A Future Sooner than Tomorrow

Past Wounds are Present Scars

When the Justice League gets out of their decontamination showers, it's late. Luckily, extras of their uniforms had been in their lockers.

"Woah, Batman! That's really different from your usual get-up," Flash circles Batman, staring at the suit. It's bulkier than Batman's usual one and the cape appears thicker.

"It's also a size too big. The height is fine but there's too much room," to demonstrate, Batman slowly waves his arm from side to side and with too much ease, the armour moves around it.

"Oh, that is definitely too loose," Green Lantern steps forward to better look at it. "I guess the Batman here is larger?"

"More muscular, maybe," Flash guesses.

Humming, Batman nods. "That's the most likely explanation, yes. The different suit is... a surprise although it makes sense. Despite the obvious similarities between this world and ours, some things are clearly different," Batman nods in Kal's direction.

"Why is yours so different? Mine is the exact same and so is Hawkgirl's and the Flash's?" Kal asks.

"I think mine is made out of a sturdier material actually," Flash pinches his own suit to demonstrate. It's textured roughly unlike the material of his previous suit.

Hawkgirl shrugs, "My one is the same as always."

"Mine has also changed," Diana holds her arms out to her sides, showing off a more armoured look in comparison to her almost fabric-like outfit she had on before. "My skirt has been exchanged for... I am not sure what this is."

"Looks like swimsuit bottoms to me," Lantern calls out. "Strangely modern. Maybe it's because this world's Wonder Woman has spent more time here."

"You think any version of me would abandon my Amazonian roots to comply with the standards of Man's world?" Diana crosses her arms - her face is set in a scowl. Flash puts himself between her and Lantern.

"Woah, nobody said that. He just means that maybe you want to show off where you live now, you know?" His arms gesticulate frantically. "This Wonder Woman is still wearing Amazonian gear just... in a newer way. Maybe she wants to show off both her roots and the world she fights for at the same time?"

Wonder Woman pauses and wets her lips. "Yes. That would be a good reason, wouldn't it?" At that, Flash nods happily.

Hawkgirl shuffles closer to Wonder Woman.

"I suppose some of us are less alike in this world," J'ohn says.

"Then shouldn't Superman's outfit be the most different?" Flash points at Kal's unchanged outfit.

"Not necessarily. His suit is based off of his kryptonian heritage and he has always lived among humans, so there'd be no reason for a change."

"Oh, I get it. And I guess more armour wouldn't really make much sense since Superman is already invulnerable to most things," Flash grins.

"Except kryptonite," Green Lantern pipes up.

"And whatever the oil Diana touched was," Kal adds. "That stuff burned badly and Kon seemed to have a similar if not worse reaction than me. If what that was exists in our universe, we need to figure out what it is and quick."

"Nightwing seemed to know what it was," J'ohn says. Light reflects oddly off of his pupil-less, sclera-less eyes for a moment, suggesting that his gaze has moved elsewhere. Kal wonders if he'll ever be able to tell exactly where the man is looking.

He hopes so. Maybe he'd be able to understand his teammate better if he could.

"What makes you say that?" Hawkgirl's feathers fluff up slightly as she speaks. "If he knew what it was, why wouldn't he have just told us? Whatever that substance was put Kal at risk so at least Kal should know what it is to better protect himself from it in the future."