Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or DC Comics
"Talking!"
'Thinking!'
"Demon!"
Hall
The Last Martian sores through the atmosphere with enough speed to break free from Earth's gravity. So fast and not paying attention with him bursting through a satellite that losses altitude with it bursting into flames as the atmosphere burns it. Flying further and faster with J'onn arriving and entering Mars' atmosphere with the sight of a pyramid sitting right in the middle of a massive green forest. But what stands out the most for this forest has formed the symbol of the Black Lantern Corps.
Floating down towards the forest with his mind opening up, 'I can hear you,' floating closer to the forest, 'Every thought,' enters the forest from the sky, 'Every breath. Every beat of your heart,' J'onn lands in front of the pyramid, 'And I know that you can hear mine. I am coming for you,' passing through the stone to find D'kay sitting at a glowing red stone table with a full course dinner with candles, cookies, flowers and wine, 'I am coming to end you, "D'kay D'razz," which to speaking through his mouth when he arrived to see the other Green Martian.
D'kay finishes pouring a glass of wine with her placing both the glass of wine and the bottle of wine at the glowing stone table, "J'onn, that's not true, we both know you're lying to yourself. Endings are not on your mind. It's the chance of beginnings that have taken root in your heart. You're no longer destroying the Green, you're cultivating it. It's time for us to save Mars together," the female Green Martian stands up and makes way over to J'onn, "I know you want to drop to your knees and cry with joy for all this beauty. So do I. Please, take my hand, J'onn; how long has it been since we've both felt that warmth of another Green Martian's skin? Your deepest and strongest wish is now a reality, this cold, dead world is alive and greets your again; surrounds you with its touch. Its smell,"
Narrowing his eyes, "The only smell you're brought here is death," J'onn says because all the death that she brought on Earth.
"Do you recognize these scars?"
"I do," J'onn simply says for he knows what those scars say.
"At first I thought they were too abstract, but I should've realized that you, a Manhunter, would see through these scars for what they are,"
"The Martian symbols of love and hate,"
A mouth opens up on D'kay's pelvis, "Yes, a pure reminder of all that I feel for my sacred home, the birthplace of my torment. Do you like them? I carved them myself. If you wish, I can carve them into your skin too since you're as much a walking contradiction as I am," to show that she means it D'kay cuts her forehead with her own claws.
"I am nothing like you, D'kay,"
"J'onn, remember, I can hear every thought of yours loud and clear; there are no secrets between us. You hate me for the innocents I have murdered. You want to kill me, and I can understand that,"
"You don't understand anything about me," J'onn can see what D'kay is trying to do, but he isn't going to have any of it.
"Oh, but I do. Because there's a small piece of your soul that wants to love me, J'onn; wants to yell out, thank Hronmeer I am not alone anymore, another Green Martian heart finally beats in this universe beside mine,"
"You are quite delusional," the Martian Manhunter can tell that before the war D'kay was most likely a criminal. Locked away to never see light again. It was only because she was dragged to Earth that she could do as she pleases.
D'kay walks over to the glowing stone table, "And you're using this time wisely; looking for weakness. Flipping through my brain cells like a deft search engine while your rage battles your love,"
"I can never love someone as twisted as you," says J'onn for while yes, he is happy that he isn't that last Green Martian. Yet it saddens him that the other Green Martian is a crazed criminal.
"But you may come to love the idea of me; of what we can do together. Of a world that we can create as husband and wife, father and mother," D'kay place both her hands on the glowing stone table. The stone table has been polished so much that D'kay can see her own face on the surface,"
"All you are is a cracked fundation; what makes you think I would build a world with you, D'kay?"
"There's nothing worse than being alone! No one has survived the privations we have; the hopelessness. The isolation! The two loneliest beings in the universe have finally found each other! Who are you to stand in the way of fate; of the birth of a new world!?" she throws the glowing stone table at J'onn.
The Martian Manhunter catches the glowing stone table and rams her through the wall with it breaking through, "You dare stand here in my ancestral home and desecrate it with your fanatical ramblings! In this place! Where I stood and watched my wife and child burn before my eyes as they pleaded with me to save them; to hold them in their final moments!"
"I saw the White Lantern symbol; I felt its immense power through your mind. You can't turn your back in why you were resurrected! It's Mars' time now; Earth has hod its day. We're both here at this moment for a reason! I can love you, J'onn! I want to love you; we're connected. That's why you must love me in return!"
J'onn slams D'kay into the ground with him holding her down, "Must?! Why must I love you, D'kay?! because you're a Martian; because you're green?" he lifts up a large rock, "It's not a good enough reason; I wish it were, but it's not! You have made that possibility impossible by your horrendous deeds!" he smashes the large rock onto D'kay's face, "Damn you for squandering the grace and promise we could have shared by being a monster instead of a Martian I could cherish and respect! I MOURN FOR WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN!"
D'kay takes this time to grab J'onn's cape and headbutts him. But instead of doing any damage their heads fused together, "And I rejoice in what will be!" all of D'kay's memories rush towards and invade into J'onn's mind, 'It's not often a child embraces a specific goal so early in life. But when I discovered the existence of Martians who could only read minds but not be read by other Martians, my purpose became clear. I should cure them; fix them all. So they could be like the rest of us. No secrets. No lies. Open minds and open hearts. So I undertook a mercy mission a mission to bring these cerebrally isolated Martians who were not part of the collective mind into the fold. The procedure was quick and painless. Some survived, some did not. If all of us as a race were not connected telepathically, then none of us were. But it grew more difficult to locate the isolationists, so I proposed a purging strategy that would rid Mars of their secretive nature once and for all. The Manhunters and the High Council didn't share my opinion. No one understood the greater good I was trying to serve. I was declared a deviant, an enemy of Mars, and secretly locked away in a telepathic dampening cell deep under the ground. One day the Manhunter Assessement visits suddenly stopped. I had no contact with anyone.' the memories of the time when D'kay was a child came to J'onn's mind, her being arrested by the Manhunters, standing before the High Council, and being sent to prison.
'The loneliness was unbearable as time slipped away. I stopped counting the days after two hundred years. Then salvation arrived in a flash of light… and I was brought to Earth by Erdel's transporter beam. Unfortunately for him and his daughter I was in no mood for conversation; especially since I found myself suddenly bombarded by the waking thoughts of billions of new life forms. I always found my telepathy to be a blessing; I now found it to be a curse. I needed to shut out all the voices in my head. After what our own people did to me I decided to forsake all things Martian; and with great difficulty wiped my own mind and body clean of all Martian memories. It was time to assimilate. And the only way to embrace this new life was to inhabit a human life utterly and completely. The diversity of lives to choose from was astounding. I was lost in the experience of being human. So lost that I never even recognized another Martian presence of Earth that is until I was suddenly hit by the massive telepathic burst you fired when you were killed. It penetrated my psychic wall, but not enough to pull my consciousness completely from the human I had inhabited. That finally occurred when I saw the images on television of your resurrection. Seeing another Martian alive and well shook me from my self-induced slumber and returned me to full awareness of who and what I was.'
Still seeing the memories of D'kay arriving on Earth. Her killing people and wearing their skin to live their days to become a human so that the open minds of humans. During this time D'kay pins J'onn to the ground with her melding with the Manhunter.
"This is what people who care about each other do, J'onn. They share. They share their doubt and pain. They share the darkness so they can crawl towards the light together,"
Grunting out in pain as D'kay's mind is one of the strongest he has ever faced, "IT was you! You sent that psychic flash to me on Mars; showed me I wasn't the only Martian that Erdel brought to Earth. That you were the first!"
Grinning and yelling out, "Yes, once the human I had been inhabiting heard you were back from the dead, it caused me to rebel against the husk I'd covered my true self with. My Martian consciousness sought out the only other Martian consciousness in existence… yours. And I can't even begin to describe the joy of learning from your thoughts that the Mars I knew; the Mars that tried to to destroy me. Was gone. Decimated through a telepathic plague of its own making! How fitting! How simply delightful!"
"Demented fool… you mock the annihilation of our own race…"
Leaning over J'onn with her face stretching out, "Open your eyes, J'onn J'onzz, look at the opportunity in front of us, there's a clean slate here. You've already started the regeneration of Mars, and as the Earthlings say, it can be a Garden of Eden and we its Adam and Eve!"
"Uou have misconstrued that particular story, D'kay… You are not Eve," J'onn fires his heat beams onto D'kay, "YOU ARE THE SERPENT!" J'onn overpowered her with him getting on top of D'kay, "Your soul is repulsive!"
But before J'onn could anything else the Lasso of Truth wraps around J'onn's throat. With Wonder Woman holding the Lasso of Truth. But something wasn't right. This Wonder Woman is Diana Prince, not Donna Troy the current Woman Woman.
"And your soul, J'onn, is divided just like your allegiance!" spoke Superman with him being there too.
But it wasn't just Superman and Wonder Woman. Other members of the Justice League are their on Mars. Aquaman, Flash, Batman, Green Lantern Hal Jordon and Guy Gardner, Hawkman, and Hawkwoman, with Firestorm bring up the rear. But something wasn't right. Mars didn't have the right atmosphere for them to breath without some equipment; which they do not have.
Tightening her hold of the Lasso of Truth, "Did you really think we wouldn't notice you were terraforming Mars by sucking the life from every blade of grass, flower, and tree on Earth?" questioned Diana.
Hawkman bashes the Manhunter with his mace, "Our world accepted you; gave you a home to call your own, and how do you repay us? By stealing the very ecosystem that sustains us!"
Firestorm unleashes a wave of fire onto the Martian, "Is that all the Earth really means to you? A layover until you can bring Mars back? Come on, man!"
J'onn starts to fight the members of the Justice League; his friends that he knew for years. This shouldn't be right J'onn told himself.
"Your family's gone; your people are gone. Dust in the wind for hundreds of years, nothing left to hold on to except your futile and pathetic obsession!" growls out Batman with him getting right in front of J'onn's face.
"There is nothing futile about hope!" J'onn fired back before grabbing Superman's face. They both of them fired their heat beams at each other entering into a deadlock.
"Don't you see, J'onn, hope's kept you from living a full life! How long are you going to let yourself be torn between two worlds?" J'onn breaks the deadlock with Superman.
Guy Gardner made green constructs of the Earth and Mars that warp around J'onn with chains, "You can't always get what ya want, J'onny. You can have one of the other, but ya can't have both!"
To finish it all off Hal Jordan makes a green construct coffin that enclosed J'onn, "If we have to bury you again up here to save our planet, we'll do it!" Hal makes flowers that sit on the green construct coffin, "You are better off dead, J'onn."
-Silver City, New Mexico-
Firestorm can just stand there and watch as the Black Lanterns float there in the air. All those that the White Ring brought back to life have returned, but for all Firestorm knew they're still alive. The Black Lanterns that are in front of him are most likely just copies of those people, but if they're anything like Deathstorm; then they have powers just like their living counterparts.
"Up, up and awayyyy!" says Deathstorm as he leads all the Black Lanterns away.
"That Deathstorm thing just created his own Black Lantern Corps. What the hell are we supposed to do now?" Ronnie asked Jason
'We go after them, that's what! So fly!' Firestorm takes to the sky to follow the Black Lanterns, 'That thing has my Dad trapped inside him. And your dad-'
"Professor Stein's not my dad!" Ronnie quickly fired back.
'You might not see it that way, Ronnie. But he does. Why do you think he's so worried about you?'
"Because I can't get my shit together!"
'You can. You have before,' Jason heard all about Ronnie and what he did with the Justice League when he joined, 'I did a ton of research on you when I was first bonded with the Matrix. I know what you did when you were Firestorm. Next to Batman and the Flash, you had more super villains targeting you than anybody else. And you beat them. You were the youngest member to ever join the Justice League. And they went after you. You stopped nuclear wars, Ronnie, and-'
"I don't want a pep talk right now, Jason! I just want you to think of a way to help Professor-" pain pulses through both Jason and Ronnie that came out of nowhere, "What's wrong?"
'Maybe we're upsetting the Matrix. I don't think we're supposed to be arguing,' Jason said as he remembers what Professor Stein talked about how the Firestorm Matrix has became fractured.
"That's arguing?" Ronnie couldn't believe that would be consisting as arguing, "We're screwed is that's arguing,"
'We just have to stay in sync, Ronnie,'
"Stay in sync?" Firestorm takes off back flying after Deathstorm, "When have we been in sync?" it didn't take long for Firestorm to catch up with Deathstorm and his Black Lanterns with him yelling out, "Hey, Night of the Flying Dead! Wait up!"
'Okay, you got their attention. Now what?' Jason asked as Deathstorm looked back to his living counterpart.
"You're the one that's supposed to do the thinking."
Deathstorm doesn't like what he sees with Firestorm coming from behind. He has things to do, people to kill, places to destroy. The Black Lantern can't have his living counterpart ruining his fun.
"STOP! Bring me the White Lantern. Now!" shouted out a voice that's been calling Deathstorm to bring.
'That voice,' Professor Stein said out loud for this voice sounds familiar, 'I've heard it somewhere before,' he just couldn't put his finger on it.
"All right, all right! Fun later. Work now. C'mon, crew. We're out!" Deathstorm and his Black Lanterns disappeared in a black flash with the shockwave hitting Firestorm.
"What's happening? Where'd they go?" Firestorm asked with him staring at the location where Deathstorm was before disappearing.
'I don't know,' Jason answered with him too staring at the location where Deathstorm was before disappearing, 'But I think this just got bigger than the two of us, Ronnie. I think it's time we go find the Justice League.'
-Gotham City-
After the White Ring teleported Boston and Dove over to Gotham City where they've went to the Justice League branch is located. While Batman doesn't like the Justice League working in Gotham for it's his city; he knows that help is always something to never turn away. It was around when Luthor fooled everyone into thinking that the Justice League was trying to take power to control the States when branches was made so that the people can be closer to the heroes.
With the branch of the Justice League being built in Gotham only a few actually went there that doesn't need to go unless they have too. It was kind of the unspoken rule to not go to Gotham unless something big was happening.
Boston leans back in his chair with his rubbing his face, "What's wrong, Boston?" called out Dove as she walks over holding a think file in his arms.
"Just had a shiver run up my spine. I haven't felt that since… the White Ring brought me back to life,"
"Do you think it means anything?"
Boston rubs the back of his neck now, "It's probably nothing," a flash of Black Lantern Deadman flies next to Deathstorm, "What is all of this?" Boston asked with him seeing Dove place the file down and sits down in front of him.
"Well, the Ring's not giving us any clues so I asked Oracle for files on every hero who's connected to Light. Another batch on everyone we thought was dead and then turned up alive. Anyone who might make sense to be chosen the New Champion of Earth whatever that means. I figure if the search for whoever is supposed to be wearing that Ring is on, we should star somewhere,"
"Dove, I know you're getting pressure from Hawk to ditch me, but I really do appreciate the help. Thanks," says Boston for he really needs all the help that he can get.
Grinning fondly, "You're welcome, Boston,"
The former Deadman looks down at all the photos the Dove brought over, "So, um… Who do we talk to first?"
"Who do we think is going to be the White Lantern?" Dove couldn't hold back the laugh as there are more photos then at first.
-Mars-
Pounding on the green construct of a coffin, "DAMN YOU!" he can only watch as the red dirt is being pushes over him, "GET OUT OF MY HEAD, D'KAY!" pushing his head against the coffin lead as he can see that D'kay has been messing with his mind, "I know what you're trying to do!" J'onn breaks free with him flying up. The red dirt being kicked up caused the Justice League members that were there disappeared like dust in the wind, "None of this is real!" J'onn comes crashing down onto D'kay, "BUT THIS IS! I will not allow myself to destroy the Earth!" dropping to his knees as White Light pulses out of J'onn, "I will bring Mars back my way!" pounds the ground with both of his fists, "Not your way!" pounds the ground once more with more White Light coming out of J'onn, "Live!" pounds the ground pulsing more White Light, "LIVE!" pounds the ground as White Light explodes out, "Live!" the White Lantern symbol appears in J'onn's eyes, "LIVE!" the finally crashes pound into the ground as White Light bursts out and carves through the red dirt of Mars as it draws the White Lantern symbol as the Green Martians were brought back to life.
J'onn can only stare as his people have returned from the dead. But not just the Green Martians, but the plant life has returned.
"I did it… By the Grace of H'ronmeer…" throwing his hands into the air, "I TRULY DID IT!" J'onn shouts out with true joy as his people, his race has returned. He isn't alone anymore.
"J'onn?"
Turning to see a woman and a child, "M'yri'ah… K'hym…" his wife and daughter were brought back to life along with everyone else.
"Da?"
J'onn falls to his knees with him holding his wife and daughter as tears of joy rolling down his cheeks, "Let me touch you; are you real? Is it you, M'yri'ah? Is it you, K'hym, my beautiful darling?"
"We're here, Da. We're here,"
Holding her husband's face as tears run down her face, "What happened, J'onn? I don't remember anything after the plague hit,"
"I have been blessed with new powers; I healed Mars and…" J'onn takes his family into his arms as he takes to the skies, "I have healed you!" J'onn rises higher and higher to see that more plant life started to cover all of Mars, "Nothing else matters. You're back. And everything is all right. We're together again… A family… As it was meant to be. I love you both to the very core of my soul,"
"Not as much as we love you, J'onn," it was D'kay who J'onn was hugging.
-Hawkworld-
"We hit them hard!" gripping his mace and Kendra's mace tighter, "We hit them fast!" growling at the thought of the battle, "And we don't take prisoners! ATTACK!"
Hawkman lead his forces into battle against the Manhawks. The Lionmanes strap Nth to their backs so that they could fly around and attack the Manhawks. It took the Lionmanes to get use to using Nth and the new found ability of flight at first, but now they are fighting against the Manhawks and by using their brutally fighting style to rip the Manhawks into pieces.
Bashing through a flock of Manhawks, "Take the fight into the city where they can't maneuver! Move out of their element!" Hawkman commands as he knows the Manhawks will use their normal ability of flight will outweigh the Lionmanes first time using Nth.
"Lionmanes!" called out Tonrarr as he rips through Manhawk after Manhawk with his blood soak claws, "Remove the Nth ore from your backs and drop!" with him being the first one that does it. Tonrarr drops with a screaming Manhawk before becoming a bloody mess.
Hawkman grabs one of the Manhawks that stands out with him giving out orders, "Let's find a place where we can talk!"
Hawkman flies down and throws the Manhawk down as Tonrarr walks over too since he knows information is key to victory in battle.
"I'll rally my Pride and the Lizardkons; if I can keep us working together we'll head to the center of the city and then spread through the castle,"
"Do whatever you need to do, Tonrarr," stated Hawkman for he knows the White Lion has more power of their army, "You've got your mission and I've got mine," he swings both of his maces with them coming down breaking the Manhawk's wings, "Where is Kendra?! WHERE ARE THEY KEEPING LADY BLACKHAWK!?"
Hawkman grabs the injured Manhawk to bring him closer to hear what he has to say, "We protect our Queen… No matter what you do to me… I'll never-" the Manhawk screams out in pain for Hawkman rips his wing right off.
"I'll keep tearing you limb from limb until you tell me what I need to know," stated Hawkman for he is willing to do what is need to be done.
"No… stop…" whines out the Manhawk, "I know where she is…"
"I'm listening." coldly says Hawkman for he is going to kill if he has too.
-Nth City-
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Hath-Set says to Kendra, "A work of art in its own right. My work of art; my timeless magnum opus. All those useless lives you've lived," standing before them is the gate of bones of Kendra's and Carter's past lives, "If I could hang this in a museum I believe a fitting title would be A Legacy of Death!" he turns to Kendra, "Let's see those pretty eyes of yours,"
"What are you doing with the Gate?!" Kendra asked for she doesn't know a second gate sat on the other side of the first gate she and the others found in the Peruvian Jungle, "You got what you want. It brought you here to Hawkworld so you could join my traitorous mother!"
"Yes, that it did, Lady Blackhawk, but this was always meant to be a round trip for both the Queen and me,"
"I wouldn't count on eating that cheese just yet, Hath-Set, the best laid plans of mice and men are-"
Hath-Set cuts her off by grabbing her hair roughly, "I just realized when the Black Lanterns killed Hawkman it was the first time in over two thousand years that he didn't actually die at my hands. You gained your memories because of that White Light,"
"Must've been a real say day to have your streak end like-"
Hath-Set leans forwards licking Kendra's ear, "There's something quite enchanting about your false bravado that I'll miss once I'm holding the still beating hearts of Hawkman and Lady Blackhawk in my-"
Kendra spits in Hath-Set's eye and he in turn headbutts Lady Blackhawk.
Glaring back at the man who killed her over the two thousand years, "The only thing you're going to be holding, Hath, is your own warm guts which will finally end this curse of yours forever,"
He strikes Kendra for he didn't like the look in her eyes, "The only thing finally coming to an end, Lady Blackhawk is you!"
But before Hath-Set could do anything else Queen Shrike makes herself known to her lover, "Enough taunting, Hath. The attack's begun, and so has our final journey to a new world,"
Hath-Set backs away to turn to his queen, "Good. He's saved us the trouble of hacking through that accursed jungle below to look for him,"
"Attack? What attack?" Kendra demands to know with her being locked up for who knows how long.
Shrike lifts her daughter's chin up, "Ah, it seems like only yesterday you were a baby and I was wiping my milk from your lips. Your beloved Khufu; or Carter has raised himself an army of putrid lions and lizards and is now striking at the heart of my city searching for you,"
"Which means we'll soon have both keys in hand," Hath-Set grins as his and Shrike's plan is coming together finally after two thousand years.
"Yes, but it's now time to insert the first one. Place her on the gate, Hath. And make sure my daughter screams as loudly as possible,"
"You wish is my command, my Queen!" says Hath-Set as a grin makes way onto his face for all his plans are coming together after two thousand years.
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Hawkman makes his way through Nth City with him bashing, breaking, smashing through the Manhawks that just keep coming towards him. Cannon folder doesn't stand in the might of that of Hawkman. When Carter Hall joined the Justice League it was out of his ability to protect people; though he was looked into because he always said that he and Shayera was always meant to be. Batman made sure that Carter wouldn't do anything to Shayera and use it against her if he became out of hand.
Fighting through the horde before stopping when he heard Kendra screaming out in pain.
"Kendra!" shouted out Hawkman as he bashes in a Manhawk's head.
oxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Looking at her daughter as Hath-Set hammers in a nail through Kendra's hand, "We've come full circle, Chay-Ara," said Queen Shrike, "I screamed in pain giving birth to you and now, in a strange way, once you power up the gate and I finally leave this place you'll be giving birth to me,"
"What a wonderful… maternal instinct you have… Mother!" Kendra grunts out.
"Turn up her volume, Hath,"
"My pleasure." Hath-Set hammers in the nail through her other hand causing her to scream out in pain.
The Gate powers up with violet energy coming out of the center. Queen Shrike smiles at this as it is coming together.
"I'm sure your soul mate, Khufu heard that. It must be tearing his heart apart knwoing he can't get to you in your moment of desperation. So, while we wait for him, I'm sure you have many questions you'd like to have answered.
As you know, my darling, it wasn't long after the Pharaoh lost his wife that we lost your father too, the Pharaoh's youngest brother, to that vile pestilence which tore through cure city that dark year. I never told you this, Chay-Ara, but I married the Pharaoh with the understanding that Prince Khufu would ask for your hand in marriage. Not that the Prince needed needed any prodding from his father, since both of you loved each other deeply for many years and your union was inevitable. But out world changed the day that Nabu, the Pharaoh's trusted advisor's prophecy came true and the Thanagarian ship was discovered; along with the strange substance called Nth Metal that powered the alien vessel. After extensive analysis we all realized that this Nth Metal possessed amazing properties that could change the course of history; a history with Egypt as its shining center.
But your stepfather was a Pharaoh without aspirations; without vision. He was a man talented at managing matters of state, anything beyond the horizon line didn't concern him. He was content. I was not. Hath-Set's love and visions were inspiring. Your stepfather did not agree," Shrike explains how Nth Metal came to light along with the plan see a future.
"So because the Pharaoh didn't have conquest on his mind, you killed him?" Kendra makes the guess for she remembers how her stepfather died one day.
"He had Nth Metal at his fingertips and did nothing but philosophize about why it should never be weaponized. So I'd say it was his lack of will that killed him,"
"It sure as hell wasn't unbearable grief over the death of his last wife like it said in that suicide letter you left for us to find,"
"What I did, I did for Egypt, Chay-Ara!"
"You did it for you, Mother, no one else," Kendra says for how her mother questions it, it was all about her gaining power for herself.
"Hath-Set showed me the future. You and Khufu were not part of it. Only I was fated to provide the guidance that would maintain Egypt's predominance for millennia. Once Hath-Set and I cut into our skin with the Nth Metal dagger covered in your sacrificial blood it was prophesied that we would then become immortal,"
"All you provided was regicide and a coup. You betrayed me; you betrayed your husband. You betrayed Egypt!" Kendra can see how her mother became power hungry as Nth Metal can give you a power trip. Shayera and Carter can handle Nth Metal because they're both use to using it for years. The Thanagarian have used Nth Metal for thousands of years to use the metal to use at full use.
"One person's coup is another person's divine mission, Chay-Ara. But after many long years of ruling Egypt I craved an adventure. So I finally went in search for the source of Nth Metal, and found a world in dire need of a ruler with a woman's touch. I do admit, I stayed her longer than I… anticipated,"
"Looking at your face and wings, I'd have to agree," taking a jab at how Shrike's wings don't have any feathers, along with as her face is more angler.
Growling at her daughter for that small jab, "The desire to fly on Hawkworld is overpowering. One too many gentic experiments, I'm afraid,"
"You must be so proud of everything you've accomplished," Kendra couldn't keep the grin off her face.
"I am proud! This city was built on my inspirations! There was no Pharaoh! Simply me and this… uncivilized little world that I had to shape all on my-"
Shrike stops talking with the sound of bones snapping echoes out from the doorway that is leading to the chamber where everyone is located. Then feathers fly out of the doorway, followed by blood running down the small step of stairs.
Kendra looks up to see what the noise was, "You can't be… No…"
Stepping out of the darkness is Carter Hall wielding both his mace and Kendra's mace, covering in blood and feathers, "KENDRA!" shouted Hawkman as he takes a short breather from all the fighting he's been doing.
"Carter!" Kendra shouted out for she didn't expect him to show up covered in blood from all the fighting that he has been going through.
"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Hawkman charged forward with him hitting Hath-Set in the fact followed by hitting Shrike's right arm.
Hath-Set staggers back from the mace he took to the face Kendra wraps her legs around her old enemy's neck as tightly as possible, "Now it's my turn, Hath!" Kendra says as she adds to the pressure.
"What-?" Hath-Set tries to spoke but the muscles around his neck.
"I don't know how you're here, Queen Khea, and why you're doing this to your own daughter," Hawkman grabs hold one of Shrike's wings and throws her into the floor with enough force that cause floor to break with dust and chucks of rock flying up, "BUT RIGHT NOW I DON'T GIVE A DAMN!"
Carter had his memories the longest knew who the woman was when he lead eyes on her. He doesn't know how she's still alive, but he doesn't really care right now. But Carter does remember that Queen Khea wanted to have war and rule those that weren't under her rule already.
Tightening the hold around Hath-Set's neck with more pressure adding to it, "How does it feel, Hath? How do these last breaths taste, hmm? How does it feel to know you'll never be able to tear Carter and me apart even again? How does it feel to lose it all, Hath?" Kendra knows what she is doing for Hath-Set has to end. This mad man has to die for he'll only cause more death in his wake.
Queen Shrike stands with her popping her back because hitting the wall didn't feel too good. While Shrike knew that Khufu respected her, and knew that if he and Chay-Ara lived and taken their rightful place as king and queen; Egypt would have enter a golden age.
"I go by the name Queen Shrike now!" waving her hand the mace in Carter's hand moves on its own, "And thanks to my prolonged exposure to Nth metal here on Hawkworld, Khufu," the mace flies out of Hawkman's hand and hits him right in the face, "I can control anything that has even a trace amount of it."
Tightening her hold as the end is coming, "For all the pain and misery you've caused," a sickening snap and crack for Hath-Set went limp and the life leaves his eyes. For other five thousand years Hath-Set has finally be put to an end, "Die, you evil son of a bitch!"
"When I'm through-" both maces come flying hitting Hawkman square into the back. Though Shrike didn't expect for Hawkman to hit her as well.
"As you can see, it's not just inanimate objects I can control," Hawkman's own body starts to move all on its own, "Your bodies have absorbed a great deal of Nth metal power over time, Hawkman," she commands Hawkman to fly over to Lady Blackhawk and hangs off the Gate, "Not as much as mine, of course, but still a significant enough amount that I can manipulate you like puppets on a string," with Hawkman joining Lady Blackhawk the power the Gate is giving out doubles, "We're all exactly where we need to be,"
Hawkman looks over to see that Hath-Set is dead after so long. He turns to Shrike, "The only place you need to be is with your lapdog Hath is hell!"
The Queen of Hawkworld spread out her arms, "Even my poor deluded Hath didn't realize he was a key to this Gate. By initiating the curse all those years ago he cursed himself, but thank you for killing him so I didn't have to. You've all played your parts to perfection and jumped through the hoops I hoped you would," the Gate triples the power as violet rays of light burst out in pulses, "Your two bodies still imbued with life and attached to this side of the Gate, are the final circuit keys I needed. My strength's increasing a thousand fold," the pulses of violet energy because so bright that Shrike's shadow is the only thing that could been seen, "Now out journey can truly begin."
The energy from the Gate becomes too much for both Kendra and Carter as their skeleton structure because visible. They both couldn't hold back their screams as the pain became too much for them. The Gate opens up as the path connects to the other side of the Gate.
Seeing this Shrike turns to her forces that are gathering, "Follow me, my Manhawks!" the Manhawks fly through the Gate, "It's time to drag my dream into existence," with her leading her forces through along with Kendra and Carter being dragged through, "Starting here on Zamaron!"
Standing on top of a plateau is the Star Sapphire Power Battery with the Predator that gives the main battery its power source with Star Sapphire, Carol Ferris the leader of the Star Sapphire Lantern Corps over watching Shrike and her forces coming and invading their home world.
-Gotham City-
Dawn and Boston have been calling heroes for the last few hours to see if the White Ring would go to them. Dawn called up someone who could be the new wielder of the White Ring for he knows what death is all about. That man being Resurrection Man.
Born in Viceroy, South Carolina, Mitchell "Mitch" Shelly became a lawyer who found himself an unwilling test subject for experimentation in nanotechnology, involving devices nicknamed Tektites by an organization known only as The Lab. The experiments cost Shelly his memory for several months but also rendered him immortal albeit with a twist; he could still be killed but the death would last a matter of seconds. Perhaps minutes at most due to the Tektites and he would be reborn with a superpower partly influenced by the way he was last killed. A comment by the Phantom Stranger having work with Shelly in previous lifetimes suggests that there is more to his powers than just the Tektites.
Shelly's travels in search of the truth of his identity and his newfound powers would take him across the United States, leading him into an ongoing feud with assorted adversaries including Vandal Savage, the Body Doubles and others, as well as alliances and friendship with various members of the Justice League; although he did not feel comfortable acting in a traditional superhero role.
"Yeah, I died. I come back," answered Resurrection Man over the monitor.
"With a new power every time, Mr. Shelley?" Dawn asked since Resurrection Man had one of the strangest set of powers.
"Some better than others. Last week I could've beaten Cyborg in arm wrestling. After an unfortunate accident involving a gas leak and my inability to quit smoking, this week," Resurrection Man comes out of the monitor taking solid form, "I can travel through electronics,"
"And that's what resurrects the Resurrection Man, right? Electronics? Nanotechnology?"
"That's what the people that did this to me say, but-"
"Forget it," Boston cuts in, "It's not him either, Dove?"
"Not me what? What's going on? Who's that?" Resurrection Mas asked since no never seen Deadman before in the flesh. And the immortal man is kinda confused to what is going on.
Dove turned to Boston, "How can you be sure it's not him, Boston?"
The former Deadman holds up his hand showing off the White Ring, "The Ring's still quiet, and if Resurrection Man was the chosen one… which judging by his sketchy record would've been a stretch anyway. Why wouldn't the Ring fly off me and onto him?"he turns to the window to look out at the dark cloudy skies, "What's it waiting for? Why is is just… waiting?"
"Boston? What is it?" asked Dove for Boston would be able to understand the White Ring better than anyone else.
"Up in the sky. It's back on," out in the clouds is the Bat Signal. It was kind of strange because when Ellen Yindel became commissioner she didn't want to use the Bat Signal; the police had been working overtime to make sure that Batman doesn't have to work all alone. Yindel knows that the police can only do so much before a villain appears and Batman takes them down. That is the only reason why the Bat Signal is still up and running. She doesn't like using the Bat Signal, but Gotham needed it more then Gotham needed her, "You have been waiting… haven't you, Ring? You've been waiting for Batman."
Boston takes off running through the doors to the outside. Dove chased after the former Deadman.
"Boston, wait!" shouted out Dove
"I can feel the Ring urging me ahead, Dove. I think I'm going to finally get off this crazy train ride. I think!"
The White Ring shines so brightly that Boston disappears in the blindly light. Dove had to cover her eyes from the light. Boston appeared several blocks away on the rooftops. He quickly discards his coat.
"A replacement has been chosen!"
"Yeah, you're talking about old Bat Ears now that he's back, aren'tcha? Back from the grave to save the day again by putting you on, hum, Ring? Fine by me," Deadman's mask comes into existence covering his face, "Haven't done this in awhile. A long while. And I know you've been trying to tell me I need to live life with a safety net," diving off the rooftop and spins in midair, "But what fun is that?"
"What are you doing, Boston Brand?" the White Ring asks since this didn't make much sense to it.
"What's it look like, Ring?" diving down with Deadman grabbing a flagpole, throwing his weight and leaps, turning through the air, "I'm going to find Batman?"
Deadman came across Batman cleaning up a robbery. The black cowl that made criminals fear breaking the law in Gotham be it during the day or the night.
"What are you doing here, Dead?" asked Batman without turning around.
"We've only met when I was an invisible ghost talking through other people. How did you know it was me?"
"I'm Batman," the truth Batman kept tabs on everyone who came back to life during the Blackest Night.
"Touche,"
"I also know you were part of a group of people, good and bad, who were brought back to life by one of Green Lantern's light shows,"
"And I heard through the spandex grapevine that you were resurrected too,"
Turning to face Deadman, "I wasn't dead. Thanks to the remnants of Darkseid's force, I was lost in time,"
"Bummer," was the only thing that Deadman could say.
Dove lands on the ground ready for a fight, "I heard gunfire! Is everyone all right?"
"What's Dove doing here?" Batman asked
"She's uh, with me, Bats," Deadman holds up his hand with the White Ring, "Dove's been giving me a hand dealing with this White Ring. I was the only member of the back to life club that got saddled with one. I've been holding onto it… until it finds the Chosen One. The Ultimate Champion of Earth. You,"
"Me?"
"Boston, how can you be sure the White Ring was meant for Batman?" Dove asked Deadman for the Ring isn't reacting just like the others Deadman showed it to the others.
"Because Batman is the smartest person on the planet. There's no one else on Earth anyone would trust more with this kind of power,"
"We don't know what kind of power the White Ring even has," Dove argues about this because the White Ring holds power over life from what the Blackest Night showed, but no one knows what else it can do.
"It can raise the dead. It can make the Anti-Monitor shout "ow!" Maybe we're not meant to know what else it can do. Maybve no one is except for the Chosen One. And it's him, isn't it, Ring?" the White Ring shines brightly with Batman narrowing his eyes at this, "Go, Ring! Dammit, go! It's Batman you want, he'll know what to do. He always knows what to do. So leave me the hell alone!" commands Deadman with the White Ring leaving his finger.
The White Ring flies around, zipping around leaving a trail of white light behind it. Not too long afterwards the White Ring flies onto Batman's finger. The power surges throw the Dark Knight as the White Ring changes the cowl from black to white.
"Aquaman!"
"Captain Boomerang!"
"Jade!"
"Firestorm!"
"Deadman!"
"Osiris!"
"Martian Manhunter!"
"Reverse-Flash!"
"Hawk!"
"Maxwell Lord!"
"Hawkman!"
"Hawkwoman!"
"Kushina Uzumaki!"
Boston and Dove watch as white bats are being created from the White Light as white constructs as they fly around them both.
Dove asked out loud, "You sure about this?"
"No," Boston said with honesty
"Life on Earth. It's all connected like twisting roots in the ground. But the entire web was corrupted," said Batman with a strange voice as it he isn't the one whose talking, "Except for you, Boston. You were dead. You were pure,"
"Hey!" what none of them notice is one of the goons that Batman knocked out and didn't tie up is waking up.
Batman grab hold of Boston's arm, "That's why I chose you to guide me. It should be an honor, but you saw it as a chore. You don't care about anyone's life but your own. So you tried to force this burden upon this man. You chose poorly."
The goon takes out a gun, takes aim, and fires. Gunfire echoes throughout the alley as pain surges through Boston. A short of breath, pain spreading through Boston's chest, losing strength with him falling to the ground in a pool of his own blood.
"BOSTON!" Dove shouted out, "BOSTON!"
The white bats fly around as the white energy spirals out of control as Boston is wisp ed away with him appearing in front of a trailer that he knew. Of course he would know this trailer; after all he grow up in this trailer.
"I don't ever want to get old," said a much younger Boston with his balancing on a tree branch.
"No one does," said the old man sitting in a wheelchair
"Grandpa?" Deadman asked for it has been so long since he'd seen his grandfather.
"And you don't want to be stuck in a chair like Grandpa, hm?"
Hanging upside down, "No," younger Boston said without a care in the world.
"What if I told you I wasn't stuck in this chair, Boston?"
Boston flips and lands in a crouch, "You can walk?" asking for he's only seen his grandfather in that wheelchair for as long as he could remember.
"No. Not anymore. But I don't think I'm stuck in this chair,"
"What? That doesn't make any sense,"
"I'm still here. I'm still able to talk to your mother and you and your brother. I've been given more time than your grandmother and your father. I've been lucky. It's not a bad thing to grow old. It's a privilege. Of course, I was like you when I was younger. Every day lasted a week. Every week a year. And life wasn't so precious recklessness is for the young,"
"Uh huh," said young Boston with him walking towards the trailer
"Did you know I held the record for longest distance jump on a Harley Davidson for nearly two decades?"
Walking through Deadman, "I'm gonna see what's on TV." young Boston goes inside.
Deadman turns to his grandfather, "Grandpa?" Deadman remembers that his grandfather died shortly after that. He didn't pay action to how his grandfather died. He just didn't care about that.
"Scars are the bullet points of life."
Everything shifts around with Deadman finding himself in front of a drive in with an older Boston sitting in a car with a date.
"I was playing hide and seek with my cousins in a cornfield by their house. I tripped and fell on a rake," said Boston's date, "That's why I usually wear shirts that cover my knees,"
"Oh," said Boston with him not even caring.
"Boston?"
"What?"
"Do you want to be here?" said asked for he hasn't been paying her any attention since they've arrived here.
"Sure. I'm hungry,"
"With me, I mean?"
Growing angry as they are taking too long on his order, "Where are they? Does a cheeseburger really take thirty minutes? What a total waste of time,"
Boston turned back to the his date to see the door is open with his date gone. Deadman watches as his date run off crying. This brings back memories for he learns what happened to her afterwards.
"I remember her. Audrey. She got sick after we graduated. She's dead," lowering his head a bit, "Am I dead?" Deadman asked himself.
"Who would go to your funeral?"
Once again everything shifts around with him appearing at a circus with a strongman marching backstage yelling out, "Friends? Family? Do you have any, you shit?"
"Just because I'm the one drawing the crowds and earning four times what you make, doesn't mean you get to break down my door if I'm late getting on stage," Boston shouted back for he was late for his act.
"You keep calling me names, I'll break more than that!" the strongman said as he makes a fist.
"Tiny, please," said a woman by the name of Lorna. She is the daughter of the owner of the circus.
"His ego is throwing the entire night off," said Tiny the Strongman
"Lorna?" asked Deadman
"Boston Brand is keeping my Father's circus up and running," said Lorna
"Don't kid yourself. He ain't doin' it for you or the circus. The only thing Boston Brand is worried about is Boston Brand,"
Deadman throws his hands through Tiny yelling out, "Wait! Stop me, Tiny! Don't let me go out there! Please! I'm going to get shot! I'm going to get shot and killed tonight!"
Boston came up to the clown that's been working the crowd, "I've got the crowd all warmed up, Boston," said the clown
"AND NOW LADIEEEES AND GENTLEMENT! THE ACT YOU ALL CAME HERE TO SEE!"
"You hear that, Toby? I don't need them warmed up," Boston places his mask over his face.
"THE AMAZING!"
"Jerk," mutter Toby the clown.
"Wait! Boston!" Deadman shouts out trying to stop himself from going towards his death.
"THE DEATH DEFYING!" a man with a hook for a claw pulls the bolt to his rifle.
"I don't want to die," said Deadman as he can only watch his death happen all over again.
"DEADMAN!" the rifle goes off with Boston dying by the man with the hook.
"NO!" Deadman shouted out with him standing over his corpse, "I- I know I never cared about anyone but me…" Deadman falls to his knees with him holding his head, "Not until after I was d- dead. Until after I literally walked in their shoes," moving his hands from his face, "But I did that. Even after I solved my own murder. Even after I was promised I could move on. I stayed here. Invisible. A ghost. Dammit, I do care about people. I just want to walk in my own shoes now. I might not be meant to save the universe or the Earth, but I can make life better for others. And for me. Why is that wrong? Why?! I WANT TO LIVE, DO YOU HEAR ME!? I WANT MY SECOND CHANCE!"
"Then stop hesitating, Boston Brand. And take it," gasping for air as the white energy constructs of those that were brought back to lift standing behind him, "You will not fine the Chosen One by searching for them. Life is not what you plan," the White Ring flies off from Batman's finger which turned him back to normal, "Life is the unexpected," the White Ring zips over breaking the goon's gun and hitting him in the head, "Live life again the way you wish to," before the Ring flies back onto Boston's finger.
"Damn you. Damn that Ring. I was… I was so scared," Dove said with a tear falling down her face.
"So was I. Is Batman…" they look around to see Batman is already gone, "Shocker,"
"I'm surprised he didn't stay to ask more questions," Dove said for everyone knows how he doesn't like to be left in the dark.
"Maybe the Ring already gave him the answers,"
"Did it give you any?"
"Yeah. I just hope there's more to life than a good cheeseburger,"
"There's plenty more,"
"Dove, I-" Boston didn't get to finish before Dove throws herself at him, kissing Deadman. Working with Boston for the few weeks have been worth that made Dawn to grow feeling for the man. Boston returns the feelings as he now knows to live life once more.
Standing up on top the rooftops is Batman overlooking his city, "It's Batman. We need to talk about Maxwell Lord," said Batman over his comm link for the White Ring gave him some foresight of what Maxwell Lord has planned.
-Coney Island-
Naruto sighs as all his kids have been put to bed for the night. He looks up at the moon to see that it is larger then normal. This is a Hunter's Moon. A hunt is happening somewhere out in the world that'll effect something out there. Naruto turns around to meet a fist to his face. Falling to the floor as a man wearing an owl mask stands over him.
"Who are you?! And how did you get the drop on me?!" Naruto demands as there are very few people in the world that could ambush him.
"Uzumaki…" growled out the Talon.
Before the Talon could do anything chains wrap around the assassin, "What the hell do you think you're doing!?" demands Kushina for she came be to spend some time with her son before heading to bed for the night when she came upon this Talon who attacked her son from behind.
"Uzumaki…" the Talon flexes his muscles before breaking free from Kushina's chains.
He quickly grabs Kushina's face, but before he could do anything Naruto kicks the Talon behind the knees. Naruto rolls over and pins the Talon and put him in a choke hold to finish this fight before it can really begin. But what Naruto doesn't know is that the Talon pushes a button on his suit that causes his muscles to double in size with him easily breaking free from the choke hold by standing and slamming the blonde into the wall. The Talon then kicks Kushina away as she charges towards the assassin. The Talon then takes out a small device and holds it to Naruto face; the device releases a yellow gas that he inhales.
Naruto sees visions of the First Born coming back and killing everyone he holds dear while he can't do a thing before being knocked out. The Talon walks over to Kushina and releases the yellow gas in her face. When the redhead inhales the gas she sees a vision of Hippolyta storming her little hut just as she just finishing giving birth to Naruto. She can only watch as the Queen of the Amazons takes her baby boy and throws him off the cliffs just like the other baby boys born on Themyscira. And just like with Naruto the Talon knocks out Kushina. He stands with him grabbing Kushina, walks over to her son and grabs him, and leaves through the open window.
"Whiskers," Harley calls out with her opening the door, "I want to try for another-" she stops when she sees the damage in the room that shows signs of a fight, "Naruto!"
-Author's Note-
Yeah, this should of came out a month ago, more than a month ago. I've just been looking for a new job because the one I have been cutting my hours. So I was like fuck them. I have a new job line up and when things have settle I'll be able to write with a better time to write. Working nights suck because it just sucks all your energy away.
