Infinity Crisis Aftermath: Family Reunion
Disclaimer: All characters belong to their owners. This is just for fun.
When a mysterious explosion destroyed an artificial intelligence lab, Adam Hollister is killed and posthumously framed for causing it. His son Jack and wife Madeline Hollister set out to prove Adam's innocence. In reality, one of Adam's assistants, Vincent Cyrus, caused the explosion. Cyrus used it to steal an experimental computer brain. Merging it with his own brain, Cyrus became the master criminal called Cybron. To combat Cybron and his army of Bio-Borgs, Jack Hollister became Skysurfer One, leader of the Skysurfer Strike Force.
In the years since, the Skysurfer Strike Force has fought numerous menaces to the Earth, made allies, and finally ended the threat of Cybron. But now the Skysurfers have to prepare for threats they've never faced before...multiversal-level threats...
Auckland, New Zealand, Earth-199596.
As typical with any other day in Auckland Airport, it was busy with passengers going to and fro. People were leaving and arriving at the airport for a variety of purposes, from business to pleasure, and perhaps a bit of both.
For one particular group of tourists, their purpose for arriving in the country was exactly that, a mix of business...and a bit of fun. The group was a rather eclectic one. Six men and women and a teenager of different races, all led by a blonde older woman with a cane.
"Oh boy, this is gonna be so cool!" A teenage Latina girl of around 19 whooped. She wore a red t-shirt with a pair of blue jean shorts, and a pair of black boots. She had a black backpack on her back with a yellow flame motif. Her black hair was pulled up in a high ponytail.
Hot Streak. Real Name: Selena Salazar. Birthplace: Phoenix, AZ. Affiliation: Skysurfer Strike Force. Physiology: Cyborg. Powers and abilities: Cybernetic enhancements grant increased physical abilities and pyrokinesis.
"I know, dudette!" A tanned man with her grinned. His auburn hair was slicked back and put into a ponytail. He wore a red-and-white short-sleeved shirt with a black undershirt and blue jeans. He also had on white sneakers. "It's gonna be sweet to see him again. And on better terms this time around."
Crazy Stunts. Real Name: Michael "Micky" Finnegan. Birthplace: Los Angeles, CA. Affiliation: Skysurfer Strike Force. Physiology: Baseline Human. Powers and abilities: No innate superpowers. Skilled stunt pilot and marksman.
Selena's grin turned to a slim woman of Japanese and Native Hawaiian heritage. She wore a white shirt that revealed her midriff, a sleeveless denim jacket over it, and blue jeans with brown boots. Her dark hair was cut in a short, spiky style.
Sliced Ice. Real Name: Kimberley "Kim" Sakai. Birthplace: Honolulu, HI. Affiliation: Skysurfer Strike Force. Physiology: Baseline Human. Powers and abilities: No innate superpowers. Skilled martial artist and swordswoman.
"I can't wait to meet Lyle." Selena grinned. "I think it's so cool that your cousin is doing the superhero thing."
"Indeed, Lena." Kim said, nodding. "But let's keep it on the down-low, shall we?" She made a 'shush' gesture to illustrate her point.
"Right, right." Selena nodded. "I'm sorry, I'm just so excited." She rubbed her hands in excitement. "I mean, when you told me about the whole Judo Beetle thing, I started doing some research. Trying to find other superheroes out there." Kim chuckled. Ever since they met the armored insect-themed hero, the members of the Skysurfers have done some research into foreign superheroes, and discovered there were quite a few running around.
I remember when we met Lionheart yesterday. Kim recalled. England's premier heroine. God knows that place needed heroes, considering its state...
San Diego, yesterday.
A tall, athletic woman stood in the HQ. She was clad in a futuristic sleek golden armor, the chestplate being white and bearing the red St. George's cross. White fur surrounded the neck area. She held her helmet under her head, which looked like a lion's head, complete with golden-brown mane and green eyes. Notably, attached to her belt was a scabbard, which contained a certain magical sword. Her hair was covered by a colorful headscarf.
Lionheart. Real Name: Safiya Roked. Birthplace: London, England, UK. Affiliation: None. Physiology: Baseline Human. Powers and abilities: Skilled swordswoman. Armor grants superhuman physical abilities, and usage of various weapon systems.
Safiya Roked was once an ordinary woman, who dreamed of being a hero. She would get the chance to be one when during an attack by a monster, she pulled the sword Excalibur from its stone, and discovered she was chosen to be England's new hero. Ironically, it created a massive amount of controversy. Sadly, quite a few Brits were...not happy to see what they considered a symbol of Englishculture be in the hands of a Muslim woman, most notably the Prime Minister...despite the fact that she was as English as a double-decker bus.
"I have to say that this is quite an honor." Safiya smiled, shaking the hand of a blond man. He wore a red shirt, blue jeans, white sneakers, and a black jacket.
Skysurfer One. Real Name: Jack Hollister. Birthplace: Los Angeles, CA. Affiliation: Skysurfer Strike Force. Physiology: Baseline Human. Powers and abilities: No innate superpowers. Skilled swordsman, martial artist, and extreme sportsman.
"Same here." Jack smiled. "Since that incident in New Zealand, we've been looking into making contact with other superheroes around the world."
"Why is that, I wonder?" She asked.
"Well, we've been seeing some...unusual threats lately, and we want to make sure we can get on the same page with as many other superheroes and crimefighters as we can."
The woman blinked. "...you're worried something really big is coming." She deduced. Jack nodded in confirmation.
"I believe so." Jack admitted. "I do have just one question for you."
"What?"
"Have you ever heard of...the multiverse?"
Present time
The Skysurfers' leader leaned his head towards a beautiful blonde woman walking next to him holding his hand.
"I think I blew poor Ms. Roked's mind." He whispered to the woman in amusement. She giggled. The woman was wearing a black one-shoulder top and purple skirt, with black shoes. Her golden hair was held out of her face by a purple headband.
Skysurfer Two. Real Name: Cerina Cyrus-Hollister. Birthplace: New York City, NY. Affiliation: Skysurfer Strike Force. Physiology: Baseline Human. Powers and Abilities: Skills in skysurfing, disguise, and infiltration. Mastery of archery.
"It's better she learns now, anyway." Cerina told him sagely. "At least she learned the easy way."
"It's actually quite fascinating." A tall broad-shouldered Black bald man said. He wore a light green and white jacket, a dark green sweater, brown slacks, and black shoes.
Air Enforcer. Real Name: Nathan James. Birthplace: Atlanta, GA. Affiliation: Skysurfer Strike Force. Physiology. Baseline Human. Powers and Abilities: No innate superpowers. Skilled skysurfer and expertise in heavy weaponry and demolition.
"Indeed." Jack rubbed his chin in thought. "Imagine. Worlds where things happened differently."
"I still can't believe the Fox Theory was true. Shame that Gardner Fox himself isn't around to see this..." Kim said.
"Maybe one where Dad didn't die." Jack continued on. "Or one where the dinosaurs were never wiped out. Or one where Selena still got to be human..."
"Jack, you really need to stop kicking yourself about that." Cerina said. "It wasn't your fault."
"Aye, Jack." Maddie agreed. The Irishwoman smiled at her son. "You didn't make Dr. Five-Eyes turn Selena into a Bio-Borg."
"And a lot of good came from it." Cerina recalled. "You saved her and helped her get back her mind. And also..." She kissed him. "It convinced me I was on the wrong side."
"She's right, Jack." Nate added. "Being human isn't about what you're made of. You helped save her humanity." The four watched Selena eagerly chat with Micky about Judo Beetle. "And I doubt she's complaining that much."
"Yes, you're right." Jack agreed. He held Cerina closer. "A lot of good did come from it."
"I will never forget the look on Cybron's...well, face when he realized he ended up having to deal with seven Skysurfers instead of five. And one of them was his own daughter." A man with brown hair cackled. He wore a sleeveless blue shirt with a yellow slash on it meant to look like a boomerang, blue jeans, and sneakers.
Soar Loser. Real Name: Bradley "Brad" Wright. Birthplace: Los Angeles, CA. Affiliation: Skysurfer Strike Force. Physiology: Baseline Human. Powers and Abilities: No innate superpowers. Skilled martial artist and silent weapons expertise.
"I admit, it was funny shooting some flames up Dr. Five-Eyes's butt." Selena snickered. "One benefit of my enhancements?" She tapped her head. "Perfect recall. That's a memory I'll treasure forever."
"I admit it, kid. I got a good laugh out of it myself." Brad chuckled.
"No kidding." Nate agreed. "I've been wanting to meet your cousin, Kim. Check out that armor of his."
"I would love to look at Judo Beetle's armor meself." Maddie Hollister smiled at Nate. "From what Kim and Micky told me, it's...an impressive piece of work."
"Ohhh, boy." Brad muttered, rolling his eyes. "The nerds will be talking about that suit for hours."
"Ahhh, I'm sure there's plenty to do here." Selena pointed out.
"I've been wanting to check out the surf scene here myself. I heard you can catch some major waves here." Micky grinned. Selena pulled out a small flyer she had found out of her pocket.
"You might like this, Brad." She said as she handed it to him. The brunet man looked at the information on the flyer.
"A Comedy Festival, huh?" He smiled. "That sounds like fun."
Elsewhere in the airport, two people were waiting. One was a petite young woman with her long black wavy hair in pigtails. Her skin was medium brown in complexion, a result of her Egyptian and European heritage. She was clad in a green sweater and blue jeans with black boots. The other was a man of Japanese and New Zealander ancestry. He was broad-shouldered and muscular, with a strong jaw and a small mole on his right cheek. He wore a blue blazer with a green shirt, blue slacks, and black shoes.
"It'll be nice seeing cousin Kim again." The man chuckled.
"Hopefully this time, it won't end up in my apartment nearly getting wrecked." The woman shook her head. She looked at her watch. "She said that they'd be here soon, Lyle."
Lyle Midorikawa nodded. "They should be, Alexis."
"I hope so." Dr. Alexis Skarab said. "I'm getting hungry."
"Oh, look. Here they are now." Lyle pointed out the group of heroes. He waved towards them. Kim smiled and waved back. Selena ran up to the Japanese-New Zealander with a big grin on her face.
"Oh my God, it's so cool to meet you!" She said excitedly, shaking his hand.
"You got a fan." Alexis teased.
"Uh...Selena, right?" Lyle recalled. "Cousin Kim told me all about you."
"Have you fought any supervillains? What inspired your superhero name?" Selena asked excitedly, the Latina teenager bouncing up and down as if she was jumping on a trampoline. Lyle and Alexis looked at each other.
"Well, Kim did warn us about her..." Lyle whispered.
"Mm-hmm." Alexis nodded.
"Take it easy, lassie." Maddie chuckled, gently pulling Selena back. "I'm sure they'll answer yer questions later."
"Sorry, sorry! I'm just so excited." Selena said, her grin never leaving her face. "Meeting more superheroes is always awesome."
"Kid, be careful. I don't think Mr. Midorikawa would want his identity exposed." Nate advised.
"That would be appreciated." Lyle smiled.
"You guys must be a bit tired after the trip." Alexis said.
"Well, Selena isn't." Brad smirked, jerking his thumb at the bouncing teenage cyborg. "I think it's her...enhancements."
"Or maybe it's because she's a teenage girl who drank six sodas on the plane." Nate snarked.
"I don't know how that girl can drink that much soda and not need to spend a lot of time in the bathroom." Kim said.
"Well, I have a car ready to take you to our place." Alexis smiled. "After you get your luggage, of course."
"And then, we'll take you to our special place. Where the magic happens." Lyle added.
"If he means the bedroom, I'm going home." Brad grunted, pinching the bridge of his nose. Cerina rolled her eyes and smacked Brad upside the head. "Hey!"
"Don't mess up his hair!" Maddie snapped, whipping out her comb and staring to fix the brunet's hair.
"Hey!" Brad exclaimed.
Alexis giggled. "You guys always like this?"
"Working with a parent can be...interesting." Jack admitted.
Sometime later
The seven Skysurfers and their allies had arrived in what looked like an advanced lab. The centerpiece of it was the Judo Beetle armor standing in a lit tube.
"Wow..." Selena gasped in awe. She pulled out her phone. "Can I take a picture of it?"
"Sorry, kiddo." Alexis said. "But I'd rather this place be kept on the down low, as they say." Kim and Nate noticed something on a table nearby. It looked like a pair of folded up carapace wings.
"Some new gadget for the armor?" Kim asked. Nate pried open one of the carapace wings.
"They're wings." He said.
"Yes, they are." Lyle said. "Thanks for the inspiration, cousin."
"Inspiration?" Kim blinked.
"When you two flew off, we started talking about your skyboards." Alexis explained. "And we thought it would be neat to have Judo Beetle be able to master the skies as well. And it fits the beetle theme."
"What did inspire the name Judo Beetle, anyway?" Selena asked. "I admit, it's...kinda random."
"No more random than 'Hot Streak'." Alexis teased.
"Or Soar Loser." Nate smirked, jerking his thumb at Brad. The brunet man sneered at Micky.
"Thank this jerk for it. He called me that as a joke and it stuck."
Selena smirked. "Hey, Hot Streak fits." She held up her hand and made it burst into flame.
"Lyle's been a judoka his entire life." Kim explained.
"Been doing it since I was five. Even won a Bronze in the Olympics." Lyle added.
"I saw that match." Nate recalled. "You were robbed, man."
"Eh, stroke of luck." Lyle shrugged. "As for the beetle part, well...thank Alexis for that."
"My father's Egyptian." Alexis explained. "Scarab beetles are significant to my paternal ancestors. The god Khepri is said to have a scarab's head. Khepri is a solar deity who represents the rising sun and creation. And since Lyle is New Zealand's first superhero..."
"The birth of a new age." Jack realized.
"Basically." Alexis nodded. "Judo Beetle may be the first, but I'm hoping he's not the last superhero this country has."
"Whenever one superhero pops up, more tend to follow." Nate agreed. "We've made quite a few allies since we started the Skysurfing gig."
"You've said you wanted to talk to us, Kim. What about?" Lyle asked.
"First, we have to do something." Kim pulled out a small pocket watch from her pocket. She opened it and aimed at the two. A light went over Alexis and Lyle.
"What the-?!" Alexis winced and held up her hand.
"What's the big deal, cousin?" Lyle said. Kim smiled and closed the watch.
"You're fine." The Japanese-Native Hawaiian scientist said and put the watch back in her pocket.
"What was that all about?" Lyle asked.
"Sorry about that." Nate apologized sincerely. "We'll explain."
"You guys ever heard of the multiverse theory?" Maddie asked.
"The Fox Theory? Sure." Alexis nodded.
"It's true." Nate said. "The multiverse exists."
"Wait, like in the comic books?" Lyle blinked.
"Totally! We met people from alternate Earths!" Micky nodded. "You know that Ben 10 guy?"
"Yeah, the Yank that can turn into monsters."
"Not monsters, aliens." Selena corrected. "He is originally from an alternate universe. The creatures he can transform into are meant to be alien lifeforms from his old universe."
"Sometime back, we were looking for one of our old villains. Replicon." Jack added. "We found what appeared to be his corpse. And then...it changed."
"Changed?" Alexis blinked. "I'm not completely up on the Bio-Borgs, but wasn't that one's whole gimmick shapeshifting?"
"This is what it turned into." Nate showed the two a picture on his phone of the dead Skrull.
"The hell is that thing?" Lyle asked.
"A Skrull." Nate said. "A shapeshifting alien from another universe."
"Is this one of the alien things that Ben 10 can change into?" Alexis inquired.
"Nope." Selena shook her head. "But he did encounter them before. These Skrulls are the reason that Ben is here, though."
"Yeah, they attacked his home universe." Nate recalled. "He sacrificed himself to protect his world and ended up here."
"How'd you first learn of this?" Alexis asked.
"The same way we got the pocket watch." Kim explained. "We got it from a man called the Doctor."
"The Doctor." Alexis repeated in disbelief.
"Doctor...who?" Lyle blinked.
"Just the Doctor." Brad said.
"Yeah, he was Scottish, I think. Sounded Scottish." Selena recalled.
"He had a girl with him. Her name was Ace." Maddie recalled. "Selena and her got along like gangbusters."
"Ace was really cool." Selena recalled. Maddie nodded.
"Aye. Smart as a whip. Had a gift for chemistry. Real handy against the Skrulls."
"Girl had a knack for demolition." Nate smiled. "She made her own explosives."
"The Doctor was not happy with Nate giving her tips." Maddie laughed. "Nor was he happy with her teaching Selena here how to make her explosives."
"What I don't understand is, why did these aliens come to this universe?" Lyle asked.
"Evidently, they were looking for the old AI that Adam helped create. The AI that became Cybron." Maddie explained. "But they hit a wall."
"The brain was destroyed. Years ago." Nate said.
"And good riddance, if you ask me." Brad added. He quickly winced at Cerina. "No offense."
"None taken." Cerina shrugged.
"So these Skrulls' plan ended up a bust." Lyle summarized.
"Thank God." Brad muttered. "Just imagining that old cyborg bastard returning..." He glanced at Cerina. "No offense."
"It's fine, Boomerang Boy." Cerina frowned.
"So, what next? That was...it?" Alexis asked.
"More than that." Jack explained. "You see, our reality was not the only one that these Skrulls have visited."
"According to the Doctor, they've also invaded several other realities. For the purpose of conquest." Nate added.
"You think they'll come back?" Alexis realized.
"It's possible." Kim said.
"They might want a rematch." Brad shrugged. "I ain't gonna complain if those little green men want their heads handed to them again."
"I gotta agree with Brad on this one." Selena concurred.
"We're trying to get in contact with as many other superheroes as possible." Maddie explained. "If those green beasts return, or God forbid, something worse comes along, we're going to need to get as coordinated as possible."
"What could be worse than an invasion of green shapeshifters from another universe?" Lyle blinked.
"The Doctor believed these Skrulls were not acting on their own." Jack explained. "That they were being used by someone else. He said we should be prepared."
"Should we tell them about Hyperion, too?" Selena reminded.
"Might as well, as long as we're here." Nate agreed.
"Wait, what?" Lyle blinked.
"I get the feeling I'm going to need a drink, aren't I?" Alexis sighed.
"Let me help with that." Maddie took a bottle filled with a dark amber liquid out of her coat and put it on the table. Alexis noted the label on it. "Genuine Irish whiskey."
"Wait, how did your mother manage to sneak a bottle of whiskey through-" Brad yelped at Jack.
The blond man smiled in amusement. "Irish ingenuity."
"Indeed, my boy." Maddie grinned as she opened the bottle. "I figured Mr. Jameson would be handy to help us through explaining Hyperion."
That night
Alexis Skarab looked over some blueprints in her lab. A cup of hot cocoa was in her hands.
The stuff the Skysurfers said...absolutely incredible. The scientist thought. She sipped some of her cocoa. The Fox Theory being true, multiversal invaders, a wannabe Superman on the loose... She fought the urge to shudder. God, it's like things have gone all the way up to eleven in so short a time. They're going to need all the help they can get for all of this... She smiled at the blueprint.
It depicted a new version of the Judo Beetle armor...but the armor was clearly designed to be worn by a woman.
Besides, I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to try punching out some bad guys myself. Alexis sipped her cocoa. And I want to see the look on Lyle's face when he learns he's getting a partner...
Thanks for reading!
