Adventures of Superguy

As the trio (a quartet if Gizmo were included, which he was decidedly not) returned to the Cave’s main hall, they heard the sound of quietly raised voices carrying. They shared a confused look, but Walli hurried ahead, to Connor  and M’Gann’s confusion. When they entered the chamber, the origin of the quiet and clearly passionate argument was revealed. 

Wonder Woman stood off to one side, as resplendent as ever she appeared, but her noble face was downcast as she spoke with a young man in a black and silver armored costume. He was beautiful, Connor had to admit; a body sculpted with perfect athleticism and symmetry, tan olive skin, lustrous black hair worn slightly long, held back by a silver circlet that added wings down the side of his face. His eyes were a warm amber, but currently they were narrowed in anger and there was a hard set to his pretty mouth. Agewise, he appeared to be in his early twenties, but with slightly androgynous features that made him seem more youthful. 

The costume was the black of starry night; a sleeves high necked top that terminated in a silver choker, and loose harem pants tucked into silver chased black boots. Over the costume he wore a matte black muscle cuirass with a silver belt, with a spray of five silver stars across the chest in a W pattern. He wore silver bracers and greaves, identical to Wonder Woman’s, and at his side was a silver lasso that glowed faintly with what looked like moonlight.

With his superhearing, Connor easily picked up on their hushed conversation.

“I cannot believe you are actually participating in this farce!” The young man hissed at Wonder Woman.

“As I have said, it is not a farce. The team is real, the offer is genuine. My participation should be evidence enough of that. And that offer is still open to you, Donald…” Wonder Woman answered, reaching out for his shoulder as she spoke.

But the man in black jerked away from her touch, his face snarling. Wonder Woman recoiled as if he had tried to bite her, clearly shocked at his reaction. Concern warmed her sapphire blue eyes.

“I don’t want or need the Guild’s consolation prize! Or your pity! This is exactly what I have been talking about, for years now! The disrespect, the matronizing, the… the disregard for my accomplishments and abilities. You taught me patience, and also boldness, Diana. Well, I have practiced patience, and now I am practicing boldness. We were promised, I was promised, that the Guild would accept me as a full member. As a man, not a servant boy! You gave me your word!” 

The last sentence everyone in the hall heard, no one needing superhearing as the young man raised his voice in a shout at Wonder Woman. What had been a relatively private conversation in a public place was now escalating into a public spat. The young man’s eyes flicked around the room at the other Guild members present, mostly frozen in place as the argument escalated; Black Canary, Star Sapphire, Hawkwoman. Walli was halfway across the room towards the arguing heroes when the shout brought her up short. Connor and M’gann had barely entered the room by then.

Wonder Woman held up her hands in a placating gesture, which would only have inflamed tensions more had it come from anyone else. Connor found himself calming just at her motion. It was a bit uncanny.

Who is that? The starry night getup and yelling at Diana; this must be this world’s version of Donna Troy. Who is a guy. A very pretty guy, but a guy nonetheless. This whole ‘sometimes genderswapped/sometimes not’ thing is gonna drive me up a wall. And what exactly is he mad about? He looks ready to chew glass. “Donald Troy”, I guess.

“There was a vote to bring you in on the terms I had promised, but the others felt the rest of the mentees weren’t ready. I had no such reservations about you, Donald, you have to know that. After your outburst at the Guildhall of Justice, and the rest of mentees independent action against Project Cadmus, there was a new proposal and the Guild accepted it. The team is the result. We want you all to learn to work together, to accomplish things the Guild’s current membership can’t. To forge you into the weapon that justice will require.” Wonder Woman said, her words like honey, and Connor felt the compassion and her attempt to empathize in it.

“That’s rich! The Guild sets terms for our membership, and we dutifully meet them, and then unilaterally changes them. And we’re just supposed to accept it!?” Donald Troy barked, teeth grit. He was utterly unmoved by Wonder Woman’s entreaties and conciliatory tone.

“The Guild has spent years protecting Terra from the worst threats within and without. Our deeds and dedication are not in doubt. While I do not fully agree with how this matter has been handled, I am committed to moving forward and preparing the team to the highest standard possible. You would be an invaluable part of that, Donald. A standard with which to hold the others to. They need your experience.” Wonder Woman said as she continued to bring him around.

Wow. I would find that rude, but coming from Wonder Woman and about her apprentice, that probably is a pretty high bar. Which I am totally not going to meet, considering I’ve been doing the hero thing for less than a week. Still, this guy…

The pieces were becoming clear to Connor, from what the rest of the team had told him over the past few days and Donald Troy’s outburst. Clearly the sidekicks had been waiting for their chance at the big time, and the Justice Guild had tried fobbing them off. Resulting in Donald here having a hissy fit, the team rushing off to prove themselves at the Project, and their rescue of him. After their ultimatum, the Guild had come around to this new state of affairs, but it clearly wasn’t enough for Donald.

“The Guild already had its chance to take advantage of my experience, and it spat on it. No, I’m done. Do you hear me, Diana? I’m DONE!” He shouted at the Princess of Power, and with a jerk, tore the silver choker he was wearing off, and threw it on the floor at her feet. Wonder Woman was left in open mouthed shock, as Troy turned his back on her and stalked towards the Zeta-Tubes, fists clenched and teeth bared in anger.

“Don, come on! Don’t be like this! We’re not getting sidelined here, we’ve already shown the Guild what we can do. We’re putting together something real here!” Walli interjected, finally finding her voice.

“Save it, Walli. You can keep running the Guild’s errands if you want, but I am sick of it. I don’t need to prove myself to anyone anymore, and I’ve had quite enough submitting to their ‘loving’ authority.” Donald spat with venom as he marched past Walli, who turned to watch him go with incredulity.

“Besides,” he continued as he reached the Zeta-Tube. “You’ve already found a replacement ‘token man’ for your little team.” He said as he cast a scathing look at Connor.

What? And what the hell did I do? Connor thought confusedly.

As Donald Troy approached the Zeta-Tube, the computer’s intonation rang out.

‘Recognized. Wonder Boy, B-06.’

As the tube’s machinery spun up and the familiar golden light began to fill the tunnel, Donald barked out another command.

“Computer, new designation for B-06! You can call me Trojan now.”

‘Recognized. New designation assigned. Trojan, B-06.’

And with that, he stepped into the Zeta-Tube and disappeared as a hazy figure in its shimmering light.

Walli stood facing the tube, different reactions warring on her face as she stood in the middle of the room. Shock and confusion predominated, but also hurt. 

Wonder Woman, however, radiated hurt and loss. She knelt down and picked up the silver choker where Donald had thrown it down, and clutched it to her chest like she was in mourning. She was bereft, standing there and looking down at the choker in her hands. Connor could see her doubled W symbol was worked into the front of it. 

“Awk-ward…” M’gann said to him quietly.

Connor nodded to her. 

This was a lot of other people’s drama to walk into.

And an inauspicious start to the team.

Walli threw her hands up and walked away in frustration. Hawkwoman and Star Sapphire looked on from the sidelines with consternation. Black Canary watched Wonder Woman with empathy, but didn’t approach her. Wonder Woman herself simply stood there, downcast, turning the choker over in her hands. The sight of the indomitable Wonder Woman looking so vulnerable shocked him into action, and before he knew it, he was approaching her.

“Wonder Woman… Diana…” 

Once again, words failed him. 

I don’t even know what I want to say.

When she looked up at him, he saw there were tears in her eyes. But she had no shame for shedding them in front of him or anyone else. She was experiencing all this turmoil, and faced it and the regard of the others without flinching. There was a strength in her vulnerability that was stronger than steel. She smiled at him sadly.

“I will be well, Connor. Thank you for your concern. I should get back to the Guildhall. I have much to do.” She said simply.

In that moment, his heart leapt out of his chest for her. Her beauty was heartbreaking at the best of times, but to see her bereft was too much to bear. Desperately he wished to comfort her, offer some solace, and find some way to relieve her pain. But he was stumbling blind in the dark; no comic had ever taught him how to assuage the pain of someone who had their love thrown back in their face.

He watched her go to the Zeta-Tube and depart in its light. Seeing her leave in that state made his heart sick with worry, and shame at his own inadequacy. 

Don’t have super-compassion, I guess. 

It was a mean and unfair thought, but it reflected how he felt.

Black Canary approached and put a hand on his shoulder, and he turned at her touch.

“Nothing you can do about that, Connor. That’s a problem that predates you, and has been coming for a while.” 

He nodded numbly. None of this seemed like the kind of episodic problems resolved by the end of the issue. 

I don’t even really know this version of ‘Trojan’ at all. I barely get what happened with the Guild before the team found me. But that all seemed like long term hurts come to the surface. Seems Black Canary isn’t the only one going through a break up.

For some reason, not having Wonder Woman’s protege on the team suddenly felt like a great loss. Trojan was clearly older than the rest of the team, and if he was anything like Wonder Woman, he would be an asset. Discontent grew in his gut with the Justice Guild and their handling of the whole affair. It was an own goal to treat Trojan so shabbily that he would rather head out on his own rather than work with the team or the Guild.

Why is the Guild so reluctant to let the sidekicks graduate up to the majors?

It was an intriguing question. The team were older than he remembered most of the sidekicks being when they formed their own teams like the Teen Titans or Young Justice. It clearly wasn’t age, as Trojan was a few years older than them, at least. Whatever hang ups they had just cost them Trojan’s aid. 

Something to talk to Aquawoman about. Need to figure out the Guild’s whole structure too. 

God, the list of things I don’t know is longer than I’d ever believe if someone told me I was going to live in the DC universe. Everything is just that bit of different that changes everything, unless it isn’t. Assuming is how you make an ass out of you and me, though.

He blew an exasperated sigh.

The team was going to need a lot of work.

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