Previously on
CRISIS
The forces of good have gained more allies in the fight to save all of reality. The remnants of the Race Conquest Fleet, given sanctuary by their defeaters, now prepare to fight once more. Two ships also join the ranks, in the form of the Thuktun Flishithy and the Archangel Michael. Now that the playing field has been leveled, even if by only a small increment, the heroes rush to defeat the forces of evil once and for all.
They must travel on swift wings. While they recuperated from the previous battle, the legions of evil led by Darkseid now set their sights on none other than the Ringworld, a massive superstructure inhabited by trillions of defenseless natives. Winning it will be the crux of the war, for whomever triumphs.
As they race towards battle, the heroes prepare for the final storm, physically and emotionally.
S
Aboard the Red Dwarf
"S-superwoman?"
I became aware of a rapid heartbeat right behind me, and I turned to see Shinji standing in the hallway. I could smell the sweat and adrenaline coming off of him, and I saw that his heart was pumping blood rapidly through him as he grew nervous. Of course, there was also a red core the size of a pomelo right next to it, but I had a feeling that was a discussion for a later time.
"Is something wrong?" I asked.
"N-nothing," he stammered. "I w-was just heading over to see my friends."
"You can tell me if something's wrong, you know," I said. "You look like you're going to faint any second. Is there something you want to say, Shinji?"
It's just that... I mean... you kind of look like..." he trailed off, suddenly focusing on his shoes. As I studied him further, I realized he wasn't just nervous; he was afraid. He was getting ready to bolt or fight at any moment; there was even some activity going on within the core in his chest.
"Oh," I said, feeling a little guilty. "I see what you mean; it must make you nervous to see that face again."
"Did you know about her, that woman who attacked?" Shinji asked.
"No," I replied softly. "I was shocked when I saw my... her face. It was so much like me, and yet so different. It was like someone pretending to be me; she had my face, my voice, but it was all wrong."
Shinji took a deep breath, calming himself. "Does that mean there are others out there? Other me's, other you's, other everyone?"
I sighed. "I guess that's the case. I spoke with that Yama guy about it, as well as your mother. She's very friendly and intelligent, by the way."
"She gets that a lot," Shinji chuckled. He was getting less nervous, now; I saw that his heart rate was returning to normal, and blood was returning to his face.
"Anyway, Yama seems to know a lot more about the whole multiverse thing than anyone else. If it's not infinite, then it might as well be. He said there's probably more than a few alternate versions of ourselves out there, in different situations maybe, but that was all he had on it."
"I don't Asuka would like the idea of other versions of her," Shinji murmured half-jokingly. "She's competitive enough as it is."
"Are you two an item?" I asked. "Just curious."
"She definitely wouldn't like you asking that question."
I chuckled at that. "There's no reason for her to worry. I'm already taken."
"Really? Who is he?"
"Her cape name is Panacea," I replied. "She's on the ship, along with Batman and Dragon; she wears that medical-looking costume."
Shinji opened his mouth, as if to say something, then closed it again, cheeks burning red.
"Good for you," he managed to squeak. "S-sorry for thinking..."
"Oh, it happens all the time," I replied, suppressing the urge to laugh. "She and I got hitched a few months ago. I don't wear the ring while working."
(WAIT, SUPERWOMAN'S A LESBIAN?!)
At once, Shinji and I both focused on the source of the voice: a fly on the wall.
(Way to blow our cover, Marco,) Jake muttered.
(C'mon, man! Cut me some slack; I just figured out that our childhood idol is gay!)
"Both of you, demorph," I said, my voice hardening. "Now."
They complied quickly enough. Within half a minute, they were both back in human form, awkwardly dressed in leotards. To my side, I heard Shinji snicker.
"Sorry about the eavesdropping," Jake mumbled. His face was like that of a kid getting chewed out by his mother. "We didn't mean to hear about your, um, never mind. We needed to talk to you in private about something."
"What would need a private talk?" I asked.
"It's about the dude leading the bad guys," Marco replied. "The stone man with the red eyes that everyone keeps talking about. It's really important that we talk to you about him."
"Alright, then," I said, folding my arms. "Let's talk. Shinji stays, though."
Jake straightened, trying to regain some of his confidence. "We saw him. Marco, Tobias, Rachel, Cassie, me; we all saw him, before we wound up here. The thing is, we recognize him from the Superman comics."
"Again with Superman," I muttered. "What about him? Is he dangerous?"
"Dangerous? He's fucking Darkseid," Marco replied, only to pale when he realized he accidentally swore in front of me.
"Don't worry about it. Just keep on with what you're talking about," I said.
Marco took a deep breath. "Alright. So, in the comics, Darkseid is, like, Superman's greatest enemy. He's easily as strong as him, and way nastier when fighting, and he has these really powerful eye beams that can hone in on their target, no matter where they are. He's in charge of some distant planet, where a lot of people are, like, gods, and he's so powerful that no-one ever succeeds in taking his throne."
"Sounds like a generic conquerer from a bad pulp story," I said.
"He's more than just that," Marco continued. "I'm not joking when I say he's a god. He's not a person, like, he doesn't live like we do, or feel the same things we do. He's the literal embodiment of tyranny, spread out across the entire multiverse, where he makes avatars of himself that look the same."
There was something in his voice, the sheer desperate need to get the point across, that began to get me worried. Shinji was beginning to fidget as well; he was clearly getting nervous again.
"Are you sure what you saw was him?" I asked.
"As sure as I know my name," Marco replied. "This is serious stuff, otherwise I wouldn't be telling you this. I mean, five days ago, I thought you were just a character in a comic book. You, Batman, Godzilla; you were all just characters, not real people."
"It's really scary when I think about it," Jake mumbled. "What if we're not just fictional characters to each other? I mean, people from other universes meet in comic books and on TV, right? What if we're fictional? Could you imagine if everyone you knew and loved, including yourself, weren't actually real? If people were just watching our struggles just for entertainment?"
Don't worry, I wanted to say. I see them. But I couldn't, not when they were afraid enough as it was. It had been so hard for me to accept it at first; I couldn't let it get to them when it was already eating away at their insides.
"Somewhere, there's a boy with a typewriter," I heard Shinji whisper, too faint for the others to hear.
"I wouldn't think about that, not when there's more important stuff to worry about," I said, raising my voice slightly. "So, this Darkseid is more dangerous than the others know."
"I can't stress it enough," Marco said. "Do not fucking underestimate this guy. He's the toughest, scariest dude in a universe full of tough, scary dudes, and he hates you."
"Me?" I asked, feeling a little confused. "I don't even know him."
"That's beside the point," Jake interrupted. "Marco and I have read Superman comics since we were both in diapers; we know our stuff. He... you are the biggest icon of heroics in our world, and you don't even exist. You inspire people, every day, and give them hope for a better tomorrow. You are the gold standard for being a good person: kindness, empathy, willing to fight for what you believe in, but also watching out for everyone, no matter who or what they are, no matter what the odds are against you. You're who we all want to be, deep down inside."
"I... I don't know what to say," I said, feeling a little dumbstruck. I had never heard someone put it like that to me. To think that I was that much of an inspiration to some people...
"Darkseid is the complete opposite," Marco continued. "Everything that is good about you, about people in general, is what he hates the most. He's all about controlling people, breaking them and making their wills his own. He believes in cruelty, and despair, and hate and anger and everything that makes the world a worse place. You two are like yin and yang, completely opposed. And I think it scares him, that people can believe in something that is good, like hope and love and peace, and that's why he hates you and what you stand for above all things."
"I believe you, now," I said. The looks on their faces, the tiny micro movements of facial muscles as they spoke, the very light of their auras; they all pointed to the truth. Whatever 'Darkseid' was, he was real.
"That's a relief, I think. But we still need to do something about it. Above everyone else, he's the most dangerous of the bad guys. He could probably rip most of us apart without even trying. But you? You're the only one who can match him, and we need to stop him first, before he finishes what he's always after."
"You say he's after something?" Shinji asked. "What could he want? A weapon?"
"Worse," Jake replied. "In the comics, he's always trying to find a way to control everyone, absorb their souls or something like that. An Anti-Life Equation."
"So, you think he's after that," I said.
"If he gets it, then it's game over," Marco said. "We're all fucked. Sorry."
"Well then," I said, "let's make sure he never gets his hands on that."
"That's easier said than done," Jake said.
I smiled at them, even though I wasn't feeling it. "I'm Superwoman; I can do anything."
"Holy shit," Marco squeaked, grabbing Jake by the shoulder. "That's one of the catchphrases..."
"We'll get going, Superwoman." Jake said.
"Taylor."
"Huh?" Both of them had confused looks on their faces.
"My name's Taylor. Taylor Anne Hebert. It's not like I need to hide it from you."
Jake straightened. "Your secret's safe with us."
I chuckled. "Wasn't worried."
"Clara Kent's cooler," Marco grumbled.
"Shut up, Marco," Jake hissed back.
With that, the two went trotting back down the hall, arguing with each other all the way.
"That... was kinda funny," Shinji said.
"Was there something you wanted to talk about?" I asked.
He took a deep breath. "No."
"Alright, if you don't want to say anything yet. Want to go see the others? I might be able to get you Batman's autograph."
Shinji's eyes brightened at that. "I mean, if he isn't busy..."
I smiled again. "Come on, let's go see what he's up to."
We followed after the others, strolling past vast windows that showed fields of stars. I couldn't think about them, however; something else troubled me.
Somewhere, there's a boy with a typewriter.
A
(Nice going, embarrassing yourself like that,) Tobias snickered as Marco and Jake joined him at the table with the others. Lister and the other original crew were there as well, arguing about whether or not vindaloo could count as a beverage.
"Come on, don't be so rough on them like that," Cassie said. "You'd feel just as awkward in their place."
(Doesn't make it any less funny,) Tobias replied, casually preening his wing.
"Shut up, emohawk," Marco grumbled in retort.
"Emohawk?! Where?!" Rimmer practically screamed, jumping out of his seat.
"It could be anywhere, man!" Lister screamed in reply. "We need to grab the bazookoids!"
(I do not believe that-) Ax began, only to realize that they had already sprinted down the hallway.
"What the hell was that about?" Marco asked aloud.
(I am unsure,) Ax said, reaching for the vindaloo Lister had left behind. (Perhaps there is something else called an emohawk?)
"It's from a TV show, if what Dragon said was true," a soft, feminine voice said behind them.
Turning in their seats, they saw a woman approaching them. She wore a loose white tunic, with a red caduceus emblazoned on the front. Mousy brown hair went down to her shoulders, framing a freckled face and honey brown eyes.
"You're Panacea, right?" Jake said. "Superwoman's... wife."
"That must have given you a double take," Panacea replied. "It's a lot more accepted where I come from. Anyway, I heard I could be of use here, something about your nothit friend."
(Nothlit,) Ax corrected.
"Sorry; it's hard to remember all the alien words getting thrown around." Panacea stepped closer, gaze focused on Tobias. "I believe I can help you get your human form back, while allowing you to keep your abilities."
Tobias stopped preening.
(What.)
"You can do that?" Cassie asked, disbelief clear in her voice.
"T- Superwoman isn't the only miracle worker around here," Panacea replied. "First, I'll need you to 'morph' back into your normal form, then I'll need a lot of extra meat."
"How much?" Rachel asked. "You better not be fucking with us on this."
"I'm not. And I need at least a hundred and fifty pounds."
(Hold on,) Tobias said. Dropping from his little perch, he began to morph, bones cracking and shifting audibly as he grew in size, until he was a twelve-year-old boy again.
"I don't have much time with this," he said. "If I stay for more than two hours, then I'll be stuck like this forever, and unable to help out."
"It won't be for long," Panacea replied. She took hold of Tobias's hand, pulling his sleeve back. "Don't freak out."
"What-" he began, only for his eyes to widen.
The flesh around his wrist shifted ever so slight under his skin, and he felt a strange, numbing sensation run up his arm. Then, his hand came off, with nary a spurt of blood or a jolt of pain.
"Don't freak out," Panacea hurriedly repeated. "I need some of your DNA to work with, and preferably a lot. You can demorph, now."
Tobias stared at his stump of a hand, then demorphed, shrinking back into the form of a red-tailed hawk. He stared up at Panacea, still managing to convey a look of disbelief.
"My superpower's biokinesis," she said. "I can manipulate tissue and cells any way I want, if they're familiar enough to me. Now, I just need some biomass to work with."
"Aaaand where are we going to get a buck fifty of steak?" Marco asked.
"Hold on," Rachel said. "I think I have an idea."
She began to morph, rapidly growing in size as her flesh shifted and bubbled. Her skin turned grey and wrinkled in texture, and massive tusks began to sprout from her face as she went on all fours. In less than a minute, an African elephant stood in the room, pointing its trunk at Panacea.
(Do that same trick with this.)
After a moment's hesitation, the biokinetic complied. It took only a few extra moments before the trunk came off, as bloodless and painless as before. Once the limb was off, Rachel began to demorph, soon returning to normal.
Panacea knelt down with the trunk and hand, and beckoned for Tobias to come closer. Once he was within range, she sandwiched him between the two body parts.
"This will feel a little weird."
It was certainly a bizarre sight. The flesh bubbled and warped around Tobias, engulfing him, and suddenly began to shape itself into the crude form of a man. Minutes passed as bones formed and shifted underneath muscles, while skin began to grow in place. Eyes formed in place, along with the rest of the face, and hairs began to sprout from the skin. Clothes even began to form, separating from skin to form basic coverings.
Finally, Panacea stepped back. Tobias stood before the group, virtually identical to how his human morph looked. He looked a bit taller, however, and broader in the shoulders, with more mature features.
"I-it worked," Tobias mumbled in disbelief, looking over his body. "I feel almost the same as before, except a bit bigger."
"I aged you up to match with the others," Panacea replied.
Tobias stepped forward, hands trembling. Then, with sudden speed, he wrapped his arms around her, squeezing tightly. As quickly as it happened, he let go, then took a step back.
"T-thank you," Tobias whispered, tears threatening to well in his eyes. "Thank you."
Panacea managed a soft smile. "Think nothing of it."
With that, she walked out of the room, leaving the others to celebrate with their friend.
Y
"ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO TOUCH THAT? MOST PEOPLE CATCH FIRE WHEN THEY DO."
"I'm more than fairly well-versed in the art of science and machinery," Yama replied, delicately removing the promethium fuel tank from Bjorn's flamethrower. The Dreadnaught's innards were displayed for all to see, save for the sarcophagus itself, which remained connected to its power source. It was clear that the machinery keeping Bjorn alive had seen better days; much of it seemed to be held together by faith alone.
"YOU KNOW, MANY IN THE ADEPTUS MECHANICUS WOULD CONSIDER WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERESY, PUNISHABLE BY EXECUTION VIA BOLTER ROUND TO THE FACE."
"I don't see why you worry yourself with what you know to be mere superstitions and obstructive dogmas," Yama grunted, removing a mass of wires and batteries with a more streamlined device. There was a low hum, and gears began to whir together with unprecedented efficiency.
"I DIDN'T SAY I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT," Bjorn boomed.
"And you shouldn't; these alterations will make you worth a dozen Dreadnaughts, with none of the weakness that comes with being spread out," Yama said. "It's a shame, really; from what you have told me, your own Urath could have forged a golden age, where superstition was banished."
"WELL, THAT WOULD REALLY FUCK YOU OVER, WOULDN'T IT?" Bjorn bellowed in reply, wildly gesticulating with his free arm. "I KNOW OF YOUR KIND, DEATHGOD."
"My kind?" Yama asked tiredly, more focused on the task at hand.
"YES. YOU ARE A PRETENDER, A MAN WHO KEPT POWER OVER THE OPPRESSED MASSES WITH A FAÇADE OF DIVINITY. I FOUGHT FALSE GODS LIKE YOU ON A HUNDRED WORLDS. I KILLED FALSE GODS LIKE YOU ON A HUNDRED WORLDS. MAKE NO MISTAKE, O 'DEATHGOD'; THOUGH WE ARE UNITED AS ALLIES AGAINST THE FORCES THAT ASSAIL US, WE ARE NOT FRIENDS. I WOULD SMASH YOUR HAUGHTY ASS INTO THE EARTH IF YOU WEREN'T SO IMPORTANT."
Yama chuckled as he placed point-defense lasers into the Dreadnaught's chassis.
"I know of what you speak of, mighty Fell-Handed," he said. "Yes, you speak the truth, or whatever we call the truth, when you say that I used falsehoods to keep the unfortunate in check. Note, however, of how I refer to those times, venerable one. It has been nearly a hundred years since I renounced my divinity and waged my war against Heaven, though my initial intentions were nothing as noble as securing freedom for my world. I fought, and I lost, but I fought again, once more charging onto the breach with Great-Souled-Sam, the Buddha."
He placed a thick panel over the Dreadnaught's exposed flank and secured it in place.
"My intentions were not glorious when I began my campaign alongside Tathagatha, but time changes many things, as you should know, mighty Fell-Handed. The war ended, with the forces of Heaven defeated beyond recovery, and the Binder of Demons disappeared forevermore, though I still find myself searching for him. He embraced the philosophy he used to win, I believe, or, barring that, simply settled down in a place I would never suspect him to be. In the lull of that time, I found myself thinking of what my actions had wrought, and what I could do in the future."
"SO YOU DECIDED TO HELP YOUR WORLD, AND THEN GOT INVOLVED IN THIS CLUSTERFUCK," Bjorn finished. "I MUST SAY, THAT MAKES YOU SOUND A LOT LESS LIKE A DICK."
"I suppose you could put it that way," Yama said, rising to his feet. Giving the Dreadnaught's hull a pat, he sat down at a nearby bench and began to roll up a cigarette.
A few moments passed in silence as Bjorn tested his improved chassis, opening and closing his Power Claws.
"IT WAS A WOMAN, WASN'T IT? YOU FOUGHT FOR A WOMAN."
"Kali, her name was," Yama said wistfully, eyes gazing out into space. "She was, perhaps, the first I ever loved. Or, at least, thought I loved. Though I held her dearest in my heart, she held other things dearer than me. War, the spilling of blood in combat. She died the real death, doing what she loved, I suppose; the final battle took her away from it all. "
"What was the war in heaven?" another voice asked.
Turning, both Dreadnaught and deathgod saw the Animorphs enter the room, curious looks on their faces. The hawk was gone, they noted; a boy had taken its place.
"AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE BUGGING SUPERWOMAN?" Bjorn asked.
Marco shook his head. "Nah, she and the others are busy upgrading the ships we stole. We decided to bug out around here."
(Metaphorically, of course,) Ax added. (There are some others who wish to come in here as well. Apparently your backstory is of high interest.)
As if to confirm his statement, Eren and Levi walked in, followed by Armin. Shinji and his group walked in as well, taking seats in the corner of the room.
"You have all been waiting for me to tell my tale, haven't you?" Yama asked, his voice soft.
"There's nothing better to do," Asuka quipped. "All this waiting is making me twitchy."
"I'VE TOLD STORIES FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS," Bjorn said, settling down. "I THINK I GET TO HEAR A FEW. AND DON'T SKIMP ON THE DETAILS; THEY'RE WHAT MAKES THE STORY REALLY INTERESTING."
Yama sighed. "All right, then. Gather round, if you wish."
The Animorphs sat down closest, leaning against a turned over bench. Eren and his comrades leaned in closer; Levi poured them tea from a pot he had brought along.
Yama finished rolling his cigarette and lit it, the match illuminating his worn features. Taking a deep puff, he leaned forward in his seat and began.
"His followers called him Mahasamatman and said he was a god. He preferred to drop the Maha- and the -atman, and called himself Sam. He never claimed to be a god. But then, he never claimed not to be a god..."
S
"Message Bearer is ready once more for war, Attackmaster," Rufutzonth-nimp said, gesturing to the massive ship in the Dwarf's hangar. "We have restocked its supply of missiles and laser batteries, with the help of your advisors."
"We're definitely going to need them," I replied, giving the Thuktun Flishithy a once over. Sure enough, I could see the newly-fabricated missiles being put into place, with some of them glowing faintly in the x-ray spectrum as their fissile payloads slowly deteriorated. Having seen what nuclear weaponry had done in the fight against the Endbringers, I prayed they wouldn't even be considered.
"Work on the other ship is progressing smoothly as well, thanks to your, er, machine advisor," the Defensemaster said. "I have no doubt that victory will come swiftly, and that the enemy will be inducted into the herd."
I wish I could share your enthusiasm, I found myself thinking.
Instead, I said, "Keep up with the good work. The Herdmaster is pleased with our progress."
As if on cue - which it might've actually been -, Godzilla lifted his head in our direction, a low chuff escaping him. He and the other kaiju had, with Miki's guidance, actually helped out with heavy lifting while restoring the two ships, which freed me up to super-speed micromanaging. In the back, I could see Gamera carefully hoisting a battleship turret back into place, with Anguirus and Rodan keeping the Michael stable.
"I will hasten our efforts, then." Rufutzonth-nimp bowed his head slightly and turned to speak with a younger-looking fi'.
While he did that, I gently took to the air, making for the de facto meeting room across the hangar. Both the Thuktun Flishithy and the Michael were being worked on by a small army of fithp and Dragon's drones. The hangar had been intended to house massive asteroids, I recalled, which explained how two warships could comfortably rest inside of them. I would've helped more with preparations, but I feared my lack of engineering knowledge would only make things worse.
S
Atvar and Kirel were already there; apparently, being early was still fashionably late to them. They swiveled their eye turrets in my direction as I walked inside, and I saw that Kirel's heart raced as he saw me.
"The eve before battle has finally come, has it not?" Atvar inquired tiredly. Though I still knew very little about his species, I could still see the age behind his eyes. It was not a defeated look, no matter would some would believe; I could also see the iron determination in his soul, unbroken.
"It seems like it," I replied. "We've been in hyperspace for a while; if what Louis said is right, we should be arriving at the Ringworld within a few hours."
"I see," Atvar said. "My troopmales grow wary of what is to come, but they have been through what you would call Hell, Tosevite."
"I was born on Krypton," I said. "Just look human."
"A Kryptonite, then." Atvar adjusted himself in his seat before continuing. "I only hope that this will all be worth it, in the end. The safety of the Colonization Fleet, and my people, hinge on what is to come. They call me 'Atvar the Defeated', back on Home. The first Fleetlord to be denied the title of Conquerer, the embarrassment of the Race and the Emperor."
"At least you still want to protect them," I offered. "Maybe they'll recognize what you've done, after you help us save the multiverse."
"Truth," the Fleetlord murmured.
Kirel opened his mouth to say something, only to be interrupted when the others started to enter the room. Anyone who could actually fit inside was soon there, while Godzilla and the other kaiju peered inside from a improvised viewing port Dragon had constructed. Part of me almost wanted to take a picture of the whole scene, just to remark on how absurd it felt.
"We shall arrive in a short time," Yama began, breaking the silence first. "The enemy will likely be waiting for us, with open gunport and missile pods. From the few glimpses through the Brahman that I've managed, it appears that they are starting to land on the Ringworld en masse, capturing vast swaths of territory. They have the massive barge, as well as several smaller Yeerk vessels. If I'm not mistaken, then two of the leaders are on the bridge of the barge."
"KNOWING THE FORCES OF CHAOS, WE'LL NEED TO TAKE OUT THOSE GROUND FORCES BEFORE THEY START STRENGTHENING THEMSELVES WITH BLOODSHED AND CONQUEST," Bjorn said.
"They'd cut any landing forces into mincemeat," Louis said. "And that's assuming we don't accidentally wind up within range of the meteor defenses."
"Indeed," Speaker added. "If we are to land on the Ring again, we must divert their warships away from our forces. It will also serve to weaken their hold on the ground when they can't utilize orbital bombardment."
"Message Bearer and the other ship will provide more than enough distraction," Rufutzonth-nimp declared. "The additions made by the mechanical advisor will only serve to make them stronger."
"It still might not be enough," Dragon said. "I've enhanced the anti-missile defenses, as well as the armor of the ship, but there's only so much you can do there. If they possess relativistic weaponry, those ships may only be able to get off one good volley before getting shredded."
"I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT IMPERIUM VESSELS ARE NOT THE MOST ACCURATE," Bjorn boomed. "TRUST ME; I'VE BEEN ON THEM. AND UNLESS THE TRAITOR PRIMARCH SOMEHOW ACTUALLY GOT SMARTER WHEN HE LET CHAOS LITERALLY FUCK HIS MIND, THEY WONT HAVE GUNS LIKE THAT."
"Eloquently put," I heard Asuka mutter.
"So, assuming if we actually get on the ground, who's actually going?" Jake asked.
"Godzilla and the other kaiju aren't really able to fight in space, with maybe the exception of Gamera, so they'll be on the ground," Miki replied. "With the exception of Superwoman, they're the powerhouses of our group."
Godzilla let out a satisfied growl at that.
"Where Gamera goes, we go," Armin piped up. "I'm his link; we strengthen each other."
"You'd also be a rather vulnerable target," Colin replied. "What we're going up against are far more fearsome than even the Titans you faced."
"I'll protect him," Eren said, putting a firm hand on his friend's shoulder. Levi nodded in agreement.
"It's still not enough," Colin said. "Dragon can lend more than a few drones to help, and I'll be more useful down there as well."
"If you're going down there, then we are, too," Jake added. "Who can pass up the chance to fight alongside the goddamn Batman?"
Colin clenched his jaw at that; I could see that the idea made him uncomfortable, for a number of reasons. They were still kids, I had to remember. Kids with access to incredible abilities, but still kids. Sure, the Wards used to have pretty young members, but they were kept away from the brunt of the danger. Here? I couldn't think of a more dangerous place for them to be.
"Who else is heading down?" I asked aloud.
"Free or dead!" the Hork-Bajir bellowed, raising their bladed arms in a war-cry.
"COUNT ME IN. I CAN'T WAIT TO SHOW THE TRAITORS WHAT IT MEANS TO BETRAY THE IMPERIAL TRUTH; I'M THE OLDEST WARRIOR IN THE IMPERIUM WITH GOOD REASON."
Yama nodded, as did Atvar and Speaker.
"I'm heading down," Amy said.
"That's-" I began, only for her to grab my hand and squeeze it gently.
"I'll be useless if I stay up here," she said, her voice soft and almost pleading. Her honey brown eyes stared into my own. "On the ground, I'll be able to keep everyone going. There's going to be injuries, you know that."
For the briefest moment, as I looked into her eyes, I forgot about everything else. Instead of the oppressive grey of the ship, we stood on a hill overlooking Brockton Bay, the sun shining down warmly, and I remembered the joy I felt when she said yes.
I took a deep breath, and suddenly I was back on the ship. "Okay. I want you away from the front lines, where there's less risk."
"We both know that won't help," Amy said, forcing a smile.
She let go of my hand, and I turned back to the rest of the group.
"Alright then, it looks like we have the ground force," I said. "Now who's manning what ships?"
"I should remain with Message Bearer," Rufutzonth-nimp said. "It is familiar to me."
"Nessus and I can man the Bastard," Louis quipped. "I don't think they can get through a General Products hull, and it'll make for an even better distraction.
The Puppeteer trembled slightly, but said nothing to object. It seemed he had recovered from the shock of what I had told him, thankfully.
"We'll stay here," Lister said. "We'd probably accidentally blow up the ships if we went aboard."
"Wait a minute, what about you?" Marco suddenly asked, pointing at me. "Where are you during all this?"
I sighed. "I'm going straight for Darkseid."
At that, the room became deathly silent. Atvar and Kirel looked around, confused, as did the fithp present. They could still sense something was amiss, however, and I saw that they were growing nervous.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Dragon inquired. "I've done quite a bit of research, based on whatever data stores I could find. He seems powerful, incredibly so."
"Which is why I'm the one going after him," I replied. "He's the one who's leading the whole thing; if we beat him, the whole operation of theirs might fall apart, or at least get disorganized enough to snag us a victory."
"He's also fucking Darkseid," Marco quipped. "As in, the literal embodiment of tyranny I warned you about. For all we know, he can kick you ass all the way to Beatdownville: population one."
"Got any better ideas?" I retorted. "If he's as tough as you say, then the others would just be cannon fodder. I'm not going to let him slaughter you guys just for a slight advantage."
"Fair point," Colin said. "There's also that... thing with him. She might give you enough trouble for the odds to turn against you, even if you could take Darkseid alone."
There was another silence after that. Then, suddenly, Shinji stepped forward.
"I'll go with you."
"She nearly killed you last time," I said. "You'd be able to help better on the ground."
"That was different," he replied. He looked scared to death, but he pressed on. "I've suppressed what I can really do, because of what would happen to everyone else if I didn't. But now, with how bad it is, I don't think I can afford to hold back like that anymore."
I sighed. "Alright."
"LOOKS LIKE IT'S ALL PLANNED OUT, THEN," Bjorn bellowed. "NOW LET'S MAKE OUR PEACE BEFORE WE GET INTO THE BREACH OR HOWEVER THE FUCKING PHRASE GOES."
A
Later
"Twenty minutes to arrival," Dragon declared over the intercom.
Jake took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. He and the others had found a small room to enjoy their privacy in, before the fight began. Ax knelt nearby, quietly murmuring an Andalite battle hymn, and the others sat at either side, all looking as nervous as he felt.
"Does anyone else realize just how fucking insane this is?" Marco asked aloud. "I feel like we're in some epic comic arc with crossovers and stuff."
"Most of the time, they don't die in those stories," Tobias retorted.
"I don't think we should be so pessimistic about it," Cassie piped up. "I mean, we have some of the greatest heroes on any Earth with us."
"And the bad guys have Darkseid," Jake said. "Even if she beats him, there's still probably going to be casualties."
"It's better that way," Rachel declared, draping an arm over Tobias's shoulder. "Possibly dying while fighting to save the multiverse? I'd take that over hiding any day of the week. Even if we lose this, at least we'll lose knowing we made them bleed like a fucker."
(Spoken like a true warrior,) Ax said. (As the Hork-Bajir say, free or dead.)
"Free or dead," Tobias said.
"Free or dead," Marco and Rachel quipped, near-simultaneously.
Cassie's hand found Jake's own. "Free or dead."
Jake took a deep breath.
"Free or dead," he said.
Y
"Once more I walk the path of war," Yama murmured, taking a puff of his cigarette. "Though I may die the real death, I shall not fear it, for it is part of the illusion of the world, and the end of the illusion shall not be the end of me."
He flicked the cigarette away, and ground it beneath his heel.
"I wish you were here, Sam," he said softly.
==/*\==
Asuka pressed her lips against Shinji's, almost territorial as she did so.
"You're coming back to me," she whispered in his ear. "Got that, baka? I don't care what some insane goddess thinks; you're coming back."
Somewhere, there is a boy with a typewriter.
Shinji clenched his hands into fists.
"I will," he said, his voice firm. "I will."
B
"I SERVE THE EMPEROR, FOR HE SERVES THE TRUTH," Bjorn recited, recalling what they used to say before the dark times. "I SERVE RUSS, FOR HE SERVES THE EMPEROR."
==/*\==
Godzilla looked at the gathered kaiju before him. His friends, his family. He had fought with them, bled with them, for longer than Man had walked the Earth. Gamera stood amongst them, a stranger, but he saw in the terrapin's heart that he too was a friend.
No sounds needed be uttered. Their hearts were set, no matter what was said. They would do what they always did, for millions of years.
Fight.
B
I WILL SERVE THE TRUTH, WITH BLADE AND BOLTER, AND I SHALL NEVER FALTER WHILE I WALK THE PATH OF TRUTH..."
T
"Whatever happens, we're there till the end," Eren said.
Armin nodded. "Till the end."
"Agreed," Levi said.
-/-\-
"Emperor guide us all," Atvar said, standing before what remained of the once-proud Conquest Fleet.
"This is bigger than just him," a Rabotev shouted. Wallafess, Atvar recalled.
"Truth. Yes, it is bigger than him. But it is not bigger than what he believes in, and that is the well-being of us all."
"Emperor guide us all!" Kirel barked.
"Emperor guide us all!" the rest bellowed back.
R
"Better smeg than dead," Lister said.
"Agreed," Kryten said.
"Yeah, that seems good," Rimmer added. "Now let's go hide until it's all over."
O
"Ya know, I wonder if Teela's luck will help us," Louis said.
"How so?" Speaker inquired, not looking up as he tested the variable sword.
"Well, it'd be pretty bad luck for her if the entire multiverse got conquered. That has to count for something, right?"
"You can only hope," Nessus retorted.
"We humans are pretty good at that," Louis said. "And look where we are, now."
"Charming," Speaker muttered.
S
I held Amy tight in my arms, pressing my forehead against hers.
"Whatever happens, just remember that I love you," I whispered.
Amy pressed her lips against mine.
"You're Superwoman. You can do anything."
B
He draped his old pelt over his chassis again.
"FOR RUSS. FOR THE ALLFATHER. FOR THE WOLFTIME."
S
"Almost there," Yama declared over the intercom.
We all stood at our stations. Shinji stood next to me at the airlock, already in his armor. Though he tried to hide it, I could see just how afraid he was.
"Ready," Louis reported on the intercom as well.
"READY."
"Ready, Attackmaster."
"Ready," I said.
"Alright," Yama declared. "Exiting hyperspace in five...four...three...two...one..."
I took a deep breath. Focus.
"Now."
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CRISIS, Chapter Seven: The Calm Before the Storm