The Bird Who Wouldn't Sing (Retelling of Young Justice + BirdFlash)

Chapter 6: Denial

The team were training together when Red Tornado arrived at the cave.

Immediately, this drew their attention and Wally asked the robot if there was a new mission for them. The only response he got was a remind that Batman was the one who gave the missions, not Red Tornado.

"Well, the Batman is with the Robin." Wally joked, "But you're heading somewhere, right?" He dragged out the last word for emphasis. "Hot date? Or uh...."

Kaldur decided to cut in, "If we can be of help."

Red Tornado turned to the holo-screen and pulled up a picture of a man.

"This is Kent Nelson, a friend. He is 106 years old."

"Guy doesn't look a day over 90," Wally jokingly whispered.

"And he has been missing for twenty-three days. Kent was a charter member of the Justice Society, the precursor to your mentors' Justice League," Red Tornado finished.

"Of course," Aqualad realized, "Nelson was Earth's sorcerer supreme! He was Doctor Fate!"

Wally scoffed. "More like "Doctor Fake." Guy knows a little advanced science and "Dumbledores" it up to scare the bad guys and impress the babes."

"Kent may simply be on one of his.. walk abouts."

-SKIP-

"Nothing," KF reported, "This isn't simple camouflage." He had just come back from scouting the area.

Aqualad pondered over an idea before telling everyone to stand behind him. He took out a key that Red Tornado gave them and put it in an invisible keyhole. A building appeared.

-SKIP-

"The bubble will give you enough time to do what you need to do," Kent Nelson told Wally, after being hit with one of Klarion's blasts.

"I have no idea what I need to do!" Wally panicked.

Kent immediately fell unconscious. As Klarion continued to blast at the bubble, Wally glanced between the non-moving Kent and the helmet of Fate. He soon heard M'Gann's voice in his head, telling him that his team was in trouble and that he should tell Kent that they need Dr. Fate.

"A test of faith." Wally murmured before grabbing the helmet

"Hey, dumb kid!" Wally looked up to see Klarion was yelling at him, "You put that on, you may never get it off!"

Right after he said that, he ripped apart Kent's magic bubble. Wally put on the helmet as Klarion sent a blast his way.

-SKIP-

"Uh. It's over, right? So, why isn't Nabu taking off the helmet?" Wally asked Kent's spirit.

"Because the Earth needs Dr. Fate. I will not release this body," Nabu said.

"He can't do that!" Wally yelled. He had so much more to live for! 

"Can he do that?" Wally asked Kent, unsure.

"Can, but shouldn't," Kent answered before turning to speak with Nabu, "Nabu! This is not the right candidate. The kid's soul belongs to the world of science, not sorcery."

As Kent reasoned with Nabu, finally convincing him to remove the helmet, he spoke up as he began to fade.

"Some free advice before you go, find your own little spitfire. One who won't let you get away with nothing." 

Wally took off the helmet and blinked a bit. He then walked over to Kent's body and placed his pocket watch into his hand. 

"No worries, old man. I already have someone like that."

-SKIP-

Wally gently placed the helmet of fate onto his bookcase, next to Cheshire's mask.

Artemis then walked in, wondering about what happened. Wally summed it up, using science and logic to explain.

"Wait, you're still claiming there's no such thing as magic?" Artemis asked, shocked. She then scoffed. "If that's how you feel, why keep it at all?"

"Souvenir," Wally said simply.

"Geek!" Artemis said, exasperated, as she walked out of the room.

Wally glanced back at the helmet as Kent's last words echoed through his head. Right then, he heard,

"Recognized: Robin B-01"

Wally grinned before racing towards said Robin. The first thing he did, when he saw Robin, was hug his little birdie. Robin, not knowing what had just happened right before he arrived, just stifled a giggle and hugged the speedster back.  

"Guess who got us two tickets to see a magic show?"

Getting a raised eyebrow in response, he just grinned.