(Untitled)

[raptorcanaria]

When it comes down to it, Dinah really really enjoys working with the League. Whether she's being frozen in an icicle or rendered temporarily invisible, and even though she doesn't know the names or historys of any of her friends, she loves every second of feeling like a member of a team. It might be awkward in HQ since finding ouut about J'Onn,

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[overcame_fear]

Aquaman is already wondering how they're going to get back. Which Hal has to admit, will be a problem--but only after they figure out what they're going to do about several tons of enraged creatures coming straight at them.

"We're not going to have to worry about finding our way home, not if this alien stampede takes us out first!"

And, yeah, Hal doesn't think that robot armour is very damn funny.

[raptorcanaria]

It's one of the toughest fights Dinah's been in, even with the Justice League at her side. The things just aren't falling and keep hitting her harder. and to make matters worse, Aquaman draws everyone's attention up to the sky, where a giant eagle is swwoping down on them, firing some sort of red energy beam from its eyes.

"If it's blasting some sort of heat ray," Flash warns, "it could..."

...could destroy the gun on the aforesaid robot armour.

"...be here to help?"

GL has his ring all ready but Dinah throws out a hand to stay him. "Wait, we've been tricked! That's no bird!

"That's Superman!"

[overcame_fear]

Normally, Hal wouldn't be jerking his arm away from Canary's hand anyway, but this time it's especially true, because it takes a few seconds for what just happened to sink in: they hadn't been transported to another planet at all. They'd been on Earth all along. It had all been some kind of illusion.

And as a familiar blue and red blur slams into Xotar's robot armor, it's obvious who just bailed them out of a huge blunder.

Ok, time for some serious face-saving! No time for planning, Hal practically hurls himself into the air.

"Are we going to stand back and let him bat cleanup? I don't think so! Come on!"

[raptorcanaria]

Not to mention (though Aquaman does) that Superman has no idea what he's getting involved in. The rest of the League is hot on Lantern's tail, and as the super strength guys tear into the metal, Dinah screams and shatters the robot where she can.

Meanwhile, Flash and J'Onn fill the Man of Steel on what they're fighting.

"Name's Xotar. Calls himself the Weapons Master. Says he comes from 1,00o years in the future."

"His artillery would seem to bear that out. Supremely advanced."

[overcame_fear]

"And far too dangerous to let fall into anyone else's hands," GL says confidently as he lets loose with a green blast from an even greener ray gun construct (man, those are fun to build).

Superman suddenly appears at his side, telling him to be careful. "We don't know what half this equipment is!"

Hal grins. Man. Who knew the Big Guy was such a worrier?

"We know what all of it is. It's rubble."

Looks like somebody never got any professional Green Lantern training!

"Still," Hal putting on his cool, calm, collected cop voice, "Stand back in case there's any--."

A huge flood of bright yellow...somethings...suddenly pours out of the armor.

"--backlash. What the--?"

[raptorcanaria]

"That's what he gets for barrelling blindly in," Superman apparently can't help but notice - and comment on. "Why did he do that anyway?"

Dinah looks over her shoulder at the Big Blue. "He's fearless. That's a plus. Most of the time."

The bright yellow somethings swarm out and over the team - plus special guest, while Xotar decides to monologue something about them being antibodies. Unfortunately for him, they're antibodies that burn off easily with alien heat vision, and that are destroyed at just the right vibration frequency, obtained with a suitable Canary Cry or vibrations from the Flash.

[overcame_fear]

And when it comes to the power ring of a Green Lantern, they....

Well, they're darn sticky. And really, really yellow.

You've got to be kidding me.

Within seconds there's a very unhappy Hal completely buried in the stupid little things.

Hal starts into some serious flailing, but that only manages to get him even deeper.

About the only good thing about this is, at least Kilowog isn't here.

[raptorcanaria]

...Oh for crying out loud.

Which is, conveniently, exactly what Canary does.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE"

...he's welcome.

"That's everybody but Aquaman. Anybody seen him?"

[overcame_fear]

The Flash nods. "I wouldn't worry about him."

And, sure enough, Aquaman is moving swiftly through the 'antibodies' as if they were water. Xotar's jaw barely has time to drop before Aquaman is on him.

"Stay away from me! I am the Weapons Master--the greatest combatant of one hundred centur--HNGH!" Aquaman's roundhouse punch is so hard it almost seems to echo inside the torn-open armor.

Meanwhile, Superman's been applying a little Kryptonian scientific knowledge, and with a quick move, he crushes an instrument marked 'time-porter'. "If that's what's keeping you in our era, Xotar--good riddance!"

"NO!" Xotar cries. "I should have won! I should have wooooonnnn--!!"

And with that he fades away.

[raptorcanaria]

Dinah is not above a little mocking of her defetaed foe. Especially as it usually gives her a chance to bond with the others.

"Shoulda woulda coulda. That's what you get when you mess with the Justice League, creep. Right, Lantern?"

Lantern should have something just as gloating to say. But he doesn't.

"Lantern?" Dinah looks over at him.

[overcame_fear]

It's a strange feeling for Hal, humiliation. He's not even ready to admit to himself that that's what he's feeling. But making a dumb move like that, in front of his team mates and in front of Superman.

Doesn't get much worse than that.

So he doesn't say a word on their way back to the Justice League's headquarters, and while he tags along as the others give Superman a tour, he hangs back and tries very hard not to stand out.

Which, of course, only makes him feel worse.

[raptorcanaria]

Superman, it has to be said, is a total gentleman. With Lantern inexplicably quiet and Flash utterly starstruck, it falls to Dinah to show him around HQ, including the Martian tech-enhanced security system and the fully networked computer system.

Even when Snapper appears and makes an inappropriate comment before he recognises their guest, the Man of Steel is charming and polite to their handyman.

No wonder they call him the boy scout.

Eventually, Flash's silence becomes oppressive, and Aquaman nudges him. "Aren't you going to ask him?"

Canary grins and physically shoves the Scarlet Speedster forward. "Ask him! You've been wanting to sincve we first got together! This is your moment! Go!"

[overcame_fear]

Flash might have his mask on, but he still looks positively bashful as he steps forward and asks for everyone's attention.

"As you all know, we've accomplished a great deal in the past few months... And Superman's accomplishments are even more outstanding. If we were to combine forces, there's no telling what good the JLA could do. That said...."

He takes a breath.

"I'd like to nominate Superman for membership."

A hopeful look comes over Flash's face. "What about it Superman? Will you be one of us?"

And a long pause settles over the room....

[raptorcanaria]

It seems like an eternity before Superman turns down his gaze and says... "No."

The rest is a bit of a shocked blur. Aquaman looks taken back, and a little insulted. Manhunter looks unsurprised and resigned. Green Lantern looks ready to punch Superman himself. Flash just looks like someone kicked his favourite puppy.

"Why?" Dinah asks.

Superman explains that he's always had great admiration for the group, since the day they formed and took down five aliens, whidch he'd paid attention to after taking down one himself the same day. He praises their teamwork, and their courage and says he's sure that they'll continue to be the worlds greatest team without him. "But," he says, "my time is not my own. I'm sorry."

And he leaves.

[overcame_fear]

GL is furious. His ring flashes and a giant hand reaches out, grabs the chair that would have been Superman's, and with a mighty swing, he hurls it out of the cavern and into the sky.

It takes off with such a roar, it wouldn't be surprising if he's just sent it right into orbit.

"Well...," he says, still glowering at the sky. "Anybody else got any bright ideas?"

[raptorcanaria]

Flash is still devastated. "I can't believe he wouldn't join."

"'My time is not my own'," says Dinah, mocking his serious tone. "Who's is? Lantern, how many free evenings do you have these days?

"...Lantern?"

Huh. She's been too busy trying to console with Flash that she hadn't noticed until now quite how furious GL really is.

"What's his problem?"