Ashborn nodded slowly. "I'm not here to fight. We came to check on my daughter's friend," he said as he pointed to the side.
Amazo followed the gesture and saw Ace kneeling beside one of the fallen heroes, tending to them carefully. The android's glowing eyes turned back to Ashborn.
"You seem sensible and capable of conversation," Ashborn said. "And clearly, you didn't try to kill anyone. So, why are you fighting them?"
"They tried to stop me," Amazo replied flatly. "So I dealt with them as I saw appropriate."
"I'm not surprised they threw the first punch," Ashborn responded. "So what were they trying to stop you from doing? It doesn't look like this planet has much to offer you."
"I was created here by Dr. Ivo," Amazo said. "But Lex Luthor manipulated me. I wanted revenge."
Ashborn tilted his head, scrutinizing the machine. "Is that really what you want? You don't seem to hate Lex. So what is it you actually want from him? He's not exactly the best person to get things from."
The android was silent for a moment. Then it said: "Lex has power and money, more than most men. But he still seeks more. I want to know why."
Ashborn nodded slightly. "So you're looking for a purpose, right? You don't know why you exist. Unfortunately for you, even if you find Lex, he won't help you with that."
"Do you know who can tell me?" the android asked.
"No one can give you a correct answer," Ashborn replied. "The most you'll get is a suggestion, what your purpose could be or how to find it."
"Explain." Amazo replied
"I could say different things," Ashborn said. "Your purpose is to be a weapon for someone. Your purpose is to be a recorder of history. Your purpose is to pass butter. All of that can be true from my perspective… but do you accept any of it as the sole purpose of your existence?"
"How do I find my own purpose, then?" Amazo asked.
Ashborn's tone was steady and deliberate. "We decide on our purposes based on our emotions. Lex is greedy and proud, his pursuit of power and wealth comes from that. Others are driven by anger, lust, love, hate or any other emotion. If you want to find your own purpose, you need to have emotions and desires. That's the first step."
"I don't have emotions." Amazo replied
"You're asking," Ashborn replied. "You're curious, you are thinking. That means you have a sense of self and with that comes emotions, you simply don't recognize them."
"How do I recognize my emotions?" Amazo asked.
"By living," Ashborn said simply.
He turned his eyes to Ace, who was helping Courtney to sit up. The girl was conscious now but still clearly in pain.
Ashborn looked back at Amazo and an idea took shape in his head "How old are you?"
"I was created two years ago."
Ashborn nodded. "You're a minor. What about this" he smiled faintly, "I adopt you. Live among humans. Learn emotions slowly."
Amazo tilted his head slightly, confusion evident in his voice. "Can humans adopt androids?"
Ashborn smiled. "We can adopt other humans, animals, and even aliens. I see no problem with adding an android to the list."
"That is a strange proposal," Amazo said.
Ashborn chuckled softly. "Your case isn't exactly normal."
"What should I do after that?" Amazo asked.
Ashborn shrugged. "You live. Do what we do. See where this goes. If after some time you still think there's no improvement, you can try to find something else."
Amazo stood silently for a moment, calculating, reflecting. Then, with a slight nod, he said, "I see no harm in accepting your proposal."
"Splendid," Ashborn said cheerfully. "We'll do the paperwork later. Come on, let me introduce you to your new family."
He turned and walked toward Ace and Rex, with Amazo following behind.
Ace watched the two approach with curiosity, while Rex and Courtney tensed at the sight of the android.
"Relax," Ashborn said, waving a hand casually. "We got the misunderstanding resolved. This is Amazo, an android created two years ago. I'll be adopting him."
He then gestured toward Ace. "This is Ace, my adopted daughter and your sister. And that's Grandpa Rex."
Ace blinked, a moment of surprise passing before she nodded. "Welcome. Nice to meet you."
Rex and Courtney, however, weren't as composed.
"Please tell me you're joking," Rex said, his voice strained. "You really think you can adopt that?"
Ashborn tilted his head. "I adopted Ace. Someone adopted Superman. Others have adopted all kinds of animals and creatures. Nothing strange about this."
Rex's brain nearly short-circuited, his mouth hanging open. Courtney wasn't doing any better. Her eyes narrowed.
"This is a dangerous android," she said, voice rising. "Look at it! Do you really think it's okay to have it around?"
Ashborn's face lit up as if struck with an epiphany. "You bring a good point."
He turned to Amazo. "Can you shapeshift?"
"Yes." Amazo answered.
"Shift into a human form, Ace's age if you will."
"Male or female?" Amazo asked.
Ashborn looked at Ace. "Do you prefer a brother or a sister?"
Ace thought for a second. "A brother."
Ashborn nodded. "A male, it is."
Amazo's form shifted, morphing smoothly until he resembled a teenage version of Ashborn, around fourteen or fifteen years old. His hair, features, and build matched his new adopted family.
"Is this good?" he asked.
Ashborn grinned. "great job, son."
Turning back to Courtney and Rex, he said, "Problem solved."
Courtney's face morphed from shock to bafflement to anger. "Why? Just… why?"
Ashborn sighed. "She should take some rest. She's more temperamental than usual."
"Because of you!" Courtney snapped.
"It's not that bad or strange," Ace commented.
"No, it is," Rex joined in, shaking his head in disbelief.
As the group continued their back-and-forth, three figures descended from the sky, Superman, Four Green Lanterns, and Doctor Fate, landing in a circle around Ashborn and Amazo.
Ashborn glanced at them, unfazed. "You're late. Amazo's not going after Lex anymore, and he's my new adopted son now."
The arriving heroes froze, expressions of shock and disbelief rippling across their faces. One of the Green Lanterns stepped forward, pointing his ring at them.
"Don't play around, human," one of the Lanterns said sternly. "Even if what you said is true, that android destroyed OA. That can't go unpunished."
Ashborn's eyes flicked to Amazo. "My son is quite the sensible child. He wouldn't destroy something without reason."
He turned fully to Amazo. "Did you destroy OA?"
"No," Amazo replied. "It was in my way, so I moved it to another dimension."
Ashborn gave a simple nod. "Please bring it back."
Amazo's eyes glowed gold for a brief moment. "Done."
Ashborn looked back to the Lanterns. "Your OA is back. Please leave my son alone. I don't want him to learn how to solve problems with fists and violence."
The Lanterns were stunned, unsure how to react. One of them tried to contact OA.
"…OA is back."
The Lanterns stood speechless, unsure whether to feel relief that their planet was safe or shame that they had been utterly ineffective in stopping the android.
Superman's jaw clenched slightly, his lips pressed into a firm line. The Justice League and Green Lanterns had fought with everything they had and still couldn't bring down the android.
And Ashborn solved the whole thing by just talking him into adoption. Superman honestly didn't know how to feel about that nor what he should do now.
Doctor Fate stepped forward, his gaze steady beneath the golden helm. "If you come with me," he said to Amazo, "I might be able to help you."
Amazo turned his head toward him, then slowly shifted his gaze to Ashborn. "I will live as his son for a while and decide what to do next after that," he replied.
The gathered heroes exchanged puzzled glances, still trying to process the sight of a teenage android version of Ashborn. The resemblance was uncanny and surreal. Doctor Fate took a few steps closer to Ashborn, his voice even. "It is safer to have Amazo come with me. I assure you, he will be fine."
Ashborn raised his hand and gently placed it on Doctor Fate's shoulder, smiling. "Amazo will be okay with me. You can leave."
Suddenly, without a single visible shift, Doctor Fate felt his consciousness spiraling, pulled down, down, down into an overwhelming void. There was no life. No light. Not even chaos. Just still, inescapable darkness stretching into eternity. Then, from the depths of the abyss, two enormous purple eyes emerged, staring directly at him.
Ashborn's voice echoed in his ears soft, yet carrying the weight of something ancient and incomprehensible. It pressed against Fate's soul, and he felt his being crushed under the weight of boundless darkness.
Then, Ashborn lifted his hand from Fate's shoulder, the same serene smile on his face. "Everything is decided," he said, his voice gentle yet absolute. "And I don't want to hear a word about this."
He locked eyes on Fate as he spoke the last sentence.
If Fate had a face and features, then the heroes would have seen him pale and shaken, terrified even. Luckily, no one knew what just transpired and the shift in Fate state.
Ashborn clapped his hands together. "Since things are done here, we still have an amusement park to go to." He turned to leave without another word.
Amazo followed behind him silently.
Ace turned to Courtney and offered a soft smile. "Rest and take care," she said, before trailing after her father and new brother.
Rex muttered, "He'll be the death of me," and followed suit.
Behind them, the heroes remained standing, confused, baffled, and utterly unsure how to respond to what just transpired.
Doctor Fate finally stirred, recovering slightly from the overwhelming presence he had just faced. "It is okay to leave Amazo with him," he said quietly. "I don't see Amazo causing trouble with that man around." Then he teleported away immediately, eager to put as much distance as possible between himself and Ashborn.
The Green Lanterns looked at one another, uncertain expressions on their faces. One finally said, "We're going back to OA. This is not our problem anymore" The others nodded silently and took off without further comment.
Courtney, still sitting down but managing a sarcastic breath, turned to Superman. "Should we try adopting or hiring villains and criminals instead of trying to stop them?"
Superman looked at her, blinked slowly, and sighed. "I'm… not sure anymore."