, something we’ll be helping her with after our victory. Cerberus will reign supreme.

Ramparte: How can you just say that? How can you just mindlessly believe that everything will turn out all right when our world is falling down around us!

Flex: Look I know things seem bleak-

Ramparte: Things are worse than bleak; they’re a black fucking hole. You want to know why I’ve been so quiet, why I can’t seem to look at you. It’s because I’m scared. Ever since we started as a team I’ve believed every word you said because you were the most positive thing in my life and despite us being polar opposites you were a friend and you were the one thing that wasn’t just angels and demons. But lately there’s no happy Flex, there’s no more jokes, no more plugging your gyms, no more infomercials, just plain anger and hate. I know it’s hypocritical of me to complain as I’m just the same but the reason I like you so much Flex is because you used to be a symbol of what I could be if I was a happier person. But after all that’s transpired with Young Justice, being indebted to this unknown figure at the helm of Cerberus, and not to mention your troubling health problems that could lead to your death I’m wondering if this is all worth it.

Flex: It will all be worth it when we crush them.

Ramparte: And how do you plan to do that from this hospital bed? Look I’m just not use to being the caretaker of this pairing. Usually you’re the one that gets us back on the track, the one that motivates us, and the one with the plan. I’m eager to hurt Haven and Hyada as well but now you’re nothing more than sick and vengeful wreck, just like the demons plaguing my mind.

Flex: Look I know I haven’t been myself lately, I know things haven’t gone according to plan lately, but I’m still Flex Mussel. I know I sound like a broken record but there’s just something about the hypocrisy of Young Justice that just can’t go unpunished. I’m not doing this because we’re on the payroll of some unknown kingpin, I’m not doing this because I’m jealous, I’m doing this because the definition of the word hero in WZCW shouldn’t just be someone dressing up and playing vigilante. Doctors, police officers, firefighters, and guys just like you and me who have to overcome insurmountable odds to carry on in our daily lives deserve much more recognition than the caped crusaders.

Flex attempts to sit up more in his bed to get a clearer view of Ramparte.

Flex: I was an overweight child who became one of the healthiest men on the planet and now I help others better their lives. You were an orphaned child who is battling with mental problems and while you are still battling those demons you’ve transferred that anger into the ring instead of some horrible tragedy making you a positive figure for people with mental illness. We’re role models and heroes yet where is our recognition Ramparte? If they’re not willing to give it to us then we have to be willing to take it. You know there might have been a place and time where I would’ve gladly cheered for Young Justice and their antics as they’re both truly talented guys but I highly doubt either of them can stand a day walking in either of our shoes. We deserve for once in our life to be called champions and I guarantee if you stick with me at Lethal Lottery this dangerous side of me will do us wonders in a match where Falls Count Anywhere, rules are nonexistent, and no one will be able to stop the decimation of Young Justice. Now are you with me Ram?

The healthiest man alive extends a hand from his bed urging Ramparte to join him but the Catalyst stands still almost as if a light bulb has gone off in his head.

Ramparte: I…I must leave…

With those words the other head of Cerberus and last remaining ally of Flex leaves the room much to the dismay of the bodybuilder.

Flex: No! You can’t leave! Why are you leaving! Do I mean nothing to you?! We’re Cerberus damn it! You can’t do this to me!

Mussel continues his small outburst until he realizes Ramparte isn’t coming back and he’s truly alone. No Cerberus Corp, no Eve, no Ram. Flex is completely left to his own devices with virtually no means of escape and his chances to finally prove everyone wrong seemingly shot down. A feeling of sadness overcomes the bodybuilder. Abandoned by his parents, his Amazonian girlfriend, and now his best friend Flex begins to see there’s no point in continuing on. Eventually that feeling sadness turns to hunger. He takes the needles out of his body, trudges out of bed, puts some jeans over his hospital gown, and struggles to get out of his room. Almost in zombie like fashion Flex makes his way down the hall toward a vending machine containing all the various snacks his usual diet and diabetic problems wouldn’t allow him to eat.

Flex: (Since there’s no more Cerberus I might as well indulge myself before I kick the bucket)

Mussel digs deep inside his pocket for his wallet and takes out a fifty dollar bill and proceeds to put it inside the vending machine. He then hits the correct combination of numbers releasing dozens upon dozens of Oreos, pop tarts, snickers bars, and many other sugary items. He begins to devour them all immediately and as he does he feels a surge of strength he hadn’t felt since the last time he actually had a meal. Despite already using all his money treats he craves more and more sugary desires. Yet without the proper money he instead picks up a chair and using his to smash the glass of the vending machine making the remaining treats available for free. This of course alerts nearby security.

Guard: Sir! We’re going to need you to step away from nutter butters and put your hands where I can see them!

Flex: No one will stand between me and my sugar again!

The monsieur of muscle then proceeds to pick up that same chair and chuck at the security guard who narrowly ducks it.

Guard: I’ve got a situation on floor three and I need immediate back up now!

The guard charges at Flex attempting to tackle him but Mussel uses his deltoids and smashes him right in the face with a European uppercut.

Flex: Too much tension in this shoulder my ass!

More guards file on the floor but they are all met with suplexes, shoulders, or torture racks as the sugar craze Flex is on has seemingly turned him into a hulk like monster. Nothing can seemingly stop him until he turns around to see a shadowy figure standing right across from him. At first he can’t seem to make out his face but then he realizes it’s because he’s wearing a mask. He looks the figure up and down and realizes the figure is almost wearing a full body suit all in black At that exact moment he comes to realization that it can only be Saboteur!

Flex: (WZCW’s first hero, he must be aligned with Young Justice and planning to take me out before I can make it to the Lottery)

More guards rush into the hallway attempting to charge through Saboteur to get to Flex but they’re met with spinning back fists and numb chucks taking them out.

Flex: Is that supposed to be intimidating?! You don’t scare me! You’re just another coward in a mask!

The monsieur of muscle charges at the former WZCW superstar but just as he gets to him the lights to the building shutdown and Flex has tripped over his own two feet! His arms and legs are then quickly tied behind his back and seemingly blindfolded while he’s being carried to an unknown location. Eventually after making it up various flights of stairs leading to the roof Saboteur brings Flex to a helicopter and the former tag team champion signals to an unknown figure in the pilot seat and the helicopter takes off immediately.

Flex: (It looks like this is the end, do your worst Saboteur).

Just as it looks to be over for the bodybuilder Saboteur takes off Flex’s blindfold and unveils his mask revealing that it’s Ramparte!

Flex: What the hell!

Ramparte: Who else were you expecting? Why did you think I had to leave, I figured if I was going to break you out what a better way to do it then dressing up as one of WZCW’s founding heroes, wait till those security camera see that.

Flex: What about the lights? And how did you tie my arms and legs so quickly?

Ramparte: I had some help.

At that moment Draxel and TWS emerge from the back of the copter. The humanoid unties Flex’s arms and legs.

Flex: Well that explains the strength and speed.

Draxel: I’m the one behind the lights; the entire place was being controlled on my ipad.

Flex: I thought you all abandoned me…

Ramparte: I did have my doubts about your state of mind but I figured if we’re walking into our final battle only to be destroyed then unfortunately there’s no one else I’d rather do it with. Plus I hate to admit it but your speech was pretty inspiring, and I’m not the only one who thought so.

Draxel: I was listening, must say it brought a tear to my eye.

Ramparte: Now we wait for the Lethal Lottery.

Flex: I’ve got a better idea than waiting. How about for one night we be the villains Young Justice make us out to be. Let’s find some of their friends and send them a little message for what’s in store.

Ramparte: I’m interested in where this is heading….

Flex: You should be….Hail Sugar....I mean...Hail Cerberus!

 

[Spidey Revivey]

Destiny is but a ladder.​

Serra: Ramparte had to cheat, just to get the advantage!

Klamor: I didn't see a thing, my monitor must be broken.

Ramparte takes this chance to kick Hyada in the stomach, and hit The Catalysm! He goes for the cover, as Flex holds Eve Taylor to keep her from breaking up the count.

1...

2...

3!!!

Flex goes in to celebrate, as Ramparte slinks in the middle of the ring, almost depressed.

Anderson: Here are your winners, Cerberus!

Serra: The only way Ramparte pulled that out was because he cheated.

Klamor: All I saw was win, for a team with a lot of momentum.

Each rung takes you to a higher position...​

Haven connects with his 450 splash! He hooks the leg!!!


1...








2...











3!!!

Harrys: Here is your winner, the team of Young Justice!

Copeland: What a contest between two hot young tag teams! We're going to see a lot more of these two in the future, I'm sure of that.

Cohen: I can't believe these two geeks triumphed over such polished athletes!

Young Justice celebrates in the ring as Cerberus licks their wounds on the outside. Both teams jaw back and forth, making it clear this is far from over.

Until eventually there are no more steps left to climb...​

Connor: Now Hyada is dangling about 10 feet above the ring!

Hyada meanwhile now hangs nearly 10 feet above the ring holding on to the tag team titles as Showtime and Winters panic. They close the ladders and start trying to poke away at the martial artist as he pulls the belts with all his strength. They try to knock him down but Hyada holds on long enough to unhook the belts and drops to the floor.


Harrys: Here are your winners and NEEEEW WZCW World Tag Team Champions....... Hyada and Haven, Young Justice!!!

Connor: My God. The level of punishment these men put themselves through for those title belts.

...and all you have is a view filled with vertigo.​

Hyada: You know Ramparte, maybe you’re right. It’s not fair for us to not play by the rules and it’s not fair for you to break them. So I have a better idea. How about we play by no rules!

Haven: We’ve been deciding exactly how we can handle this current situation since it’s gotten so volatile and we’ve come to the conclusion that we’ll defend the tag team titles against you at the Lethal Lottery in a Falls Count Anywhere Street Fight!

Justice. Cerberus. Falls Count Anywhere Street Fight.​

The time of heroes is at hand. Will Young Justice wade through the lies Cerberus concocted? Or will the Hounds drown them with vain decadence? At Lethal Lottery, all will be revealed. Order now.​

______________________________​

[FONT=”Book Antiqua”]Ramparte turned the dial of the chopper's radio as the WZCW commercial ended. The rotation of the blades above him drowned out what would have been Italian opera but it did not drown out his partner's moaning from the back. The Catalyst sighed. Adjusting the Saboteur costume's collar, Ramparte moved from the cockpit area to the storage part of the Cerberus™ helicopter.

The Saboteur suit was a last ditch effort to ruin the superhero image once and for all, but the course was no longer in Ramparte's hands and the pilot led them all to uncertain heights.

His partner acted normal an hour into the trip but was now on the verge of a breakdown. Flex Mussél, gym jock and lover of all things athletic, was in a sugar-fueled schizophrenic state; twitching and grasping at the air around him, muttering obscenities that took the superhero imposter aback. Running Saboteur's glove through his blonde locks, Ramparte gave his tag team partner a curious glance.


Ramparte: Feeling alright, good monsieur?


The frenchman jerked his head up in response to The Catalyst's question. A vein along the side of his neck throbbed unusually. His hands clawing at nothing, Flex growled bitterly under his breath.


Mussél: Need carbohydrates...sugary tomato paste. Processed dairy! Lots and lots of starch, Ramparte. Cornstarch.


Flex turned his thick neck to the wall of the chopper and started muttering about sucrose.


Mussél: Break it down. The amount of sugar intake is too damn high. So high. Very diabetes. Wow.


Ramparte: ...very diabetes?


Mussél: Diabeetus.


Flex blurted it out in a deep, southern gentleman accent that The Catalyst assumed was making reference to something but didn't know what. The chopper hit a turbulent flow and shook; causing his partner to burst out singing.


Mussél: ♫ Oh sugar, sugar dunndunndunndedunn-dunnn oh, honey, honey! Dunndunndunndedunn-dunnn you are my Catalyyyyst and you got me, Flex Musséll... ♫


Ramparte turned to see Haxel Draxel and TWS working on something together with a computer, looked back into the cockpit to see a Cerberus™ henchman guiding them to an unknown location, and then peered back at his crazed partner who continued to swipe at absolutely nothing. The narcissist couldn't take it anymore.


Ramparte: I once gave up my soul. Does anybody remember that? I'm supposed to be The Catalyst, the one to bring forth a change like no other! And here I am- working as a goon for some group nobody has ever heard of, listening to a meatheaded frenchman go on about candy, and I look like a reject from Comical-Con.


Haxel: Comic-Con.


Ramparte: Oh, sure. The lard-ass hacker knows. Bravo. And while we're out here doing nothing Young Justice is probably training for the big fight. Hyada by now shouldn't mind using weapons being the hypocrite that he is, and Haven is a threat to the entire corporation alone, least of all two superstars that can barely get on the same page.

Both want to mess up my face, and with the belts on the line they'll want to even more. What do we have, Haxel? What can we possibly do to keep this-


Fake Saboteur made a wavy motion in front of his face.


Ramparte: -perfect?


In response, Haxel shrugged his shoulders and continued tapping away at his keyboard. His bodyguard, codenamed The Winter Soldier, stood stoically as he processed The Catalyst's words.


Soldier: You fear for your looks while your friend lies ill? You know nothing about fear.


Ramparte raised an infuriated brow at the apathetic super soldier. Calmly, he kept his voice and his demeanor polite with all of the undertone of a man on the edge of bringing the chopper crashing down.


Ramparte: Mr. Winter, it is not in your best interest to assume that I am a cowardly man. Snakes and scorpions may at first back away from danger impulsively, but I would think their actions aren't craven. It is but the first stage of striking their threat.

And besides; if all I fear is a disfigured face, then what else is left to fear once time takes that away from me?


Soldier: You would still put your vanity over the needs of your tag team partner?


Ramparte: We all have our vices. Stop sounding like one of the superheroes. You're not. You are much more practical I would think.


The Catalyst strolled over to TWS and locked his dull blue eyes onto the bodyguard's grey.


Ramparte: Cerberus needs a warm-up. We have not had the best of luck lately. Grant us this and we may have the experience needed to overthrow these two miscreants that have been on your agenda.


As if on cue, Haxel Draxel lept from his computer and exclaimed loudly; rocking the chopper with his weight.


Haxel: I found them!!! Me, Haxel Draxel, hacker extraordinaire!!! I am invincible! HAIL CERBERUS!!!


Mussél: ...sherbet? Did one of you mention sherbet?

Don't you fucking ignore me...


Flex sat up in a huff; reaching out into the void again. Ramparte, Haxel, and The Winter Soldier grab his attention, and he grumbled to nobody in particular.


Mussél: Don't gimme that look, ya sonovabitch.


Haxel: Excuse me? I just discovered an entire training base for Hero Academy wannabees. Some kind of sidekick bootcamp. That's no way to speak to Haxel Draxel...


The Catalyst ignored the next exchange of words from the Cerberus™ lackeys towards his musclebound partner and focused on Flex's hands.

Grasping out...as if they wanted to hold something...something small...

It dawned on Ramparte right then what he needed to do. Like a higher calling from a malevolent god, The Catalyst rushed over to the cockpit, grabbed the CB radio handset, pushed down on it's side button and spoke to the entire Cerberus™ army.


Ramparte: Attention soldiers. This is The Catalyst talking to you now. There is a sidekick compound in the vicinity and we are sending you the coordinates now. Over.


Haxel: What in the HELL has gotten into-


Ramparte: "Vengeance is mine, I will repay."

Now, Haxel. NOW!!!


Caught up in the moment, the hacker did as instructed. The young commander of the helicopter brought his attention back to the handset.


Ramparte: Engage the enemy as soon as possible. We will be touching down T minus 10 minutes. Good luck, gentlemen. Cerberus Knocks. Over and out.


The Catalyst flung the CB over his shoulder and went back to check on Mussél, who was cupping his hands reminding Ramparte of orphan boys from a Charles Dickens novel. The Saboteur imposter walked over to a bag and pulled out what Mussél was pining for.


Ramparte: You want this, don't you?


Flex grunted.


Mussél: Masquer...


Ramparte waved it in front of his hands. It started talking to him.


Masquer: What's become of you? How will I ever fit on that pudgy face??? Answer me, fool!


Mussél: We will get liposuction, Masquer. I know a model that might help with that, no worries. Keep Calm and Candy On.


The Catalyst was unsure why his friend was talking to the inanimate object, but then again he had been acting odd the entire airborne trip. Ramparte shrugged it off and handed over Masquer.


Ramparte: Wear this. We're about to start a war, my friend. We cannot be passive any longer. I say let's bring the fight to them and future generations to come.

Let's be the villains they make us out to be. If I'm to be vilified, then I plan to be vilified in a wave of hellfire.


The Winter Soldier starts loading his custom-made rifle. The Catalyst stops him.


Ramparte: Is it martyrs you wish to make? No? Then tell your men to leave their bullets behind. To break their spirits would be much more beneficial to our cause than murdering them. I'd rather them destroyed than killed.


The Catalyst puts on the Saboteur mask as The Monsieur of Muscle dons Masquer. The training base could be seen from the helicopter's windshield.

Ramparte: Young Justice wants to play by no rules? Then it is time to show them the definition of the words they speak. There will be no refuge for their kind. No shelter. No haven. From this moment on nothing is off limits. Look down on those lackeys; watch as they will soon squirm as the rabid dogs of war come to satiate their hunger.

Falls Count Anywhere? We'll take that challenge. It's time to say Good~Night to the era of comic book characters.


Mussél: Their free trial of Flex Fitness starts now!

______________________________​

As the sun arose, the choppers descended. A small crowd of onlookers gawked at the former World Tag Team Champion hanging out of the closest one; an all too familiar masked man. Several of the older superheroes in training cried out "Saboteur!" and the trainees cleared a path for the aircraft. From inside the icon's black mask, Ramparte grinned.

Once the chopper landed, Ramparte sprung out and walked over to what appeared to be a drill sergeant of sorts. Giving the Saboteur imposter a salute, the camo-crusader offered his hand out for The Catalyst to shake. Instead, Ramparte unsheathed Saboteur's fake katana and struck him down with a vicious swipe.

At that moment, the jaws of Cerberus itself opened up and swallowed the compound whole.

The soldiers came pouring out in rows; butting the sidekicks in the face and chest with their rifles. Taken completely by surprise, most fled into the buildings. Cries of "Why, Saboteur, Why?!" rang out from those that stood firmly in defense. Ramparte shook his head at them and brought out the other katana.

Flex Mussél dramatically stepped out from behind him like a hulking shadow. Cracking his knuckles, he gave the remaining superheroes an inadequate look. Behind the clear mask The Monsieur of Muscle tsked.

Those that rose up did in a wave of multicolored costumes. Mussél led the opposing charge; soldiers against superheroes.

A street fight at the break of daylight.

His treelike limbs met the heads of several as he ran through the blockade. Boomerangs, staffs, etc all connected with his face, but Masquer deflected them all. The superior athlete picked up a knocked down crime fighter by the legs, swung him in a full circle, and released him into two others. Yards away, the Cerberus™ Corporation footsoldiers began tossing teargas into open windows and broken-down doors. The air became thick burning fog, but the protective wear of Ramparte, Mussél, and the henchmen kept the invaders safe. Hero Academy's uninitiated came spilling out in a frenzy; coughing in fits and trying to escape. The Catalyst gave TWS a signal. The Winter Soldier called his troops back and let those that wanted nothing to do with the fight run into the woods to never don the superhero title again.

Through the acrid smoke a challenger emerged. He wore his own gas mask that was painted green much like the green of Haven's own. The superhero in training was as large as Flex Mussél. His outfit was as black as Saboteur's but with jade lines running from his shoulders down to his leggings. The vigilante came at Ramparte; rushing through a group of soldiers as if they were bowling pins. The Catalyst raised one katana in preparation. When it collided with the superhero's head, it broke in half. The green giant punched the fake Saboteur and sent Ramparte reeling.

Seeing his down friend, the powerful frenchman tackled the rogue sidekick to the ground; punching him over and over again. The hero rolled over and met Flex's fists with his own, even grabbing a stray kendo stick another Academy wannabee left behind.

As the emerald adversary raised it high, Ramparte saw an opening and snuck up behind him. The narcissist tore the gas mask from his head in one rapid motion. The giant released the stick from his grasp and gasped. Tears swelled from his eyes as he clawed at his throat. In retaliation the student elbowed Ramparte in the gut and lunged at Mussél. But the teargas took effect and the sidekick stumbled away from Cerberus. The Winter Soldier rushed over and brought the blunt of his rifle down on the back of the crime fighter's head. The rookie blacked out.

Haxel Draxel, who had been far away from the conflict until then, came hobbling over with a camera in his fat fingers. The hacker screamed out how he got it all recorded and wanted to send it to Young Justice right before they stepped into Lethal Lottery.

For good measure, the tag team stood tall over the fallen superhero and posed. Haxel captured and sent the photo to Twitter:

Once the gas cleared, Ramparte pulled off the Saboteur mask and dropped it over the drill sergeant's unconscious body. Step by step he glided passed soldiers and sidekicks either engaging in hand-to-hand combat, or already down for the count. He stopped in the dead center of the carnage, raised his head to the sky, and closed his eyes; breathing in the air and soaking in the chaos.

If this is what Lethal Lottery feels like, I'll be right at home...

He gave his now damp hair a comb through and proceeded to give the soldiers more orders. They began torching the buildings.

Through the ash and rubble, several of the Corporation's men prepared setting up a table. An exhausted but spirited Flex collapsed into a folding chair. Ramparte kept a watchful eye on the heroes that remained standing. Eventually they too dispersed into the woods. A soldier emptied red wine into two glasses and sat them on opposite ends. Seeing the wine, Ramparte took a seat and looked across from his comrade. A sign of respect crept over the duo as they sat there while the world burned around them. Gripping the glassware tightly with a black glove, Ramparte toasted his tag team partner. Flex Mussél nodded back, taking his own. No words between them, and no words needed. Cerberus drained their wine as the superhero facility crumbled by their hands.

And the next time we raise our glasses, the supervillain in sheep's clothing thought to himself, it will be by crumbling the two superheroes ourselves. The Hounds of Hell would look good in the do-gooder's gold.

Hail Cerberus. Hail Catalyst.

A lone monarch butterfly rested atop The Catalyst's empty glass. From deep within he could hear her reaching out to him; like a sailor caught in a tide calling out to his earthbound bride. The angel was drawing nearer and he could feel it. But today was not a day for angels and demons. Today was about the people that crossed the boundaries of both.

Ramparte blew hot air into the butterfly's direction. It took off in a stagger of orange and black wings. He chose his path. The line in the sand was drawn, and in that sand justice will be served one way or another.




Scene fades to white




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