Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or DC Comics
"Talking!"
'Thinking!'
"Demon!"
Waking Face
Kushina popped her bruised knuckles. She just finished giving all the women that her son slept with a nice black eye. This was her only way of trying to keep her son to herself for just a little bit longer. Though she knows that can't stay for very long.
"I feel better now," the redhead turns to look at her son, "Naruto, sweetie, why don't you go and get my grandbabies?"
Naruto can feel as though his mother might try something if he were to leave the room. And from seeing how all the women now have black eyes it doesn't leave much confidence.
"Are you sure?" Naruto asks
"Yes, I took out all my anger on the ladies. Now I want to see my grandbabies!" what Kushina said is true, all the anger is now gone.
"Alright…" Naruto left the room.
With Naruto now gone Kushina turned to all the women, "I have something to tell you all… and why I've been brought back to life."
-Coast of Somali-
Boston Brand is sitting on a boat in the middle of the ocean. He's been sitting her for several minutes with the remains of another boat sinking into the waters down below. The former Deadman can tell that something happened here and that something wasn't very good.
Sighing with greatly this White Ring has brought him nothing but pain. Teleporting all over the place and seeing the thirteen people that were brought back, and not all of them were heroes. Boston has to wonder why the White Light would do such a thing.
"Where'd you bring me now, Little White Ring? And what do you want with me?" he asked the White Ring.
Boston was called good even though he was forced into the position. He died and floated across the Earth as a ghost. With him now living Boston is once again forced to float across the Earth as the invisible man. Just like before Boston has to wonder why he was the only one to gain the White Ring and not any one else, but before he could think about it any further he is brought out of his train of thought.
"No! Not that one!" shouted out of the pirates, "That one stays with me. I want to spend some time with her before we sell them," the pirate grabs one of the girls who survived the raid, "Come child." he grabs the girl he picked out.
"Please! I want to go back to my Mom!" cried out the girl.
"Mommy isn't here, my beauty. But Daddy is!"
Boston jumps to his feet for he can tell by the look in the pirate's eyes aren't going to be good for the girl, "Hey! Leave the kid ALONE!" white light comes out of Boston's body preventing him from moving, "What are you doing, Ring? Let me move!" please!" he can't do a thing as the pirate takes the girl away, "Dammit, why won't you let me help her?"
Just then Aquaman and his wife Mera just out of the waters. The pirates open fire onto the duo, but because of the Atlantean's skin is thick enough the bullets just bounce right off and not harming them. Aquaman rears back and throws his trident, piercing and pinning the pirate to the wall.
Mera crosses her arms blocking the bullets, "Anyone who hurts children," throwing up her arms causing the water behind her to take form as serpents made out of water, "Will feel my RAGE!"
Mera commands the water serpents to hit every single pirate off the ship and into the water. Now that all the pirates aren't there anymore Aquaman walks around on the deck.
"How many did the Navy say they took from that civilian ship, Mera?"
Fifteen are they all…"
"GET DOWN!" shouted Aquaman as he uses his own body to block the bullets from another ship of pirates firing upon them.
Looks like these scavengers have friends," she makes sure that all the children aren't hurt from the pirates firing onto them.
"So do we," Aquaman put his fingers to his forehead and focus.
"Arthur? What did you summon?" she watches as something comes out of the water. Something that her husband shouldn't of been able to summon.
The something that rises out of the water is a dead giant squid. The dead giant squid rips and tears into the ship, wrapping around the whole ship. Arthur and Mera can only watch in shock as a dead sea animal raised up out from the sea.
"It's a giant squid. I could hear it deep below the surface, but it's…" Aquaman couldn't believe his eyes for giant squids have always given him trouble in the past. While Arthur may be able to summon and command creatures of the sea, they have to follow his commands. The more dangerous creatures that lurk near the deeper depths always gave him a hard time for how the stronger of the fittest are always killing each other.
"It's dead!"
They watch as the ship is dragged under the waters. Aquaman runs over to the side of the ship with his hand on the side of his head.
"It's killing everyone. Arthur, tell it to stop!" Mera says for she knows that Arthur would never let anything he summons kill people.
"I'm trying!" and that is what he is trying. Something about the dead giant squid doesn't sit right with Aquaman. It isn't listening to him.
The pirate who was pinned to the wall frees himself and rushes over to the harpoon gun with him taking aim at Aquaman and Mera, "We rule these seas, not you!" but before the pirate could fire a dead great white shark jumps out of the water, grab hold onto the pirate and drags the pirate underneath the waters below.
With all the pirates now dead because the blood in the water caused sharks to come and feast on a free meal. Mera looks to her husband. This brings great concern for daring his time as a Black Lantern he gained the power to command dead animals from the seas. The redhead just hopes that her husband isn't turning back into a Black Lantern.
"He commanding dead sealife like he did when he was a Black Lantern," says Boston, "Something's very wrong. So what am I supposed to do about it, White Ring? Am I supposed to stop Aquaman? Or someone else?" Boston teleports away from anything else could happen.
-Westport, Massachusetts-
Located in Wesport is a small fishing shop that fishermen bring their catch to be sold. Two people are waiting for their orders to be finish watch the television that is handing from the wall.
"Reports coming now that are sure to relieve all those parents out there," says the news woman, "Our own local heroes, Aquaman and his wife Mera, have rescued fifteen children who were kidnapped earlier this morning from a European cruise ship off the coast of Somali. Aquaman is one of many rumored to have been resurrected in the aftermath of the recent attack of the undead. The catholic church has yet to respond to his claim, but exaggeration or not, we're happy the King of the Seas has returned,"
"Amazing, isn't it? Said the old man waiting for his order, "Aquaman's back."
The man that is cutting the fish right in front of him pauses. He slowly looks up before slashing the old man's throat. Jumping over the counter with him killing the woman, before turning to his coworker who met the same fate as the other two people.
"Truly a day of celebration. And now the weather. Margaret?
"Skies are looking cloudy out there, James. Thunderstorms will be rolling our way by midnight."
The man leave behind the dead bodies with the news still playing in the background. It seems that with Aquaman coming back to life cause this man to kill. Something drove this man to murder, but at what cost?"
-Pittsburgh University-
"Professor Stein?!" Firestorm bangs on a thick metal door.
"Where is he?" Jason asked for Professor Stein is known to almost never leave his lab.
"I used to be able to tell. I couldn't read his mind when we weren't fused together as Firestorm, but I could summon him,"
"You could summon him? It's always about you, isn't it, Ronnie?"
"What are you talking about?" Ronnie doesn't see what Jason is talking about.
"I'm talking about Firestorm. You died, but the Matrix fell from the sky and hit me," Jason can still remember that day. Jason was a seventeen year old living in Detroit, who wanted nothing more than to escape his home city. He lived with his father who had turned abusive after he lost his hand in an industrial accident. His mother left his father sometime after the accident, leaving the young Jason with his father. With the loss of a job he needed to fund college, Jason turned to a local thug for money, accepting a job as a courier. It was on that job that he encountered the Firestorm Matrix, searching for a new host after Ronnie Raymond's death. In the aftermath, Jason struggled to cope with his new identity and powers; a struggle that led to the death of the man who'd hired him.
"You think I still want to be Firestorm, Jason? Especially if I'm stuck with someone like you inside my head? When that explosion in Professor Stein's lab went off and he and I were stuck together… It was weird, but it was cool. I could fly and transmute elements… as long as the Professor told me how to, but it all went to hell pretty quick. You can have the Firestorm Matrix. Find a new partner. I don't care. All I want to do is get out of here and go hang out with my friends," Ronnie explains all this for he doesn't want to be a hero anymore.
"And all I want to do is hang out with my girlfriend," Jason says bitterly.
"We can't bring her back, Jason,"
"You came back. Martian Manhunter and Hawk and Captain Boomerbang. Why not Gen?" he was there when the others were brought back to life. So why can't Gehenna?
"Because we can't. One I… just trust me, okay? Look, let's try to separate again. You think right and I'll think left,"
"That's your big plan?"
"Just do it, all right?"
And that's what they do. In an explosion like the Big Bang Jason goes right with Ronnie going left. But it doesn't work as they came back together reforming Firestorm.
Firestorm drops to his hands and knees, "Dammit… that…"
"Hurt…" Jason finish what Ronnie was going to say.
"Ronald?" says Professor Stein over the intercom.
Firestorm quickly looks up, "Professor! ALL RIGHT!"
"Please don't shout in my ears," even if Jason is just a voice in Firestorm's head that did kinda hurt.
"So what's the deal, Prof?! Tell us how to split up!"
Inside the lab Professor Stein along with the Atom have been going over the data of every Firestorm from when he was a part of it, when Mikhail Arkadin was part of Firestorm, to when he took the name Fire Elemental, to when Gehenna took the role for the other part as Firestorm, and finally when Deathstorm was around during the Blackest Night.
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Ronald," Professor Stein says.
"The Professor and I have some bad news." said Atom as he doesn't like what the data have been pointing too.
-Mars-
J'onn flies through the skies of Mars with a massive block of ice on his back. The Last Martian went to the northern polar cap of Mars to take a chuck of ice there. People think that Mars doesn't have water, but it does as the ice melts during the summer and freezes during the winter. The ice and water doesn't leave the northern or southern poles.
J'onn places the massive block of ice in the prime location. His eyes start to glow before blasting the massive block of ice. The heat from his vision melts the ice that floods the empty plains. J'onn floats down to the ground. He waits for days before finally for the first time in centuries life grows. Kneeling down to get a closer look at the small plant growing out of the ground.
"So it begins. What was here once can so be-" pain wracks through J'onn's whole body with images of the time when he was the Black Lantern appears for a split second. A man's face appears in J'onn's mind apears, "Erdel… My hands at Professor Erdel's throat. That never happened," The Martin Manhunter takes to the skies, "And that woman on the floor. Erdel was alone when he mistakenly transported me from Mars," he leaves Mars, "For that psychic flash to breach my mind from Earth it had to be directed solely at me. With a conviction and singularity of purpose. The girl in this vision I must find her." J'onn heads for Earth becoming something calls to him.
-Central City-
Carter and Shayera arrived at Central City where Carter said the woman who said is the reincarnation of Princess Chay-Ara. Carter changed into normal clothes without his harness for those big wings make moving around inside buildings. He doesn't know how Shayera can move around without her wings getting in the way. Shayera doesn't change for she doesn't see the whole point in changing, plus there is nothing to cover up her wings.
"Where is this woman, Carter?" asks Shayera for she wants to meet this woman who claims to be Princess Chay-Ara. What Shayera hasn't told Carter is that Princess Chay-Ara was once a part of her family before she along with Prince Khufu disappeared. While Shayera's family isn't a part of the royal family anymore, they still have some power before the fall of Thanagar, "I thought you said she was going to be here?"
"She is going to come," said Carter for he knows the reincarnated Princess Chay-Ara will make an appearance.
A woman walks over to them causing both of them stop talking. Shayera blinks a few times as this woman looks very similar. The red hair along with the eyes makes Hawkwoman think that she has family here on Earth. Well she does, but not by blood.
"Hello, my name is Kendra Saunders," introduce Kendra, "Are you Carter Hall? If so, then I was the one contacting you,"
"Y- Yes!" Carter quickly stands up, "I am Carter Hall! Are you really the reincarnated Princess Chay-Ara?"
"Yes, may it sit?" Carter pulls out a chair for her, "I've been having dreams of different lives for sometime now. It all started when the Blackest Night ended. At first I thought all these dreams were just that, dreams,"
"A lot have been going on since the Blackest Night ended. Can you tell us a few our your memories?" Hawkwoman asks
"Yes, the first memories is that of Princess Chay-Ara. Prince Khufu and I crashed landed in ancient Egypt where we made some of the first pyramids before we both were killed by Hath-Set. The next memory was as Lady Celia Penbrook, who was alive during the fifth century Britain, and was the lover of Silent Knight. The new memory was a woman named Kate Manser who was also known as Cinnamon; an Old West gunslinger, and lover of Nighthawk. And the last memory was as Shelia Carr, lady love of Pinkerton detective James Wright,"
"Those are the memories that I have as well. Where I was the Silent Knight, Nighthawk, and James Wright," confess Carter, "I always had a feeling that I would find you,"
Kendra looks over to Shayera, "I have to ask, why are you here Hawkwoman?"
"Carter asked me to come to see if you are who you say you are," Shayera looks at Kendra for in a way they're related, "Princess Chay-Ara came from Thanagar. What I haven't told Carter is that Princess Chay-Ara is a family member that disappeared millennia ago. I have to say I never thought I would see you, or a vision of her in my lifetime,"
"Hearing that in someway I'm related to Hawkwoman is something. Reincarnation is so strange. What do we do now?" Kendra kinda wants to know what will happen now that both Khufu and Chay-Ara are reunited.
"Hath-Set does the same thing that we have; reincarnation. So he is most likely out there looking for us."
-South America-
The team brings out a bag and sits it on a table. A man walks over and unzips the bag. The man stares down onto the bones in front of him.
Placing his hands on the remains of Prince Khufu and Princess Chay-Ara, "It's been so long since I've seen you two. Though one have to wonder how you two get all the way over here to South America from Egypt," that does raise some questions for during that time in history sailing across the ocean is unheard of, and even impossible.
This man is known other than Hath-Set. He was once the high priest for the court of Prince Khufu and Princess Chay-Ara. He fell in love with Princess Chay-Ara, but she wouldn't return his feelings for her love for Khufu. So he made a knife made out of Nth Metal and killed Khufu, but killed Chay-Ara by accident; with the death of his love Hath-Set turned the blade onto himself. What none of them known is that the knife was cursed making it so that the three of them would reincarnate throughout time; repeating the same events over and over again.
-Westport, Massachusetts-
A house sits on the beach which burst into flames. Standing and staring at the burning house is the man that killed those innocent people from the fish shop. The man turns and walks into the water of the sea. He walks and dives underneath the water. A red light shines out of the water with the surface bubbling. The water explodes with Black Manta jumping out of the water.
"Aquaman!" yelled out Black Manta.
Many people wonder why Black Manta has such a strong hatred for Aquaman. It's quite simple, David Hyde grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, and loved to play by Chesapeake Bay. As a youth he was kidnapped and forced to work on a ship for an unspecified amount of time, where he was sexually abused by his captors. At one point, he saw Aquaman with his dolphin friends and tried to signal him for help but was not seen. Finally, he was forced to defend himself, killing one of his tormentors on the ship with a knife. Hating the emotionless sea and Aquaman, whom he saw as its representative, the boy was determined to become its master.
The two of them fought over the years in violent battles. It was during the time when Ocean Master gave Black Manta the codes to attack Atlantis successfully that caused Aquaman to lose his hand in battle. And then two years later, Black Manta killed Arthur Jr. which drove Aquaman into a rage that Black Manta took advantage off by killing his longtime enemy. With Aquaman dead Black Manta retired from his criminal ways by opening a fish market to earn an honest living, but with the return of Aquaman he can't stay in retirement.
-Coney Island-
Naruto arrived back with his kids with Himawari rushes over to her grandmother. Kushina quickly picks up her oldest granddaughter.
"My, what do we have here?" Kushina asks, "This little one wants to see her grandmother?"
"Yup! Yup! Coney Island has a lot of fun places to go and visit! Like the Ferris Wheel! And at night the wheel light up in pretty colors!"
"I would love to see that!" the redhead turns to her son, "Naruto, lets go and visit and make up for lost time,"
Smiling at the thought of spending time with his mother, "I would love that."
Just then Quiet and Lady Shiva walks into the room. Naruto told her to come back to meet his mother who was brought back by the White Light. Quiet always wonder about Naruto's mother. Her longtime friend always told stories about how she would take care of him, and make sure that they were safe from the Amazons. Now she has a chance to finally meet the woman that Naruto always looked with love that withstood time and pain.
Lady Shiva finally meets Kushina. Sandra can tell that Kushina is an Amazon and a powerful at that. From what Naruto told her Kushina could have become Wonder Woman.
Kushina went right over to Sandra and bows to her, "Thank you for taking care of Naruto,"
"No! No!" Sandra wave her hands, "It was an honor to take care of your son. In a way, Naruto became a son to me just as he is your son,"
"But I must say thank you. You have no idea how much it means that someone raised my son." Kushina means it for even in the afterlife the redhead always worried about her son. She knew that Slade would give Naruto all the training that he needed to defeat and get revenge on the Amazons. The only thing she feared was that her son would never feel the love of a mother, "You gave Naruto a mother to look to when I wasn't there,"
"He helped me just like how I helped him," what Sandra said was true when Naruto killed David Cain. When the blonde told her she just couldn't keep the tears from flowing. The man that killed her sister and forced her to have a child with him was finally dead, "You have one of a kind son, Kushina. You were very lucky to have such a son,"
"I know what you mean." both women turned to look at their son. Naruto that special person that can change things with him just by being there.
-Pittsburgh University-
Bad news? What bad news? Professor?" Firestorm leans on the metal door, "If he doesn't answer I'm transmuting this vault door into jell-o shots and getting the hell out of here. What's your favorite flavor, Jason?"
"I'm not giving up any molecular intel until Professor Stein gives us the all clear, Ronnie!" Jason really doesn't want to waste the energy by turning the door into jell-o.
"I can transmute this door into water. I know water. Or we can phase right through it. You knew Firestorm could do that, right?"
"Don't use your powers. Please stay put!" says Professor Stein over the intercom.
"But Professor, I-"
"I'm sending in help, Ronald."
Atom makes his appearance by jumping out of the air vent. He grows in size with him showing off his new suit. This suit is more like armor that will protect him from the heat the Firestorm gives off.
"Hey, guys. Looks like we've got some work to do," he shrinks down and lands on Firestorm's shoulder.
"What's the Atom wearing?" Jason asks
"I don't know. It's probably just a new uniform,"
"Actually, Ronnie, where I'm going I need something a little less flammable than spandex," said Atom for even this close the suit isn't burning.
"Uh, oh. Let me guess," Ronnie can tell that Ray is planning something that might cause both Jason and Ronnie pain.
"I've got to disarm the Firestorm Matrix bonding you and Jason," spoke Atom with him checking his systems one last time.
"Disarm it? Disarm isn't a good word, is it?"
"Ask him why we're stuck together," Jason really want to separate from Ronnie and get on with his life.
"Hhh. Why are we stuck together, Atom?"
"The Professor and I still have to run some more tests," confess the Atom for both him and Professor Stein need from evidence to prove what they think is true.
"Ask him if there's anything we can do to help him?"
"Will you stop backseat driving?"
"With Martian Manhunter not around no one else can hear me but you!"
"Lucky me!"
"Hey, one of us has got to take this seriously!"
Once again Atom is watching Ronnie and Jason argue, but only side of the argument. It has to be one of the strangest things he'd seen that doesn't have to do with criminals, monsters, or aliens. But given what both him and Professor may learned isn't a good thing with them arguing.
"Guys, don't," said the Atom
"Don't what?" both Ronnie and Jason said at the same time.
"Don't argue. It's only going to make this more dangerous,"
"Dangerous?"
"Both of you just keep quiet. I got this," Ray leaps into the Firestorm Matrix, "You were right, Professor Stein. The fire's not just for show anymore. temperature's already approaching one thousand degrees,"
Professor Stein looks through the data that is coming from Atom's suit, "As long as the camera in your helmet doesn't melt I should be able to walk you through this, Ray. Just take care of these boys. They didn't ask for this. This should be my problem,"
"Professor," Atom floats right in front of the Firestorm Matrix as the atoms spin around the nucleus, "I'm right here in front of the Firestorm Matrix,"
"Hey!"
"What?" Ronnie asked Jason
"What? I didn't say anything," Jason doesn't know what Ronnie was saying for he didn't say a thing.
"You just said, hey,"
"The Atom said not to talk,"
"He said not to argue,"
"He said to stay quiet,"
"Then why'd you say something?"
"I didn't say anything,"
"I'm going to have to get between the subatomic particles in the nucleus and literally push them apart," while this was going something black moves, "If we're right, it should trigger a chain reaction that will unravel the Firestorm Matrix and free Ronnie and Jason,"
"Shut up, white boy,"
"What the hell did you just say?" shouted out Ronnie
"Nothing. What are you yelling about?"
"I heard you!"
"Something's happening," Ray really doesn't like how the nucleus is acting up.
Black smoke starts to come out of Firestorm, "RONNIE?! OUR FACE!" Firestorm's body starts to overheat and goes critical.
"Atom! It's fighting you! It doesn't want to let them go! Get out of there! NOW!"
"No, I see something! I see-"
Firestorm's head splits in half with the Firestorm Matrix gaining mass. "PROFESSOR!" Professor Stein rushes over to the vault door only for it to be blown off it hinges.
-Pearl River, New York-
A simple night with a simple family having fun as a mother is cooking. While the mother is cutting a tomato the news right in front of her is going over the Blackest Night that happened in Coast City. The mother takes out a roast from the stove.
"D- Diner's r- ready!"
"Be right there, Mom!" called out the daughter.
The mother starts to cut the roast, "It's time," said the mother
"In a minute. The song's almost over!"
Holding up the knife to her face, "A- Alive… He's alive…" she walks over and stands in front of her family.
"Mom, I can't see the screen!" called out the daughter
"We're gonna fail the song, Mom!" this time it was the son who said that.
"You make a better window than a door, honey," said the husband as he wants to finish the song up before having dinner.
"And you'd be better off if you stop talking all the time, Steven," the mother cuts her husband's throat.
"Mom! No!" the mother grabbed a drumstick with it finding its way in her son's heart. Then the mother grabs the guitar with it being repeatably hit in the end.
With bloody hands grab her own cheeks and pulls. The skin rips off revealing that the skin wasn't real. Glowing red eyes stare at the picture of Martian Manhunter.
"J'onzzzzzzz…"
-Denver, Colorado-
J'onn arrived in Denver while it was raining. The Last Martian looks up to the dark cloudy skies. He can't wait for Mars to rain once more when life is crawling on the surface. J'onn makes his way through a graveyard before coming to a stop in front of a grave.
"I'm happy to see your final resting place wasn't disturbed, old friend," the grave in front of him says Saul Erdel.
J'onn phase through and sinks into the ground. He goes through the coffin to face the corpse wearing a nice suit and holding a picture.
The Last Martian picks up the photo, "It's the woman from the vision I had on Mars. The one of the floor…" turns the photo over to see the writing on the back, "Erdel had a daughter."
-St. Roch, Louisiana-
Shayera, Kendra, and Carter arrived back at St. Roch Louisiana with Kendra looking around at the artifacts. She picks up a wooden statue. The memories come flooding in. Rangda, the Demon Queen. Rangda put a spell on a past life of both Carter and Kendra when they were rulers in Bali back in the twentieth century. She made them turn their own weapons on themselves. It was one of the messier endings that they both had.
Kendra next turned to a large red shield with a white hawk on the front of it. She remembers when Carter was the Silent Knight and with her as Lady Celia. Remembering the cold winter and how they stayed warm during the night when it got full of passion.
Carter watches as Kendra goes down memory lane with her looking at all the artifacts that he'd collected over the years. Each artifact is in fact things that they used in their past lives. It brings a frown on Carter's face as this might be only a matter of time before Hath-Set kill them both. It always follow a pattern. They find each other, fall in love all over again, and then killed to only repeat the pattern all over again and again.
'This time I'll make sure that Kendra and I won't end like our other lives.' Carter promises himself as this time it would be different.
Shayera throws her belt onto a nearby table. On the way back Shayera talked to Kendra and learned more about her. At a young age Kendra's parents was murder by a corrupt cop. Their death haunted her for years to the point that she was going to commit suicide. It was during the Blackest Night when Kendra went to do the deed when the memories of her past lives came rushing back.
A pink light flashes as something rips out of Shayera's belt and flies onto a golden gauntlet. Carter walks over and takes the golden gauntlet out of the glass casing.
"What's this crystal shard?" he asks with it glowing a bright pink.
"Miri, the Star Sapphire, gave it to me. She said it was from Zamaron," Hawkwoman always thought it was strange that a Star Sapphire would give her something from Zamaron.
"So that was the extent of the Sapphire's explanation about the crystal?
"Yes, then she flew off,"
Carter tries to take the crystal off the golden gauntlet, "It's not coming off. It's attracted to the Claw of Horus like a super magnet."
From the last Carter heard crystal and gold don't react to magnets, yet they won't move an inch.
"Do you think it has something to do with Hath-Set?" Kendra asked with the two of them looking at her, "It seems kinda strange that crystal would act up of all times just shortly after the Blackest Night?"
"You do have a point," Hawkwoman can see what Kendra is going on about. It would make sense for the crystal to act up now with the Claw of Horus being so close. Though the crystal never acted up before with the times when she visited before. Maybe the crystal is tied to Khufu and Chay-Ara just like the other artifacts in the museum, "Carter, if something like does have to do with Hath-Set then the Justice League needs to get involve,"
"No, this is something I must do," says Carter as he put the Claw of Horus on his arm, "I have to end it here and now,"
"Then count me in," Kendra says as she changed into different clothing and with her wearing a harness with wings coming out of her back.
"Kendra, what are you doing?" Shayera raised an eyebrow at this, "Do you even know how to fight?"
"I'm only going by the memories that I have, though I'm sure I can learn as I go along. And don't try to stop me for I need to come as well. Hath-Set will come for me sooner or later,"
"I don't like this," Carter shacks his head at this. Carter learned from his memories, but he still learned how to fight so he wouldn't get injured. And when he joined the Justice League there were other League members that taught and gave tips to help with the fighting.
"I'll look at Kendra if that makes you feel better, Carter," Shayera turns to Kendra, "We'll have to give you a name that you can use. Hawkgirl?"
"No, that was your name before becoming Hawkwoman. I'll use Lady Blackhawk," says the now named Lady Blackhawk.
"Lady Blackhawk, huh? I like it," Shayera smirks at this for it is a name that will stand out in the future.
Carter seeing that Kendra took the name Lady Blackhawk they take to the skies with the Claw of Horus leading them towards the south. Hawkman wonders what awaits for them for both Khufu and Chay-Ara are reunited so it's only a matter of time before Hath-Set makes himself known. This time Hawkman will make sure that none of them die this time.
-Denver, Colorado
J'onn arrived at Mount Hope Senior Home where he learned where Saul Erdel's daughter is living at. The nurse keeps all the medicine on the tray is all accounted for leaves. The old woman in the room stares out the window as the night is clear so the stars are out and shines brightly.
"Now don't go to bed late, Melissa. It's not good for you to keep staring at the stars every night," says the nurse with her closing the door behind her.
J'onn phases through the wall and takes Saul Erdel's form, "Hey there, sweetheart. How's my little girl?" he walks over to Melissa.
"I'm dreaming, aren't I, Dad?" she asks because sometimes her medicine plays tricks on her mind.
"What makes you say that?"
"I remember something bad happening to you… to me, but I… sometimes forget things… Important things,"
J'onn picks up Melissa, "You remembered me," he looks down and gives Melissa a kind smile that only a father can give.
"I did, didn't I?"
"The rain's stopped. Would you like to go outside?"
"Yes, very much!" the nurses lead her outside when the weather is nice, but she would like to go outside more often.
J'onn flies through the window, "Can we talk?"
"Of course, Dad, what about?"
"The night… The night we brought the Martian here,"
Passing through what clouds are in the night skies, "I've been thinking about him the last few days, Dad. He's back; seen him on the TV. But I can't remember anything else but him standing there in the lab… surrounded by smoke… It just keeps slipping away. Please don't be mad; don't make me wake up. I like spending time with you like this,"
"Mad? I can never be mad at you. And don't worry, you do remember that night. It's all in here," he gently touches and phase through Melissa's forehead.
"It is?"
"Yes, we can go back to that night together, you and I, but there're painful memories lingering there. Are you sure you want-"
"Yes, Dad. I'm sure. I remember when you first showed me the piece of the stone tablet you found in the ancient ruins of that Aztec temple when you were a boy," images of Saul showing his daughter an ancient tablet with a being that looks like a Martian on it, "I can still hear the wonder in your voice when you told me the same bedtime story every night of how space travelers from the Red Star once visited out planet and helped an ancient people survive and thrive. Once you had it translated it became your life; our life and I was glad Mom left. She never understood what we were trying to do," both father and daughter working together on several machines with their dream within their grasp, "All she saw was an obsession and all we saw was the future," them powering up their machine with blue lightning coming out of it, "But the future was pain and horror," what came out of their machine was a creature with several mouth ripping and tearing through and thing it could get its claws on, "We should have run, Dad. We should have run as fast as we could. But we didn't," Saul showed the tablet to the creature, "Because intertwined in all our fear was hope. Hope that somehow peace and understanding would win that terrible night," the creature attacked them both, "But it didn't. All out dreams of reaching out to a new would," the creature created a hole and jumps through it with Saul looking after his injured daughter, "Only put ours in jeopardy."
"So you had a new mission, Dad. A new obsession. And I hated you for making me hide in the shadows and not allowing me to be part of it," Saul working once again on his machine to bring another Martian to Earth, "I remember when I asked you why in the world you would try something like this again after everything that happened. A sad smile crossed your lips, Dad, and all you said was, "I'm a scientist, Melissa, and science is built on the foundation of failure. How could I not try to right a wrong?" And then one night, there he was," the first time J'onn appearing on Earth, "Standing before you; before us. The same type of being we saw etched into the ancient stone tablet. The one I would learn years later is called J'onn J'onzz. The Martian Manhunter. He was going to be our savior; deliver us from the evil we had unleashed. I didn't see the cyclonic power generator arching from behind the door," an explosion took place destroying the lab, "But you did," Saul tackles and shielded J'onn with his very body, "I still hear your scream every night, Dad, just as I can see the flash of the explosion that blinded me for weeks," Melissa was hit by the explosion with shards of metal leaving their make on Melissa, "Along with a piece of the transporter console that left its mark on me forever. To this day I wish I could have heard your last words to him, Dad. I wish I could have held your hand and told you everything would be all right now,"
J'onn remembers holding Saul right before he died, "Forgive me… for taking you from your home… Needed someone… to save us… Save us from my arrogance… My recklessness…"
The fire consumed the whole building, "That you did bring to Earth a hero," J'onn standing with him staring at the burning building, "A hero who would save this planet a hundred times over in the years that followed. But I couldn't…" J'onn made sure Melissa was taken out of the burning building, "Because your wish to keep me away from your new experiments save my life that night,"
J'onn placed Melissa down in her bed and cover her with the blanket, "But I'm so tired now,"
J'onn leans down and kisses Melissa on the cheek, "I know you are,"
"Night, Dad,"
"Goodnight, Melissa, we'll see each other again soon,"
"You promise, Dad?"
"I promise."
-Dubai-
Aquaman and Mera delivered the children that was kidnapped by the pirates to Dubai where the were taken. Both King and Queen of the Ocean run and dive into the water leaving behind everyone.
"Hey, wait! Aquaman! Mera!" Boston shouted out for he doesn't want to try and see if the White Ring will let him breath underwater, "C'mon, Ring. I know you're not lettin' anyone see me, but let 'em at least hear me," he rushes over the where both King and Queen dived into the water to see dead fish floating on the surface, "What did that Black Ring do to Aquaman? And why do I have this feeling it's not only him and me that're having problems?" the White Ring starts to shine once more, "No! Stop jerking me around and-" the former Deadman didn't get to finish for the White Ring teleports him away.
"Help them live!"
-Antimatter Universe, Planet Qward-
Boston is teleported in mid fall, "Talk?! Oh, shit!" he throws out his fist knowing that the Power Ring can give him the ability of flight, "C'mon. Fly! That's what the Rings can do, right? So do it. Fly! FLY!" a white aura surrounds Boston and he stops falling.
"Fight!"
"Fight?" Boston raised an eyebrow at this because that doesn't make very much sense. But then again, the White Ring never made much sense in the first place.
"Fight!"
"Fight what? Fight who?" he turns around to see the Anti-Monitor looming over him, "Do you want me to die again?" was one thing Boston Brand could say because the Anti-Monitor is one of the strongest beings in existence, "Because 'porting me in front of the Anti-Monitor is probably the fastest way to do it,"
"Fight!"
"You think I can go toe-to-toe with a Universe Eater? This guy consumes planets. My claim to fame was performing aerial acts without a net and that didn't work out so well which you probably know. Well, at least he can't-"
"Who are you?" says the Anti-Monitor
"Now you turn the invisibility off! Thanks!" of all times to becoming visible and that is right in front of the Anti-Monitor.
"Fight!"
The White Ring forces Boston to take aim, "What are you?"
"Fight!"
The light shines so brightly that it hurts Boston.
"Fight for your life, Boston Brand of Earth!"
White energy constructs of those that were brought back to life by the White Light charges and hurts the Anti-Monitor.
"Is this… Are you trying to tell me something?" this White Ring doesn't make sense no matter what, "Are all of us… The ones that you brought back… Are we back to stop the Anti-Monitor?"
"No!"
The Anti-Monitor looms over Boston once more. The former Deadman takes aim.
"Back off, big boy! Unless you want another blast of-" the White Ring doesn't do a thing, "Hey, fire! Come on!"
The Anti-Monitor was the one that does the blasting. The only thing that protected Boston Brand from being destroyed was the white aura surrounding him. He dodges another blast with him falling down below.
His power of flight is gone now, "What the hell did you bring me here for? I'm not used to trying to stay alive!" one would think yelling at a ring would make someone crazy, "Or is that the point? If it is, you made it, okay? I'll be careful! Next time I leap into the air I'll use a safety net, okay?"
"Okay!"
A white energy construct forms a net below Boston as it catches him. The Anti-Monitor just stares off into the distance.
-Pittsburgh-
Ronnie slowly opens his eyes. The sight of a white ceiling shows that he's inside a hospital. Meaning something happened for him to be here.
"Ronald?"
"Professor? Ah.. Got a helluva headache. Where am I?"
"The university's medical center," stated Professor Stein
"What happened?" for the damnest Ronnie can't remember how he got here.
"The Atom managed to separate you and Jason from the Firestorm Matrix, but it cause a unique explosion. The resultant detonation transmuted everything inside the vault into table salt," explains the Professor.
"And… what about the Atom?" Ronnie put together that the Atom was in the vault with them as the explosion went off.
"He's cleaning up the lab. Fortunately, Firestorm's powers are still apparently unable to affect organic matter; unlike what the Black Lantern was able to do,"
"Where's Jason?"
"In the next room with his father. It's imperative we keep you and Jason separated."
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"They're going to discharge you in a few minutes, Jason, then I'll get you home," said Jason's father.
"Home?" Jason crosses his arms for this is the few times that his father showed any concern.
"Back to Detroit,"
"No, Dad. I have a physics test tomorrow. I have to get back to my dorm room and study," Jason isn't about to throw everything away for his whole future is right in front of him.
"You need more time before you jump back into everything,"
"I want to learn more from Professor Stein about my powers. That's why I transferred here,"
"Jason, Professor Stein made it clear that you can't fuse Firestorm together anymore. The explosion could've-"
"I'm not giving up. I'm going to stay here and I'm going to study!"
"You're coming home. Today,"
"I didn't tell you what to do when Mom died, did I?"
Jason's father stares at his and turns away, "Have it your way." and with that Jason's father leaves.
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"Jason said you heard a voice before the detonation." Professor Stein says for this is the first time that there was a third voice in the Firestorm Matrix.
"Huh?" Ronnie put his pants on, "I don't know what he's talking about. I didn't hear anything. Where are my shoes?" he looks around for his shoes.
"Ronald, what's the hurry?"
"All you're telling me is Jason and I can't be Firestorm anymore, but you won't say why. You're just telling me it's dangerous," without being able to turn into Firestorm anymore Ronnie doesn't see the point of being a hero.
"You have to trust me. We don't want any more… explosions,"
"But there's something you're not telling me or Jason. Whatever," Ronnie knows how Professor Stein thinks because they were Firestorm at one point. Ronnie heads through the door, "All Jason's doing is blaming me for what the Black Lantern Firestorm did. But I don't even remember doing it because it wasn't me! He's gotta get it through that thick head of his,"
"Ronald, calm down," the Professor tries to get Ronnie to calm down for he will say something he'll regret.
"This is my life, Professor! I got another chance! And I'm not going to waste one more minute of it feeling guilty because someone else didn't-" Ronnie stopped to see Jason still sitting in his bed, "I… I'm gone."
Ronnie leaves the medical center. It wasn't his fault that Deathstorm killed someone close to Jason.
Ronnie, man," he runs his fingers through his hair, "You should've told them," what Ronnie hasn't told anyone is that he does remember. He remembers his time as Deathstorm.
-Flashback-
"No! Don't do this. Please, Ronnie!"
"No! Don't do this. Please, Ronnie!"
"You're scared, but how scared are you? SHOW ME!"
Deathstorm's hand glows bright blue as Gehenna's face starts to turn into salt, "No! No please! It hurts!" Gehenna cries out in pain as this shouldn't be happening.
-Flashback End-
"He, you! Raymond!" the yelling voice caused Ronnie to look around as a car come to a stop in front of him, "You stay away from my son, you hear me?" it was Jason's father who was yelling at him, "Stay the hell away!" Ronnie guesses Jason's father really does care for him in his own way.
-Somewhere in the North Atlantic-
Arthur and Mera arrived at an isolated island somewhere where no people are located at. Arthur wants to try something since the dead giant squid came and took the pirate ship underneath the waters. The King of Atlantis stands in knee high water with his hand to the side of his head. A dead killer whale comes rushing out of the sea, bites and throws Arthur into the water.
"ARTHUR!" cried out Mera.
Arthur didn't waste any time as he rips the killer whale's lower jaw off since the body of the whale has decayed so much.
"I don't know why… or how I'm summoing dead sea life, but I've got to fix this,"
Mera swims over to her husband, "The Justice League hasn't been able to locate J'onn. Maybe the scientists in Atlantis-"
"NO! I'm not going back to Atlantis," he told his wife, "They're only helped me when they needed something. My Mother gave her life to save me from them. They hunted me for years… until they needed a leader. Then they cast me out again. The cycle became too familiar. They never truly stood by me,"
"Neither did I," said Mera as she takes Arthur's chin in her hand, "I may not be from Atlantis, but I was exactly like them. I deserted you when you needed me. But I promise now. Here. I will be by your side always, Arthur,"
"Mera, maybe your people-"
"MY people cannot help," her people want war and have blood. She does not want to go to them, "And even if they could, the Underwater Dimension they inhabit is sealed off from ours,"
"Then there's no going home for you either?"
"I am home." she takes her husband into her arms. She doesn't need the Underwater Dimension or Atlantis. Though her smile turns into a frown as what is to come.
-Pearl River, New York-
J'onn arrives at the Rockland County Morgue to look at the dead bodies. The Last Martian stares at the bodies for all the skin was ripped off.
"Someone is making this personal, says J'onn as he doesn't like how they were killed, "The psychie flash that hit me on Mars along with reading Melissa Erdel's thoughts have made it clear I was not the only one brought to Earth by her father's transporter," the bodies were skinned by a hunter, "And now my investigation leads me here. To the cold bodies of this family, butchered for no apparent reason. This… horrendous method of killing; familiar in some strange way," J'onn looks through the evidence with him finding some dog hair, "Dog hair on their clothes. A family pet. Let's hope you survived."
-Rockland County Animal Shelter-
Martian Manhunter arrived at the animal shelter with him looking through the files to find the dog. It didn't take too long with him going to said dog.
"Because I could use all the help I can get," he takes the dog into his arms and gently pets it while going through his memories, "What did you see, boy? Where you able to get a good look at who-" a creature pills her own skin off before pulling the skin off of her victims, "No. It's not possible," J'onn leaves the animal shelter with the dog since he doesn't have a home. He'll take the dog and keep him, "We need to go back to Colorado and I know an old woman who will enjoy your company, boy. A slight adjustment to your frontal lobe and the horror you witnessed will be gone," no one should have that kind of memory; not even a dog, "I just hope the storm of horror that's forming can be blown away as quickly."
-Bermuda Triangle-
A small plane flies through a storm that is fixing to start. And from the looks of it it'll be a bad one.
"Tower, we're experiencing some kind of interference up here. Instruments are spinning." called out the pilot as something is causing this to happen. Only strong magnets could cause this.
-Silver City, New Mexico-
The sheriff retapes the area off for they're calling it a night. They know since no one can lift the thing they don't have to leave someone to guard it.
"I don't know where Green Lantern went, but he'll be back, Russel, and until he gets here we gotta-"
"Hey, Jerry, you see that?"
"See what?"
-Bermuda Triangle-
"We're free!" calls out several voices from the waters below. Energy starts to gather just below the surface.
-Silver City, New Mexico-
"The White Lantern. It just started blinking." the light from the White Lantern become intense.
-Bermuda Triangle-
Lightning comes out of the waters below and strikes the plane causing it to explode and crash into the waters.
-Peruvian Jungle-
Hawkman, Hawkwoman, and Lady Blackhawk fly through the skies over the jungle below. They've been flying for several hours now since they have to stop every now and then because Lady Blackhawk isn't use to flying at all. The Claw of Horus has brought them here for some strange reason. The Claw points them towards a building that is right in the middle of the whole jungle. Hawkman dives and crashes through the ceiling of the building. Hawkwoman and Lady Blackhawk fly through the hole and land next to him.
"Someone's be meticulous about keeping tabs on us," Carter looks around as he sees artifacts about his and Sandra's past lives.
"And not only photos of you in action, but as civilians too. There are even photos of Sandra in here," Shayera looks at all the photos that were taken. There are a few of her, but after sometime they stop appearing.
Sandra doesn't like that someone was spying on her. It makes her feel violated, "Who would do this?" she turns around to come face to face with something she wished she never seen, "Oh my god, are those-?"
"Hath-Set. That bastard!" hanging from the wall are death masks with photos hanging next to them, "He took the time after murdering us to make death masks of our faces like some damn prize!"
"The thought of Hath-Set smiling and standing over our bodies while we bled out; running his fingers over my face as he set the plaster molds. Makes my stomach turn," says Lady Blackhawk for this is a little too much for her.
"But why go so far?" Shayera asks as this doesn't make sense. This is like a serial killer to takes a trophy of each kill.
"This ancient curse Hath-Set placed on us is like the Sword of Damocles over our heads, Sandra," he takes one of his death masks, "Instead of letting it swing down and kill us he keeps dangling it; toying with us. Letting us know he's in control of us. Of our destiny," growling in anger Carter smashes the death mask before taking his mace and breaking more of the death masks, "WELL NO MORE! He's been skating through the ages on our blood; riding through immortality on our back! One our death!" smash some more of the death masks, "Hunting us down! Killing us and anyone else in his way!" smashing more of the death masks, "From here on out we're taking control of our own destiny, Sandra! We're going to make our fate!" breathing heavy and trying to calm down from his rage, "It's time we hunt Hath-Set down and kill him." Lady Blackhawk place a hand on Carter's should to give him some form of comfort.
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"The battle glove you described him wearing is the Claw of Horus. With it's help, it will only be a matter of time before," the sound of gunfire can be heard, "The screams of your men grow louder. The Hawks have reached the perimeter forces sooner than expected," says Hath-Set as he holds up a skeleton, "Keep them away from this gate by any means necessary until I am through," pink energy leaves the skeleton. Hath-Set soon holds up the second skeleton as pink energy leaves the bones.
"Not that I give a shit, but aren't you taking supplies or other weapons with you?" asked the guard
"Everything I desire is waiting for me on the other side,"
"And my money for finding the bones?"
"The funds agreed upon have been wired to your Swiss account." stated Hath-Set.
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The battle between the Hawks and the mercenaries isn't too hard for Shayera and Carter. Using her wings with speed that none of the mercenaries follow take them out with ease. Carter goes in and fast with brute force as his wings block all the bullets they fire at him. Lady Blackhawk stays in the back and knock out anyone that the two in the front may of missed. Both Hawkman and Hawkwoman both agreed that Lady Blackhawk isn't truly ready to start fighting as they know what is to come.
"We're coming Hath-Set! We're coming to really end this!"
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A blinding pink light shines so brightly that Hath-Set has to cover his eyes, "Yes! The gate has recognized their bones! I only wish I could see the Hawks' faces now that they realize who's bested them, but that will have to wait for another day. A wold awaits my guiding hand," Hath-Set sets forth and leaves behind the guard.
"You better get through the gate because they're almost-" he didn't get a chance to finish because Hawkman strikes him down.
Hawkwoman and Lady Blackhawk land behind Carter. Both women couldn't form any words for what they see.
"And I thought the death masks he made of us were twisted enough…" says Lady Blackhawk for this is even worst than the death masks.
"Looks like we found what Hath-Set was digging for,"
"Yeah… our bones… all of them,"
"From each and every one of our past lives."
What Hawkman and Lady Blackhawk are talking about is a spinning gate made of bones that at one point in their past lives where them. A pink glow is coming from each of the skeletons. Shayera is starting to like that she isn't the reincarnation of Chay-Ara because that would mean it would be her bones spinning in this gate.
One thing runs through all three of their minds; what was Hath-Set planning?
