TRTSS13: The Blackest Reign and A Dark Night! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: R1/2, SM, ST, DC and Marvel Comics, and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Special Note: This is story is a limited series featuring the events of "Dark Reign" (Marvel Comics) and "Blackest Night" (DC Comics). As always, C&C are welcomed.
Part 1
I knew this day would come.
In fact, I have foreseen it.
I knew that the being known as "Nekron", one of many aspects of Death itself would find an avatar from which to spread the will of the Wrym, not to achieve universal balance, but to bring about universal destruction, in the form of "suspended decay". In other words, Nekron seeks to combine life and death into the state of "unlife"…or "undead".
I know these things, for I was once the senshi…of Time.
Trapped within the last throes of universal destruction, before the cycle of cosmic renewal begins, with the birth of a new Universe, I can see the past with the clarity of a sage. Unfortunately, I have been alone for so long, that I only have the cockroaches and the Toclafane to keep me company. As much as I want to spit on the memory of my beloved Moon Princess and Sun Prince, I knew that I was destined to be utterly alone…though I have long since become MAD.
I see Nekron now. He approaches with the intent to kill off this last bit of life that I represent. Time and Death would be the last to exist during the demise of the Universe. However, Nekron, offended by my mere existence, will confront me in order to challenge me.
He's HERE, with his army of undead.
This wasn't the first time Nekron came this close towards Universal dominance, but his latest actions will be the last…
I see the corpses of many whom I loved and cherished. And even though I know that their true essences have long since moved "beyond the Rim", my upcoming battle will be a painful one.
My beloved Princess and Prince, how I both love and despise you at the same time.
I summon my Toclafane friends, vast in their numbers. Together, we will fight to our last breath, which is ironic since the Toclafane—my "fan of Fools"—no longer need to breath. Neither do I, for that matter. But, if I am to carry my beloved memory to my grave, then I shall do so with honor.
Ranma…Usagi…
I will make you proud of me yet. After all, as you, my beloved Ranma once said, I don't intend to LOSE.
Nekomi, Japan.
Ranma Saotome woke up with a sense of dread, something that he hadn't felt in years. He turns to his wife of only a few years…
"Akane, wake up," Ranma said, as he gently shook his wife.
"What?" Akane said with annoyance, as she continued to keep her eyes closed.
"I need you for something."
"If you want THAT, just go to one of your floozy girlfriends."
"No, I don't want THAT. I need access to your TARDIS."
Upon hearing that, Akane rolls over to face her husband.
"What?" Akane asked.
"I need access to the equipment in your TARDIS. I'm…picking up a disturbance in the either, and I need to amplify my thoughts to make sure I'm not just picking up 'noise."
"Ranma, it's 4:00 in the morning."
"I know, but I wouldn't ask you about this if it wasn't important."
Akane blinks her eyes. Ever since she returned from that dreadful business on Oa, Akane wanted nothing to do with the strange and the unknown. But she knew that Ranma wouldn't ask her for anything unless it was absolutely important…
"Okay, but let me check on the Kenma first…
Meanwhile, Usagi woke up with the feeling of dread. She quickly gets out of her bed, leaves her bedroom, and goes down the stairs of the Tsukino residence. She reaches down to the main foyer and scans the living room and dining room areas. The Satisfied, Usagi breathed a sigh of relief, sure that she was alone. For a moment, she felt a familiar presence in her home.
Home…
Ever since her parents died months ago, thanks to an attack orchestrated by Darkseid's herald of doom, "Libra", Usagi had to take up the slack in maintaining her parents' home. She wanted her younger brother Shingo to live with her, but Shingo has refused to do so. In fact, he has given up his mortal guise entirely, opting to maintain the guise of the Norse god Baldur the Brave. Usagi, as Thordis, could strip Shingo's Norse guise, but has refused to do so out of love and respect for her brother…
CLICK!
After turning on the light, Usagi then goes to the living room, wondering when was the last time the place was cleaned. The only other time she had cleaned the place was after her parents' funeral wake, when neighbors, family members and friends had stopped by to pay their respects. And it was only recently that Usagi had decided to return home to live in her childhood home…
As Usagi sat in the middle of the living room, she heard a slight shuffle.
"Hmmm?" Usagi said, as she noticed the sound. Furthermore, the previous disturbance that she had felt before was back, this time, it was stronger than ever.
"Usagi…"
As weird as she was at times, Usagi was NOT crazy. She thought she heard someone calling her name.
"Usagi…"
The voice was coming from the dinning room.
Steeling herself, Usagi slowly walks out of the living room, through the foyer and into the living room. What she saw in the living room frightened her.
"Hello, Usagi," said Ikuko, as she sets down a plate of rotten food on the living room table.
"Hello, Usagi," said Ken, as he reads an old newspaper. He then lowers the paper.
"I bet you never expected to see US again."
"But really, why are you downstairs in your night gown?" Ikuko replied.
Usagi kept her cool, while she mentally scans what she was seeing.
First, both Ken and Ikuko clearly looked like zombies.
Second, both of her parents wore some sort of black costume that had the symbol of the Black Hand (i.e. a hollowed, upside down triangle with seven hash marks, of equal length, above it). She knew that the Black Hand was a "death worshiper", and that he was normally a Green Lantern villain. In fact, the Black Hand could manipulate shadows and energies consisting of entropy in a manner similar to the Green Lantern.
And, third, Usagi knew that her parents had been reborn in the future, circa 31st century, where she, in that era, officially assumes the mantle of the Neo-Queen of Crystal Tokyo.
With that in mind, Usagi points her finger at her "parents".
"Who are you really?" Usagi demanded. "Tell me…NOW."
"Wow, our little girl has grown up," Ikuko said.
"Indeed," Ken said. "To bad she will fall at the hands of the Black Lantern Corp. She is rich with emotions, though…"
To the Black Lanterns, they see a rainbow color, with each color representing an emotion. And right now, they see a mixture of indigo (compassion), red (anger) and green (will) within Usagi.
"I think Usagi should be punished," Ikuko said.
"Why, that's a wonderful idea," Ken said, as he gets up. "And perhaps then, she will see the wisdom of our ways."
And with that, Ikuko and Ken attacks, just as Usagi braced herself.
Meanwhile…
"Okay," Akane said, as she closed the door of her "Jade Pagoda", which was the size of a British, blue police box. "What do you want?"
Ranma had his young son Kenma on his shoulders, as he ran around the TARDIS while playing "airplane".
"In coming!" Ranma said, as he swerved and ducked a bit.
"Weeeeeee!" Kenma yelled happily.
"Ranma, please?" Akane asked.
"Okay, okay," Ranma replied, as he smoothly stops his movements. He then takes his son off his shoulder.
"Okay, champ!" Ranma said. "That's it for now."
"Awww," Kenma said with disappointment, as his father sits his son onto a nearby chair.
"Next time, champ," Ranma said. He then turns towards Akane.
"I need access to the TARDIS astrometrics lab."
"Fine," Akane said, as she placed her hand on the smooth panel of the central control panel. "Computer."
CHIRP!
"Good Morning, Mistress," said a male voice.
"Activate 'virtual astrometrics laboratory'," Akane said, as she inwardly blanched at being reminded of her super-villain moniker: The Mistress. At the time, she was brainwashed by another Time Lord, known as "The Master" into being a proxy opponent against the Time Lord, known as "The Doctor", and his eternal companions Ranma and Usagi.
She did like harassing Usagi though, since Akane felt jealous about the fact that Usagi had been Ranma's wife the longest…
BLIP!
Ranma now finds himself within a holographic sphere consisting of light and shadows. The display congeals to form a map of the Universe.
"Thanks," Ranma said. He then begins to manipulate the virtual map overlays with his hands, until he sees something startling.
"Computer, focus on Universal Sector 3600," Ranma said, as he moved the data layers a bit. He then takes out his "special glasses", and puts them on.
"Hmmm…"
"I still think those glasses of yours are stupid, you know," Akane said.
"Your opinion, of course," Ranma replied. "I don't believe it…"
"What is it?" Akane asked.
"It appears that there is a wave of entropy emitting from Universal Sector 3600, in the form of a spiral."
"Sector 3600…that Death Sector, isn't it?"
"Yep," Ranma said. "Every life form was murdered by the Manhunters, and proceeded to murder the life forms of Sector 0666 before being stopped by their masters, the Guardians of the Universe…"
Ranma stared at the readings closely.
"But there is something odd about these readings," Ranma said, as he presses a virtual button to look at the signal data stream…
"Oh, boy," Ranma said.
"What is it, Ranma?" Akane said with concern.
"There is an intelligence that is directing this energy stream," Ranma said, as he begins to transfer the data to 'hard copy'. "People will have to know the danger about this."
"You can't be serious, Ranma."
Ranma turns towards his wife and child.
"Akane, there is enough 'nega-energy' being used to power a planet…and then some. I'm going to contact Usagi on this."
"Do you have to?" Akane asked.
"Akane, Usagi is more familiar with nega-energy than I am, since she is the Moon Princess. And if this much energy is being used, she will need to know."
Akane sighed.
"Okay, but please be careful."
"Hey, I'm Ranma Saotome…'careful' is my middle name."
"Ranma, you don't HAVE a middle name."
"Well…I SHOULD."
"Humph."
Meanwhile…
BOOM!
The Tsukino residence blows up, as Usagi is thrown out into the streets.
"Oof!" Usagi said, as she fell on the street pavement, many yards from now. She looks up to see Black Lantern Ken and Black Lantern Ikuko flying towards her.
"You shouldn't have done that, dear," Ikuko said.
"You should be sent to your room," Ken said.
Usagi growled. Both of her parents possessed phenomenal regenerative powers, even after being losing limbs and legs. Whoever was behind this was a potent foe. And if she doesn't do something about her zombie-parents soon, she just might lose this fight.
'Think, Usagi!' Usagi thought to herself. 'You've been at this hero game for a long time…'
Usagi decided to look at the problem from a tactical standpoint. She could tell that her parents were trying to manipulate. But why? She did notice that the only time they attacked was when she was more focused, less conflicted-
Bingo.
'It's just like any other youma situation,' Usagi thought. 'My…parents want my life energy, but only when that energy is driven by pure emotion. But…how can function if I can't focus-"
Unfortunately, something much worse occurred.
Fissssssss-thak!
"Huh?" Usagi said, as she looked down to see a black rose stuck, stem first, into the ground. She looks towards the source…
"Sailor Cosmos," said Tuxedo Mask, as she stood nearby. His costume, unfortunately, had the Black Hand symbol on it (in the form of a lapel pen). He, like his parents, had a desiccated look.
"No," Usagi said with disbelief. "You CAN'T be here. You died, and was reborn in a cloned, female body, after I had your consciousness transferred to it!"
"But my body remained," Tuxedo Mask said, as he leaps off the lamp pole. "By the way, I brought friends…"
Usagi turns to see other Black Lanterns gathered around her, many of them the youma and enemies she has fought over the years…
"Well, it's good to see you, my dear," Queen Beryl said, as her nega-energies crackled around her. I just can't wait for our reunion to begin in earnest.
Usagi knew that she was about to get into the fight of her existence, as all of her past enemies, from this era, returned to get their revenge.
Tbc.