Cassie slid a magazine into her pistol and then did the same to the other one. She then slid both into their holsters on her back. Then in a flash unleashed them and pointed them down range. Her reactions were fast so she put them back, but only halfway before extending them out again. She followed that fluid motion a few more times. Remembering the feeling, the reflex, the weight; everything until she got it right. Next to her Jin pulled back on his bow string before letting the arrow that wasn't there go. He then brought it back again and again.
"Alright Butter knife" a cocky voice let out and she looked in her reflection to see Green Lantern approaching her from behind and walked up to her side.
But she was still caught up on what he said.
"Butter knife?" Cassie repeated confused.
"Yeah, Butter knife" Green Lantern cemented with a grin, but she still turned back to him with a perplexed look "You know your moms last name is Blade" he paused after his brief explanation waiting for his joke to kick in
"My last names Cage you asshole" she said still stumped by the 'joke'.
"You're a mini version of her" he added on 'humorously' with a wave of his hands.
"Explaining it doesn't make it any less funny" she told flatly
"Well.." Green Lantern shrugged "you're no Swiss army knife"
"Hm" Jin scoffed in agreement.
"Whatever you say nightlight" she said looking away from him and drawing her pistols again.
Across the way where Captain Marvel stood with Jacqui. She feeling more comfortable now as she placed her uniform over her tank top from before.
However she couldn't cover her ears from being verbally assaulted by the bright colored hero. Her back was to him as she raised one of her gauntlets to place it over her left wrist. It fit her perfectly.
As he spoke he wouldn't see her rolled eyes or annoyed expression so he kept on talking obliviously.
"So those fit like a glove huh?" he attempted to joke, though it went just as well as Green Lanterns even if she didn't retort to it. The champion of lightning was then met eye to eye with the young Briggs. Her eyes scanned him up and down before settling back to his face. He seemed eager for what she had to say as he sat there wordlessly.
"So you met my dad?" she eventually asked setting her hands on her hips. His face recoiled in shock, not expecting that reaction. But he was eager to answer regardless.
"Uh huh" his head bobbed up and down
"So you're the same age as him?" she raised an eyebrow. He seemed to shrink when she mentioned that.
"Not exactly" he shook his head "I mean.." he ran a hand over his head uncomfortably as Jacqui continued to stare blankly at him "He's got a mean left hook" he chuckled uncomfortably.
"Hm" she nodded with faux amusement.
Takeda eyed Captain Marvel suspiciously as he stood over Jacqui blabbering on and on while she looked at him with an annoyed indifference 'I'm not loosing twice to this guy' he thought to himself and then marched over to them.
"I mean, tigers are cool!" he announced to her with a child like enthusiasm as the look she had on her face screamed boredom. It was after that outburst that they were joined by Takeda.
"-Hey so how's the preparation coming in-" he instantly inserted himself in between the two.
"We're just chatting" he said with a big dumb gleaming grin "So I guess we're all ready to go?"
"Hm mhh" he let out before looking to Jacqui. Jacqui's eyes wordlessly said 'thank you' as they now both turned to Captain Marvel. Takeda nodded 'your welcome' as they both turned back to him with a wry grin.
"How about you?" he asked. Takeda eyed him similarly to how Jacqui did before
"Shirai Ryu are always ready" he declared crossing his arms
"Dont I know it "Captain Marvel pointed a thumb up to himself.
"Hm" he let out again before arching his head just a bit to his side "So what was that about? Tigers?". Jacqui hardly suppressed a laugh and had to turn away unless she laughed in their face.
"You don't like em?" he asked, his forehead dropping over his eyes "You do look more like a lion kind of guy". That time Jacquis laugh exploded from her mouth. One so loud and obnoxious that it garnered the attention from everyone. Quickly regaining and awkwardly finding her composure she returned to checking her gear, even if she already knew it was good to go.
"At least they're having fun" Cassie commented snidely.
"I can only imagine" Jin said humorlessly. But they were not the only ones who took notice. Sonya went back to loading her gun, but spoke with someone on the monitor; no one else saw or knew who it was. Kensei unsheathed his sword with his mind while Johnny threw a kick. And watching it all, particularly the two colorful heroes was one who lacked that color.
Batman's eyes scanned around the rooms. His arms ducked deep inside his cape which flung down from his shoulders hid most of his body. A calming voice overtook him and he looked over to see Sub-zero approach.
"The first time I saw you" Sub-zero said releasing words and a cloud from his open mouth "It was in a cave where you dwelled" he paused recalling now seeing Batman as a black blot against the winter snow "And yet now I found you at the doorstep to the mountain temple I call home" he paused "For what?"
"No different than them" Batman looked over to Captain Marvel and Green Lantern. Sub-zero nodded simply. But he looked to Batman who seemed to be prepping the least out of all of them here.
"What are you thinking?" Sub-zero's gravely voice asked as he approached closer to stand by his side. Batman was silent for a few moments, his stone face not moving, or even twitching.
"Too many to let you know" he answered.
"Is that all?" he asked. Batman mused for a few silent moments.
"I was thankful to see you in charge of the Lin Kuei…" he turned to him "What else happened since so long ago?"
"Not much for you" Sub-zero said "Too much for me. Too much to let you know" he repeated. A hint of a smile almost crossed Batman's face even though it was in his mind. "The cyberization, revenants, redemption"
"And now you're back... no different than I" Batman dropped his head just a bit "Last time I went back in time..." he lowered his head and paused thinking of what Darkseid had done to him. " Now I'm here in the future. Your future" he looked back up, his eyes steady on Sub-zero who let out a grumble of acknowledgement. "That girl" he stated getting his attention as he changed the subject "she tried to finish me.. who was she?"
"Frost. My pupil" he told. Now Batman let out a grumble of acknowledgment. "What is it?" he asked "You have your own do you not?"
"Yes" Batman answered simply, but thought to himself 'She reminds me more of Jason than of Dick'.
Across the room, hidden halfway behind another monitor, Sonya closed a phone and slipped it back to her pants pocket. She then reached down to pick up the machine gun before her. She clocked the magazine into the rifle and tapped it. She looked over to see the pockets of the strike group all across the room. She flung the gun over her shoulder and stepped towards the center of the room.
She let out a fierce whistle getting everyone attention. All heads turned and all eyes were on her, and soon enough they surrounded her.
"Alright" she scanned from side to side "Everyone ready?". Everyone silently and obediently nodded to her. Her eyes lingered on her daughter for a moment before looking to the new faces in the room.
"How bout you?" she asked to Green Lantern
"We didn't come all this way for nothing"
"Didn't come all this way for this either" she smirked. "But hey, at least its not boring" she turned around and all huddled forward towards the portal.
"Hey at least your letting us use it this time" he responded as Captain Marvel patted him on the back.
"So do we have a code name for this mission?" Captain Marvel asked.
"Yeah" Sonya answered with a grin "Operation Special forces save your sorry ass". A small rupture of laughter permeated from the group. She let out an amused smile at herself to the varying degrees of reactions she got. Laughter from Green Lantern and Johnny, Shock from Cassie and Jacqui, and absolutely nothing from Sub-zero, Batman and Scorpion. Sonya shook her head at him before she turned around and headed forward towards the portal. "How's it going?"
"Getting it ready now ma'am". She nodded silently. She looked back over her shoulder at everyone.
"No." she stated looking to Johnny and Kensei "You two stay here"
"What?-" Johnny let out "But I thought"
"Some ones got stay and guard the base" she stated but it still sounded like an order. Like she'd rather be rid of them- or just him- at them moment. The two nodded their heads to her and she moved her attention to everyone else.
"Fine" Johnny sighed amicably "If you wanna go on your reunion tour you coulda just said so" as he looked to Scorpion and Sub-zero who stood with the new heroes instead of their protégés. Sonya said nothing to him and put her back to him and everyone else. Signaling to Johnny the conversation was over. Instead she eyed the portal, ready to go on another mission. It was easier to think of it that way.
Behind her they all stood in a side to side and shoulder to shoulder in a clutter of capes, armor and weapons, sticking mostly with those they came in or were designated with. The lights above mixed sporadically with those of the portal, though it wasn't a major concern. The lights of the portal flickered on and off, casting some of them in shadows, others in light, but mostly just a mix of the two.
"So you were in the military too?" Jacqui asked up over her right shoulder, her question seemingly taking Captain Marvel off guard.
"What? No, no Captain Marvel is just my hero name. Earth's mightiest mortal!" he declared with his puffed out chest.
"So that's stolen valor" she concluded emotionlessly.
"What?" he asked. She let out a snark more akin to Cassie than herself.
More exchanges were being had between old allies, but even more amongst newly made ones; whether by circumstance or force. Or by some standards both.
Cassie looked to the display between her friend and the walking happy meal. Then to the brooding Batman with the equal stoic and serious grandmaster.
She however found herself more with her new 'substitute leader' Green Lantern.
"Just don't give the substitute any hard times" he said rotating his wrist, his ring spiraling as he did "Else it'll go on your permanent record when I tell mom".
His comment and continuous familiarity with her mom didn't make her warm up to him any more since she fought him.
"Just tell your friend to keep his hands off mine" she warned.
"Hm? Cap?" he let out confused
"Your the perceptive one"
"Tsh" he grinned "You don't have to worry about him"
"Just you then?". He shot a disgusted glance down at her but she casually put her shades up to block her eyes. When that glare lingered she retorted "Hey. Wanna see what my finger can do?" she brought her middle finger up so he could see that instead.
Shaking his head he looked forward to see ahead of them through the portal. A brown mud colored factory; worn down and abandoned. But it was full of enough scraps for guys like Kano to call it home.
All at once they each jumped ahead through the portal landing on the cold metal ground. A small echoed occurred as the portal closed behind them; they were in the middle of a wide open and empty caged off area. Everyone's heads scattered around searching for everything; the Flash, Kano, his goons, an exit and entrance. There was distinct lack of even any semblance of people.
"Think they split?" Jin asked as he eyed beyond the cage.
"What next?" Takeda asked looking up.
"We should find cover" Cassie urged.
"Too late" Sonya answered gravely. For right at that moment from across the room, over and on top of the containers sprouted men like grass out of nowhere with heavy duty rifles and rocket launchers all aimed down at them. They quickly raised their guns- or in one case a glowing green fist to meet them. There were only ten of them, and they were just now hopelessly outnumbered in this one area. And they had an entire factory to file through.
The standoff ensued. Guns raised and pointed in both directions. Not a sound was heard, save for a bit of a chuckle echoing off the barren walls. A shadow appeared on the wall, coming round the corner. A hand flung something up and caught it before doing it again. It then brought that item onto the wall and dragged it across leading to a loud, shrill sound of metal scarping metal. The shadow brought it off again to toss it up and down as it rounded the corner.
The shadow caught up with it's owner who was none other than Kano. Standing across the factory floor from them, he could make out each and every detail on the newcomers. He came to a stop and called to them.
"Hope you paid your cover fee" Kano said as he caught the knife and did not throw it "Special discount for friends" he let out as if he rehearsed it.
Glares came at him like bullets from across the room, but it didn't dampen him mood, if anything they increased it.
"You!" Green lantern erupted as he stepped forward. "Where is my friend?!"
"Oh" Kano pouted "And here I thought you came all the way for me"
"Your gonna feel exactly what we came all this way for!"
"Oh so it's gonna be you and me eh?" Kano asked mockingly, his jaw sloping "Alright first dance is fer you. But I got eyes on another for my last one" he said trailing over to Sonya. He wasn't sure whose glare gave him more satisfaction, hers or Green Lantern, but the show was just staring. He looked down the line at all the others. "Whas this? I'm no babysitter" he laughed at the kids, but Captain Marvel seemed to take the most offence strangely. He then stopped at Batman. "Dont you worry now" he pointed a finger to Batman "Dont need you to come saving me now" he said before brining his hand back to pound on his bare chest "Imma big boy, I can do it meself now". It was Batman who came to his rescue last time when he first fought the Flash, but now it seems the opposite had happened.
"Then you can cover your own hospital bills" Green Lantern grimaced. Kano turned back to him.
"Put it on my tab" he insisted generously.
"You got a lot of jokes. You'd make some circus clown". For the first time Kano's face tightened into a grimace. His face turned a little brighter to match his eye, but soon it loosened back up.
Takeda leaned over to Cassie "So he doesn't like clowns?" he whispered to her.
"Big red was a lot slower this time" Kano grinned, confidence oozing out of him "Hope you all haven't lost your touch"
"You're about to find out" Green Lantern snarled
"Hm" Kano nodded in agreement "Guess I am" he grinned. And no sooner had he put a period on that sentence had all the dozens of men on that side opened fired at them. Light flashed and then repeated from each bullet that was let loose from the gun. The mercenaries kept their fingers down on the trigger never released it as the never ending volley went straight at them.
Cassie raised her guns to fire back, Takeda and Jin flinched to run for cover but no sooner had she had a hand appeared to lower them. Tracing the arm she saw only the back of the mothers head.
"No" she commanded "not yet" she declared looking ahead. The rest of her team stumbled to find cover "Stand your ground!" Sonya demanded and they faltered in place. Looking to the others, they saw they hadn't moved either. Cassie turned her eyes forward as the bullets and rockets came closer. In an instant it would all be over, for all of them.
In that instant Green Lantern brought his forearm forward and from his ring sprouted a massive green shield, one so large that it covered their entire side of the room.
To her and her teams amazement they saw the bullets drop like flies the moment they hit the shield. The rockets erupted into a ball of fire. But no matter what or how many came their way, each one's journey came to an abrupt or explosive end long before it even came near them. Astonished the four continued to track or trace anything that came their way, while Sony and the other remained stationary.
"Stay focused" she quickly barked and they jutted to a stop. Across the room on the other side of the shield they could see one by one the flash of each gun disappearing. Starting from one end before soon they all went out. And the only thing to be heard was the click of empty magazines.
Hearing all of them in unison, Green Lantern dropped his arm and the shield with it as he starred them down from across the room, specifically at Kano.
He erupted up from the floor, shooting into the sky like a rocket shrouded in a cloud of green. Quick to follow him was Captain Marvel charged forward taking to the air easily left the rest behind.
From above Lantern formed a giant hand and when he swung his arm the hand slid across the floor below shredding through containers, turning wood palettes into splinters and containers into tin cans. The men jumped out of the way from the hand as high as the wall swept up on them. Some men jumped out of the way, but those who didn't got caught up in it like a rip tide.
Kano was one of them; his eye widened and he jumped forward out of the way as the green hand barely missed him and overtook everything else. He grunted and picked himself up only to slam his forearms back on the ground again.
By now the men he had left had begun to reload and started to fire up at them. Captain Marvel hurled bolts of lighting from above. But despite them being the two closest ones, they weren't the only problems.
Green Lantern swopped down right as Kano was getting up and hurled his shoulder into him, sending him hurling back across the factory and out of the gate that currently contained them. He then casually walked towards him even as he was surrounded by guards and they fired at him.
"Now!" Sonya called and she raised her gun up to start shooting down across the room as Scorpion and Sub-zero went forward past her. She strolled forward casually at first, but once their presence was noticed she full fledged sprinted and went low to dodge the gunfire. Between bursts she returned some of her own. She got one in the shoulder and he fell back. Another popped up next to him and took aim, but a green hand picked him up, hoisted him into the air and hurled him across the room.
Following the trail of Green she already knew it was him. She nodded in thanks which he returned before she jumped forward, finally making it to the other side. She jutted her gun forward hitting one man in the face. When he went down she kicked him away and pointed the gun up to pin more down behind a container.
Sub-zero slid forward on ice travelling across as Scorpion sunk into the ground below into a pool of fire before erupting across the room upercutting one man even higher than he came when he spouted out of it. When he landed back down another approached him and swung his empty gun to hit him. Scorpion ducked under it and when he came up jabbed him in the face stunning him. Then he grabbed the gun and hurled it away with the man still holding onto it sending him flying into another one of his own.
Left behind them as the others advanced was Cassie, Jin, Jacqui and Takeda. Who were so focused on the fight ahead of them that they stalled in getting into guns pointed forward Cassie looked to her right to see Batman rigidly standing there with the rest of them. She eyed him up and down confused.
"You ain't gonna take off like them?" she asked
"I have my own way of doing things" he informed her blandly.
"Well what does that mean?" she asked as Batman fiddled with something on his belt "You better get moving-" he raised his arm to fire a grapple which he then tugged on and swung away "Ohh there he goes" she said watching him swerve up and around the room.
He started from high clearing the distance across the factory just as easily as the others had. Below him were two guards with their guns aimed up.
Letting go of the line Batman used the momentum to hurl himself farther and forward before starting his descend. He landed hard on one of them taking him to the ground. The one next to him raised a gun, but he swung his arm back hitting the gun away as he opened fired. Swinging his other arm around and over Batman hit him in the face, then did it again before swooping down low to take his legs out from under him.
"That's easy!" Takeda announced. Reading his arms back he quickly swung them up, his whips extending even farther, far enough to reach the pipes on the ceiling above. Mimicking Batman he hurled himself up into the air and swung around. He came in on an arc swerving around before he landed down in-between a group who tried to shoot him from the sky. When he landed he swung himself around in a circle, his whips magnifying his strike. They all fell to their feet. He flung it down to wrap one around ones ankles and then hurled him up and over to fall onto two others.
From behind him Batman fist fought one. Feeling a nudge against his back Batman swung around with his fist, but stalled right as two more were raised not to hit him, but were put up defensively with open palms.
"Hey, hey I'm on your side remember" Takeda said. Batman said nothing and turned around so now they were back to back. More and more guards began to fall in from all sides. The two fought back to back now dodging oncoming blows and retaliating with their own.
Jacqui cartwheeled over the ground, swinging her feet down and hitting one of them in the head stunning him and making him drop his gun. Landing upright she casually put her right arm forward and shot him back across the ground. Pausing for only a moment she walked off before she found another group to fight against.
One pointed his gun at her but she punched it away, destroying it with a blast from her gauntlets. She then elbowed him in the throat before kicking him away. She then ducked as one came at her with a knife. She ducked and swerved away as he swiped at her. Backing up for a moment she then lunged forward with a kick to his face sending him flipping back over. She readied herself for more, but it came from anther direction.
She quickly ran for cover as bullets came hailing down at her, ducking behind a container.
Elsewhere Cassie hit one in the head with her baton, then swinging it back she hit him again, before dropping low to the ground and taking his legs out from under him and when he landed on the floor she brought it down to hit him again.
She got back up and pulled her guns out. Hitting one in his head with them before kicking him back. Shooting past her Sub-zero erupted forward a hammer of ice forming in his hands and he swung it up sending one into the air shattering it. He then reached up to the grab the ascended mans legs and slam him down to the ground.
Passing past them heading the other way Captain Marvel strolled casually through the hordes of men. He would grab one to toss him aside before doing it easily to another, as if they were toys he didn't want to play with.
"I can see why you lost to him" Jin said watching the spectacle and then taking aim at another guard.
"I never said I lost" Taekda said as he swung his whips taking out half a column of thugs as the other half ducked.
"Didn't have to!" Jin said as he reached for another arrow aimed and shot it through the chain link fence.
One of the black dragon lined up a bazooka and pointed it straight at Captain Marvel and quickly fired it off. Soaring through the air with a trail of smoke behind it, it stopped suddenly when it was contained in a green orb. Looking up they saw it was connected to Green Lantern.
"Thanks for the idea!" he said before twirling around in the air and throwing it back at them.
It came back at them even faster than they had shot it. They ran for cover as it hit the side of the wall, the explosion erupted sending debris everywhere.
Chunks of rock and wall came spiraling down and cracks began to spread throughout the area. Takeda was knocked to his feet as was Kung Jin. Jacqui was farther away from it, though the blast did cause her to stumble and therefore not see one of the containers propelled into the air and shooting right towards her. All she saw was the shadow overtaking her. She looked up just as it was about to land on her and crush her like a bug.
She winced and froze in place waiting for the inevitable end.. but it never came. Instead the container just stopped and was strangely just hovering in the air. She shifted back away from it, unsure of what was happening, but when she looked down she saw it was hovering, it was being held up.
Standing above her Captain Marvel was effortlessly standing with his hands up, holding up the container. He looked back over his shoulder "You alright?" half of his face asked.
"Yeah.. sure" she said uneasily as she eyed him from below, her eyes running down his back before just below it to stare at his butt. Shaking her head she quickly got up.
"Good" he said turning back "Batter up!" he said tossing the container in the air and then punching forward back to where it came.
"That look easy?" Cassie asked Takeda as they fought side by side. From behind them Hanzo shot a ball of fire pinning a few of them down and making others scatter.
"Well uh-" he paused as he drop kicked one of them. Behind them Batman fought alongside Sonya and Kung Jin.
Green Lantern then turned back to Kano "Now where were we?". He descended back to the ground slowly in front of Kano. He threw his knives which Green Lantern easily swatted away. He shot his laser at him hitting him directly in the chest, but he merely walked through it.
"Come on Green" he said confidently as he backed up "You drop ya wedding ring and fight me man to man". Green Lantern paused and looked as if he was contemplating it. He looked up contemplating it and then looked back to him.
Before Kano could even register it a giant hand came forward and punch him back.
"Na" he said "I'm good". He then rolled his shoulder back and the light morphed in front of and around him before it took shape on his arm to form a minigun.
Kano's eyes widened "Oh sh-"
Green Lantern erupted a barrage of bullets after him, Kano sprinted away and for cover, but whether it was a column, wall or container he easily tore it apart with his manifested minigun. Losing sight of him a moment he would turn his gaze up to the rafters or down to ground level to direct his fire elsewhere.
Sonya shot her wrist blast out knocking one of them off their feet. Behind her Batman threw his Batarang out hitting one that brought him to the ground.
He then shot his grapple up and propelled himself up to the rafters to fight across from Sub-zero. The rest of the group was spread out, fighting separately or together against the endless wave.
"You see him anywhere?" Sonya said as he brought her arm up to dodge a high kick. From above Sub-zero kicked a man from the rafters and he fell down below.
"I have a good eye up here. And I see nothing!" he declared as he blocked another's oncoming punch and then head butted him into submission. With no other enemies around he scanned from up high. He saw the battle raging below, but that was no indication that he was here. He looked up and around, beyond the chained off area and past the stacked containers. He saw more troops funnel out of there at great speed. With the exception of two. They were dragging off a red clad individual. "There!" Sub-zero pointed "On the other side of those containers!" he shouted. All of a sudden one man approached him with a knife, but he shot his hand out to freeze him.
"I'll get him!" Green Lantern declared instantly.
"No!" Hanzo called as he crouched "He is mine!". No sooner had he said that had he submerged himself in fire and disappeared from the fight. But he was not gone for long.
On the other side of the factory, where the battle sounded like an approaching thunderstorm a selected few maneuvered through the maze of containers and wood pallets.
Then suddenly shooting out of the floor was a ball of fire. One that took the form of a man as he landed down before them. There was no words or threats were exchanged as the group of them instantly turned their guns on him, dropping flash in the process. He ducked under and slid to the ground knocking the initial first two down. He kicked his feet up as he landed on them and back upright. He shot his kunai out immediately, getting hold of the one to the left of the flash.
"Get over here!" he pulled him over and kicked him in his head sending him back the way he came. He jumped forward at another one, grabbing his head and swinging around on it kicking the one to his left and when he lost his momentum and fell down hard the head came with him. He quickly got back up to his knees, but he was the only one able to do so. He slid over to the Flash who remained face down on the cold metal floor. "Flash" he shook him. A small barely audible groan escaped his slightly parted lips. But it was enough.
"..bruucc" he let out. His brow furrowed, but there was no time to waste. He raised his hand to touch his communicator and spoke.
"I have him, call in the portal now" he said before he slumped the Flash over his shoulder.
"Roger that" Sonya said hearing him clearly. No sooner had she replied had the portal opened behind her. "Let's go!" she shouted out. Flames appeared behind her and Hanzo appeared carrying the Flash with him to the safety of the other side. "Cover fire!" she let out as he fired a few more concentrated rounds. She was soon joined as Cassie, Jacqui and Jin covered the other empty sides of the portal. Captain Marvel crashed down and flung lighting down which zapped and exploded against everything it touched. Batman came down from a wire between them and Sub-zero came up from a block of ice. "Fall back!" she shouted and slowly one by one they trickled back through the portal to make it to the safety of the special forces base. Her team went first following Scorpion, then Sub-zero. Now she stood with the heroes from another world. All save one.
"Where's Lantern?" she asked coldly.
"Not here!" Cap replied as took an oncoming bullet effortlessly.
"Likely still going after Kano" Batman advised even more coldly than Sonya. She grimaced at the sound of that.
"uh.." Cassie let out looking up "Anyone wish on a shooting star?" she asked as they saw from above the flash of green crashed through some containers.
"He's uh... going the wrong way" Jin commented.
"I'll go get him" Sonya said without any hesitation.
"Mom-" Cassie reached out
"Sonya-" Batman did the same, but neither one was able to stop her.
"I wont be long" she said before she bolted off, leaving everyone else behind them. Right at that moment the room ruptured again and a stray piling shook free from the ceiling and crashed down in front of them, stopping them from running after her.
Sonya sprinted past the chain link fence and through the factory. She stopped and turned her head around quickly.
"AH!" a sharp quick grunt was let out and her head darted in it's direction. Reaching over the top of the containers in the distance was a giant green hammer. The hammer swung down and disappeared behind the containers and the world ruptured again as even more green radiated from beyond it and another loud cry was heard. Sonya took off in that direction.
Kano was hurled back across the air, only stopping when he crashed into the containers. He bounced off that to land hard onto the floor landing on his face. He picked himself up from the puddle he made on the floor.
"oohh" he hooted from the ground. A green leg then reared back and kicked him back to the container. He fell back against it leaning his head up as he pushed his body forward. "Thanks for the help up mate" he grinned red as Green Lantern cornered him "But I didn't need it" he chuckled before spitting up some more blood. Green Lantern merely raised his balled fist and a giant one shot out of it pushing Kano through the containers.
They began to topple from above as he was flung across the room yet again. Green Lantern kept his leisurely pace as he pursued Kano. The containers from above fell on top or all around him, but did nothing to stop him. But a voice did.
"Lantern!" a woman's voice called. Green Lantern's eyes widened and he turned around to see Sonya just beyond the brink of falling containers. One fell right behind her, the shaking of it made her stumble and fell to her knees.
Green Lantern shot it arm out and shot a blast out that grabbed ahold of her to bring her to him right as another piling fell right to where she once was.
"You alright?" he asked as she got up to stand next to him
"Yeah" she got to her full height "We got him. Let's go" he said
"Not without him" he turned back to Kano angrily
"You want him before or after this place comes down?"
"I'll be fine" he insisted quickly
"So will he. We'll get him next time"
"You of all people say that?" he turned back to her
"I know what it feels like to let him get away" she said bitterly as they got into a stare off.
"Hey discount dad!" another voice let out and they were suddenly joined by Cassie who bent over to catch her breath.
"Discount dad?" Green lantern let out confused as he turned around with Sonya, but no one else seemed to be hung up on it.
"Cassie!" Sonya let out
"Butter knife" Green Lantern did simultaneously and Soyna stopped looking to her daughter to turn to him strangely.
"Butter knife?" Sonya let out confused.
Green Lantern looked self conscious for a moment before rolling it off "What are you doing?-" he asked as Cassie shot up.
"I can deal without you, but I want her back" she pointed to Sonya. Another self conscious inflection came again, but this time over Sonya.
"Oh if there's one thing I love more than tearful reunions, it's tearful goodbyes!" Kano interrupted "Come and stay, just for a little longer" he cackled and despite being halfway across the wide room which was crumbling overhead Sonya and Green Lantern grilled him down and prepared to fight as if he was standing right before them. "Now what kind of example do you think you're setting for your lil girl eh?".
Cassie's fists balled up in anger like they never had before. Sonya and Lantern kept their eyes on Kano and seemed more than ready to take him on here and now.
All of a sudden Cassie flew by them at a speed neither one of them seen from her before. She slid on the ground past them as if she was skating on ice in a flash of green.
She hung low as she went and quickly came up to Kano. She shot up with a greater speed and power than before and her balled fist landed.. right in his groin.
Kano recoiled and lurched over, but was propelled back up as Cassie shot up continuing her ascent, this time connecting her fist with his jaw. Kano went soaring, arching into the air before he came plummeting back down to the ground, landing hard. Both Sonya and Lantern watched her in astonishment as she breathe heavily from all the energy she just exerted. Slowly she turned back to the two of them, with a tired look of relief on her face and the green glow dying out.
The factory crumbled and shook again breaking their stares.
"That's enough copycats for now" Green Lantern said as they shook and almost all lost their footing. He then shot is arm out and a giant hand appeared and grabbed ahold of Cassie.
"Hey" Cassie squirmed inside "Don't get grabby with me" she said as the hand brought her all the way back to him and Sonya. Before either could say anything else Lantern reached his arms around and snatched them both up.
"Just stick with me and enjoy the ride" he said.
Green Lantern grabbed ahold of both of them in each arm and then took off into the air, flying past toppling columns, containers and pilings. He swerved around the collapsing factory until he saw through the fence the diluting look of the portal looking like a whirlpool standing upright. He swerved around and held the two tighter as he blasted off towards it. Crowding around it on the other side he saw everyone peering back to see where the three of them where. Well if they couldn't see them he made sure that they heard him.
"Outta the way!" he shouted. And they all quickly scurried out of the way as they came crashing through as the portal came crumbling down behind them.
Green Lantern rocketed through and tried to stop himself abruptly. But with them closer to the ground than him, he turned around mid air and came to a screeching halt as his back skidded against the ground before stopping completely.
Lying on the floor he looked down towards his feet to see Sonya on his left and Cassie on his right both cradled in his arms. The two of them looked to each other and then looked up to him simultaneous.
Down by his feet a pair of legs stepped down.
"Well... I didn't expect this" Johnny said as they all turned to him "You weren't even gone for that long". The three looked to each other before coming to the same conclusion and hurried to change it.
The two fumbled in a haze of stamping legs and pushing arms all against and off of Green Lantern who groaned when palms pushed against his cheek, fingers ended up in his mouth and ears, a knee in his rips and another in his crotch- though that last one being Cassie made him think it was on purpose.
As the two got up and left Green Lantern on the floor Hanzo limped away with the Flash.
"Master!" Takeda let out and went over to help his master by grabbing the Flash and putting his other arm under his shoulder. The two carefully took him across the room and laid him out on bed in the corner. Hanzo eased his body into the falling before placing his head down. The two stood over him for a few moments. But they were soon parted by another force.
"Let me see!" Green lantern burst between them. But he stopped and merely looked worriedly over him as well "Is he awake?" he asked frantically.
"Let me see?" Takeda said before putting a hand to his head. He could hear his thoughts now. Worse still he got an answer.
"Liu Kang?". Shock came over his face.
"Well?" Green Lantern asked.
"He's.." Tekeda stammered and quickly removed his hand "he's alive".
"Out of the way" Sonya commanded as they moved for her. She looked him over with them.
"Hey" she shook him lightly and he stirred "There. That was easy" she said before she down by his hips and over him. She rolled her head over to look at him and he began to shift in place. "Don't do too much of that" she reached and arm out to touch him lightly and he stopped. His eyes looked down and he lifted his head up ever so slightly even as Hanzo and Green Lantern flinched to stop him.
"Where are- what is-" he paused as he looked up to her and she down at him "S-sonya?" Barry squeaked. She nodded. "So.." he groaned "this is the Special Forces"
"Yes" she nodded "And it's your second time checking in here" she said leaning onto her knees. "and you skipped on the bill last time"
"Thought it was on the house" he managed a grin and she did too.
"Don't worry, you're in good hands now. Or at least better ones" she said before pushing herself up and off.
Hanzo knelt over the speedster "Flash" he said placing a hand lightly on his shoulder. Flash rolled his head over allowing him to see to the best of his ability who knelt before him now. Whoever it was, they seemed to know him, but many knew the Flash just not many in this world. But he spoke with some sense of familiarity. Flash eyed him up and down. He did not recognize this bearded man before him. He looked at him confused. "It is me" he said again reassuringly. The Flash's look remained as he peered longer and harder at him. He could not place the face. But those colors, and the fire abilities he could.
"Heeyy" he wheezed through "Scorpion". He managed a smile at that.
"Hanzo" he corrected him politely giving him one of his own.
"Hanzo?" Flash repeated and he nodded. "Call me Barry then" he insisted through a rumble.
"Alright" Hanzo said before breaking a small, awkward yet pleasant smile "Barry"
He groaned and shifted in place as he looked himself over "Care to trade spaces with me again". A grumble of laughter came from Hanzo. It was when they traded places that their worlds first collided. He appeared in the Batcave and Flash in the cemetery "Next time huh?"
"Next time" he repeated.
"Green-" he moaned.
"It's alright" he said as he came beside his friend and knelt down "You're gonna be fine" he said "But how did-"
"No speed force" Barry managed to say completely. An answer as simple as that.
"You should've known better than to come"
"Hey" he shrugged "Seemed to work last time" he managed a joke for him. "Did you find Batman and Captain-" he didn't even get to finish the sentence before the other appeared behind Green Lantern.
"oh" he exhaled calmly "You're all here" he rested his head back in peace.
"Not yet" Batman said glumly-or perhaps normally "Superman and Wonder Woman are still unaccounted for" he explained dourly.
"But don't worry "Captain Marvel interjected energetically "We have the best guy on the case for that!"
"Wh-o" before he would even ask he would have his answer. The room flashed brightly and a bright beam cracked and fizzled behind them. Everyone turned towards it even though they already knew who it was.
Raiden appeared as transcendent a god could to the mortal world. His gaze was untelling, but he was clearly assessing the room as his head swerved from side to side. He stopped when he saw the heroes.
"All has gone well I see" he said seeing the Flash through the cracks of the other heroes "And there is more to come" he spoke optimistically approaching him.
"Raiden!" Flash called out with a surprising show of life and he pulled himself up forcing himself to do so.
"Do not strain yourself further" Raiden advised with a hand up, quickening his pace to get there before the should be speedster did further damage " I will heal you-"
"No" he gargled as his face scrunched up in anger. He sat himself up. The three above him put their hands up, stopping just barely from touching him.
Flash swung his shoulder forward for momentum to put himself on the edge of the bed. "I have to know" he said determined. Raiden put his palm out to stop him as he got to his feet.
"There are greater concerns now. Once you are fully restored then all answers will-" he was cut off again as Flash struggled against his fellow heroes as best as he could, wrestling over Green Lanterns left shoulder as he faced him trying to hold him back. They tried to get him back into the bed without forcing him down, but due to his maddened state it was becoming harder to do that. But if that didn't work he still had his voice.
"Liu Kang!" he shouted out. The name bounced off the walls freezing everyone in their place as it trickled farther down the hall through the base. 'kang"
"Kang-ang-and..ang..ng" it rimmed before fading into nothing. He now had everyone's attention, especially Raiden's who came to a sudden stop. "What happened to Lui Kang?" he grilled the thunder god down. Raiden for his part lamented where he stood the serenity gone from his face as it dropped. "Well?" Flash asked again in the silence.
Raiden bowed his head for a moment before looking over to him "He is gone" he answered solemnly.
"How?" Flash asked not skipping a beat. Sonya's eyes rotated back to Raiden from Flash as Johnny bowed his head. Raiden took another pause to reflect himself, but his answer came quicker than last.
"I killed him". His confession struck harder at those who head it for the first time. And tensions were flaring from it.
"What?-" Green Lantern exclaimed in disbelief "Why?"
"How could you?" Captain Marvel joined him on shock.
"It was never meant to happen" Raiden mourned, but the heroes across from him were in a state of shattered disbelief. They made moves to position themselves against Raiden; defensively at first, but quickly looked like they could make an attack. Raiden did not move or change in his place. Cassie and her team tensed up ready for another fight, but feeling they're overmatched in a way they've never been before. It would be three against all of them it seemed. The space between them was clear, if any of them wanted to go for Raiden there would be nothing to stop them. Slowly easing between the Raiden and the half reunited Justice League Johnny crept forward.
"It's not how it sounds" Johnny stepped up with outstretched hands "It was an accident".
"An accident? How?" Flash snapped with surprising aggression for a man who was half beaten to death, enough to make Johnny stir in his place, but he didn't back down. And another dog with a bigger bite didn't either.
"That's enough of this" Sonya planted her feet between them. She was talking now, but just like the ones across from her she looked like she was ready to fight; more so than all the others "Stand down" she barked stepping in front of Johnny and closer to them than anyone else.
"How can you say that?"
"I saw what happened! I was there! We both were!" she said motioning to her and Johnny standing in unison.
"He had no choice" Johnny said cementing his stance with hers.
"There's always a choice for people like us" Batman said, perhaps piously.
"Even on accidents?" Sonya shot back at him. He nor did any of the others give an immediate response. She lowered her head she let out a breath and lowered her voice but there was still a hardness to it there was a vulnerability as well "Casualties in war... are inevitable". There was a silent that overtook them. All seemed to reflect on the words spoken and the actions to take. It was not for long, but it was the last hero of the other world who broke it.
"She's right" Batman said. Green Lantern and Captain Marvel turned to him shocked
"So that's it then?!" Captain Marvel exclaimed.
"No" he responded firmly
Green Lantern stepped up "When Maxwell lord mind controlled Superman and and Diana-"
"She was right" he cut them off but recalled Diana's words of this place as he did ".. this world is different from ours" he said settling on the Kombatants across from them "And we need them" he said his eyes narrowed, glaring back at Raiden with a terror unlike anything most of them had ever seen in man or monster before.
"But-" Green Lantern was cut off.
"-But nothing" Sonya snapped "We we're working together just fine before" Sonya said stepping forward closer to them. All eyes turned to Raiden to stepped forward, still clouded by grief.
"I would do anything to undo what has happened" he put a hand on his chest "And I will continue to do so. So long as I serve as protector of Earthrealhm". More silence followed, Raiden wondering if his apologies went on deaf ears. In the end it was the one who started this that ended it.
"It's been a long time "Flash surmised "A lot has happened..." he turned his head up "Let's take it from the top" he said sounding almost agreeable and like his old self if not for the pain "I'd like to be in fighting shape again soon" he said as Raiden nodded and made his way over to him. The heroes set him back to paying down as Raiden knelt over and his hands hovered over Flash's body and glowed brightly "Course I don't think I should be doing any more fighting while I'm here"
"It is for the best" Raiden agreed.
The tension seemed to leave the room as Flash remained where he was, the life slowly coming back to him. The three superheroes eyed him suspiciously yet as Flash seemed to strength so did they.
In no time he was back to normal, as if he had just woken up from a long nap. He took his time to stretch and look himself over, but Raiden hadn't missed a mark.
"Works wonders don't it?" Johnny joked aloud with crossed arms standing beside him as he found his footing. Flash then stood himself up and looked to Raiden.
"So you said there was more good news" he paused leading by example to show this was the way to go and the way to do it "What did you find?" he asked and all turned to Raiden who answered.
"Superman and Wonder Woman"