I sat across from Art with a clipboard and pencil in hand, ready to take notes as he fired off questions like he'd done this a thousand times before.
"Alright kid, favorite colors. Go," Art said, tapping his pen against the desk.
"Black mainly," I replied. "Second is red, but more like burgundy. Not bright red."
Art nodded while scribbling something down. "Good taste. What about secondary colors?"
"Green and gray."
Art paused mid-scribble and looked up at me with a raised eyebrow. "You and half the superhero community with that first set." He made air quotes with his fingers. "But they only use those for their off days."
I knew exactly what he meant. Black and red screamed edgy vigilante energy. It was practically a uniform at this point.
Art tapped his pencil against the clipboard. "Alright, next question. Do you want a skin-tight bodysuit?"
I blinked. "Uh..."
"Don't worry," Art said quickly, waving a hand dismissively. "It won't reveal the bulge in your pants." He paused, then tilted his head thoughtfully. "Unless it's humongous already."
He looked up from his notes with complete seriousness.
"If you don't mind me asking, kid... you a grower or a shower?"
I froze.
From the side of the room, I heard Eve shift slightly. I glanced over and saw her standing near Virgil and Cyborg. She had that look on her face. That sexy type of look. The kind that said I want to hear this.
Virgil and Cyborg were both trying not to laugh.
I sighed heavily. "...I'm a shower."
Art nodded like this was completely normal. "Okay, good to know. Do you know how long and wide?"
My jaw tightened. "Is that really necessary?"
Art looked at me like I'd just asked the dumbest question in the world. "Yes, actually. The biggest thing heroes need to worry about is keeping their privates private. And inside the costume." He gestured with his pencil. "I've made costumes for plenty of women that were form-fitting and didn't show off the goods too much."
I raised an eyebrow. "What about Powergirl?"
Art chuckled and shrugged his shoulders casually. "She wanted to make a symbol but apparently her huge chest showing is the symbol. That was her choice."
Fair enough. Still hard to believe that's just a future version of Kara, which reminds me I should stay away from her just incase she's affected by my pheromones.
He looked back down at his clipboard expectantly. "So?"
I exhaled slowly through my nose. "...Twelve to thirteen inches long. Three to three and a half wide."
Art whistled low while writing it down. "You're packing some serious heat, kid." He didn't even look fazed. "But nothing I haven't worked with before."
I glanced back toward Eve again. She just smiled and waved at me like absolutely nothing had happened.
She's not the type of person to spread this around... is she? No. She wasn't, but something tells me it will still get around.
Art tapped his pencil against the clipboard again. "So do you know what type of costume you want? 'Cause I have options."
"Yeah actually," I said. "I do."
Art leaned forward slightly, interested now.
"I want a costume like my dad's and Omni-Man's," I said carefully. "Black is the main color. Red is the accent color, but burgundy specifically, not bright red."
Art nodded while scribbling rapidly. "Okay, good start. What about material?"
I paused for half a second before answering. "Do you have nanotech Nth metal?"
Art laughed so hard he nearly dropped his clipboard. "I wish, kid," he said between laughs. "It would make every costume I make so much easier." He shook his head with a grin. "But Hawkwoman says her people will only give that up for a special occasion." He made air quotes again.
"A suit made up of nanotech is doable though," Art continued thoughtfully. "I've never heard anyone want both before." He scratched his chin. "Well... Batman mentioned something about smart cloth made from it once, but I can't crack Kryptonian tech like that—just mimic it."
I nodded slowly. "Nanotech is fine."
"Cape or no cape?"
"No cape," I said immediately. "Hoodie instead."
Art grinned wider now, clearly approving of my choices so far. "And have a built-in com system?"
"Yeah."
"All my suits do," Art said casually while writing it down anyway. "What about symbols?"
I thought about it for a second before shaking my head slowly. "No symbol yet."
Art nodded once more then looked up at me seriously now.
"Okay, give me a few minutes and I'll give you my rough sketches, the one you like most, we'll use the armory to make the finished product." He tapped his pencil against his lips thoughtfully before adding one more thing: "Just another question, since it's nanotech it'll just form around your body whenever you activate it, do you want it to have a disguise as something for everyday use?"
I nodded immediately this time without hesitation. "Yeah, put it into the form of a watch."
Art smiled approvingly now as he wrote that down too. "Nice thinking."
A few minutes later, Art showed me three designs laid out on the table in front of us. The first one reminded me of my dad's costume, sleek lines with dark colors but still practical enough for combat situations, and the hoodie part.
The second one looked almost exactly like Superboy's New 52 bodysuit, minimalist but effective. The third one was a mix of both designs—taking the best elements from each one and blending them together into something that felt uniquely mine.
I pointed at the third design without hesitation. "This one."
Art grinned widely now as he picked up the sketch and examined it closely for a moment before nodding approvingly.
"Perfect choice, kid I like this one too." He set the sketch back down on the table carefully before looking back up at me again seriously now: "Give me an hour and it'll be done."
Before I could respond, the armory doors slid open behind us.
Robin and Nightwing walked inside together, their expressions serious enough that I knew something important was happening.
"Caius," Nightwing said simply while gesturing toward the door behind him with one hand. "Eve, Virgil, Cyborg, were have a meeting."
Eve and I looked at each other briefly before following them out of the armory together quietly.
The common area of Titans Tower was already filled with everyone else by the time we arrived.
Nightwing walked to the front of the room while a large holographic display materialized behind him showing various images and data streams scrolling rapidly across its surface. The room fell silent as everyone turned their attention to him.
"Team," Nightwing began seriously while crossing his arms over his chest firmly. "We have a high-priority mission."
The holographic display shifted to show an image of what looked like an advanced android lying dormant inside some kind of reinforced containment unit surrounded by various security measures.
"Last week, Batman and I found an Amazo android in a shipment Blackmask had coming into Gotham," Nightwing continued. The images then shifted to show technical schematics and data readouts. "This isn't the same one the League fought a few years ago. This one is made of regular machine parts and has a limited A.I. function, but it is still very advanced model and highly dangerous."
He paused, letting that sink in.
"The League wants the Titans and Young Justice teams to get this thing to Star Labs from Gotham, where they'll have the technology to take it apart and find out who possibly made it. Batman and I have reason to believe this android has already catalogued several League members and other meta powers. So we must not let it activate at any cost."
Wally raised his hand, and Nightwing nodded at him.
"Yes, Flash?"
"Why doesn't the League just do this themselves?" Wally asked. "They have all those Javelins and everything."
"That's actually what I was going to say next," Nightwing replied. "The android is rigged to go off when tampered with. Go too fast or hit it too hard, and it activates, then self-destructs."
Superboy leaned forward. "So what if it blows itself up, right?"
"Superboy, we actually we need the android in one piece," Nightwing said, his voice taking on a darker tone. "Batman and several other League members have been trying to find a human trafficking ring where their main attractions are metas and teens."
He then showed images of corpses and bodies of disfigured dead teens. The air in the room became heavy, suffocating.
"Gotham, Blüdhaven, and all over the world teens and kids have gone missing. These kids will reappear as metas turned into weapons, sex slaves, and worse. We need to find out who's behind this, and this android might be the key."
My fist clenched hard from that statement.
Kara then spoke up, her voice tight. "So what's the plan?"
"The League will be stationed at Star Labs preparing it for our arrival and securing the area," Nightwing explained. "Others are on an off-world mission to Mars, so the Guardians of the Globe will be on standby. We've been advised that there's a seventy percent chance the convoy will be attacked."
He pulled up a new schematic showing the mission layout.
"A team consisting of Caius, Superboy, Atom Eve, and Supergirl, along with Miss Martian, will follow the convoy from the air in the bioship, which will be in stealth mode. Flash will be up ahead at different points to make sure we can't be ambushed. Robin, Static, and Aqualad will be in the convoy with the android."
Tim Drake raised his hand. "Why are we riding with the android?"
"That's easy Robin, you're smart enough that if the android does get activated, with the help of Static and Aqualad, you could hack its systems to halt its movements even if it's for for a few seconds," Nightwing explained. "Plus, since Virgil and Jackson have electrical abilities, you'll need the backup."
I then asked the question that had been on my mind. "Who's going to be helping us from the Guardians?"
Nightwing then showed a picture of a figure. The costume was black with glowing green accents running along the chest, arms, and legs in sleek lines. A metallic helmet completely covered the figure's face, reflective black glass hiding his features.
"This is Guardian," Nightwing said. "There's no public info on him besides the fact that he's the strongest member of the Guardians."
Conner's eyes widened. "Strongest? What about Warwoman and The Immortal?"
Nightwing shrugged. "Batman said he's stronger than them. I've never seen the guy so I can't confirm."
I leaned forward. "How much will he be involved?"
"He'll be flying high in orbit to avoid detection," Nightwing explained. "When he receives the signal, he could be at the location in one minute maybe a little less."
M'gann eyes widened "That's fast, but wouldn't it be easier to just have him in the ship with us?"
"Our contact said it would be better if he was far away until the action started, but they didn't say why" Nightwing replied.
Kara's eyes narrowed. "Noted. Like that's not suspicious at all? So when do we head out?"
"In five hours," Nightwing said. "We'll head to a Waynetech facility to meet the convoy and follow it from there. Until then, the rest of you are on standby."
As the briefing ended and people began to disperse, Kara thought to herself, This is bullshit why do I have to be so close to him again.
Eve walked over to me, her expression playful. "Are you gonna be okay with being so close to Kara?"
I glanced at her, then back at Kara across the room. "I will manage if you don't mind helping me."
Eve raised an eyebrow, her voice dropping slightly. "Oh, and by doing what?"
Both of us sounding and looking flirty now, I said, "You could help."
Before Eve could respond, Kara called out, "Eve, let's go. I need to talk to you about something."
Eve looked to Kara, then back to me with a smile. "Raincheck?"
"See you in five," I said. We chuckled, and she said, "Let me know how your costume goes."
I nodded as Eve and Kara walked toward Kara's room. Kara sat in a levitating chair with an irritated look on her face as Eve closed the door behind them.
"Kara, do you not like me flirting with Caius?" Eve asked directly.
Kara was quiet for a moment. "No. yes. No, I don't know, but for some reason I just can't help this feeling. Those damn pheromones."
Eve sat down across from her. "Look, Kara, I won't keep talking to him if you want to see where that whole thing goes. Mind you, I'm not the happiest to talk to a man that gets an immediate hard-on for another woman."
Kara's face flushed slightly. "Yeah, that thing is big."
Eve chuckled. "Yup, and those pants don't hide it."
Eve then said more seriously, "Kara, you're my friend. I don't want a guy to come between us. I'm not that type of woman."
"Yeah, same," Kara agreed. Then she paused. "Look, Eve, I don't want any drama on the team. So if you want to date him, go ahead."
Eve looked surprised. "Are you sure? 'Cause I won't if you want me to."
Kara looked at her, genuinely shocked. "Really?"
"Yup," Eve said. "But I have another question. Would you mind if we just... slept together?"
Kara's face went completely flush. "Do what you want. Good luck though, he's a virgin from what he told me, and he talks in his sleep."
Eve's eyes widened. "He's a virgin? Him?"
"Yup," Kara said. "Something I never thought I would hear from his kind."
Eve tilted her head. "His kind?"
"Yeah, Viltrumites," Kara explained. "Especially hybrids. What else did you think I meant?"
Eve said nothing, feeling embarrassed. "Nothing, never mind. But wow, I didn't take him for the type. I guess he has his reasons. But what do you mean he talks in his sleep?"
"Yeah," Kara said quietly. "Every night he's been at the tower, I can hear him with my super hearing saying, 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it's not my fault, I swear.'"
Eve's eyes widened with concern. "Oh, Caius..."
Kara looked at her questioningly. "What?"
Back in the armory, I was with Art as he presented me with a watch. "Here is your costume, kid," he said proudly.
I looked on the desk and there was a sleek metallic black watch with a red burgundy digital display. I picked it up and put it on my arm.
"How do I activate it?" I asked.
"Hit the side button twice," Art explained. "It activates the suit. Otherwise, it's just a normal-looking smartwatch."
I clicked the button twice and the nanites formed around my body within seconds. A skin-tight black suit with red lining appeared on me, the hoodie folded down at my shoulders. I looked down at myself in amazement.
"Wow," I breathed.
Art crossed his arms with a sense of pride. "Yup, I know I'm the best. But wait, there's more."
"What?" I asked.
"Because your powers are TTK like Superboy's, there's a built-in extra barrier in the suit," he explained. "It charges through kinetic force, but it does have a limit."
"Hey, if it can watch my back, I'm happy with that," I said.
Art smiled. "I didn't add any extra plating since you're a Viltrumite like Mark, your dad, and Nolan. I didn't think there was a need to, especially with the kinetic barrier. I got that idea from Icon and his protégé Rocket."
"You're right, plating isn't needed," I agreed. "What else can it do?"
"It has a disguise filter, so you can wear it under your clothes," Art said. "And it can self-repair, plus, it has a feature your father told me about Viltrumite suits, so it can handle space really well. If you get cut and bleed a lot, it can help stop your bleeding, but only the parts it's touching."
"Nice the last thing I want to do is bleed out in space," I said.
Art smiled. "Here, kid say what?"
"What?" Suddenly a flash went off as he took a picture of me, which caught me off guard. "Hey?" I protested.
"It's just a tradition of mine, I take a picture of everyone when they get their first costume from me." he said. Then he looked at me seriously. "Now, what's your code name, can't be a hero in the field without one."
I stood there for a moment thinking. I was thinking about it for a second, and I didn't know at first, but then I remembered what Doc Ock said when he took over Peter Parker's body and became the Superior Spider-Man. And then I realized, with Mark not being the hero in this world, I have to be. But I won't become Invincible, instead I'll be something more.
"Call me Superior."
Global Guardians HQ - Guardian Room
Mark lay underneath a blanket in his bed with his hands behind his head, staring at the metal ceiling. He was in deep thought about the upcoming mission with the Titans and how no one knew he was Guardian. How Caius and the others were gonna be there.
A naked woman laying next to him turned around, her voice teasing. "You still thinking about the mission, babe?" She looked around eighteen with a lean but toned physique covered by the sheets. She had short, styled blonde hair and intense blue eyes and supple lips. She then moved closer to lay on Mark's bare chest.
"Yeah, I don't know if I'm ready to see them, this whole mission could go south. And what if they see my face?"
"Then tell Cecil you don't want to do the mission. He's been telling you to take a break." The girl said.
Mark shook his head. "No, it's the only thing keeping me distracted and busy until I know more about the Viltrumites coming to Earth. And since my mom came, my mind's been all over the place."
That's when the girl moved herself and straddled herself on top of him, her naked body coming into frame as the blanket fell away. She looked down at him with a sly, pouting expression.
"You're still so distracted," she said softly. "Even after I went out of my way to come and see you these past few days." She continued, her voice more serious now. "Look, Marky, if you want to make amends, do it or don't, but it won't get rid of the blood on your hands or the things you said, no matter what, nothing will take that stuff away. And since you're gonna live a long time, you need to live with that shit and own it, you hear me?"
Mark nodded. "You're right."
"I know I'm right," she said smugly. "So do what you think is best, but don't be here with your girlfriend all naked, throwing yourself a pity party. You want to seek actual redemption? Then do it all the way to the end. But don't lay here like a pussy and do nothing. That's not the man I fell in love with."
Mark chuckled. "Yeah, you're right about that too."
The woman smiled and traced a finger around his chest. "I know. But word of warning, keep your face covered when you're around them."
"Yeah," Mark said. "Caius will be there, and I heard from Cecil he's a lot stronger than he was back then."
The girl smiled and continued tracing her finger across his chest. "Well, he's got nothing on my man."
Mark pulled her closer. "I love you, Galatea."
She kissed him deeply. "I love you too Mark. Now fuck me again before you get ready for your mission."