Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

There are visions of what's to come. Some quite near in the future. Some far away. But the visions are from Titans, past and present.

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A young girl with eyes as green as emeralds is sitting in the sky with mother. Her hair a fiery red in contrast to the girl's jet black. Her mother, in the stories that she's been told, is a princess, well. was a princess. But her dad would always say that she was his own which would always make her blush. They stayed up in the sky, watching the sun set. Her mother wrapped an arm around her shoulder as they watched.

"Hey momma?"
"Yes, Starshine?" She replied using her favorite nickname for her daughter.
"When do i get to be a Titan?" Her mother laughed softly at that question.
"Ahh, sweet Mar'i, you're still little. Enjoy it while it lasts."

Some time later the young girl with eyes as green as emeralds is back home after a nice afternoon of flying. Her father, the bird, though sometimes bat had returned shortly before they got home and he was sleeping in his bed, still wearing his cowl. Her mother smiled as she walked in and closed the door, looking at her daughter before closing it.

"Sweet dreams, Starshine." She said with a kind and tired smile before closing the door all the way.

"G'night momma!" But the girl was not going to bed, not yet. She floated on over to her room, covered in souvenirs from her and her parents' adventurers. Exotic animal skins from other worlds were made into her blankets as she floated on to bed. She turned over a pillow to reveal a large book. She held a hand up and summoned a green light so she wouldn't have to turn on her light. 'The complete history of America's sweet hearts: The Teen Titans' was writing across the cover. It's a large book covering her father's early years as part of the team. When him and his friends were young and in need of companion-ship. She flips through pages of her favorite book to see countless photos. Her father wearing... No pants? And pixie boots? She held in a giggle as she kept going through.

The infamous Mister Twister, summoning tornadoes to fight her father and his friends. She flipped and flipped a bit faster. She knew there was one of mom somewhere in there. There!
There she was with her bright smile and emerald eyes. 'Who are these new Titans?' the page read. She couldn't help but smile. A yawn escaped her mouth and she rubbed her sleepy eyes.

"I wanna be a Titan." She yawned out. Putting out the green fire in her hand to be in the dark. And closed her favorite book and put it back under her pillow.

Mar'i Grayson, soon enough...

Will get her wish.

Chapter Text

Jon Kent stood in the air, with his hands on his hips and his chest out. The bright Kansas sun beating down on him. “This looks like a job for Superman!” He shouted with pride. Eh, could be better.
“This looks like a job for SUPERMAN!” He shouted out again. Feeling better. He was much closer to being a Superman at this point, as opposed to the Superboy he used to be. He still opted for the jeans in his uniform but was more in line with the quintessential Superman suit. He now had the main upper half of the Superman suit with the bright S across his chest, he felt a sense of pride whenever he put his hand on that S. Jon was a good foot and a half taller now, He was stronger, taller, leaner.

“You still trying that out?” Jon heard from behind him, dad was floating on up to him. Out of Superman attire and in his work clothes. Holding a large bale of hay under his arm. “You almost ready for the trip? Your mother and I have almost go everything in all set and ready to go.” He said.

“Wait, we’re really going?!” Jon said full of surprise. He didn’t think they’d want to go.
“Yep! She’s gotten a little bored on the farm, and there haven’t been any stories catching her eye so she decided to have some fun with us.” He said.

“Oh man I’m so excited!” Jon yelped bouncing in the air. Sure he was almost 19 now, but he was still Jon Kent, easily excited as ever. “We’re gonna go on vacation to Kandor!”

They flew down to ground, past the fields of corn to see mom with a few suitcases and Krypto sitting by her side. “You boys ready? Kara and Kon are already there, we’re gonna meet them there.” She asked as she handed them both their cases. But there was a noise coming from dad’s that made her drop it. A communicator notification.

“Kal-el! It’s Kara! I don’t know how he got here, but Parasite made it into Kandor! I’ve been holding him off while Kon gets people to safety but we need you here right away! He’s getting bigger by the mi— gah!” The line went dead as Kara shouted and there was a thud of a fist being slammed into her.

“Oh man, that sounds bad. What do we do?” Jon asked. Dad had a tiny smile across his face, he knew the danger, but he also knew this would be the perfect time for Jon to prove himself. “Well son, who do you think this is a job for?” He turned to him.

“Superman?”
“Superman.”

Men of steel, for the new era.

----

farther in the future, the Batcave is quite, it has been for the last few years. Damian Wayne sits in his chair, looking over his cases. Rubbing his eyes after the bright screen stared into him. He let out a sigh and put his hand down, meeting Titus, his dog's, soft ears. He swiveled in his chair to look across the cave. Its, lonely here. It used to be full of such life. Father, Grayson, Drake and so many others, planning out their patrols and meetings.

But now he was alone. But, he was something he always wanted to be,

Batman.

He rested his head on his hand as he looked into the stairs that used to be used ever so often, Alfred making his way down them, holding trays of food for after-patrol dinners. It's quite still. Until it isn't. There's a crash that jolts him from his memories Titus jumps up and immediately goes in front of him. "Relax, boy" He says as he lays a hand on his head. He used his other to prop himself off of his chair, bones aching as he did so. "Whoever you are, show yourself." He demanded, if he was younger he would've shouted it while brandishing a sword. But he's older now, and more relaxed, refined even

There's a cautious noise of footsteps on the stairs as they get closer and closer. Damian still couldn't see with the shadows obscuring the trespasser's face. Damian slowly started walking over to the man, boy? Could be either or. He came into the light, the computer shining onto him.

"I'm sorry! I didn't know anyone was here!" He young, by the looks of it, teenage boy tells him. "Are you Batman?" Great, there's a teenager he doesn't know in the batcave, father would be disappointed. But, he had been missing something...

"Who are you, and why are you here." Damian said, not asking.
"I'm... uh, Terry"
"Terry Mcginnis. I was looking for somewhere to stay, and everyone thought Wayne manor was abandoned. I, I'm not in trouble am I?" He asked, holding his hands up like he was being held up by a cop. Damian thought on that question, if father was here, there would most definitely be trouble, of deals to not say anything. But, father would also see an opportunity to help a lost young man. "No, Terry, you are not. In fact, I have a proposition for you, in exchange for not saying anything about what you see here. You can... Do something."

"Like what?" Terry questioned. He saw Damian walk over from him to the cases. The cases that immortalized his family. Robin suits, Batgirls, Nightwings, a few Batman. There was one that father never had gotten the chance to wear, the crisis had hit before he finished on it. He didn't even get to fix the mouth opening. Damian smiled a bit as he looked in the case, seeing it reflect on Terry.
"But, before you accept it. We have some things to discuss."

A new Batman, beyond the family, a new young man in need of guidance.

Terry Micginnis. Dark Knight of the new era.

Chapter Text

Years from now, there's a test. A race.

Irey West is running a race against time. Her lungs are screaming at her to slow down. But she can’t. Stopping is failing. And failing is death. At some point, the feeling of her feet slamming into the ground stops registering to her body. She doesn’t hear the screaming of her lungs. She sees a beautiful white light with strikes of yellow and red. It feels... peaceful. She looks down to her feet to see that they weren’t even there anymore. She was transforming. Reaching terminal velocity. The sounds of thunder crashing all around sends her back to her focus, but there’s something there, a... Voice?

“Hey there, kiddo. You don’t know me. But you’ve got some race left to run. I know you’re tired, but you gotta get that second wind, okay?”

“Uncle... Barry?” She asks the noise. And he appears, running aside her. A wonderful blend of red and yellow, pure energy coursing through him, his eyes a bright yellow. And there’s a kind smile on his face.

“Yep, that’s me. I’d love to stay and talk, i would. But you got to keep going. Alright? And can you do me a favor?”

“W-What?”

“Tell your dad I love him, and that he’s doing just fine. And when i see him, we’ll have one of our races. And this time, he better not let me win.” There’s a kind laugh to him as he sighs. “Now get going!” He calls out. And Irey does, she feels the ground again, slamming into her feet. The lungs shouting for rest resurges. Tears fall from her face and get lost in the wind she kicks up.
And she’s back. Around her friends. Batman walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Where were you?!” He belts out in anger, but Irey knew him long enough to know that this was more concern showing. “You ran off and disappeared. What happened?” He questioned.

“I... Had to run.”
“To what?”
“To, it.”
———-

“Rachel Brown here for Keystone city news. Everyone's been adjusting to get back to their new normal after the crisis. As it’s been called. The first in almost thirteen years. Witnesses reported seeing the Flash take a stand against the anti monitor, disappearing in a bolt of lighting. She was gone for all of one point three seconds. But for our Flash?

A lifetime.”
———

In the present day, there is a air of excitement.

Jaime Reyes flies through the sky without a care in the world. The scarab on his back refuses to admit it, but it’s enjoying itself as well. “So little buddy, what’s on the agenda today? More space adventures? Because I don’t think I can handle another one of those to be honest.” What? Space adventures take a lot out of you. He needed a break.
“Check the coordinates in your HUD, Jaime.” The scarab instructed.

“Titans Tower? Oh hell yes.”
———

The clock winds back, and it’s years ago. The Teen Titans, back when they actually were teens, lounge around their little cave base. Wally and Donna had their faces buried in magazines. Dick was doing some work at the computer. Garth was standing against the wall with a apple on his head. “Hold still. Gills!” Roy would yell. “Do you want me to get a clear shot or not?!”.
“Just hurry up and do it, jerk!” Garth yelled back. Why was he always the one that Roy picked? The others laughed while still paying attention to their own things. A thiwp went through the air as Garth shrieked. “Yes!” Roy exclaimed while jumping in the air. Wally put down his magazine and zoomed over to the three of them. “Me next! Me next!”

Donna sighed at the sight of them. Boys will be boys, she guessed. She got up from her couch to see what Dick was doing. He was studying something. Most likely a case him and Batman were working on. “Your friends are being dumb again.” She said, poking at his shoulder. Dick chuckled a bit “They always are.” He responded. He turned in his chair as they watched Roy put to arrows in his bow and start giving commands to the other two “Don’t move!”

“Hey Dick?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you think it’s always gonna be like this? Just, hanging out together.”
Dick was silent for a second as he pondered the question Donna had given him. “I... No. It’s not always gonna be like this.” He admitted. “But that’s not a bad thing though. We’re here, together, doing what we’ve done. Be there for each other, and maybe save the world sometimes.” He said. Donna smiled and put her arm around him. “I didn’t think you could be that sentimental, pixie boots.” She said while giving him a jab in the stomach. Dick fake gasped. “Did Roy get you saying that to?” He asked. She laughed. “Yup!” Dick groaned. “And I was in the middle of being sappy!” He whined. They laughed together. “Well, you still can be.” She said. Dick took a breath, and continued.

"I guess i'm saying, It's not gonna be like this. And I don't want to think about what it's gonna be like when it isn't. I wanna look at right now..."
"We're doing alright."
Donna pulled Dick in closer for as they watched the other three. "Me too, Dick."
"Me too."

The kids are alright, for now.