[LN]

[captainbuzzkill]

The twins burst onto the scene in the cave (what was a cave even doing in this state?) like two tiny wrecking balls of protectiveness. The Mystery Twins were on the case and they weren't going to let their friends get eaten by a stupid monster, especially after they'd been snatched up right under their noses.

Kevin and Allayna were in a cage of some kind of black stone or metal, clinging to each other and looking terrified, as the shadowy figure of the Jersey Devil lurked behind them, goat legs, horns, and all.

"Let go of those kids, you unholy spawn of New Jersey!" Dipper cried out, using the worst insult he could think of.

Comments

[spellitonce]

'The Justice League' doesn't sound like anything the Skrulls might have called their invasion of Earth. On the other hand, it does sound like some sort of super hero team, which meant that Nico wasn't particularly endeared to J'onn J'onzz of the Justice League either way.

But hey, at least the hamster ball wasn't heading quite so gracefully for the exit anymore

"Because adults barely trust us to pick out our own clothes, much less make decisions on whether or not we want to be babysat," she answered the girl's wail of anguish.

[captainbuzzkill]

"He's an alien, isn't he." To J'onn he said, "You're an alien, aren't you."

Dipper stood there in the hamster bubble, utterly bewildered as to how he should act on this new knowledge.

"I have never been more torn between running for my life and asking an alien questions about being an alien than I am right now in this moment," he declared. "This is the first time I've ever met an alien but it still stands."

[variabledensity]

Nico's words sting, and J'onn visibly winces - Mabel's reaction doesn't help. Nico's got a point, but it's still painful.

"I apologize for my deception, Mabel. This sort of reaction is why I took the form, of...ah, 'Mr. Fluffles'. I needed to investigate things of this world in a way in which I would not stand out, as well as keep an eye on you two considering the things you were planning to do and only intervene if necessary."

He pauses.

"Honesty would have been ideal, and I could have handled this better. I will not deny that."

Dipper gets a glance and a nod. "I am from Mars."

[letskicksomeice]

Jack, the only person currently standing there with any measure of genre-savvy since Nico and the twins were from worlds that didn't have DC Comics and Bunny didn't exactly have a TV down in the Warren pointed at J'onn, racking his brain for where he'd seen him.

Then he realized it was over the shoulders of children reading comics, perched on the couches of families that didn't see him, watching Saturday morning cartoons...

"You're Justice League." He smiled the kind of smile that came of remembering those early days, of kids perched outside the news shops voraciously reading. Before the Comics Code Authority nonsense and the Senate hearings. "When was it, when was it...the 1950s, I think. Fifty-six? Fifty-seven? That's the earliest I remember seeing you show up."

His knowledge of media wasn't the most consistent when he'd picked up most of it reading and watching over other people's shoulders and spent far more time playing than watching TV or reading the news.

Still, some things were so ubiquitous that he hadn't had to watch or read consistently to know they existed. The big DC heroes were one of them.

"He's one of us, guys," he said to Nico and Bunny. "A superhero, too. Right up there with Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Big Red Cheese. Same universe as them - well one of 'em anyway. There's like a million adaptations."

He turned to J'onn and held up a hand, "I know what I'm saying makes no sense and it's very long story - and I promise we can explain everything - but we need to take care of the kids first and keep them from running off. We're here to help them, so..." He turned to Dipper and Mabel. "We can explain everything to you two, too, if you'll let us. Why you're here, what happened to change you..."

He knelt down and put his staff down, holding up his hands disarmingly, his expression gentle as he knelt and edged a little closer. Not to come after them but to try to engage them. Up close he was not a big scary monster with cold eyes, he was just a boy with sparkling ones that were as sharp as ice but warm at the same time.

"I know you're afraid. The fearlings have been after you - they come after me too, since I'm technically still a kid even if I'm a magical spirit one. I don't know if they did something to make you afraid of us or if you're just scared in general, but they are very good at tricking kids into being afraid of whatever they want them to be afraid of so they can't get help. Grown ups that can help them, places that they're safe - whatever makes it easiest for them to catch them."

He shook his head. "You said 'it's them' like you knew us but for us? This is the first time we've ever met you. So whatever you've seen, whatever's happened to you, that wasn't us. And I think they might have tried to make it seem like us so that you'd run away when we found you and came to help. They're enemies of ours, too, and they knew we'd be trying to find and help you as soon as we knew you were here."

The way he reeked of gentleness and concern was pretty much a gift, one that came of centuries of being around children. He projected "protective, trustworthy big brother" like nobody's business.

[bringinghopewithme]

"Us?" Bunny barked, disbelieving. "Harm kids? You must not be of this world."

He took a deep breath, schooling his offense without taking his eyes off the alien. His only response to the explanation and Jack's recognition was to relax his grip on his boomerangs slightly and stand up a little straighter.

Jack gave off "trusty big brother" like he was made to be one, but the immediate impression Bunny left was "I will go to war for you."

Not as approachable, but a far cry from the shadows that had mimicked both of them.