Mark and I dropped down through the hidden hatch, descending into the Teen Team's secret base. The air shifted from the cool night breeze to the hum of tech and faint echoes of activity below.
As we lowered, I glanced at Mark—still a little wobbly from the sudden drop—and smirked. "Hey, kid, hide behind me for a sec," I whispered, nudging him back.
"Let's make this a surprise—they're gonna flip." Mark nodded, ducking behind my back, his goggles peeking out as he tried to stay quiet.
The base came into view as we touched down—a big, open space with concrete walls, flickering lights, and a mix of high-tech gear and random junk.
Robot was at his usual spot, hunched over a computer, his metal fingers tapping away at the keys, screens glowing with data.
Dupli-Kate was across the room, smacking a ping-pong ball across a table, playing against two of her clones.
One clone whiffed a shot and vanished with a poof, while she laughed and spawned another. "C'mon, you're making me look bad!" she yelled at herself, grinning.
Over by the couch, Eve and Rex were tangled up together, hands clasped, lips locked in a kiss.
Eve's pink glow flickered faintly around her fingers—guess she'd gotten here a minute or two before us, probably after some errand or patrol.
Rex had one arm around her, totally lost in the moment, until the sound of our landing broke through. They didn't pull apart right away, but their heads turned slightly.
Robot was the first to react, his head swiveling around with that mechanical whirr.
He spotted me, and I flashed him my biggest, goofiest grin—teeth out, eyes crinkling, the full Gojo special.
"Ahh… Gojo," he said, voice flat but with a hint of curiosity as he registered my smile.
Dupli-Kate's paddle froze mid-swing, her clones popping out of existence as she turned to look.
Eve and Rex finally broke their kiss, glancing over—Eve curious, Rex already smirking like he'd found fresh bait.
Rex wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and laughed. "Well, well, look who's back—the creep with the big-ass smile! What's with that face, Gojo? You trying to sell toothpaste or just flexing that pretty-boy look? Newsflash, dude, we're not swooning." He leaned back on the couch, arm still around Eve, tossing me a mock glare.
Eve elbowed him lightly, muttering, "Rex… stop," but she was smiling too, clearly used to his jabs.
"Why?! Why do you guys only stop me and not him?!"
I kept grinning, my hands in the air, not missing a beat. Mark stayed tucked behind me, probably holding his breath, waiting for the big reveal.
I stood there in the Teen Team's base, still grinning wide as I clapped my hands together. "Alright, everyone, brace yourselves—I've got a big surprise for you!" I said, letting my voice bounce off the walls with that Gojo flair. Mark stayed hidden behind me, probably fidgeting in his goofy getup, while I built up the moment.
The team didn't budge much—Eve raised an eyebrow, Dupli-Kate leaned on her ping-pong paddle, Rex smirked like he was waiting for a punchline, and Robot just kept staring with those glowing eyes. No hype yet, but that was fine. I'd get 'em.
I spun around, throwing my arms out like I was revealing a grand prize—straight out of the JJK 0 movie when Gojo introduced Yuta to Maki, Panda, and Inumaki.
"Ta-da! Feast your eyes on this!" I stepped aside with a flourish, letting Mark stumble into view.
There he was: baggy old clothes, a handkerchief tied over his mouth, gloves on his hands, and those ugly goggles sliding down his nose—a kid their age, looking like he'd raided a thrift store for a superhero costume.
The room went dead quiet for a second, then exploded. Rex jumped up from the couch, pointing at me like I'd just set off a bomb.
"What the hell, Gojo?! You brought some random kid into our base without even telling us? Who is this clown?!" His voice cracked with that usual Rex edge, half-angry, half-disbelieving.
Eve blinked, Dupli-Kate's paddle dropped, and even Robot tilted his head, processing.
I laughed, turning to Rex with a smug grin. "Oh, calm down, Rexy—this is your new teammate! I already ran it by Robot, told him to keep it hush-hush from you lot. Surprise!" I winked, then leaned in, dropping my voice to tease.
"Bet you're jealous already—he's gonna steal your spotlight, loudmouth." The others swiveled to Robot, who nodded stiffly.
"It's true. Gojo informed me of the new recruit beforehand. I deemed it logical to withhold the information as Gojo requested it. And let's not forget that this individual's abilities could enhance our team's effectiveness."
Rex's jaw tightened, but I wasn't done. I pointed at Mark, then back at Rex. "Oh, and get this—he's a total newbie, and he could still kick your ass any day. How's that feeling, huh?" Rex's face went red, and he barked back, stepping closer.
"You and this wannabe? I could take you both down solo, no sweat! Bring it, shades!" His hands balled into fists, ready to prove it right then and there.
I sighed dramatically, shaking my head like a disappointed teacher. "Rex, Rex… being happy? Good. Optimistic? Great. Funny? Sure, I'll give you that. But delusional? That's a problem, man. It's gonna trip you up someday—mark my words." I smirked, watching him grit his teeth, practically steaming. He opened his mouth to snap back, but Robot rolled between us, cutting him off with that calm, mechanical tone.
"Rex calm down. We should evaluate the new member's capabilities—test his power proficiency and control."
"Why the hell are you telling me to calm down? I'm already calm! Maybe check your damn sensors, 'cause if anyone's the problem here, it's Gojo, not me!"
Why'd Robot go along with me bringing Mark? Simple—he'd run it up the chain. After I'd pitched the idea, he'd reported it to Cecil Stedman at the GDA. Cecil didn't even blink—approved it on the spot, like he already knew who Mark was or what he could do.
'Guess the old man's got his eye on the mark… maybe he knew about it from the day one when mark got his power or something or hot the information about it just this morning,' I thought, smirking to myself as the team buzzed around me. Mark just stood there, shifting awkwardly in his goggles, while Rex glared daggers.
Mark stepped forward from behind me, scratching the back of his head through those goofy goggles, his baggy clothes rustling as he moved. The Teen Team's eyes were all on him—Rex still fuming, Eve curious, Dupli-Kate sizing him up, and Robot standing ready.
Mark gave a little wave, his voice a bit shaky but trying to sound chill. "Hey, everyone… uh, I'm new to this whole thing. I haven't really thought of a hero name yet, so, um, you can just call me whatever you like for now. I guess I'm still figuring it out." He chuckled nervously, keeping his real name—Mark Grayson—under wraps.
Robot stepped away from his computer station, his metal frame clanking softly as he approached. His glowing eyes locked onto Mark, and he tilted his head slightly, like he was scanning him.
"Greetings, new recruit," he said, his voice smooth but with that odd, clipped rhythm he always had—not quite robotic, but not fully human either, just how he rolled in the show.
"I'm Robot, tactical coordinator for this team. Welcome to our team teen base. Allow me to introduce the others by their operational designations."
He turned, gesturing to each member one by one. "This is Atom Eve—energy manipulation and molecular restructuring. Highly versatile in combat and support." Eve gave a small nod, her arms crossed, still watching Mark closely.
"Next, Dupli-Kate—self-replication specialist. She generates expendable duplicates for strategic advantage." Dupli-Kate grinned, leaning on the ping-pong table. "Hey, new guy. Hope you're tougher than you look."
Robot continued, pointing to Rex, who was still glaring from the couch. "And this is Rex Splode—explosive projectile generation. Effective, if occasionally impulsive." Rex snorted, kicking his feet up.
"Yeah, whatever, tin can. 'Impulsive' my ass—I get stuff done." Robot ignored him, turning back to Mark. "We function as a unit to address threats beyond standard capacity. Your presence here suggests potential. I look forward to assessing your capabilities."
Mark smiled as he knew these people already from the internet, taking it all in, his goggles slipping a little as he tried to keep up his excitement which he didn't feel today in the morning after his training with his dad. I stood back, a small smile on my face, and hands in my pants pocket pockets.
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A/N: After this is gonna be time skip to to the finale of episode 1.