Chp 1

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"Starting progam 358"

"Disconnecting support tubes"

"Memory deletion successful"

"Sir, shall we place 358 were we agreed?"

"Yes"

"Hey boss?"

"Ya?"

"Good Luck"

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"Mariah? Mariah wake up!" a frantic voice pleaded. A green-haired girl groaned and slowly opened her eyes. To her surprise she was on the floor and her whole body ached. She looked up at her sister, who had been calling her name, trying to wake her up.

"Yuri...what happened?"

"You uh...kinda fell asleep during lessons."

"What?! Oh my god sensei is gonna kill me!"

Mariah shook her head , making specks of dirt from the floor fall from her short green hair.

"Mariah, father would like to speak to you." Yuri said timidly, as was her nature.

"Hmm? What for?"

"He...uh...didn't say..." she replied softly.

"Well I better go see what he wants." said Mariah, standing up. She stumbled a bit, not fully recovered from her painful sleep, and ran towards her father's room. Although it did for a moment, strike her as odd that her whole body hurt when she woke up, (as no one dared to attack her during sleep because of her social status and strenght) she did not have time to reflect on this because of her father's illness. Knowing she was called by her father, worried her. When she arrived at the door of her father's room, she stopped to catch her breath. Then she slid open the screen door and happily exclaimed, "Hello Father!" She noticed the maid that was attending to her father as soon as she opened her eyes.

"Oh! Please forgive me for my rude outburst." she apologized, followed by a quick bow. She had forgotten that that in front of anybody but family, she wasn't allowed to address her father with such disrespect. As soon as the maid left Mariah walked up to her fahter's bed.

"You called for me?" she asked. She had noticed that her father's eyes were different now. They were the eyes of a dying man.

"Mariah, I have a favor to ask of you, one last favor." he said solemnly.

"Wh-what is it?"

"Mariah, you've grown quite strong these past few years, but you know brute strength is not enough. You also need to train your mind. You are too naïve to know how to use your powers, or even know you have powers for that matter.” He stopped a bit, catching his breath, and continued again.

“I am worried about you, after I die, who will protect you?”

“Father I assure you, there’s no need to worry. I’ll be fine.” She responded covering her father’s cold hand with her own.

“No you will not. Mariah you need protection. So, the favor I ask of you is to go and join the Legion of Superheroes.”

Mariah opened her eyes, the memory of her father’s last favor for her echoing in her head as she looked up at the large building in front of her. She sighed and walked inside, directing her way to where the auditions were taking place.

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“Thank you…uh…we’ll let you know” Superman told the boy standing in front of the tribunal. As he walked out Superman let out a sigh and ran his hands through his raven black hair.

“Number 51 Superman, number fifty-one” said Lightning Lad, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

“I know Lightning Lad.”

“Do we really have to go through with this? I mean why don’t we just train, get stronger and defeat Imperiex ourselves? And besides you know how I HATE these auditions.”

“Yes I know, we ALL know, but we have no choice. We’re not strong enough.”

“Fine, whatever” Lightning Lad muttered.

“Um…excuse me?”

Everyone turned around to see Mariah sheepishly walk in.

“I’m here for the auditions.” she said timidly.

Everyone in the tribunal was a bit shocked, it had been a while since a girl had auditioned to be in the Legion, and therefore it mostly consisted of men. Mariah looked around at the faces of the superheroes. Only Superman showed any interest in her.

“So, tell us your name and your superpowers.” said Cosmic Boy.

“My name is Mariah LeClaire,” she said, bowing politely, “and…uh…well…I don’t really know what my superpowers are.”

“You, don’t know what your powers are?” asked Lightning Lad, raising an eyebrow. Mariah shook her head in the negative.

“Well sorry, but if you don’t have any powers I’m afraid we ca-…”

Lightning Lad was interrupted by a very enthusiastic looking Chameleon Boy who, at that very moment, leapt towards Mariah, transforming into a huge beastly looking dog. Mariah gasped and, having no time to dodge, raised her hands up to offer some protection from the attack. After realizing a few seconds later that there was no impact, Mariah looked up.

“Whoa!” was the only sound she could utter. Without knowing it she had put up a force field. It glowed green with energy. Chameleon Boy growled and struck the force field a few times, with no luck. He pulled back as Mariah’s force field had faltered and disappeared. He took this opportunity to transform into a colossal snake. Hissing, he lunged after Mariah once more, ready to sink his fangs into her body. She shot her forward in desperation. Suddenly black sparks flew out of her hand encircling Chameleon Boy and forcing him to switch back to his original form. Everybody in the tribunal stood up, marveling Mariah’s apparently newfound powers.

“Wow, that was so cool!” exclaimed Chameleon Boy, trying to free himself from the ties that bound him. He gave up after a while. Mariah stood there, frozen with amazement.

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“Abilities: able to generate Level 0 force fields, can produce powerful binds,and energy blasts.” said Brainiac 5, reading the screen in front of him. Mariah sat next to him, wires attached to her body. The tribunal stood behind them, as well as a few other remaining Legionnaires.

“Level 0 force field?” asked Mariah.

“It’s the highest level of protection, nothing can get through it.” Brainiac 5 responded. “Hold on, I think I’m getting something else.” He narrowed his eyes, straining to read what had appeared before him on the screen. His eyes widened at what he saw, but remained silent.

“Something wrong?” questioned Superman.

“Uh, no…It’s nothing. Your strength is remarkable for a girl your age.” he said, eager to change the subject.

“Thank you.”

Shrinking Violet stood back, narrowing her eyes at Brainiac 5.

“So…what now?” asked a confused Mariah.

Lightning Lad stepped forward and, as soon as the wires were removed from Mariah’s body, opened a small rectangular box containing a flight ring and a pendant.

“Raise your right hand and recite the oath”

Mariah raised her hand and eloquently recited the Legion’s oath. After this, Superman walked up to Mariah and shook her hand saying, “Mariah, welcome to the Legion of SuperHeroes.”