Chapter 3: Chapter 3: The League

Eve POV:

Clark had ceded his room to me and spent the night on the couch. When I woke up, I was met with a sunny June morning. Just like my quick cast of ‘Druidcraft’ last night had promised. I made a habit out of casting it every morning when I woke up and every night before I went to bed. That habit had saved the Kents a lot of trouble when I predicted a freak storm that the forecast had missed. The spell still promised clear skies for the next 24 hours.

Looking out the window, I saw Clark sitting on the barn roof talking on his phone. Maybe he was updating Batman about me, or maybe he was talking to Lois? His super-senses seemed to have noticed me, because he waved at me. I waved back with a smile before casting ‘Prestidigitation’ a few times to freshen up. After getting dressed, I headed downstairs for breakfast.

“Eve! Good morning!” Martha greeted me enthusiastically as she handed me a serving of pancakes. The American tradition of eating dessert for breakfast still confused me.

“Thank you for being so honest with us last night. I know it can’t have been easy.” She said with a kind smile as I sat down to eat. “Clark seemed happy to have someone else to share his secret with too. I think we might have been a little too thorough in teaching him the importance of keeping it. He hasn’t even told Lois yet!” She seemed a little exasperated at that last part.

“Huh…” I replied intelligently as I shoveled the desert-pretending-to-be-breakfast into my mouth. “So he hasn’t told her yet?” Then I shrugged. “Eh, she’s probably figured it out on her own by now anyway. She strikes me as the type of person who is much better at finding secrets than he is at hiding them.”

She raised her eyebrows at that. “You think she knows?”

I shrugged again. “It happened in at least one TV series, and if Clark’s gushing is to be believed, she’s smart here too. If they’ve been together for two years, I’m betting she’s figured it out already and is just waiting for him to come clean on his own. The truth will out, after all.”

She stared at me like I had revealed the meaning of life for a few moments before the door opened and Clark came in.

“Morning, Eve.” He said as he grabbed his own portion of breakfast/desert and sat down at the table. “You do realize I can hear pretty much anything on the farm, right?”

“That must have gotten awkward when you were growing up.” I snarked back, grinning when he choked on his pancakes. “But yes, I know. I don’t usually say anything about anyone unless I’d say it to their face.”

“I see.” He said after recovering and taking a sip of orange juice. “She doesn’t suspect anything, though. I’m pretty good at keeping it secret, you know.”

“Uhu….” I drawled, sarcastically. “So, no capes in the closet she could have found? No suddenly disappearing right before Superman shows up? She’s never been a little too accepting of an excuse? Never accidentally poked you with a sharp object?” His eyes grew wider and wider as I spoke and I grinned at him. “Ten bucks says she knows.”

Martha giggled and kissed the top of his head. “Oh, sweetie, she’s good for you. And trust is important in any relationship. Even if she hasn’t figured it out, you should tell her.”

“Ahem!” He cleared his throat. “I’ll think about it. Now, Eve.” He focused again and spoke to me seriously. “I’ve spoken with Batman and told him everything you told me last night. Martian Manhunter is off-world at the moment, but he has managed to arrange for the entire rest of the League to gather for a vote. Is that acceptable?”

This time my eyes went wide. “The entire League?” I asked. “Like, all of them?”

He gave me an amused smile. “Yes, ‘the entire League’ does, in fact, include ‘all of them’.”

“...When?”

“Right now.”

I blanched.

“...”

“...But… my dessert…” I looked down at my pancakes.

“...”

“...You can finish your breakfast…”

“...Thanks…”

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Batman POV

Superman’s report had been both worrying and promising. The secret identities of the entire League being compromised was nothing short of a disaster. Secrecy was the greatest shield their loved ones had against retribution by a vengeful villain, and this put all their lives at risk. To top it all off, the breach had come from an interdimensional traveler, so there was no way of verifying her identity or background.

The promising part was that, according to Superman, she appeared to have impressive moral integrity and trusted the Justice League. ‘And me specifically’ I noted with some satisfaction. There was, of course, a chance that she was trying to manipulate me by appealing to my pride, but the truth would be revealed soon. She had agreed to answer questions while under the effects of the Lasso of Truth, and Wonder Woman had acquiesced, albeit hesitantly. She did not like using it on someone who had committed no evil.

She had also expressed interest in joining their ranks. Apparently, she didn’t care so much about joining the League itself, but she wished to use her newfound abilities to help people. ‘When you can do the things that I can, but you don't, and then the bad things happen, they happen because of you’, Superman had quoted her. Which was an admirable sentiment, even if it sounded scripted. She had probably heard it in a movie or something.

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Superman had expressed an interest in taking her under his wing, and Zatara was more than willing to help her practice her magic. Giovanni actually seemed excited to introduce his daughter to another young magician. Wonder Woman was, of course, excited about a new prospective female superhero, while Captain Marvel was just excited to meet a new potential friend. ‘Letting a ten year old join the League may have been against my better judgement, but his powers gave him wisdom far beyond his years, and it was better to have him close so I can keep an eye on him.’

The rest of the League was somewhat ambivalent about the girl, although none of them liked the idea of their secret identities being compromised.

The zeta-tube flashed to life and deposited Superman alongside the demonic-looking girl. Several eyebrows shot up at the appearance of the girl, unsurprisingly, belonging to the ones who never bothered reading the briefings. Despite his continued insistence.

“Guys, this is Eve.” Superman stepped forward with a confident smile. “Eve, meet the Justice League.”

“Um, hi guys. Honor to meet you all.” She raised a nervous hand in greeting. “Bit overwhelmed right now so please excuse any breaches in propriety. I’m Eve.”

“It’s good to meet you, Eve.” Wonder Woman chimed in with a smile. “We appreciate accepting our invitation. There is no need to worry. Just ‘Eve’?”

“Um…” She hesitated a bit. “My full name is Eve Adams. Or, well, ‘Evelyn’ really, but I’ve always gone by just ‘Eve’ and would prefer being called that.” She got a few raised eyebrows so she continued a little awkwardly. “My father was an ass, but he had a sense of humor.”

Even Superman looked surprised. Apparently he hadn’t thought to ask her last name. Which was fair, I suppose. With no records of her existing, her name was only useful as a way of reference. It would help me create documents for her later though, I suppose.

“That’s pretty cool, though!” Captain Marvel, ever the ray of youthful sunshine, commented. “Being named after both Adam and Eve, I mean.”

“Yeah, it kinda is!” Eve replied enthusiastically. In the same tone one would use to talk to a ten year old, I noted.

“Ahem!” I cleared my throat to demand attention. “Perhaps we should address the reason we have all gathered today.” She turned her attention to me and her expression sobered. Even her stance changed, resembling a parade rest.

“Yes, Sir.” She said seriously, but she turned her head slightly and whispered something to Superman before giving me her full attention. “He is definitely a ‘sir’.” Superman looked like he had to hold back a chuckle. I allowed the levity.

“The vote you asked of us will be done later. For now,” I pulled out the Lasso Wonder Woman handed me earlier. “You agreed to answer questions while under the effects of the Lasso of Truth, correct?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And you know what that entails?” Wonder Woman asked with a frown.

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll be magically compelled to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” She frowned before adding: “I trust you all to ask any questions about names, but otherwise you are free to ask me anything.”

“Very well,” I said and stood before walking over to her and handing her the business end of the Lasso of Truth. I noted she was quite short for her supposed age; barely reaching my shoulders if you didn’t count her horns. “You need to thread your hand through the loop and tighten it.” She did as I said and nodded.

“Thank you. Now, to confirm, what is your full name?”

“Evelyn Adams.”

“Are you from a parallel dimension?”

“Y— I would classify it as ‘another universe’.”

I frowned. “Explain.”

“‘Parallel’ would indicate a world that is similar, but different. There are so many differences that I can’t honestly agree that it can be defined as a ‘parallel’.”

That was a fair point. The people from parallel dimensions we have encountered before indicated that, for the most part, parallels had the same people and places, just… different. If her home dimension had no superheroes, he would agree that it would be difficult to consider them ‘parallel’. Did she know something about other parallel dimensions?

“Your logic indicates you have given this some thought. Do you know anything about parallel dimensions and interdimensional travel?”

She hesitated for a moment, seemingly thinking about her words before speaking again. “If I remember correctly, according to the… lore, I’m familiar with, I think this world has 52 parallel dimensions. Sometimes, either by accident or intention, people travel from one dimension to another. Sometimes temporarily, sometimes permanently.”

This was concerning. The League had fought the so-called Crime Syndicate a few years ago, and while we had persevered and won, it was not something I would like a repeat of.

“Do you know of any other potential dimensional travelers?”

“...Yes…” She hesitated again, and this time I could see some fear in her eyes.

“Who?”

“P— P— Power Girl—” I could see her starting to panic and was about to push harder, but Wonder Woman stopped me.

“Batman! This is not the line of questioning I agreed to!”

Diana looked angry. Yes, this was, admittedly, not the line of questioning we had agreed to, but Eve was speaking of potential threats and I needed assurances.

“...Is this ‘Power Girl’ a threat to this Earth?” He asked before Wonder Woman could stop him.

“Batman!”/”No—!”

Wonder Woman had stood up and was glaring daggers at me, but I just nodded calmly.

“I apologize. I can’t ignore a potential threat like that, but I’ll get back on track. In your time in this universe, have you ever tried to deceive someone?”

I had framed the question to safeguard against any potential manipulation or lies of omission. Since she had only interacted with members of the League or people close to them, framing it this ensured I would get the answers I needed. Eve seemed relieved though, and opened her mouth confidently to answer.

“N-Yes.” She actually looked confused at her own answer for a moment before blushing furiously. I think it was a blush, at least, since her purple skin turned several shades darker. But embarrassment or no, this was important.

“Explain.”

“I— I said I was dozing off in the shower but I was actually masturbating…”

“BATMAN!”