Avenging Justice:

Two Worlds Collide

By Kristopher Rose

Part I

The Space Between Spaces, Time Within Time

The Planewalker watched reality crumble. The universes were dying. Too long those meant to watch over and document, had overstepped. Now all that was, all that could be crumbled around. Pieces of reality siphoning away like sands in an hourglass. Two separate planes being destroyed before the Planewalker's eyes.

Life though, fought back against death, to continue on. Beacons of light erupted on each plane, pulsing out with tremendous power bringing the planes closer together. The living beings on each world struggling to save all they loved and each other. The Planewalker could sense the knife edge they stood on, and knew it could all be for naught. Yet, this was the way of the Living.

Admiration poured from the being. They were so close too, whether they knew it or not. Their fate had been set, but they had changed it slightly, even more as moment after moment passed. Two worlds, planes really, but it was easier to think of them as worlds. Worlds full of struggle and strife; Good and Evil, and the beings that inhabited them pushed back against their fate.

Hope filled the Planewalker, as the two worlds came closer together, merging. Pieces of the worlds combining or taking space in the other. He could see the histories of the world rewriting themselves, and an equilibrium start to form. A world of heroes was created from two dying worlds, and their sacrificing heroes. What laid before this watcher was a grand universe of possibility. It wasn't an amalgam, but more a combination. Separate pieces added together to make a greater sum.

Earth, Delaware, Metropolis

Perry White stood in the Daily Planet's main conference room. With the switch to digital media, the Planet would be hard press to keep the building, if they didn't generate more revenue. The one good thing going for them was Metropolis' resident superhero, Superman. Anytime he did something heroic, ace reporter Lois Lane was there to write and report about it.

Her online articles and podcasts had consistently broken records again and again. With the soul of an old time investigative journalist, she was one of his top reporters. Her Superman stories weren't her only claim to fame, as she went after anyone with a secret to hide. He had lost count of how many times Lex Luthor had sued the Daily Planet, but she was worth every penny they spent on legal fees.

All around the table were the reporters waiting on their assignment. The fact Lois was here, meant she didn't already have a juicy story in the works. That was okay, he had an assignment that would be just up her alley. News was news, and what dropped just a few hours ago was a whopper of one.

"Kent," Perry barked out. "I want you and Lois to head out to California. You'll be reporting on the recent battle at Stark Industries. Lois, I want you to get an interview with Mr. Iron Man himself, Tony Stark. Do your usual and see if you can get something the other media outlets haven't."

"Chief, I don't think he needs another fluff piece," Lois rolled her eyes. "Besides if I wanted a rich millionaire to ogle me, I'd attend another of Bruce Wayne's parties."

Perry ignored the eye roll, "That may be, but a genius who can build something like the Iron Man, a real Man of Steel, is of interest to the public."

Clark Kent groaned, to which Perry ignored. He couldn't remember if Lois gave Superman that nickname, but he wasn't above appropriating it for another story if needed. That gave him another idea, one that would fit Cat Grant talent's nicely. His senior gossip editor and reporter could always be counted on for well written opinion pieces.

"Grant, I want you to write an op-ed about who would win in a fight, Iron Man or Superman," Perry said. Soon the others had their assignments and Perry was left in the conference room alone, looking out on the city. Below a police siren blared, and the Editor in Chief of the Daily Planet wondered if there was another Superman story about to be written.

Earth, California, Long Beach

Pepper Potts was fielding another call for an interview with Tony Stark. Ever since his press conference, where he said, "I am Iron Man," the world couldn't get enough. She didn't know whether she wanted to strangle him or hug him. Definitely strangle at this point, but he was Tony Stark. A genius of a man who could build a power source that would revolutionize clean power, in the desert, out of scraps. Yet he couldn't remember his own social security number, keep an adult relationship longer than an hour and was very much in his own little world.

"Pepper, you look exhausted, you been sleeping?" Tony said as he strutted into his office. The fact he was covered in soot, and had the air of ozone, explained he had been tinkering again. "Jarvis, make a note to have Ms. Potts take a manipedi day."

Yep, she was going to strangle him, "Mr. Stark, I have more requests for interviews. One here from the Daily Planet, another from the Daily Bugle. They're sending out a photographer with their guy."

"Skip!" Tony waved his hand. "Um, give them to Happy. He likes talking to reporters."

Pepper smiled, she knew the trump card she had, "The Planet is sending Lois Lane."

That got Tony to stop for a moment, before he turned, "Pepper, about what I said after the thing.."

"Colleagues," she reminded him. "It wouldn't look right for me to be dating my boss. And before you say could fire me again, remember you wouldn't last five minutes."

He thought about it, "Okay, when does Ms. Lane want to meet up?"

"You have reservations at L'Opera at seven," Pepper advised. "Sending the data to your phone. Behave yourself, this isn't like Vanity Fair. Lois Lane isn't easy charm, and she has a superhuman protector."

"Yeah, what kind of name is that, Superman? Is he really super, or just alright?" Pepper tried to tune Tony out as he was going on. "I bet I could take him. Would they then call me the Super Iron Man? I hope not, that sucks."

Earth, New Jersey, Gotham City

A dark figure sits on a rooftop. Below the constant sounds of police sirens are drowned out by the maniacal laughter of a crazed lunatic. A royal purple car with a white clown face painted on it speeds away. Behind it three police cars are in pursuit, until there are two. From the passenger side a woman in a clown mask throws a bomb out, and it flips the third police car into the air. The figure watching knows it is time for him to intervene.

Jumping out, he holds onto his cape, and the electrostatic charge stiffens the material. Gliding, Batman aims for the roof of the car. Expertly he steers himself, at times folding his cape material in to gain speed. Before him the car becomes larger and larger, it is almost time. Just as he is about to impact, Batman fills his cape out fully.

Landing on the roof, he rolls forward and to the side. His first target is the female clown. He hits her hard enough for her to drop her bomb. He grabs it, and then quickly throws it into the air. While it explodes almost harmlessly, he rolls back and lunges into the driver's area. Sending the man driving into the passenger seat, and nearly throwing the female clown out, Batman pulls the emergency break.

Braced as he was, there is no shock to him as they come to a near stop. The two clowns though smash their faces into the windshield. As the driver comes back around, Batman can see he's missing teeth and his nose is obviously broken. Batman ends things quickly, knocking the driver out, and then cuffing the female clown. She didn't put up a fight, instead moaning from her injuries.

The cop cars formed a perimeter around the clown car, so Batman fires his grappling hook. As he disappears into the night, he looks up to the sky. There on one of the floating blimps is a screen with the Joker's face. It had been an advertisement for Gotham Cola just a moment ago.

"Now Batsy, you spoiled all my fun with the police! How rude! Well that's okay, I've got more surprises in store. Till next time, tata for now!" Joker's digital avatar said, before suddenly disappearing.

"I'll be waiting," Batman growled. Down the road more sirens, and another call for help over the police radio. The Dark Knight's evening was just starting.

Earth, Arizona, Puente Antiguo

Dr. Jane Foster, Dr. Selvig and their team raced out to the disturbance area. Two massive spikes in energy had just recently sent all their instruments haywire. Thanks to the massive grants they had been given, they knew their equipment was the best. Whatever was coming at them was big, very big.

Up to five years ago they had been making do with makeshift things, but after Superman's reveal, not so much. All of a sudden people were throwing money at them left and right, for their research and to profit off of it. Everyone it seemed was looking for the next alien visitor to Earth.

Their van bumped and jumped across the nonexistent road. Jane couldn't make out a thing, and her assistant was too busy with the camera to help out much. Dr. Selvig was in the back monitoring their mobile instruments, watching in wonder as the levels spiked across all their readings.

A bright flash of light blinded Jane and she hit the brakes hard, sending the van into a screeching stop. Dust billowed up into the air, thunder rumbled all around, with no visible lightning. In her headlights, Jane caught site of a man being drug away by a smaller woman, their clothing torn and ragged. Just as quickly though, they were gone.

Thinking to check for damage, Jane put the van into reverse and heard a loud thud as she backed up. Immediately she was out of the van and checking to see what she had hit, shocked to find a muscular, blonde man with a beard. Her assistant would need a jack to lift up her jaw, but first they had to make sure the guy she hit was fine.

"Why does this always happen?" Jane sighed.

Her assistant Darcy couldn't help it, "Jane you're the only one to complain about hot guys dropping from the sky. You need a date."