S/N: Ragnarok - The Ending or the Beginning?
Kent Farm - Smallville
"Did it hold?" asks Dick..
"Yes it did, new problem though, word is going around that Ra's has seized the binary gun," answers Barbara.
"Damn, what we are going to do?" quips Tim.
"Bruce being Bruce or actually Batman already has a plan in motion," says Faraday.
"He was always two steps ahead of everyone except for maybe Ra's in this situation," remarks Waller.
"What's the plan?"
"We mass produced a Javelin line after the Lords abandoned using it, it is how we got to the Lunar Watchtower."
"So what are they going to be used for?"
"The Outsiders are going to use them to retake the Watchtower from the Society."
"What about the Ultimen?"
"I still have to get to the president before the other members of Cadmus elect to use them to attack the Outsiders as they move towards the rendezvous."
"Our timing is very bad, isn't it?" murmurs Tim.
"No Mr. Drake it is not, just we don't get very lucky or just make narrow escapes."
Faraday answers his communicator again, someone is reporting from the European branch of the organization.
Location Unknown
As he reads through the headlines and then sees the news while hovering on high, Kal learns that Smallville and other locations are under siege, no doubt something to do with Bruce or Diana or those idiots that follow them he thinks to himself. It was time to put an end to this charade finally of course he knew something else had happen to Bruce once he saw the ongoing battle at Atlantis at distance while observing it underwater. As he flies away from the area, he goes super sonic, which is naturally uncommon unless it is a plane, but of course, he reads as an unknown bogey so when a report surfaces on an unidentified sonic radar blip, something connects somewhere.
en route to Kent Farm
Meanwhile Agent Harper is heading for Smallville at Faraday's request though along the way he passes a familiar sight from his past, road way signs directing to highway that would lead to another road which would lead to Gotham, where his friend Dick had grown up as well as another sign that would point towards the iinterstate that passes roads leading to Metropolis where Kyle had worked for the Daily Planet.
Nobody saw much of Donna for years now, but he tried to forget about her, the job was his life right now. However hearing about his old friends from Faraday made it that much harder to not think about the old days. He cranks up the radio and keeps going passing the signs knowing he just might see them all again anyway whether he thought so or not.
Gotham City
Donna, Dinah, and Zatanna all collapse onto a bench before prying off their shoes.
"How does Diana do it in those high heeled boots?" quips Zatanna.
"They fit and she is well Wonder Woman," answers Dinah.
"We are conditioned for years to endure things worse than physical discomfort."
"Discomfort, you say that after kicking and fighting an army that size with little backup except for some of the best fighters in Gotham."
"You got that right Dinah," cracks Helena.
"Where is Vic?" questions Renee."
"He and the cell currently in Metropolis are mopping up the Ultimen there, but the rest of the Ultimen are being diverted elsewhere he says."
"Where to?"
"Wherever Batman is planning to launch the retake operation from."
"We never get breaks do we?"
"Never, never, but that's half the fun some of the time."
"So where are we off to now?"
"They might need back up in Smallville because there is an Ultimen force heading there to 'arrest' Kara."
"Right... well the staff could cut travel time in half if can move that many of us."
Zatanna after putting her heels back on stands in the middle holding the staff firmly. Helena steps in next, then Donna with her battle boots back on, after her is Dinah, and Renee wishes them luck before returning to the command post setup in this sector of Gotham. All she can think for a moment is heck of a time for an armageddon game. However she retains faith in the Outsiders and in her old friend Vic.
Kent Farm
"He is getting closer..." says Kara.
"You can't be serious..." continues Inara.
"I rarely kid and its him, you recognize the noise anywhere if you have super-hearing or just know what to listen for."
Kara flies up before anyone can stop her, so Inara follows, as does Kyle, then J'onn, Fate tells Inza to mind the Kents and the others in the house. However John is very reluctant to allow a very pregnant Shayera to fight considering what happen the last time she fought someone with Kryptonian powers as well as the fact that she is still carrying a child.
"Child or no, he endangers us all, so either let me, come with me, or stay with the others in the house."
"It is frustrating to be without a ring or at least something to fight back with."
"It would be too simple for Kal to kill you or the others because he is on a killing spree well sort of."
It is a tense moment between them, but then she continues speaking again.
"John, there are things we have to do, even if I am a very pregnant Thangarian hefting a Nth metal mace."
"You made your point, just be careful."
"When am I not?"
"I'm holding you to that."
The boom ends as Kal descends on the farm surrounded by the energy field generated by the Thanagarian shield network hidden underground. An opening is made for Kara to lead a team out to face her deranged cousin as she thinks of him, at least when she stomach thinking of him at any rate.
"I should have left you in that pod!" he says to her.
"Somehow I would almost agreed with that at one point, but you may not care about these people... however I do so you'll have to get through us."
"You aren't a match for me, together or alone."
"We'll see about that..."
"Sure, we will..."
Kara flies straight at him except he zips around her elbowing her in the back, which makes her cry out in pain before hitting the road and then he shoots up before trying to land on her except Inara zips through to get Kara as Kyle intercepts him on the way down though he bashes his way through Kyle's wall construct. He flies towards Kyle then headlocks him, which gives Shayera the opening to hit him with the mace hoping that he might still be vulnerable to magic except he grips the mace the instant she is within striking range. She concentrates on charging it and it does releasing a bolt straight at him. It sends him and Kyle flying away from the shield dome. As Kyle recovers he dodges a temporarily stunned Kal who then uses the opportunity to spin toss Rayner. Fate starts blasting away at Kal next though it is just as effective as usual before the former hero instead pummels Fate's helmet causing him to drop so Kara goes in for the catch then passes him off to Inara just as Kal's clenched fist connects with her stomach.
"You'll die if you stay here," he says to her.
"Better than letting you kill your family first!"
"They aren't my family anymore, this whole life here was a lie!"
"Clark Kent was never a lie!"
"Clark Kent is dead!"
"Of course he is, you killed him."
He throws her down the road, it smashes the whole way down, and then Shayera and Inza step up with Fate and Kyle out of the scene for now. Shayera goes by air and Inza by ground using what little undergrowth she can to affect his mobility. He rips through all her attempts to bind him with overgrown nearby cornstalks. Shayera keeps smashing him with the mace, but he is relentless in a bad way. He throws Inza who is barely cut by a still winded Fate and as for Shayera, she lands hard on her side, and John runs out to her with nothing, but his limbs for weapons. There is a strange glow next to him at that moment as four women appear though battle worn, they are ready to defend, but of course the carnage so far is somewhat disheartening until Donna resolves to lead the new charge that is until three other women emerge from the farmhouse.
The three walk towards Kal who is still pumped for fighting yet as he notices who nears his arms drop for the moment, they would pay for sending these three to deal with him. They would, but for one of these three, this is the hardest thing she has ever had to do in her life.
"What happen to my little boy? to my the boy who always made me smile? to my son who always excelled at any challenge to his mind? to the man that made me proud to say my son the reporter? to the man that was Superman? you tell me, what did you do to him?"
His expression lessens in intensity.
"What happen to the guy that had a crush on me from the first time we met in kindergarten? To the guy who ripped his way into a RV to save a family? To the guy who warned me about dating powerful men? to the man who I still love even though he was in love with someone else?"
His head tilts downward just a little.
"What happen to the city desk guy I tried to lose on his first day? What about the one who kept saving me when I didn't think I needed saving? What of the one who won awards that I used to pride myself on winning until he started surprising me left and right with how he could write? What of the heart under the costume, the one that made me fall in love with two different guises who turned out to be the same man?"
He exhales then looks up with a glare that seem to answer yet not answer their demanding questions. His arms rise, his hands open, and then he slaps them together making a super clap that ripples through the air. Lois flies backwards as does Lana yet Martha at the epicenter of it is thrown much further and the air streams with tears as she goes as she is flung she gasps 'you'll always be my little boy.' As he shoots skyward, something inside breaks knowing that he just flew away from another reconciliation attempt. They are not part of my life anymore he mentally insists, but of course the denial wears thin, he feels unforgivable even when they would forgive him, the problem is he can't forgive himself or at least part of him suspects that to be true. The other part that had been driving him to this point won't let up, so convinced that ending everything is the solution. It would end starting with Bruce, so he had to find him, only one would walk away, that was the way with two combatants, the only way.
Meanwhile Lois is caught by Inza, Lana is in the arms of Fate, and Martha had somehow been caught by a limping Shayera.
"Oh dear, are you alright?" mumbles Martha.
"I'm okay, the baby is fine, just a rough landing is all."
"You best be careful, you'll worry that husband of yours half to death, then after that the kid will do the same, all these kinds of things come with the territory of motherhood, you'll learn it on your own way."
"I'm sorry about Clark."
"Nothing to be sorry about, I'm just an old woman now, I made the offer, it is up to him now, but at least I faced him, at least they faced him. It would probably killed Jonathan to try to come out here. It hurts him too."
"Awful lot of that going around."
"Awful lot of little wonders too like that little Cass and the bundle in your belly."
"Yeah, so we have had quite a day, I think a meal is in order."
"Mmhmm can't disagree with that."
The two mothers just walk a little slower back to the farmhouse as the others are flopping down from all the excitement.
Barbara goes out to Kara while Dick finds himself face to face with Donna.
"I was surprised to see you again."
"As am I, but its been a lifetime since then."
"Right well that was a long time ago, the Titans were disbanded, and I went on to become..."
"I did not expect you to stay the Boy Wonder forever."
"No I became Nightwing."
"What happen to the others?"
"I lost track of Roy after he and Oliver went separate ways, he even declined joining the Outsiders of course it was Oliver that approached him."
"What of the rest then?"
"Like I said lost track."
"Well we are going to need everyone and I mean everyone if we are to stop this Ra's Al-Ghul."
However it was time to take in a meal.
"No sense going out to save the world on an empty stomach," insists Jonathan Kent.
This actually makes Martha smile as she follows him into the kitchen with Alfred.
After the early dinner a car stops outside the barrier shield that Kyle incidentally hit after being flung by Kal.
"Now this is too coincidental that you and Donna are here... plus Kyle," says a voice.
"Roy Harper... it has been a long time as I was saying to..."
"Yes, it has, but I have to report to King now."
"What?"
"I work with Agent King Faraday now, I'm not a costume anymore."
She gives him a look, which he politely dismisses before going to King.
"He's different alright."
"Costumes became persona non grata in the last few years especially with the Justice Lords."
"We had closed our borders, a lot of the civilizations that coexisted in secrecy with the the rest of this world just waited for signs that things were improving, but it seems in a matter of a few years especially these recent months that people have gone insane."
"Not all of us Donna."
"I know, its just I thought we all did some kind of good before, but now its like they would kill us all."
Barbara is busy with Cassandra, but she calls out to Dick. He heads into the baby room where she is nursing Cass with a bottle, she would be able to walk, talk, and the real challenge kicks in, being parents to a child in a world changed by what her parents used to do for a living though is that much different than those without costumes. If one seriously thought about it everyone was in a costume of a kind at some point in their lives, but most when thinking of costumes think Halloween, comic books, crime fighters, heroes, heroines, vigilantes, criminals, and villains who don't usually see themselves as villains. Donna can hear Barbara making strange sounds so she follows the noise until she knocks at the baby rooom door.
"Come in, company would be nice."
"So who this delightful little one?"
"Our daughter Cassandra."
"Well you have been busy Grayson."
"You look like Diana, well almost, but you must be..."
"Donna Troy, used to go by silly heroine names too."
"I was or still am sort of Batgirl."
"Why upgrade to Batwoman?"
"Someone else beat me too, sort of."
"Right, those three women who each had separate beefs with Penguin, Thorne, and Duquense."
"One worked for Bruce, one was a cop that sort of seemed as if she was somewhat attracted to Batman, and the third was Duquesne's daughter who Bruce had a brief romance with, much to my annoyance at the time, I got over it, decided to move, ended up following Dick to Bludhaven. I am a cop, guess it runs in the family now and Dick is a District Attorney, provided we don't get civic skewers for going back to costumes when this is over."
"May I hold her?"
"Sure, you know how to do it?"
"I think I can manage."
A beautiful child, something worth saving this world for, it would be almost tragic to have her grow in a world where her parents among others are hunted for trying to uphold what they believe and protect what matters most to them.
Waller learns that the Ultimen as well as the Templars are being sent to intercept what is believed to be the Outsiders attempt to flee 'justice' for their attacks worldwide, and so she contacts Faraday who is acting as liaison in Smallville.
"So now we are getting hammered for something that Cadmus and the Society did?"
"To them we are the villain or the virus, take your pick."
"I say neither, we have to get to Batman's location and fast."
"This staff is sure getting a workout to say the least."
Dick and Barbara suit up to join the others gathering around the staff in the yard. Zatanna transports the first group of J'onn, Shayera, John, and Tim then teleports back to get Dinah, Helena, Barbara, and Inara. Dick is left standing there with Roy, Faraday, and Waller.
"So why are you two together in the same organization?"
"It was an opportunity to contribute without the costume just like you become D.A. in Bludhaven or that wife of yours as a cop."
"You realize Donna was asking me if I knew what happen to the others?"
"She was curious," adds Kyle.
"I heard that," remarks Donna.
"So you miss being with the Titans," questions Roy.
"It was a different time, a different world, when it was still fun to look to fights instead of almost pacing here waiting for the moment to come where we will be fighting for our very livelihood."
"End of the world kind of stuff does that."
Donna, Dick, Faraday, and Waller move into the effect radius of the staff teleport.
The Kents, Alfred, and Cassandra would stay behind of course.
"You sure you aren't coming Roy?"
"I gave this up years ago."
"What if I ordered you Agent Harper?"
"I would almost do it for that..."
Zatanna teleports them before Donna can ask what he would do it for, but of course, the answer would have to wait if he ever chose to share it.
"Well I'll be gong next, guess you can go back to doing whatever you were doing, thanks for the ride too."
"Sure thing Rayner."
"Man between you and me, I think you should come with us."
Zatanna reappears again then wraps her arm around both of them before Roy can pull away.
Sanctuary Base, Antarctica
They materialize inside the Antarctic base where the Javelins are nearly ready to take them up.
As Roy looks down below, he spots Dick in his Nightwing getup talking to Victor, Gar, and of course the white cloak sorceress herself Raven.
"How overjoyed am I to see you Roy!"
His brows arch as he finds himself getting a hug from Koriand'r.
"How are the former Titans here?"
"We were recruited by the one called Black Canary."
"Dinah Lance, you were brought in by her?"
"Yes, that's her name too, I always thought it confusing when some heroes used such names, but of course I am also called Starfire."
"You know Dick is married."
"Yes I met his wife, they were romantically involved for years, sure I had feelings for him, but we were both young then too."
"It was pretty serious, but I guess a lot happen then to all of us."
"I'm happy now so please don't talk about this."
"I'm sorry."
"We have a mission, a big one, so if you are going along then you are coming, if not, you can wait it out."
Starfire hovers down to join the other former Titans and Roy is left there feeling pretty dumb about talking about what qualifies as ancient history in relationship dynamics.
"Don't sweat it, she's just a little off balance after not seeing this many of us together in years, the same off balance thing is leaving a lot of us fumbling, but we'll pull together somehow."
"Right, well, I got rid of the costume awhile ago."
"I wouldn't be too sure about that."
"Faraday what are you on about?"
"Let's just say Wayne isn't the only one who prepares in advance."
Roy gives him a fish hook look before following his organization mentor.
As for Kyle, he finds himself facing Donna or rather accidentally looking at Donna's chest first.
"Hello Kyle," she says softly.
"Hey Donna," he answers.
"It's been a long time."
"Almost five or six of your years."
"Stewart was the Lantern in this sector for awhile when I went to Oa for advance training."
"Looks like your Earth's Lantern now."
"Looks like it."
"Strange way to see you all again, but at least now I know what happen to the others aside from Roy stepping out."
"I wouldn't be too sure of that if Faraday's hinting before was some sort of a flip to get Roy back in costume."
"We'll see won't we...I miss being on a team some times, but Themyscira proves to be enough of a challenge too."
The Javelins are loading up with costumed passengers.
Batman is piloting a vehicle that looks like a cross between the Batmobile and the Batwing, which he calls the Bat-cruiser and his co-pilot is Diana no less. The space flight capable Bat-cruiser is likewise only built for two, no shock with that one either.
Kyle and Donna float down to join the former Titans who are boarding one of the Javelins. As the launch doors start opening, the first wave of Javelins depart and race skywards however on the way up, someone intercepts Batman and Wonder Woman, its Kal so is he dragging the vehicle in another direction. This is not good as some are starting to think until Batman makes the call to shift leadership of the mission to Vic and Oliver who have only recently been able to settle Metropolis from the Ultimen incursion there as it was lead there by Volcana. Vic took her out using flame suppressors, which annoyed her to no end until she is taken away by Metropolis' SCU.
Vic, Helena, Oliver, Dinah, Inara, Kyle, and Donna board another Javelin that will take Batman's spot in the formation.
***
It seems strange that he had not just torn them from the cockpit or worse blown the vehicle up with the two of them inside of it. He instead literally drags the Bat-cruiser clear away from Antarctica. Galatea spots the flame of the heating up hull as he is moving at near sonic speeds. She leads the Ultimen and the Templar to the Antarctic base except most of the Javelins are away she directs them to pursue except as she is about to suggest something to the Templar, Waller appears carrying a kryptonite rifle.
"Directive override, new targets Ultimen and Galatea."
"That won't work, they don't answer to you anymore."
"Maybe, but we will see won't we?"
Each of the five engages the ranks of the Ultimen thus blocking their efforts to follow the Javelins.
"You are finished Waller!"
Shayera joins the fight against the Ultimen as does J'onn, John, and once again back in costume Tim Drake.
"Welcome to your last stand cause the heroes are back!"
As cheesy as it sounds, Tim needs a laugh now and again.
The dark haired girl from the Templar Initiative glares at Galatea who feels like the room is transfiguring around her after being stunned by the kryptonite blast.
Lunar Tower, the Moon
"Prepare the next series of the targets, we have given them enough time for their goodbyes," comments Ra's.
"Yes Master, prepare to fire."
"Inbound craft Master."
"What?"
"Cadmus data archives indicate they are advanced Javelins as do the Outsiders database."
"Never mind that change targets, destroy those Javelins!"
"Firing, they are dodging, we will have to wait to fire again."
"All personnel standby to repel intruders!" shouts Ubu.
"It seems I underestimated you again Detective, but this is not over yet."
A/N 1: Ragnarok from Norse mythology involves an epic battle, gods dying, natural disasters, and the sinking of the world (recent events in the story are quite mythological in proportion), but the heroes still have more challenges to overcome, first on Earth and later in space.
A/N 2: Kal's self-destructive streak is given pause by the verbal intervention made by Martha 'Ma' Kent, Lois Lane, and Lana Lang. He leaves them alive, but turns his attention towards Batman and Wonder Woman again. Implied that Kal has a death wish.
A/N 3: Nostalgia for the old days settles in, but even so former Lords and former Titans are in this together and nobody can afford to stay on the side lines, not even Roy Harper.
A/N 4: Templars switch sides with the exception of the dark haired girl who has her own motivations for allying herself with the Outsiders.