World's Finest
By Andrew J. Talon
DISCLAIMER: None of the animes or comics or anything in them mentioned in this story are my property. They are the property of their respective creators. I only claim ownership of the story itself. I am not writing this for profit.
A/N: Chapter 3. And in explanation for why it's taking so long to update, my dad is visiting me. Very busy with the 4th of July as well. Happy Birthday America! Many happy returns!
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The two girls trembled in fear, backed against the wall in the dark alley. The tall, grotesquely-shaped humanoids continued to close in, sadistic smiles on their faces.
"Mmm... Twins, heheheheh," one of the demons laughed. "How utterly delicious..."
"I want the one on the right, first!" Another drooled.
"No! You had first pick last time!" His fellow growled. The two demons snarled at eachother angrily.
"I'm takin' em both and none of you can have one!" Snarled another voice among the pack. The youkai looked around, growling at eachother.
"Who said that?"
"I'll tear you apart, bastard! Takin' em both!"
"I'll kill you all and take the energy for myself!" Cackled another voice. One demon punched another, who thought he'd heard the voice come from his comrade. This demon snarled back and slashed his attacker's face, sending him crashing into another. From there, an all-out brawl soon commenced, demons starved for life force easily pushed to killing eachother.
None of them noticed the dark shape that descended on the two frightened girls and spirited them away.
The preteens clutched onto Batwoman tightly, and the vigilante carried them, leaping from rooftop to rooftop. She smirked beneath her mask as she listened to the carnage continue.
"How... How did you do that?" One girl whispered shakily.
"A little ventriloquism. Throwing my voice," she explained. She landed in an alley nearby the brawl, where the Batmobile waited. It's cockpit opened, and Batwoman helped both thirteen year old girls in.
"Just tell the Car where you home is, your address, and it will take you there," she told them. They nodded, and the cockpit slid closed as the car drove off on it's own. Batwoman frowned under her mask.
"You can come out now," she spoke aloud. A leering face, attached to a spindly form emerged from the shadows into the faint street lights nearby. The demon grinned, baring his sharp, crooked teeth.
"You have good senses, and stealth. And your lifeforce," the youkai breathed deeply, as though sampling a rose. "Mmm... Rich, strong... Not Senshi level, naturally, but you'd still make a good meal."
"The Senshi... What is your war with them about?" Batwoman asked emotionlessly. The demon chuckled.
"Since I'm gonna suck you dry anyway? ... They wanna bring back their old kingdom, the one we destroyed thousands of years ago! Re-establish their domain over the Solar System. We're in the same business, both wanting to remake everything just the way it was!"
Batwoman nodded thoughtfully.
"Thank you... Now I know." The demon gaped as a black blur emerged from the costumed mortal, and a sharp pain erupted in his arm. He looked down to see a black, bat-shaped blade. A red light blinked in the center of the symbol.
"What the-?!"
BOOM! The concentrated plastic explosive in the batarang easily blew the demon to bits, the remains dissolving away. Batwoman smirked. Just because the Sailor Senshi used magic to kill demons, didn't mean they couldn't be destroyed by mortal means.
However, the blast had clearly attracted the attention of the remainders of the pack, who were soon approaching if their screams and roars were any indication. Batwoman pulled out her grapnel gun and fired it, ascending to the roof of a higher-story building. The youkai folllowed on the ground, leaping up and begin to climb up the building. Batwoman cursed the fact they were in a slum neighborhood, the residents would be familiar with demon attacks but due to mainstream attitudes wouldn't get involved.
She didn't want them to get involved period, true, but on her own...
'Screw it', she decided. 'I've never needed help before and I won't start now.'
The first demons leapt up over the sides of the roof and charged. She threw two explosive pellets, producing smoke as she moved forward. The demons reared back as smoke entered their eyes, Batwoman slamming her gauntleted fists into their throats and into the roof. Three more came in from all directions, roaring their fury at her, She slammed two explosive batarangs into the throats of the demons she'd brought down and flipped backwards into a series of hand springs, leaping off the roof just as the bombs went off.
KABOOM! The explosives were area-effect grenades, the scrapnel slicing through the youkai with ease. Batwoman spread her cape to slow her descent before reloading her grapnel gun-
"GOTCHA!" Roared a demon as it tackled her from behind. Batwoman struggled to free herself but the demon was digging it's claws into her armored suit, holding her arms to her sides.
"I can survive this fall," laughed the youkai. "I don't think you-AUUUGHHHH!"
A flash of red heat and the demon's grasp fell limp. Another set of arms, gentle this time, took their place, and Batwoman felt herself held against a strong, male form as they descended. She turned her head and narrowed one lens-covered eye at her savior, who was smiling gently.
"You okay?" Superman asked, as their feet touched the roof of a nearer, and safer building. She immediately pushed herself away, steely gaze on the now confused-looking man.
"I was handling it," she stated flatly. Keitaro raised an eyebrow.
"Didn't look that way to me," he noted in amusement. Batwoman kept up her glare, making Superman shift uncomfortably.
"Um… I don't think we've met?" He offered with a smile. "I'm-"
"I know. Superman. What, you think I don't watch TV?" She snorted. Superman sighed and rubbed the back of his head.
"I was just being polite…"
"Well relax, Little Boy Blue, I'm not going to be offended by your manners, or lack thereof," she stated flatly. Superman raised an eyebrow. He knew the Bat was reclusive… And he was beginning to understand why.
"Did you at least take care of the other demons? Or were you too focused on showing off?" Batwoman posed. Superman glared.
"I was concentrating on saving your life. You're welcome by the way."
"I don't need rescuing," she stated. Superman rolled his eyes.
"Yes, of course. Not like you were about to hit the pavement at lethal speed with a demon on your back," he sarcastically replied. Batwoman was silent, but the way her lensed eyes narrowed clearly indicated he'd touched a nerve.
"We are the Sailor Senshi! Prepare to be punished in the name of… Uh… Mercury, you sure you picked up youkai around here?" Called out a familiar, high-pitched female voice in the street below. Keitaro winced as Batwoman sighed.
"Yes Sailor Moon! The scanner said so!" Responded another, exasperated female voice. Superman turned and focused his eyes, switching to X-Ray vision. He easily picked out the Sailor Senshi, the Inners if he wasn't mistaken.
"Better late than here on time," Batwoman observed. Keitaro turned and shot her a glare. She shrugged.
"Last time they tried to stop a demon attack, they took out three apartment complexes," Batwoman stated.
"You blew up the top of that building," Keitaro countered, pointing upwards at the smoking top of the complex. Batwoman's eyes narrowed.
"Those bombs do mainly kinetic damage, hardly anything compared to what those fuku-wearing twits throw around so easily," she retorted. Superman shook his head and rolled his eyes, turning and stepping off the rooftop, descending and hovering above the street. He smiled and waved.
"Hello Sailor Senshi!"
Sailor Mercury smiled and waved back as the Kryptonian hovered over to the fuku-clad girls. Jupiter became rather starry-eyed, while Mars smiled in a sultry way and winked, almost making Superman blush. Moon nodded with a bright smile while Venus crossed her arms over her chest and scowled.
"Hey! Just because we agreed to an alliance doesn't mean you get to take all the demons!" The blonde-haired girl protested… Before scooting over to his side and smiling.
"Of course, since it's you I think we can make an exception," she purred. Mars and Jupiter deathglared Venus, who merely smirked back as she took Keitaro's arm. Superman coughed.
"Er, well, I was just in the neighborhood, and technically I didn't take them all…"
"Aw c'mon Superman, don't be modest!" Gushed Mars.
"Yes sempai, I mean… We've seen what you can do," Jupiter added modestly, which didn't seem to fit with her tall, confident stature.
"Was it Batwoman? She's been beating us to youkai battles frequently lately," Mercury asked. Superman nodded.
"Yeah… She's… Something else…" He said stiffly.
"She's always so mean!" Moon wailed.
"Oi, bimbos," said a dark female voice, that made nearly everyone (save Superman and Sailor Mercury) jump, "where's your pimp this time of night?"
Batwoman was leaning against a parked car on the side of the street, masked face impossible to discern. Only her slightly narrowed eyes told the Senshi and Superman anything about her emotional state.
"See? See?" Moon accused, overly dramatic tears gushing from her eyes. Mars sighed and put her fingers to her forehead. Keitaro glared.
"Hey!"
"You know, I did have some respect for you, rookie you may be," Batwoman stated, looking directly at Keitaro. Her tone was hard, with a hint of… Regret? Superman wondered why.
"But here I see you're shacking up with the Bimbo Brigade," Batwoman finished with a shake of her head. She turned away and fired a grapnel gun, vanishing into the night.
"Geez, she's such a bitch," Mars growled, shaking her head. Moon continued to sob comically as Mercury tried to calm her down, and Venus and Jupiter glared in the direction the vigilante had gone.
"So anyway Superman," Venus began, turning back to the Kryptonian… Only to find her hands empty. She blinked.
"Eh?!"
"Seems pretty shy doesn't he, even with our alliance," Observed Mercury with a small smile. Moon shrugged.
"Maybe he doesn't like girls? EEP! Wh-Why are you all glaring at me like that?!"
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Batwoman frowned at her palmtop computer, a grid-lined screen displayed. The transmitters should be in place, but they weren't…?
"Looking for these?"
Batwoman turned around, not surprised to see Superman hovering before her. His open hand held out three small, bat-shaped objects, and his face was stern.
"Well… Looks like you caught me. Good for you," the vigilante snorted. Superman sighed, closing his fist and staring at her.
"Why?"
"Because, unlike me or you, those girls are not true heroes. They cause massive property damage that they don't need to against demons, they ignore 'ordinary' criminals, and they're in this only for themselves," Batwoman growled. "If I know who they are, I can shut them down."
"They have good intentions! And I've been helping them-!" Protested Superman before he was cut off.
"Yeah, GREAT job so far!" Batwoman harrumphed. Superman's eyes narrowed… And widened in disbelief.
"Holy… Mutsumi-chan?!"
"Now that's cheating, using your X-Ray vision to figure out my identity… Kei-kun," Batwoman returned, a bit more softly than before.
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In the mountains far to the south east, a strange, dark-green craft had crashed into a grove of trees. Strangely shaped, it resembled a large green lantern. And within it's wrecked cockpit, a pink humanoid in green and black groaned, slumped against the control panel. He lifted his head with a wince of his jet-black eyes.
His breathing became more labored, and his gaze shifted to a small green ring on his finger. Slowly, painfully, he reached for it and tugged it off his digit, shakily holding it up.
"Go… Find another…" He rasped, and the ring glowed brightly, ascending before quickly zipping off into the night sky. The being reached for a green button on the console, but paused when a cackle reached his bat-like ears.
"So, you still have some life?" Laughed a shadowy creature in the shattered cockpit viewport. His gaze went up to a pair of glowing red eyes and cruel, sharp-toothed grin. He took a last breath, and pressed the button.
"Fool," the being sneered, and fired an orange bolt of energy into the ship. It blew through the pink-skinned alien as easily as the rest of the hull, consuming the vessel in a massive fireball.
Just barely escaping the blast, a larger, glowing green object was launched, flying on a course similar to that of the ring that had departed before it, but still ascending, as though waiting for something. None of this was noticed by the being, who cackled again before vanishing, never minding the flames of the wreck.
Miles away, in the Hinata Sou, a small green object descended, zipping about like a firefly, until finally settling into a room on the second floor, facing the manager's. It's occupant snored on, an empty bottle of cheap sake in her hand, never noticing the ring that hovered above her face.
You have been chosen, a voice sounded in Mitsune "Kitsune" Konno's head. She blearily opened her eyes, a small green, blurry object over her nose.
"Whozzat?" She drawled, blinking.
You have been chosen. Do you accept the Oath of Oa?
"Oa… Ath… Shure, why not?" Kitsune giggled. She didn't know she'd drunk THAT much sake, but what the hell?
She konked out soon after, unaware of the ring settling itself onto her right hand ring finger… Or the green energy that soon erupted from it and covered her body.
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Well NefCanuck, hope you're happy. I think the Council of Oa will be in for a shock when they meet this newest Green Lantern.
I've offered a hint as to the identity of the main villain in this chapter.
Hope I've kept the Senshi in character, I haven't really watched the anime a lot. I have read the manga though.
As to why so many people are figuring out Keitaro's identity? It's only people who have either been told, or have seen both Keitaro and Superman up close, and therefore can figure things out. Seta and Sarah haven't figured it out because the Kryptonian download has really screwed with their heads.
Next Issue: Mutsumi and Keitaro talk, Kitsune gets her first assignment, and in Nerima, the Amazons find their new representative to the rest of the world… And you'll never guess who it is.