Kim Possible and all related characters and indicia are owned by Disney. Supergirl and all related characters and indicia are owned by DC Comics. Adam is the creation of Triaxx2. This work of fan fiction is written for pleasure, not profit.
WWLAOS: I'll have to go back and tweak my descriptions a bit, I guess. I wanted to describe the suit in enough detail that readers would realize that it was an early version of the suit from 'Batman Beyond'. Guess it didn't work.
Thanks to: Triaxx2, star's dreams, Sand Lord, Forgotten466, gargoylesama and Ace Lannigan.
This chapter is my first attempt at an extended, epic-type battle. I tried to balance it so everyone had a part to play, and tried to throw in a touch of humor as well. I'm not sure how good a job I did, so comments to that effect would be especially appreciated.
Kim was gaping at the boiling cauldron of energy and the column of light erupting from it. Why the blast had fallen back in on itself, she couldn't guess.
'Maybe Faust contained it,' she mused. A sudden premonition of danger led her to duck, just in time to avoid the blow aimed at her head by the second guard, who had regained his feet and come after her again. Recovering, Kim jabbed him in the belly with the end of her staff. He doubled over, but there was already another one coming up behind him. A quick glance showed many more people streaming into the chamber. Some wore armor, others robes. A number of them were heading for Ron, or Batman, or whoever he was. Kim dashed over to the black clad figure, her staff flailing. By the time she got there he was on his feet again.
"Hey, K.P.," he greeted her cheerfully, a voice that was clearly Ron's coming from the mouth...speaker? of the shiny black helmet.
"Ron! It is you!" Kim exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. "But what...?" She leaned back to arms length, staring at him. The suit was hard and shiny, unlike Batman's usual costume. It had also apparently been sized to Ron, who was not quite as tall as Batman, and considerably less muscular, especially up top. It was also bulkier than it should have been. "Is that some kind of powered armor?" she asked. Ron shook his head.
"Explanations later, K.P." he said. There was a certain urgency in his voice. Kim reacted instinctively, spinning away while Ron did the same thing in the opposite direction. A wicked looking axe embedded itself in the wall right where they had been standing. Halfway across the room a furious looking Monkey Fist snatched up another weapon, a pike with a long, narrow point, and charged.
Felix Faust unleashed a bolt of energy at Dr. Fate, who blocked it with a hastily raised hand.
"Zatanna, containment, if you please," Fate ordered. Zatanna moved away from him, raising her hands as she went.
"Raeppa cigam niatnoc ot ebolg," she said in a commanding voice. A dimly visible sphere sprang into existence around Fate and Faust, who proceeded to cut loose on each other with all the power they possessed.
Kara was having trouble finding her way to the fight. The whole mansion, even the walls and floors, seemed to be ensorcelled. It didn't completely block her x-ray vision, but it definitely made things murky. Kara paused in the center of a small room that served as a junction of two hallways. The passageways had been decorated to resemble streets in the French Quarter of New Orleans, with arches and brickwork and wrought iron railings fronting 'balconies' that were only inches deep. Despite the urgency of the situation, Kara couldn't help but nod approvingly.
"Whatever Faust's faults are, he has good taste in decor," she said to no one in particular. Listening intently, Kara thought she heard sounds of battle echoing down one of the corridors. She started forward, only to jump back in surprise as a heavy metal door thudded down in front of her, blocking the way.
"Don't want me to go that way, huh?" she asked. On a lark, she tried one of the other halls. Three more doors dropped down, trapping her in the small room.
"Nice try," Kara chuckled. To the first door she said, "This is going to hurt you a lot more than it will me, I'm happy to say." There was the barest hint of...something. Kara would later say that it was as if the featureless door had quirked an eyebrow at her and said, "Oh really?" She drew back her fist and let fly.
Kim dodged another of Faust's flunkies. She had discarded the staff, replacing it with a pike similar to the one Monkey Fist was wielding.
'Had been wielding,' she amended when she saw Ron snag the shaft and yank the weapon out of Monkey Fist's grasp. Kim couldn't help but gasp when Ron snapped the thing across his knee as effortlessly as if it was a twig. Apparently the Bat-suit he was wearing augmented his strength along with whatever else it did. How he'd managed to talk Batman into letting him use it was a tale she would hear even she had to pry it out of him.
For his part, Monkey Fist was as angry as Kim had ever seen. Flecks and tendrils of saliva flew from his mouth as he bellowed and roared. He seemed to be saying something, but Kim couldn't make out what it was, not over the noise of the battle. Twirling the pike she sent another guard flying, then felt a peculiar numbness spread through her body. Turning awkwardly, Kim saw one of the people in robes gesturing at her while they chanted. Kim's limbs were starting to stiffen when a green feathered arrow caught the spell caster in the chest, it's blunted tip dropping the man like a sack of bricks. The numbness vanished instantly.
"Thanks for the save!" Kim called, waving at Green Arrow as he dashed into the chamber. Black Canary was right behind him, already wading into the thick of the fight. A young man had arrived as well. Kim had to think for a moment before she recognized him as Fate's protégé, though she couldn't recall his name at the moment. Green Arrow grinned back, then ducked to avoid a blow from a kama wielding guard.
Zatanna was sweating. Fate and Faust were unleashing enormous amounts of energy in their contest, enough to devastate the countryside for miles around. Only the globe she had erected kept that from happening, and even then she had to copy the effect of whatever Faust had done to contain the hellish maelstrom of eldritch energy that seethed in one corner of the room, and fit a relief valve. A second pillar of fire joined the first, lancing skyward. Keeping it up was a fairly difficult task, one that took almost all of Zatanna's concentration. She had very little attention to spare defending herself, and at least some of Faust's acolytes (the suicidal ones) were trying to distract her enough for her spell to fail.
Out of the corner of her eye Zatanna saw a bolt of lightning take down one of the gray armored goons that were swarming into the room.
"Adam!" she shouted, recognizing the spell even if she couldn't see the caster. "Get over here and help me!"
The teenager obeyed at once. "What do you want me to do?" he asked, casting a nervous eye at the hurricane of energy surrounding Dr. Fate and his foe.
"My containment bubble is the only thing keeping us alive," Zatanna said from between clenched teeth. It was taking almost all of her willpower to keep the globe up. "Those idiots," she snarled, nodding at a small group of people in robes, "don't seem to realize that. Keep them off me."
"Got it," Adam said, moving away from her, eyeing his foes as he ducked behind a largish piece of the ceiling. Their attention was entirely on Zatanna, which suited him just fine. The problem was how to help Zatanna without drawing attention to himself. If Adam had learned anything in his short time in the League, it was that relative power level mattered. A lot. Back home, fighting muggers and pick-pockets, he could be careless, be flashy, and get away with it. Now, going up against four people who were, he had to assume, at least equally as skilled as he was, he'd have to fight smart. Very smart. Or else they'd take him down as easily as he used to take down crooks back home.
Adam cast his gaze around, hoping for an idea. He noticed a few flickers of flame among the debris scattered about, and even more smoldering spots, some of which were close to his targets.
"Perfect," Adam said softly, a wicked grin touching his lips as an idea popped into his head. His fingers twitched as he mouthed a single word. A tiny sliver of magically energy, so small that no-one paid it the slightest attention, flew across the intervening distance. The lackey it struck didn't even notice he'd been hit. Nor did he notice the tiny tongue of flame that sprang to life on the hem of his robe. But when a hot breeze started blowing up around his privates, he noticed that, and quickly lost all interest in Zatanna.
Green Arrow loosed another shaft, targeting an armored figure that was threatening Kim. The arrow was tipped with a hardened steel ball and slammed into the bad guy's back with a satisfyingly loud clang. Kim favored Arrow with a smile as he dashed over and retrieved his arrow. He could only carry forty at a time, so he didn't like to abandon them if he could help it.
"Thanks," Kim said as she threw a second assailant.
"My pleasure," Arrow grinned. Then he turned serious. "Where's Fate?"
Kim pointed at the second sphere. "In there with Faust," she answered. Taking a quick look around she added, "Ron's keeping Monkey Fist busy, and you, me and Canary seem to be doing the same to the guards. I don't see DNAmy, though."
"And I don't see Bats or Supergirl," Arrow said, taking his own look around.
"If Supergirl is here, she's probably got her hands full," Kim speculated. "That would explain the shaking, anyway." Green Arrow nodded. The house had been shaking and trembling since he'd entered it, and the shocks were getting more intense.
"If I know Supergirl at all," Arrow said, "she's madder than a nest of hornets right now, and venting by playing wrecking crew."
Kim gave him a 'that sounds about right' grin, then jabbed a guard in the face with business end of her pike. The tip came out the back of his helmet. Kim pulled her weapon free and the guard slumped to the floor.
"You killed him!" Green Arrow said, gaping at Kim in disbelief.
"I wish," was all Kim said in reply. She pulled off the guard's helmet. The hole in his, its, face was already shrinking, and there was no blood. "Whatever these things are," Kim went on, "They can't be killed, at least not as far as I can tell, but the more damage you do them, the longer they stay down."
DNAmy ran as fast as she could. At their plans, everything she had worked so long and hard for, everything she had sacrificed to achieve, was in danger of coming to naught. Why couldn't that evil man, Ron Stoppable, have done what he was supposed to? He wasn't supposed to be patient or smart. He was a buffoon, a comic sidekick. He was supposed to take foolish risks and get up to his neck in trouble, not come storming to the hero's rescue with an army of super powered bullies at his back. It wasn't fair! She had to do something to help, but what?
As she ran, DNAmy passed a familiar door and slid to a halt. Faust had showed her something once. A gong, a tiny thing of highly polished brass. It was pretty, but really didn't look like much. Faust had assured her though, that it was the key to the ultimate defense, should his home ever be invaded. A single ring of the gong was all that was needed to trigger that defense. Without another thought, she turned and ran into the room.
Inside the suit, Ron was sweating buckets. The suit was a thing of pure genius. A prototype, it was a completely sealed powered suit that boosted it's wearer's strength, augmented his hearing and vision, as well as providing a life support system that protected from environmental hazards like smoke or gas. So far so good, and pretty run of mill as far as such things went. The neat thing was that it was self sizing. The suit had been more than a little roomy when Ron had first put it on, and had said so. Batman had responded by manipulating some controls, and Ron had watched in awe and trepidation as the suit shrank itself down to his size. And the thing was covered with rigid plates of armor! But they had shrunk too. Before Ron could say a word Batman had read Ron's expression and anticipated his question.
"Don't ask, because I won't tell," was all the Dark Knight said.
Ron slowly backed away from Monkey Fist, blocking blows, rolling with Fist's savage punches. The man was strong, unbelievably so, and faster than ever. He could also take damage like nobody's business. Ron had landed punches that would have put a normal man, any normal man, in the hospital with shattered ribs. Fist had shrugged them off like they were nothing.
No, that wasn't true. He was plastered in sweat too, and breathing just as hard as Ron was.
"Why can't you just die?" Monkey Fist gasped, glaring at Ron.
"Why can't you stay dead?" Ron retorted, as the two of them took a short breather.
"I must have revenge!" Monkey Fist raged, lunging forward again. Ron feinted with his right and tagged Fist with a left to the jaw that spun him around.
"Revenge, revenge, yadda yadda yadda," Ron mocked. "Is that all you villains ever think about?"
Monkey Fist unleashed a kick that caught Ron in the belly. If not for the armor Ron would certainly have had the wind knocked out of him, if not worse. As it was he went flying and landed in a heap, slightly stunned. Struggling up, Ron managed to regain his feet before Monkey Fist caught up to him.
"I must have the mystical monkey power!" the man-monkey howled, tackling Ron, sending the two of them tumbling in a tangle of flailing limbs.
"Dude, you HAVE the mystical monkey power," Ron pointed out, grappling with his foe.
"I must be the only one to possess it!" Fist clarified, clamping a hand around Ron's armored throat.
"Oh, I see how it is. Someone doesn't like to share," Ron jibed, locking his own hands to the side of Monkey Fist's head and pushing back.
"No I don't!" Fist shrieked, sounding for all the world like a spoiled kid. He let go of Ron's throat, grabbed the face plate of the helmet, and began pounding Ron's head against the floor. Ron reacted by triggering the stun feature of the suit's gauntlets. Electricity crackled and Monkey Fist cried out in pain. Ron twisted free and sprang to his feet.
For his part Monkey Fist was completely berserk now. Not a shred of coherence remained in his bloodshot eyes, only raw fury. Ron went into guard and waited. He didn't have to wait long. Monkey Fist surged forward, his every thought focused on attack, on destroying Ron Stoppable. He didn't give any thought at all to defense.
That was going to cost him.
DNAmy saw the gong flickering in the dim light, beckoning to her. She ran toward it, but just before she reached it a hideous shadow fell from the ceiling and reared up in front of her.
"Boo," said a cold, monotone voice.
DNAmy fainted immediately.
Zatanna watched as the firestorm inside her shield faded out, revealing the victorious form of...Felix Faust. Zatanna's eyes widened in horror. Dr. Fate lay crumpled at the wizard's feet. Zatanna dropped the shield. She couldn't keep it up AND fight, so... At least Faust was weakened. He looked exhausted. Maybe Fate had taken enough out of the man that she would have a chance against him.
"Oh crap!" Kim turned at Green Arrow's words, following his gaze to the center of the room. Fate was down, Zatanna was preparing to do battle, Kara still hadn't shown up, and the rest of them were being worn down by a relentless force of almost unstoppable minions. Almost before she realized what she was doing, Kim broke free of the melee around Arrow and Canary and sprinted toward the wizard. Using a piece of debris as a vault, she launched herself into a flying kick. Kim heard Zatanna cry out something along the lines of 'Kim don't'. Faust turned his head and the last thing Kim saw was his eyes widening in surprise...
...just before the heel of her right boot slammed into his jaw and dropped him like a pole-axed cow.
Zatanna stared in wonder. "You beat Felix Faust," the magician said in an awed voice. Then, going serious, she turned her attention to the unconscious wizard.
"Stniartser dna sdnob, gag, selkcahs," Zatanna commanded. Moments later Faust was bound hand and foot, with a gag over his mouth. Kim was impressed. Zee had even bound the wizard's fingers, to keep him from so much as wiggling them. A look around showed that Ron had Monkey Fist laid out and, with Green Arrow's help was tying him up. Faust's guards had stopped moving, standing or falling over as their position when the switch was turned off dictated. Batman entered the room half carrying, half dragging a blubbering DNAmy. Black Canary was herding Faust's living minions into a corner. Fate was getting to his feet, assisted by his young student.
Ron excused himself from Green Arrow and walked over to Kim, pulling off his helmet as he came. Kim smiled as Ron took her in his arms and hugged her gently.
"I'm glad you're ok," he whispered in her ear. Kim returned the hug as best she could.
"Thanks for coming for me," she replied. Kim moved back slightly to look Ron in the face. He smiled down at her, and she smiled up at him. Before anything more could be said or done though, there was a final, violent shaking, followed by the thunderous rumble of a good part of one wall collapsing. Out of the billowing clouds of dust kicked up by the falling debris staggered Kara. She was sweaty, dusty, gasping for breath, and covered with scratches and bruises. Kara stared at the spectacle around her, then shook her fist at what was left of the room.
"Stupid house! You made me miss all the fun!"
Kim began to chuckle. Ron followed suit, and soon they were all laughing, in relief if nothing else.
Except Batman.
He only smiled.