Author's notes: The title of this chapter is, in a way, kind of ironic. I have been writing this one in separate intervals that have interfered with my current college thesis, which if we're honest is more important than writing this story. I wanted this to be the last chapter, buy then it would have ended up being too long and the second half will be up later, maybe some time in November. Now, it's just... I assume the next chapter will have the closure of a goodbye and after that there will be an epilogue similar way how I begun this story with a prologue.
On another end, I realized I made a little mistake in the last chapter with Pikachu... whom I never wrote flying out of the Ultima Thule along with Ash, Brock, Serena and Batman. Luckily I managed to also do that with Hoopa, so when they appear here... I hope that mistake gets fixed there.
Replies to reviews:
-Spider-Man999: Not exactly like Deadpool, just in a way to explain how his fingers grew back after being cut off like in Dark Nights METAL issue 6. And the Joker was present as a phantom like being, similar to PvP phantoms in Dark Souls and Bloodborne(I need to explain it better in Return to Hereafter where the Joker was brought in from), meaning that the connection between the phantom and the Joker's body was cut and the essence of the phantom was then used for reasons explained later.
-Cylon One: 3 months and 2 days since the last update, I hope the wait has been worth it.
-Guest: Like I said, this is a half of a longer fuller chapter.
Chapter 20: Endless
''Go ahead without me, I can handle one sixteen-year-old!''
''Uncle…''
''GO!''
Those were the last words Thomas Wayne Jr remembered saying and hearing when he suddenly found himself laying on the floor. Batman, Ash, Serena and Brock were also gone and Damian was also nowhere to be seen as he turned his head around.
''Hey, are you you going to get up or do you need help?''
''Uggghh!'' Thomas Jr grunted turning on his side towards the voice to she who had spoken to him. ''What happened?''
''I was called to do my job,'' answered a pale white skinned girl with dark black hair and wearing black clothes, politely reaching her hand at Thomas Jr on the floor. ''Come on, get up. We need to get going.''
''I don't understand,'' Thomas Jr said reaching his hand at the girl's, feeling his body being heavier than usual. ''Who are you? Where did you come from?''
''I'm just me, doing my job,'' girl said taking a hold of Thomas Jr's hand and pulled him up, way easier than she should have with the weight Thomas Jr felt over himself. ''There you go, big boy.''
''My nephew…'' Thomas Jr begun to speak as he was pulled on his feet. ''I was attacked by my nephew when protecting my little brothers and their friends when- No, what did-''
The girl answered but not with words. She looked up at his eyes while smiling apologetically, yet like what she was doing was a routine. Then her gaze lowered down from his eyes down to incision hole on Thomas Jr's chest and then to a clean cut to the bone on his left leg. These were the kinds of wounds normal human being wouldn't be able to walk away alive.
''Yeah, it's what you're thinking,'' the girl said friendly apologizing to Thomas Jr. ''Your nephew killed you when the ship capsized and was turned around before being shoved into Barbatos' chest. Zero gravity and off balance tends to do that.''
''And you?'' Thomas Jr asked, with trying to ignore his death in the shock of denial. ''How did you-''
''Yeah, my brother told me you would be down here and asked me to come pick you up,'' the girl answered putting her hand around Thomas Jr's arm to pull him after her. ''I am the Death of the Endless and I'm here to guide you to your next stop from here.''
Alola Region – Mount Lanakila
Up, up and away from the Forge, the world that didn't belong into the Dark Multiverse begun to rise out off the Abyss it had been dragged into. Thanks to Superman, the sinking had been halted at the last possible moment before the Forge could have begun to undo it into recycled energy that kept fueling the recreations of the dying worlds in the Dark Multiverse. After that, the Man of Steel had been giving everything he had to keep the world in that place while slowly trying to push it back up where it had originally been and now that was happening. Not feeling the weight as much as before, Superman turned his head around while using his x-ray and telescopic visions to get a better handle on the situation and see what was happening to the people and Pokémon of this world.
''Teamwork at it's finest,'' Superman said letting go of the top of Mount Lanakila. ''Thank you for for all your help.''
''Wait!''May and Dawn, who had arrived a little earlier with Kyogre and Groudon to strengthen the foundation Superman had been pushing, asked in a slight panic. ''Is it safe to do that?''
''Don't worry,'' Superman said looking around with a calming voice and his eyes glowing blue. ''I think we are in the clear now.''
~People and Pokémon of the world, be relieved for this Nightmare is ending,~ Mewtwo's voice echoed between Superman's, May's and Dawn's ears as they all intercepted the message while Superman was using his Telescopic vision to look around. ~The nightmare creatures that brought us to this Abyss have been defeated and a joint effort to bring up from here is being done from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh and Kalos Regions. Those of you who are able-~
That was truly happening as Superman saw look around the world at those Regions. On Mount Silver between Kanto and Johto Regions, Uxie of the Sinnoh Lake Guardians had brought the Red Chain to the Pokémon stationed there to hold and keep the line there. The situation was the same at in Hoenn Region, where the Regi Trio of Regiroc, Regice and Registeel as well as Regigigas were pulling the Red Chain brought by Mesprit. Even in the Kalos Region, Azelf's Red Chain was held by Zygarde in it's Complete Form. Not only that but Pokémon trainers were also converging to those locations and encouraging their Pokémon to help keeping the Red Chains locked into the anchor points.
Those three anchor points, that were connected up and above Mount Coronet in Sinnoh Region where Mega Rayguaza, Reshiram, Zekrom and Kyurem were, powered by their Nth Metal armor wearing , pulling the other ends of the Red Chains, now pulling their weight in lifting their world out of the Dark Multiverse. In between all this, Arceus, Dialga, Palkia and Giratina were focusing their efforts into making sure that they were getting out of the Dark Multiverse once they got to the highest level by opening a hole to the ceiling.
''It's over?'' May asked relieved looking at Superman's blowing blue eyes for confirmation.
''We won!?'' Dawn asked doing the same.
''People and Pokémon working together to save their world world,'' Superman answered smiling with pride as confirmation to the girls. ''This is a good world, that doesn't need-''
''AAARGH!'' Superman's hearing caught a familiar voice grunting in pain, followed by a hurtful taunt. ''YOU ARE NOT SAVING ME FROM ANYTHING!''
''What is it now?'' Dawn asked responding to how Superman had cut himself in the middle of a sentence. ''Are they still here?''
''Shh,'' Superman gestured focusing his hearing.
''Mom!''
''Batman!''
''KEEP FLYING HOME! I CAN HANDLE THIS, SAVE YOURSELVES!''
''Superm-''
TSHOOOOF!
Without a word, Superman blasted off to fly to the direction of those voices. Beaming closer to them, faster than a speeding bullet, the Man of Steel used his telescopic vision to zoom in and confirm what he was flying towards, because these voices were coming from under the ascending planet. Under and OFF planet, making their location something that was getting left behind as the planet was leaving the Dark Multiverse.
Someones that were being left behind in the Dark Multiverse.
''Aaarhh,'' Batman grumbled holding onto his abdomen as he felt Mega Charizard Y's hands taking a carrying hold of him under his armpits. Vision blurring, he looked down seeing the blood pouring out of the ripped open gunshot wound. Blood that was pouring down at the woman falling below him. Woman who he had been trying to save and who had ripped his stomach open after…
''Above us, look!'' Brock, being carried by his four-winged Bat Pokémon Crobat, called out pointing up at the growing distance between them and their world rising from the Dark Multiverse. ''We are not going to make it!''
''MOM!'' Serena, flying on the Mega Pidgeot with Ash, yelled desperately looking down at the Mega Charizard Y carrying the barely lucid Batman and at her mother being dropped to fall further behind them to the Forge. ''NO! WAIT! THE NTH METAL HEALED ME! IT CAN-''
''Serena… I'm sorry,'' Batman said barely audible to them at the speed they were flying, unable to raise his head to face any of them from exhaustion, ''I thought I could save you all…''
''Recall your Pokémon!'' a voice called out from above them. ''I will carry you the rest of the way!''
Even when Batman was barely holding on to keep conscious, that voice out of all voices gave him all the reasons to raise his head up towards it. Up and above them at the-
''I don't believe it…'' Batman said with his eyes opening wide in disbelief of what he was looking at. ''Clark?!''
''Recall them now, hurry!'' Superman yelled in a commanding tone as he aligned himself to fly upwards along with the. ''The less weight and wind resistance there is, the faster and easier we can catch up to your world before it gets too far!''
''Crobat, return!'' Brock yelled recalling his Flying Pokémon and Superman quickly grabbed him with his right hand.
''Pidgeot, return!'' Ash yelled doing the same as he and Serena took a good hold of each other so Superman could grab them both around his left hand.
''Chariz- pant-pant- ret-'' Batman coughed, with the blood now coming out of his mouth, with Charizard recultantly being recalled to the Pokéball. His grip on the Pokéball was basically a death grip to keep himself from dropping it.
''Bruce?'' Superman said acknowledging Batman among rescued, and the bleeding hole in his abdomen, as he flew under him to properly carry him on his back, with Brock, Ash and Serena reaching behind to grab a hold of his cape.
''Batman needs immediate medical attention!'' Brock told Superman as the Man of Steel increased his flying speed to catch up with the ascending planet.
''Alola Region is the nearest I can get us,'' Superman responded focused on the southern part of the planet he was flying towards and islands there. ''Where do I fly us when we get the?''
'Fly us to Aether Paradise!'' Ash said directing their course at the archipelago region of five islands, and the small artificial island in the middle, above them. ''They have the people and equipment to help him!''
Alola Region – Aether Paradise 2nd floor deck
''Look, up in the sky!''
After Devastator had killed himself, the Ultra Guardians had moved his body to Aether Paradise, the artificial island in the middle of the region and in between Melemele and Akala Islands. While they had been expecting Superman to be pushing their world up, they had received Mewtwo's message about their world now being pulled up and out of the darkness. They had then left Devastator's human corpse to be looked after while leaving to see what the situation was at the region when they had seen Superman coming at the Aether Paradise from the sky, from the direction they knew the bottom of the Dark Multiverse being.
''We need a doctor!'' Superman yelled at Kiawe, Mallow, Lana and Lillie as he flew closer to them while carrying four people on himself. ''This man is dying, where is your medical ward!?''
Superman had landed and let go of the people capable of walking by themselves, Ash, Brock and Serena(whom the Ultra Guardians did not know), before his pleas for help were answered.
''It's this way, follow me,'' Lillie, the daughter of the Aether Foundation's president Lusamine, said urgently responding to Superman carrying his wounded friend and gestured him to follow her one of the building on the large deck. ''This is the medical station for the employees of the Aether Foundation.''
''I'm coming with you!'' Brock yelled coming after Superman following Lillie and released his Chansey. ''We can help keeping him stable until the proper doctor comes for him.''
''Chanseey!'' the healer Pokémon jumped happily after them.
''Wasn't that the same guy we fought at Ula'ula Island's Haina Desert?'' Kiawe asked Ash as they looked after Superman carrying Batman away. ''Who killed himself?''
''No,'' Ash said shaking his head and still holding Serena as he had when Superman had carried them. ''He's not the same person.''
''No, he's not,'' Serena also said, knowing they were talking about one of the Nightmare versions and remembered everything Batman had done for her and everyone else. ''He is better than them.''
''Who are you?'' Lana asked turning her usual glare at Serena and the way how Ash was still holding her. ''Why are you-''
SSSFFLLLWW!
Suddenly, in the middle of Lana's sentence, the Nth Metal armor pieces Ash was wearing and the Nth Metal cowl on Serena's head flashed a bright shine that then begun to dim down. Not just the shine, but the armor pieces they were wearing were beginning to fade away along with the shine. First, they became transparent and then they were gone. Ash was now just wearing the black longsleeved shirt and
''What… just happened?'' Mallow asked voicing the others' confusion at the event.
''I should tell it's obvious,'' a passive, but assertive voice answered as the Dream of the Endless announced his presence on the deck with them. ''The 10th Metal exists in the Dreaming as well as in the the World Forge where it was forged in. By lifting your world out the Dark Multiverse, you removed the bond it had to exist and let it dissolve from the world it does not belong to.''
''Sandman?'' Ash said seeing him, followed by Serena's, ''Daniel?''
''Who!?'' Kiawe, Lana and Mallow asked in choir as the Dream rubbed his eyes in annoyance.
''I knew I shouldn't have have told you my birth name,'' the Dream said annoyed before turning his attention to the building where Batman had been taken and begun to mach toward is. ''Excuse me, I have someone I need to wake up.''
Sinnoh Region – Spear Pillar on top of Mount Coronet
As the world made it to the top of the Dark Multiverse, Dialga and Palkia used their powers over the time and space to open a proper entrance for them break through and return to their original place where they had been ripped out off by the voice of Barbatos. When they had made it through and were there again, Dialga and Palkia reverted back into their forms as the Adamant and Lustrous Orbs, that Arceus took away with It when making It's leave. Mewtwo, Rayquaza and the Tao Trio remained with Zinnia, Hilda, Hilbert and Colress who had been the last humans to remain at the scene.
~I will take care of these deceased,~ Mewtwo told them using it's Psychic powers to telekinetically move Barry's, N's, Giovanni's, Blaziken's, Typhlosion's and Emboar's remains into more respectable positions in a row. ~My former keeper, I wish you better luck in the next life.~
''Bo,'' Hilbert said in a heavy voice with his other Pokémon(Brav the Braviary, Musha the Musharna, Tula the Galvantula and Costa the Carracosta) out of their Pokéballs to say goodbye to his Emboar(which Mewtwo had reassembled together from the frozen pieces), ''I don't want to… I remember when you were a Tepig and…''
Hilbert was on his knees before his Emboar's remains, barely holding himself together, so Hilda kneeled next to him and helped him stay up by wrapping her arms around his body while Braviary put a wing over it's master, Galvantula one of it's legs on his back, Carracosta placed it's hand on his shoulder next where Hilda was holding Hilbert and Musharna had gently landed on his head.
While they mourned the fallen Fire/Fighting type, Colress paid his respects to N by making a salute to the dead King of Team Plasma.
''Lord Ghetsis may have raised you to be his puppet, but you had more conviction to Team Plasma's cause than he did, my king,'' the scientist spoke while making a salute and a slow bow. ''I'm sure the broken half of Team Plasma will continue it's work with your martyrdom as it's new inspiration.''
''I have no idea who these people are,'' Zinnia said making a small effort not to sound disrespectful while looking at Barry's and Giovanni's remains. ''Although I'm pretty sure that Senpai knew this guy in red.''
''Bo…'' Hilbert tried to say again while supported by his Pokémon and former boss, ''…goodbye.''
…
''Okay, great, you have had what you had to say,'' a foreign voice said as pale girl with black hair and black clothes suddenly appeared walking up the stairs of the Spear Pillar. ''I'll take it from here. Handling these things is my job anyway.''
Appearing only to the dead or the dying, Death of the Endless walked past mourning and begun to pull the awarenesses of those who had died from their mortal coils. The living did not see her or ghost of Owlman who walked behind her. Thomas Jr looked at the mourning and the dead as Death pulled them to exist as ghosts like him. Being dead felt weird, or, it didn't feel anything. The only thing Thomas Jr could feel as a dead man was the absence feeling anything. He was aware of himself, that was all there was and in short, it didn't feel like living. Supposedly, this was what a former supervillain and a crimelord deserved.
''Okay, looks like I'm about done here,'' Death said pulling the essences of the dead behind her. ''Hey, you know what? You're not in any hurry to move on yet, aren't you?''
''What do you mean by that?'' Thomas Jr asked without looking at Death, instead looking at the mourning. ''Are you going leave me to haunt this place instead of leading me to Hell?''
''Please, no one goes to Hell anymore after Lucifer quit his job running the place,'' Death said waving her hand at Thomas Jr like he had said something unpopular to a popular girl. ''And even if they did, it wouldn't be what you think. Anyway, what I meant to say is that I might take these guys ahead to move on and then get back to you and that other guy who will die here soon.''
''Again, what do you mean by that?'' Thomas Jr said repeating himself.
''You,'' Death said smiling with relaxed eyes and
Boop!
tapped her finger on Thomas Jr's nose, ''might not have to come with me just yet.''
…
SSSFFLLLWW!
Standing on top of the mountain top, the Nth Metal armor pieces that Ash had given to Hilda, Hilbert, Zinnia and Colress begun to shine bright and then dim down to the point of transparently fading away. The only thing that was eventually left was a spot shaped like the armor piece on their skin, similar to a light and barely visible tattoo.
''Good news, everyone,'' Colress spoke once the shining and dimming had died down and read on the advanced wrist console on his jacket's sleeve. ''It seems our world has made it's way back to it's original place.''
''Back as in…?'' Hilda asked helping Hilbert, still in mourning, stand up, but then looked up and saw what the scientist had meant.
Even though they were no longer pulled up and had made their way back, only now it was visible that the sky was no longer a colorless void as it had been when they had escaped the Ultima Thule and witnessed Hawkman fighting against Barbatos. The sky was a cold blue in the high altitude of the Spear Pillar and the sun was shining in the distance with few clouds, above and under the summit of Mount Coronet.
''We're… we're back,'' Hilda proclaimed with tears of joy while shaking Hilbert, who gave a passive half smile while embracing his former boss. ''It's over, WE WON!''
''Yeaaah, we won,'' Hilbert concurred with his positivity slowly also rising with a relieved smile. ''To think I got out of the Light Stone only for the world to almost-''
Most likely due to being reminded of their separation and reunion, Hilda boosted her legs and jumped onto Hilbert, beginning to passionately makeout with him without minding the onlookers. Colress just passively looked away uninterested while Zinnia showed more intrigue at Hilbert almost falling on his back. Hilda had jumped on Hilbert and wrapped not only her hands around his neck but also her legs around his waist. Judging by his body language, Hilbert's priorities were switching between keeping him balance as well as receiving the romantic gestures of celebration coming from Hilda, which made walk backwards while trying to keep his balance.
''Hey, look out!'' Zinnia yelled at Hilda and Hilbert when they begun to get too close to the edge of the Spear Pillar's altar. ''You're almost at the-''
Poks!
''Allehooparing!''
''You know I was young and in love like you two, once upon a time,'' Owlman's voice said, suddenly appearing from Hoopa's Ring with Hoopa and Pikachu, just at the right place and the right time to smack the palm of his hand against Hilbert's back. ''Only I was not stupidly in love to want die together like you two.''
''Senpai?'' Zinnia asked looking at Owlman, confused as she had previously Pikachu and Hoopa with Batman. ''No, you're… who are you?''
''Owlman, where did you come from?'' Hilda said surprised with her cheeks red and back in her senses while Hilbert was looking down at the mountain side he had almost backed down to. ''Did Ash and Brock come for you all? Where are they? And Serena and Bruce?''
''Okay, he's Owlman,'' Zinnia muttered to herself as she looked at Pikachu and Hoopa. ''So, where is senpai?''
''They went ahead while I stood behind to keep 'my nephew' from attacking us,'' Owlman said looking around them. ''Pikachu and Hoopa came back for me and portal-ed me out in time, but I thought the others would have made it here by now.''
''Pikapi? Pikkapi!'' Pikachu yelled out, calling for Ash and Batman, based on his speech patterns.
''No, we didn't see any of them come out of that ship before Hawkman shoved it into Barbatos' chest,'' Hilda said shaking her head while Zinnia shook herself. ''How did they-''
''Where was Ultima Thule before being thrown off it's place?'' Owlman asked before getting his answer from Colress pointing above the Spear Pillar. '' Hmm… the gravity was lost when the ship was thrown off, then Superman must have begun to push the world upwards and both… Batman needed medical attention for those wounds…''
Between his mutterings, Owlman rised up his hands and made a strange gestures as visual assumptions, before turning back to Hoopa.
''They are at the Alola Region, where Ash would lead them Aether Paradise to get Batman medical attention.''
Alola Region – Aether Paradice
Wounded badly, Batman had been taken to the medical station building meant for Aether Foundation employees where Pokémon with healing abilities were used to regenerate damaged tissue and human doctors were using operating tools to cut and and fix the regenerating areas so that they were healing correctly. As soon as he had been taken to the operating room, the Batsuit had been hastily removed beginning with the cape, cowl, gloves and the utility belt while the upper half of the costume had been forced to cut off him to get access to the wounded areas of the body needing medical attention.
In the observation area, Superman was joined by Ash and Serena, who were no longer wearing their Nth Metal armor pieces, as well as May and Dawn who had flown on Dawn's Togekiss to the artificial island shortly after them.
''How is Mr Wayne doing?'' Dawn asked looking at Bruce being operated on the other side of the glass.
''Clark, what do you see?'' Ash also asked, taking a note of Superman's glowing blue eyes signifying that he was using his vision powers to better see how Bruce's operation was going down.
''If he is anything like the Bruce I knew in my world, I expect to try get off that bed as soon awake,'' Superman responded turning to Ash and the girls as he rubbed his eyes. ''Brock is directing his Chansey and those other Pokémon to accelerate the regenerating of his cells around the wounded tissue…''
''Superman, are you alright?'' Serena asked when Superman begun to trail off in the middle of a sentence. ''You seem tired.''
''He is waking up from his extended dream,'' the Dream of the Endless said walking past May and Dawn until he was standing face to face with Superman. ''Remember, Clark Kent, where were you when this all begun?''
''What?!'' Superman asked confused and reached for the bitemarks he had on neck. ''I was at the-''
''Before you came to this world,'' the Dream spoke in a focusing voice, that seemed to be disorienting to Superman. ''Before you met Ash Ketchum, before you exiled yourself to the Sun, before the Plague hit your world, what do you remember from the beginning of that day?''
''Clark, are you okay?'' Ash asked when Superman begun to get disoriented and walk backwards.
''I was working at the Planet…'' Superman said with his eyes closed and his hand next to his head, then shook his head. ''No, I was responding to an emergency at Arkham where Killer Croc bit and infected me-''
''Before THAT!'' The Dream said forcefully. ''What were you doing before the Plague hit?''
Superman shook his head with his eyes tightly closed. To Ash, Serena and the Ultra Guardians he looked like he was mentally suffering from something he was painfully trying to remember from the Dream's pressuring. Then suddenly he stopped shaking and opened his eyes, looking like he had just gone through a shocking trauma.
''I went to sleep,'' he said in a fragile voice that was a farcry from the one he had used when he had come to save Ash, Serena, Brock and Batman. ''I went to bed with Lois, kissed her good night and fell asleep. The next thing I knew, I was responding to a distress call at Arkham for… Killer Croc and Amygdala who were infected with the Plague, devouring and infecting everyone at the Asylum. I was bitten and had to fly to the Sun-''
''You went to sleep,'' the Dream said cutting Superman in the middle of his realization. ''Everything since you went to Arkham Asylum, has been a bad dream to you. This is real to them, but you are the one dreaming as you originated from a dream world.''
''This… is a dream?'' Superman asked, trying to comprehend the reality from the Dream's words.
''No, I took you from a dream world before it collapsed and kept you dreaming to help doing what comes natural to you,'' the Dream said shaking his head and standing with his hands behind his back. ''But now we are all back in the waking world and as a dream version of yourself, it is time for you to wake up.''
Superman looked at Ash, Serena, Dawn and May with his eyes wide open. They looked back at him with visible concern as well as confusion, but their shared experience of visiting the Dreaming managed to get the picture.
''If I'm standing here as dream version of myself, the real me is sleeping somewhere out there in another world, correct?'' Superman said shaking his head and rubbing his eyes. ''What world is that?''
''His,'' the Dream answered directing Superman's attention to Bruce in the operation room. ''Just like the Dark Knights were aspects of your Batman's dreams and nightmares, this version of you begun as nightmare version of you before I extracted it from it's dying world and gave it the same autonomy you have when awake.''
As the Dream was telling that, Superman begun to become transparent and see-through.
''You are already waking up,'' the Dream spoke one more time. ''Only a moment and you will find yourself waking up from bed next to your wife.''
''Clark,'' Ash said drawing Superman's attention to him and his friends in the room with them. ''Thank you. For standing out for against those other Nightmare Supermen and for keeping our world away from the World Forge. You saved us all… thank you.''
''Thank you, Superman,'' Dawn said smiling gratefully.
''Thank you, Superman,'' May said repeating after Dawn with similar gratitude.
''Thank you, Superman,'' Serena also said standing next to Ash and visibly holding hands with him. ''Thank you for everything you've done for us.''
The gratitude given to Superman managed to raise his spirits from the revalations the Dream had given him. He answered to their smiles in the 'you're welcome' smile he always gave to crowds of people as he was fading away and getting more and more transparent.
''Just, heh, doing my job,'' Superman told them with a chuckle, and he closed his eyes. ''A job for Superman… Hey, do something for and make sure Bruce get's well, so he can get back to fam-''
….
….
….
''Clark? Clark! CLARK!?''
Clark opened his eyes. He looked around himself. He was in his Metropolis apartment, wearing the Royals brand pyjama t-shirt and slacks. Clark floating above his bed with Lois, also wearing a pyjama t-shirt and slacks with a messy bed hair, hanging onto his floating body by her arm and leg wrapped around him. They had both been sleeping and she had woken up from being raised from the bed by his floating. Realizing the situation, Clark took a better hold of Lois and carefully lowered them down back to their bed.
''Wow, what kind of dream were you having?'' Lois asked when they were back down on the bed.
''Lois,'' Clark said slowly with his eyes on the ceiling, ''I don't think that I was really dreaming.''
Bruce Wayne was laying on the operation table wearing just the bottom of his batsuit and boots. He could see the wound in his abdomen, being treated by blurry images and shapes of people moving all around him. For a second his mind was somewhere else, causing him to call for
''Alfred…?''
before his mind cleared and reminded him this was not the ER in the Batcave and that he had not been in his own world for who knows how long. That turned Bruce's attention to his left hand and piece of alien technology stuck in it. First, when he had been taken from his world by that piece, he had been dying from necrosis and the piece had healed him by taking him to a world where he had been shot the back, damage that had been healed by sending him to yet another world. And in that other world, there had been a cult that had set Bruce on fire, which had set off yet another transfer to this world.
Now Bruce was in yet another situation where his death would activate the piece and send him elsewhere. His wounds would heal, his body renewed, but first he would have to die again and leave the people he had met.
''First Truth of Batman, he has never been alone.''
''Because YOU believe in others, BECAUSE YOU HOLD YOURSELF BACK!''
''YOU ARE THE TRUE NIGHTMARE BATMAN WHO NEVER BECOMES ANYTHING!''
Barbatos', the Batman Who Laughs' and Grace Yvonne's words echoed in Bruce's head as he could see the people he had met and connected with in this world on the other side of the glass outside the operation room. In this world, they and their Pokémon had been his friends and allies. Without them, Bruce could not have made it this long or won against the Nightmare Batmen. If he was to die soon and the piece in his had would take him to some other world, Bruce owed to tell or at least even explain to them what would happen.
''Brock…'' Bruce called in a weak voice out to one of the doctors around him that he managed to barely recognize. ''Brock!''
''Chansey, keep up the Soft Boiled,'' Brock told his Pokémon using a healing move and came closer to Bruce. ''We are doing everything we can to keep you alive and-''
''I know what my chances are,'' Bruce said cutting him off. ''I was shot through my abdomen, cauterized the wound with fire and used electricity to keep my heart beating. I can feel my heart having rhythm problems, pieces of my stomach that won't grow back absent and- cough- cough-''
''Bruce, don't try to talk-''
''Patch me up and let them in here,'' Bruce said pointing at the observation area on the other side of the glass. ''Let me say goodbye to everyone.''
Author's notes: And that was the ending I wrote for Superman in this story, which is pretty similar to the first issue of Doomsday Clock where Clark wakes up from a bad dream.
There is also a pattern to DAI:AA and CToGC stories where Bruce has been in different world like now in the Pokémon World. He is going to die again... which is more realistic than in Dark Nights METAL issue 6 where Batman could keep fighting like he had not been shot through his abdomen and out of his back.
If I get my final thesis done so I can leave it before the seminar on November 12th, I can get the next chapter and the epilogue both posted before the year ends... unless Pokémon Sword and Shield take out too much of my free time after they come out.