Young Justice Fanfic - DEFCON 1 : Below Sea-Level

Chapter 1

"That sunset..." Artemis Crock sighed as she gazed upon the pink streaks surrounding the bright semi-circle of light just sitting over the horizon.

"Pretty crash, huh?"

"I swear, you're turning into Bart with every day that passes..." Artemis laughed as she shoved her boyfriend playfully, almost shoving him off the ledge of Mount Justice.

"I try." Wally West smirked. He lifted his arm around her shoulders, then pulled her closer to him, "this is definitely something I would die for...you know that, right?"

"You would die for a sunset?"

"Nah. Sunsets are recurring things. I was talking about you." Wally turned from the sunset to the love of his life, "I'd die for you. I'd die for a moment just to live alone with you. I'd die for moments like these."

"Aw, Wally--"

"I mean it." Wally casually cut her off and moved his hand to cup her face, "this view is definitely better than sunsets, rainbows, even a million stars in a clear night sky." Artemis smirked and chuckled a little,

"That sounds cheesy, you know."

"It sounded better in my head." Wally chuckled.

"Kidding. I really don't care. That's sweet of you..." Artemis smiled, and they leaned in to kiss... Until the blare of an alarm suddenly and startlingly cut them off.

"What's that?!" Artemis looked around.

"No idea..." Wally responded, but he suddenly understood what was happening. Their sunset was suddenly covered by black clouds. Flashes of blue lightning could be seen inside the array of darkness.

"Is this major?" Artemis turned to Wally, who was still taking in the scene and sifting through all the possible outcomes in his head.

"Could be...there can't be clouds that black..." Wally answered, blood draining from his face, "they're almost jet black...that can't be good..."

"So?" Artemis waited for his response, "is this serious enough to..."

"Might have to be." Wally nodded. He reached into the back pocket of his jeans, pulled out his phone, and hit speed-dial, "hey, Dick. You seeing what we're seeing?" Artemis continued to watch the clouds as they moved faster than clouds normally do, "yeah, pitch-black clouds seem ominous to you?" Artemis looked back at Wally, who nodded as he listened to Dick's every word, "okay. See you then." With that, Wally hung up.

"Well?"

"Dick's calling in the team." Wally answered as he inspected the clouds, which now hung overhead, "We need to get in the cave, now."
________________
"How bad is it now?" Nightwing asked as soon as the last member of the team arrived at Mount Justice.

"Bad enough to have 3 feet precipitation in less than an hour?" Batgirl answered as she scrolled through the news on the cave holo-computer.

"What else do we see out there?" Nightwing asked.

"It's all in Happy Harbor. There seems to be strong winds only in Happy Harbor, but the clouds don't seem to be moving..." Robin said reading down some charts on another holo computer.

"How's that even possible?!" Superboy asked.

"Is there anything we can do about this?" Miss Martian asked.

"There's NOTHING you kids can do!!!" A voice boomed on the PA system of the cave.

"Okay, who's that?!" Blue Beetle asked. Suddenly, a blurry video appeared on Batgirl and Robin's screens. The image finally cleared, and it was Black Manta and Ocean Master with another figure they didn't recognize.

"Black Manta... You're behind all this?!" Aqualad demanded.

"Oh, not me, Boy." Black Manta cackled, "this young man had definitely impressed us." Ocean Master stepped aside and allowed the mysterious black-hooded figure step forward.

"Who is that?!" Wonder Girl asked, only making Manta burst into evil laughter,

"This...is Weather Wizard."