Children of Our Heroes

One day at the ruins of Bendraqi’s lab...

Archie: Aw, man! What are we suppose to do? We can’t just leave them here!

Elizabeth: Aye... they’re somewhat valuable.

Irwin: We leave, now.

Elizabeth: What?! Has anyone told you you’re just plain, down right heartless?

Irwin: They’re liabilities! It’ll only slow everyone down!

Archie: I say we take these back and discuss these with his majesty...

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Months later...

Aslan has gotten the word about the hubbub and decides to inform Super C and his troops about the matter.

Super C: Well, we’re here... *knock on the door* Your Majesty... It’s Super C...

Leo: Leo the Patriotic Lion...

Tom: Tom the Patriotic Tiger...

Jake: and Jake the Patriotic Jaguar...

Super C: You summoned us for an urgent audience?

Aslan: Ah, yes! Come in, come in!

They all enter and seat at the couch that was facing Aslan’s desk.

Aslan: I needed to talk about what happened... several months back in a mission of yours...

Leo: Yeah. So what about it?

Aslan: You four are assigned to intercept Bendraqi, yes? And he fired a beam at you as an initial attack, am I right?

Jake: Yeah... it was the first one that actually wounded us...

Aslan: But did you know there’s more than meets the eye?

Super C: Pardon?

Aslan: I’ll get to the point... That beam is quite futile against the four of you. But that was just a covering... the beam actual hides a sharp sampler lined with CNG thus able to pierce through your skin.

Tom: What? He did all that just to leave a scratch on our arms? He’s crazy!

Aslan: Crazy, yes, but not dumb. From Jacob’s and Marcus’ findings those samplers are actually DNA scalpels... they rip open a part of the skin to make you bleed and there it collects a sample of your blood, your DNA.

Super C: What for?

Aslan just stood up and gestured them to follow him. As the four heroes are following Aslan to where ever. They engaged a little conversation about what he said earlier...

Super C: I remember that day, come to think of it.

Jake: It was the first time I battled against Bendraqi.

Tom: And it led us to think he was getting smarter for a chance. I think…

The conversation was cut off as Aslan stops and turns towards the four. They noticed a door behind him and started to wonder.

Aslan: Prepare yourselves... and try not to make your heart jump out of your chest.

He opens the door and the four widened their eyes.

Carly: *catches the floating kitten* Come here, you! Floating at this age already?

Zakaeolus: Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow! *tail being pulled by a tiger cub, ear being chomped by a lion cub and back being clawed by a jaguar cub*

Tom: A...a nursery?

Aslan: It is... but the real focus here are the babies.

Jake: What about them?

Aslan: *arcs and eyebrow* Don’t they look a bit like... YOU guys?

Leo: Huh?

Carly: Oh, look; there’s your daddy! *grabs little paw and waves it to Super C* Wave to mighty papa!

Super C: Say what?!

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Later...

The babies are placed on a crib and are sleeping peacefully after an hour of playing.

Zakaeolus: If you need me sire, I’ll be at Marcus’ clinic...

Aslan: You are excused. *Zakaeolus leaves and closes the door* I see you four are still dumbfounded by this bombshell... and I could imagine what are you think right now...

Super C: I don’t believe this.

Leo: Neither do I. Bendraqi’s idiotic technology made child versions of all of us!

Aslan: Whoa whoa. Hold your horses! I know all of you are still trying to sink it in. But the better topic of this is about their... mother...

Super C: I... see...

Aslan: Of course Bendraqi can clone you four and make an evil version of yourselves but this isn’t what he did here. In my theory, he did not like the messiness and unpredictability of cloning. Therefore, he decided to abduct a fertile feline and extract egg cells. From your DNA samples, he managed to make sperm cells out of them and fertilized the egg in a laboratory womb similar to that of a woman’s womb. But the mother... is not fortunate... Bendraqi used a fluid that forces the ovaries to produce multiple egg cells, but to a price. Her body mutated so much it killed her and what’s worst he incinerated her to hide any evidence.

Leo: That heartless son of a-...

Aslan: Let me finish Leo, I know you’re furious and all. His plan was, as I think it would, is to take care of the children as his own and feed with lies about you four abandoning them, then train the in advanced combat and soon released to the world as villains and confront their fathers, you, in an epic battle of fathers vs. sons. So I made the first move, I assigned my Faction to infiltrate and destroy that laboratory and all the research in it but none of them could find the babies at that time, until three months after... I’ve sent a few back to the remains and uncover a secret room. Luckily the babies are fine but dormant. With pass codes hacked from the computer systems back then, they broke the dormancy program and ‘reawakened’ them...

Super C: ... *He starts to look angry.*

Aslan: I know... I’d be furious too, but you got one more reason now to go home and live another day... *looks at the crib* that is to be the best father for your child.

Kitten: Mmmm... mmmmnnnnn... *soft dreaming meows*

Super C: Surely there’s got to be something we can do.

Tom: I believe there are some orphanages in town. Wasn’t there one you ended up in, Commander? And don't call me Shirley!

Super C: *ignoring the punch line* There was. We can use that one. But for now, we’ll have to act as adoptive fathers.

Leo: Guess we’ll have to talk to Warwolf and the Captain about being adoptive fathers.

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Later…

Captain C: So you’re stuck being the dad, are you? How terribly amusing. But how come I don’t recall Bendraqi doing that?

Super C: I think you were busy taking down the Glaswegian Devils.

Alex is playing with the four kids and is keeping them busy with the building blocks and toys he owns. They amazingly behave themselves. They've proven to be fast learners thanks to the CNG effect that gave them their powers.

Captain C: You may have a point there.

Warwolf: All I can say is you’d better find the orphanage and get them to take them in fast. Being the heroes you are leaves almost no time for your other jobs.

Leo: True. Tom and I wouldn’t have the time to compose music anymore. But the battling against evil would really take away time.

Super C: I’ll call the orphanage right now.

He dials the correct number and tries to talk to the orphanage but keeps getting the answering machine.

Super C: No dice.

Leo: Don’t stop trying.

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Later…

A month goes by and the four heroes study up on how to temporarily be dads. The vast number of musical mice in Leo’s house also have to mind the lion cub, who doesn’t realize Leo’s living room floor is their practice space.

Tom enlists the help of his father, SSG Benjamin Wilder of the Hellcats of West Point, to help out.

Benjamin: I guess I can safely say I am a first-time grandpa. Too bad Bendraqi had to be behind this, even if it is old news.

Tom: Yes, it is, Dad, but one thing is for certain; this tiger cub has a much better life now.

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Later…

Super C is finally able to get the orphanage to adapt the four cubs, who don’t seem to want to leave their fathers, evident by the crying and hugging. But before they can take them in, Bendraqi arrives and tries to steal them.

Bendraqi: My babies! What have you idiots done to them?

Super C: Never mind that, stupid! How dare you lie to them and…AUGH! Give him back!

Bendraqi has managed to grab the cub that Super C was fathering, but the cub starts biting and kicking as cubs do. Super C transforms into his battle uniform and launches himself skyward.

Bendraqi: OW! OUCH! CUT THAT OUT! AUGH! YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEOW!

Super C has given him a knockout punch. He grabs the cub, still crying at this point, but hugging the Cat of Steel for dear life. The hated mad scientist is propelled in such a way that when he lands, he finds himself back in Alcatraz. He starts banging his head against the wall. Meanwhile, the orphanage workers come out to talk to the four as Super C comes in for a landing.

Super C: Ah, here we are.

Orphanage worker 1: These are the cubs, are they?

Orphanage worker 2: Sorry we couldn’t get a hold of you but our lines were dead all week. It must’ve been part of Bendraqi’s schemes to take his kids back and build them up in all their propaganda and advanced combat.

Orphanage worker 3: But with all the secret training facilities we use here, they can learn the advanced combat there. They’ll have to think of different codenames, however; that way, nobody will know you were supposed to be their adoptive fathers. Plus, their powers will eventually prove beneficial to them.

Leo: Sounds like we have a deal. Might take them a while to get away from us. *The lion cub is still holding on to Leo for dear life. Leo gives him a hug. With a bit of coaxing, the cubs all finally go inside the orphanage as the workers lead them in, though some continue to talk to the heroes.*

Orphanage worker 4: Thanks for informing us about them. And nice to see you again, Super C; I believe this was the same orphanage that took you in when you arrived here on Earth in that missile. But what about your planet?

Super C: They all made it out alive and well but went the wrong way. Later, we were able to find them and bring them all here. Thanks to Cripto for helping us out on that one.

Orphanage worker 4: I see. Well, if you’d look inside, you can see it’s been significantly updated.

Super C: Let’s have a look. I haven’t been inside this building since I was 14, or something like that.

The heroes tour the place and see it’s quite the elaborate setup. The orphans are all well-fed, well-rested, always get plenty of exercise, and they seem eager to learn. Super C smiles upon seeing this.

Super C: People may have their complaints about the educational system but it sure still thrives here.

Leo: Is music included?

Orphanage worker 4: We’ve no reason not to include it. *He points to the lion cub that Leo was being a father to, who is trying to play a toy drum in rhythm to the music he’s listening to.*

Leo: Fantastic. That just made my day. *He listens.* A little off beat, but not bad for a cub.

The heroes enjoy the tour and are satisfied that the cubs are in good hands. Their smiles never leave as they head to Maximum Mighty Melt for lunch.

THE END

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Written as a request for  zakavatarz; Noah and all its members and all things related belong to him.