JLA Watchtower (Archive)

He simply nods, glancing up at the cold stone walls. The last time he was here, his mentor's life was bleeding out on its marbled floors. This time his daughter lies within, her own life in the balance. He's really starting to hate this place.

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The gate opens and Ubu stands to greet them. "You may enter," he announces.

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Where is she?

Straight to the point.

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"And how is she?" adds Starfire.

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"Restored," answers the servant. "Follow me. I will take you to her as my master ordered."

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The Demon's Head awaits them in the chamber of the Lazarus Pit.

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A nod.

Ibn.

Then he sees her, standing just behind him, and moves toward her.

My God. Mar'i...

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"Hi, Dad." She moves forward. "I'm sorry."

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He shakes his head, instead wrapping his arms around her in a fierce embrace.

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The Demon's Head nods.

He's clad very traditionally for the Demon's Head. Around his neck is a glass talisman of some sort. Inside, it appears to be an eye.

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"What happened to her?" Starfire asks Ibn. "We heard she was near death."

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"She was as close to death as possible. I stopped it," Ibn says glancing at the Lazarus Pit. "We do not have much time. Mar'i must return to New York with Doctor Fate."

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He pulls back from Mar'i to look at Ibn, incredulous.

You put her in a -Lazarus Pit-?

He redirects his attention back to his daughter.

Mar'i, I trusted you. I trusted you to tell me what was going on before you ran off anywhere. I didn't put a tracker on you because I didn't think it was necessary, and I didn't want to do it without your permission. How are we supposed to help you defeat this thing if I or anyone else can't find you?

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"I--" She takes a deep breath. "I was in a hurry. I don't expect that to excuse what I did. I had a lead and I followed it before it could go away."

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In too much of a hurry to leave a note? Take your cellphone? Something?

Yeah, he's angry. But he's more disappointed even in his relief, and it shows.

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"I told Barbara--"

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"Now is not the time. The window for defeating the enemy is limited," Ibn explains. "The servants of the enemy has been using altars to increase his power. It lives in another realm of choas. We need to bring it into a realm where Mar'i has the advantage. The Dreaming. Doctor Fate when told of this will know what to do with the altar. As a servant of order, he is the perfect counter. The Endless define everything. Death defines life. Destruction defined creation. Desire...love. Depair...hope. Delirum...sanity. And Dream....is reality. There she will have the power to defeat him."

Ibn rubs his talisman. "The enemy will throw all of his forces to protect the Altar. I will be using the resources of the League of Assassian to stop this as much as possible. But it will require all of my attention."

He turns to Mar'i. "I have given you all of my blessings and my love. Now it fall onto you."

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"Do not tell us how we may speak to our daughter." Kory looms over Ibn. "And do not speak to us as if we are the students and you the teacher."

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It takes all of his training not to roll his eyes, but somehow he managed. "Of course, when the two of you are done betrating your daughter, she can save the universes," He says cooly. "However, in order to give her that chance, I must make preparations. On your way out, you might wish to say thank you to Ubu."

Ibn nods to Mar'i. "Until we meet again, Beloved...."

The Demon's Head begins to exit the room.

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There's silence for some time after Ibn leaves the room. Dick folds his arms, glancing over at Kory for a moment. It's another "So this is parenthood" moment for him. It's not like searching for an injured teammate. This is different. It's a more visceral reaction - anger, worry, disappointment at his daughter for putting his trust in her to tell him, so he wouldn't have to do what Batman would do without pause. And it's all wrapped up in a massive side order of relief, and frustration that someone else turned up to save her.

That's his and Kory's job. Not anyone else's. And he's pissed that his primary duty was taken out of his hands.

He looks back at his daughter.

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She meets his gaze, lifting her chin. "I'm sorry, Dad. Go ahead and be angry."

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It's hard to see his eyes behind the lenses of his mask, but it's easy to tell his anger has long subsided.

Mar'i... I'm not angry. I'm relieved, and I'm disappointed.

He pauses.

I've already been struggling to accept that I could lose you. That's bad enough. But to have to deal with not knowing where you are, that someone else found your...

He can't say 'body'.

...found you before I or Kory could? How can we follow through on what you started if we don't know -where- you started?

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She bows her head. "I wasn't thinking. I just--I was dream-walking, and I found that doctor--Dr. Rogere. And it wasn't just that he was connected to Croutex. He knew Ibn. Ibn was in his dream, and so was I, and--"

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"And so you moved swiftly to deal with an enemy. That was not ill-meant. But it was ill-done."

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He nods, slowly, unfolding his arms and resting his hands on Mar'i's shoulders.

This is a huge responsibility that's been placed on your shoulders, honey. I understand that. There's a lot of pressure on you to save everything. Time is important, but it can't override your responsibility to those wholl back you up.

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"Time--" She starts to move to the exit. "What time is it? I want to get back to New York--could we stay with the JSA or do we still have that co-op--no, wait, that wasn't here, that was back home." She shakes her head. "New York. I want to go back there. Ibn has a theory about that altar, but he didn't see it--I did. I want to try something." Mar'i stops. "If you'll help me?"

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Oracle said the JSA were making sure it wasn't disturbed.

He looks at Kory, then back at her, before nodding.

Always. What did you have in mind?

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