Emergence 2.12 (Draft Preview) (Patreon)

Emergence 2.12

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In the heart of Mount Justice, Zeke focused intently, hands stretched out as if molding the very air. Come on, work with me. Zeke's fingers pulsed with energy, outstretched index twitching as he tried to conjure a shimmering barrier of cobalt blue without relying on the skill he had previously made. Come on.

Concentrating on his mana manipulation, he felt the cold air prickle his exposed skin – the top half of his jumpsuit stripped off to avoid any distractions. Just as a small barrier of cobalt blue energy began to form, its shimmer catching his eyes, a sudden alarm blared throughout the wave, echoing across the walls. The abrupt noise shattered his concentration, causing the barrier to dissolve into nothingness. Oh, for the love of...

"Goddamnit!" Zeke groaned, his gaze shifting to the cave's massive holographic computer. He almost had it! I was so close!

The hologram flickered to life, not displaying any video, but the unmistakable voice of Wally West, Kid Flash, pulsated with a mixture of urgency and annoyance. “Guys, anyone there? Big Red could use some help!”

A jumble of sounds – crashes, yells, a hint of desperation – bubbled through the transmission. Wally’s voice registered on the hologram as a vibrant audio visualizer, almost being drowned out by the cacophony.

“Big Red?” Zeke's eyebrows knitted in confusion as he sprinted to the computer's center. He tried his best to keep the smirk out of his voice, but unfortunately he failed. He couldn’t help it, he was only metahuman, after all. “That your new code name?”

There was a pause, then a muttered, "Oh god, not you," from Wally, just before another crash echoed, cutting him off.

Zeke tilted his head. "What was that? Sounds like you're having a party over there. And I'm hurt you didn’t invite me."

Wally, catching his breath, responded hastily, the visualizer wavering, “Nothing! I mean, not nothing! Big, bad, humongous something! Is Aqualad around?”

Zeke rolled his eyes, momentarily forgetting the absence of a video feed. “Nah, he's chasing some slippery guy in San Diego. The Eel, I think?”

Through the interference, a disgruntled groan followed by the ominous rumble of an explosion resonated. Wally’s voice sounded even more distorted as he asked, “What about Supey? He can help!”

Zeke’s nose crinkled, picturing Superboy’s latest escapade. “He's probably in Metropolis. Doing his morning Superman stalking.” Zeke internally sighed. The whole Superboy and Superman dynamic was tiresome. If he had an ounce more power and a pinch less restraint, he'd definitely give Superman a piece of his mind. Yeah, and maybe a mana-punch.

Wally's exasperation oozed from the transmission. "Great. Just my luck."

Zeke smirked, playing with the lingering traces of his mana. "Look on the bright side, you get to chat with yours truly."

“Oh joy,” Wally’s sarcasm was palpable, even over the radio.

“Alright, alright,” Zeke responded, snorting back. "Give me the rundown. I'll do what I can from here. You know, keyboard warrior style."

In the expansive, dimly lit chamber of Mount Justice, the holographic panel flickered with the voice of a distressed Kid Flash. “This is not my day!” he exclaimed, the frustration evident and audible in his voice.

Zeke leaned back slightly, arms crossed, as a wry smirk stretched across his face. “You’re not even gonna ask about Robin? Or Artemis? Miss M?” he jibed. The sensation of being somewhere in the middle of Wally’s priority list didn’t really do wonders for Zeke’s ego. Not that he’d care about my day, Zeke mused internally, his thoughts tinged with a mixture of amusement and irritation.

There was a significant pause from Kid Flash, amidst the background noises of what sounded like the apocalypse's soundtrack. “Look, if Robin was there, he’d have butted in by now,” Kid Flash's voice carried a mix of weariness and exasperation. “And ‘Green Arrow’s niece’,” – somehow Zeke could picture Wally's eyes rolling with those words, his voice laden with sarcasm – “let's not get into that.” He sighed heavily. “As for Miss M? Please, don’t mention this to—”

“Don’t mention what, exactly?” A new voice chimed in, melodic and with a touch of playful curiosity as Miss Martian floated into the cave, her eyes scanning the holographic console.

Kid Flash let out a noise somewhere between a strangled cry and a frustrated growl. “Nnnngggggh!”

Zeke's smirk morphed into a full-blown grin, the mischievous glint in his eyes hard to miss. “Yeah, Big Red, what shouldn’t we tell her?”

A heavy exhale came from the other end. “You know what, just forget it,” Wally's voice adopted a tone of resignation. “Can anyone there Zeta to Central City? Got a villain here who’s decided to redecorate the town. Leading her to somewhere less packed right now but some backup would be great.”

Miss Martian's face contorted in thought. “Kid, you really should have led with that.” She exchanged glances with Zeke from where she floated, who couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

“Typical Wally,” Zeke muttered, mostly to himself, “always saving the serious stuff for last.”

Megan’s descent caught a stray beam of sunlight, casting an ephemeral glow upon her. Zeke, somewhat envious, observed her alight on the stone floor of Mount Justice, making a mental note to learn how to fly. Her deep red locks played contrast to her emerald skin, swaying gently with the settling dust.

"We’d love to help, Wally, but what about the Flash?” Megan’s voice, ever gentle and melodic, juxtaposed Zeke’s internal cynicism. Her genuine concern for her teammate showed in her slightly tilted head and furrowed brows.

“No!” Kid Flash’s response came off more like a startled shout, laced with the kind of panic that had a tendency to be contagious. Zeke had to push down the urge to laugh. “The Flash is off dealing with the Shaggy Man in Mexico. And trust me, it's a hairy situation. Ivo whipped up another one.”

Zeke's eyebrows knitted together, and he felt a tinge of confusion, wondering if he missed some kind of superhero memo. “I didn’t even know about the first one,” he mumbled, feeling slightly out of the loop. Didn’t Dr. Zagarian make the Shaggy Man?

Kid Flash's voice, already stressed, carried a sharper note of exasperation. “Yeah, well there’s a lot you don’t know,” he retorted.

Zeke crossed his arms again, fighting back an eye roll. "Alright, no need to get snappy."

Megan, always the mediator, placed a soothing hand on Zeke's shoulder. "Wally, we're on our way. Hold on."

Zeke smirked, the familiar adrenaline starting its sprint through his veins. Here we go.

“Just... hurry,” Wally's voice strained, and for the first time, Zeke sensed the genuine fear lurking beneath the speedster's usually upbeat demeanor.

Zeke nodded, more to himself than to the invisible Wally, hands flying over the controls as he set up the Zeta coordinates. “On it. Hold tight, Big Red.”