Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel or DC

Well it's been a month hasn't it?

Kevin Conroy and Jason David Frank (commonly known as Tommy Oliver from the Power Rangers franchise) two icons of my childhood gone. Chris Hemsworth, Thor himself also revealed his break from acting as he revealed his increased risk of developing Alzheimer's.

Conroy's and JDF's passings really influenced my writing for the end of this chapter, both main OC characters have their own mental health issues, Sven being anxiety and Alex having once attempted suicide. Now someone's definitely going to flame this chapter and me when I say that I've had depressing and negative thoughts, whether it's about my writing, my work or the course of my life. But I wanted to respect these issues and state that it's okay to have help.

With the ending being a little thank you to Conroy for his legacy as Batman.

Anyway onto the chapter


Universal Collisions: Secret Crisis

Chapter 6: Super-Adaptoid

The android, at least, that's what Clark saw with his X-ray vision, didn't seem to have any limits to the bullets it produced from its gun. It just kept rolling its gatling guns and cannons, White Flash was having a seizure and the markings across Aeon's skin were glowing brighter. Both men had to be carried by Ms Marvel's massive hands to avoid gunfire. It was a fight for the White Flash to keep the fusion together; likewise, Aeon was actively trying to keep his power from coming back to him. The man would give up his power to save a life, and for a moment Clark wondered if his Earth would have been a better place if he had never landed on it.

The scenario once appeared as a dream to him, a very recent dream even. Kryptonians of old once took in the sons or daughters of their great enemies, a way to keep old blood lines going. Kal-El, adopted son of Dru-Zod, the last survivors of Krypton who would go on to bring peace across the galaxy, leaving Earth the primitive obscure planet free of any alien's interest.

But this was his life, other Earths, fights that needed to be fought. His absence from the life of the Kent's wouldn't have saved Jonathon Kent from that Tornado, even if he could have. What he could do now was save people, being a shield against bullets, pulling them out of danger.

Sarah Proctor hated superheroes; one had enslaved her and her children. Her daughter was still suffering from agonising muscle cramps, she slept for longer, and there were times when Sharon herself just blacked out. She didn't know if it was trauma, or whether some remnant of Maximoff's magic still remained. She never wanted to see a superhero again, especially with their battles now nearly destroying their neighbourhood. But when the man in red and blue picked her up, protected her, and flew her and her daughter out of danger, she felt safe in his arms.

"Everything will be all right," he said, and she believed him.

Westview would have been destroyed, if the Avengers hadn't learnt their lessons from Sokovia. To avoid destruction, they contained the fight to one area, Kate and Shang-Chi hit the robot with projectiles to keep it in one spot. But there was another method, even without his shield Sam was still a leader.

"Get him out of here," he commanded.

The best way to avoid destruction was to keep the fight away from civilians, away from the public. Wong opened the portal to the forest region outside and She-Hulk punched the robot through it. Danvers and Rambeau flew in afterwards, hitting the android with blasts whilst Sam and Strange followed.

"Definitely not human?" Sam asked.

"Definitely not," Strange confirmed.

"Great, that means we don't have to hold back," She-Hulk said.

She dived through the portal, punching the Adaptoid across the face whilst Danvers hit it in the back with a blast. Carol lit her fists on fire and swung them at the Adaptoid, only for it to grab both her hands. Its eyes glowed as a starburst pattern appeared on its chest. Photonic energy spread across its body, mirroring Carol. She widened her eyes before a blast came out of its chest, overloading her and throwing her back.

"Come on, let's help," Hawkeye said.

She ran through the portal with Bucky and Shang-Chi.

"NO ALL OF YOU GET BACK!" Sam yelled.

But he was too late; one by one the Adaptoid looked at the Avengers. Its white form became green, Stark gauntlets covered its arms; its expressionless face became the Iron man helmet mixed with Sam's goggles. The Adaptoid's hide gleamed, like Vibranium from Bucky's arm, a Quiver and bow appeared on its back and a cloak of levitation formed.

"Oh god," Sam whispered, realising too late that the thing could copy their abilities, even equipment.

He brought his wings around, using them as shields when the Adaptoid fired a ring at him, knocking him to the ground. Kate fired an arrow, only for it to be deflected by the Adaptoid's arm before it clapped its hands together, releasing energy in combination with the Hulk's strength. Shang-Chi however slid in the way, using his rings to form a field that barely protected the pair, throwing them like rag dolls against nearby trees. She-Hulk pulled a nearby tree out from its roots as Wong and Strange trapped the Adaptoid with Eldrictch whips. Jen took a running start, jumped and with all her strength brought the tree down like a hammer on the Adaptoid. But it simply stood in place, the tree crumbing into shards upon contact. The photons around it grew fiercer, releasing a wave that blasted the sorcerers and She-Hulk away from it.

"Guys, where are you, do you need back up?" Kamala asked.

"No, stay away, keep the others away too Kamala, the robot is capable of mimicking superpowers as well as specialised equipment, like your bangle, adding more super humans to the mix will only fuel its power," Monica explained.

"What's going on?" Superman asked, landing near Kamala.

"The robot can copy superpowers, with Miss Danvers's powers alone it's pretty much the most powerful thing on the planet," Kamala stated.

"Not yet," White Flash said through gritted teeth.

He looked at Superman knowingly and Clark nodded slightly.

"If I join the fight, I'll just end up making things worse," the speedster said.

"I'll fuse with you again, get you to the hospital where you can get some treatment," Aeon said.

"You might have a few seconds of a fusion left, I'm not familiar with your powers, then again, I've never encountered an Earth like this one," White Flash said.

"You're experienced, more experienced than my Flash, you think at a rate faster than anyone, you're sure there's no possible scenario that we can win and save your lives?" Superman asked.

"The Fusion wants to stop, the power wants to come back to me, fuse with me again and we can figure it out together," Aeon said.

"Is your power without limit?" the speedster asked.

"I can break through my limit!"

Barry huffed and everything crawled around him, flash time, he closed his eyes and let the speed force take him.

He and Sara woke up in Joe's house, both sitting together on the sofa, him with his head on her lap as he looked up at the ceiling.

"This is not a good pose," she said.

"Comfy though," he grinned.

"I'm thinking cut our losses, let blondie get his power back," Sara said.

"But that means you die," he said without humour.

"I've died before, you though Barry, you'll heal if you stop long enough."

"Except I can't stop, you know what they're fighting," he said.

"Yeah, an Amazo, and if he scans Superman then they're screwed, if they aren't already, the girl is definitely a fan of their Supergirl," Sara chuckled.

"I somehow don't think she's related to Kara," Barry commented.

"So, what are your ideas, what have you been able to gleam so far?" Sara asked.

"The problem is this fusion, I'm not familiar with any kind of ability like it, it feels weird and right at the same time, us being one person. The White Flash was always going to die at some point, but us? I'm supposed to be the paragon of love, dying together only sounds romantic in stories, I can't…I can't let you die Sara," Barry explained.

She looked down and saw the tears in his eyes, those familiar tears he was never afraid to shed. Her mind drifted to when she nearly cried in his presence. He had created the Flashpoint, and she and the other superheroes found out and felt betrayed, lecturing him. Sara in particular wanted to change time, wanted to bring her sister Laurel back, but she couldn't because she knew the cost to the timeline. Then they cried together after the Crisis, before finally finding a way together to fix time.

"You're a detective and a scientist Barry, maybe this requires my point of view, the scheme of a former ruthless assassin," she said.

"Okay Canary, what's your plan?" he asked.


Korban Colony-Centauri system

It had been a long and complicated story; the Korbon's didn't exactly have food for the refugees of another Earth. Fortunately, Thor had supplies on his ship, the 'Natalia', it was a redundant vessel considering Stormbreaker could access the Bifrost. Love showed them to the food, but the Iron Knight stayed close to Loki at the campfire as the god of mischief recounted his story. There was no fist thrown at Loki, cursing him for another trick, asking him what pleasure he gained from faking his death. No, Thor knew the moment he met this Loki that it wasn't the one whose neck Thanos crushed. Looking into the man's eyes, Thor began to understand how his mother of that other timeline felt when seeing him; there was obvious exhaustion, but more than that pain.

So, Thor and the Knight listened as Loki told Thor everything (almost), the blunder of Stark and Rogers's time travel, how he was arrested by the Time Variance Authority. This secret organisation dictated the proper course of time, preserving a 'sacred timeline' to avoid a Multiversal war. Only to do this they wiped out possible new worlds whenever they reached a turning point in history. Loki told Thor that the Time Masters who created the TVA were just robots, and that no one in the TVA was created, but were in fact variants kidnapped and brainwashed to serve he who remains. This man created the TVA and the sacred timeline to protect the Multiverse from his variants. His death was supposed to dissolve the TVA, but it seems the TVA was an idea many variants of the scientist had.

The story burned in Thor's mind, an infinitude of people killed before they could become more than what fate willed them, robbed of choice. An organisation that dictated people's destiny's that decided who was important, that knew when bad things would happen, Ragnarok, the Snap, Tony, Natasha.

'Jane,' his grip tightened on Mjolnir, and Stormbreaker rumbled in the dirt next to him.

"I escaped from that other TVA the same way Sylvie did, by hiding in Apocalypses in different realities, but when I arrived in yours," Loki looked towards Iron knight, who looked down at him from his bulky armour.

"It was different, it wasn't some natural disaster, but a type of incursion from another world," Loki said.

"That great darkness, and the flesh, like the Many Angled Ones," the Iron Knight said.

"Are you certain?" Thor asked, his interest turning into cautious fury as he leant forward.

"We knew only legends, what do you know of these primordial deities?" the Knight asked.

"They are no more primordial deities than Asgardians are, our…father told us about them," Loki said.

"They are an interdimensional will, a consciousness that seeks only to consume worlds with an endless life," Thor said.

"That didn't look like immortality attacking our world."

"Because what they offer isn't true immortality, it's the agony of dying again and again and again without the release or peace of death, what I saw on your Earth was similar but still quite different," Loki explained.

"I know not what kind of man you are, but the Tony Stark of my world…"

"Lord Anthony Stark? You know him in this world?" the Iron Knight raised his arms, looking tense even with the armour on.

"Aren't you Stark?" Loki asked.

The Iron knight released the clamps on his helmet, revealing not he, but she.

"I am Morgana Stark, alchemist and heir to the armour powered by the Arc furnace," she said.

Loki widened his eyes in shock, but Thor stood up and looked at the girl sadly. She did look like how he would have imagined Tony's daughter Morgan looking once she had become a young woman, perhaps she was what Tony saw before he died. It was a thought that offered a small comfort for Thor, for his friend to know his daughter; his love became a bright and intelligent young woman. The pain in the eyes of Morgana was the same as the pain Thor saw in the other Loki, in himself when he looked in the mirror.

"Welcome to our universe Lady Morgana daughter of Anthony, if it is within my power I will aid your people, this I swear," Thor said, standing and offering his hand to Morgana.

"The TVA will pursue me, so will he," Loki said.

"Let them come, I shall be ready for any…"

THOOM!

Loki and Morgana were suddenly thrown back when an energy blast slammed into Thor. The dust cloud created by the blast coated the Corban village. Love moved through the smoke, looking towards where her adopted father had been hit.

"Don't worry," Loki said as Morgana put on her helmet.

The furnace attached to her armour began to blaze as Loki drew the sword from his back. He looked through the smoke and wondered for a moment if he had overestimated his brother of another timeline. Then he saw it, the spark, and the god of mischief grinned.

"They only succeeded in angering him," he said.

Mjolnir flew through the smoke, high into the atmosphere, and crashed straight into the ship orbiting the planet. An explosion rocked the ship, which had begun its descent to the planet, fully intending on attacking the Korban people and those protecting them. Mjolnir flew back through the ship, and straight to Thor's hand. He span the hammer around, creating winds that blew the smoke back. Electricity crackled around the son of Odin, who brought Stormbreaker to his other hand. Spinning Mjolnir around, he built up speed, turning the hammer into a blur in his hand. Loki smirked, the common misconception people had was that his brother could fly. It was all Mjolnir, Thor could throw the hammer but if he swung it in just the right way, Mjolnir would lift him off of the ground.

Creating the illusion of flight.

Thor launched himself into the air, Mjolnir extended forward, and pulling Stormbreaker back. He slammed the king's weapon in the side of the alien ship, the crack it created spread and formed multiple explosions through the ship. Thor landed on the outskirts of the Korban colony, watching the alien ship (a kind he didn't recognise at that) go down.

"I will give you this warning only once, surrender and I will be merciful," Thor said.

A hatch on the ship opened and the crew began to emerge. Again, Thor did not recognise them, no such aliens as what he saw existed in the universe. They were tall and lanky creatures, with yellow skin, pointed ears and razor-sharp teeth, though what stuck out to Thor was the red spots on their foreheads. Screeches escaped the mouths of the creatures before they began to run towards Thor like a swarm, claws emerging from their wrists.

"Keep in mind, I gave you fair warning," Thor said, as his eyes glowed blue and the thunder crackled above them.


Unknown Location between dimensions

He sat on a chair, not a throne, just a very relaxing chair. It gave him all the feeds he needed to watch the scientists of A.I.M. work. The woman beside him though was definitely sitting on a throne. He wore a more armoured and intimidating version of the 'beekeeper' costume everyone in Advanced Idea mechanics wore. She had her face exposed, a young blonde-haired woman who hasn't hesitated to give him her real name, and her back story.

Brie Larvan, 'Bug Eyed Bandit' on her old Earth one. She created bug sized robots that responded to her commands, remote controlled bees in a way. Her crimes were thwarted time and time again, by Team Flash, then Team Arrow, and then Team Flash again (that's just three times, he reminded her). Then the Crisis happened, and she remembered that, remembered running for her life like so many people around her. But then in her eyes a miracle happened, she was pulled out of her reality and into another, a result of the A.I.M experiments on the Multiverse. She was pulled from her original Earth, her original time and Brie did what she did best, she innovated, adapted, she stole the title of Queen Bee out from underneath her predecessor.

Now she wore the sleek cybernetic suit of her own design, cables on her gauntlets connecting to her hips and back. The new Queen Bee had even taken on a crown of sorts (though he liked to call the headdress 'bunny ears'.

"The Adaptoid is stable scientist supreme," lab minion one, as he called him said.

The feed was directly into the robotics lab, where multiple parts of Adaptoids had been placed, alongside a deactivated chrome android and a special project under a sheet. Queen Bee and the Scientist Supreme looked to another feed, showing a room where other Hive and Aim workers were operating a type of claw to reach into a Multiversal tear.

"We've secured Kimiyo Hoshi and Millie Rawlins," Hive minion three said.

"Very good, and its Dr Kimiyo Hoshi, have a bit of respect, have psi-division begin the brain washing immediately," the Scientist Supreme said.

"How are things with the wardrobe department?" Queen Bee asked another feed.

"Oh this design for Dr Light, white jacket, goggles, so nineties superhero pilot, and a gun to focus her powers in, no, no, no, no this is in major need of reworking, its lazy, it's insulting, and it's just an assault itself on the eyes," Minion number…no, Luke deserved more respect than that, he got to keep his name.

"Good work everyone, splendid, have we managed to track down the dark wave yet?" Scientist Supreme asked.

"No sir, we lost track of it since it ate that world where everyone had animal heads," minion 9 in the monitoring department said.

"Oh no, not Zootropolis," Queen Bee said.

"Oh no my queen, that one is still standing, I was referring to the world where people have human bodies but for some reason they have animal heads, Spider-man had a pig's head," minion 8 explained.

There was an awkward pause as minion 9 scratched his head.

"Um bad news," he began.

"Now number 9, you know what happens to people who bring us bad news," Scientist Supreme said.

"I know Supreme, but this honestly isn't our fault, it only just begun to happen, but that group you had us tracking has just arrived in Zootropolis, they've already killed 25 percent of that Earth's population," 9 explained.

"Should we send the feed to you sir?" 8 asked.

"No, I'm not a complete monster, I draw the line at animal cruelty," the Scientist Supreme said and stiffened when Queen Bee scoffed.

"Scientist Supreme, my Queen, this is Dave…I mean Minion number 201, I was at my workstation when the Watcher appeared," one of the monitors said.

"Just ignore him Dave…I mean Minion Number 201, he can only stare judgmentally at you, but he's the real guilty party here," Queen Bee said.

"Oh he's not looking at me my Queen, he's on another Earth, and he's talking about…"

Earth 11821

"War is coming, across the Multiverse, worlds are being destroyed, but this goes beyond my oath of non-interference, all that is happening was never meant to happen," the Watcher, the giant being who watched over universes stood in front of the heroes of this world.

Director and founder of S.H.I.E.L.D. Bucky Barnes, the Black Widow Natasha Romanoff, the first super soldier Captain Peggy Carter and the recently freed Winter Soldier, pilot of the black and red Hydra Stomper Steve Rogers.

Earth 18921

Across universes the term Earth and a number were often applied. But the Watcher didn't always watch planets. He was on the world of Zen-La, holiday resort and pacifistic world where the Ravagers were resting. Their leader Yondu, and their heart T'Challa the Star Lord, alongside Nebula and the reformed Thanos and the wide eyed Korath of the Kree.

"Is this another situation for the Guardians of the Multiverse to handle?" T'Challa asked.

"No, I am afraid what is required now is not a team working between worlds, but perhaps an army," the Watcher said.

Otherworld

It was not 'the' definitive or original Otherworld; there existed others within different Multiverses where the Captain Britain Corps gathered.

"An army, we certainly have that covered," said Brian Braddock of Earth 199999.

Earth 838

"Old wounds must be forgotten, if universes are to survive," the Watcher said in particular to Karl Mordo, sorcerer Supreme of his universe.

The man glared at the Watcher, flanked by his new Illuminati, Susan Storm of the Fantastic Four, friend of Charles Xavier Erik Lensherr the mutant lord of magnetism, clad in a green outfit was the brother of Black Bolt, Maximus the Mad, and the man Mordo trusted the least, Tony Stark, the Superior Iron man.

Earth 617

On the Earth that had recently lost their Dr Strange helping America Chavez, that world's premier superhero team 'The Defenders' gathered to listen to the Watcher. Amongst them was the finely dressed Grey Hulk Joe Fixit, ruler of Talakan/Atlantis Namor and the cosmic defender the appropriately named Silver Surfer.

"A great darkness spreads across the Multiverse, and I know what it originates from," the Watcher said.

Earth 712

Hyperion floated in orbit of the Earth, but he could hear what every other member of the Squadron Supreme could hear as the Watcher spoke. Whizzer, Nighthawk, Doctor Spectrum and Power Princess knew that their leader could hear the cosmic being speak his warnings.

"Multiverses recently collided merging aspects together, creating new bridges between universes, even creating a whole new Multiverse. But just as the positive aspects of the Multiverse can be merged together, so too can the negative ones," he explained.

Earth 982

Mayday Parker could feel the sweat against her mask. Spider-girl had only recently been invited to the newest iteration of Avengers Next. The son of Juggernaut J2, the daughter of Wolverine Wild Thing, the creation of Stark Mainframe and the new wielder of Cap's shield American Dream.

"Pasts, presents and futures, all variations of these things, forgotten and yet to come are under threat by a force that moves through universes with a hunger that seems insatiable, that seems senseless, but there is an intelligence behind it, making it all the crueller," the Watcher continued.

Earth 10943

Much like the previous Earth, this one was home to the Next generation of Avengers, guided by the elderly Tony Stark.

James Rogers, son of Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff, Henry Pym Jr, Azari T'Challa the son of the Black Panther and Storm of the X-men, Francis Barton the son of Hawkeye and Torrun the daughter of Thor and Sif.

Earth 9811

Yet another Earth filled with future children of the Avengers became a site that the Watcher gathered the chosen heroes at.

Balder Blake (Bravado) son of Thor, Sarah Rogers (Crusader) the daughter of Steve Rogers and Rogue of the X-men, Clint Barton Jr (Mustang) also the son of She-Hulk, Matthew Storm (Firefly) the son of Johnny Storm and Janet Van Dyne, and Kendall Logan (Torrent) daughter of Storm and Wolverine.

Earth 41633

But not every Earth the Watcher visited was a potential future. Some Earths were familiar.

"Hint, hint, wink, wink," Deadpool said.

"Yep, if you were paying attention, you knew I was coming, along with my Earth, number confirmed by the Marvel Database Project/Wiki, apparently I'm joining the MCU but we have no idea how that's gonna be handled so settle for this as my appearance in this story going forward. Oooh, and this time I've got actual X-men with me, more than just CGI Colossus and something, something Warhead, in keeping with the iffy timeline they're all played by their most recent actors!"

"Shut up bub," Wolverine said.

"Except for Wolverine of course, #DeadpoolIII."

Earth 121698

"I have come to your Earths with a great warning, unless the infinity concepts are found then every world in this Multiverse will be taken," the Watcher said.

He stood in a building in New York, a building that belonged to a very strange family. On their Earth they were the only superheroes on their world, having even saved the universe from the devourer of worlds. One of their members was a doppelganger of most universes' Steve Rogers, all were dressed in white and black outfits, as their numbers had grown beyond four, they were no longer the Fantastic Four, but the Future Foundation.

"I've been monitoring other worlds, as well as infant universes through the forever gate, much like Galactus, whatever this thing is it arrives and then completely envelops that universe," Reed Richards, Mr Fantastic explained.

"But life signs still remain," his daughter Valeria added.

"Watcher, you said you knew exactly what this thing was, can you tell us?" Susan Storm-Richards, the Invisible Woman asked.

"In one Multiverse, there exists a universe taken by creatures known as the Many-Angled ones," the Watcher said.

"Catchy name," Ben Grimm, the Thing muttered.

As well as his orange rocky hide, the muscle of the team had had to replace the hide over his left arm with a metal shell. His god-son Franklin quivered slightly as the Watcher looked at him.

"This was a universe where absolute life had flourished, resulting in no death, no end," he said.

"That doesn't sound so bad," Johnny Storm said.

"Life grows out of control, resulting in overpopulation, disease remains and so too does the pain, and in a world without death, people ultimately lose appreciation for life," Reed explained.

"Exactly Professor Richards, but more than that, life itself has become a twisted parody, monsters have grown within each living thing in this universe, even planets, and it intends to spread…earning the nickname, the Cancerverse!"

"You said it merged with something else, something equally as evil," Susan said.

"Something unique to the other Multiverse yes…"

"We call it the Great Darkness!"

The heroes of the Multiverse, even the Watcher widened their eyes in surprise at the sudden appearance of a bearded man in a green hood.

"The Great Darkness that yearns for Crisis has merged with the universe that yearns to twist all life, creating a new Dark Cancerverse where all life will be subjected to an absolute unending darkness, everything will be taken, unless you find what the Watcher calls the infinity concepts, what we call the marks of destiny, find them, find the new paragons, save the worlds taken and if not…avenge them!" Oliver Queen, the Spectre said as his voice cracked, taking the tone of Starling City's Green Arrow.


Earth 616

The White Flash opened his eyes, time returning to normal. He could feel the shockwaves of a battle taking place miles away.

The Adaptoid grappled with She-Hulk and War Machine, simultaneously firing at Cap and Hawkeye with its back gatling guns. Sam shielded Kate with his wings, giving her a slight opening to fire an EMP arrow at the android. Its eyes flickered for a moment, allowing Jennifer to deliver a punch to its head. But just as it fell to the ground, the androids' eyes quickly came to life again. The Arc reactor on its chest glowed like Iron man's, unleashing the power of the Uni-Beam on She-Hulk. Her clothes were designed to withstand her transformation, and she could withstand bullets. For the first time in her Hulk form, Jennifer Walters felt physical pain. The top corner of her suit melted, exposing part of her shoulder, burning her arm, face and strands of her hair. She fell back, screaming in agony, and in rage, her voice devolving to a monstrous state.

"Shang-Chi, Rambeau, get yourselves and Walters out of here," Sam commanded.

"We need to see if the machine can continue to maintain our abilities without us being present," Monica confirmed the man's plan.

Bullets bounced off of the Adaptoid's head, Bucky ran around the android, firing his pistol and ducking to avoid its photon blasts. Strange wrapped a whip around it, and with his other hand conjured a dog's head, bringing it towards the Adaptoid. Mandalas formed in the robot's hands, breaking the magical strings with a photonic shockwave. It threw both Mandalas, sending Bucky flying back from a hit to his arm, and forcing Strange to create a barrier. Opting for a different tactic, Strange split himself into multiple afterimages, a move the android only repeated, shooting the illusions with arrows, keeping Strange guessing as to which shooter was real. The cloak moved him just in time, avoiding an arrow that cut his cheek.

"Walters we need to…" Monica suddenly flew back, away from the woman she intended to save.

The rage consumed She-Hulk, her face healing from its burns but distorting, losing her feminine features and turning into a more monstrous expression. She barged past Monica, throwing her across the dirt. The Adaptoid locked fingers with She-Hulk, the impact of their collision created a shockwave that threw Shang-Chi, Kate and Bucky back. Sam dug his wings into the ground to keep himself steady and watched as Redwing veered off course, crashing to the ground.

"The angrier Hulk's get the stronger they get right?" Rhodey asked.

"Yeah, but that same thing would apply to that thing," Wong said.

Roaring with rage, She-Hulk pulled her fist back, only to be hit by a photon blast with the Adaptoid. It wrapped its cloak around Jennifer's wrists, trapping her before lifting her off of the ground. The Adaptoid slammed She-Hulk against the ground, each impact harder than the last, forming a crater in the dirt. It fired energy from its hands and chest, forcing Jennifer deeper and deeper underground. Suddenly, Carol swooped in, punching the Adaptoid across the face. The blow made it stumble to the side, recovering just as Carol swooped down again, delivering another punch. She flew up and then down, using the momentum of her dive and the energy around her fists to harden her attacks.

"There's Miss Danvers, she's getting the advantage, that's why she's the greatest superhero ever," Kamala said.

Sven recognised the hero worship in the young girl's eyes, gritting his teeth together; he didn't let himself think of his own heroes. His father, the man who trained him Arthur, his mother for raising him and his sister alone, the old man who inspired him with the words ever onward.

"Ex…" he began and then slammed his arms into the ground, fingers digging into the dirt as the markings spread across his skin like cracks.

"This'll kill you; you'll really die to save us, two people you don't know?" White Flash asked.

"You're damn right I will, that's what a hero does, sometimes the pain might be too much, sometimes they might fail, but heroes try, that's why…" Sven voice drifted, and he yelled. "WHATEVER YOU'RE GOING TO DO, DO IT NOW!"

Flash time returned and the White Flash, the combined personalities and experiences of the Paragons of love and destiny brought the last son of Krypton into their little pocket of time. They had mere seconds to give him a plan that drew on their own experiences with androids that could mimic powers. Fortunately, Superman was faster than a speeding bullet.

"One of the greatest superheroes in the Multiverse once told me that when it comes to power mimicry, it's a package deal," the speedster smirked.

"What do you need me to do?" Superman asked.

"Do the thing you do best, whilst I'll do what I do best," Barry Allen said.

"Run Barry run," Sara Lance grinned.

As Flash time stopped, both heroes disappeared with blinding speed.

The Adaptoid drew from its back a bow and arrow, charging the arrow with photons as Carol dashed around it. It knocked back the bow and fired just as Superman grabbed it from behind. The arrow flew, spinning in flight, moving like a bolt of lightning that struck Carol's chest. Monica and Kamala gasped, the former seeing her aunt and the latter seeing her hero's chest explode from the impact of the projectile. Clark roared with rage before flying into the air with the Adaptoid.

Carol Danvers's body crashed into the ground, just in front of Kamala. She had to watch the dust settle to reveal her hero, and an even greater horror.

Sven Reilly was in too much pain to truly process what he was seeing with Kamala.

"What does this mean?" she asked, turning to him for an answer.

'I'll fail,' he thought.

'I'm worthless,' he thought.

'There are no more heroes,' he thought.

Sonic booms rocked the sky, made all of Westview shake. The Adaptoid had become the Super Adaptoid, the most powerful being on the planet. Yet even through all the potential destruction, the world remained stable, there was an equal force preventing the Adaptoid from killing anyone.

'There's too much that can go wrong, that has gone wrong, that's going to go wrong,' he thought.

'It's too much,' he thought.

Through the universe the White Flash ran, the ghostly image of two lovers with their hands joined behind him. Both smiled, despite the dangers, despite their fate.

"I can't," Sven's voice trembled.

"Oh no, are you okay?" Kamala asked.

She had lost her hero, and had been faced with a harsh truth, yet still, she was worried about him. On his knees, Sven fought the pain in his body and in his mind. A battle took place with a speed and strength no human could comprehend.

SNAP!

'Am I good enough?' Superman asked himself.

The Flash ran as fast as he could, through universes, his body gradually breaking down as he reached into a world and a point in time essential to another universe's survival.

"WHY DID YOU SAY THAT NAME!"

CLANG!

"It's okay," Sven heard the voice.

"To not be okay," Arthur told him.

He heard himself scream during the Blip, and again in the chaos of the return.

'Faith, I couldn't do anything, couldn't get anything right…am a failure,' he thought.

There was a boom behind him, the Flash had returned, two lovers held hands, reduced to skeletal forms barely holding on as they dropped a spear at Sven's feet. That spear had a glowing green tip on it.

'I'll fail,' Sven thought.

"Everybody can contribute something, you don't have to be a rocket scientist, you don't have to cure cancer, you can plant a beautiful garden, you can raise a beautiful child, everyone has something that they can contribute!"

But the two lovers became one, as Sven focused on letting them keep the power.

"It's a package deal, he gets our strengths and our weaknesses," the White Flash said.

"Do you need help?" Kamala asked.

'Can't give up,' Sven thought.

"The Definition of a hero is someone who is concerned about other people's wellbeing and will go out of his or her way to help them, even if there is no chance of a reward. That person who helps others simply because it should or must be done, and because it is the right thing to do, is indeed without a doubt, a real superhero!"

Even through all the hardship, and all the prevention of destruction, Sven still felt a strong hand on his shoulder and heard a voice.

"You're much stronger than you think you are, trust me!"

"Help me stop that thing!" Sven asked, wiping away his tears and picking up the spear.

The Super Adaptoid, the House of El blazing on its chest stopped, held by Superman. Its wings cut into Clark's shoulder, but he still grabbed at the android's arms and held him in place. An explosive arrow hit the android's chest, making its glowing eyes widen in surprise as a scorch appeared on its armour. Kate fired a bola arrow, binding the android's legs together. Wong and Strange attached whips to android's legs and pulled it to the ground. War Machine suddenly grabbed its other arm, holding it in place.

"Go for it kid," Captain America said, flying ahead of Ms Marvel and Sven.

The Super-Adaptoid fired its Uni-Beam, hitting Sam's wings. Kamala supported Sam with her arm constructs and pushed forward with him. Rhodey kept a tight hold of the android, but his armour began to groan from the machine's strength. It knocked him aside and punched Superman in the face a few times before blasting Sam and Kamala over Sven's shoulder.

"NO!" Clark yelled as the Adaptoid fired another blast, burning Sven's arm.

"They need more," Sara said.

"Then one more bout of speed, one more time," the White Flash disappeared again.

Sven nearly stopped but slammed his foot down and moved forward again.

"Onward," he whispered.

Superman grabbed hold of the Adaptoid again, his skin paling, veins showing, muscles straining as the Kryptonite spear began to weaken him. The Adaptoid grew weaker, even its Vibranium armour had begun to dent from Superman's grip. It hit Clark with another blast, torturing him with photons and magic. Shang-Chi latched his rings onto the Adaptoid's arm, pulling it back with the chain like weapon he had made.

"It's okay, we brought help, we're sorry about this!" the White Flash said.

He was sorry to take the young Batman from his world, without so much as an explanation. With his last bit of his power, he passed knowledge onto the Batman. In that moment, Bruce Wayne's dreams, his experiences of seeing other Batmen, became knowledge. And even without it, he did not hesitate to take the spear alongside Sven, to help him up and run with him.

"Ever onward," Sven whispered.

The words resonated with Bruce, but even more than that he felt as if even without Sven, he wasn't alone. He was a vessel, a vessel for the Batmen of the past. Just as Clark began to reach his limit, She-Hulk rose, wrapping her arms around the Adaptoid's shoulder.

"NOW BATMAN!" Flash and Superman yelled.

Both Batman and Sven yelled as they charged, thrusting the spear together. The Adaptoid fired its Uni-beam, the S shaped beam impacting with the spear, but splitting under the effects of the Kryptonite. Sven and Bruce pushed through, the latter's armour scorching, the former's skin burning. But even through the pain, Sven let out the words that guided him ever onwards.

"EXCELSIOR!"

The spear pierced through the Adaptoid's shield and arc reactor, straight to its central core. A digitised cry came out of the android as its body began to crack. Superman nodded to Batman, who nodded back as the last son flew upwards with the Adaptoid. With all the strength he had left, he threw the android. A beam flew past him, courtesy of Monica who understood what he was trying to do. The Adaptoid flew high into the clouds before it blew up in a cloud of green smoke and a crackle of photons and electricity.

The White Flash could feel the fusion, and his high from the Multiversal run fade. He watched the manifestations of Batman fade one after another, a final one giving him a thumbs up before disappearing.

"Thank you," Barry whispered, mirroring Sven and Bruce's words.

Even in a world of marvels, away from his grounded home, the Batman supported the wounded man and looked to those he could help.

Yelena Belova lowered her binoculars and sighed in relief. As she expected the heroes had won.

But she looked at 'Carol Danvers's' body, saw her skin turn green and wondered the same thing Kamala did.

Next Chapter 7: Investigation


The Batman's arrival will be fully explained next chapter.

I watched the video of one of Kevin Conroy's final interviews, and the words he spoke of why Batman resonates with so many people inspired me, I went further with Stan Lee's words on superheroes and his famous phrase, which is a mantra that influences Sven too in some of his darkest moments.

We're introduced to my version of the MCU's Captain Britain, played by Charlie Hunnam.

Morgana Stark is played by Katherine Langford, in keeping with her appearance in a deleted scene of Endgame.

838's Susan Storm is played by Emily Blunt because...fanservice :) with previous MCU and Fox film actors reprising their roles for other characters.

And the last Earth the Watcher visits is indeed the Fantastic Four franchise of 2005, but something new, who do you think should be Franklin and Valeria? Who would you imagine?

I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter; we slow down a bit with the next one.