1 Prologue- Who 'was' Robert beck?
In a Space Station Satellite Orbiting, The Planet Earth called the Watch Tower...
In a Crowded Conference Room, A discussion is Underway.
Topics on the agenda for today's briefing 'were thought to be a typical post-mission review of the latest emergency Justice League mission that was singularly managed by the new recruits of the Justice League Unlimited expansion project.
The Justice League expansion program or JL Unlimited was to scout potential local heroes & Guardians under one resourceful banner; to offer a united front & response to villainous crimes & threats to the earth locally or beyond the stars!
These assessments & evaluations are prevalent to ensure quality work.
However, the next surprise topic on the agenda concerned a specific party,
it was of a Hero rookie recruit, with the Hero moniker TONKS, & his actions taken on the aforementioned mission in review.
Hero TONKS, whose real name is confidential to the outside world & his secret identity 'supposedly' unknown to even to the Justice League by policy and practice of the rules of the unlimited program, was Robert Beck.
So how did Hero 'TONKS' or Robert Beck get called out in this high-level, post-mission review meeting?
Well, first we must go back a tad bit & ask...Who 'was' Robert Beck?
...
Well, in his thoughts & inner sentiments, he was someone who 'wished that he was necessary'!
Abandoned as a baby, brought to an orphanage, & raised in a group home until his teens, until about 17 -18 years old when he evacuated from the orphanage as per the empty nest rules.
Robert Discovered at an early childhood age that he was what they called on the news, a Meta-human!
However, Robert quickly decided with his youthful wisdom to hide this as a secret; as being different & hated was scary to any child his age.
Besides that secret, a young Robert Beck was a bright, cheerful, sharp-minded child whose positivity & charm finally won over a young couple looking to create a family.
After months of bonding through scheduled gatherings jointly, the couple had chosen to adopt Robert as their son officially!
But an incident shortly after bringing Robert home altered everything!
As a fan of comics & the heroes on Tv like the grey ghost & power users in the newspaper his new father had read at the morning breakfast table, he got to know there are many more people out there who are like him than he had originally thought!
He had, like most children, aspirations of doing heroic things with his power!
Day by day meta-humans were increasingly being reported about, and they were the hot topic of daily debates.
All the news gave him confidence; helped him decide to understand this gift, & appreciate that it was a part of him, & how It's best to understand how to use it instead of hiding it in case he must protect himself or his new family with it!
Thinking he could maybe increase the practicing time with his power; Robert started being more reclusive, & evasive in his behavior.
With his Amateur training, he still managed in gaining an understanding of his metahuman abilities by following his intelligence & instincts!
On one day in particular during a meditation-like state, he duplicated what he learned from his kung-fu movies and comics he enjoyed.
He was moved by his imagination & Instincts he had been inching close to something while blocking out the world outside.
On the cusp of a significant breakthrough with a strange subtle effect...
When he was just trying to use his meta-human ability to repurpose light plasmoids in the atmosphere & have them stored in his body then convert hard light photons; then focused into a concussive force energy blast from his hands like had always done!
A.N(Imagine a combination Of Jubilee, havoc & Cyclopes Powers From Marvel's X-men)
Focusing gently to fire a precise Energy Blast at the target; which was a small cluster of toy blocks!
Yet at the last second, before he released the blast of stored energy, by following his instincts, so he held back the power surging in his hands; while still focused on targeting the arranged blocks.
Shockingly the result of following his instinct at the last second; was that they, the toys he targeted, then levitated off the ground!
His eyes went wide guiding the block with his hands as he was slowly falling in a trance; as if he was about to understand a hidden truth that was tethered to his power, that is until he's seen secretly practicing this new application of his ability by his new parents!
Observing their son's elusive behavior lately, they happen on this scene by accident when trying to investigate his reasons for seclusion!
They gasped collectively at the blocks' rise and fall, spinning & twirling by his will!
Unfortunately, their loud gasping exclamation caught Roberts's attention and Robert screamed back in surprise!
Calling out:
"M-mom, Dad!" back turned his body to face them who stood at the door.
They however screamed back at Robert with wide eyes; backing away with fear for a different reason than just the previous floating blocks!
However, Robert didn't notice that fear or reason for it!
Their fear came from what their son did unknowingly when he was shocked by their arrival!
When surprised in his trance-like state & with the loss of composure & focus; it had an unexpected influence on his powers, which was unfolding on the still levitating blocks behind him!
The new powers' unique way it had damaged the levitating blocks, even unbeknownst to Robert, who had stood up & turned his body away towards his frightened parents.
But his parents 'DID SEE', his new application of his briefly gone chaotic power, what it could do & it horrified them!
Thinking that could be them at any moment in time if he ever grew in power and or lost stability!
They were chilled in their souls!
At the time Robert didn't understand that look of fear they were making was because of him, not until he saw it on others' faces later in life, did this memory make the connection back to him...
After a while, they calmed down & were seated together in silence at the dinner table where Robert spilled his guts out!
About the superpowers, training, etc...all of it!
When he confided in them about his powers of concussive energy blast & the strange recent effect of the blocks levitating when experimenting with building his blast power to release at will.
He explained by going by instinct, holding it back at the last second; while still focusing on the targeted blocks which in some way he made it float somehow, & they, his parents, just listened to him talk quietly.
But were thinking in their hearts:
'he's not mentioning the last effect!'
that assured them he didn't notice it or have that technique before!
they shared a looked at each other as if to say we sure weren't going to tell him about it either!
Nodding to his rendition tale with a Neutral face, they just smiled amicably; quietly patted him on the head & said they had some thinking to do, sending him to bed.
Seeing the even-keeled response of his parents relieved Robert.
The event of the day, he just shrugged it off.
Thus He didn't think his new adopted parents would care about It much, metahumans we're all on the news lately; almost like normal, and after all, he was their son, right?
But after he left the smiles disappeared from the faces of the couple!
They were conflicted & terrified deeply by Robert's display of what his powers can potentially do subconsciously or when berserking!
Recalling the scene, they remember the corners of the levitating blocks slowly began to collapse & break down like sand!
Becoming like fine dust that's rising into the atmosphere till that dust also disintegrated into smaller pieces, as it spread out, lost forever in the winds ethos!
A.N(imagine Dust Release from Naruto type effect.)
This spectacle was forever etched into his parent's eyes, & on replay in their minds!
It was as if the block's corner were being erased from existence!
What was that?
Could they live with that?
Raise something that could do that & sleep soundly at night with no fear they might accidentally be turned to fine dust & spread across the atmosphere as they slumber in their own homes!
No!
No Way!
They did not ask for that, they just wanted to be parents to a child!
A 'normal' child!
So they decided after a night of arguments, that it would be best to be brutally honest with themselves...& Robert...
So a few days later Robert Beck found himself where he had always been, alone again, & on his own without any backing!
They had returned him to the orphanage!
Shortly after he displayed his difference from other children to his 'former' parents it truly shocked them!
But not as much as Roberts was stunned by their response to him revealing his true self!
What about the family?
What about being their son?
What about unconditional love?
In response, He remembers them saying things like:
"This was a touch too much for us to handle, we're sorry!"
As they "Wanted a simple life, with a 'simple' child"!
As they saw him in a daze they assumed with their calculating adult minds that Robert was worried about others finding out his secret status as a metahuman and that they would discriminate against him; decreasing his chance to be adopted again!
They promised seriously they wouldn't tell the orphanage or anyone else about his power as a form of reconciliation;
so maybe he could later be adopted by another nice family who was willing to take on guiding such a 'unique child' is what they said.
But to a child, all he heard was:
' Your different, your not what we wanted, we don't want the trouble you will bring'!
They signed legal paperwork with trembling hands & said their goodbyes quickly & never looked back!
Even after when Robert got curious & went to visit his former 'home' by himself, he discovered they had moved almost immediately already!
Broken-hearted, he started to keep to himself.
He never tried to appeal to a new set of parents or Guardians again...
Never trained his ability again as it was a reminder of bad memories.
So he never got wind of that phenomenon which spooked his former parents so much again!
He instead threw himself into books & became a monger for information in engineering, mathematics, language, biology sciences, general knowledge in mechanics, etc.
He was praised by educators for his genius in his academic achievements.
He occupied his mind for the next coming years keeping to himself like this.
Events happen, rumors of vigilantes, rogue metahumans & theatrical villains, Alien invasions, & the rise of the 7 heroes alliance who saved the world ever since then from global threats occurred!
But even so, he never tried to involve himself in the increasingly chaotic world he didn't half to.
Other than stealthily using his power for the first time in years to keep his neighborhood, the orphanage & head orphanage caretaker who raised them all safe during the aliens worldwide invasion!
However, after the task was completed he then returned to his secluded life once more, sealing his power.
Robert kept to himself, again ignoring the itchy feeling in his heart he felt at that time during the invasion.
He once had it as a child, the thrill of using his natural ability with a purpose in mind!
Nonetheless, Robert buried it deep inside again when he remembered his past & the scared looks of his parents that he'd come to understand now.
He returns to seclusion & stayed a bookworm, Acting in school curriculums & furthered his random hobbies & knowledge that caught his fancy, all as a distraction from his increasingly shallow feeling life.
With No real guy friends to hang out with & female love interest worth the effort to try & woo in his opinion he was a forlorn soul!
So it was easy for him to get lost in his world forgetting about the happenings of the outside world even further.
He mostly associated with the people he grew up with, & was still linked with after they were adopted & or had gone Un-adopted & who had aged out from the group home orphanage system like Robert.
Only a senior unmarried caretaker he recognized as his grandparent; can be regarded as his only family in this world.
Granny Goodness is what the kids called her.
"Robbie boy", is what the white hair, strangely physically fit, slightly masculine-faced former head caretaker of the orphanage used to call him by.
She was a shining light to most of the children who only knew darkness.
So we all went out of our way to visit & aid her in our own free time frequently.
Even after she retired from the orphanage volunteer obligations, many still sought to talk, help her out with housework & seek her advice, Robert included.
Though Robert was in his late teens now and worked a few good enough part-time jobs that meet his needs, he always felt more & more empty with his life!
The book reading, academic accolades & information mongering didn't fill his void anymore as they did when he was a kid.
Knowing the exact distance from the earth to Venus's 3rd moon no longer stimulated his sensibilities, acquiring answers to such trivial type questions lost its distraction appeal long ago to Robert.
Robert beck needed a purpose, not just being a recent 9 to 5 white-collar jobber, while hiding his possessing superpowers, it seemed like a waste!
This 19-year-old freak of nature felt there was no reason for the existence of his power other than his safety in tough times, that used to be enough.
That was Until he saw a Worldwide recruitment campaign that sparked his interest!
It gave fuel to an ember that was ever-burning in his heart ever since the invasion; burning even further back as a child when he first learned of other meta-humans existence.
Naive thoughts about heroics were snuffed out long ago by the betrayal of his adopted parents & he became a more practical person over the years.
But why should he allow their narrow-minded perspective of his past to influence him anymore!
He grew up decent enough despite those parents & the temptation his power brings to him, like most metahumans to act out; which luckily was negated early by talking with his foster grandparent as a child.
During the invasion, she learned of his true power, which surprised her because when as a child she told him tales of all about the known powerhouses in public or semi-public entities, rumored to be mysterious universal level powerful existences at that younger age, but she didn't think Robert would be a superpower himself.
He wholeheartedly believed her stories, so it quickly killed his accumulating arrogance about being all-powerful before he became an impulsive teen.
Also, even at that young age, these revelations made even him question his 'grannies' background briefly but quickly snuffed the thought out like a cigarette butt to this day.
As no matter whatever she had been, she's still the closest thing many of us orphans have to a family!
So Robert Beck with help of granny who knew his secret she helped to build up a custom design for unanimity's sake & we sought advice for suitable hero name suggestions from the orphanage children in a roundabout way.
Robert then applied to the Justice League with renewed enthusiasm & positivity, excited to interact & be around his kind.
It was tough as an intern, but he threw himself into his assigned training system & all his assigned work.
But his positive enthusiasm rubbed his colleagues the wrong way.
Also, Roberts stunted social skills from years of insulation didn't help him out either.
In a world where pessimism was law & sarcasm was a ruling king on the throne!
Roberts earnest positive vibe was touted as fraudulent & he was mocked!
As they only respected one person who pulls off that overly positive personality; & that was Superman!
That was only accepted because even the most hardened cynical person in the Tower is not brave enough to go tugging at his cape with criticisms.
Thus since making no friends among his peers, he constantly was throwing himself into training & the assignment work instead.
Steadily increasing further the reason they despised him in the first place!
Which was his ever-high ranking on the Justice League Rookie leading board!
Ranking highest in productivity & completion rate of assignments big or small gave Robert privileges, perks & prestige that others couldn't easily have.
Like for example, the free private sparring lessons on close combat with veterans such as Black Canary, database encryption & bypass decryption classes with the Cyborg, etc...
Free food, & privilege pricing on gear repair or replacement as well a free 5-star hotel-like dorm residence next to the Justice League full member section.
For orphans like Robert who was a young adult surviving on his own & new to the workforce as a civilian, these free perks were a godsend!
He didn't exclusively seek out these benefits in his hero work, but took them as a bonus with gratefulness!
Despite Robert not being a second-generation hero, a former sidekick that has gone solo, or owning the highest rank meta human ability among the recruited hopefuls;
-he, an unknown, kept his standing from falling from the top since day one!
Until now despite those under his ranking are always in a ranks fluctuation, he was steadfast assurance in the back of others' minds to be number 1!
The 'Eternal Number One' was what some called him in both mockeries of him & praises.
But these Rank achievements later came back to bite him;
as others had been increasingly, deliberately placing him in tough or compromised situations for him to fall from grace of the rankings!
"The Tallest Trees in the forest get the wind" was one of the kind warnings he got from a hero instructor he conversed with during the privileged private lessons Robert had earned for earning rank one for another session.
He managed to excel despite the foolish acts of others weighted down with jealousy & scorn, that is until the latest mission where it all falls!!
Politics, jealousy, a mismatching of battle positions, misinformation, & too much hubris on his part from exceeding expectations & avoiding quagmires effortlessly is what was leading to suffering a brutal attack during the latest mission, & the attacks collision leaving behind hidden lethal after-effects in his body!
But since he was an outcast among outcasts, Robert didn't tell anyone or seek help of any kind.
He refused to go in his state of the medical bay where others went after the mission to be scorned again.
The mission had gone oddly from the start & unsuspectingly wrong on his part!
Since its 'completion' he's been screamed at by teammates & disdained by onlookers with outrage that was vastly disproportionate to the infraction!
Some people were making a scene now that the eternal number one record was cut & maybe bleeding with this questionable mission 'error'.
There was excitement in the air for the possibility of failure from the otherwise flawless ranked one on the leader boards!
Feeling physically terrible, disgusted with the spectacle & extremely mentally exhausted, also not willing to endure anymore team lecturing,
so Robert departed by himself, skipping the post-mission 'Mandatory' medical check-ups.
Robert thought he could just sleep off all the various types of fatigue, along with the injury sustained in battle like he's done before, but he sadly never woke up again!
The brutal attack he suffered from the mission skirmish gave him hidden injuries to his body, more importantly to his head!
He slipped into a coma and his body shut down, & his soul drifted off, the person Robert Beck was lawfully dead!
Well, as for the body, strangely, his body became engulfed in light of white flames!
These white smokeless flames that were silently engulfing the body did not alert anyone in the surroundings during this phenomenon occurring!
The body did not start to stiffen or deteriorate as normal but slowly healed mysteriously after the death of the original Robert!
As the flames faded, the body awoke again from its comparatively short death slumber, rejoining the living!
But what awoke in control of this previously soulless vessel instead of the original mind, was a new soul... Me!
