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The Titan 13
🕑 Added 2024-11-23 05:30:40 +0000 UTCChapter 13:
The first thing I noticed when I stepped onto the Watchtower was how crowded it was. Back on my Earth, the Watchtower was never this busy. Most of the time, it only had a handful of heroes there because everyone else was either out saving lives or doing whatever they did in their civilian identities. But here, it was packed. The place buzzed with activity, and it felt more like a military base than a home for heroes.
As we walked through the halls, people stopped what they were doing to watch us pass. They looked at Superman with a mix of respect and fear. But when they looked at me, it was different. Curious, a little wary, like they were trying to figure out if I was a threat or an ally.
When we reached the control room, Superman stopped and turned to face the crowd of heroes gathered there. His presence alone was enough to make everyone quiet down. I wasn’t used to seeing people react to him like this. On my Earth, Superman was respected, sure, but here… he was something else entirely.
“The United States government tried to abduct my father today to use against me,” Superman said. His voice carried through the room, and I could feel the weight of every word. “This unprecedented escalation will be answered with appropriate force… but not today.” He gestured toward me, and I suddenly felt every pair of eyes lock onto me. “This is Titus. On his Earth, he goes by the hero name Titan. He is the son of an alternate version of myself and Diana.”
I gave a casual wave, trying not to look as uncomfortable as I felt. The reaction was mixed. Some of them nodded or murmured to each other, while others just stared at me like I was some kind of alien specimen.
Superman continued, not paying much attention to the whispers around us. “Titus will be staying here until we figure out how to send him back to his own universe. I’d like you all to make him feel welcome.” He glanced at Jonathan, who stood next to him. “My father will also be staying on the Watchtower for the foreseeable future.”
Jonathan raised his hand in a little wave. “Nice to meet you all. Thanks for always being there for my son,” he said. There was an awkwardness to his words, but they were genuine. A few people chuckled, and the mood lightened for a moment.
Superman turned to Cyborg. “Find a room for my father,” he said before looking at Diana and me. “You two, follow me.”
Diana and I exchanged a glance but didn’t say anything. We followed Superman down one of the side corridors until we reached an open meeting room. He gestured for us to go inside, and the three of us stepped in, the door sliding shut behind us.
Superman sat down at the table, folding his arms as he looked at me. “I think we got off on the wrong foot earlier,” he said.
I hesitated for a moment. He wasn’t wrong, and honestly, I couldn’t let my issues with my Earth’s Superman color how I dealt with this one. They couldn’t all be assholes… right? Well, I hoped not, at least. “Yeah, maybe,” I finally said.
Diana took a seat next to him, giving me a smile that felt warmer than I expected. “I’d like to get to know you better,” she said. “Tell us about your Earth. Tell me about… your mother.”
I almost choked on my own spit. There was no way I was telling her the full story—especially not the part where we’d been sleeping together. I straightened up and cleared my throat. “She’s awesome,” I said, keeping it simple. “She took me to Themyscira recently. They made me an official prince. I even met Zeus and… Hera.”
Diana raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “And how was that?”
“Well, Zeus was cool. Hera? She was kind of a bitch. She tried to kill me, so I gave her a spanking. Now she’s in time-out in the palace dungeons for the next few decades.”
Diana’s jaw dropped. “You… spanked Hera?”
Superman chuckled in my direction. “I should have been more ballsy like you when I was younger,” he said. But then his smile faded, and a sad look came over his face. “Things would’ve worked out differently if I was…”
Diana placed her hand on his shoulder. “What happened wasn’t your fault. If anything, it was Batman’s for not dealing with the Joker himself.”
That comment didn’t sit right with me. Alternate Dimension or not, I respected Batman too much to hear people bad-mouthing him for something he didn't even do. “It wasn’t his fault either,” I said. “If Batman doesn’t want to kill, that’s his choice. He’s never tried stopping the government from executing convicted criminals. They should have executed the Joker a 100 times over but they never did.”
Diana glanced at Superman, like she was nervous about how he’d react to my outburst, but instead of being angry, he sighed and shook his head. “You’re right,” he said. “I’ve blamed Bruce for what happened, but it wasn’t his fault. Not really…” He sat up straighter, brushing the topic aside. “We’re getting off track. Tell me about your Superman. I’m surprised the two of you don’t get along.”
I scoffed at that, unable to hold back the bitterness in my tone. “Get along is putting it mildly. He’s already called me out in public multiple times. Every time I make a decision, he’s automatically against it, even when every other member of the League is backing me up…”
…
I walked out of the meeting room after an hour of talking with Superman and Diana. My mind was spinning from everything they told me. This Earth? It was kind of messed up. I knew things could get complicated with superheroes and governments back home, but here? Superman was practically a global dictator. They didn’t use the word, but that’s what it was. Most countries had already folded under his rule, and the ones still holding out were barely hanging on.
The Justice League wasn’t even the Justice League anymore. They called themselves the Regime, which kind of sounded like the name of a villain’s group if you asked me but I didn’t think they were villains.
Apparently, the League had split down the middle, forming two factions. Superman led the Regime, and Batman led the resistance. There’d already been a few fights between the two sides, but no one had been seriously hurt or killed yet.
I didn’t think that would last, though. With people fighting who could level cities with a punch, it was only a matter of time before things got ugly.
Superman had said he wanted to talk to Batman soon. He admitted he owed Bruce an apology for blaming him for the Joker’s atrocities. I had to give him some credit for that. When I called him out earlier, I hadn’t expected him to actually listen. My own Superman wouldn’t have. Maybe their talk would lead to something, or maybe it wouldn't. I wasn't even sure if I should get involved in the affairs of an alternate Earth, but something told me I probably would be.
My stomach growled, interrupting my thoughts. I realized I hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast with Jonathan Kent. That settled it. I turned down the hallway and started making my way toward the cafeteria.
Before I got there, two women stepped into my path. They were impossible to miss. Both of them had an almost magnetic presence that screamed power and confidence.
The first woman had striking blonde hair that fell in waves past her shoulders. She wore a tight white costume with a boob window that left little to the imagination. She was curvier than Kara and looked older, but the resemblance was uncanny.
The other woman was equally stunning but in a different way. Her skin was pale, almost gray, giving her an ethereal, otherworldly look. Her dark hair framed a perfect face, and her figure was just as flawless as her friend’s, though she seemed less comfortable standing there.
The blonde spoke first, grinning at me. “Hey there, hot stuff. I’m Karen Starr, also known as Power Girl. And this is my best friend Rachel, but most people call her Raven.”
Raven’s gaze shifted to the floor for a second, and she gave me a small nod. She looked nervous, especially compared to how outgoing Power Girl was.
“Nice to meet you, ladies,” I said. “I’m Titus. I’m out of costume right now, but my hero name is Titan.”
Karen’s grin widened. “Oh, we know who you are already,” she said, her eyes scanning me like she was sizing me up.
“So, did you want something?”
Power Girl smirked. “Oh, I want a lot of things, but for now, I’d settle for getting to know you better.” She winked at me.
I raised an eyebrow. “Right…”
“You’re acting like a freaking desert,” Raven said, cutting in before I could respond further.
Power Girl and I both turned to her at the same time. ““Huh?”” we asked in unison.
Raven’s cheeks turned pink, and she glanced at Power Girl before looking away. “You know… because you’re so thirsty…”
I couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped me. It wasn’t just a chuckle, either. I full-on cracked up at her terrible joke.
Power Girl let out a small laugh, too, and then she threw an arm around Raven, pulling her into a one-armed hug. “Look at you, making jokes and everything. You’ve come a long way, Raven! I’m so proud of you,” Power Girl said.
“Whatever,” Raven scoffed, shrugging Power Girl off, though she didn’t seem upset.
I managed to stop laughing long enough to look at them again. “So, do you guys really want to get to know me, or was this just an excuse to pull me into your weird little comedy act?”
“We’re serious,” Power Girl said. “We want to know more about the extra dimensional visitor everyone’s been talking about!”
“Well, I was heading to the cafeteria,” I said. “You can join me if you want.”
Power Girl scoffed. “The cafeteria food sucks here. Even with the regime controlling most of the world, they still can’t get a decent chef.” She straightened up, her grin returning. “No! We’re going down to Earth to get some real food.”
Raven’s eyes narrowed slightly. “That sounds like a major hassle.”
“Come on,” Power Girl said, her enthusiasm unshaken. “We can get pizza!”
Raven sighed but eventually nodded. “Fine. But you’re buying.”
Power Girl grinned. “Deal.”
I shrugged. “I don’t mind either way. Honestly, I just got up here, but heading back down to Earth already sounds good. Especially if it’s with you two.”
Power Girl’s grin widened. “Flattery will get you everywhere, Titus…”
…
Gotham wasn’t exactly the first place I’d choose to grab a meal, and as we sat outside at an open-air restaurant, I couldn’t help but wonder why Power Girl had dragged us here of all places.
“I like the atmosphere,” Power Girl said, as if reading my mind. “And Gotham has pretty good food despite being a hellhole.”
I glanced over at Raven, who was enthusiastically devouring her pizza. She caught me staring and gave me a pout that made me chuckle. “Sorry,” I said.
Power Girl waved it off. “Don’t mind Raven. She hasn’t had an easy life, and good food is still something of a luxury for her.”
That piqued my curiosity, but I decided not to press. There was clearly a long story there, but it wasn’t my place to ask. Instead, I turned to Raven again. “Sorry about that.”
She shrugged and took a big gulp of her soda. “It’s fine.”
We ate in relative silence for a while, each of us enjoying our food. I had to admit, Gotham’s reputation didn’t do its pizza justice. We were about halfway through eating when Power Girl broke the silence. “So, you’re really from another dimension, right?” she asked. “Superman wasn’t just making that up to hide the fact that he cheated on Lois Lane with Diana at some point?”
I laughed and shook my head. “Nope. I’m not from this Earth at all.”
“That’s something the three of us have in common, then,” Power Girl said, catching me off guard.
“Wait, what?” I asked. “You two aren’t from this dimension either?”
Power Girl’s expression shifted, and for the first time, she looked a bit somber. “I came from another Earth besides this one. It was really nice, an absolute paradise… until it wasn’t.” She didn’t elaborate, and I figured it was best not to push.
I turned to Raven, who met my gaze for a second before speaking. “I have my own reasons for being here,” she said. “But it looks like those reasons are starting to catch up with me, unfortunately.”
That made me pause. Did that mean she was planning on leaving this dimension? Did she have a way back? And could she possibly send me back to my own Earth? The questions buzzed in my head, but before I could voice them, Power Girl turned to me with a serious look.
“I fucking hate this Earth,” she said bluntly. The curse caught me off guard. “I can already tell that it’s going to end up exactly like my old home did, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it at this point. They say third time’s the charm, right? Raven and I have been talking for the past hour, and we both want to know if you could take us back to your Earth with you?” Power Girl asked.
“Really?” I asked, startled. “I didn’t think this place was so bad… you know, other than the fact that Metropolis got nuked,” I added with a wince.
Power Girl’s lips pressed into a thin line, and Raven looked down at her drink.
“It’s not just that,” Power Girl said. “This Earth’s broken in ways you haven’t even seen yet. It might seem salvageable now, but it’s only a matter of time before everything falls apart.”
Raven nodded slightly. “We’ve seen it happen before. Both of us have…” Raven said wistfully. I was getting a feeling that her story was going to be a lot more depressing than Power Girl’s was.
I decided to change the topic to lighten the mood. “So, was your flirting earlier just an excuse to talk to me?” I smirked at Power Girl, leaning back in my chair.
If I’d said something like that to Kara, she’d have turned bright red and stammered through an awkward denial. Karen Starr, though, smirked right back at me, completely unfazed. “Oh no,” she said. “That flirting was absolutely real. I think you’re hot as fuck. And, surprisingly, my best friend Raven here thinks the same. I’ve never seen her speak so many words to a boy before.”
I glanced at Raven, whose pale cheeks were now unmistakably red. She mumbled something, barely audible.
“What was that?” I asked, trying not to grin.
“I just said you have a very interesting aura,” she repeated, still looking embarrassed. “It’s… really warm. Being near you makes it feel like it’s pushing away the darkness.”
I smiled, hoping to put her at ease. “I don’t know what this darkness is, but if being near me makes you feel better, you can stay as close as you like.”
Power Girl let out a playful whistle as Raven covered her face with her hands. “Damn, Titus, that was smooth. I’ve never seen Raven show so much emotion before. It’s like you’re using cheat codes or something.”
“Well, she’s not the first pale-skinned goth girl I’ve dealt with,” I said, chuckling.
That seemed to catch Power Girl’s interest. “Oh really? Who was the first?”
“Her name’s Grail. Darkseid’s daughter,” I said. “I fought her just yesterday." Their reactions were immediate. Power Girl’s eyebrows shot up, and Raven looked genuinely startled. For the next few minutes, I told them about my encounter with Grail.
When I finished, Power Girl shook her head. “Yeah, your dimension is definitely the one.”
“What do you mean by that?” I asked, curious.
“Back on my original Earth,” she said, “if Darkseid had a daughter, there’s no way she could’ve been reasoned with. All the villains there were… batshit insane. They only wanted death, devastation, and chaos. No strategy. No goals beyond destruction.”
Raven nodded. “I’ve been on a few other Earths before this one. It’s a pattern. Some Earths have villains who are just… broken. Their plans don’t make sense, and their actions are purely destructive. It’s like there’s something fundamentally wrong with those worlds.”
I chuckled, shaking my head. “Are you two trying to say the villains in my universe are just more chill? Because I’d like to remind you that one of them sent me here while I was sleeping. That wasn't chill at all.”
“That’s not what we’re saying,” Power Girl said. “What I mean is that your villains are capable of actually thinking for themselves. It’s like there’s some fundamental force acting on certain Earths, making people—mainly villains and heroes—make really bad decisions. Decisions that a normal person would never make in a million years,” She elaborated.
Raven nodded again. “It’s hard to explain, but it’s real. I’ve seen it. On some Earths, everything feels… off. Like the world itself is conspiring to create chaos.”
“That’s a comforting thought,” I said, half-joking. “But are you sure? Because I'll have you know the Superman on my Earth is pretty much a dumb asshole.”
“Yeah, but is everyone else like him?” Power Girl asked. “Because when this world Superman declared that he was going to create a regime to rule over the Earth, the majority of the Justice League immediately sided with him. No questions asked. Only Batman and a small handful of the weaker Heroes decided not to,” Power Girl explained.
“Awwww… That’s not nice. Calling us weaker.” A costumed hero dropped down from the rooftop and landed next to our table.
The regular humans, who were already nervous at having Power Girl and Raven eating here in full costume, immediately all stood up and ran out of the restaurant. I think they expected a fight was imminent or something.
“Hello, Nightwing.” Power Girl said. “What brings you here? Or is it just the pizza?”
Nightwing shamelessly plopped himself down on the empty chair next to me and started eating one of the remaining slices of pizza. “Pepperoni and bacon, always a solid choice. But no, I’m not just here for the pizza. I’m actually here for him…” Nightwing said, gesturing to me. “Batman wants to meet with you.”
I rubbed my hand through my hair. Of course he did. And I could probably already guess what he wanted, for me to side with him and fight the regime or something. Power Girl and Raven both glared at Nightwing. It seems like neither of them wanted me to speak with Batman for that reason.
“I don't mind hearing the guy out.” I said. I wasn't planning on making any immediate decisions one way or another when it came to what was going on in this world.
Nightwing seemed happy that I agreed to go with him. However, Power Girl and Raven insisted on coming with. He didn't really want them to come, especially since they were members of the regime, but apparently he'd been eavesdropping on at least half of our conversation and had heard the part about both of them wanting to defect to another Earth. He said they could come with to meet Batman, but they better not try anything or they regret it. He also gave me the same morning for some reason, but I just scoffed…
XXX
Comments
Chase Garcia
save nightwing please
Ototsu_Yume
It would be pretty cool seeing Titus head back to his universe with his own force of alternate League members, if he picked up the Kryptonians in a bottle from Brainiac then he'd be all set for a force and people to lead, add in the fact MC is pretty much a Kryptonian god and he might even benefit from having them under him if he also happens to gain power from Faith on top of all his other bs abilities.
David Beltran
I got a feeling that probably Titus, could probably find a way to descalate the tension between the 2 faction or stop it for getting worse that it already is.
