07/28/08

This is the prize for SaintAsh for getting third place in the TOSoP Fanart contest. Her request for a drabble was a little big so we worked it out that if she drew me another picture I would write it as a one shot.

PLEASE READ: This is based partially of the L.E.G.I.O.N. comics which is basically the story of Brainiac 2, Vril Dox 2, Brainiac's son. In this series Brainiac 2 knew and basically controlled a character known solely as 'The Durlan' who becomes RJ Brande, Cham's Dad. And, since this is also based off the Legion of Superheroes cartoon, Brainaic 2, who I'll mostly be calling Dox from this point on, is an android like Brainy started out as, where in the L.E.G.I.O.N. comics Dox was organic, just really smart, like Brainy was in the original comics. For a good reference of android Dox, check out SaintAsh's gallery at deviantart.

L.E.G.I.O.N. and The Legion of Superheroes belong to DC.

This story belongs to me.

The Dox and The Durlan

It was still the night that Brainiac Five had banished his ancestor from his mind. The Legion, tired and weary, had dragged themselves back to their headquarters to heal, take a moment to breathe, reflect, consider the consequences of their actions and fear what they were going to tell the masses and, worse, the press the following morning.

On the other side of New Metropolis someone was jumping rooftops, stretching out their arms and pulling themselves upwards to the higher and higher buildings until they came to one of the biggest in the city. Since it would be nearly impossible to climb all the way to the top unnoticed they climbed into one of the lower windows and scaled their way to the penthouse from the inside. The entire time they stayed out of sight of the people living in the many condos, easily disarming the security cameras by making them loop footage of an empty hall as they passed.

Instead of leaving the building to go to the roof once they got to the penthouse, the intruder made their way through its halls until they came to the study. This is where the intruder came into the light.

He was green skinned; a full-grown adult Coluan but he didn't walk around in his more robotic form. Instead, he showed his short blond hair, a human-like face, only with yellow eyes and a white pupil. He also didn't wear the typical Coluan color of purple. As an alternative, he wore white boots, grey pants, white armbands with three blue circles on them and a grey shirt all lined with yellow. The grey shirt's neck went up to cover his cheeks and the shirt looked like there was a white vest over it with pointed shoulders and three circles connected in an inverted triangle over his chest.

The top right circle had what looked like a design of six rays of light coming out of it at equal distances. Next to it on the left was a hand grabbing onto a light, the rays trying to escape its fingers. At the bottom, the center circle had no design or any material to cover the skin underneath. Peeking out from the shirt at this spot was a metal device with what looked like a glass center that glowed softly and gave out an almost unnoticeable hum.

The intruder turned to the other occupant of the room.

"I am always so disappointed in how easy it would be to kill you."

Sitting at the desk, RJ Brande didn't even look up from his papers.

"And what do I owe this visit Dox?"

"You know perfectly well why," Dox spat at him, walking further into the room but keeping his distance from the desk.

"Humor me," RJ requested, signing a paper and looking up at the other man.

"Brainiac Five," Dox stated.

RJ nodded and started to read the next paper.

"Yes, I hear your great grandson is human now. You must be so appalled."

"The boy has made himself glaringly vulnerable," Dox seethed, glaring at RJ as if he held the Durlan, trapped in human form, responsible for this problem.

Unflinching, RJ met Dox's eye.

"And?"

Walking forward, Dox put his hands on the desk and intensified his glare as he towered over the red haired man.

"Someone needs to make sure he doesn't get himself killed."

"I'm sure the others in the Legion-"

"Those idiots couldn't do a thing against Brainiac 1.0; they can't be trusted with such a simple task."

"My son is in the Legion."

"Then I correct myself; those brain dead moronic excuses for life forms-"

"I get the point. If you're so worried, then you do it."

Standing up straight, Dox crossed his arms.

"I am not worried."

Rolling his eyes, RJ picked up a nearby book and lifted it while he put his other hand over his heart.

"The Lord gave them eyes and yet they could not see-"

"Spare me your drivel," Dox snarled, "And I'm not showing myself to anyone, especially not to some snot-nosed descendent and his knuckle dragging friends, until all the warrants for my arrest expire."

Putting down the book, RJ smirked at him.

"You really should stop pretending to be dead to at least one person other then me to help you get rid of some of that frustration of yours."

"I don't have sex any more. Everyone I've ever slept with has either killed me or tried to, and I have come to the conclusion that it is not worth it," said Dox, taking this moment to look more around the room, secretly pleased that there were more books in there since the last time he snuck in to talk to the Durlan.

Standing, RJ stretched out his back and arms before returning his attention to Dox. He knew the answer but asked his question anyway.

"Did you just come here to whine?"

Dox didn't turn to look back at the Durlan.

"I want you to use your money and influence to make sure nothing happens to Brainiac Five."

RJ studied Dox's pose, trying to find any hint of deception.

"You want me to protect your great grandson?"

Hesitation.

"Yes."

Sitting back down, RJ didn't take his eyes off Dox.

"I know you well enough to know that you don't see a person for who they are. You only have three categories for people; Helpful, In The Way, and Meat Shield."

Dox met RJ's gaze.

"Your point?"

"You're not asking out of any sort of affection for a relative, and since you're asking for his protection that means you want him alive for something; that he's useful. What could he possibly be useful for to you? Especially now that he's human," RJ's voice showed no hint of humor or curiosity; just wariness.

Dox rolled his eyes.

"Humans aren't green."

"You're avoiding the question," RJ held his ground.

"What do you think?"

"Six felonies and three misdemeanors and I'm not about to say the word 'hopscotch' in public. I miss that word; it was my 93rd favorite word."

"Now who's avoiding the question?"

"That's because I don't know what I'm supposed to think."

"Good."

Leaning back in his chair, RJ swerved it around so he could look out his window and remained silent.

Staying on his side of the desk, Dox made no move to threaten or trick the Durlan though both would have been easy to do.

"Will you do it?"

RJ didn't turn around.

"If it's within my power I wouldn't let anything happen to any Legionnaire."

Without another word, Dox made to leave.

"Are you ever going to tell me why?" RJ called after him.

Dox barely paused to consider it.

"Well, I'll tell you later; when you're a cat and can sing to the moon."

"I hate you, you know."

"Yeah, I know."