DC: Fading Away

Far away from the city, three figures were watching the battle from a mountain range. They were heroes. One muscular boy with a black shirt and red symbol of hope. One slender girl with green skin and a white and blue hero suit. Another boy in a yellow and red hero suit.

Young Justice. Superboy, Miss Martian, and Kid Flash. The full team had been informed of Tobi's updated bounty but only these three thought to give it a try. Batman had given a very detailed explanation of the boy in the digital info tab.

"Looks like we aren't the only ones after him." Superboy grunted. 

"Awww man! After begging Dr. Fate to locate him, we found him and he's already occupied!" Wally complained. 

They watched through their stealth plane's monitor. Tobi wasn't even trying. His way of fighting made Wally and Megan wince. Superboy's expression didn't change. He only scoffed at their immaturity. 

"So that's Crosscut." He muttered. The two other members looked at him then back at the monitor. 

"Robin was right. We aren't ready for this. We should give up capturing him." Megan said. 

"I can take him." Superboy cracked his neck. 

That was until he saw the invisible energy that blew away the clouds. His eyes widened in shock. Kid Flash and Miss Martian both felt their adrenaline kick in. That giant villain had just been obliterated. Such power within a single gunshot…

"If we decide to approach him…it has to be nonviolent. We'll be risking our lives. Friendly persuasion only." Megan said. Both boys nodded. 

Suddenly, a vibration reached their feet. The ground started to tremble. A magnetic field expanded across their battlefield…slowly extending toward the city and tourist waterfall. Everything was rising into the sky. Stranded civilians…were rising into the sky. 

"Move out! We save the people first!" She exclaimed. They immediately set out.

…

…

…

"GRAAAAHHHH!" 

Polaris roared toward the sky. Purple energy flared across his body and bled into the surroundings. No matter which direction, massive chunks of buildings and earth launched toward Tobi like missiles. 

As he stood on floating ground, his hands returned to his pockets. The young esper tilted his head as death made an attempt on his life. A burst of energy at his feet launched him into the air. He completely cleared the area in a single leap.

He landed on a projectile before leaping toward the next one. Polaris was staying as far away as he could. He was constantly backing up whenever Tobi made progress. 

The problem was that the esper was fast. He teleported whenever movement itself became too complicated. He reacted to everything perfectly. Due to his psychic-enhanced mind, his prediction and evasion skills were top notch. 

Controlling himself with telekinesis turned it over the top. His body spun around an energy infused spear of debris, before flipping and avoiding another projectile. The constant movement kept them both on their toes. 

Polaris was stressed. Having to fight at full power the entire time, his expression started to change. From a determined and arrogant man…his expression turned demonic. The doctor actually had a split personality. With his life on the line and a bunch of stress building up…the demon reared its ugly head. 

"Lex Luthor had big plans for you! He saw your potential. BUT I SEE NOTHING!" He roared. 

"......"

Tobi was focused on reaching the man who kept backing away and launching projectiles. All of the floating buildings and islands revolved around them faster and faster. Suddenly, purple electricity appeared within his trembling palms. Either electricity or something similar.

"You think you're the only one with true power?!" He screamed.

ZZZZTT

A condensed beam of destruction launched forward, threatening to disintegrate anything in its way. Tobi's eyes reflected the image of purple light approaching him. Then he vanished. The hyper beam drilled through where he used to be. 

Just like that, projectiles and hyper beams were launched in multiple directions. Anyone watching from a distance would only see moving debris and death lasers carving through distant hills and plains. 

"Go away, go away, GO AWAY!" Doctor Polaris roared.

As if a ball was in the villain's hand, he turned it sideways. Reality followed his action. Gravity suddenly turned sideways. Every island and building shifted its axis, turning on its side. The magnetic field had rotated sideways and forced everything else to rotate with it. No matter. 

The esper eventually landed onto an inverted building. Energy burst under his feet and he beamed toward the floating powerhouse…but the desperate man was prepared. Minerals and metals swirled around Polaris' body and hid him from view. It became a growing tornado of debris. Larger and larger until it was a category 5 natural disaster. 

"...You've been trying your best." Tobi muttered mid-flight. 

Right before he entered the tornado, he teleported. This 'jump' had taken more effort compared to all his other 'jumps' due to the anti-space barrier. It was a large distance separating the tornado from Polaris. 

ZMMM

Tobi entered the eye of the storm. The momentum kept him going, his feet sliding across the only floating island within. He landed with a crouch. His hands didn't leave his pockets. His overcoat was extended high in the air, trailing behind like a cape. Polaris' heart skipped a beat as he locked onto the young esper…but it was too late. Tobi had already vanished. 

"...Let me return the favor." A voice reached the villain's ears.

A foot was already mid swing. So fast that Doc couldn't even react. His gaze was still focused on where Tobi used to be. Shining energy coated the powerful esper's leg. The kick connected with the man's arm and waist. First…there was a crunch due to the effect of his energy, then-

BOOM

With the sound of an explosion, Polaris was launched out of the tornado. He beamed across the horizon and quickly reached the city. His body was like a ragdoll. It slammed right through the only skyscraper in the city, going beyond and entering the mountain range. 

He crashed into a small mountain further within. The structure was blown away, any remaining parts toppling to the ground. It was unknown if he was alive or dead. Polaris had never taken such a hit before. 

The magnetic field dissipated. All of the floating islands and buildings lost the energy to keep floating. Just like that, it became a rain of buildings, debris, and earth. The destruction would be immeasurable. 

Tobi stood in the sky. His hair rustled in the rough winds…an after effect of the battle. His dim gaze went down to the city, where the buildings would fall. The battle didn't take place in the city so the damage there wouldn't be…THAT bad…right?

"Phooooo." He exhaled a deep breath. 

That was the first time he'd ever fought someone that had the strength to hold his own. Superman didn't count. That would never turn into a full blown battle to the death. Superman was too worried about the aftermath of his actions to try that hard.

His day was ruined. Fighting villains and killing enemies…those things were supposed to be over and done with. He had planned to leave it all behind in Gotham and start anew. Why did this have to happen? Why did they have to interrupt his good memories?

Tobi's hand had been forced. Now he had no choice but to go to Metropolis and finish the job. Lex had to disappear forever. The bald egomaniac did it to himself. If he truly wanted to succeed in gaining Tobi's allegiance…he should've tried a different approach. 

"...What a drag." He sighed. 

He didn't even feel like doing it but had to for the peace of mind. What if Lex sent someone else? What if the genius inventor used politics to back Tobi into a corner? What if he turned the heroes and villains against the esper together? Then Tobi would have to be on edge forever.

All that just because he left the man alive? No way. The man had signed his own death warrant. How irritating. Returning to America so soon…that country which slowly rotted from the inside out. All due to corruption. Another sigh. Damn.

'Are you conflicted? I know you aren't the one at fault. You were surrounded by enemies.' A soft, feminine voice sounded in his mind. 

Turning toward the source, he saw a young girl with green skin floating up to him. There was a youthfulness in her gaze that seemed pure. A fake smile tugged at his lips. His angelic features caused Megan's heart to skip a beat. 

'What a handsome boy.' She thought. Their ages seemed pretty similar. 

'It doesn't matter. Since I'm the only one standing, I'll be taking the fall whether I deserve it or not. Still, that would only be a problem if I cared how people thought of me.' Tobi answered. 

'We could fix this. I could vouch for you. I could clear your name!'

'Why?' He immediately responded. 

A soft mental energy rubbed against his mindscape. Almost as if asking gently for entry. Tobi kept the door shut.

'Because I can feel the mismatch of your emotions. Some of them are completely missing. You don't even feel anger. Desire has taken its place.'

'I don't see how this relates to anything. I don't need your help. Don't assume that I'm a good person.'

'Will you let me see?' She asked. Miss Martian was talking about his mindscape.

'No.'

'Even if you don't want my help…I'll find my own way to do it. I just need some ammo to work with. Please…let me see!' She asked once more.

Tobi stared at her for a moment before scratching the back of his head. Sigh. Her intentions are too pure. It's almost as if she's new to the world. Untouched by the filth. Perhaps she hadn't been around people long enough.

The esper relented, opening the door to his mindscape. Megan carefully entered and soothed his nerves with her gentle aura. The two stood before each other in a different plane. Then…memories started to play like a movie. 

He only showed her what he wanted her to see, leaving out Tatsu and his past romantic encounters. Miss Martian was given a front row seat to the worst year of someone's life. She lived it as if it were her. 

She felt joy. She felt sad. She felt pain. Then…she saw her dead family. She saw herself die. She saw herself wake up…and the sorrow that flooded soon after. She felt as it threatened to break her soul. 

Tears fell from her eyes as she struggled with such an intense level of emotion. Like an ocean that swallowed her up and tried to drown her. Sadness, sorrow, melancholy…these feelings weren't supposed to be so constant and unrelenting! What in the world…

"How terrible!" She exclaimed in fear. Not of Tobi, but of his emotions.

"...It's abnormal. I'm barely able to find the balance between it all now."

"I can't even imagine."

"It took a while to control, and anything could make it return in full force."

"Tobi…" She looked at him with tears constantly falling. 

"...This is my life now. Thinking about the world of heroes and villains…it all seems mundane in the face of this. It's why I don't care anymore. What's the point?"

"No. You must work harder. Do not fall into the grasp of nihilism." She admonished him. He frowned at her scolding.

"...Whatever."

The two left the mindscape. In the real world, Megan was trembling and crying. Her eyes stared a hole into his face. Tobi shook his head. A tiny smile appeared on his lips. It was genuine. This was the first person he'd shown this to. Only a fellow psychic would understand.

"What did you do to her?!" A voice roared. 

Superboy burst into the air right beside Tobi. His arm reared back and his fist clenched with force. A powerful blow was on the way. Right before it connected, the young esper teleported a few yards away. 

"Conner, stop!" Megan yelled. 

Wally was also there, but he only watched from the ground, unable to reach that high. Tobi took this opportunity to make his exit. He hadn't even spared the angry boy a glance. It took a second to leave the anti-space barrier. His figure vanished as soon as he was free.

'Next stop, Metropolis…'