It was a pleasant morning down in Kansas. The sun was shining, fresh crops were growing, but most of all… No immediate danger. It was here on the Kent farm that Martha and Jonathan Kent were planning out a special day for a certain someone. "Jon, you sure Clark's comin' down today?" "Well, Martha… It's his special day. He wouldn't miss it for the world!" Jonathan answered as Martha was continuing to worry about Clark. Suddenly, the doorbell rang, alerting Martha. "Oh! That must be him!" Martha exclaimed as she approached the door to open it. What she saw instead of her son, was Conner. "Oh, hi Ma…" Conner greeted, while shyly placing his hands behind his back and lightly kicking up some dust.
"Aw, Conner you're always welcome with us! Come in, come in." She responded, inviting him into the house. "Hey, pa… Anything good on?" Conner asked, trying to make some conversation with Jonathan. "Unless you like some good ol' fashioned football." Conner decided to spend a few minutes watching the game, but then he remembered. "Oh yeah! I almost forgot! You guys have any idea what I should get Clark?" Martha and Jonathan glanced at each other, then back to Conner. "Well now, what brought this on?" Martha asked, and Conner replied "Well, today's his birthday, and I just… I dunno what I should get him! I mean, he's got so much but… I just don't know." He then looked down at the ground, dejected.
Jonathan then nodded at Martha, who went to go grab something from the closet. She then pulled out a small present, in pink paper with a green bow. "Here, Conner. You should give him this." She said, presenting the small box to him. "Um, no offense, Ma… But, wouldn't Clark see through this and know what it is?" Jonathan then answered, "Give it a try." Conner then attempted using his X-Ray vision to see through the contents of the box… Only to find that he can't. "You lined this with lead. Didn't you?" They both nodded to answer his question. "I… I can't take credit for this!" He said, unsure if he should accept it. "If it makes you feel any better, just say that it's from all three of us," Jonathan said, insistently.
Conner pondered the idea uneasily but decided to go along with it. He then gave both Jon and Martha a hug. "Thanks, Ma, Pa. I hope he loves it!" He said, before letting go. "I'm gonna go see if he's with Ms. Lane!" He shouted, before taking off from the front door. "Martha, remind me when's the wedding?" Jonathan asked, and Martha replied "I've told you already, Jon. It's in a few weeks." "Ah, so she won't be Mrs. Kent for a while now."
Metropolis…
Lois Lane was on a phone call with Jimmy Olsen, who seemed a little backed up in traffic. "Jimmy, I told you this a million times before, I've got plans with Smallville tonight. Dinner with the family, a birthday cake-" On the other end, Jimmy shouted "Wait! It's Mr. Kent's birthday?! And you didn't tell me!?" "Keep it down, will ya?" She asked, hoping that Jimmy would calm down. "Sorry, it's just… Mr. Kent doesn't usually talk about himself with people, ya know?" Lois smirked and replied, "You forget that we're getting married, right?" Jimmy smacked himself in the head and said "Duh! I forgot you two got engaged!" Lois raised her eyebrow and asked "I thought we told you this? After all, you're the Best Man."
Jimmy blushed, feeling honored that Clark would have him be the Best Man at a wedding. "Ms. Lane… I promise you, I won't let you down!" Lois then replied "Oh, I know. You haven't let me down before…" She then looked and saw Superboy standing in her apartment. "Lemme call you back, Jimmy. Talk to you later!" She hung up the phone and greeted the young Kryptonian. "So, how've you been doing?" She asked while taking a seat. "Oh, you know. It's been good. Taking down bad guys, and making friends with the Titans. That's all." Lois then noticed he was hiding something behind his back. "What'cha got there, Conner?" She asked, slowly approaching him.
"Oh, it's just… A present from Ma and Pa. So… Where's Clark?" Superboy answered, and Lois simply sighed. "He was supposed to meet up with me so we can go to his farm in Kansas." She lamented. "Where is he now?" Superboy asked, curious as to why his father isn't here. "Oh, he's at the Fortress of Solitude. Hopefully, he's not too busy with that little zoo of his." This made Conner raise an eyebrow, not being familiar with the Fortress' layout. "Oh, didn't you know? He's got a whole zoo full of alien species from all over the universe." Lois answered, which caused Conner to question her further. "I think it's because they're all the last of their kind… Just like him." She surmised based on what she knows.
Conner was genuinely surprised to hear something like that about Clark. "But… He's not alone. I mean, I'm here, and-" Lois placed a hand on his shoulder, interrupting him. "Conner. You're a good kid. But, sometimes, I feel like he wants something more than just gifts." Konner looked down at the gift he got from Jon and Martha. "But… What could that be?" He asked her, to which she sadly replied "I sometimes wish I knew. But look, can you go check on him and make sure he's okay?" Conner nodded and flew out of her apartment. "He really has changed…" She commented, before deciding to wait on his return…
At the Fortress of Solitude…
Superboy had arrived at the fortress, noticing the lack of wind in the air from the last time he visited. "Guess it really is clear all around." He then saw an invisible jet fly by him. "Wait… I know that plane! Hey! Diana!" He flew by and greeted her by knocking on the cockpit's window. He waved at her and noticed Batman was in the back seat. They both landed nearby the fortress's entrance. "Huh, I didn't know Batman was visiting too…" Superboy commented, and Wonder Woman said, "I wasn't aware that you were coming here as well, Conner." Superboy scratched the back of his head and replied "Oh, you know. Guess both our plans just happened to be the same thing, huh?" She then tousled his hair, before they all entered through the front door.
"Was it a little sharp on the turn? Sorry if I worried you." Diana asked Batman, who replied "What'd you get him? I won't tell." Superboy looked and saw the box Diana had brought, which also sparked some curiosity within him. "I'm not saying a word… He'll hear you and spoil the surprise." Diana retorted, which got a giggle out of Superboy. "He can hear that, too," Batman whispered to Diana. "So, Conner… What'd you get him?" He then pulled out the small box and answered "Well, you know… It was something Ma and Pa came up with." Batman turned to him and asked "Ma and pa?" Superboy glanced side to side and replied "It's what I call them." Wonder Woman turned to Batman and asked "So what did you get him?" Batman briefly glanced away.
"He's not exactly the easiest person to buy presents for…" He said as he pulled out an envelope. "You didn't get him a gift certificate, did you?" Diana said, to which Batman retorted "No… Cash. Besides, what do you buy for the man who has everything?" Superboy, who had walked slightly ahead of the two while they were discussing Batman's present said "Uh… Guys, you might wanna see this." The two Justice League members looked and saw Superman, standing there with a wide-eyed stare… And a plant attached to his chest. Vines wrapped around his torso and his neck, while he offered no resistance whatsoever to its grasp. Diana and Superboy placed their gifts on a table nearby and went to examine Superman.
They noticed a container right at his feet and presumed it might've come out of there. Batman went to examine the plant, and said: "It seems to be growing through his costume and into his skin." Diana then asked, "Is he breathing?" Conner used his X-Ray vision to examine his vitals. "Yeah, he's still breathing. But, it's… Like he's sleeping." Diana glanced around and exclaimed, "Someone must've breached the fortress!" Batman nodded and said, "Have a look around." Diana went onwards to find the one who did this. Batman pulled out a small flashlight from his utility belt and shined it on Superman's eyes. "Pupils aren't even contracting in the slightest. He must be cut off from all sensation." Superboy approached Superman and asked "Clark… Where are you?"
Inside Superman's mind…
Kal-El was resting in bed when an alarm sounded nearby him. "This is your wake-up alarm." Kal groggily opened his eyes and was greeted by the sight of a drone with a familiar shape of three dots connected by a single line. "Good morning, Kal-El. And Happy Birthday." Kal yawned and responded "Thanks, Brainiac." He looked around the room, and said: "Windows, please." And suddenly, the wall seemed to turn into a clear window, showcasing the farmland beyond the small table. Crops ready for harvest, and a clear sunny day awaiting Kal. To his side, a woman with long red hair in a pink nightgown groaned "Please don't tell me it's morning already…" She placed a pillow over her head and continued to groan.
Kal went to grip the pillow and retorted "That's what you get for partying all night." He then pulled it off her. "I was working." She complained, and Kal responded "Come on, honey. You call that work? Covering the opening of the Argo City Museum of Modern Art? Hobnobbing with all the movers and shakers?" He then kissed her neck, and she answered "Mmm, a bunch of bores. You could've come, you know?" Kal replied "Next time." "Oh please. I couldn't get you off this farm if I exploded a quantum bomb under your-" Kal felt a tremor beneath him, and he looked around in a slight panic. But was relieved when it stopped as quickly as it came. "Did you-" Kal asked, but was interrupted when she pulled him back into bed with her.
"Come here, handsome." She said, inviting him to kiss her. "A gentle reminder, Kal-El, and Kon-El are expected at Jor-El's Laboratory in approximately two hours and twelve minutes, Loana. And the Vac-40 is overdue for inspection." Loana then muttered, "Shut up." Before tossing a pillow at Brainiac, who moved out of the way. She then leaned her head against her hand, wondering what she was gonna do with Brainiac.
Back outside…
Batman further examined the container that the plant came from, and saw the "For Superman" tag on the front. "So it was a gift. Teleported here from some alien culture, or some grateful world." He said as he picked up the container. "Or someone wanting you to think they were grateful." Superboy raised an eyebrow and replied, "I was gonna say, that's an odd way of showing gratitude." Suddenly, the two heard a voice echoing from the Fortress. "How remarkable… You animals really are ALMOST intelligent, aren't you? That's exactly what happened." The voice said, and the two looked and saw that it was none other than the ruler of War World… "Mongul." Batman uttered, seeing Wonder Woman being grasped by her midsection, unconscious.
"You recognize me, I'm flattered. Though, I didn't know that Superman had a spawn. So tell me, who's the inferior woman he slept with?" Superboy in anger shouted, "Put her down!" But Batman had stopped him from doing so. "In any case, I suppose Superman regaled you of our last encounter?" Batman then retorted "You mean how he humiliated you?" Mongul, offended, replied "A… Jaundiced account." Superboy then said "I dunno. Sounds accurate to me." Mongul sneered at Superboy, before turning his attention back to Batman. "What inferior specimen he surrounds himself with. I took her down before she even knew I was there. And I'll take this planet just as easily." He gloated while holding her high up. Diana then woke up and kicked him in the jaw.
"Maybe not as easily as you thought." She said, looking down at her opponent. "Diana! You're alright!" Superboy shouted, but turned his attention back to Mongul. "We 'Inferior Specimen' call it, 'Playing Possum.'" She explained as Mongul was feeling his neck. Just as he approached Wonder Woman, who got in a fighting stance… Batman stood in between them. "No." Diana, shocked that Batman would stop her from fighting an enemy she's more equipped to handle, asks "No?" Superboy adds "Better be a damn good reason." Mongul smirks and replies "Clearly the males on this world are the more intelligent ones. He wants. To know. About. The plant." He then approached Superman to showcase the plant. "The Black Mercy is a telepathic species. It reads the heart's desire and feeds the individual a totally convincing simulation of it."
Batman then asks "So he's dreaming?" Mongul, placing his hand under Superman's chin raising responds "Oh, far deeper than any dream… I wonder where he thinks he is? Sitting on a throne ruling the universe, all you human garbage fawning at his feet? More honest, don't you think, than this pretense of being a selfless hero?" Superboy snapped, shouting "SHUT UP!" Mongul's attention then turned to Superboy, trembling in anger. "Stop talking about him LIKE YOU KNOW HIM!" Mongul chuckled and replied, "Oh, and I suppose you know him so well, Hybrid…" Wonder Woman then rushed Mongul and threw two punches at his face in anger. Mongul staggered back slightly, wiping off the blood that appeared on his lip.
Diana cringed in pain and looked down at her hands. They were bruised. Batman and Superboy rushed to her, ready to aid her against Mongul. "You don't understand, he was the only obstacle in my way. The rest of you… Are already dead." Mongul said, as he slowly approached the trio of heroes…
Inside Superman's mindscape…
The frying pan sizzled as mixed pancake batter was poured onto it. Kal then shouted "Kon! Kon, your breakfast is getting cold!" "I'm coming!" Kon shouted from another room. Suddenly, Kal had slipped on something and saw that it was dog poop. "Looks like the dog left you a present." She then requested Brainiac to try cleaning it up, but then Kal stopped the drone from attempting it. "No Brainiac, Kon was supposed to walk the dog today." He said as he grabbed some paper towels to wipe off his shoe. He then placed the used towel in a disposal unit that disintegrated the paper. "It's his job to clean it up." He clarified. "Kon-El! I want you down here this instant!" "I'm here, I'm here!" Kon-El had seemingly just appeared in the room.
Hiding behind Kon-El was Krypto, who was feeling guilty for the mess he made. Kon went to hug Krypto and said "It's okay Krypto." "How many times do I have to tell you, Kon? When you asked for a dog you-" Kon then interrupted saying "Promised to take care of it. I know. Sorry, dad." Kal then smirked at Kon before placing a hand on his shoulder. "Sorry's not always enough, Kon. We have to-" "Live up to our responsibilities. I know, I know." Kon said as he grabbed a round cleaning device that picked up the dog's mess. "This mean I can't come to the party?" Kon asked, but then covered his mouth. "Oops." Kal went to flip the pancake he was cooking and asked "What party is that?" "Uh… The um…" Kon tried answering, but then Loana went and said "You're confused, Kon. Little Zod's party isn't till next-"
Kal, picking up on the secret the two were keeping interrupted "I told you, I didn't want a surprise party." "And you're not getting one." Loana retorted. "Eat your breakfast, Kon. You and dad don't want to be late visiting grandpa Jor-El." The Brainiac drone added "Indeed. Traffic on the Kandor Skyway is backed up to the gold volcano." Conner lightly smacked his head and exclaimed "Kandor. I forgot!" Before running off to eat his breakfast. "I don't want a surprise party…" Kal said, to which Loana replied "Relax, it's just a small one…" The two then shared a kiss, while Kon was busy eating breakfast…
Back in the fortress…
Mongul had thrown a few jabs at Wonder Woman, who dodged before bashing his face with her shield. He staggered slightly before hitting her with a right cross. Superboy flew into the scene firing his heat vision, but Mongul blocked it with his hand before grabbing Conner's face. "That hurt, hybrid!" He uttered, but then Batman jumped up and got Mongul in a chokehold, causing the despot to release his grip on Wonder Woman and Superboy. Mongul then grabbed Batman's head and threw him across the floor, causing the caped crusader to skid across the floor towards Superman. Fracturing his arm in the process. As Mongul stood over Batman, Diana came from behind sheathing her shield and suplexing Mongul into the ground.
"Your fight's with me!" She exclaimed though Mongul seemed to shrug off the damage. "How nice of you to volunteer…" He said as he rose from the ground. "To be the first of your race to die." He then charged at her and backhanded her through a pillar and a nearby wall. Mongul then went after her, while Batman staggered to his feet. Superboy saw Mongul pursuing Wonder Woman and shouted "Oh no you don't!" But then Batman said "Wait. Don't." Superboy stopped and landed near the Caped Crusader. "And what? Let Diana die?! She needs help!" Batman rubbed his right arm in pain, before saying "Right now, we need to get this thing off of Superman. I need your help, Conner."
He then pulls out a small laser from his belt and fires it at the Black Mercy. However, the plant itself sustained no damage. In fact, it seemed to recover from the beam that struck it. Batman and Superboy both heard Diana getting beaten down on the other side of the wall. "Okay, but if this doesn't work, I'm going after her," Superboy said, deciding to help Batman with Superman. "He'll kill her Clark! And then he'll kill us all! Shake it off, come back to us! Please…" He said to Clark, hoping that somewhere in there he can hear him. Diana meanwhile, was thrown through another wall, right near a rack of weapons taken from various space pirates and other rogues throughout the universe. Mongul had stepped through the hole he made, watching as Diana gathered her bearings.
She then picked up a large cannon lying on the floor next to her and pointed it at Mongul. He raised his arms in mock surrender. "Oh dear, is that a neural impactor? I didn't know they were still making those…" He said, before lowering his arms and walking up to her. She then locked onto him, using the scope attached to the top. "I'd advise you to try the plasma disruptor… It's more of a woman's weapon." He patronized. "Go. To. Hell." Diana retorted before firing a beam from the Neural Impactor, which hit Mongul dead on. However, it seemed that the despot was taking what she was dishing out and continued approaching her. Back with Batman, he tried using a sound emitter, hoping that it responds to a certain frequency, with no effect. "Nothing's working!" He yelled in frustration while tossing the gadget to the ground.
"Maybe I should use my heat vision to burn it?" Superboy suggested, but Batman responded, "If my laser couldn't cut it, your heat vision wouldn't likely burn it." They look to see explosions from the hole Mongul's attack made earlier. "She's in the Hall of Weapons, that should buy her some time. But not enough! She's fighting for her life, Clark. You've got to do the same!"
Inside Superman's mindscape…
Kal-El and Kon-El had arrived at the City of Kandor. The two walked through the hallways of a city building just to get to Jor-El's Laboratory. Kon-El was taking in all the sights of the modern cityscape. "I can't believe you left all this just to live on a farm." Kon lampshaded, which Kal retorted "It's a nice place to visit, but…" Suddenly, the ground started to tremble around them. Another tremor had been felt in the area. "Kon did you-" Kal started to ask, but then Kon saw Jor-El nearby. "Grandpa!" He then went to hug Jor-El, who returned the affection. Kal pulls out a mobile device to contact Brainiac, who informs him "A minor and completely harmless tremor. Predicted several weeks ago by the Seismic Institute." Kal places the device back into his jacket pocket, but he then hears a voice.
"Clark! Please, fight it!" Kal, confused, asked, "Kon, did you say something?" Kon-El shook his head as the two went with Jor-El to his Laboratory.
Back Outside…
Diana continued to blast Mongul with the Neural Impactor. But when the blast stopped, she looked to see he was still taking no damage. She tried firing again, only for him to grab the end of the blaster and crush it in his grasp. Diana then struck him with her sword, but then he grabbed her by the neck, choking her. She then bashed him in the face with her shield again, only for him to shrug it off and choke her with both hands. She tried kicking him in the gut, but then he choke-slammed her into the floor. "First I'll kill you, the Hybrid, and the Bat. Then I'll take this planet…" He said to her as though he's already won. "You… Won't… Win…" Diana said as she was struggling to breathe. "Of course I will." He uttered, as he grabbed her face, and slammed her to the ground.
He then stepped on her face, knocking her unconscious.
In Superman's Mindscape…
Kon-El looked inside a tank to see a squirrel-like creature climbing around a little tree branch. He went to see another creature in a similar-looking tank and asked "What's this one, Grandpa?" He then turned his attention to another creature and asked "And this?" Kal couldn't help but feel joy seeing his son's fascination with Jor-El's discoveries. But he then noticed his son looking at a strange plant-like creature. "Woah! Where'd you get thi-" He asked, but Jor-El interrupted saying "One moment, Kon. Something's bothering you." Kal went to show Jor-El the monitor where a map of Krypton can be seen. Areas marked on the map where multiple tremors have been detected.
"Here. Here. And here." Kal pointed out, and Jor-El answered "A series of mild tremors. Not unusual. Is there a point?" "Something's wrong dad. Something's going to happen, I can feel it!" Jor-El raised his eyebrow at his son's paranoia and asked "Oh, so you're a scientist now?" "Dad…" Kal responded dejectedly. Jor-El approached a nearby window and said "Need I remind you about a prediction of my own. Made, I'm ashamed to admit when you were only a few days old? I announced to the world that Krypton was about to explode and it took me years to salvage my reputation…" Kal went next to his father and reasoned "Maybe you were right. Maybe…" But he then looked over at Kon, not sure if he should address this in fear of his life.
"Maybe I've just been working too hard…" Jor-El then placed a hand on his son's shoulder and responded "The past is dead, my son. Focus on the future, and what it has to hold." Kon ran up to Jor-El, and the latter scooped him up into his arms. "Can we go up to the roof, grandpa?" Kon asked, to which Kal said "Somebody wants to see the macroscope." Jor-El then handed Kon to Kal. "Go on up with your father, Kon. I'll be with you two in a moment." Kon looked up to his father saying "Race ya!" Before jumping out of Kal's arms to head on up to the rooftop. Kal looked at the monitor displaying the map again, and muttered: "It's not right…"
Back outside…
Superman's pupils begin to dilate, his face starts to quiver as though he were about to have a breakdown. The Black Mercy was starting to lose its grip on Superman. "That's it… Fight it, Clark. Fight it." Batman said, and Superboy added "Please… Come back."
In Superman's Mindscape…
Kon-El was looking through the Macroscope at something in the sky, while Kal was looking over the railing. "Fight it…" He heard, and then another voice saying "Please… Come back." Kal shut his eyes, cringed as he felt the planet tremble yet again. "Dad… Dad? You gotta look at-" Kon said, but then noticed his dad in a troubled state. Kal then approached Konner, slowly. And Kon saw the sad look in his father's eyes. "What's the matter? Should I get Grandpa? Why are you-?" Kon asked as Kal kneeled to grip Kon's shoulders. "Kon. When you were born, it was the happiest day of my life." He then placed his fingers under Kon's chin and continued "When I first saw your beautiful little face. Your tiny little fingers squeezed my hand so tight… Like you never wanted to let go." He then held Kon's face with his right hand.
"I watched every step, every struggle… I've… I've, Kon I- Oh, Rao help me. But, I don't think you're real. I don't think any of this is-is real." Tears were falling from Kal-El's eyes as he said that last sentence. "Don't say that, Daddy. Please, you're scaring me!" Kon said as he leapt into Kal's arms, scared that his dad might've lost his mind. "No. No. I don't want to scare you, Kon. You are everything I ever wanted in a son. This. This is everything I ever wanted in a life. But I've got responsibilities, Kon. And… I… Have to go now…" He said, continuing to embrace his son. As he did, Krypton around the two started to implode. Buildings fell apart, the ground tore asunder, and lava shot out from the ground. Kal then placed a kiss on Kon's forehead. "Daddy…" Kon said, tears streaming down his eyes.
"I promise you, I'll never forget!" He declared, as the planet then exploded…
Back outside...
Batman had finally gotten the Black Mercy off of Superman. "Yes!" He shouted, but then once it detached from Superman, it went straight for him. "Batman!" Superboy yelled out, but it was too late. Batman was now the new victim of the Black Mercy's illusion. Superboy horrified, went to try and get it off, but saw that it had a very firm hold on him.
Inside Batman's mindscape…
A young Bruce Wayne was just exiting the Monarch Theater with his parents after watching "The Mark of Zorro". Bruce was awed and inspired by the vigilante's work, and reputation amongst the people. "Hey, dad! Imagine if Zorro came riding through Gotham right now!" He exclaimed, though Thomas chuckled a bit and lamented "I'm afraid they'd lock someone like Zorro up in Arkham, Bruce." Bruce pouted and replied "You don't know that…" But, just as the family was going through the shortcut in Crime alley… A common criminal, in his thirties, approached the family, revolver in hand. Hoping to mug the rich family and make a quick kill. "Tell me, have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?" The criminal asked, pulling back the hammer and the trigger.
But then, Thomas quickly acted and grabbed the man's hand and pointed the gun away from him and his family. He proceeded to punch the criminal in the face for good measure. "Yes!" Bruce shouted in joy, watching as his dad laid a beating on the criminal who dared to try robbing them.
Back outside…
Batman's face had contorted into a smile of contentment. As though he were pleased by what the Black Mercy had offered him. Superboy was scared to think what Batman could be seeing in there, what would satisfy the Caped Crusader. Superboy then looked and saw that Superman was just waking up from his state. "Clark! It's me, Conner! Can you hear me?" Superman blinked his eyes a few times, to adjust himself. He looked down and saw his son, trying to reach him. "Conner?" Superboy sighed in relief and said "Thank God. Look, we have to get that plant off of Batman cause otherwise-" Suddenly, Superman's face contorted in rage, and Conner felt fear run down his spine.
"Conner… Who did this?" Superman asked, his voice filled with malice and contempt. "Uh… It was Mongul! He's in the other room, fighting Diana. I don't think she's gonna last much longer, and-" Superman then turned around and rushed straight through the hole from earlier. "SUPERMAN!" Conner shouted in vain. But, he then decided to focus on the Black Mercy attached to Batman… Mongul then went to pick up Diana's sword, hoping to use it to kill her. As a sense of cruel irony. However, Superman had flown straight into Mongul, crashing him through a wall. The sword had been dropped at the moment of impact.
They had crashed into the zoo section of the fortress. Superman clasped his hands together and punched Mongul across the face. He then threw multiple punches and crosses to Mongul. "Do you have any idea what you did to me?!" he said, before grabbing him by his shirt and slamming him into a nearby wall, and punching him into the ground. Mongul threw a kick at Superman as he rose from the ground. The man of steel then slid across the floor as a result of the impact. "I fashioned a prison that you couldn't escape without sacrificing your heart's desire…" Mongul answered as he cracked his neck with a sickening crunch. "It must've been like tearing off your own arm…" He stated as he grabbed Superman's face.
Back with Superboy…
The young Kryptonian struggled to pull off the Black Mercy from Batman's chest, noting that it has a VERY firm grip on him. "I don't know what cheap fantasy that thing's sellin' you, but come on! You can't give in! Clark needs you! Dick, Babs, and Tim need you!" He shouted hoping that his words had some effect on him. He then remembered something that he accidentally heard Clark say about Batman. "Wait, didn't he call you Bruce at one point?" He asked, hoping that would work.
Meanwhile with Superman…
Mongul started throwing more punches at the man of steel, causing him to stagger and fall. The despot then picked up Superman by his face. He then placed his right hand over his neck, while his left went to the top of his head. He started putting in pressure, hoping to rip off the Kryptonian's head. "Happy Birthday, Kryptonian… I give you, Oblivion." Just as Mongul said that Superman's eyes flashed bright red. "Burn!" He said as he fired his heat vision straight at Mongul's chest. Mongul roared in pain as his chest was burnt, leaving behind a tear in his shirt and a burn scar where the attack hit.
Back with Superboy…
Superboy looked back, hearing the screams of agony from Mongul. He was glad in some regard that the despot was getting his just desserts. But, he still had a task to perform. He once again got a firm grip on the vines wrapping around Batman's torso, and pulled with all his might. "C'mon, Bruce… You gotta pull through! Bruce!" He shouted…
In Batman's mindscape…
Thomas Wayne was still wailing on the mugger in the alleyway, much to Martha and Bruce's delight. "Get him, dad! Get him!" Bruce shouted, rooting for his father. "Bruce!" A voice called out to him. Suddenly, Bruce felt that something was wrong. "BRUCE!" The voice shouted again, as Bruce watched Thomas gets overpowered by the mugger and shot before his eyes…
Outside…
Superboy had finally pried the Black Mercy off of Batman, who staggered from the force the young Kryptonian applied to remove it. Superboy grappled with the plant, which tried to go for him now. Its tongue tried going for his face, only for him to dodge out of the way. When it tried again, Superboy fired his heat vision at the tongue. The plant then writhed in pain, before Conner got a firm hold on its back. "Sorry, but I'm not buyin' what you're sellin'!" He said holding onto the plant with his right hand. "Conner… I-" Batman started, and Conner interrupted "Save it for later, I gotta go help Clark!" He rushed through the hole in the fortress.
Superman meanwhile was punched into a wall near the glass of the zoo. Mongul slowly approached him, saying "You should've stayed in whatever happy fantasy the Black Mercy granted you!" He then charged the Man of Steel punching him around a bit, before slamming him through the ground and into the statue of Jor-El and Lara holding up Krypton in their hands. Superman appeared to have come out of it, with Mongul taking the most damage from the fall. "HAPPY!?" Superman sneered, before punching him repeatedly into the statue. "Do you know what I've lost!? What I've-" Superman suddenly looked up and realized he was about to destroy his parent's legacy in a fit of rage.
Mongul, in Superman's moment of hesitation, slammed Superman's head into his knee, causing the Kryptonian to fall to the ground. Mongul then lifted Superman by his costume and said "You know, for a moment there, I almost believed you were really gonna kill me. How stupid of you to hesitate. Not a mistake I'll make, I can assure you." He then pulled back his fist, ready to beat Superman into a pulp, but then "Excuse me?" Mongul looked to see that Superboy was up above with the Black Mercy in his hand. "But I believe this belongs to you." He said as he tossed it at Mongul, attaching itself to his chest. Mongul released his grip on Superman, and was stuck in the fantasy the plant had provided him…
Batman and Wonder Woman then rendezvoused with Superboy and Superman, looking over at Mongul, staring into space. Diana had brought her present, which looked to be a flower with pink petals. "I apologize if this is in poor taste, but they had discovered a new species of rose. It's called the 'Krypton.'" Diana stated, and Superman immediately went to get a vase for it. "It's perfect. Thanks." He turned his attention to the broken statue and muttered "I promise, I'll never forget." Superboy then presented his gift for Superman. "It's a gift from Ma and Pa, but they figured to make it from me as well." Superman then opened the present and it turned out to be a small music box.
The tune it played gave him a sense of nostalgia, something he hadn't heard in a long time. "I love it! Thanks, Kon!" Superboy scratched the back of his head and replied "Don't mention it!" Just then, Clark's eyes widened, and suddenly saw the son he never had, through Conner. Which then sparked an idea in him. "So, Conner… Are you familiar with my Kryptonian name?" Superboy then pondered, and snapped his fingers once he remembered "Kal-El, I think?" Superman nodded and replied "How about we make your Kryptonian name… Kon-El? How does that sound?" Superboy smiled and answered "I like it. Rolls off the tongue, and it sounds cool." Each of the heroes then looked back at Mongul, still staring into space.
"What do you think he's seeing?" Wonder Woman asked. "Whatever it is… It's too good for him." Batman answered, with venom in his voice. If one listens closely, the sounds of people screaming can be heard from inside Mongul's head.