Legacy Part I
"The End"
Written by Artemis, Story idea by WonderWoman
Summary: The death of the Justice League by Darkseid leaves a world in ruins. This summary sucks intentionally. ;) Batman/Wonder Woman, ANGST!!!!, romance, action/adventure.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, especially all these DC characters. So nyah-nyah!
A/N: I'm juggling three storylines here, which will all come together eventually. Please bear with me.
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Part I, Chapter IV**********************************************************
Alfred walks too slow. I am looking up at the sky—the sky! And I can still walk fast. And Alfred is still too slow.
"Master Clark!"
I stop when he won't let go of my hand. I am bored standing here. I look up at the sky. There is no black. I want to try to touch the top of it. I can touch the top at home. The sky is red and orange and gray. Alfred says that the sky is "absolutely dreadful." I think it's cool.
Alfred says a lot of things are dreadful. Dreadful muffins on a dreadful Monday with dreadful horrid bloody tea on a dreadful afternoon in dreadful Gotham in our dreadful cave away from the dreadful Darkseid. Alfred's English is funny.
He says "absolutely" a lot too. Absolutely Master Clark you may absolutely have an absolutely wonderful muffin on this absolutely wonderful afternoon with absolutely wonderful tea in our absolutely wonderful cave away from the absolutely dreadful Darkseid.
I am Master Clark. Tim is Master Tim. But Alfred is just Alfred. I called him Daddy once and he cried. He pretended he didn't cry but I saw him cry. So I don't call him Daddy anymore out loud but that's what I call him sometimes by accident in my head.
I hear loud voices and look back at Alfred. He is talking to the strange woman with the hood. I don't like her. One time Tim told Alfred that I will grow up "with an unhealthy attitude towards women." I am never sick so I don't understand what is unhealthy about me. I don't know any women either. They thought I couldn't hear them. I can hear everything. I can hear Tim cry at night after I go to bed. He doesn't cry as much though anymore.
The loud voices won't stop. They are hurting my ears. I look back at Alfred and he is still talking. I pull my hand out and walk to where the loud voices are. People who walk slower than Alfred even are everywhere. I have to keep walking around them. Away from all the people I can see where the loud voices are coming from. It is skinny here and I can't see the sky anymore.
An ugly man is yelling at sad lady. I ask him in my nicest voice to please be quiet because his voice his hurting my ears. He looks at me and laughs. I don't understand. I used the same voice I use when I ask Alfred for more milk at dinner. Alfred always smiles when I ask and says "Of course Master Clark." I know this man doesn't know my name, but he was supposed to smile and say "Of course."
He is walking over to me with his hand in the air. Tim says that you never ever hit somebody first. I thought that was silly because then no one would ever get hit because someone has to hit first and if you can't hit somebody first then who will ever get hit? I've seen people hit on the television when we watch movies on tapes. This ugly man hits me first. My face hurts. Tim never said I couldn't hit somebody second so I hit him now. He falls down and makes funny noises. The sad lady grabs my hand and pulls me with her. She moves faster than Alfred.
I can hear Alfred. He is calling my name. I tell the lady sorry I have to let go of her hand now. She laughs and lets go. She doesn't look so sad anymore. I run back to Alfred. Alfred gives me a hug.
"Never disappear like that again, Master Clark."
"Thank you Madame for seeing him back."
"Oh no, I have to thank him. He knocked a mugger to the ground. Saved me my groceries and lord knows what else. Your boy's a hero."
"What's a mugger Alfred?"
"A very bad man, Master Clark. You did a very good thing today. Thank you again Madame."
"No, thank you for raising such a good boy."
I am getting bored again, but since Alfred says I did a good thing; I am going to stand here and be good a little longer.
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Tim shook his head.
"No. I refuse to believe this. You are not this stupid."
Scott swiftly stepped between.
"Look, Bats, we're just surprised, that's all. Tim needs to recover from the shock."
Batman growled, but turned his back and walked towards Alfred's corner.
"Shock? No, it's a little more than shock Scott. He brought Harley Quinn—HARLEY QUINN and Kalibak--KALIBAK, to the Batcave. THE BATCAVE."
"Tim, I catch all the proper nouns the first time you say them."
"Heya, Mistah T? I'm right ovah heah!"
Tim shuddered and looked at her. "Do I have a mowhawk and gold chains? And I'm not talking to you right now."
Harley's fine lines spread into a wide grin, "Heh-heh. I get it Mistah T! Like 'Mistah T!'" Harley balled up her fists and scowled. Her companion, Kalibak, grinned through his drool, although Tim was sure the man-creature-all-around bad guy from Apokolips didn't get the reference to the 1980's. But then again, given his current state, he probably didn't get a lot of things.
Tim looked over to Harley and grinned with phony sadness, "Gee, um this isn't going to work. So how about I get you something to eat, you'll it take it with you—"
"TIM!"
"Yes Scott?"
"What are you doing?"
"Sending our guests on their way."
"Well don't. At least not yet." Scott grabbed Tim's arm and led him further away from Harley who now held Kalibak's hands and was dancing with him. Kalibak pretty much just stood in place and swung his arms.
In a hushed voice, Scott pointed out to Tim, "Kalibak is wearing both Orion's helmet and Green Lantern's ring."
"What?" Tim glanced back at the odd couple. "That's insane. He doesn't seem capable of using them."
"But if we can get these from him, I can use the ring to power the tube."
"What about the helmet?" Batman had appeared behind them.
"The helmet belonged to Orion, Darkseid's son who was raised on New Genesis and became good instead of evil. His helmet projected a holographic image that disguised his features and made him more presentable to the people of New Genesis. It also protected him from Darkseid."
"Orion was killed that Day as well," Tim added.
Batman nodded understanding and asked, glancing at Harley and her Puddin', "So how do you suggest we get this helmet and ring?"
Scott looked surprised, "Well he's standing right there wearing both items." He shrugged, "Just take them."
Batman and Tim exchanged a look. Tim rolled his eyes and muttered "Good luck."
Scott gave them another incredulous glance before walking towards Kalibak. Tim opened his mouth but shut it when a gloved hand clamped down on his shoulder. Glancing up at Batman he nodded and grinned in response to the Dark Knight's amused smirk. He may brood like his father, Tim admitted to himself, but he has his mother's sense of humor.
"GET YEH MITTS OFF MY PUDDIN'!"
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Darkness. That was all Diana saw upon opening her eyes. She tried to push herself up but something was holding back her arms. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light she saw the chains restraining her to the wall. She groaned and rolled her eyes before tensing her pectorals, delts, and biceps. A quick flex later and the chains were ripped from the walls.
"Stupid men," she muttered as she stepped away tugging off the shackles that wrapped over her bracelets, "And that stupid myth about chaining Amazons . . ."
"Surely not every man."
"Athena be praised!" She exclaimed as she ran to the voice, tears already in her eyes. Dropping to her knees, she stopped just short of grabbing him in her arms.
"Oh Bruce, what have they done to you?" She looked at the scars and seeping cuts that crossed his torso before dragging her eyes back to his intense stare.
"Desaad. . ." He pushed himself up onto an elbow. Most of his costume was gone, including his mask. "But what about you--are you alright?"
She nodded and bit her lip. She was better than all right. He was still alive.
"Desaad's dead. . . "
Bruce smirked and her heart jumped in her throat. "How?"
"J'onn."
When his brow creased, she answered his unspoken question, "J'onn and Kal are . . . gone. Shayera, John, and Flash are dead."
He nodded slowly and asked, "You just said J'onn and Clark are 'gone'—not dead?"
A smile started to form on her lips, until she remembered her proposition to Darkseid, "Apparently they can be brought back."
"The Omega Beam?"
She nodded, "Darkseid can bring them back from whatever dimension he sent them."
His frown made her turn her face away.
"How can we get Darkseid to do that?"
"I'm working on it," she murmured to the floor.
His touch made her tremble. She remained quiet, so he grasped her hand a little tighter. "What do you have planned?"
She pulled his hand to her face and nestled her cheek against it. Opening her eyes, she asked with a touch of sadness, "Can we just enjoy this moment a little longer?"
His face hardened slightly before his expression fell into a small smile. He nodded and slid his hand behind her head and pulled her to his lips.
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