Hunters of Justice (RWBY/DC)
Chapter 31: Matters of Choice
RWBY and JNPR stared incredulously at Batman, barely even comprehending his words.
"…Multiverse Theory?" Ruby whispered, staring at the image of the two Supermen fighting each other over the Metropolis skyline. Part of her hoped that she had misheard the Caped Crusader, but that hope was dashed when he nodded. The others were silent again, then Jaune glanced at the Batcomputer, deep in thought.
"The multiverse…isn't that where each and every choice happens at the same time? Like, if I come to a fork in the road and go left instead of right, another universe is made where I went right instead?" Jaune asked. When the others stared at him, he shrugged. "It came up in a few comics I read back in Vale."
Yang scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Given everything we've been through, lately, I'm not too surprised. Gods, aliens, superheroes and supervillains. If I didn't know any better, I'd say Earth was a comic book."
"Be that as it may," Weiss argued, turning her attention from her teammate back to Batman, "I still find it hard to understand how 'multiverse theory' ties into the Agamemnon Contingencies. Care to elaborate?"
Batman nodded, then swiveled his chair around to type into the Batcomputer. "What Jaune said was accurate, but he doesn't have the whole story. Neither do we at the moment, however over the past few years the Justice League has been able to piece some of it together."
He pressed one final key and turned back around as the monitor began displaying several different profiles. They were of the Justice League founders, but each of them looked different. One of the profiles was of the white-caped Superman, along with a Batman wearing a grey cape and silver batsymbol on his chest. The other founders were wearing darker versions of their normal attire, which made them look foreboding. Like they were meant to be feared rather than admired. Only the Flash was missing, which immediately struck them as rather odd.
"Prior to the Justice Lords Incident," Batman explained, "we were aware of the existence of alternate dimensions and planes of reality separate from our own. The Fourth World, for example. Rather than a distant solar system, the Fourth World is a separate plane of reality high above our own. Through the use of Boom Tubes, much like the one that brought you all to Earth, the New Gods can travel down to our reality. Superman himself regularly has to deal with an imp from the Fifth Dimension, who's able to manipulate our three-dimensional world like a toy."
"Which reminds me, he'll probably be showing up again pretty soon. Not looking forward to that," Superman muttered under his breath, but otherwise allowed Batman to continue.
"We thought that was the end of it," Batman admitted. "But we were wrong. Two years after the Justice League was founded, we were visited by another version of the Justice League, one from another Earth. An Earth that was exactly like our own. The same history, the same continents and countries, even the same people and major events. With one major exception: on that Earth, after the Imperium Invasion, Lex Luthor ran for President of the United States and won."
"That couldn't have been good," Nora pointed out, and Superman nodded.
"It wasn't," Superman declared, crossing his arms. "After he won the election and was inaugurated, Lex quickly began using his newfound authority to directly go after his Earth's Justice League and other independent superheroes. He started small and made simple, seemingly innocent reforms that made it more difficult for the League to act. Financial liability for incidents, requirements to cooperate with local authorities, things even we agree with. Then he made it so that any action could be subject to a congressional hearing, no matter how small, and with his allies in Congress and the United Nations he quickly began abusing that power. He tied them up in endless amounts of red tape. After that, he made it so that if that Justice League wanted to do anything at all, they had to get direct approval beforehand."
"Which he never gave," Martian Manhunter said. "That Earth's Justice League was systematically stripped of their authority. If a supervillain was running loose, they couldn't intervene. If a country was starving or suffering a drought that threatened the lives of thousands, they couldn't deliver aid. Luthor made them powerless, and used his power to turn the public against the Justice League by branding them as ineffective and outdated."
"Obviously, that Earth's League didn't like it," Green Lantern pointed out. "They tried to protest, but that didn't go anywhere. If anything, Luthor used those protests to make them look even worse. At the same time though, Luthor was consolidating his power as President to outright become a dictator. He installed crony judges to lifelong posts, won over key allies in Congress to support each and every decision he made, no matter what they were, all the while pushing policies that brought the world closer and closer to World War III. The League saw what he was doing and tried to stop it, but each time they pushed, he pushed back even harder and backed them into a corner they couldn't easily get out of."
"Finally, when Lex thought his position was unassailable, he made his final play: he made being a superhero illegal again," the Flash somberly stated. "As we were before the Darkseid War. My counterpart on that Earth didn't listen, or didn't care about that law and tried to stop a crime committed by Captain Boomerang. But he got captured and arrested by agents of the U.S. government. My guess is that Lex staged that crime specifically to capture that Flash."
"What happened after that?" Pyrrha asked, growing more and more horrified as the Justice League gave their tale. Much of her wanted to dismiss it outright, but despite the massive breach of trust between them and Batman, she could tell they were all telling the truth. The sheer number of images being displayed on the Batcomputer, accompanied by videos, articles, and other bits of data lent tremendously to their credibility. Her friends clearly felt the same, and at the same time she noticed that Flash's alternate self looked exactly like he normally did. Almost as soon as Batman began to speak again, she realized what must have happened.
"Lex decided to use the Flash as an example," Batman said, bringing his hands together once again, "and publicly executed him in Washington D.C. Lex did it himself, too, and the nation cheered. After that, the rest of the League retreated to the Watchtower, and Lex thought he won. That the Justice League was cowed and his power was absolute."
A faint gasp went out from the young Huntsmen and Huntresses as they stared at the Flash, who looked uncomfortable. It was hard not to, knowing that another version of you was executed just for doing what they all knew was right.
But Weiss understood that this was not the end of the story, and gulped. "How did that League respond?"
The Justice League grew quiet for a moment, then Wonder Woman began to softly speak, "Two days after the Flash was executed, Luthor prepared to launch his war when the Justice League attacked first. They practically burned Washington D.C. to the ground as they made their way to Luthor, until Superman confronted him in the Oval Office. Luthor attempted to launch nukes to force Superman and the League to surrender, boasting that even if they arrested him and threw him into jail, he would simply get out again and start over. Superman didn't give him that chance, and promptly executed him."
RWBY and JNPR were stunned into silence as the images on screen shifted to a burning Washington D.C. Hovering overhead were darkened silhouettes of the Justice League, staring down on cowering masses as their Atlantean and Amazon allies surrounded them. With wide, horrified eyes, they turned to look at their Justice League, who were looking at the images with silent remorse.
"After Luthor's death, the United States surrendered out of fear," Batman somberly continued, "and the Justice League decided that their former methods were…inadequate. Over the next two years, they began implanting harsher and harsher forms of punitive justice on criminals, with the world governments too scared to fight back. Eventually, the Justice League seized control over all governments, becoming absolute rulers and renaming themselves the Justice Lords."
"You… That League…took over the world?" Ruby gasped, bringing her hand over her mouth. "Why? Why would they go that far?"
"They lost their faith in humanity," Hawkgirl explained through a frown. "The Justice Lords no longer felt that national governments could solve the world's problems, so they took it upon themselves to do it instead. Under their leadership, they eliminated crime, reduced poverty, repaired the environment, and made people safe."
"They made a world where an eight-year-old boy wouldn't have to lose his parents thanks to some punk with a gun," Batman somberly added.
The Remnantians looked at each other in confusion, then back at the League Founders.
"That doesn't sound too bad," Ren admitted, only for Superman's expression to harden.
"They did it by destroying human rights," Superman declared. "Free speech was suppressed, elections were outlawed, mandatory curfews were heavily enforced, reeducation of dissidents, and even the lobotomization of criminals and supervillains. They called it justice, but we knew it was nothing more than tyranny. Tyranny that they tried to export into our world when they got bored of their own, and only after Batman convinced Lord Batman that what they were doing was wrong did we defeat them."
The Batcave fell into heavy silence once again. RWBY and JNPR stared in horror as the Justice League finished their tale. They could see it in their eyes that the veteran superheroes were telling the truth, and that scared them more than anything else. It felt as though their entire world was shattering before their eyes, and Weiss could only take a gulp.
"That's why you made the countermeasures," she realized. "You…literally saw yourself and your allies turn into tyrants, and you got scared."
"Wouldn't you?" Batman rhetorically asked. "How would you react if you saw before your very eyes a twisted version of yourself that was identical in every way, except for one choice that turned you into a monster? If they could go bad, what was to stop us? I wanted to believe, and I still do, that we are better than them, but I could not simply stand back and hope for the best. I had to do something to prevent that reality from becoming our own, so I made the contingencies and haven't looked back since. Not after what I've seen."
Yang stared at Batman for a moment, then sighed. "I guess when you put it like that, it makes sense. But that still doesn't excuse the fact you betrayed our trust."
"I know," Batman admitted. Yang stared at him again, then frowned and leaned back against a railing while crossing her arms. Weiss, meanwhile, stared at the images and slowly felt her fear give way to intense curiosity. Curiosity that would not be contained.
"Have you had any further experiences with the multiverse since then?" Weiss asked, pondering the philosophical implications. "Do you know how it works exactly?"
"We have, actually," Green Lantern answered as Batman turned back around to type into the Batcomputer. "Not a lot, but each one has expanded our understanding of how it works. Funnily enough, a lot of them actually happened to Batman."
A new series of images appeared on screen, each one showing a different Earth and a handful of denizens. Most looked similar to the Earth they now called home, just with a few changes in architecture or clothing. Some were barely even recognizable, and RWBY and JNPR focused on them the most.
"From what we have gathered," Batman explained, "the multiverse is like a forest, with each universe a tree that came from one singular origin. An Earth Prime, if you will. Before you ask, we do not believe our world is Earth Prime. As such, we've designated our Earth as Earth-1. With each choice someone makes, with each variation of the natural order, a new branching timeline is formed. Most of the changes are miniscule and don't affect anything, but others are so radical that the new timeline branches off into a completely separate universe all on its own. The Justice Lords came from one such universe, which we have designated as Earth-50."
"Earth-50? How many Earth's are there?" Jaune asked as he looked upon an image of a man (at least he thought he was a man) wearing a fleshy black and white suit with spiked red gauntlets and boots, glowing green eyes, and a red collared cape that flowed around him as though it was alive. The man looked like he was a spawn of Hell, yet he had to admit the costume looked very, very cool. Ruby had to force herself not to gush at how cool it looked, and instead forced herself to look at the Founders.
"So far? Fifty-two universes, each theoretically with their own branching timelines," Batman said. "Only a handful of which we have encountered, and even fewer we are able to look into from here. But we think there is a very large possibility of there being an infinite number of Earths."
"Infinite Earths…" Nora muttered. "Does that mean…there's infinite Remnants, too?"
Batman looked at the Pink Lightning, and nodded. "Yes. Undoubtedly many of which never encountered Brainiac to begin with, whereas just as many did."
A weird sensation that none of the Remnantians were able to describe shot through their hearts. It felt like a strange mixture of hope and heartbreak, knowing that somewhere out in the multiverse there was at least one Remnant that still existed. They wondered what it was like, what events transpired without Brainiac's interruption.
Yet before they could ruminate on any of that, Blake spied something startling on one of the windows. It was a video of the Batcave, with the top right of the screen showing that it was from Earth-1. Their Earth. The video showed Batman fighting against a blue ninja. The Caped Crusader's opponent was very skilled, matching him blow for blow while at the same time using highly refined cryomancy against him. The ice was being shaped into various weapons like swords, daggers and hammers, and each step he took froze the metal floor. He looked insanely familiar, and Batman noticed her expression as he continued.
"We have also noticed that despite the separation between each universe, they affect each other in subtle ways. Some universes appear in others as fictional media, for example."
The others now noticed what Blake was staring at, and their jaws slackened.
"Well, that's unnerving," Ruby admitted, then looked at Batman. "Does that mean somewhere out there, there's at least one universe where we're like a web show or comics or something?"
"Yes. That's the fact of infinite possibility; everything that can happen, has happened, is happening, or will happen. An infinite number of times."
"…Who would watch us?" She paused, then turned to the Titans who had been silent up until now. "Wait, would you guys exist only as a show, too? Would all of us?!"
"Probably," Nightwing replied with a nonchalant shrug. "I wouldn't get all existential about it. Here, in this universe, you're real and that's all that matters."
"For the record, I think a show based off of us would be awesome," Beast Boy insisted with a slight, excited smile. Yang and Nora readily agreed, but went silent again as Pyrrha cleared her throat.
"What was the last encounter with another universe you had?" she asked. Batman nodded, then pulled up an image of himself and his protégés standing in the Batcave. That by itself wasn't very peculiar, but what immediately caught their attention was the quartet of five-to-six-feet tall humanoid turtles, each one having different colored masks wrapped around their eyes as well as different weapons strapped to their thick shells.
"We met them about six months before you arrived," Batman said. "Alien technology from their universe sent them and some of their enemies into Gotham. Apparently, they were highly trained in various martial arts by their rat sensei, including ninjutsu."
"Ninja…turtles?" Ruby whispered.
"Mutant turtles," Flash clarified, obviously familiar with the incident and finding it amusing. "Also teenagers about your age, and all named after Renaissance artists."
"Teenage…mutant…ninja turtles?" Yang paused. "That is simultaneously the dumbest and most amazing thing I have ever heard. I want to know more."
Batman complied, saying, "The only other information we managed to gather about their universe was that in theirs, they were mutated by a chemical compound that was highly mutagenic. It was capable of combining human DNA with those of animals and vice versa. That mutagen, or 'ooze' as they called it, made them who they were and gave them superhuman strength and durability, but that posed a problem when they arrived on our Earth. Here, the mutagen was harmless, and the rules of our reality began to assert itself on their bodies and reverse its effects."
"They went back to being turtles?" Jaune asked through a nervous trickle of sweat, but Batman shook his head.
"Luckily, no. They were already mutated, so they remained in their current forms. However, they did lose their enhanced strength, bringing them down to that of an above average human being."
"Basically," Flash butted in, "they went from being bulletproof to merely top of the line martial artists, like Batman and Wildcat. Once they returned to their universe, their reality's laws of physics reasserted itself and they went back to what they viewed as 'normal.' Which were top of the line martial artists that are bulletproof."
"That revealed to us that our rules of reality are not constant across the multiverse," Superman explained. "Some are exactly like our own, such as the Justice Lords, but others are not. Were we to go into a universe where superpowers simply did not exist, we would lose them after some time. But were we to go into another universe where everything was straight out of a Loony Tunes cartoon, we would be subjected to cartoon physics. At least, after a time. Theory is that things would hurt you like normal until you've adjusted to the universe's laws."
RWBY and JNPR went silent again as they absorbed what was being revealed to them. Alternate timelines, infinite universes, each with their own laws of physics. It was almost too much to bear, but then Wonder Woman gave them a soft look.
"Would you like to see one?" she gently asked. RWBY and JNPR were taken aback slightly, not expecting that offer.
"You mean…you can actually see into another universe? Like, right now?" Ruby asked, and Wonder Woman nodded.
"Mostly alternate timelines of our own universe, but yes. Would you like to see one?"
They remained silent for a moment, looking at each other as they pondered what to do. Finally, Ruby hardened her expression as she looked back at the Justice League and nodded.
Geosynchronous Orbit, Earth
Justice League Watchtower
The Justice League's founding members quietly led RWBY and JNPR through a section of the space station they had never been to. As they walked through the hallways, they couldn't help but notice several laboratories, each filled with various teams of scientists, doctors, and engineers, all hard at work creating things they could hardly recognize. One team appeared to be working on growing flesh to graft onto prosthetic limbs, while another was working on what they could only assume to be a fusion generator.
"Where are we?" Jaune asked, wonderous at all the high-tech science going on around him.
"We're in the Watchtower Science and Exploration Wing," Superman revealed. "Here, some of the most advanced technological development and innovation happens. All meant to benefit mankind. Vaccines, fusion energy, prosthetics, enhanced foodstuffs, alternative fuel sources, space and oceanic exploration, and more. If it can help people, we're developing it right here."
"Whoa…" Ruby breathed out. If she was being honest with herself, she originally thought that the Justice League was just a group of costumed superheroes who fought crime, but in retrospect it made sense that they would turn themselves into a think tank as well. They had both the resources and the will to achieve wonders, so why limit themselves to just punching bad guys?
Eventually, they arrived at the end of the hallway, which was blocked off by a heavy set of doors. They paused as Batman and Superman walked to two pads on opposite sides of the door, where they scanned their eyes with retina scanners and placed their palms on the pad. After a moment, the light above the doorway turned green, and the heavy doors slowly slid open to the side. Ruby noticed just how thick the doors were; several feet thick, if she had to guess. Once they fully opened, they revealed a spherical chamber with a raised podium in the middle. A guardrail surrounded it, yet what was most intriguing to her was the object in the middle.
"Is that a treadmill?" Yang asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"Not just any treadmill," Flash replied. "What you're looking at is the Cosmic Treadmill. I won't overload you all with the specifics, but I built it years ago to help me use the full extent of my powers safely. With it, I can go fast enough to do many things."
"Such as?" Nora asked, genuinely curious.
"Namely, opening windows and doorways into other dimensions, and even run through time."
That admission sent RWBY and JNPR aback, and Weiss asked, "Wait, time? You can run fast enough to travel through time?"
"Yes, but I don't need the treadmill to do that," he admitted. Before RWBY and JNPR could say anything else, he looked them in the eyes and said, "Before you ask, no. I will not run back in time to stop Brainiac. Time is a very fickle thing. You change one variable, and something completely unexpected and usually terrible happens. Especially if I do it."
"We weren't going to ask," Ruby insisted, although that was partially a lie. She was thinking about it, at least a little. Still, she was more concerned about the knowing and regretful look on his face, and she softly asked, "Why are you so insistent on it?"
"Because I did that once," Flash admitted, regret flashing through his face. "I had been running forward and back through time for years, with no negative consequences whatsoever. That was because my escapades were fixed points in time, things that were already going to happen. I can still do that, but only to certain points in time that I've carefully mapped. One day, however, I got the bright idea to run back in time to save my mom. When I was eleven years old, she was murdered in our home by a yellow blur, and my father was blamed for it. He was found guilty and thrown into prison, where he eventually died two years before I became the Flash."
Flash took a deep breath as RWBY and JNPR silently looked on, their faces filled with sympathy, and he continued.
"I thought that by going back in time and stopping her murder, everything would have been better. That my family wouldn't have been torn apart. So, I did it. I ran back through time and saved my mom. When I got back to my time, my mother was still alive, but the world was unrecognizable. To my horror, I discovered that by saving my mother, I inadvertently created a Flashpoint Paradox, which resulted in the creation of an entirely new universe.
"A universe that was going to Hell. On this Flashpoint Earth, Atlantis and Themyscira were at war with each other, a war that had torn Europe apart and then threatened the United States. Superman wasn't found in Kansas, instead being found by the U.S. government and turned into a test subject who never saw the light of day. Cyborg was instead America's greatest superhero. Instead of Thomas and Martha Wayne dying in Crime Alley that night, Bruce Wayne was shot and killed, causing Thomas to become a murderous Batman and Martha to descend into insanity, becoming the Joker."
RWBY's and JNPR's eyes were as wide as saucers now, and Pyrrha asked in shock and horror, "How could changing one small thing affect so much?"
"Not only that, but the Wayne Family Murders and Superman's arrival happened years before your mom's murder," Weiss pointed out after quickly doing the math in her head.
"That's what I thought, but it turned out I wasn't the only one who went back in time and arrived at this new Earth," Flash revealed through a scowl. "So did Eobard Thawne, the Reverse-Flash; a time traveler who was obsessed with making my life a living Hell. He was the one who killed my mother and framed my father. When I found he was in this world, too, I thought he was responsible for the war between Aquaman and Wonder Woman that was poised to destroy the entire world."
Flash's scowl was replaced with a sad frown. "But he wasn't. I caused the world to end. By running back through time and stopping my mother's murder, I broke the time barrier and created a time boom. A time boom that was strong enough to affect things that I never even touched or happened before my arrival, resulting in a world about to be destroyed. In the end, Thomas Wayne shot Eobard in the head, killing him and allowing me to run back through time again, where I stopped myself from saving my mother. Even then, the world that I reemerged in was not the one I originally came from."
Now RWBY and JNPR were even more confused, and the Flash looked them in the eyes again.
"By stopping the Flashpoint Paradox before it even happened, I created so much damage to the multiverse that it had to reboot itself just to survive. Countless timelines were erased from existence, only to be replaced by entirely new ones. This Earth is an amalgamation of different worlds and timelines combined together." The Flash leaned in. "I have the memories from three different timelines swirling in my head, and I will never do that again. If I were to run back through time to stop Brainiac from destroying Remnant, I would end up creating another Flashpoint Paradox, and the resulting world would not be the one you remembered. Trust me when I say this: it's not worth it."
The superheroes remained silent as they absorbed Flash's admission. A sense of creeping dread bubbled up inside of RWBY and JNPR. The look on Flash's face told them he was telling the complete truth. One could not fake how regretful he looked right then and there. If the multiverse was rebooted, that meant Remnant was rebooted, too.
"Did…you know us in the…first timeline?" Ruby quietly asked, but the Flash shook his head.
"No. We never met," he admitted. "What I don't know is whether or not it was because Brainiac didn't find Remnant in that timeline, or if Remnant was even part of the universe then. There is a possibility that the first timeline simply wasn't that far along before the Flashpoint, and had I not ran back through time we would have met eventually."
The Flash paused and looked at his feet. "Still, ever since I met you eight, my biggest fear is that by causing the Flashpoint and reversing it, I somehow dragged your world into ours. Meaning—"
"Don't," Ruby interrupted, then gave a surprised Flash a hug. "Just…don't. Even if you did drag us in, you're not responsible. Brainiac is, and I won't let you blame yourself."
The Flash was still for a moment, then he gently returned the hug from Ruby. After a moment, he broke away and nodded as Ruby returned to her team. He cleared his throat, then said, "Well, enough about past regrets. You guys wanted to see another universe, right?"
Sensing the changing atmosphere, RWBY and JNPR nodded. Flash nodded back, then he mantled over the guardrail and stepped onto the Cosmic Treadmill. He pressed a button on the control panel in its side, then the podium rose up atop a thick pole. Once it reached its zenith, wires connected to the podium activated a screen embedded into the wall of the chamber. Then the Flash began to run, going faster and faster until he was nothing more than a blur. That blur then started vibrating, causing sparks of yellow electricity to shoot out into receiving pads that came down from the ceiling and walls.
"What's he doing?" Jaune asked, watching in amazement as the Flash continued to vibrate faster and faster.
"The Flash is using the Speed Force to vibrate himself to the proper frequency, allowing us to peer into Earth-2," Batman revealed, stoically looking at the Flash. The other League Founders were as well, and before long the screen came to life. At first, the image was jumbled, nothing more than a mass of swirling light and particles. Then the light coalesced into a thin vertical strand, and that strand began spreading apart like a seam. When it widened fully, RWBY and JNPR gasped as they saw themselves sitting around a table inside the Watchtower, eating food and talking among themselves.
But they looked and acted different. Ruby gazed in wonder at her counterpart, seeing that she was clearly older with long hair, a confident expression set onto her face that seemed like it belonged on Yang rather than her own. Yang, in contrast, stared with wide eyes as she saw herself excitably talk to her sister, the chattering short-haired blonde with pigtails clearly younger than her. Ruby noticed this too, and looked at Yang in surprise.
"I think…in Earth-2, I was born first," Ruby suggested. Yang slowly nodded, then Ruby puffed up her chest and smiled towards her oblivious counterpart. "I look so mature!"
"I look like a child," Yang pointed out, then added, "Does that mean our personalities were flipped, too?"
"Looks like it…" Ruby paused, then fully registered what Yang was implying. "Hey!"
Weiss and Blake, meanwhile, could only silently stare at their counterparts. From the way Blake was eating her food, looking all sophisticated and haughty at the same time, it was obvious that she came from a high-class background on Earth-2, or Remnant-2 they supposed would be the more applicable term. Weiss, in contrast, was much messier, barely giving thought to normal table decorum. What they were most interested in, however, was how they looked. Weiss's counterpart's scar was still over her left eye, but now it looked much more jagged and wicked, with her clothes looking more like they came from the street. The other Blake's attire, on the other hand, was obviously made out of a fine, expertly crafted material that normally Weiss would wear.
"…My table manners aren't that bad. Are they?" Blake protested, already connecting the dots and drawing her own conclusions from watching Weiss-2.
"Only with the occasional seafood dish. But no, you're usually rather poised by most standards," Weiss assured her while eyeing her counterpart with morbid fascination. "Whereas this other me looks almost like…well, like a punk."
Weiss then looked at Batman, silently asking for an explanation. He gave it, saying, "From what we saw before, it appears that on Earth-2, Blake was the heiress of a multinational company while Weiss was the daughter of a mafioso."
The Huntsmen and Huntresses registered that for a moment, then Yang began to laugh. Weiss, meanwhile, grumbled and crossed her arms, at the same time not all that surprised that her father, in another universe, was an outright criminal.
"Ren, look at us!" Nora shouted out, grabbing Ren's shoulder while pointing with her free hand towards their counterparts. Ren stoically observed, watching as their Earth-2 counterparts ate and talked with each other. In contrast to themselves, Earth-2 Ren was easily much more hyperactive and excitable, while Earth-2 Nora was calm and collected.
"I think I'm beginning to see the pattern now," Ren stated. "On Earth-2, our personalities and some of our circumstances were exchanged between certain teammates. Ruby was born before Yang, and she's the mature and motherly one. Yang is the youngest and most childlike—"
"I'm not a child!" Ruby insisted, but Ren ignored her.
"—while Blake came from an upper class background. Weiss instead came from a criminal element. Over there, Nora is calm while I am hyperactive. Which means…"
Ren fell off as everyone moved their attention towards Jaune and Pyrrha, who were staring at their doppelgängers in shock. They turned back to the screen, as they saw Earth-2 Jaune and Pyrrha talking among themselves. Over there, in that alternative universe, the Jaune they saw was collected, confident, and easily speaking like he knew what he was talking about. Pyrrha, in contrast, was visibly nervous and shrunken, nodding along with whatever advice her partner was giving. Their gear was what clinched the relationship. Jaune's was extremely well maintained and high quality, while Pyrrha's looked like a bunch of hand-me-downs.
"Whoa…Earth-2 Jaune must have been the champion while Earth-2 Pyrrha was the novice," Ruby breathed out.
"Yeah…." Jaune muttered, not used to seeing himself act so confidently, and not in a false bravado kind of way. He knew intimately what that looked like, but this Jaune wasn't being false at all. His confidence was one that was earned through sweat and blood. Pyrrha, meanwhile, saw in her counterpart what Jaune looked like when he first got to Beacon, what he still looked like even now. She also could recognize the unabashed admiration and awe in Pyrrha-2's eyes towards Jaune-2, something he was completely oblivious to. It was weird to look at, to say the least.
"Huh, so I guess Earth-2 Jaune must be peak-Jaune," Nora suggested. Jaune didn't even protest as he silently nodded.
Before they could say anything else, however, the screen suddenly cut off and the podium began to descend. They shot their heads towards the Flash, who was breathing heavily as his body continued to vibrate. Sweat trickled down his brow, and after a few moments it began to subside. Seeing their concerned faces, the Flash waved them off.
"I can only keep it up for a few minutes at a time," he revealed. "Any more than that and it messes with my body a lot."
"Do you need some food?" Blake asked, knowing just how high the speedster's metabolism was.
"Yeah, I think I do."
"I'll take him to the cafeteria," Hawkgirl said as she and the Flash exited the chamber. Green Lantern went with them, leaving behind only the Martian Manhunter, Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. They waited until the others had left, then they silently stared at each other.
"You are wondering how many worlds we can look into," J'onn J'onzz stated. They all looked at him for a moment, then nodded. "Just Earth-2. Mostly we can look at alternate timelines, but we don't typically do that out of concern for Flash's safety."
"When did you last do it?" Blake asked, genuinely curious.
"The last time we looked at alternate timelines was when you arrived on Earth, both because of your arrival and because the Flash didn't know who you were from the previous timeline," Batman revealed. They stared at him for a moment, then Weiss narrowed her eyes.
"Why look at alternate timelines?" she asked, her voice filled with suspicion. Expecting this question, Batman nodded.
"Over the years, we have observed and interacted with many alternate timelines and universes. After a while, we noticed something peculiar," he revealed. "Specifically, just how similar many of them are. There are universes that are radically different from one another, yes, but many of them are still recognizable to an uncanny degree. The same continents, the same people, same events, same countries. Some events are changed as you would logically expect after divergences, yet others still happen as we know them, things coming together in a way that leads to a similar if not exact outcome. Like they were supposed to happen."
"For example, Krypton's destruction," Green Lantern said. "In our timeline, Krypton was destroyed because of uncontrolled core exploitation, but in other timelines that didn't occur. Either it was stopped early enough or never even happened. Logically, you would expect Krypton to still be around then, but instead the planet was destroyed regardless. In some timelines, a natural build-up of internal pressure inside Krypton's uranium core led to it violently exploding, and in others the star Rao went supernova. In almost every timeline we've mapped, the end result is the same. Krypton was destroyed, and Superman was the only survivor."
"Which brings us back to Earth Prime," Superman continued. "It's only a theory right now, but we believe that whatever Earth or Remnant Prime is, it affects all the other universes in subtle ways, with the flow of time trying to conform to the prime timeline. When the changes are too great, the timeline branches off into a new universe, but otherwise the timeline stays in the same universe it came from."
"Like branches on a tree," Weiss suggested, offering the metaphor as a short-hand explanation. The other superheroes nodded, and Weiss nodded back. "Do you have a name for this?"
"We call it Temporal Inertia," Wonder Woman answered. "It's not one-to-one, of course, so using it to try and predict what will happen next is hopeless, but it is still worth studying the patterns."
RWBY and JNPR looked at Wonder Woman, then slowly turned their heads towards Batman.
"How many did you look at?" Ruby asked, knowing that Batman was paranoid enough to consider those patterns in his decision making.
"Fifty within a week of your arrival," Batman answered without missing a beat. "The timelines were only up to that point, but they were enough to notice patterns."
"Patterns like what?" Yang asked, narrowing her gaze.
"In all of those timelines, Brainiac invaded Remnant and destroyed the planet," Batman revealed, "which is why they're classified as alternate timelines of our universe. Earth-1a, Earth-1b, and so on. But not all of them happened during the Vytal Tournament. Some happened after, some before at the beginning of the year. In the timelines that happened after the Tournament, of which there were ten, in all but one Beacon had been destroyed."
RWBY and JNPR gasped, Ruby bringing her hands to her mouth as the others let their jaws drop.
"So…Beacon was always going to fall?" Jaune quietly asked.
"Not guaranteed, but I believe it most likely was."
"Who could have…Wait," Ruby paused, thinking back to the invasion, then her eyes widened in realization. "Cinder… She infiltrated the CCT Tower during the dance. If what you're saying is true, had Brainiac not invaded Remnant, she would have tried to destroy Beacon."
"Yes. There were other patterns I noticed, such as the relationships between each of you. Or, for the most part, lack thereof," Batman confirmed, then shifted his gaze subtly towards Pyrrha. The champion noticed this and wondered why he was looking at her, then thought back to the 'advice' he gave her before the disastrous date. Slowly it dawned on her, and she gave a half-hearted chuckle.
"I'm guessing this is why you gave me that advice?" she asked.
After a moment, Batman nodded. She mirthlessly laughed and shook her head while Jaune just looked at his partner in confusion, wondering what advice Batman had given her. After a few moments, however, he finally absorbed what Batman was implying. Regret shot through his heart and he dejectedly looked down at his feet. The rest of RWBY and JNPR looked at them in soft concern, as did Wonder Woman and Superman. Martian Manhunter and Batman, however, remained stoically silent. For a minute they stood in silence, then Superman stepped forward.
"I know you all have a lot going on in your heads right now. How about you go get some sleep?" he suggested. RWBY and JNPR looked up at the Man of Steel for a moment, then Ruby nodded.
"We know the way," Ruby said as they turned around to walk out of the chamber. As she got near the door, however, she turned around and looked at the veteran superheroes. "Thank you, for…trusting us with this."
Before the heroes could say anything else, the Remnantians kept going down the hall. As they continued down the hallway, however, J'onn telepathically reached out to the other heroes' heads.
'I thought you weren't going to lie to them?' J'onn told Batman and the others. Superman and Wonder Woman shot Batman a look, who didn't betray any emotions.
'I didn't,' Batman insisted. 'Out of the fifty timelines I saw, only five had Pyrrha and Jaune dating, and all of those were from before Brainiac's invasion. There was a pattern.'
'That wasn't why you looked at Pyrrha,' J'onn insisted. Batman remained silent, and Superman narrowed his eyes.
'Bruce, what did you see?' Superman asked, knowing that Bruce had undoubtedly seen things in his investigation that he didn't tell anyone else. Knowing him he probably made sure that the Flash wasn't able to tell what was going on. He always had issue making out what the others could see while he was moving so fast. Batman was silent for a moment, then softly spoke.
'With the Flash's help, I saw fifty timelines. In twenty of them, including all of the post-Fall of Beacon timelines, Pyrrha died or was already dead. Chest injuries and burns were prevalent, from what I could see from the timelines where she got to Earth and died anyway. In just as many, Yang had one of her arms cleanly severed at the elbow by a blade. In the Post-Fall timelines, she had a prosthetic limb in its place,' Batman revealed, then shot Superman a look. 'Tell me, how would you tell them that?'
The others stared silently at him for a moment, then Superman nodded.
'Well then, I can understand omitting that,' Superman admitted. Wonder Woman, however, looked at the Caped Crusader with solemn realization.
'Pyrrha's chest armor and Yang's arm guards. That's why you focused so much on their design, isn't it?' she asked, and Batman nodded.
'I know that just because it happened in multiple timelines doesn't meant it'll happen here, but if I can in some way mitigate the risk, I won't hesitate.' He paused, then looked at his teammates. 'They cannot know, especially about Pyrrha. If they do, I fear how they will react.'
'In this instance, I agree,' J'onn replied immediately.
Superman and Wonder Woman nodded in agreement a moment later, then one by one left the chamber. Batman was the last one out, looking at the podium in silence. Part of him wondered if looking into those alternate timelines could be considered knowledge that mankind was not meant to know, but the rest of him knew that doing so was the best course of action. After a moment of silent contemplation, he turned around and joined Superman and Wonder Woman at the door, and the trinity walked through it together and closed the doors behind them.
RWBY and JNPR went back to the room they first stayed in when they got to Earth all those months ago. It seemed like a lifetime ago, after everything they've been through. As they sat straight up on their beds, they couldn't help but note that the beds felt stiffer, the air felt recycled, and even the gravity felt off. Living on Earth was definitely more comfortable. Yet they couldn't deny that the view of the Earth outside their window was spectacular.
None of them were focused on that, however. If anything, after everything they just learned, the Earth viewed from space now seemed so small.
"Today…escalated," Ruby finally declared after several minutes of no one speaking. As though opening the floodgates, the bedroom became filled with chatter.
"Seriously," Yang grunted, crossing her arms. "We went from a scouting mission and a double date to all out post-apocalyptic warfare and brainwashing. Oh, and can't forget about the fact that the freaking multiverse is apparently a thing, and is the exact reason why Batman is so paranoid."
"Part of me wants to refuse to accept it," Blake admitted, hugging herself close out of existential dread, "but the looks on their faces…they were telling the truth. Every last word."
"Yes," Weiss slowly breathed out. "It's both existentially horrifying, knowing that there are infinite versions of yourself in a vast, ever expanding multiverse, but at the same time I can't help but feel fascinated about the entire thing. What are the range of differences? What's the ratio between barely distinguishable and unimaginable? I want to know, but at the same time…I'm scared to."
"So am I," Ren added, breathing deeply to keep himself steady. Even the normally hyperactive Nora was eerily subdued and still as she pondered the world-shattering information dump they just received. Ren then calmly said, "The implications of a multiverse are staggering, to say the least. Every choice we and others make, no matter how large or small, creates a new universe where the opposite choice was made. Every second of our lives creates an infinite number of new universes."
"Does that mean none of our choices matter?" Jaune asked the question everyone was silently asking. "If each choice results in a new universe or timeline, yet a lot of those choices don't really change anything…what does that mean?"
Everyone went silent again, then Pyrrha softly began to speak and grab everyone's attention.
"I think the answer's obvious," she began, rubbing her hands together while looking out towards everyone. "Our choices…are the most powerful things in existence. We literally have the ability to create entire worlds just by making a simple choice. Temporal Inertia or not, we control our destinies. Not some outside force. It doesn't matter if another version of me made a different choice. I made this choice, I chose my destiny, and this is the life I choose to live. That's empowering to me."
RWBY and JNPR stared at Pyrrha, pondering her statement. Slowly, everyone nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, you're right," Nora declared with a resolute nod, then gave Pyrrha a look. "That's a nice way to think about it. Thank you."
"You're welcome," Pyrrha replied through a soft smile, then she caught a look from Jaune. He was looking at her and prepared to speak, but she cut him off. "Jaune. Can you and I talk in private for a minute?"
Her partner was taken aback for a bit, then nodded. "Uh, yeah. Sure."
He got off his bed and walked with Pyrrha into the adjacent bathroom. They closed the door behind them, granting them at least some privacy. Jaune, for his part, suddenly looked very nervous, and Pyrrha knew exactly why.
"It's not your fault," she insisted, and Jaune vigorously shook his head as tears pooled around his eyes.
"Yes, it is!" he insisted. "God, I was so stupid! Stupid not to recognize her, stupid not to recognize how you felt earlier! I just—"
"Stop," Pyrrha cut him off, gently grabbing his chin and making him look her in the eyes. "Listen to me very carefully, Jaune: you are my best friend, and I care about you too damn much to watch you tear yourself apart. It is not your fault Poison Ivy got to you and Ren. She outplayed all of us."
She lowered her voice and spoke more softly, "And it's not your fault you didn't notice how I felt earlier. I should have been more forward, but I wasn't. Part of me wonders how things would have changed between us if I was, but the rest doesn't care anymore. So let's just move on, okay?"
Jaune stayed silent for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, alright."
Pyrrha smiled, then faltered slightly when Jaune continued speaking. "So, obviously the double-date was a disaster. Next time, it'll be perfect. Nice and simple, maybe a picnic. Maybe—"
"Jaune, please," Pyrrha gently interrupted. Jaune looked at her in surprise, then recognized the soft glaze in her eyes.
"But, I thought…?" he began, and Pyrrha nodded.
"At one point I did, but now…" she sighed, closed her eyes and shook her head. "I guess what happened put things in perspective. What I said earlier was true. You're my best friend, Jaune. Thanks to you, I've made friendships that will last me a lifetime, friends that love me for me, that see me as more than just the Invincible Girl. And right now, simply being part of your life as your friend is more than enough for me."
She smiled at her partner, who looked down at her sadly. After a moment, he gently nodded.
"Damn it," he gently cursed, and Pyrrha nodded in agreement.
"Yeah," she said, then smiled again. "But who knows? It might not work out right now, but maybe someday, when things calm down, you and I can try again. If not, and you find someone else, I'll support you and her every step of the way."
Jaune solemnly nodded. "Yeah. I'll support you, too."
Pyrrha smiled, slowly feeling the heavy atmosphere lift. Then, she joked, "Of course, if you do fall for someone else and then they break your heart, I'm going to stab her."
"Oh, I'll do the same," Jaune quickly agreed, chuckling slightly. "You're perfect, Pyrrha, and anyone would be lucky to have you. If someone were that lucky, only for them to hurt you, they're gonna die. I just hope I didn't hurt you."
"You didn't. I chose you as my partner that day, and I choose to be your friend," Pyrrha insisted, then as she noticed the slightly saddened look on his face added through a slight chuckle, "I hate it when you look sad. It's like looking at a kicked puppy. Do you want a hug?"
Jaune laughed heartily and nodded. "Yes, yes I do."
The two partners immediately wrapped themselves into a tight, bittersweet hug. One that was filled with both regret and acceptance. Both Jaune and Pyrrha closed their eyes tightly, resting their heads on the other's shoulder as they just stood there. After a few moments, they broke apart and separated. They stared into each other's eyes, then Pyrrha gently kissed Jaune's cheek. It was a chaste kiss, not a romantic one yet filled with just as much love and care. Jaune smiled, then together the two of them opened the bathroom door. As they stepped out, however, they noticed everyone's attention was focused entirely on them, and Ruby was weeping.
"…You guys heard everything, didn't you?" Jaune asked, his face flush with embarrassment, and Weiss nodded.
"I thought that was very mature of you two," Weiss pointed out, which Blake, Yang, and Ren nodded in agreement with.
"It's so sad, yet so beautiful!" Ruby bawled, then Nora handed her a tissue that the Red Reaper happily took and blew into loudly.
With their faces blushing slightly, Jaune and Pyrrha hastily walked to their beds and sat back down. Everyone waited until Ruby calmed herself, and with her eyes still slightly red, she looked at her friends.
"So…what do we do now?" Ruby asked, her voice hitching up slightly. RWBY and JNPR knew what she was referring to, and they frowned.
"I don't know," Blake admitted. "On the one hand, Bruce did betray our trust. There's no denying that, but on the other hand had he not done so, things could have gotten much worse."
"And even I admit seeing a version of yourself turn into an evil tyrant, even a well-intentioned one, would raise some concerns. Gods know if there's a version out there who was always evil," Yang pointed out, then crossed her arms. "I still don't trust him, though. At least, not as much as I used to."
"On that, we agree," Weiss declared, then cleared her throat. "I think what we should do is obvious, at least partially. After everything he's done for us, both good and bad, we can still work with him. But I don't think we can live with him anymore."
Everyone nodded at Weiss' words, even Yang.
"But where will we go?" Nora asked. "We can stay up here in the Watchtower, but I prefer staying on Earth."
"So do I, but I don't know where we can stay," Blake said. "Dick offered to let us stay with them, but we all know they don't have the room to house eight additional people in that tiny apartment. They barely had enough space as it is. If Titans Tower was still livable, I'd move back in a heartbeat, but I wouldn't feel good about myself for imposing on them like that."
"Yeah…" Jaune replied softly, his voice barely audible.
No one knew what to do, then Ruby pursed her lips in thought as she remembered something. Weiss noticed the look on Ruby's face and raised an eyebrow.
"Something on your mind?" Weiss asked, and after a moment Ruby nodded.
"Actually, yeah," Ruby admitted. "Didn't Bruce mention something about a Metropolis high rise apartment?"
It was nearly nine o'clock in the morning when RWBY and JNPR finally awoke and rose out of their beds. They cleaned themselves up and ate a quick breakfast in the Watchtower cafeteria, then made their way to the League conference room where they knew the League Founders were waiting. For the first few moments, they stared silently at the founders as they sat on provided chairs, then Ruby took the initiative and leaned forward.
"We talked it over last night," Ruby began, looking straight at Batman, "and we've come to a decision."
Batman nodded in understanding, partially feeling like he knew where this meeting was going to go, yet allowing Ruby to continue unabated.
"After taking everything into consideration, we've decided that we can't live with you in Wayne Manor. Not anymore," Ruby admitted, her voice uncharacteristically serious. "Even if the nanites were made and used with the best of intentions, they were made by betraying our trust, and we simply aren't comfortable living with you anymore."
Batman's frown took on a sad cast despite himself, but Ruby continued before he could say anything, "With that being said, we can't ignore everything you've done for us. You took us in when we didn't have a home, you trained us, fed us, kept us safe, treated us like equals and more. So, even if we don't want to live with you, we still trust you enough to work with you."
The Caped Crusader was surprised by that statement. He honestly thought they'd want nothing to do with him anymore. Diana, on her part, shot Batman a gentle smile, then Batman quickly recomposed himself and leaned forward.
"Thank you. I suppose a working relationship is the best I can hope for right now," he admitted, and Ruby nodded.
"We're still angry at you," Ruby said. "Knowing that you made those nanites hurt, Batman, mostly because we considered you to be a close friend. You're going to have to earn that back, and I don't know how long that's going to take."
"I understand," Batman replied somberly. "I'll have Alfred pack your things. Do you know where you're going to stay?"
"We have some ideas," Ruby answered, then looked at her teammates. They each nodded at her, and she nodded back before looking back at Batman. "But before we make any decision, we wanted to confirm something. When you offered us the chance to move into Wayne Manor, you also offered us a high rise in Metropolis. Is that still available?"
Batman immediately understood where she was going with this, and nodded. "Yes, it is. It has more than enough room for all of you, plus a few guests. It's yours, if you want it, and I'll even pay for all expenses."
Ruby smiled and nodded. "We appreciate that. Thank you."
She honestly meant that. Granted, they had been fully planning on paying for living expenses on their own (they figured eight incomes would be enough to cover everything), but knowing that Bruce would take care of it lifted a tremendous burden. They still planned on getting jobs, of course, and Ruby and Weiss would start their part-time jobs in a few days, but every little bit helps. Feeling that this particular issue was settled, Ruby shifted her attention towards Superman, who cleared his throat and stood up.
"Now, onto other, more urgent matters," he declared, pressing a button on the table next to his seat. The lights dimmed, and a series of holographic projectors scattered around the room lit up and coalesced over the Justice League's conference table. The image formed was of the Earth, with several areas around the world highlighted in yellow.
"Taking out Blüdhaven was a tremendous victory, but I'm afraid it wasn't enough," Superman admitted. "Grimm attacks are on the rise all across the world, and we're being stretched thin. They're coming from a source. We haven't found it yet, but we need to before the Grimm get out of hand. Which is where you eight come in."
Superman looked at RWBY and JNPR, who stared back in rapt attention. "Out of everyone on the entire planet, you know the most about how to take on the Grimm. As such, I'm asking that as we search for the source of the Grimm on Earth, you aid other heroes as they respond to Grimm threats."
"Of course," Yang replied immediately. "You didn't even need to ask. Fighting Grimm is what we trained for."
"I know, I just wanted to be polite," Superman said through a smile, then turned his head to Green Lantern. "John, you're up."
"Right," John Stewart replied as he stood up and cleared his throat. "It's about Brainiac. We have some good news for once. The Guardians mapped out where he's most likely going to be in the next few weeks, and they're staging an ambush. Hal Jordan's leading the assault, along with Earth's other Lanterns, Kyle Rayner and Guy Gardner. They'll be with some of the best in the entire Corp. There's no guarantee that we'll be able to bring him in, but this is a good chance. I would have gone with them, but with the threat of the Grimm here on Earth, I couldn't leave. Figured you all would want to know."
RWBY and JNPR could hardly believe their ears. Wide, toothy smiles broke out across their faces, tempered slightly by the fact that they wouldn't be able to take him on directly. Still, John Stewart was right. They couldn't just get up and leave Earth to defend itself against the Grimm, not as they continued to grow as a threat.
"Thank you for letting us know," Weiss replied through a smile.
"No problem, Weiss," Green Lantern said. "Unfortunately, we haven't found Remnant just yet, but when we do, I want to ask you this. Do you want to see it?"
The two teams of former students stared at the Green Lantern for a few moments, thinking on how best to answer. Finally, Ruby steeled her gaze and nodded.
November 15th, 9:30 A.M. (Eastern Standard Time)
Metropolis, New York, United States of America
Lex Luthor grunted, his body covered in sweat as he squat-lifted a heavy set of weights along a barbell. Three-hundred pounds, to be exact. Luthor knew he could go higher, but he had work to do.
"Fifty," Luthor counted as he finished his reps, then dropped the barbell on the matted gym floor. Grabbing a nearby towel and water bottle, he wiped the sweat from his brow as he sat down and took a hearty drink of water. After several greedy gulps, he stopped himself and got up, making room for Mercy as she waited on him with a data pad in hand.
"Sir, the latest reports have come in," she announced.
"Well, don't leave me in suspense. Let me hear it," Luthor ordered, and Mercy nodded as she swiped her finger across the device.
"Arms sales have risen fifty-percent in the past quarter, on account of the recent fears of Brainiac's upcoming invasion along with the rising threat of Grimm incursions. The League did manage to destroy a League of Shadows distribution center in Blüdhaven, but I do not believe that will stem the flow for long."
"As expected," Luthor admitted. One couldn't keep hidden under the nose of the Batman for long, after all. Except for him, of course, but Luthor was the exception to the rule. "How goes research and development?"
"It's coming along remarkably fast. Doctor Marina Maru has made considerable progress on the chemical weapons department. She says her great-grandmother's notes have been a tremendous boon for her work. Luthor Technologies has also reported a breakthrough in a new type of projectile capable of piercing Grimm armor and flesh. Field tests are rolling out as we speak."
"That's good to hear," Luthor replied as he draped the towel over his neck and held both ends with his hands. "Anything else?"
"Grimm attacks are on the rise, and our media outlets are already reporting heavily on it."
"Perfect. Thank you, Mercy," Luthor said, then began walking away and leaving Mercy to put up the weights. She didn't mind, easily picking up the massive barbell as though it was nothing and putting it back on the rack before resetting the plates, then followed Lex Luthor out of his private gym.
"There is one other thing," Mercy softly reported, causing Luthor to stop and turn around expectantly at her. Nodding at him, she continued, saying, "Two new types of Grimm emerged from the pools."
"More?" Lex asked, cocking an eyebrow. "That's the fifth one since that zealous fool nearly unleashed Trigon. That's not a coincidence."
"That's what the science team thinks as well. They believe a possible third party is somehow manipulating the Grimm from afar."
"Find out who it is," Lex ordered. "Then we'll determine whether they're dangerous or if they can be worked with."
"Understood. Also, Doctor Donovan has a status update on Project Krypton. The subject is growing increasingly restless, but still remains under our control."
"I've been growing him for the past seventeen years. He can wait a few more to go out into the world," Lex growled, knowing exactly why the subject in question was 'restless.'
"Do you want me to tell him that?" Mercy asked, but Luthor shook his head.
"No. I'll tell him myself."
With that, Lex Luthor walked away, Mercy Graves right behind him.
[~][~]
Hello, everyone, and welcome to the latest chapter of Hunters of Justice! A lot of things got revealed here, things that have major implications as we dive right into the next major arc of the story. As you could tell, the Grimm are now center stage. The next arc is going to be pretty interesting, and I think you guys will enjoy it.
Now, onto the Q&A:
Guest (1): I intend to explore as much facets of the DC Universes as I can. I can't say whether or not certain characters will appear, but if I can fit them into the story, I will.
RandomName3064: I grew up with the DC Animated Universe, too, and to this day is what I instinctually think of when it comes to the DC characters. Green Lantern, to me, is John Stewart and not Hal Jordan or Kyle Rayner, for example, although I still love their characters.
Guest (2): Thank you. I had a lot of fun writing Red Son, and I'm happy that my efforts paid off. I wanted to give depth to Premier Superman, as he's just so fascinating a character and the relationship he would have with RWBY and JNPR, especially when compared to the prime relationship, is intriguing to say the least.
Drake G. Reaper: That answer will be revealed in time.
captaindickscratcher: Oh, most definitely. It's how he got killed in canon. As for what Brainiac took, he took the cities that represented key parts of Remnant's culture, so Kuo Kuana was taken due to it being almost the center of the Faunus people but not some run of the mill fishing village on Menagerie. Argus, due to its unique blending of Atlesian and Mistralian cultures, caught his eye as well.
Vein Bloodborne: I can't answer that right now, other than probably not very well.
The Viking Stranger: Unfortunately, I don't really do requests. Sorry.
hirshja: I'm glad you liked it! I had a lot of fun writing this Elseworlds. I don't intend, however, to continue on with it. What happened next, well, that's up to you guys to decide. Did Superman stubbornly continue down his path to a communist utopia, or did he stop and reevaluate his actions? It's up to your imagination.
gordhanx: It was less about the whole 'introducing the multiverse' reason and more 'this is the end of the Batman arc, and here's a unconnected Elseworlds that wouldn't break the flow of the story otherwise.' But yes, I liked writing Red Son a lot. As for other Elseworlds, you guys will have to wait and see what they will be.
Luffy L Deathwalker: That wasn't really the point behind Superman: Red Son, though. The point, which is what I tried to convey, was that the pursuit of a perfect utopia can turn a good man into a monster. This is more apparent in the comicbook. I wanted to portray that here and show that Superman was slowly turning into a tyrannical monster that RWBY and JNPR could no longer support. It's supposed to be a tragedy.
Alexbaker42: The Infamous Man already did an Elseworlds based off of Kingdom Come, which was in the first Elseworlds compilation chapter. As such, I will not be doing that one. As for the others, you'll have to wait and see.
JagenShinigami: Probably not, as that was just too dark for me and for my story. DCeased was dark enough, thank you.
Pontiac56: You'll have to wait and see on that.
Chaldea: Other young heroes will appear, yes.
Dark Mage Wyvern Lord: I am aware of the Hellbat armor, and I can say that Project: HUNTER-BAT is not it.
mastergamer14: No, Ruby will not be tapping into the Speed Force in this story. That is the Flash's thing, and Ruby has her own stuff. That applies to other powers in the DC Universe, such as the Green Lanterns. That in particular belongs to its own story.
That's it for this time. Let me know what you guys all think and I hope you enjoy!