Thoughts

Computer Speech

"Speech"

Disclaimer: DC and the Dragonball Franchise belong to their respective owners; I own nothing.

Chapter 38: Nightfall V: Counterbalance

December 19th

Age 762 (2012), Abandoned Warehouse, Keystone City

The Flash ran as fast as his slender legs would take him. He'd circled the warehouse nearly a dozen times, seeking an opportunity to strike the woman who'd torn through the roof minutes earlier, but her guard was seemingly impenetrable. Even as the pale woman battled Aquaman, trading earth-shaking blows with the Atlantean king, she still managed to evade the Flash's attacks whenever he drew near. She was a brilliant warrior, that much was clear, and for all the speed Barry possessed, he could never hope to match her prowess.

Arthur Curry growled angrily as the woman's heavy-handed fist slammed into his golden trident once more. Cracks formed underneath his feet as the Atlantean's knees buckled slightly, but managed to remain upright. In his journeys throughout the seven seas, he'd never encountered a creature like her before. Not only was she ferocious, but her overwhelming strength was literally from out of this world. She gave no quarter, but even as he fought for his life, his thoughts still dwelled on his young ward.

Aquaman's turquoise eyes couldn't help but flicker over to the crumpled body of his companion Tula. The loose strands of her fiery auburn hair were a tangled mess as she lay sprawled on the ground. She slept peacefully, totally unaware of the conflict that raged around her. When this fight was over, and the woman known as Storm-Daughter was slain, Arthur vowed to treat Tula to her favorite shellfish delicacy. Starro and his acolytes would pay for the ruin they had brought to his oceans. His Atlantean blood boiled just thinking about it.

"Argh!"

With a mighty lunge, Aquaman shoved his attacker back. She skid a few feet but was hot on his trail again, before Arthur could even catch his breath. She was inches taller than him, and Aquaman was a short man by no means; she was a veritable giant. Her attacks were unrelenting. Punch after devastating punch rained down on the Atlantean as she covered ground quickly. Arthur was forced on the defensive, again, much to his annoyance.

Barry realized he needed to step in soon, or else his Atlantean acquaintance would join Tula in the realm of unconsciousness, if not worse. The scarlet speedster deeply regretted allowing Vandal Savage to escape, seeing as how the man could've been used as bait. The mastermind behind Velocity 9 had used the Storm-Daughter's sudden arrival as an opportunity to flee the scene. The heroes' attention had been so focused on the new enemy that they failed to notice Vandal slip out the back door. There was no telling where a man with his type of money and connections could be now. It was another awful rookie mistake that the Flash would have to add to an ever-growing list.

The exchanges between Aquaman and the Storm-Daughter rang louder and louder as they danced across the warehouse. The king of the seas fought like a man possessed. His muscles throbbed, aching with newfound pain as he swung his trident again and again. His attacks simply bounced off his opponent's armor, not once managing to graze her perfect alabaster skin. Arthur growled with increasing frustration, but it was then that a lightbulb flickered in Barry's head.

The Flash's earlier attacks had all failed when he'd gotten close, but he'd never tried to strike from long range. Barry's arms began to vibrate at a rapid pace. Clockwise they circled until they became mere blurs to the common eye. Air began to pick up around him, and Aquaman noticed it too and shot him a glance as he was backed into a wall by the Storm-Daughter. Wordlessly, the pair communicated, and with two quick head nods, they reached an understanding.

Arthur summoned all the strength he could muster and rammed his large trident into his attacker's broad chest. With a loud bang, it impacted her and sent the extraterrestrial roaring back. She expected to slide to a halt but was shocked as her body continued to soar through the air, moving against her will. Powerful gusts of wind sliced at her bones. She howled a scream so loud, the windows in the building would have broken had they not already been shattered.

Miniature tornadoes had formed in place of the Flash's hands. He'd never attempted a move like this before, but he was grateful that it seemed to be working. As mightily as the Storm-Daughter thrashed, her strength could not set her free from his hold. Not only was her body caught between strong gales, but the oxygen was escaping from her lungs as well. Just a few more seconds and she'll be…..

Barry's thoughts were left trailing as an emerald light suddenly illuminated the warehouse in its glow. It startled him as his eyes widened in confusion. Distracted, the speedster's hands stopped vibrating as he paused to look up at the figure who was descending out of the blinding light.

Just what we need, another unexpected guest. Who the hell is it now?

December 19th

Age 762 (2012), Downtown Keystone City

Batman rolled to his left just in the nick of time as he narrowly avoided a razor-sharp slice. The concrete was upturned as the ax slid through it. With an effortless tug, it's owner retracted the weapon and was on the prowl once again. Starro's strength was mind-boggling. His ax alone weighed at least five tons, but the warlord waved it as easily as a tennis racket.

The only reason Batman was still alive was either because of sheer luck or because the parasitic monster was enjoying this chase. Whatever the reason was, Bruce counted his lucky stars as J'onn swooped in and kneed Starro from behind. The attack didn't even seem to register, but it did manage to draw Starro's attention. The warlord's ax swung back, and had it not been for J'onn's intangibility, the Martian's head would've been taken off. The weapon phased harmlessly through his body, but Batman was left to deal with Starro's wrath.

With his free hand, the massive alien lunged at Batman's head. Bruce was grateful that the one thing Starro lacked was speed, as he luckily rolled out his gigantic reach. An angry growl erupted from his blackened helm as Starro's hand clutched the passing breeze. Batman could tell that the invader's patience was waning thin. Bruce and J'onn needed to think of a plan, fast, or else they would bear the full brunt of his anger.

Jonn's telepathy was of no use in this fight. The duo was continuously kept off-balance, and while a mental link had been established between them, their thoughts were too focused on the task at hand to bounce ideas. When the duo had descended from the rooftops and approached city hall, J'onn had attempted to establish a mental link with Starro. That had proven to be a grievous mistake. J'onn had writhed in pain as mental images that Bruce couldn't even begin to fathom flooded his mind.

That incident had caused Starro's eyes to set on them and forced them into a battle which they had little to no chance of winning. Batman still couldn't deduce the reason why Starro had appeared in this specific city. Unlike Gotham, the streets weren't lined with his zombified followers. The roads were perplexingly barren and empty. As far as Bruce could tell, there wasn't a single soul traversing the town square, aside from them. From the beginning, Starro had chosen to remain in the shadows and spread his starfish through his minions; he wouldn't just suddenly switch tactics for no reason.

J'onn's body materialized again, snapping Bruce back to reality. The Martian reappeared directly in front of Starro and struck him with a blow that would've flattened a car. The air shook around them as J'onn's thick green fist made contact with Starro's helmet but to no avail. Starro stood, impassive as ever, not budging an inch, and merely swatted J'onn away like some annoying mosquito. Martian Manhunter soared back, and the air was snatched from his lungs as he finally slammed into a nearby car.

Batman unleashed a hail of batarangs at Starro as he dashed to assist J'onn. As usual, the bat-shaped weapons failed to inflict any damage, but the gas pellet Bruce had tossed along the way managed to mask his escape. His feet felt like led as he ran, he was tired, and his suit was weighing him down. By the time Bruce got to him, J'onn was half asleep. Batman shuddered as he thought what Starro's punch could do to him if it left J'onn in a state like this.

With a grunt, Bruce lifted the Martian onto his shoulder and sprinted into the nearest alley, seeking cover in its dark shadows. Not long after, heavy footsteps were heard in the distance as Starro stalked the streets.

"You can run, but you can't hide. Soon enough, this planet will be mine, and rats like you will be weeded out. I have all the time in the world!"

The voice boomed over the quiet streets, and arrogant self-assurance dripped from each word Starro uttered. Batman hated to admit it, but the alien invader was right. The numbers were stacked against them, and friends could be turned to foes in a heartbeat due to his parasitic powers. Bruce dug into his pocket and pulled out his communicator. Earlier in the night, he had reached out to Superman, but the Kryptonian had yet to respond.

Where are you, Clark? We could really use your help right now.

December 19th

Age 762 (2012), Kami's Lookout

Steve whistled, astonished, as he looked over the edge of Kami's spherical home. There was nothing for miles and miles as far as his blue eyes could see. If he lost balance for even a fraction of a second, there would be no –

"Steve!"

Chi-Chi's shrill voice severed his thoughts as the Argus commander looked up and jerked his head towards his girlfriend. His second in command had just finished chatting with Mr. Popo. Earlier, Kami's assistant had given them a tour of his home, which was, of course, decked with numerous photos of his fallen master. It was unsettling how much Kami had resembled Piccolo, albeit a heavily aged version of the menace. But that was where their similarities ended; Kami was nothing like the villain who had once threatened the planet. Kindness and warmth practically radiated off the elderly sage, according to Chi-Chi's impassioned words.

The Moirai sisters had directed Steve and Chi-Chi to the Lookout in their quest for answers to the Starro pandemic. Steve was still surprised at how well Chi-Chi was holding up, considering what the witchly trio had done to her. The sisters who controlled the threads of fate had stolen some of Chi-Chi's most precious memories. The process was a painful extraction that left the victim weakened with blurred vision. Chi-Chi had fared better than Steve, but her body still trembled every time he attempted to touch her.

Whatever memories the sisters had stolen were very dear to her heart.

"I wish I had more, but that's all the Sacred Water I have," Mr. Popo sighed as he rubbed his chin. His eyes darted over to Steve, who was walking towards them. "But if this fails, what will you do?"

The Argus commander's jaw tightened. Failure wasn't an option. "We can't, and we won't fail. Too many lives are depending on us at this moment. The fate of this planet is literally in our hands."

Chi-Chi supported his words with a firm head nod. "If we fail this mission, Goku and the others won't even have a planet to come home to."

Steve wanted to palm his forehead, how could he have forgotten about the spiky-haired Saiyan? Goku's trek into outer space had been big news in the Argus offices. Their mission to Namek, if successful, would restore countless lives and repair the massive destruction that the Saiyan's arrival had caused. Steve and Chi-Chi weren't just fighting for the lives of the people who had been infected; they were fighting for the lives of those who had already perished as well. Steve stiffened as the fear of failure crept into his mind for the first time.

"You've helped us a lot, and the world is truly in your debt, Mr. Popo," Chi-Chi smiled so hard her onyx eyes appeared to be squinting. "I don't mean to ask too much of you, but is there really nothing else you can tell us about Starro?"

Mr. Popo glared at the tile floor as he shook his head. "No, I've told you all I know. Starro is as foreign to you as it is to me."

Steve let out a whisper of a groan. The Moirai sisters told him and Chi-Chi that the Lookout would hold all the answers they needed. The Sacred Water was a start, but there were still numerous questions that plagued his mind.

"This Lookout is arguably the most secluded place on Earth. If not for your visit today, I wouldn't have known what going on down below us."

That much was true, Chi-Chi agreed, but she still found it odd how Kami's assistant hadn't sensed the Starro's growing presence on Earth. "They've somehow managed to hide from you, haven't they?" Chi-Chi finally figured out as her eyes lit up.

"Yes. They can mask their Ki; I thought you'd noticed." Mr. Popo raised a surprised brow. He'd assumed this was common knowledge.

"Mask their Ki?" Steve repeated the words as he gazed back and forth between Chi-Chi and Mr. Popo, both of them paying him no mind.

"They can mask their presence, but recently I've felt an abnormal Ki signature that appears to be growing and growing, even as we're speaking."

Chi-Chi's face grew grim as she scowled and closed her eyes to concentrate. Time seemed to slow, and the sound of the passing breeze was silenced as she focused. She scanned the globe, her search spanning continents before she finally honed in on the massive presence that Mr. Popo had spoken of. Beads of sweat trickled down her soft skin, and with a panicked jolt, her eyes finally opened.

"We need to go… now!"

December 19th

Age 762 (2012), Abandoned Warehouse, Keystone City

"The Green Lantern is at your service."

Barry blinked incredulously as he eyed the tall man in front of him who stood with a hand outstretched.

Against his better judgment, The Flash latched onto the hand and shook it, giving it a tight squeeze. "And just who exactly are you again?"

Hal could feel a tick mark growing on the corner of his forehead. Just how dense could this guy be? "Helloooooo, I just said that I'm the Green Lantern," He repeated in a now irritated tone.

Aquaman and the Flash exchanged quizzical looks as the name didn't ring a bell.

"Sorry, never heard of you," Barry said with a small shrug. This was the so-called age of wonders, but the man in the black and emerald outfit was a complete mystery.

"Seriously?" The Green Lantern groaned as he massaged his temples. Since his return to Earth, Hal had engaged in heroics all over Coast City. He had a growing social media presence and was featured on the local news almost nightly. "Maybe I do need to hire a public relations person like Carol had suggested." He mused to himself as he stroked a non-existent beard.

"A public relations person?" Barry repeated the words in disbelief, but as he mulled over them, it sort of made sense. "Why didn't I think of that before?"

If the seas weren't so far away, Aquaman would've summoned them to drown the two idiots across the room. They were in the middle of a life and death battle and had the nerve to be distracted by such foolish things?

"A Green Lantern, eh? It's been a while since I encountered one of you."

All three men's heads snapped up as they looked towards the Storm-Daughter, who was hovering near what was left of the roof. She had used the Green Lantern's entrance as a means of escape from Barry.

"One of you?" The Flash repeated the words with a hint of confusion. They indicated that the Green Lantern was just one of many.

"Yes, one of us," Hal repeated. "I'm part of a grander intergalactic force of Green Lanterns. The best way I can describe us is space cops."

"Seriously?!" Barry gawked.

"Seriously." Hal couldn't help but chuckle at the scarlet speedster's reaction. He'd been equally dumbfounded when Abin Sur had delivered the news. "Our job is to maintain law and order in our sector of the Universe. Astrild, or Storm-Daughter, as some people call her, is one of the most wanted criminals by the Green Lantern Corps. I was heading to intercept Starro when my ring alerted me of her presence here."

"Starro is here?" Aquaman's voice filled with anxiety. Astrild was already a handful, what more of her master?

"Yes, according to my ring, he's just a few miles away from our location." Green Lantern said as the information sprang to life from his ring.

"Do you know what his plans are?" Barry asked tentatively.

"Isn't it obvious? World domination," Hal answered, snarkily. That's what these alien despots always wanted.

"No, it's much worse than that," Astrild grinned from ear to ear as she finally descended to the ground, landing in the center of the room. "Once Starro has subjugated this planet to his will, you will forever join the hivemind and be a part of his ever-expanding army. You will all join the greatest military force the Universe has ever seen!"

"You were once a goddess on your homeworld, what did Starro offer you that made you switch allegiances so easily?" The Green Lantern Corps file on Astrild and her crimes was remarkable, but none of the data stated why she had joined Starro's cause.

"Easily?" Astrild spat. "Do you think it was easy for me to siphon my entire planet's power in an attempt to fight Starro and still be defeated? No! I made the smartest decision I could and joined the seat of power rather than fight against it."

Arthur couldn't believe what he was hearing. This woman was some kind of deity and had betrayed the trust of her people? As a leader himself, Aquaman couldn't imagine committing such a traitorous act.

"You don't deserve to live! Not only are you Starro's lapdog, but you're a disloyal coward as well!" Arthur's trident would've broken under his increasing grip had it not been crafted by the gods themselves.

"Better to be a living coward than a brave corpse." Astrild guffawed as she tossed her back, clutching her stomach. "Honor is for fools, and Starro has taught me that."

"I can assume we're done with the pleasantries now?" Hal asked as he glanced back and forth between Aquaman and Astrild. "We're wasting precious time here that could be spent on more pressing matters….like the guy who's actually behind all this."

"But you're the one who showed up out the blue and ruined everything. I almost had Astrild taken out." Barry rebuffed. Green Lantern's ego was out of control.

"Almost doesn't cut it," Hal replied with a condescending finger wag. "When I saw you on tv, I assumed you were a seasoned hero, but clearly, you're still wet behind the ears."

Barry took a deep breath as he tried to suppress his growing anger. "Okay, then, Mr. Bigshot, why don't you show a rookie like me how things are done then?"

"Gladly," With a cocky smirk, Hal's ring lit up, encasing him in its green aura. "I'll show you how a pro does it."

December 19th

Age 762 (2012), Downtown Keystone City

Chi-Chi and Steve moved quickly as they dashed across the lifeless Keystone city streets. It was completely foreign ground to Chi-Chi, but Steve had been here once before. Just a month prior, the Argus commander had led an excursion to investigate the Flash. With all the new metahumans that kept popping up, it was imperative that Argus tracked them. Under normal circumstances, Steve would've delegated the assignment to one of his low ranking officers, but the Flash was a special case.

The scarlet speedster's abilities were unlike anything America had ever witnessed, and the upper limits of his speed were unknown. The mission had been shorter than expected and ended rather abruptly once Steve recognized the Flash wasn't a threat. He was a hero, and that was proven several times over during his stay in the city. As he and Chi-Chi sped through avenues like a monster was hot on their trails, Steve couldn't help but wonder where the Flash was now.

Chi-Chi's Ki sensing led them to this location, but so far, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Sure, the streets weren't crowded with people like they should've been on a regular evening, but there was nothing too peculiar about tonight. Heck, since they had left the Argus headquarters, Steve hadn't seen a starfish. When they arrived in Keystone city, he expected to be swarmed by its mind-controlled denizens. Steve wasn't the type to doubt Chi-Chi's words, but he was beginning to question if her sensory abilities had been off, just slightly

He was about to voice his concerns when she suddenly halted her stride.

"He's here; I can sense his massive Ki presence."

Steve blinked, perturbed as he couldn't see, hear, or feel anything strange. When it came to matters regarding Ki, he always felt useless.

"Up there!" Chi-Chi pointed before grabbing Steve and tucking him behind a car. She quickly joined him behind the green SUV as the parasitic warlord flew by overhead.

Steve's eyes threatened to fall out of their sockets. "He's huge!"

Chi-Chi nodded in agreement. Piccolo was a massive being, but even he would be dwarfed by Starro's size. "I can sense two other presences nearby as well."

Steve frowned as he watched Starro ascend even higher into the sky. "Do their Ki signatures pose a significant threat?" He asked.

"One of them does, but its energy is fluctuating as we speak. The other one is no threat to me, but his Ki still outclasses you."

"So, in other words, we're screwed." Steve ruffled his sandy hair and pondered what to do. He was deep into his thoughts when his girlfriend suddenly spoke up.

"No, it can't be," Chi-Chi stirred as she grabbed Steve's forearm. "One of those Ki signature's is foreign to me, but the other one appears to be Batman's." The words were spoken with great doubt, but the look on her face concluded that her assessment was correct.

Batman huh? Looks like our luck is finally turning around. If we can get to him, I'm sure we can formulate a plan.

Steve turned to Chi-Chi, determination brimming in his eyes. "Before anything else, we need to find him."

A big thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 37!

A/N: It's been a very long time since I updated this story, almost two years, to be exact. I lost interest in this story and in writing in general for a long time. The Coronavirus quarantine has given me time to think and find that love again. I want to finish this story and give it the proper conclusion it deserves.

Admittedly, this story is sort of a mess right now. After the Saiyan saga, I jumbled so many things. I started writing about the Namek saga, and this story's Namek saga is pretty much the same in canon, there was really no need to address it. My main focus should've just been on Starro and the remaining heroes on Earth. I will summarize what happened on Namek, but I'm not going to go too in-depth with it.

I'm going to stick to writing shorter chapters like this. 4-5K word chapters will be the norm from here on out. If I feel a chapter necessitates being longer, I'll do it, but it won't be as often as it was in the past. Shorter chapters like this are easier for me to pump out, and I feel like the overall quality of my writing is better like this too.

I'm simultaneously working on my own original story and this fanfic, so my time will be split. If you want to check that out, the FictionPress link is in my bio. But either way, thank you all for your continued support over the years in regards to this story.

Q/A:

Maelaeran: Thanks for the review! I know the POV changes a lot more than it did in earlier chapters, but it's necessary. The cast has grown a lot, so it's going to be hard to keep the POV between two or three characters.

DRAGONDAVE45: As far as Dr. Wheelo, I don't have any plans for him. The JSA doesn't exist in this story since Superman and co are the first superhero's. That plot-line wouldn't really work in this story. I do plan to use Amazo, though.

Vanessa Masters: In the comics, it wasn't really specified how Steve got them in the mirror.

Escanor: It's possible that you may see him appear later on in the story.