Note: This story was originally inspired by an episode of Batman the Brave and the Bold. If you've seen it then you know which one. This is set before Partners and generally early in Terry's career, probably less then six months after he started.

Disclaimer: If I owned Batman Beyond it would still be airing.

Beta: Rose Midnight Moonlight Black

"So, Metropolis." Terry adjusted his speed as the jet left the Gotham city limits.

"Is there a problem?"

"No, but come on. A time capsule? It'll be midnight by the time I get back, who knows what could happen. Besides I'm not on the best terms with the League at the moment in case you forgot.

"This is important."

One day Terry would have to find out how he managed to say so much and so little at the same time.

"So, what's in there?"

"The past." Wayne's voice over the com was a low monotone with absolutely no inflection. It had taken Terry months to figure out some of the subtle tones the old man used, and even now he sometimes had trouble. This time it had been reflective he though, though there was something else there that he couldn't figure out.

Terry had figured there must have been some big emergency when Wayne called him just after school. Normally the old man gave him a few hours in the afternoon to get regular things done. He had never thought that it might have been about the time capsule that the vids were all talking up. Terry dredged up what they had been saying from the back of his mind.

The Capsule had been burred fifty years ago by the greatest heroes of the time, which basically meant the seven founders of the league. It was supposed to inspire future heroes and teach them about truth, justice and the american way or something. Considering how much those fifty years had changed the world Terry wasn't sure it had done the job. Putting aside Bruce and Superman he wasn't sure any of the originals were still kicking. Kai-ro would probably stand in for John as Green Lantern, and Warhawk for Hawkgirl, but as for the others.

According to the files Wonder Woman had eventually returned to Themescera. There were some references to her as queen, while other files seemed to hint at an injury or disaster. Bruce wouldn't talk about it and up until now Terry hadn't really had any reason to ask.

Wally West had been the Flash when the capsule was made. He had once been one of the most well known and longest running heroes. Then one day he had decided to retire; he and his whole family had disappeared, presumably to a place where none of the Flash's enemies could find them. There had been a Kid Flash at the time (Terry couldn't remember his name) but after four years as Flash he had disappeared as well. Occasionally someone with super speed would show up but none of them had become major heroes and none had taken the name or lived in the twin cities. These days Central and Keystone didn't really have a major hero but they had never had too many major villains either so it worked out.

That left the Martian Manhunter. Presumably J'onn J'onnz was still alive, or at least he hadn't died in any major battle. Who knew how long the Martian lifespan was. The common theory was that he had gone back to Mars at some point; that or he decided to live as a human without revealing himself to anyone. Whatever the reason, his actions as a hero had ended a few years before Bruce had retired.

At one point there had been over a hundred members in the league. Now there were six, seven if Terry was included. Even if Static showed up with the Titans they might number two dozen but not more. The age of heroes had ended a long time ago.

"So what exactly am I supposed to be doing, because I am not making any speeches."

"Figure it out. Check in when you get back." Wayne cut the connection.

Terry glared at the console then opened up the throttle. If he had to go to Metropolis then at least he could make the most of it. He took the jet up another couple hundred feet and grinned as he broke the sound barrier, something that he was strictly forbidden to do over Gotham because of all the air traffic.

As he approached Metropolis City limits he slid the Jet into the magic zone between radar and L.I.M.I.T. censor range, and switched the black outer shell to a reflective shimmer. Silent running was practically second nature to him by now but this time there were a few extra elements that made it more interesting. The JL sensors wouldn't be completely fooled, but he wouldn't set off any alarms. Superman would see him if he bothered to look, so the trick became keeping anyone from noticing him. His goal was the Wayne-Powers building 9 blocks from Hero plaza. From there he would continue on foot, or wing, to the Justice League HQ.

The time capsule had been set into the bace of a large bronze statue that had been commissioned in thanks after the white martian attack that first brought the league together. It was nearly 15 feet tall and depicted each of the seven heroes standing in a circle facing outward. Of the seven figures depicted Batman was the crudest and least accurate since the artist hadn't been able to find any references. The long cape covered the left side of the figure while the right hand gripped the fabric as if to draw it closed. At least they had got the foreboding secrecy part right.

Later when the League had put a bace on earth they had acquired the building across the street. The plaza was now one of the most celebrated tourist spots in the city. And with nearly three hours left until the event it was already filling with people.

Batman crouched on a ledge two buildings away. There was enough of a shadow on the eastern side that he wouldn't be seen by the casual observer. He knew he didn't need to hide, that any of the league would welcome him (if grudgingly) to the event; a meeting of heroes was half the point. He wasn't one of the teem though, and what was the point of being Batman if you couldn't sneak around and bend the rules.

By the time Superman and the League came out (to applause that lasted a good two minutes) Batman had crept his way up the street until he was directly across from the raised platform that was serving as a temporary stage. He didn't see any reason to be here. There were already enough heroes to attract the press and what exactly were they all going to do if someone tried to blow up the city in the middle of superman's speech.

Then others started to arrive.

Static was first with the current cast of the Titans. Dani-el was the son of the first Superboy and was the one currently using that name despite the fact that he was older then Terry by two years. Hawk and Dove came next floating to the ground without pausing in their conversation. The Blue Witch came last carrying Green Arrow on one of her platforms. They landed mostly together in a space that had opened for them just below the platform. Terry casually watched the two groups of heroes greet each other, still keeping an eye out for anything else interesting. He wasn't disappointed.

With the crowd focused on the heroes a man in the back went unnoticed as he ducked his head and blue armor slid over his shoulders. A moment later the Blue Beetle lifted of the ground and flew over the heads of the crowd to join his peers. Sudden gasps and cheers followed his appearance.

A sudden cloud of smoke reveled a man in a trench coat with no face. A woman with a pony tail and a dark blue cape stepped forward out of a purple symbol in the air. Captan Atom flew in over the top of the league tower. Metamorpho didn't so much announce himself as simply walk up to the platform and take off his hat. A man in gold with a star on his chest and a small flying robot appeared directly over the statue. Red Tornado was closely followed by Rocket Red. A sphere shimmered into existence in the air over the center of the platform revealing a blond girl wearing the superman shield and a young man with green skin. The crowd seemed to go wild at each new reveal, those who didn't know the new arrivals were quickly informed by those around them.

More heroes arrived, both in costume and in plane clothes, all of them stepping forward to greet old friends. Without the costumes Terry couldn't identify most of the retired heroes but the others, Firestorm, Ice, Supernova, Irons, Dr. Fate, Aleea Strange; they were in the sound bytes more often then he was. Others like Jason Blood he had read files on. They were individuals who fought without support, choosing their battles not by how wide the damage might spread but by who needed them the most at any given moment. They were the ones on the front lines and in the back allies of the never ending war.

Bruce always seemed to have a plan; there was always a drug ring or a smuggling operation to stop, which was fine, but Terry always felt like he was doing more good when he saved someone from a fire or stopped a mugging. Logically his time might have been spent better elsewhere but it felt like he could see the good he was doing easier in those small doses.

As much as he respected Superman, he was more of a symbol then hero these days. Not that Terry was one to talk considering the whole idea of Batman was aimed at becoming a symbol, these people were different. These were men and women who probably still had bruises from their last fight and couldn't sleep because of something that had happened just last week rather then only having stories from back in the day.

Batman continued to scan the crowd. The number of heroes arriving had tapered off; all in all it looked like there were just short of fifty people on and around the podium. More then he had expected but still quite a bit less then the number that might have gathered in the past. Not that it disappointed the crowd, they were going wild, cheering and pointing at the slightest excuse. Batman took it in stride watching them like a lifeguard would watch a crowded pool. Then Superman started moving towards the podium triggering a ripple through the audience as they turned to watch.

"My friends." it only took those two words for Superman to have the attention of everyone there. "you all know why we are here. Fifty years ago the founders of the Justice League put together this time capsule in order to pass on their ideals to the future. Back then we all hoped that one day the world wouldn't need heroes, but barring that, we hoped to pass on the ideals of heroism that first brought the league together. Hope, courage, honor, justice, freedom, and teamwork. That last is possibly the most important. No matter how strong or smart, a single person can be overwhelmed. Working together we can create something move valuable then the sum of it's parts. Or at least that was the idea."

That got the laughter Superman was looking for. Frankly Terry wasn't all that impressed. This was just a slightly different version of the same speech that Superman had done since before he was born. Superman went off about upholding ideals and setting an example. It had no connection to the violence that Terry faced patrolling the Gotham streets.

He shouldn't have come. No matter what they said, he didn't really have a place here among the demigods and semi immortals. His strength was completely different.

He was pulled out of his musings by an unexpected arrival. The chariot was pulled by a winged horse, an honest to god pegasus. The creature was a light gray with a darker main and tail and wings that belonged on a bird of prey. The chariot it pulled was made of a white wood and burnished silver. Standing in the chariot, the lead in one elegant hand was the most beautiful girl Terry had ever seen, and he had seen his fair share of hot girls. Her skin was olive and tanned by long hours in the sun; it stretched over smooth, firm muscles before slipping seductively under her white silk dress. Her hair was black and short, curling around her face. The decorative bronze armor on her shoulders and collar along with the ornate sword on her left hip only added to image of a goddess gracing them with her presence.

With a flick of her hand she signaled the horse to stop in mid air over the plaza. She studied the people below her. She hid it well but Terry could tell she was uncertain. She had to be an Amazon but she wasn't Wonder Woman, or one of Diana's sisters. She had probably never been off the island.

Superman had only just stopped speaking. He hadn't noticed the amazon since she had flown in from behind him. He noticed the many eyes that had turned from him up to the chariot and followed their example. His eyebrows went up in surprise before coming together in concentration. Conclusion: he hadn't been expecting her. On the one hand that probably wouldn't faze him, on the other hand he was in the middle of a speech, he couldn't just fly up there and introduce himself without drawing the whole crowd along for the ride.

On impulse Batman kicked off the side of the building, switching off his camouflage and igniting the jets in his boots in one smooth movement. She tensed and reached for her sward but managed to stop herself from drawing as he came to a stop beside her. By that point the audience had erupted in a whole new wave of chatter. Moreover not all of them were staring at her; his sudden appearance must have been just as awe inspiring as hers, in it's own way. He hovered beside the chariot being careful not to get too close to the horse. He let her get a look at him before he spoke.

"I assume you are the ambassador to Themyscira," that seemed to give her the foothold she needed. Her shoulders straightened and she let her hand fall away from her sword.

"Yes, I am Kalokairi, daughter of Diana queen of the Amazons. I am here on her behalf."

He nodded. "I'm Batman It's a pleasure to meet you." he gestured at the gathering below them, there were dozens of cameras out by that point and Batman took a moment to switch on the scrambler in his belt. If anyone wanted a picture of him they would have to get it the old fashioned way, with film. "There's a bit of a party going on, will you join me?" he offered her his hand. She looked at it as if she had never seen the gesture before, then she glanced away and blushed. It was a motion that did interesting things to his chest, not to mention certain other areas.

"The gods have not gifted me with flight." she waved a vague hand at the chariot.

Terry glanced down at the crowd again. He doubted Kairi would feel comfortable as the center point for all those stares for any length of time, not to mention his own reputation and feelings on the matter. He needed to draw her away so Superman could take back center stage.

"Let me show you to the landing bay then." He gestured at the League Tower then turned flipping out his wings and gliding, trusting her to follow. In Batman's earpiece a corespondent for the Daily Planet described the sudden arrival of the two Iconic figures, before Superman brought the crowds attention back with a comment about old friends.

Kairi brought her chariot in behind him as he landed in the javelin bay. He watched, leaning against the wall as she quickly unhooked the horse. It nuzzled her hand then trotted out to examen the well manicured lawn, and possibly eat the rhododendrons.

"Thank you, I'm afraid I didn't know quite what to expect." She glanced away and again color came to her cheeks. "I didn't mean to intrude like that. Do you think I caused much trouble? I interrupted the speaking." She was so open, venerable and still somehow strong. It was no wonder ballads had been written about her kind. If the other amazons were half as beautiful as she was then wars being fought over one woman weren't nearly as far fetched as he had thought back in sophomore history.

"It's fine, Superman can handle a crowd like that any day of the week. There probably would have been a scene in any case. Flying chariots aren't exactly a common sight around here. Plus no one's had much contact with paradise island in thirty years." He rolled one shoulder and offered her his arm. "Shall we? They'll be expecting us now that they know we're both here." she stepped forward and let herself be escorted through the building.

Turns out Wayne's fancy parties were good for something after all. At least Terry hadn't totally embarrassed himself yet. It might not be as bad as he had thought since as Batman he was basically expected to stand around in the shadows and glare at people. The last party he had been dragged to he had actually been expected to mingle and play nice. That hadn't lasted long.

"If I may ask. You are not quite what I expected from my mothers stories." Kairi brought him back to the present.

"Oh?"

"Maybe it is more accurate to say, seeing man's world like this, is not what I expected."

"The world has changed since Wonder Woman and the rest of them left. It's hardly surprising."

"But here you are, together. You are still the Justice League." she looked at him as if to ask if she was wrong.

Batman considered the question. "The Justice League still stands for what it once did, but the people it protects, the world it protects is different. Something that does not change and adapt is doomed to die."

They walked in silence, the amazon studying the ground in front of her feet. When she spoke it was softly, but Batman was used to picking out strands of conversation across crowded rooms from buildings away; Plus he could read lips.

"Mother was wrong I don't belong here."

"I can't pretend to know what she was thinking, but you belong here as much as I do. It's a day to remember the past, we can give the old fraggs that much." he gave her a sideways grin. "but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy ourselves at the same time." he didn't give her time to react. They had reached the front doors of the Hall of Justice and he pushed them outward, opening a wave of sound over the two of them.

She clutched at his arm with one hand while the other sought the comfort of her sword. He Locked his shoulders back painted a scowl across his face and led her forward as if the first person to speak to him would be leaving in an ambulance. The area in front of the building had been roped off from the public so there were only other heroes nearby. Superman was still speaking at the front. Green Lantern was beside him, and Warhawk had just stepped forward to be introduced.

"Chill out, not even the first Bat was that sour."

Batman turned ready with a sarcastic comment for whoever had addressed him. He was forced to rethink his jibe when he saw it was Static. The man was a legend. Not only did he lead the Titans but at different points he had been a member of the Justice League as well as being a solo hero since he was 14. He had lost his powers a few times and once he had been trapped in an alternate unmentioned but he had never turned away from being a hero. Of all the people here, he was one of the few who had Terry's respect. Not that he could show it, that would break character.

"Yes Because you know him so well." his mouth continued going on auto pilot, so much for rethinking.

But Static Just Laughed. "Well, we did meet a few times. He still have that dog?"

Batman shut his mouth and focused on his glare. How the hell did he know about Ace? Or was it another dog he was talking about. It was extremely strange, on the one hand he was talking to one of the worlds biggest heroes while on the other hand he couldn't stop himself from thinking as if Static was some perp who was concealing information. Worst of all Static kept looking at him, sizing him up as if he expected Batman to do or say something. He needed to change the subject.

"Kairi, this is Static, the leader of the Titans, Static, this is the ambassador to Themyscira, the princess, Kalokairi." They dutifully turned to each other and shook hands.

"Can't say I knew Wonder Woman very well but Cassy and I were friends for a long time. She was actually the leader of the Titans when I first joined. She still on Paradise Island?"

"Yes, She is on my mother's war council." Kairi seemed to light up as she spoke about her home.

Static nodded. "Give her my best, and please tell her my offer still stands, if she ever needs it."

"I will pass on the message." she bowed slightly.

He nodded in return then turned enough to glance at Superman. At the podium Superman had finished introducing Warhawk and was half way through describing Superboy's exploits.

"He'll get to the two of you in a minute." Static turned and he took on a slightly more serious note. "Batman, I'll see you again soon. It was a pleasure to meet you princess." with that he turned away and took a spot in sight of the statue.

Ok disregarding Static's cryptic exit, Superman was going to introduce him? No, Superman might be planning on introducing him but that was not going to happen. He turned to Kairi.

"It seems I have something to take care of. Excuse me." he unhooked their arms, gave one of her hands a light squeeze and turned his attention to the crowd. It parted before him easily despite the fact that most of the people were facing away from him. Most heroes had an aura of power to one degree or another. Just because his didn't come from being able to lift cars or shoot lazier beams, didn't make it any less real or any less powerful. It was something he had picked up from Wayne though he didn't realize it.

By the time he reached the bace of the statue and stood beneath the image of his predecessor, most of the people in the area were paying more attention to him then Superman, despite the fact that he hadn't said a word.

"I thought we were here for a reason, or have you forgotten that some of us have work to do." Batman spoke just as Superman took a breath and consequently the whole plaza heard and were instantly aware of him if they hadn't been already. Superboy took to the air and drifted forward as if he might consider the words, or possibly the act of interrupting it's self, offensive. Batman transferred his gaze from Superman to Superboy and moved one hand slightly so it rested next to his belt.

Bruce and Kal-el may have had a reasonable relationship based on trust and respect and all that, but this Batman wasn't going to give any favors simply because of tradition. The situation was defused by Superman who nodded wearing that open smile of his.

"Perhaps you're right, I do tend to ramble a bit on occasion." he raised a hand and gestures at the statue, looking at those around him for their opinions.

Batman was a bit surprised when Warhawk was the one to support him. "The Bat's right. Let's get on with the technical stuff so we can celebrate."

"I agree." Aquagirl had moved to stand next to Kairi. They were both looking at him expectantly. Well, that could be trouble. Green Lantern cast his vote by flying over and hovering beside the statue of John Stuart.

"I guess it's decided then." Superman said as no one protested. He stepped down from the podium letting younger heroes take the spotlight.

Warhawk and Superboy took their places in front of the statues of Hawkgirl and Superman. With Batman and Green Lantern already in place there were three slots to fill. Aquagirl escorted Kairi around the statue whispering instructions. Kairi stood beneath the statue of her mother, and Batman could see the family resemblance even through stone and time. He took a moment to wonder if she would stick around after or just go back to Paradise Island. Aquagirl continued around the pedestal to take the spot in front of the statue of Flash. It made sense in retrospect. Aquaman may not have been a member of the League but he had been one of the first heroes to appear. That had been around the same time as Green Lantern and Flash. As part of that family she had the right to represent the heroes present. The final slot was filled by Green Arrow.

Batman studied the last figure. He didn't know much about this newest holder of the name. He appeared to be around 19 and had gone a bit more renaissance with his costume then the previous Arrow. He looked like he should have been holding a lute and singing ballads. The longbow he held and the quiver on his back were the only things about him that looked like they belonged at this gathering.

Barda flipped open the control hatch for the lights in the square and typed in a short code. An old version of the Batman logo next to Terry's elbow slid aside revealing a recessed palm scanner. There was no way it would have his print in the system even if his glove didn't prevent it from being read so Batman figured it had to be merely pressure sensitive. He reached in pressing his hand to the pad and waited. At six other points around the statue the others did the same. Withing the circle of bronze figures a hatch opened and a lead box about two feet wide rose slowly upward.

It was oddly anticlimactic.

Green Lantern used his ring to pick up the box and place it next to the podium where Superman had recently stood. Batman barely noticed. It wasn't that he wasn't interested. At some point he had decided to see what was in there if only to make the trip worth it, but he was a bit distracted when the panel he had pressed had interfaced with his glove.

To be more accurate it was the glove that had initiated the link and supplied most of the keys to get past the firewalls in place. A few lines of code ran across Batman's visor. He had scarcely started to read it before the small program was complete and something the size and shape of a pen slid into his grasp.

He casually drew it out, palming it so no one would see. The crowd was focused of the time capsule, with his back to the pedestal and the statues upon it, batman was reasonably confident that no one saw him slip the object into an empty pocket of his belt.

Superman had retreated to the back of the stage since he already knew what the time capsule held. The objects were to become the latest display in the Metropolis Museum of Science and Discovery along side the first telephone and a collection of moon rocks. They were making a show out of it. Taking turns reaching into the box and showing each object to the crowd. It was the perfect time to slip away unnoticed.

For a moment he actually considered staying. If nothing else he had to wonder what the old man had donated for the time capsule. But in the end he probably wouldn't get another chance like this. He pressed himself up against the pedestal and switched on his camouflage. The flare from his rockets meant he couldn't fly out while cloaked. To make a clean getaway he would have to wait until the crowd thinned out enough to slip through.

He didn't have to wait long. As soon as the time capsule was empty a final statement was made, this time by Static and the heroes and former heroes retreated into the League tower for food and conversation. At the same time the civilians were clearing out of the plaza. Batman took his time sneaking away. The afternoon had given him quite a bit to think about. When he finally reached the car he set it to auto-pilot rather then drive back manually like he had planed.

His first priority was the cylinder that had been hidden in the time capsule. Pulling it from his belt he noted that although it was the shape of a pen it was actually slightly larger then he had first estimated. The container was made of a thin light metal. A grove around the center hinted at the way to open it. Unscrewing the two halves produced a standard double vile of the type solders used to transport medical supplies. A single vile could hold two doses or two separate chemicals. Depending on what it was loaded with it could be turned into a two part bomb or a chemical light stick. This vile contained two different liquids, one a pale green, the other a deep red. There was no way for him to identify the liquids until he got back to Gotham so for the moment he put it away again. It was probably just another of Bruce's safeguards in case the apocalypse ever managed to actually happen.

With that done, he leaned back in his chair and went back over what had happened. He looked for patterns, anyone acting out of character. He made a list of who exactly had been there using the car's computer and the record from his visor. He pulled up news feeds to look at the events from different angles. He memorized the faces of everyone he didn't already know since he knew the old man would make him do it anyway if he didn't. He also watched them, or as many of them as he could with the various broadcasts. He noted friendships, arguments, who wanted to be there and who didn't. Who greeted who and how warmly. These people were many of the most powerful beings on the planet; it was a good opportunity to study some of the internal politics.

He was less then fifteen minutes from the Gotham outskirts when he finally got around to looking at what had been in the time capsule. GCTV had a full list of the items but Terry opted for the ABN's footage of the event, they had a blond commentator.

It was an odd collection and there were more then just seven items since Flash hadn't been able to decide and Wonder Woman had donated a set of objects. A pair of worn tennis shoes was followed by kryptonian crystal and an old baseball. There was debate over who had donated the copy of Old Yeller but it died down when the hawk wing amulet was shown to the crowd. The ceremonial bow and collection of seven arrows had been Wonder Woman's gift, which left just the martian and the old man. Two books were the last things to come from the capsule. One was a collection of Dick Tracy stories; the commentator guessed that that had been Batman's gift, but when Terry saw the other book he knew better.

The small yellow book was titled The Art of Peace. Terry had been handed a copy of the book back when the old man had tried to teach him meditation. It had been written by Morihei Ueshiba the founder of Aikido. The Aikido, Terry understood, the philosophy in the book was another story.

It figured that the old man would donate something like that. It managed to reflect his ideals, or at least a small portion of them, without giving away anything about himself.

"If you're done daydreaming there's a situation at the docks that could use your attention."

Frag, when had the old man tuned in to his frequency?

"You know, I could have already been at the docks if you hadn't sent me off on a pointless mission."

"Did Wondergirl think it was pointless?"

Terry sputtered. "What?"

"The news bytes seem to approve, though the general consensus is that she'll dump you before the month is out."

This was not a conversation Terry had ever expected to have.

"How do you think Aquagirl will react to the news?"

"Do you have a point or are you just trying out a new method of torture?"

"You were distracted. Batman can't afford to be distracted. The opening was a major target; if anyone had a grudge against the League they could have wiped out most of the remaining members with one well placed bomb."

"Except that didn't happen."

Terry could practically feel Wayne's disapproval despite the fact that the feed was purely audio.

"Okay, so I didn't stick around to look for bombs or stop imaginary missiles. It's not like your enemies really need to bother, the League is half dead anyway. There were what, maybe five, six people there my age. The age of capes and costumes is done."

Wayne's voice was low, it didn't break the silence as much as slide through it. "Then why bother to steal the suit?"

Because he had to. Because he couldn't live with himself if he didn't try to make up for his past mistakes. Because he was practically addicted to the thrill. Because it was the one thing in his life that he actually liked. Because he was damn good at being Batman. Because the world needed Batman even more when the rest of the heroes had fallen.

"Slag it." He gripped the throttle and turned towards the docks.