Remnant Who
By ReaderWarrior
I do not own Doctor Who or RWBY
Ascent
Beta'd by: -
As always, please comment! It honestly makes my day to read your thoughts and opinions.
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She'd done it again. The same thing she'd always done. A broken record. That's what she was. Always playing the same part of a song over and over and over and OVER AND OVER!
Blake fell to her knees, clutching her chest, feeling her heart betray her.
When would this curse of hers end? She didn't want to be stuck in this loop. The song needed to end. The same persistent rhythms just reminded her how little her life had changed. The end of a melody would never come.
And the worst part was it was all her fault. She kept this curse in her hands. No matter how much she hated holding it, she never let it go.
Blake watched on the screen as Yang, along with Superman, Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, and Green Lantern, all used their unique forms of strength to try and force their way into the T.A.R.D.I.S.
"How strong are those doors?" Flash asked, leaning against one of the railings.
Ruby looked from him, to the screen, and back again. "Um, something about being stronger than cactus cans?"
"Genghis Khan!" Weiss corrected. "The Doctor said his entire army wouldn't be able to get through those doors."
Flash shook his head. "That's a great unit of measurement. Who's the Doctor?"
"This world's Superman will not be able to breach the hull," E.L.I said. "We are safe in here. Security measures are now in effect."
"'We'? Who are you?!"
The ship lurched and everyone fell to the side. Outside, they saw that the heroes, now under the control of the dark crystal, had tipped the T.A.R.D.I.S over.
"They are trapped," Wonder Woman hissed. The room filled with her voice, like they were watching an episode of Doctor Who. "Ensure they do not escape."
Green Lantern nodded and raised his fist. From his ring, a snake exploded out and wrapped itself around the ship. Its green, see-through, scales slithered over the screen and the four passengers watched in horror as the snake ate the T.A.R.D.I.S.
"Please tell me that we aren't about to be digested," Weiss muttered as she stumbled to her feet.
Flash helped Blake up. "I don't think so. GL's ring doesn't make things alive, it just seems like it."
"What do we do?" Blake whispered. With the screen covered, she could no longer see Yang. That was both calming and heartbreaking.
"We need to stay calm," Ruby exclaimed, marching up to the console. "The Librarian usually has all the answers, but we can't count on that right now. E.L.I, what can you tell me about that crystal?"
E.L.I went silent for a moment. "The Librarian's scans match that of the Heart of Darkness. It was a mystical crystal that enclosed the spirits of an evil race of snake people — the Ophidians.
"Eons ago, early humans and the Ophidians waged war for control of the Earth. Over the years, the Ophidians were beaten to the point of extinction. Hoping to find a way to strike back, a group of warriors performed a ritual which placed their souls in the Heart of Darkness. Fearing what would come, ancient men built a temple around the site of the ritual, which was to be guarded for all time.
"Whoever held the crystal would be compelled to destroy all of humanity by any means possible. Individuals influenced by the Heart of Darkness could be identified by their behavior: their constant search for ways to destroy humanity while humming the chant the Ophidians sang during the ritual.
"There were only two ways to break the spell: show the influenced person intense light, or decapitate the host. The Heart's victims showed no memory of their actions under the artifact's control."
The room became silent.
"Yeah, that matches up with what Morphir told me," Flash said. "But the crystal he gave me got destroyed. And since Hawkgirl shattered theirs into a million pieces, it's not going to be easy to pick up."
He pressed a finger to his ear. "Hey Bats… pick up…" He sighed. "Nothing."
"They must have shut off the Watchtower's communicator feed," Ruby realized. "Isn't Batman super smart? Would he know what to do?"
The Flash's eyes widened. "Your Librarian friend. He was too. That's why I brought you here, he said about the box and Algernon - man, I hated that book."
"Algernon?" Weiss asked.
Blake shook her head. "That wasn't what he said. He said 'Agamemnon'."
The lights in the T.A.R.D.I.S went out instantly, leaving the group in darkness.
"E.L.I?" Ruby cried. With her Faunus-sight, Blake could see her grab at the console and randomly press a few buttons. "Are you there?"
"Who forgot to pay the electric bill?"
Even without her night vision, Blake could tell Weiss was rolling her eyes at the speedster's comment.
"Agamemnon contingency in effect," the Librarian said. His face appeared on a screen, the only light source in the room. "If this is activated, that means I have gone rogue. Either through mind control or just losing my way. E.L.I will be shut down, as will most T.A.R.D.I.S operations - I cannot be allowed to put the multiverse in danger.
"If these are my final words, then I am sorry. I never meant for anyone to get hurt. I hope that whatever has made me turn from the path of good can be reversed or, as a final measure, prevented from causing any more harm. By any means necessary." Everyone gathered around the screen and they watched their guide smile and wave. "When this video ends, a basic AI will help you with whatever problem you may be facing. I just hope whatever you are up against isn't too dangerous. Please, stay safe."
The screen flickered off and white lights filled the room, replacing the usual warm, orange atmosphere with something clean and harsh like a hospital.
"AI program online. Please state the manner of your dilemma."
Ruby, after sharing a look with her teammates, stepped forward. "Um, the Justice League is under some kind of mind control. Yang and the Librarian are too."
"Multiversal navigation system indicates this designation as DC-E-50. Accessing files. Security level: Omega. Password: Delta Charlie dash two seven dash five dash one nine three nine."
"Woah, sounds like one of Bat's passwords," Flash muttered.
A fourth voice echoed throughout the room, completely different from the two AIs or the Librarians, but familiar. It was the same voice Blake, Weiss, and Ruby had all heard when they triggered the alarm on the elevator.
"Should any of the core members of the League turn rogue, we need to have plans in place to handle each and every one of us should we become a threat."
Flash took a step backward. "Batman! Is that you? We could really use your help right now."
"I think it's just a recording," Blake whispered.
Batman's grizzly, yet calm voice continued. "The members of the League are my teammates. But… we need to be prepared for the worst. Always. If these contingency plans are discovered, please understand, this had to be done for each of us.
"Agamemnon contingency file code name 'Last Son'. If Superman ever becomes a threat to the planet, the following protocols will need to be enacted to ensure our survival. Green Kryptonite will incapacitate him with brief exposure. And prolonged exposure would in all probability be fatal."
The Librarian's face lit up on another screen. "Weiss, this duty will fall to you." A small port on the console opened up and a vial of dust lay there. "This is refined kryptonite. It will work as well as any of your vials. Be careful. This will hurt Superman and could kill him. His other weaknesses are magic, use your semblance."
Weiss picked up the cylinder and frowned. "How did you know I'd be here? Are you an AI?"
"Sorry, I'm not actually there." He gave an apologetic shrug. "But I have made a lot of records for a lot of different scenarios. I'm nowhere near the GOAT, but I make do. This one was picked based on sensors and the input information you provided."
As she turned away, she paused as the Flash looked down at the container. "Nice to know that Bat's wasn't the only paranoid one," he chuckled.
Ruby placed a hand on his shoulder. "We aren't going to hurt them. We'll get them back." She caught Blake's eye. "All of them."
"Agamemnon contingency file code name 'Red Sands'." Batman continued. "J'onn J'onzz, the manhunter from Mars is the heart and soul of the Justice League."
"Nice to know he cares."
"However, his strength and speed make him a formidable opponent should he ever turn against us. His vulnerability to fire would be hard to exploit in a defensive position. However, research suggests that a nanite virus spiked with magnesium would cause his skin to combust in contact with the air, neutralizing him as a threat."
Blake blinked. "That's not horrible at all," she whispered.
"A bit gruesome," the Librarian seemingly agreed, "but we won't have to go that far. Weiss, your glyphs and fire will be the best way to do this. But you all have ways of fighting him with your weapons. Do not let him get too close or he'll be able to take control of your mind."
All three girls checked their weapons and made sure the next few rounds of ammo were of the red kind.
"Agamemnon contingency file code name 'Two-Eight-One-Four'. The ring of a Green Lantern is the most powerful weapon in the universe, limited only by the imagination of the bearer. But in order to use the ring, the user needs to be able to see what they're doing. Research indicates that a post-hypnotic suggestion could be planted into the Green Lantern's psyche causing them to believe themselves blind, the ring would then make them blind enforced by their own willpower.
"Must test out this theory on Guy Gardner."
The Librarian now. "I'm afraid this file isn't very useful without knowing the trigger. Nor was it used on this Green Lantern. Ruby, your speed might be able to move faster than he can react." The panel opened again, yet this time there were two sets of items. The first was a handful of blunt-rubber bullets which were all strangely painted yellow. As for the second, it looked like a green pill. "These rounds might be able to pierce the constructs, but it won't work forever. As for the second item… well, thank Injustice. It will give you Kryptonian strength and durability for a time. If you take down GL quick enough, use it to fight the other Leaguers."
"Shouldn't all of us have that?" Weiss asked.
"Hey, at least you're getting upgrades," Flash said. "I doubt he has anything for me."
Blake nodded. Besides, I don't think it's smart to give everyone that kind of strength. We saw just how powerful Weiss could be without holding back. I can see why Batman would be worried about that level of power in anyone's hands.
Pocketing the pill, Ruby pushed a few bullets into her rifle and cocked it. "What else?"
"Agamemnon contingency file code name 'Olympus'. Diana is a good friend, which is just one reason it would be difficult to face her in combat should she turn against the League… It's not a thought I relish. But if it must be done, the following strategy could be useful. If she could be convinced that she is fighting an equal, she could then theoretically be trapped in an unending cycle of combat against a phantom opponent."
"I guess that falls to Ruby," Blake said. "She'll be the only one strong enough to hold her off."
"But she won't be the fastest." They all turned to face Flash, who had a cocky smile on his face. "What? Did you think I was gonna sit here and let you all fight my friends? Nuh-uh. I'll go full Die Hard on this Watchtower."
The recording the Librarian prepared seemed to agree with this. "I'm not going to ask you to inject her with nanites like in Babel or Doomsday. I'm sorry, but I don't think anyone is strong enough for that yet. The best option is for Yang to keep her occupied until Superman can be released. Also, her lasso is indestructible. It might be possible to use it on her and, depending on the type of mind control, snap her out of it. Be careful, she is highly dangerous."
"That just leaves, Hawkgirl, Yang, and the Librarian, right?" Weiss asked.
Ruby gasped. "Uncle Qrow! We forgot about Uncle Qrow! Where is he? Did anyone see him on the camera?"
Blake placed her hand on her team leader's shoulder, keeping her from running out. "Listen," she said, "I want nothing else but to go out there and help them. But we need to be prepared first. Qrow is a fully trained Huntsman and, from what you've told us, this wouldn't be the first time he's disappeared. If he got turned, we'll save him. If he's hiding, then it's likely he's waiting for us to help save everyone else. You're in charge, Ruby. We're looking to you, don't give up on us."
She looked over Blake's shoulder and saw Weiss give a rare smile and a nod. The Flash offered a thumbs up. "Fine," she sighed. "But if we're going to do this, we are going to save everyone. Just like the Doctor."
"Great."
"I still don't know who this doc guy is…"
"Computer!" Ruby turned back to the console. "What do you have on Hawkgirl, Yang, Uncle Qrow, and the Librarian?"
Batman's voice spoke up. "Agamemnon contingency file code name 'Eagle Nest'. Hawkgirl is one of the best adept fighters of her time. Her strength and speed are quite possibly culpable of being compared to Superman's. However, her attacks only work against physical objects for her to hit. Trapping her in a room and filling it with water may keep her distracted long enough for her air to run out. Also, if her wings are restricted, so is her ability to fly."
"This one's going to involve breaking some rules," the Librarian interjected. "It's best not to mess with the walls of Halla and mix between the territories - universes or dimensions. But when the best option is available to you…" This time, a section of the floor fell away, revealing a backpack attached to a strange-looking nozzle. "A paste-gun. I doubt it'll be strong enough to hold her still for long, but shooting her wings with it might help keep her on your level."
"Who wants-" Before Ruby could finish, Flash grabbed the pack and put it on.
He checked the barrel and spun it around on his finger. "Piece of cake." It then spun off his hand and he quickly grabbed it out of the air and hid it behind his back.
"Right." Weiss folded her arms. "And what about our people?"
"Do you think there's anything in here about taking us down?" Blake asked.
The feed showing the Librarian cut, but when it returned, he was still the main focus - likely a different recording. "Taking me down will be easy. I don't often carry weapons so the most I'll have on me is my watch. I don't know the level of control I will have, so assume the worst. It can unfold into a gauntlet that can fire soundwaves and energy beams." There was another skip in the recording. "Yang's strength is her best weapon and biggest weakness. If she swings, grab her arm and throw her. I'm sure you all know that when she gets angry, she gets reckless. You know her best, you know how to do this."
"What about Uncle Qrow?"
Bzzt. "Information locked." This time, it was the AI, not the Librarian or Batman. "Deal with Qrow as you would a Huntsman."
The three girls frowned and looked at each other. "Why would his file be kept secret?" Weiss asked.
"Maybe it-"
"It doesn't matter," Ruby snapped. "It's just another question we've got to ask when we get them back. Is there anything else we need?"
The compartment opened again, this time revealing a metal sphere. "Blake," the Librarian said, "this is for you. When the time comes, you will know what to do."
The Fuanus took the orb in her hand. It was light and she could feel something rattling tried to pry it open but it didn't budge. Whatever was inside, it would only come out when 'the time was right'.
Brothers, I hate that cliche.
With a sigh, she placed it into her pocket. "What's the plan, Ruby?"
A smile formed on her face. "We do what we've been taught - both by Ozpin and the Doctor. We fight, we save, and we win."
Qrow was having a bad time. Well, if he was being honest, a pretty bad life. But on the scale of crappy things that his life has been full of, this was pretty high up there.
When Hawkgirl smashed the crystal, his instincts took over. Be it luck or skill or some other force, Qrow turned into an avian and avoided getting struck by any of the shards. At first, he didn't think much of it. Nobody had seen him, after all. But then he saw who did get hit. The super-friends were bad enough… But Yang?
That was personal.
Before Qrow could move to help the remaining members of his nieces' team, they were gone. And so was Flash. Superman flew off and the rest followed. Qrow did so as well, keeping as high as possible. He watched as they tried to open the T.A.R.D.I.S' doors and let out a sigh of relief when they weren't able to.
He then flinched at the sight of Yang helping with the attack.
If I don't kill them, then Tai will, he thought as she, Superman, and Wonder Woman all tilted the ship onto its side.
"They are trapped. Ensure they do not escape," the Amazonian ordered. At her command, Green Lantern used his ring to make a snake that ate the blue box. Content with their capture, Martian Manhunter flew off, returning moments later with a small mechanical device.
Qrow cocked his bird head. Is that the anti-fusion thing?
Hawkgirl knelt down to the device. "How fitting for the humans to die by their own weapon of war." She earned a dark smile from the other 'heroes'.
The group then moved toward the bay doors, Wonder Woman at the lead. She left everyone but Yang and Hawkgirl to watch over the blue box.
"When this hits the sun, the star will collapse," Yang smirked. "And the descendants of the mammals who destroyed our proud people will themselves be destroyed."
There was a loud alarm as Hawkgirl pulled a lever, opening the doors to space. Qrow flapped worriedly but stopped when there was no vacuum - the doors simply opened with no pull.
A shield, Qrow marveled. This place is incredible, even by our standards. The air would stay put, but anything that wanted to pass through could come and go.
Wonder Woman picked up the device and pitched it through the open gap. The sheer strength of her throw made it blur as it vanished behind the Earth's curvature. "Shut it, quickly!" she snapped, to which Hawkgirl did. "You two make it so this station acts as our new metamorphism."
The two nodded and ran off. Qrow was tempted to chase after them but continued to watch over the Amazonian. Ruby and her friends can handle themselves. They have the T.A.R.D.I.S, they'll be safe. With the experience he had gained since graduating from Beacon, Qrow deduced that his best chance at taking down a group of more powerful, more plentiful, and more dangerous enemies would be to take them down one by one.
So, Qrow gave a small jump and dived down at Wonder Woman. He morphed as he did and reached for his blade. Please don't turn around, please don't turn around, please don't-
Wonder Woman turned around, probably noticing his shadow, and lifted her arms in an X. Harbinger slammed down on the metal cuffs on her wrists and blocked the strike with a loud 'clang'!
"Alright," he muttered, flipping backward and allowing his blade to extend and curve. Instead of a great sword, he now had a scythe hanging over his shoulder. "Let's dance."
The plan wasn't simple. With the screen covered, they had no way of knowing who was out there waiting for them. Ruby guessed that they had split up, half to complete their plan while the other half was ready to ambush them. They still didn't know what the plans were for the anti-fusion device but it wasn't going to bring cookies to the homeless.
"Ready?" Ruby law down on the floor and peered through the scope of Crescent Rose.
Flash, who was standing next to the T.A.R.D.I.S doors, nodded. Behind Ruby, Blake and Weiss gave their own signals of assurance.
Aiming at the doors, Ruby made sure that the bullet in the chamber would be one of the yellow ones the Librarian had gifted her. She didn't know why this was the best item against the most powerful weapon in the universe, but she trusted their guide.
Finger resting on the trigger, Ruby exhaled. "Now."
In the blink of an eye, Flash disappeared and the doors opened, revealing the green glow of the snake construct. Ruby fired and watched as the yellow bullet pierced and pulled the green energy, before bursting through it like a balloon.
"Go!" Ruby used her semblance and raced forward in a storm of petals, only to be outpaced by a blur of scarlet and gold - the Flash - with Weiss and Blake in his arms. Even with everything that was happening, Ruby felt annoyed that she was no longer the fastest person around.
The four lept through the hole in the snake and hit the ground, each one of them rising in their own formation. Blake with her gun out, Weiss pointing her sword, Ruby with her scythe in front of her, and Flash posing with his hands on his waist.
Ruby's guess was nearly spot on. The entirety of the overtaken was no longer here, likely somewhere in the Watchtower doing who-knows-what. But, it wasn't a perfect divide. Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Superman, and the Librarian were guarding the time machine. That left Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, and Yang.
Before she could make any calls, Superman, at super speeds, flew forward. Ruby's semblance let her dodge out of the way but she could already tell she was no match for his speed either. As her petals dissipated, and he crashed into the wall, Ruby aimed her rifle and fired at him (a normal round, this time).
There was a small explosion as it hit his back, knocking him back into the wall, but he quickly turned back around. Ruby fired again, hitting his chest, to the same effect. The man of steel grinned and a shiver passed through Ruby. She raised her target line and fired, shooting him in the head.
Superman's head twisted to the side. As he turned back, Ruby saw the bullet in his teeth.
Oh no.
Superman lept forward to strike. But, before his fist could hit her, Ruby's vision was filled with a wall of ice forming between them.
"I thought I was supposed to fight him," Weiss said, pointing her rapier at the wall.
Ruby grinned. "Doesn't mean I can't help. You got this?"
"I do."
The wall exploded as Superman's fist plowed through it.
Weiss blinked and took a defensive stance. "I think."
Trusting her partner to handle him, Ruby turned around to see Blake and Flash fighting the others. And, by fighting, she meant 'they were running around and trying not to get hit'.
Ruby, noticing Green Lantern pointing his ring at Blake, raised her rifle and fired at him. However, the bullet exploded against his shield and he turned to her. Green blasts of energy erupted from his ring as Ruby grabbed one of the special ones from her pocket. An emerald explosion knocked her back as she locked it into the chamber and onto her butt.
The hero flew over to her and aimed at the cloud, waiting for it to dissipate. Ruby was just as blind as well and changed her weapon into its scythe form.
If he was smart, he'd come at me head-on, Ruby thought, moving to the side. So that means he must be- There! The remnants of the explosion dissipated and Ruby saw something green. She lunged forward and sliced down, hitting Green Lantern's wrist.
Though there was no actual damage, the force of her blow still carried. He spun to the side and clutched his arm, but Ruby gave him no time to focus. She twisted with her momentum and sliced again. Then, as he was knocked down, she fired point-blank into his chest.
The yellow round easily broke through his shield. Normally, Ruby would have never shot someone this close (especially if they didn't have aura or other means of defense). However, the bullets she was given were rubber-tipped. Meaning they would hurt, and likely leave a mark, but wouldn't kill or cause a lot of damage.
Green Lantern choked as the bullet hit its mark, aka his neck. He clutched his throat and coughed, long enough for Ruby to bring the back of her scythe to the back of his head.
One down, three to go, Ruby thought. Maybe this won't be as bad as I thought.
Blake exploded into flames as Martian Manhunter tried to grab her. Or, to be exact, her semblance-formed shadow did. Dust was a strange thing and so were semblances. While the two were not uniquely tied together, they could be made to 'work' together. Like Weiss' glyphs. She pushed her semblance into them and it allowed her to construct objects from a specific type of dust. As for Blake, her semblance allowed her to make copies of herself. It would take her place, take a blow, and disappear.
But with dust, it didn't always have to be a shadow. If she wanted to, Blake's shadows could be stone. Or ice.
Or fire. Which, as it turned out, was one of the Martian's greatest weaknesses.
Flames formed the shape of Blake as she used her semblance and dodged. Instead of grabbing her, J'onn grabbed fire and - like the original discovers of it - screamed and pulled back. His green, Martian skin was now covered in black burn marks that Blake could already see healing, though slower compared to the times she shot him with normal bullets.
Gambol Shroud unfolded as she sliced at him. But it simply sailed straight through his body instead of actually going through it.
Martian Manhunter hissed and his body morphed. Blake's eyes widened and her hair went on end as he turned into a large snake thing. Her own hiss slipped from her mouth and she tried to strike again. However, faster than she could even blink, Martian snake-hunter shot forward and wrapped around her. His body constricted tighter, forcing Blake to gasp. Her aura began to flash and she felt her breathing became a lot more difficult.
While her eyes didn't flash before her eyes, a few thoughts did. How many she had hurt since running away from Menagerie and to the White Fang. How long it took her to realize how far gone Adam was, and how long she stayed with him. How little she had changed since arriving at Beacon.
And how much she wanted to say to one specific girl on her team.
A repeated spray of rounds struck Manhunter's back and forced him back into his humanoid form. Blake fell to the ground, coughing slightly, and looked to the side and saw Ruby rushing forward with her rifle held up.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
Blake nodded and struggled to her feet.
Ruby, however, didn't seem to believe her. "Flash!" she yelled, "Get Blake and find the rest of them!"
The scarlet speedster, who was running literal circles around the Librarian and asking him questions like "Why be a Librarian when you can be an author? Who is the Doctor, anyway? How'd you get Batman's passwords? Can I get it too?" to basically be a huge distraction, rushed over.
"Sure thing," he smiled. "Good luck."
Blake felt him pick her up and part of her struggled. She was doing it again, running away and leaving her friends behind.
Like she'd always done.
Weiss formed another wall, this time of flame, in the doorway where Flash and Blake disappeared to. Martian Manhunter tried to chase but quickly backed off at the barrier. He turned back and glared at Ruby.
"Was it really the best idea to give up half of our team? Now it's two of us, against two aliens and the Librarian." Weiss put her back to Ruby's and she raised Myrtenaiser. She slid its chamber and put the new one - kryptonite - at the ready.
"I figured that they had a better chance at dealing with the others," Ruby shrugged. She unfolded her scythe as the Librarian, Martian Manhunter, and Superman all began to walk around them. "Besides, you always did like to prove yourself. And Flash had the equipment to take down Hawkgirl."
"But you have the pill to fight Wonder Woman."
"Yeah." Ruby pulled the green pill from her pocket and swallowed it. "Let's hope it lasts long enough to take down Superman then."
Flash was often the clown of the hero team. He'd crack jokes, make comments, and, on the rare occasion, make a goofy mistake. But when it came down to it, he'd focus on what was important.
"Okay, so if I were possessed by immortal snake people in a crystal that wanted to destroy the world, where would I be?" He crept along the darkened halls of the Watchtower, with Blake behind him. Ever since he had pulled her away, she had been silent. Just like another black-themed creature I know. After a few minutes of making their way through the station, they made their way to the center chamber.
"Why do you run?"
Flash paused mid-step. "What do you mean?"
"Whenever I run… it's to get away from someone." In Blake's hand, her katana shook. "I always feel like a coward. Too scared to stand up and fight for what I wanted. But when you do it, you are a hero. Why is it so different?"
"I…" Huh. Does this have to do with earlier? Or something more? "I guess it's just a matter of where you run to. I run to help, either away to move people out of the way, or into a fight to take down the bad guys. It's not cowardly to run, just how far you plan on going." Flash shrugged and peeked around the corner, seeing a computer terminal with no one there.
Blake held him back and looked over his shoulder. "If we wanted to get the lights on, we'd have to come here, right?"
"Right."
"And, most likely, they would know this?"
"Right."
"Then it's a trap?"
Flash smiled and held out the paste gun. "Right."
The girl rolled her eyes. "You're just like Ruby."
"Thanks!" Flash ran toward the computer and started typing away with one hand. He might not be tech-savvy like J'onn or Bats, but he was quick enough to ctrl-z if he needed to. Within seconds, he had the computer online and was rerouting power.
Maybe it wasn't a trap, he thought.
"Look out!"
Then again…
Flash moved out of the way, narrowly avoiding taking a face-full of Hawkgirl's mace. "Woah!" He ran back as Blake fired her gun (wasn't that a sword a second ago? Cool!) and slid his hands across the controls.
'Artificial Gravity: Offline' it flashed.
Uh oh.
Flash and Blake suddenly started to float in the air as their feet left the ground. He tried to turn around, but it was difficult. Overhead, Hawkgirl was flapping her wings, not at all dazed by the mishap.
But, he thought as he raised his gun at her, still a pretty good target. Flash pulled the trigger and a stream of yellowish glue shot out in a stream. As soon as he released, the spray stopped. Just like Hawkgirl would usually, she tried to smack it away with her mace. However, it stuck to the heavy end.
Flash smiled as she tried to wipe it away on one of the metal panels of the wall. "What's wrong? Stuck?" The glue stuck the mace to the wall.
"Don't mock her," Blake said, floating higher and almost banging her head on a railing. "Shoot her again!"
"Why? It's not like she's going any-"
With a roar, Hawkgirl pulled the segment of metal off of the Watchtower as it continued to hold firm to her weapon. Her wings flapped harder but somehow, like a demon, she heaved her upgraded mace above her head.
"That's just not fair!" Flash cried as he tried to swim away.
Hawkgirl didn't care. "Die, human!" she hissed, diving down at him. With nothing to run on, Flash was like a fish out of water. Or a bird underwater. Or-"
Blake's gun fired and a block of ice formed around Hawkgirl's legs. The newly added weight to her core threw her off-balance and she missed, her Flash-swatter acting as a fan that blew him against the wall.
"Thanks," he groaned, rubbing the back of his head.
Blake kept her eyes on Hawkgirl, who was now using her fists to break the ice. "Don't thank me, just fire."
This time, Flash didn't waste time making a joke. He held up the paste gun and fired - this time he didn't stop until he was sure she wouldn't be going anywhere.
Gravity returned to normal just as the Librarian fired another energy blast at Weiss. She spun out of the way, not at all affected, as she used a gravity glyph to throw her across the room and into another. Ruby, on the other hand, turned into a spiral of flower petals before appearing behind Superman.
"Take this!" she yelled, throwing a novice punch. Superman took it across his jaw and was launched back before crashing into one of the ships in the launch bay. A smile spread across her face and she rubbed her hand. "I could get used to this!"
Weiss switched to Kryptonite and tried to form some shackles around him. But, she was too wary of the stone's lethality towards him and made sure that it wouldn't hold him long.
But, hopefully, long enough.
Weiss turned back to the Librarian. Compared to their other opponents, he was the weakest. But, as it turned out, that made it more difficult to deal with him. Ruby couldn't fight him, her new strength could seriously hurt him and her scythe (or riffle) would do the same. He didn't have aura, after all. That meant Weiss had to be extremely careful with her glyphs.
A pillar of stone exploded as he turned the palm of his gauntlet away from it and toward her.
Which wasn't easy with him trying to kill her!
His watch had unfolded into some sort of gauntlet and alternated shots between yellow laser beams or sound waves. If she were to guess, it was typically to incapacitate - like a flashbang. But it obviously wasn't used like that now.
That left-
Martian Manhunter, clutching his chest, morphed his empty hand into three tendrils that wrapped around Weiss' leg. He lifted her up into the air and quickly lost the tentacle with a quick slice from Myrtenaster.
Thank the Brothers for combat skirts, she thought as she dusted hers. Then, with a turn on her heel, she formed a fire glyph above him and, with a great deal of focus, had a cage of fire rain down around him.
To her horror, he pushed his way through it. The crystal, or the creatures controlling him through it, must not have cared how damaged the body would become. Weiss realized this and canceled the glyph, but it was too late. Martian Manhunter, covered in burns, reached for her before falling to the ground with no movement.
Weiss froze. Did she-? The question died in her stomach. There's no way that she actually killed him, was it?
A wall of sound hit the back of Weiss' head and she dropped her blade to clutch her ears. It was too loud! Her brain rattled, and her ears screamed. Why wouldn't it just stop?!
Ruby grabbed her shoulder and pulled her out of the blast. She couldn't hear, but Weiss could tell she was calling her name. And, with her leader worrying about her, she didn't notice the man of steel running up behind her with red eyes glowing.
Wrapping her hands around her, Weiss pulled Ruby around so she would take the attack. She waited for an ungodly painful few seconds but it never came. The ringing in her ears was dying as she turned around - just in time for her to hear Ruby's shocked reaction to what was now fighting Superman.
"That is the coolest thing, ever." And, for once, Weiss agreed with the childlike response.
A knight, green as jade and almost too tall for the room, held Superman in its hand. A part of Weiss could see through the knight, could feel Superman struggle in her grip and then his strength fade as the kryptonite's radiation began seeping into him.
"Weiss, how are you doing this?" Ruby asked.
"I…" Summoning was the one Schnee ability she hadn't been able to master. And she had only successfully done it once before - when she was fighting the seven dwarves back at Disneyland. For a moment, a burst of pride filled Weiss. She had done it! She was a Schnee! And she…
Weiss noticed Martian Manhunter's body. She felt Superman stop struggling. With a panic, she forced the connection to break and the knight disappeared into emerald snowflakes. Superman fell to the ground. Though, luckily, he seemed to be breathing.
Ruby followed the heiress gaze and rushed over to the green alien. "He's alive!" she yelled. "I can hear his heart, I think. It's different, but there."
Thank the brothers. Weiss sighed. If he was down, Green Lantern still hadn't gotten up, and Superman didn't seem to be waking up soon, that left just one. The Librarian. At least it was just him.
Of course, it was right then that Wonder Woman announced herself by throwing the T.A.R.D.I.S at her.
To be fair, Wonder Woman wasn't throwing the blue box at Weiss. She was actually throwing it at Qrow. But over the last few minutes, as they traded blows and went back and forth, their battle, if Blake had watched all of it, would've described it as legendary. But, as she and Flash began to reboot the watchtower systems, she only caught the tail-end.
The Huntsman would use his scythe, a weapon she knew he'd only use when he was being 'serious' while the demigoddess would block and punch. Unlike when Ruby fought Superman, he was faster. But she still had greater strength.
Ruby used her semblance to pull Weiss out of the way and Blake visibly winced as the blue box slid and sparked across the ground before hitting a wall.
"Can you get the audio up?" she asked as Flash's fingers (almost literally) flew across the keyboard.
"Uh…" He chicken-pecked a button at the top. "I think that's the unmute button."
"You think?"
"This is J'onn's thing! I'm usually out there busting bad guys."
Blake rolled her eyes.
They watched as Qrow continued to deal with Wonder Woman. Ruby went to help her uncle while Weiss finished with the Librarian.
But still no sign of her.
The battle was wrapping up as Flash finally got the audio online. They heard Weiss offer an apology as she used her ice to Freeze the Librarian's legs in place, as well as the hand with the gauntlet. As she did that, Ruby and Qrow, like they had been doing this all their lives, performed criss-cross maneuvers to knock Wonder Woman off her feet.
If it were anyone else, human, or huntsman, they'd be down. But Wonder Woman was stronger than that.
"Ruby!" Qrow yelled, as he got behind the heroine and grabbed her arms. "Grab her rope!"
"Good idea!" She turned into a blur of petals and spun around her. As she ran in circles, the golden lasso began to wrap around her arms and chest. When she was done, Ruby and Qrow stepped back as Wonder Woman was bound.
However, as Ruby began to cheer, she got a kick to the stomach which, in a flash of red, broke her aura.
"Ruby!" all the Remnants yelled. Qrow rushed to his niece's side as Wonder Woman tried to run away.
Weiss formed a wall of stone, blocking her from getting far. "Blake? Is that you?"
"Can they hear me?" Blake asked, turning to Flash.
"We can hear you!"
Blake smiled. At least they wouldn't have to stop and pull out their scrolls now. She saw Qrow grab one end of the rope and try to pull Wonder Woman back as Weiss began to inspect Ruby for injuries.
"What's it gotta take to take these things down?" Qrow grunted, his arms flexing. The lasso began to glow golden and Wonder Woman stumbled.
That's right! Blake remembered. Her lasso compels people to tell the truth!
Wonder Woman, or the creatures controlling her, struggled against the magical rope. But it wasn't strong enough. "The truest light expels us from our host."
"The truest light?" Flash frowned. "Like that crystal the old guy had? What I wouldn't give for another amulet."
Coughing, Ruby clutched her chest and rose to her feet. "Blake… Cassandra. End of the World."
Flash frowned as Blake's eyes went wide. "What the-?"
"Shut down the shields. Open all the windows and get as much light in here, now!" Blake began looking around, noticing that Hawkgirl was thankfully still trapped and directly in the line of the bay's lighting.
It took Flash a few moments, but he did as he was told. There was an automatic warning, explaining how at this range the sun's radiation wouldn't hurt but put the Watchtower dangerously unprotected.
"What's all this got to do with what Ruby said?"
Blake gave a rare smile as the sun began to peak over the Earth. Yellow beams cascaded across the walls and floor as true light burst its way in. "This is why they shut off the power, why they worship the dark. UV radiation hurts them."
Superman, the closest to the bay, was hit first. He yelled and his back arched. But, within a few moments, the dark crystals fell out of his body with no more shine.
"Like Granny Flash used to say, why curse the dark when you can bring the sun to you!" Flash laughed as he ran off to check on his friend. One by one, everyone they had fought began to shake before dropping their crystals - returning to normal.
Everyone except-
Yang, on one of the cameras, hid in a dark room. It wasn't completely dark but definitely wasn't getting the sun's rays like everyone else was.
By the time Flash had run back, Blake was gone.
"I'll be seeing spots for a year," Hawkgirl mumbled. She was one of the last of the heroes to rise - partially due to the fact that she wasn't able to be freed without the help of Superman's ice breath to freeze the glue holding her.
Speaking of ice, Ruby was chipping away at the blocks holding the Librarian. "T-t-that's a lot c-colder than I thought it would be. Man, I hate mind control." He watched as Ruby punched the ice and broke it in a single hit. "Agamemnon protocol worked?"
She flexed her arm. "Like a charm."
"I hope you know I'll be taking it all back," he smirked, grabbing his gauntlet and pulling it back until it folded into his watch.
A pout formed on her face. "Aww."
Qrow, who was resting on his sword, rolled his eyes. "I think we have a more important problem."
A brief moment later and everyone was looking out of one of the large glass windows and looking at the sun. J'onn had brought the shielding back up, but they could all still see the sun and a dark storm forming on its surface. With every blink, it seemed to grow bigger.
"How can we stop it?" Weiss asked.
"If we open an Einstein-Rosen bridge and use it to drain off the infecting anti-fusion energy," Martian Manhunter offered.
Ruby and Flash cocked their heads to the side. "What?"
"A wormhole." Green Lantern explained. "It'll suck the bad stuff away."
"Oh."
Superman turned around. "We can use the Javelin. It has a wormhole generator for interstellar travel."
"Yeah… about that," Qrow muttered, rubbing the back of his head. Everyone followed his finger as he pointed to a crumbled mess of metal in a corner. If one turned their head, squinted, and blink repeatedly, they could almost make the shape out of a plane. "We kinda broke it."
Hawkgirl frowned. "Can you fix it? Flash?"
"I can try?"
"It'll take too long," Weiss interrupted. She pointed at the black stain. "By the time you get it fixed, it'll be too big."
"Then what do you propose?"
She smiled. "We don't need the Javelin. Just the generator."
Ruby's eyes lit up. "That's right! We can use the T.A.R.D.I.S to teleport there and simply throw the generator through the doors." She turned to the Librarian and Martian Manhunter. "Could it work?"
"I don't see why not," their guide mumbled. "But you and Qrow, at the very least, need to stay here."
"Why's that?"
"Because your aura is broken and he's looking out for you." Weiss shrugged and gave the Librarian a respectful nod. "Something tells me, that's all he's been doing. The protocols, Doctor Who, and everything - it's all to protect us."
The Librarian didn't respond. He turned to Wonder Woman and put his hand on her shoulder. "If we fail, you get these kids to New Genesis if you have to."
The heroine nodded. "You have my word."
"Thanks. Now, Green Lantern - Flash, you're coming with me. J'onn, an extra hand might be useful too." The Librarian began to walk over to his blue box. "We've got a star to save."
When Blake found Yang, she was punching a computer. The room was nearly pitch black, save for a light from the hallway. It was near the bottom of the station with few windows at all for Ruby's plan to work. By the amount of destruction Blake could see, most of the time Yang had spent under the gem's control involved having her come down here and reap havoc.
With a small explosion, Yang obliterated another machine and made the entire station shudder.
Blake fell into the wall with a grunt. Gambol Shroud clattered in her hand and alerted Yang to her presence. She raised her gun as Yang turned around. There was a feral look in her eyes - wild and vengeful, not at all like the usual warm gaze she often got stuck looking at.
"Let her go," Blake ordered.
"Never human!" Yang snapped back. "This vessel shall be the tool of our vengeance. We shall bring this castle down on the mammals like a spear!" She punched at a machine to her right and her gauntlets fired. Another explosion as it blew up.
This time, the Watchtower didn't shake. It did, however, start blaring an alarm that Blake could faintly hear a ring from the upper deck.
'Watchtower orbital velocity: Offline. Impact in thirty-two minutes.'
"A backup plan," Blake realized. "In case whatever the anti-fusion device was for didn't work. You're going to drop the Watchtower on the Earth. Something this big, at that velocity, would kill hundreds!"
'Yang' smirked. "Millions and trillions, mammal."
J'onn J'onzz, Martian Manhunter, was surprised at the ingenuity of the Librarian as well as his technology. Upon entering his ship, he could feel a presence from deep within it. It was warm, like a star, but seemed to stretch to infinity. If he was a threat and tried reaching out, J'onn had no doubt that his mind would have burned instantly. But it did not. The Librarian, Green Lantern, Flash, and himself rushed into the blue box (everyone but Flash muttering about how it was bigger on the inside than out) and the doors slammed shut.
"Manhunter, I'm going to need a second to get the lockdown off. Can you link us up?"
With a frown, J'onn asked what he meant.
"Mentally or psychically," the Librarian explained as he danced around the center console. Within a few moments, a couple keyboard commands, and a strangely methodic pushing of a button, they could feel the ship shudder. "With your telepathy, you can link up our minds. It'll be faster to communicate and I won't need to reroute power to comms. I'm already having enough trouble without getting E.L.I back online."
Martian Manhunter frowned. He had never thought of using his powers in such a way before. How did this man know so much about his Martian abilities anyway?
Closing his eyes to focus, J'onn reached out and connected his mind to the Librarians. Then, with focus, he reached out and tied their connection to Flash and Green Lantern.
'Is it working?' the Librarian thought.
Green Lantern stumbled back and rubbed his head. 'This is new.'
'Life is like a hurricane-'
'Not now Flash!' Green Lantern snapped. 'What's the plan?'
'I'm putting the T.A.R.D.I.S as close as I can to the sun,' the man explained. 'GL, you will need to form a ring around the star - more so like a racetrack. Flash is going to run on it, reach light speed, and throw the wormhole generator into the infected spot.'
"You want me to do what?!" Flash exclaimed - aloud. "Can you even do that?"
'It sounds possible, if not, likely.' Martian Manhunter ran through the scenario in his mind. Using the lantern ring to pull Flash to the track, it was likely that he could reach the speeds necessary to activate the generator.
It would require quite a lot of willpower, though.
Think think think think think. That's all Ruby could do right now. Think. Plan. Worry. Hope. When the T.A.R.D.I.S vanished, she had complete trust and faith in the Librarian and she knew firsthand how strong the heroes could be.
She, Weiss, Uncle Qrow, Hawkgirl, Superman, and Wonder Woman stood by the window to watch. The dark spot has clouded a large section of the sun, so much so that the planet below was almost completely dark.
Superman's eyes squinted. "They're there. I can see the blue box."
"It's a T.A.R.D.I.S," Weiss muttered.
Ruby giggled. "Any sign of-"
The Watchtower shook. It wasn't a small tremor. Ruby would have fallen if it wasn't for Uncle Qrow grabbing her shoulder.
"What happened?"
'Watchtower orbital velocity: Offline. Impact in thirty-two minutes.'
"We're crashing!" Hawkgirl yelled before flying off. "I'm going to try and see where the failure is coming from."
"It's Yang," Weiss realized. "We forgot to look for her. I bet that's where Blake went too."
Ruby flinched. All of her thinking and she didn't even realize that her sister and Blake were still missing. How could she be so stupid?! All this power-
Power… Kryptonian strength and…
"Superman!" Ruby exclaimed, spinning around. "Can you hold the Watchtower in space?"
He nodded. "I believe so. But that'll just delay the problem. We, you, need to check out the engine room."
"Something tells me I know what we'll find," Ruby muttered as she cocked Crescent Rose.
"Why are you doing this?" Blake asked. "We can take you somewhere new, give you and your people a new life without the 'mammals' to bother you."
"What we require is vengeance!" The dark smile reverted to a horrible snarl that looked terrifying on Yang's face. She saw the monster step forward, their face moving into a shadow. "You shall fear us. Scream and cry for the pain you have put on our people. The judgment you shall face is what you deserve!
"It is time to make the humans pay!"
Blake froze.
It was the largest construct Flash had ever seen John make. Up until now, all he made were bubbles, lasers, and the occasional sword and shield. Which, to be fair, was cool. But there was something about seeing a ring of green stretching around the sun that just made Flash smile. His legs twitched like they had a kind of their own. There would be no air resistance. No obstructions. Perfect traction.
A run without holding back.
The Librarian held the doors to the ship open as J'onn handed him the device.
'We'll be monitoring you from here, the latter said. 'When you reach lightspeed, throw the wormhole generator and run back here.'
Flash nodded and Green Lantern raised his fists. An aura of green energy began to cover him and, when he looked down, he could see an emerald glow on his costume.
'I always did want to be a symbol of Christmas,' he smiled as he inspected the green and red aesthetic.
GL gave him a push out the doors and he was pulled to the track, the construct holding him in place just enough that he wouldn't go flying into space or get sucked into the sun. 'Bring home the gold, hot shot.'
With a nod and a familiar smile, Flash took off running. It was amazing. He could feel his blood pumping and the sun on his side. He easily reached his top speed and had a brief moment of surprise.
I can go faster!
Flash leaned forward and felt a rush of adrenaline as he ran faster than ever before. Lightspeed was moments away for him as he ran around and around and around the sun, creating a red streak atop the green track.
Those words put Blake back to a few months ago - just before her enrollment at Beacon. She was standing atop a train, civilians in the car behind her as she looked at someone who she used to call her love.
"We need to make the humans pay. They need to suffer. We shall be the ones who will rule!"
Blake was torn between two moments. And yet, one action. Both times she froze. Both times she saw a way out. Blake turned around and heard footsteps approaching from the hallway.
She could run. Maybe to the T.A.R.D.I.S. Maybe to an escape pod. Any place was better than here. She didn't want to face her morals, her heritage, or those she loved.
The container on her belt rattled.
Superman would often save planes from crashing to the ground or sea. It was, strangely, an iconic image of him. But it wasn't as simple as picking something up. His strength made everything feel like glass and he had to be careful to spread it across the entire shape of something. Or else instead of lifting an entire plane, he might just tear a wing off.
So, holding up an entire space station without tearing it apart was quite difficult. He grunted and groaned as his arms, held above him, pushed up against the bottom of the Watchtower.
Gotta keep it in orbit!
The creatures controlling Yang must have seen the fear in her eyes. "You mammals are all the same. Humans abandon. They hate. They fear. Run. It won't do you any good!"
'It must be thrown now,' J'onn warned as he stared at one of the T.A.R.D.I.S screens monitoring Flash's speed.
'One more lap!' Flash responded and the three men watched as he did. When Flash came around to the anti-fusion device, he spun on his heel and threw the generator. 'A fastball for the ages!'
Blake stepped back and Gambol Shroud dipped in her hands. Running was what she did. The Faunus blood in her had always told her that. Flight.
"No."
"No?" Yang snarled.
"Humans, mammals, are not weak. They are strong. And loving. And they are people just like us," Blake responded, taking a step forward. The item on her belt rattled violently. She turned sideways and held out her katana, pointing it at Yang. "We love. And I am done trying to avoid the pain that comes with it.
"Yang, if you are still there, I promise I will get you out. And I promise I won't ever, ever, run away again! I am a Faunus and I will fight!"
There was the sound of something shattering before an explosion of light. Yang stumbled back to shield her eyes, the creatures controlling her flinching at the blinding glow. It didn't force them from their host. This light wasn't 'true' light.
It was emerald.
"Blake Belladonna of Remnant," a voice said. "You have the ability to overcome great fear. You have been chosen.
"Welcome to the Green Lantern Corps."
A ring slid over Blake's finger and she clenched her fist. Green energy covered her body, replacing her normal charcoal outfit with one of greens and whites. There was no mask on her face, she never wore a disguise like that. An emblem on her chest, her own with that of a circle and two lines, blazed brightly and Blake could tell that her bow was gone.
There was no need for it anymore.
She held out her hands and a green construct of Gambol Shroud formed.
"You hurt my friends. You took Yang. I'm going to make you pay for that," Blake growled.
Yang cocked her arms and extended her fingers. She hissed and charged forward, slashing with her nails. For a moment, Blake could see it all in slow motion. She thought of a shield protecting her and willed it into being. A beam of green energy extended from her ring and formed between her and Yang. The blonde scratched at it before punching it.
Willpower powered the ring. Imagination created the construct. And concentration held it together. As long as she believed the shield to be impenetrable, it would be. And Blake knew Yang didn't actually want to hurt her. The shield would hold. With a small hand motion, Blake flipped her weapons and grabbed the cords attached to them. She threw them forward and around both of Yang's sides.
The tethers wrapped quickly. Yang was far too focused on the target in front of her to notice. Though as her hands became bound to her body, keeping her immobile, she hissed and squirmed.
Another construct formed, a bubble like the ones Green Lantern enjoyed, and Blake stepped forward. This was not Yang. She was in there, somewhere.
And I know how to break her out.
After spending all day getting outpaced by Flash and Superman, Ruby thought her bronze medal as the fastest person was fairly cemented. That was until Blake, in green, flew past them at speeds fast enough to cause a blast of wind.
Weiss, equally shocked, pushed her hair out of her face. "Was that Blake?"
"Was that Yang?" Ruby asked, her eyes had caught a flash of her sister in a green sphere. She and her teammate turned around and raced back up just in time to see Yang collapse into Blake's arms with a few dozen crystal fragments on the ground around them in front of a window.
Tears welled up in Ruby's eyes as she ran forward and crashed into them both, pulling them into a hug. "Don't you ever leave me again!"
"I promise, I won't," Blake whispered. "No more running."
"Can someone fill me in on what's happening?" Weiss asked, though she did seem visibly calmer now that their team was back together.
Yang rubbed her head and stared at Blake. "I think I'd like to know that too. You look great in green, Blake."
"Thanks," the Faunus blushed. "But first, I need to do something."
"What's that?"
Blake leaned forward and kissed Yang on the cheek in the light of a rebirthed star. "That."
Both daughters of Taiyang Xiao-Long blinked and paused but for two very different reasons. For once, Ruby froze and couldn't move. She didn't want to. There was something pure and right about this. It was like... everything she and her mom fought for. A truly peaceful and loving moment amidst chaos.
And, for once, Yang had nothing to say.
"It's about time," Weiss muttered with a smile.
Getting the Watchtower fixed was probably the easiest thing done that day. Superman held it in place long enough for Green Lantern to return. He formed ropes and pulled as Superman pushed. They were both surprised when Blake joined them and formed two large pairs of hands to help lift the station back into orbit. With the help of the three of them, along with the Librarian and Martian Manhunter from the T.A.R.D.I.S, they easily moved it back into place.
Hawkgirl worked the main computer as Flash and Ruby, under the instruction of Wonder Woman and Weiss, rebuilt broken machinery at eye-blink speeds.
And Yang felt useless.
She had gotten controlled. Twice. And now that she was free, she had nothing to do. There were no bad guys to beat up (unless you counted how she was mentally kicking herself). The crystals, after being blasted with so much light, were clear and empty.
I could always get a broom and dustbin, she grumbled, only half-joking.
And yet, with all the crap that happened, Yang couldn't wipe the smile off her face or stop her heart from beating like a jackhammer. Blake… Just her name alone made her face turn even redder.
Yang thought it was a pretty good secret about her feelings for the ravenette. But apparently not. She seemed different now. Confident. And taller, like a weighted jacket had finally been discarded.
The new outfit was really nice too. Who knew green and white went with her yellow eyes so well?
On one hand, Yang was sitting and watching as her friends helped fix a space station that she helped destroy. On the other… well, it was a great view.
Yang waved at Blake through the glass.
"Did you talk to her yet?"
The blonde shrugged as Qrow sat down next to her. He had gone to find something to drink and she was surprised to see a cup of coffee in his hand with another now set next to her.
"Not yet," Yang answered. "She's busy saving the world." She chuckled. How many people actually got to say that?
Qrow chuckled. "Your mom used to say that about us all the time. 'We're saving the world! Let's get them!' Yada yada."
"That doesn't sound like Mom."
"Not Summer. Raven." Yang twirled around. She'd never gotten so much as a hint of the woman who birthed her. "She was just like you at times. Headstrong. Proud. And, in her own way, loving. There was always a contradiction about her. Cold but warm. Strong but weak. Cruel yet kind. I'm surprised Summer and Tai stood us long enough for them to see those sides of her."
"Why… why are you talking about her?"
Qrow groaned and rubbed his neck. "There's something about having a plane and a time machine thrown at you that puts things in perspective. Not to mention, almost destroying a star and losing you." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a photo from his wallet. "If you want to know, you deserve to know."
He held out a photo and Yang reached to take it. Her fingers brushed the paper and then she pulled back. "Not yet. I think I know why you were keeping her from me. And I want it but-"
Blake flew by again, as did the T.A.R.D.I.S which she jumped into.
"But I think I've gotten a family. I might not be useful right now, but I know I will be. That's how a family works. We share our burdens and our goals. And if she didn't want to be a part of one, then why should I make her?"
Qrow nodded and pocketed the photo. "Another time then. Anytime you want, kiddo."
"Thanks, Uncle Qrow."
Apparently, both groups made quite the mark on each other and neither wanted the Remnants to leave.
"We have to go," the Librarian said. "We've mixed up too much and I don't want to be here in case one of the Highers or Karma wants to correct us."
"That's a shame," Superman said. "I'm sure we could learn a lot from you, just as you planned to learn from us."
The Librarian nodded, reached into his jacket pocket, and pulled out a small device no bigger than a thumb. "If you ever need us, we'll be here. It's not often you get to be the ones who heroes call for help. Maybe you should look into getting more heroes."
"Maybe." Superman took the device and gave a Kryptonian salute. The Librarian responded in kind.
Martian Manhunter, who was standing over his shoulder, placed a hand on the T.A.R.D.I.S. "Your ship feels as if it's ready to go. Whatever lockdown measures you had in place are completely lifted."
"Thanks, J'onn."
"I…" Weiss stepped forward. "I wanted to apologize if you were hurt."
The Martian tilted his head. "What do you mean?"
"I burned you. My fire almost-" Weiss' breath hitched and she closed her eyes. "I thought I…" She stopped as J'onn placed a hand on her shoulder.
"You acted as a hero and fought to protect those you care about." He pointed to his arms and the lack of burns covering them. "And, as you can see, I am fine. Do not worry. If this is how much you worry about your strength -" he and the Librarian glanced at Superman "- then you'll be one of the kindest."
Weiss nodded. "Thank you."
Off to the side, Qrow was flirting with Wonder Woman. Ruby was talking to Flash. Hawkgirl was comparing notes with Yang on battle techniques and Blake was whispering with GL.
He handed the girl a slip of paper, as well as a lantern battery. "Be sure to keep it charged." She took the gifts and gave her thanks.
One by one, each member of team RWBY (even Qrow) walked over to the T.A.R.D.I.S.
"Don't forget to write!" Flash joked, earning him an elbow jab from Hawkgirl.
Yang laughed and waved back. "We won't!"
There was a pause as Weiss held up her hand and pointed to the heroes. "I've been meaning to ask: What about Batman? Why wasn't he here?"
"He's recovering in his cave," Wonder Woman answered. "He had a rough month and we've forced him to take a sick day. His voice is gone and he needs to rest."
"Not like he used it much anyway," Flash muttered. "Ow!" This time, both Hawkgirl and GL elbowed him.
Ruby and Yang giggled and gave another wave before stepping inside as the Librarian held the door open. They both had a hand on their Uncle Qrow's shoulders, pulling him away from Wonder Woman. Weiss was next, giving a small bow - a high honor from her. Then lastly, Blake. Who, ought of everyone, changed the most (and not just in the outfitical sense). As she dipped inside, the Librarian closed the door.
The Justice League watched as the T.A.R.D.I.S made an alien noise before fading out. They had enjoyed the kids who graced their home and, for a few, felt a parental connection. It was a shame that they happened to come on a day when they had all ended up fighting.
But, the never-ending battle continued. The screen flickered to life and a man with a dark cowl covering the top half of his face appeared on the screen.
"I just got-… What happened?"
"Nothing we couldn't handle," Hawkgirl said. She put a hand on GL's shoulder. "Just enjoyed some company."
"You're supposed to be resting," Superman added, crossing his arms.
"I got enough. The President wants us on a mission. Flash specifically."
With a groan, the speedster asked, "do I have to?"
The white lines covering Batman's eyes flattened as he glared at his fellow leaguer.
"Okay! I'm on my way."
The screen went black.
"I guess you need me to give this up to?" Blake asked as the Librarian moved from Weiss to her. After Creasing the T.A.R.D.I.S, he had begun taking back the 'gifts' from the Agamemnon protocol. Ruby's superstrength was gone, but he had her hold a piece of a golden meteorite just to be sure. Then Weis gave back her kryptonite 'dust' vial. He had slid that back into the console and they could all hear it clatter down somewhere unknown.
Blake held up her fist and looked down at the ring around her finger. She had suspected that once they were done, she would have to give it up. After all, it was 'the most powerful weapon in the universe'. The battery the real Green Lantern gave her sat next to her with a paper atop it. She wasn't a space policeman. She was a huntress - not even from that universe.
But… the ring was proof. She wasn't going to run anymore. And she was working on her fears. It wasn't so much a reward as a reminder that what she was doing was right.
The Librarian stayed silent and held out his hand. She nodded and pulled the ring off easily, her new costume disappearing as well. She patted her head and was surprised to feel that the bow wasn't there at all anymore. She had left it on the Watchtower.
"Here," she said, giving it back. He took it and turned around.
Then he spun back, with the ring on a cord. "You earned this," he said, placing it in her palm. "The oath of a lantern is sacred, even throughout the multiverse. But I don't think you need to waste its charge." He curled her hand around it. "With great power comes great responsibility. Don't abuse it."
Blake nodded. "I won't."
"At least you got some cool stuff," Yang pouted.
"You got me," she whispered, planting a kiss on her cheek."
Yang went red, a cute color on her. "Y-yeah."
"Sir, I have an alert for you," E.L.I said. She had just finished rebooting from her deactivation during Agamemnon.
The Librarian turned around. "Put it on the screen."
"It involves a new volume."
"You're buying books?" Qrow asked, slapping the Librarian on the back. "What? Do they have multi-dimensional packaging and shipping?"
The Librarian stumbled forward and his face went slack. "So soon?" he asked.
Ruby grabbed his hand. "What's wrong?"
He pulled it away. "Something personal. Why don't you all head back to the theater? We're going to binge the next three episodes in one sitting."
"Great!"
Everyone turned around to see Weiss coughing into her hand. "I mean… I cannot wait to see what comes next."
Yang laughed and wrapped her arm around the heiress' neck. "Heck yeah! Let's go Weiss-cream." She held her open hand out, which Blake took.
And they all ran forward to the future.
Huge, huge thanks to my first-ever supporter!
Helpful supporter - Dalek2150
And we are done! Oh, boy. That… That was a lot of fun.
This is what I was building up to. I had in mind the Aganemnom protocols as well As Blake's arc from the start. When I was writing her part, I realized that it is likely she could have been able to join the Star Sapphires too, but A) I don't know that much about that and B) this was about Blake facing her fear and overcoming it - not necessarily realizing her love for Yang (though that was an added bonus).
Yeah, the Librarian has contingencies like Batman. And why not have some of those tied directly to the world? I took a lot of what Bats said directly from a video with Kevin Conroy going over them (RIP). As for plans to take down RWBY+? That's different. Yes, there are more specific ones, including for himself. But I don't want to reveal how aware he is of them and their future. Also, the Librarian is at his weakest in terms of strength currently - he does not carry a weapon and the AI knows this. If the Librarian was arming himself with (let's say) a Hulkbuster suit, then it would have made those details aware. Though the gauntlet he uses is a nod to the watch thing Tony uses in Civil War.
There was a LOT of fighting. I hope it was interesting. I had specific pairings in mind, while others were more so of 'oh, what can these characters do?' Like, sadly, Qrow. I must admit, I forgot about him at the end of the last chapter and basically just had him find Wonder Woman in the background. I'm sorry. But it isn't his story. It's RWBY's. And, more specifically, this one was for Blake.
I really hope you all liked this chapter. I was planning this one since I started this story and even have in mind a sequel story (that I put clues in from this chapter, mwahahahaha). I'll be putting that as an option in the future, but it'll be a while down the road.
The next 6 chapters will just be watching DW. We'll be finishing 9th's run and, hopefully, will be done by next fall. I'll probably have more time during summer. But I do want to focus on my rewrites for Metal like Roses and My Mistborn Academia before putting up the next chapters for them.
Also, I will be putting a poll out soon to decide something. I always planned on having JNPR join the party. But, after juggling so many characters in this chapter, I realize that it might be difficult and makes the stories longer. So here they are:
1. Bring JNPR in just to watch episodes
2. Bring JNPR in fully like RWBY and Qrow
3. Bring JNPR in but pick what characters I want in a specific story (like Jaune, Pyrrha, Blake, and Weiss, for example. Or RWBY and just Jaune)
4. Don't bring in JNPR.
This poll (that will be up after the Slitheen chapter) will decide certain events down the line. I have plans for stories with specific characters which may include more than RWBY, but I do not want to force you guys to read a story that you think is bloated.
So, if you liked this chapter (and the two before it), let me know! This really was a bit difficult for me to outline as I had the start and end goals in mind, but not the middle.
Thanks again for reading. I hope to see you all next chapter :)
Please, feel free to follow and comment on predictions, thoughts, etc. I am always looking for new ways to improve my craft. Tell your friends!
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