Supermartian One-Shots

Apprentice Part I

This is actually a two-shot.  At first, I thought about putting this as a separate story, but in the end, I decided it'd be easier to put it in here.  Its the my YJ version of the classic Teen Titans two-parter.  Enjoy!  I do not own YJ, DC or TT.

Superboy ran faster and faster.  He was hot on the trail.  He could see the green-and-purple figure in the distance with his super vision.  He bent his legs and took a giant leap, landing right on top of him.  Right on top of Lex Luthor.  "You must be very eagar to see me, Superboy.", he said with a malicious smirk.  "I must say, I'm flattered."  "I'm not here to see you!", Superboy shouted, his eyes narrowed into slits.  "I'm here to stop you!"  "Hmm...but I wonder...how can you stop me...when you don't even know what I'm planning?"  "Like this!"  Superboy tried to land a punch on him, but Lex broke free of his grip and dodged his attack.

Superboy punched away dozens of huge boulders, toppling each of them over one by one, like dominos.  Finally, Lex emerged from the shadows.  "Excellent, Superboy.  We appear to be evenly matched, and equally ruthless.  Not surprising, though.  You and I are so very much alike."  Superboy punched him in the face and grabbed him by the collar.  "I'm NOTHING like you!  You're a criminal!  A psychopath!  All you care about is destruction!"  "And all you care about, you destroyed.", Lex said, holding out his arm in a sweeping motion.

Superboy turned to see stone statues of his closet friends—Dick, Garfield, Mal, Karen...M'gann—all crushed and broken by him.  His heart wrenched inside.  "No..."  He ran over and gathered the crumbled remains of M'gann.  "No!"  He turned around to see Lex standing over him.  Slowly, he put his hand over his face and dragged it down, the features of his head being yanked off like a rubber mask.  When he pulled it all off, Superboy came face to face with...himself.  Underneath the mask, Lex had Superboy's face, from his dark black hair to his chiseled chin.  He laughed evilly at his shock.  "Conner?...Conner?...SUPERBOY!"

Conner woke up in a cold sweat, panting heavily.  He looked down to see he had fallen asleep at a desk, going over Lex's files.  Nightwing was right next to him, a hand on his tense shoulder.  "You were having a nightmare."  Conner shook his head, holding it in his hands.  "Sorry, I didn't have any plans for tonight, so I thought I'd do some research."  "Why didn't you ask someone if they wanted to hang out?"  "I tried!", he sighed.  "But they were all busy!  They treat me like an outsider.  None of them give me the time of day. I may as well not even exist."  Especially wherever M'gann's concerned.

It was true.  Whenever Conner and M'gann were in the same room together, M'gann would pretend as she she couldn't see or hear him.  She only focused on La'gaan, kissing him or flirting with him.  La'gaan loved seeing his rival flinch whenever he saw him and M'gann together, and took every opportunity to rub their relationship in his face.  Dick shook his head.  "Be patient, Supey.  You'll see.  Someday, they're all gonna realize just how much you mean to them."  Just then, Mal came into the room.  "Its him.  Its Luthor."
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"Good morning, my little sidekicks.", Lex greeted as the Team all gathered around the holographic screen.  "I do hope I didn't wake you."  Conner pushed his way to the front of the crowd to glare at his arch enemy.  "What do you want?"  Lex smirked.  "Well, that's precisely what you've all been trying to find out , now, isn't it?  And despite of all your efforts, you're all still in the dark about the Light's intentions."  He shook his head.  "Disappointing, really.  I expected a little more from you."  He stepped to the side, revealing a large shape covered by a blanket. "Since you've been unable to discover our plan, I suppose I'll just have to reveal it myself."  Two minions pulled off the blanket to reveal a horrible looking machine.  "I'm sure you are all familiar with the concept of a Chronoton Detonator?"

"No!"  "Oh!"  "Uh-oh!"  "No way!", Beast Boy cried.  He scratched his head.  "What's a crooton detonator?"  "It irradiates all chronotons within a localized area, utterly destroying the temporal component of the space-time continuum!", Blue Beetle said.  Beast Boy raised an eyebrow.  "It stops time...permanently.", Impulse explained.  Gar panicked.  "If he triggers that thing downtown, it can freeze frame the entire city!", Mal cried.  "Tell us where it is!", Conner demanded.  "You're a clever boy, Superboy.", Lex said.  "I'm sure you and your little friends can figure it out.  Of course, since I control the detonation-"  He held up the remote control.  "Time, is not on your side."  The transmission ended.
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Thanks to Batgirl and Robin, the Team discovered the detonator was being held at Pier 41 at the docks.  They finally came to the warehouse, only to find it completely empty.  All of the sudden, an army of Luthor's minions fell from the ceiling and charged into battle with the Team.  "Team, GO!"