Author's notes: Detective Pikachu was an amazing movie and it got me some ideas that I might put into use in the next chapter. Anyway, I'm mostly school free for the spring, with just a few final course projects to finish, meaning the follow up after this will most likely coming in June.
Replies to Reviews:
-Spiderman999: To answer your last question from you PM, I have a Coming Soon-list on my Profile page for future stories. And about another thing I will explain more in the lower A/N:s.
-Guest: Yep, that happens in the last scene, that hopefully doesn't drag too long, but gets the story going for the cliffhanger.
-10speed12: You asked about James cosplaying as Wonder Woman last October and guess what Zinnia gets to laugh at in this chapter.
Chapter 18: The Apex Predator
Sinnoh Region – Ultima Thule above Mount Coronet
''Well, that didn't go as we hoped,'' Batman Who Laughs said looking at the screen showing Devastator's human form laying on the sand with his head twisted around. ''I was at least wishing for history to repeat itself and them to have killed each other.''
It had been a reactionary action. Seeing Superman, or a version of Superman, pushing this world up from Alola Region and away from the Forge had naturally caused the Dark Knights to send their most powerful Anti-Superman member to go handle the situation. but it had not gone as planned. At first Devastator had managed to overpower Superman and keep him down until local Pokémon trainers had arrived to distract Devastator long enough for Superman to catch his second wind and fight back. Now Devastator was out of the game and the Dark Knights were down two members.
''We don't have our berserker tank anymore, but Devastator served a purpose by fighting Superman,'' Merciless said removing his helmet as he arrived with the other Dark Knights and pointed at Dialga, Palkia and Arceus at the cargo bay. ''We are now deep and close enough to the Forge to begin siphoning this world as fuel for Ultima Thule and begin the preparations for breaking through the Source Wall.''
''Then start doing that instead of talking about it,'' Batman Who Laughs ordered turning to point Merciless with a finger. ''Murder Machine leave Alfred Protocol in charge of Mewtwo and take over the controls. Dawnbreaker, you're with Merciless, keep those Pokémon in place for him to work on them.''
Murder Machine walked in the middle of the bridge and sank into the floor by his feet and spread his arms around to make his fingers extend by nanites to the rest of the ship.
''Activating-on-board-gravity!'' Murder Machine announced as the ship begun to turn 90 degrees upwards without making the on-board passengers fall back and keeping their feet stuck on the floor. ''Ultima-Thule-is-ready-for-the-siphoning.''
''The quicker the better,'' Batman Who Laughs told Merciless and Dawnbreaker as they headed down. ''Clark could be back at pushing the planet back up, but if he does that during the siphoning that will only help us in getting our fuel.''
''By the time Superman realizes that he will be coming for us,'' Grim Knight said as the Drowned got up to the bridge pushing Colress, who was pushing Giovanni's gurney, forward with her trident. ''Bring those two here with the other hostages, I'll add bomb-collars to them too.''
''I was under the expression Team Plasma was working with you,'' Colress asked passively confused as the Grim Knight slapped a collar onto his neck.
''Not according to the memo I read,'' Grim Knight grunted slapping the other collar on Giovanni and turned to face the other hostages. ''As a reminder to all of you; You will live as long as you stay put where you are. Try anything stupid and you will die in ways you can't imagine."
''And how long is that going to be?'' Giovanni decided to ask immediately following Grim Knight's warning. ''Ever since I came across your kind, I have been thrown out of the window of my own office, been kept in a coma, carried up a mountain, told wild tales about you people and left expecting results until-''
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
''Those collars have 52 different kill methods and I'm still brainstorming for more,'' Grim Knight said pressing a button on his right glove, causing Giovanni's collar to release acid that melted the skin under the collar and just managed to let him know he was dying before he died. ''Consider this as your final warning.''
At the mercy of the Grim Knight, the hostages kept themselves down and didn't move other than to stay close to each other. The Unovan couple of Hilda and Hilbert held each other in their arms while Brock was responsively protecting May and Dawn like an older brother. Jessie had barely even had a chance to acknowledge her employer before the Grim Knight had killed him and now, she was on the floor next on her knees and head down next to others. Meowth had been left uncollared as they only came in human sizes and instead, he had been thrown to Damian, the son of the Batman Who Laughs, as one of his pets. A fate that had spared the Scratch Cat Pokémon from being thrown at the mercy of the other Robins. Colress kept his cool, but it was visible that he was under pressure as well.
''I think they get the message,'' the Drowned told the Grim Knight.
''They better,'' Grim Knight responded resuming his stance and took out a rifle. ''That's 3 bodies by now, put them on the gurney with the latest stiff and roll the out of here.''
''Me?'' the Drowned asked.
''Everyone else are already busy doing something,'' Grim Knight said taking an ammo clip place it into his rifle. ''I'm on guard duty, Murder Machine is handling the Thule, Merciless and Dawnbreaker are working on the Siphoning and our boss is attending family business. The least you'll be doing is handling a quick errand.''
The Drowned sighed before moving to N's body, stuck her trident under it like a ladle and threw it to the gurney with Giovanni's remains. Then she moved to do the same to Barry's remains, before turning the trident onto blocks of ice that used to be May's Blaziken, Dawn's Typhlosion and Hilbert's Emboar and used it's hydrokinesis to make the water in them fly off the floor and onto the gurney as well. While she did that, the Drowned glanced at the trainers looking at her. The feeling of loss on their faces was familiar to her and it reminded of her from a time long ago.
''The only woman among us and I have to clean up after you,'' the Drowned said shieving the trident back onto holster in her coat and begun to push the gurney away from the hostages and feeling they had given her.
Down from the upper level and to the lower one, the Drowned got past Merciless and Dawnbreaker torturing Arceus, Dialga and Palkia. Knowing they were doing what they were supposed to do, she walked past them to the cargo entrance and kicked the fully loaded gurney of corpses out of the Thule.
''Are you supposed to make them scream or siphon?'' Drowned asked coming to Dawnbreaker, who was keeping the three struggling Legendaries held in ring construct while Merciless whipped them.
''They beg for mercy and I have none!'' Merciless responded busy whipping the three Legendaries. ''If the siphoning has not begun by the time Superman comes for us, everything we have done so far will be in vain.''
''You two can hear those echoes in their screams too, can't you?'' Drowned asked standing between Dawnbreaker and Merciless. ''The screams of this universe's creator in agony, echoing, soft and distorted, as if it was coming through water. I can hear the slightest tenor of my father Martin, his final scream in the alley. Dawnbreaker, you must too-''
''M-martha,'' Dawnbreaker responded with a shutter. ''It was Martha for us.''
''What I hear is the sound of mutiny in your voice, ms Wayne,'' Merciless said pausing his torture and turned to Drowned. ''Be careful or I will tear it out of you.''
''We are all variations of the same person, Merciless,'' Drowned responded unfazed by the threat. ''You would know exactly how I would kill you if needed, just as I know how to you would try to kill me. But the Batman Who Laughs… everything he has made us all do, all on the promise of a world where we can be heroes again.''
The Drowned kept a pausing silence before she continued and said:
''Does either of you feel like heroes at the moment with what you're doing?''
''I don't think he'd like you saying that…'' Dawnbreaker said quietly.
''Of course he would, it proves he has power over us,'' Merciless said removing his helmet and spoke to his woman and child versions as the older wise man that he looked like without his helmet. ''He is making the lot of us cowardly and superstitious as we have nothing left to lose and everything to gain. That is how he has made us follow him and do what he says.''
''I am no coward, Merciless!'' Drowned shot at Merciless, obviously having been struct to a nerve. ''I have sacrificed every part of myself to save my world and my people. Barbatos and Batman Who Laughs have given me a path to getting them back and I WOULD BURN THE MULTIVERSE TO THE GROUND IF THAT IS TAKES!''
''He he he he, good,'' the cold voice of the Batman Who Laughs spoke from behind them and was revealed to be standing at the doorway holding his arm Serena's shoulder in a fatherly way. ''That's pretty much the idea here. Now, get back to siphoning. I managed to get you some more time in case Clark does decide to come here, but that doesn't excuse you to slack off.''
''Hi hi hii, no it doesn't,'' Serena giggled from her pale grinning face.
''She one of us now?'' Drowned asked leaving Merciless and Dawnbreaker back to work and walked to properly look at Serena.
''Like the others, she is coming around,'' Batman Who Laughs said ruffling hair on Serena's head. ''Damian let it happen to himself and you witnessed as Grace allowed herself to our cause. This little minx will be wearing either pixie boots or a Batgirl cowl.''
Serena flinched as soon as she heard that and the Batman Who Laughs noticed it.
''What do you say, Serena? Which one would you rather be?'' Batman Who Laughs asked crouching to look at Serena in the eyes. ''As you will be one of my children, would rather be a Robin or a Batgirl?''
Alola Region
After Devastator had killed himself, Ash had gotten up on the Garchomp that Aether Foundation had given him as a Ride Pokémon for Ultra Guardian missions and made it Mega Evolve with the Nth Metal armor. As a Mega Garchomp, Ash could use the Ride Pokémon to fly off from the Alola Region and go look for his friends needing the Nth Metal. Only problem was that Ash had no idea where they could be. Owlman, Brock or even the Dream of the Endless had not told him where they had managed to escape the Nightmare Batmen after what happened in Saffron City.
''James!'' Ash called out as he landed the Mega Garchomp in front to the Alolan Pokémon School where the male Team Rocket member had fallen on his knees. ''James, get up! I need your help!''
''What is the point, Twerp? We have already lost,'' James said with his head down on the sand. ''Our world is down in the Dark Multiverse in a viewing distance from the Forge. What else can we do any-''
''I SAID GET UP!'' Ash yelled grabbing James by his neck and pulled him up so that he could see the Nth Metal armor. ''We have the Metal and Superman is slowing the sinking with Alola's Legendaries. Now I need you to tell me where Owlman had you all run to hide after you escaped from Saffron!''
''Okay, okay, Twerp, I'll tell you,'' James submitted under the combined intimidation from Ash's temperament and the Nth Metal armor's appearance. ''We had a Team Rocket airship that Owlman stole from our Kanto headquarters before we came to you in Saffron. We escaped to that same ship after we were bailed out and were still on when Sandman took us to the Library.''
''A Team Rocket airship?'' Ash asked in a less intimidating voice.
''Yes, we also have our boss onboard it,'' James said as Ash let go of him. ''The Nightmare Batmen were planning to use him as a scapegoat or something in an earlier version of their plan.''
''Okay,'' Ash said turning away and begun to get back on the Ride Garchomp. ''Thanks, James, for your help here and at the Forge.''
''Oh, Twerp, you're not leaving me here,'' James said coming after Ash and attempted to climb onto the Garchomp. ''Jessie, Meowth and boss are also on that ship, not just your Twerpettes, meaning I'm coming too.''
''In that case,'' Ash took a piece of the Nth Metal from his waist and placed it onto James' wrist where it formed into a bracelet. ''Your piece of the Metal, use it like a Z-ring or a Mega Stone.''
''I don't think I have any Pokémon that can Mega Evolve,'' James said looking at his Metal piece once he was in a proper riding position on the Garchomp.
''Then at least make yourself useful,'' Ash said hitting himself on the chest where the Bat Symbol was on the Nth Metal armor and the Ride Garchomp begun to Mega Evolve, ''because you missed your chance to stay behind.''
Above the ocean leading to Sinnoh Region
''Report.''
''Sinnoh is in a complete lockdown,'' Zinnia responded to Batman as soon as he had climbed onto Mega Rayquaza. ''The waterfront cities have been turned into towers that have people strapped onto them and all sides have a Gym Leader as the first line of defense coming at anyone trying to get in. I didn't get to see any othe Elite Four, but they are most likely the next line of defense after them protecting the Mount Coronet.''
''What about the montain itself?'' Batman asked as they begun to fly away from Kalos and towards Sinnoh.
''You'll see it for yourself when we get there,'' Zinnia told looking back at Batman and saw Hoopa perched on Batman's other shoulder with Pikachu. ''What is that?''
''Hoopa-''
''Were you surprised?''
''-a Pokémon that can create portals and speak English,'' Batman said raising his left hand and tired to see if he could read Hoopa's information from it. ''Psychic and Ghost type, no other intel besides that.''
''Did you find another Mega Stone?'' Zinnia asked changing the subject.
''The locals did, but they let me have it along with Hoopa,'' Batman said taking the new Mega Stone and kept it in his left hand as if to let the piece in it to scan it. ''Heracronite, meaning I can Mega Evolve the Heracross I have with me.''
''Can you really?'' Zinnia brought up as Sinnoh Region was getting visible ahead of them. ''You helped Rayquaza learn Dragon Ascent so it could Mega Evolve, but for Mega Evolution to work properly, both the trainer and the Pokémon need to be in perfect sync or have a deep enough bond to fight as one.''
''Ash-Greninja might work like that, but we don't have enough time for me to start bonding with a dead man's Pokémon,'' Batman muttered as the got closer to Sinnoh. ''If we had any more time, then I would try to see if I can Mega Evolve Sceptile and Heracross, but without any luxury to spare time… I just have to wing it and learn how to on the fly.''
''Whatever you say, Senpai,'' Zinnia said throwing her gaze around. ''There is Sinnoh now.''
''Don't fly too close, keep a distance and just fly around the region'' Batman said grabbing Zinnia by the shoulder and reached to activate his mask's lenses to see further. ''We need to assess their defenses and see if we can break through.''
Mega Rayquaza flew circles around the Sinnoh Region to let Batman see what Zinnia had scouted out there previously. At the speed they were going, the region was seen by them as a large island continent in the north with spruce forests and a couple of cities and towns surrounding the magnificently high mountain. Atop of it there could have been seen ancient buildings and-
''You could have told they were here,'' Batman grunted pointing at the large golden airship above the mountain.
''Who were here- oh,'' Zinnia said looking at where Batman was pointing at and saw as a cart full of bodies was thrown out of the airship. ''That wasn't there when I was here.''
''The Nightmare versions me are here and we are not ready for to fight them,'' Batman said shaking his head. ''Turn us around, fly us to Alola or Unova, we still don't have those cards' Mega Stones yet or-''
''GRRRRRRRRRR-WAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!''
Before Zinnia could do anything that Batman could have asked, a Mega Garchomp charged past them and right into the mainland of the region. Just as Zinnia had previously told Batman, the Gym Leaders positioned at the shorelines moved into intercept with the Mega Garchomp and the Pokémon Trainers riding on it. One of the Gym Leaders shot water at them from a Water Pokémon and then another told Electric Type Pokémon to electrocute them, which made them fall from the sky.
''Senpai?'' Zinnia asked as the situation unfolded.
''That's our opening,'' Batman said recognizing an opportunity. ''Fly us through it!''
Sinnoh Region - Route 222
''Floatzel, BRINE!''
''Jolteon, CHARGE BEAM!''
After flying to different locations looking for the Team Rocket airship, Ash and James had seen Mega Rayquaza flying away from the Kalos Region and followed it to find the Mega Evolved Legendary Pokémon flying around the Sinnoh region.
When James had been given the Nth Metal cowl to look closer, he had recognized the shape of the airship above Mount Coronet as the same model as the Team Rocket airship that Owlman had gotten them to use. When Ash put it back on himself to see the airship, he saw the Drowned pushing a cart filled with 3 bodies out and recognized that the airship had been captured the Dark Knights. Seeing one of the Dark Knights, especially Misty's murderer, lead him to make Mega Garchomp charge into the mainland from the southeast corner of the region, where they were shot down from the sky.
''Sinnoh is off limits to outsiders,'' Ash heard a voice say after they had crashlanded to the coastline. ''Now, you will be taken to the Towers and power the Thule.''
''Volkner?'' Ash said recognizing the voice.
''Merciless told us to guard the border and not let anyone through,'' another voice, that Ash recognized as Crasher Wake, spoke from another side.
Ash got up as he realized he had been surrounded by three Gym Leaders he had fought three years ago when he had been in Sinnoh. Crasher Wake and Volkner, while James had landed on a tree. Wearing the Nth Metal armor, Ash took off the helmet to reveal his face to them and see if he could reach out to them, but-
''That includes you too, Ash,'' Volkner said before Ash could even try to open his mouth. ''We can let you go if you turn back and don't try to get to Mount Coronet.''
''We do recognize you from earning our Badges and respect you that much,'' Crasher Wake added, ''but we can't promise your safety past this point.''
''KHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-A-RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!''
The Mega Rayquaza, the one that Ash and James had followed to Sinnoh, cried out in the sky as it charged through the now unguarded coastline and flew deeper into the mainland. With the given distraction, Ash looked around for an opening. His Ride Pokémon had reverted back into a regular Garchomp and after flying halfway around the world it wouldn't be in shape to move any further. James was still in the tree and didn't have any Pokémon that he could have used to go forward, neither could Ash just leave him behind after being threatened to be place in some towers. Then he saw James pointing his finger back and forth between Volkner and Crasher Wake from his hiding place in the tree.
''I'll take my chances,'' Ash said placing the Nth Metal helmet back on his head and threw down a Pokéball while striking series of poses. ''Lycanroc, CONTINENTIAL CRUSH!''
''Carnivine, um…,'' James said jumping down from the tree, then also throwing Pokéball and stroke different poses to pull off a Z-Move, ''BLOOM DOOM!''
With teamwork and Z-moves provided by the Metal, Ash and James took out the two Gym Leaders' Pokémon. Lycanroc's Rock Type Z-move attack taking out Volkner's Electric Type Pokémon and Carnivine using a Grass Type Z-move against Crasher Wake's Water Type Pokémon. Thanks to the distraction brought by the Mega Rayquaza and acting quickly they managed to catch them both by surprise.
''Does this mean I could get a Gym Badge?'' James asked after having caused Crasher Wake's Flotzel to faint.
''No!'' Ash told James aggressively as he jumped on his Lycanroc and begun to ride it deeper into mainland towards the mountain. ''Keep up, James and follow that Rayquaza!''
Sinnoh Region – Below the Spear Pillar on Mount Coronet
Surprise attack was lost by now. Whoever had attacked first on that Mega Garchomp must have set off all the alarms and now the Dark Knights must have been prepared to be attacked. At least Mega Rayquaza wasn't giving a place revealing warcry anymore but going forward Batman and Zinnia had to begin their preparations for making contact with the Nightmare Batmen's vessel. While Zinnia was the one riding on the Mega Rayquaza, Batman was more of a passenger along on the ride and that was why he did what he did next. Jump of Mega Rayquaza and left Zinnia to go against what was ahead of them.
''Pika pika, Pikkapi!?'' Pikachu asked once Batman had jumped and landed onto the mountainside.
''If everything has been going according to the plan I set Owlman and Barry to go on, the Dark Knights should still believe that I'm laying somewhere comatose,'' Batman told Pikachu and went down on a crawling positing as they begun to climb higher towards the mountain top. ''As of right now, they will be seeing seeing some random woman trying to attack them with Rayquaza and while Zinnia is going up against their defenses, we sneak on board that ship and use everything we have against them to win.''
''Won't Zinnia be mad at you?'' Hoopa asked floating lowly above the ground behind Batman.
''If she lives through this,'' Batman said climb crawling up the mountain. ''I don't like sacrificing my soldiers, but if it came to that, I would do the same for myself as well.''
''Pika piika?'' Pikachu asked hanging from Batman's cape at the shoulder as the Mega Rayquaza was heard attacking something above them.
''Yes, I would sacrifice myself too, why do you think I was ready to jump into that volcano?'' Batman said as he finally reached building stone of the shrine on the top of Mount Coronet. ''We're at the top, now let's try and find an-''
Earlier, when they had been looking into the defenses around the region, Batman had seen the Drowned push out cart with bodies on it, but he had not acknowledged who the bodies were. Now that he had climbed up onto the mountain top where the bodies had been dropped, Batman could see them better. He didn't recognize two other bodies laying on the shrine, but the red costume on one of them was a dead give away of the deceased's identity.
''Barry…?'' Batman called out in hollow voice as he climbed up and reached to the body of an elderly and withered man in the Flash costume. ''If you were here, then the others…''
Barry had been left on airship with Owlman, Serena and the rest of Ash's friends, so if Barry was dead and his body had been dumped out from the Dark Knights' ship, did that mean the others were-
''Pikkapi,'' Pikachu said drawing Batman's attention to two other bodies and made him realize there were also bodyparts among them. ''Pikaaaaa…''
Frozen bodyparts, that belonged to Pokémon. As Batman looked at the bodyparts and recognized as Fire Types, most specifically recognizing one of them as
''May's Blaziken…?''
Olympia's words back his quick visit to Kalos Region begun to echo in Batman's head.
''Even as we speak, he has not hesitated to kill people and Pokémon standing on his way and before he kills you, he will remind you about his superiority over you.''
It was clear what had happened to these people and Pokémon. Olympia had clearly told Batman about this back in Anistar City, but he had brushed it off. Now looking at the end results, Batman begun to imagine in his head how HE HIMSELF would have reacted in the events that led to this. The Dark Knights had found and attacked the Team Rocket airship where Owlman had been hiding Ash's friends. Barry had tried to protect them, but knowing how the Speed Force worked, the Dark Knights had been turned it against him. May and these two other Fire Types' trainers had tried retaliating, but that Fire had been met with Ice, freezing them and then-
''Pikkapi?'' Pikachu asked when Batman had begun to shake traumatically.
''Ashkan?'' Hoopa also asked when Batman hands reached to his head as the shaking continued.
''He killed them all,'' Batman said looking at the bodies and bodyparts. ''Batman Who Laughs killed them like they were nothing.''
This wasn't the first time Batman had come across dead bodies like this but imagining what had been done by the Batman Who Laughs automatically made Batman think like… think as if he himself had killed them.
Just imagining what had killed Barry, these other two people and these Pokémon automatically created pictures into Batman's head where he could see himself killing them from his own point of view and that lead to him imagining how May and these other Pokémons' trainers had been hurt and traumatized by HIM killing their Pokémon.
Barry looking at him as the Speed Force reduced him to a weak old man.
May as her attention was spread between seeing her very first Pokémon frozen to be broken into pieces and at Batman Who Laughed as he killed it.
Then the trainers of these other two Fire Types as he did the same.
And then there were these two other bodies he didn't even recognize but could see the younger one had been shot to the head, which as Batman had been imagining himself doing this made him imagine like the smoking gun was in his hand. Last body was wearing hospital scrubs and a collar on his neck. The skin under the collar was melted away with the scent of acid.
Batman could imagine doing everything that had happened to them and it all went against his morals and his code. Looking at the victims of his Nightmares, Batman could feel the guilt of being responsible for their fates.
''I killed them like they were nothing,'' Batman said in hollow voice with the mental breakdown taking over his mind as he fell on his knees next to the bodies and bodyparts. ''They knew me and they trusted me and I killed them like they were nothing.''
''Pikkapi!'' Batman could hear Pikachu and Hoopa calling out to him through his breakdown as he just shook there on his knees. ''Ashkan!''
''Pikkapi!''
''Ashkan!''
''Pikkapi!''
''Ashkan!''
''RRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!'' Bruce yelled pulling the cowl off his face and punched himself to the head with both hands. ''No, he- they did. If I leave them alone with them, then this will all be my fault.''
Bruce rose back up on his feet and pulled the cowl back on as Pikachu and Hoopa watched. Then he took out three Pokéballs and released two Pokémon out of them.
''Heracross and Sceptile, I have managed to find two Mega Stones for you two,'' Batman said presenting the Sceptilite and Heracronite to the two released Pokémon. ''Because we don't have time to start bonding for you two to Mega Evolve, we are going to have to pull the assault onto that ship by winging it.''
Heracross hopped up into the air and used it's buzzing insect wings to fly over to Batman and took the Mega Stone presented to it. Sceptile took a little longer when it noticed to dead at their feet, but eventually came to take it's Mega Stone as well.
''I'm going to recall you two now and then I'm going to use Charizard to fly up there to enter that ship,'' Batman said showing third Pokéball that he had not released a Pokémon out of. ''Enough people and Pokémon have died to the Dark Knights, so when I let you out again be ready to attack anything in front of you without orders. I want to believe that Ash had managed to train you for that.''
Heracross and Sceptile looked at each other with uncertainty, then at Batman, then at Pikachu who put both of his fists up ready to fight and then at each other again. The look on the two Pokémon's faces was now more confident and before letting Batman recall them into Pokéballs, they both said what Batman could understand as;
''For Ash,'' Heracross said, followed by Sceptile's response; ''For our lost friends.''
Batman recalled the two and put their Pokéballs to his belt. He was about to release Charizard to go forward with his plans when-''
''SENPAI!''
''Aah, come on,'' Batman grunted slowly turning around and ready to confront an angry rant.
''Oh, thank Arceus you're alright, senpai!'' Zinnia said as she wrapped both of her arms around Batman's body when she got to him. ''When I realized you had fallen off Rayquaza, I got so worried. I was so focused on riding Rayquaza when it begun to fight that other Dragon Pokémon and-''
She thinks I fell off? Batman immediately thought in the middle of Zinnia's ramblings as Rayquaza floated behind her in the air. She actually thinks I fell off and- nevermind, let her think that for now. I other things worry about.
''-and then Rayquaza just begun to roar at it like it was ranting on about how much it sucks and then it just flew away like it was ashamed and I took a breather while turning to look at you and you weren't there and-''
''Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, Zinnia,'' Batman said patting his hand against Zinnia's back to calm her down and as a sign that she should let go of him. ''Listen, I don't know if they heard you up there, but we need to move in and attack while we still have a chance.''
''Pika pika!'' Pikachu said looking up at the airship.
Batman looked up as well, then he pushed Zinnia further away while still holding onto her.
''This is what is going to happen next,'' Batman told Zinnia while looking at her in the eyes. ''I'm going to go up there and I know they have hostages. When I get to them, I'm going to have Hoopa to portal them to you and you are going to use Rayquaza to fly them away from here.''
''Why here?'' Zinnia asked looking around and noticed the dead. ''EWW! Seriously, why here?!''
''Last place they would look is under their noses,'' Batman told her as a direct justification. ''Now, tell you can do that. It should be 7 people at minimum. They should fit on Rayquaza.''
Zinnia looked back at Batman while exhaling nervously but did nod to him eventually.
''Before you go, senpai,'' Zinnia said taking something and gave it to Batman. ''This was on that Dragon Pokémon that Rayquaza roasted while you weren't there. Another Metal card that turned into a Mega Stone.''
''Charizardite… Y? I didn't there were variations, but-'' Batman said scanning the Mega Stone with his left hand and a grateful grin grew on his face. ''Actually, this is perfect. I can use this on Charizard. Zinnia, I could-''
Batman didn't get to say what he would do before Zinnia did it to him first. It was sudden, but quick as they separated in a haste and as they didn't have the time to talk about it. Pikachu didn't seem to mind the act either and just jumped up onto Batman's shoulder as he released Charizard.
''CHAAAAR!'' The Flying/Fire roared as it got out off the Pokéball before noticing the dead at it's feet.
''I know, but you can still help me stopping more people from dying like this'' Batman said presenting the Charizardite Y to Charizard. ''Take this Mega Stone. If you can use it to Mega Evolve this will be much easier.''
Charizard took the Mega Stone, looked back at Batman and Pikachu before beginning to squish the Charizardite Y in it's fist. Concentration to whatever it must have been focusing on paid of as the Mega Evolution took hold of Charizard and in no time the Mega Charizard Y was carrying Batman, Pikachu and Hoopa up towards the airship as Zinnia looked from the Spear Pillar below them, muttering to herself:
''Nice one, Zinnia, not awkward at all.''
Sinnoh Region – Spear Pillar on Mount Coronet
Ash had ridden on his Lycanroc before multiple different times, most recently when he had been on Superman's dying world in the Dark Multiverse, but that had been before he had gotten the Nth Metal from the World Forge. When he had jumped into the Forge and made contact with the Metal, he had released Pidgeot on an instinct because he had needed to get out of there and Pidgeot had then Mega Evolved into Mega Pidgeout without any orders or previous attempts and flown them out of the Forge. Then there had been the Ride Garchomp that the Aether Foundation had given Ash to use that had also Mega Evolved into a Mega Garchomp when it had come into contact with the Nth Metal armor Ash was wearing.
But riding on Lycanroc was somehow differentas Lycanroc was not a Pokémon capable of Mega Evolving. The Nth Metal Armor must have been pushing Pokémon that couldn't Mega Evolve pass their limit of prowess and become the most powerful they could be. As if it didn't just cause Mega Evolution but also charged the Pokémon's moves and abilities like a powerful Z-move.
Because of this it had been incredibly fast to ride on Lycanroc from the shoreline of southeast Sinnoh to and up Mount Coronet faster than either Ash or someone else would have expected. Lycanroc had managed to run tirelessly past Lake Valor and Solacion Town all the way to Celestic Town, where it still had energy to start running up the mountain. It must have been the speed, the straight line of travel and the Mega Rayquaza flying ahead that there had been no opposing forces on the way after Volkner and Crasher Wake. Lycanroc had been unstoppable at charging through the region and up to the mountain top to the Spear Pillar where the Rock Type finally stopped in front of someone looking up the Dark Knights' airship.
''Nice one, Zinnia,'' Ash managed to hear the woman at the Spear Pillar, ''not awkward at all.''
''Who are you!?'' Ash yelled confronting the woman calling herself Zinnia. ''Why are you!?''
''Senpai?'' Zinnia said confused as she turned around to Ash, revealing that her cheeks were red with confusion and embarrassment. ''Really small, shiny senpai?''
''Not what I asked!'' Ash said approaching the woman.
''Tweeeeeeerp!'' James' voice called out from behind, apparently having managed to follow Ash from the shoreline.
Ash glanced behind himself to acknowledge James, but what he saw made him turn around and look properly. The Nth Metal bracelet that Ash had given James had grown into an armor over his Team Rocket uniform like the one Ash was wearing, but it was not modeled after Batsuit. As James got down from his Carnivine, having rode on it all the way here, he was sporting a shining Nth Metal armor that looked like skirt, corset, bracelets, boots and a tiara.
''Ho-oh-oh-ot daaaamn,'' the woman, Zinnia, said almost giggling with an amused and dumb smile growing on her face as she looked at James' attire. ''Well, now I feel less stupid for stealing that kiss from Senpai. That's a huge weight off my chest.''
~Run!~
That voice seemed to come from inside their heads, but it did direct them to where it was coming from. Next to the Dark Knights' airship, stood the dark and tall, winged and hooded being with skeletal limbs and sharp fingers.
Barbatos was standing on the Spear Pillar, not even on at His full height as in more of a knelled positing looking down at Ash, James and Zinnia with both hands in closed fists. The voice that had called out to them however was coming from one of the His fists. Then Barbatos opened them revealing three Pokémon, that were supposed to be giants, but were small enough to fit into the hands of the Ancient Dragon.
~We cannot control ourselves!~ Mewtwo, chained into Dark Metal restraint, called out from Barbatos' right hand while left one was holding Groudon and Kyogre, converted into their Primal Reversions by the Red and Blue Orbs. ~Run before we are forced to fight you!~
~Does not matter if you run,~ Barbatos spoke this time as He released Mewtwo, Groudon and Kyogre from his grips. ~In the end, ALL ROADS LEAD TO DARKNESS!~
Above Mount Coronet - Onboard Ultima Thule
''CHRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!''
Mega Charizard Y roared carrying Batman, Pikachu and Hoopa up from the Spear Pillar and up towards the golden airship. Up and past the ship all the way above it, where Charizard made a 180 degrees turn and begun a nosedive down at the windows leading to the ship's bridge.
''DRAGON TAIL!'' Batman yelled pointing at the windows as they approached them with escalating velocity.
CRASH!
They flew through and entered the bridge. Due to Mega Charizard Y's Flying Type, the Mega Evolved Pokémon managed to keep it's balance on the landing and for Batman to get a balanced view of who were on and what was happening on the bridge, while keeping Hoopa hidden under his cape.
''LEAF BLADE!'' Batman yelled throwing Sceptile's Pokéball at the Drowned and noticing Murder Machine mounted on the floor threw Heracross' Pokéball yelling, ''FOCUS PUNCH!''
''CROW!'' A Female voice yelled sending the Robins to come running at Charizard chanting ''Crow, crow, crow!''
''Pikachu, ELECTRO WEB!'' Batman told Pikachu to restrain the Robins without hurting them, then discreetly told Hoopa to, ''there are the hostages, start sending them Zinnia-''
BANG!
''CHAAAR!'' Charizard roared as a gunshot was fired at it and the shot brought Batman down from it's back.
''Pikkappii!'' Pikachu yelled as
Thomp!
Batman fell on the floor of the bridge with his back first. He could feel the pain in where gunshot had landed, between his left shoulder and chest plate. The Batsuit's armor had taken most of the impact, but the bullet had managed to penetrate through and into his flesh.
''Hah hah hah hah, welcome back, our Wagon'' the cold voice of the Batman Who Laughs echoed in his ears as Batman moved his head up to see him with a jokerized Serena and another Nightmare Batman holding the large rifle that had shot him. ''Meet the Grim Knight. He is us if Joe Chill had dropped his gun at the alley that night and WE picked it up.''
''Tell your Pokémon to stand down,'' Grim Knight said drawing Batman's attention to the hostages and the detonation interface on his gauntlet.
Batman struggled to get himself to a sitting position to see the hostages better. May, Dawn, Brock, Hilda, Hilbert, that magenta haired woman from Team Rocket and some complete stranger who Batman had never seen before, with Owlman standing in almost neutered next to Jokerized Damian and a woman dressed as a jokerized Catwoman, while Serena practically held as a lapdog in the Batman Who Laughs' hands. But he did see the collars that most of them were wearing and remembered the body who had been wearing one dumped down at the Spear Pillar. This Grim Knight had them all wearing them to make rescuing them harder.
''Behind me,'' Batman grunted getting up on his feet and waved his right hand as a gesture. ''Everyone, behind me, now- AAAAAAAAAARRRGHHHHHHHH!''
''He is the DEADLIEST man alive in his world,'' Batman Who Laughs continued as suddenly the bullet lodged between Batman's chest and shoulder begun to vibrate and electrify, causing him to fall onto the floor again. ''Even his bullets shoot bullets and it's not just guns. In his world he has Wayne Enterprises weaponized with chips in your GPS and valves in your water filtration. If your minivan drives off a bridge, you will never know who killed you.''
''Hrrrrr,'' Heracross purred flying to Batman and begun to try suck the bullet out like sapp from a tree.
''He is us at total WAR,'' Batman Who Laughs continued as the Drowned and the Robins resumed their posts and Heracross managed to get the bullet out of Batman's shoulder. ''I was saving him for when we were going to reach your world, but circumstances forced my hand.''
''Shut UP!'' Batman spit out forcing himself back up while keeping the Pokémon behind himself but managed to glance at Hoopa managing to hide behind the hostages. ''I AM going to KILL ALL OF YOU!''
''HAH HAH HAH HA HA HAH HAHA HAAAAAAAA! KILL US!?'' Batman Who Laughs asked cackling with the Drowned and the Grim Knight also snorting at Batman's declaration. ''Because we're you it doesn't count? That makes it a free pass? Hah!''
''You know what?'' Batman said pointing a finger at the Batman Who Laughs. ''Why don't we, you and I, handle this on equal terms? Your Dark Knights and my Pokémon stay back, as you said, and we fight this over like men.''
Batman Who Laughs didn't answer vocally. He just smiled, looked at the other Dark Knights, the hostages and his 'family'. Pikachu jumped onto Batman's healthier shoulder and tried to ask what he was planning, but Batman told him something that made the Electric Type jump off and join the other Pokémon behind Batman.
Then the Batman Who Laughs gestured the Jokerized Serena to go to the Jokerzed Damian with Owlman and begun to walk towards Batman, casually like it was nothing and
TSAK!/CHOP!
both Batman and Batman Who Laughs punched each other to the face so quickly and strongly that blood spewed out of their noses, making them both recoil backwards.
''Take a good look, Bruce!'' Batman Who Laughs said backing away before-
TSOK!
twirling and kicking Batman to the face. ''What DO YOU SEE?!''
Batman took a hold of the Batman Who Laughs leg and brought him down to the floor.
''You've never fought someone with all your training and discipline before- SEE IT YET!?''
''Shut u- ARGH!'' Batman shot back at the Batman Who Laughs when he swung back at him and hit both of his fists around Batman's head.
''I'm not HIM in a Batsuit,'' Batman Who Laughs said having gotten his leg released and limped back to make some distance between them while pointing at himself. ''I'm YOU!''
''No, you are NOTHING!'' Batman yelled pointing back at the Batman Who Laughs and all the other Dark Knights present. ''All of you, are NOTHING but bad dreams that can't get over THAT I'M ALREADY AWAKE!''
''YOU! HOW YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE WITHOUT CODES! -unh-'' Batman Who Laughs yelled back as Batman charged at him fists first. ''Without the rules…''
SMACK! Batman punched the Batman Who Laughs with a right hook.
''Except…''
SMACK! Batman punched the Batman Who Laughs again with a left cross.
''For ONE!''
SMACK!/BLAM!
''PIKKAPI!''
''Batman ALWAYS WINS!'' Batman Who Laughs roared as a gun was fired again and Batman begun to limp backwards towards his Pokémon while holding onto his stomach.
''The gun that killed our parents, I take it with me everywhere as a reminder,'' Batman Who Laughs declared holding up the smoking gun as he positioned them so that he was standing between Batman and the hostages. ''They died because like you they lived by ethical set of rules and THAT was the lesson in the alley. It is time that you finally learned that lesson, Bruce.''
While the Batman Who Laughs spoke Pikachu and Charizard moved to take a hold of Batman so they could help him stand, but due to Grim Knight showing a detonating interface on his right gauntlet, they could only do it passively not to seem hostile. The Drowned also took out her trident to show she could come over there and fight, forcing Charizard and Pikachu to back away.
''I have traveled and seen HUNDREDS of worlds and on everyone we go down for the same reason,'' Batman Who Laughs continued as blood poured out on the floor from Batman's mouth, back and stomach. ''Because you restrain yourself by BELIEVING IN OTHERS! BECAUSE YOU HOLD BACK! That is why you are here.''
Batman didn't speak back at the Batman Who Laughs monologue at him. With the little strength he still had, he had fallen to one knee as he looked at the Batman Who Laughs and past him to the hostages. To Brock holding May and Dawn looking at him, Hilda and Hilbert holding each other while looking at him, the Team Rocket woman and stranger looking at him. Batman couldn't see Serena and Owlman, but he could feel their eyes looking at the exit wound in his back. All of them, including the Dark Knights, looking at Batman, with the looks on their faces knowing that he was bleeding out and going to die soon.
''But Batman should be the perfect survivor, the APEX PREDATOR, in his final form,'' Batman Who Laughs kept going when Batman's eyes caught up with Hoopa hiding behind the hostages and saw another, familiar figure. ''In the language of this world, you are just the middle form evolved Pokémon, a SETUP to a joke. But me? I'm the PUNCHLINE! Do you get it now?''
''… huff… huff…'' Batman gasped trying speak as the Batman Who Laughs pulled the handgun's hammer back, ''just fire the damn gun.''
''Heeeh,'' Batman Who Laughs grinned placing the barrel of his gun onto Batman's forehead, ''I'm glad that you finally-''
BLAM!
Tsok!
''AARGH!'' Batman Who Laughs roared as steel pole suddenly was sunk into his left shoulder blabe in his back.
''Yeah, I wasn't talking to you,'' Batman said falling backwards to Charizard and Pikachu's hands they had earlier tried to help him. ''Charizard, cauterize my wounds. Pikachu, shock me with adrenaline.''
''Chaaar!''
''What the-'' Batman Who Laughs and the Dark Knights looked at the steel pole sticking out of his back and at the BANG-flag attached to it.
''Pika-CHUU!''
''BLAA BLA BLA BLAA, BLA BLA BLAA BLAA BLAA!'' A foreign, but familiar voice came from behind the hostages, in the tone of a mocking boredom. ''Why would you call yourself a Batman Who Laughs, when you TALK more than LAUGH!?''
Grim Knight reacted at first pointing gun at the direction of the voice but got acid thrown at him before he could pull the trigger. Acid that melted the Grim Knight's gun and the right hand's gauntlet with the interface controlling the hostage's collars, forcing him to remove that part of his costume in a haste.
''You brought HIM here!?'' Batman Who Laughs yelled at Batman now standing straight on his feet with his wounds cauterized by Charizard.
''Alléhooparing,'' Batman responded, telling Hoopa to open portals for the hostages whose collars were now offline and could escape without consequences.
''Were you surprised?'' Hoopa asked jumping out of it's hiding place as the hostages escaped.
''I know I was,'' figure in the shadows, behind where they hostages had been, spoke walking into the light and revealed himself.
To the horror of the Batman Who Laughs, this person looked and was dressed exactly like the last time he had seen him. Long time ago in his own world before his rebirth.
''Partners, Bats?''
''We will never speak of this again, Joker,'' Batman said releasing the remaining Pokémon he had from their Pokéballs and sent them against the Drowned, Murder Machine, the Robins and the Grim Knight, then armed his own fists with batarangs. ''I'm going for the leg!''
''Then I call dibs on his face,'' the Joker replied taking out cleaver knives as the both charged at the Batman Who Laughs.
Author's notes: Yep, the Joker. In the original 6th issue of Dark Nights METAL the Joker just shows up. It's not the lack of foreshadowing of him showing up when he does, but more of HOW he got there, which is what I kept spit balling while writing towards this chapter. I had all kinds of different ways that involved Dialga and Palkia opening that similar portal that they did in chapter 11, but Merciless and Dawnbreaker are keeping them in in that siphoning torture. Then I remembered Hoopa's Rings creating portals and that is why Hoopa was brought in in the last chapter. So basically, Hoopa used it's Rings to open a portal to where the Joker was and pulled him to the Ultima Thule there. As a matter of fact, the WHERE Hoopa picked the Joker up from is... It's from the Return to Hereafter story that I really should get back to writing now that I have managed to get this story to this point.
Also, the Dark Knights couldn't have used Hoopa's Rings to create a portal to get to Batman's world, as told in a previous chapter. The Pokémon world is a neutral space like an airport or a toll office building at the border. You can go there from the both sides, but you can't get through it without a passport.