Chapter 14
Lightning Fervor
Helltanz's notes:
-Chapter begin-
Nuvo-Gen Corporation headquarters was located in Metropolis, which strictly speaking struck him him as retarded given both the Luthor boy, and the Kryptonian's presence here. Then again the humans on this world tended to do stupid things for inane reasons, for now though he'd sit back and watch the little side show. As it was it was amusing to watch rather than meddle, he'd give it a few minutes, then intervene...
Galatea delivered a fierce cross punch to Supergirl, from whom she had been cloned from genetic material, one Kara Zor-El, through one of the hard light buildings. The holograms might have lacked true physical structure of concrete and steel, but it still hurt. Kara retaliated by striking her clone with a light post, well a holographic light post, but it was still solid. Over the next few moment the fight continued with kicks and punches being exchanged between the two and, some actually real, cars being blown up. The fight between the two only ceased when a purple discoloration of air appeared distorting space as a rift formed.
He had grown tired of watching, the distortion gave way fully shifting into the avatar of of Sithis. The Kryptonians attempt to blast with her heat vision, the key word being attempted as the blast was harmlessly dissipated against his palm. The warmth tickled slightly against cold hands. "That won't work on me girl, I'm immortal such attacks won't fell one such as me." Sithis remarked mildly amused by the attempt, and then his smile turned cold, well colder than it had been. This could be the detective's ordeal let him understand a father's troubles. His body shifted further embracing the Daedric form. This transformation caused his bones to crack, and thicken, and to become more defined underneath his skin and for his fingernails to become sharp talons. Galatea threw a punch at the dark god who with trivial ease blocked it. With the same laughable ease he retaliated. Truthfully this was an unfair competition a thousands could not prepare one for this and his claws saturated with magic cut deep in flesh. Sithis didn't bother with any fancy kicks, a simple toss carved a long furrow into the ground of this 'training' room.
"Damn you." Galatea muttered all the while she stumbled to get up and continue the vain and hopeless fight against the dark entity who wizards thought to be their savior from Voldemort.
He chuckled, "All your cunning strategies, all the tricks you try are all merely child's play." He remarked mockingly before unleashing a blast of dark tinted lightning, which electrocuted the Kryptonian. The discharge of magic energy causing her extreme pain, it was pain, which would make the Cruciatias curse, look like a pin prick. He desired submission, a yield, or unconscious but this needed to end with a clear defeat for the whelp or it would be pointless.
"You're killing her." Supergirl objected flying up to beside the dark god.
"Hardly, yet I have done worse." He remarked off hand as if the matter was no particular issue.
A voice spoke up, interjecting "Yeah you have." The Green Lantern John Stewart leveled his ring and unleashed a blast at the physical manifestation of the dark god;s back. What should have been enough to at least stagger superman cascaded harmlessly around the glowing mass of amber light.
"That was a mistake John Stewart." His fingernails, more talons now, to be extended and sliced through the muscles in Green Lantern's ring arm. "Come humans I must converse with the detective. I have other agendas"
John Stewart glowered, the Green Lantern was will power incarnate, he had no intention to back down, and it was brave, "Oh yeah. Is that so?" He challenged in a brave, if foolish, attempt at defiance to the dark god.
"It is so. Do you want me to mangle your other arm?" He inquired in a tone that would have been more suited to asking about the weather. Sithis quirked his head slightly, and noted with some mild annoyance they, whether security personnel or scientists of the facility, had activated the facility's self destruct system. He relayed this merely because he had no interest in needlessly complicating his agenda.
Oliver Queen shook his head wondering exactly what the hell was going on, and still not quite sure if this Justice League business was all that wise. "Uh who are you?" Green Arrow asked.
"Sithis," The emerald eyed figured remarked, "To simply begin to give my identity would be to understand that I am the god which is the void, all darkness, and the cold of space is but an aspect of me. I am the god of death, and father to all."
"His followers are notorious for massacring entire planets." Green Lantern added continuing to attempt to glare holes in the deities back.
"I have not had a need for such brutish tactics since we deigned to intervene in the war between the new gods," The daedric lord remarked, "I much prefer that a quiet death strikes in the night to put an end to foolishness, such is as it must be done."
"Right." He muttered sarcastically, "Lets just say I don't believe you."
"That would be your problem, John Stewart." Came the response to the retort, he hardly cared.
– scene break-
The new watchtower was impressive as far as Earth Engineering feats went, insignificant from the perspective of one of the ancient races, but cute in its attempt. He paid a spare bit of polite courtesy to the Martian, a nod never harmed anyone. Truthfully Malacath had resented the Green Martians and their issue with the whites, though Sithis didn't particularly care. The greens had served the Aedra once upon a time, and then as both had withdrawn, and the Martians had regressed, well things had played out much as one would suspect.
J'onn J'ozz surveyed the group, and all things considered they looked quite the worse for wear all of the leagers, even Green Arrow who was easily the best off of the lot. "Should I alert the medical facility?" Inquired the Mars native in a concerned tone.
"It would be unnecessary the real reason for her unconsciousness is my poison spell she will remain unconscious for another few minutes," He remarked completely ignoring the injuries to Green Lantern, Supergirl's own bruises, or Green Arrow's battered ribs. "I should however ask you to call the detective."
The Martian Manhunter chose not to push the issue, "He is down the hall I believe that he is currently speaking with Diana." He responded before moving over to the former marine. "The bleeding is minimal Jon," Which strictly speaking it shouldn't have, not the way the cuts were, not this deep.
The green lantern ignored the querry, "Your just letting him walk around the Watchtower?" John Stewart demanded ignoring his arm."
"He has no hostile intentions," He stated, or at least none I can discern, was left out from the statement. "and I doubt we could stop him." Responded the Martian J'onn. "Your injuries as a group seem the more pressing issue,"
Appropriately as the dark god made his way into the mess hall of the greatly expanded Watchtower II it became deathly quiet. In a sense this amused him, "It appears my reputation precede me." Sithis remarked. "I do hate to interrupt your conversation, however I should think that this should not take long."
"What exactly do you want exactly Sithis?" It was not a question to pose lightly, but Bruce pressed it anyway, as he would.
Sithis snorted, nostrils flaring amused at the blodness, the detective was one of the reasons he was able to act freely in this region of space, well sort of freely there were limits of course. Limits that if he crossed his kin would contest, and complain, the summit at Valar had reached decisions, but nothing truly concrete, but then nothing truly was permanent. Always fluid. "I do like the new design, clearly a maturation. The cannon is a nice touch, but to the point. I have your task; one you shouldn't have any problem completing and it serves a greater purpose even beyond my own machinations, its more for your public façade, it might even help your points with the public."
"What's with the girl?"
He tilted his head and smirked, something the 'Dark Knight of Gotham' did not like in the slightest. "You will be providing guidance to adolescents with superpowers. You can start with this one." After he finished his fingers began to glow a transparent white. He reached out and tapped Batman on the side of the head. "I will leave several magical texts next to your aspirin, good night detective."
Batman collapsed into a heap on the mess hall floor. Wonder Woman cracked her knuckles, as the other members of the Justice League scrambled to get up.
"I'm very surprised either of your parents let you walk around like that." He murmured turning his attention to Hades's daughter, though he imagined it might have been easier to fight in than a dress.
"What did you do to Batman?" demands the Amazonian princess ignoring his previous statement entirely.
His nostrils flared again, Sithis was rarely cruel unnecessarily, there were times yes where a father had no choice, but this was not one of them. "Nothing serious to his health he will be fine, headaches will be the only side affect. If you see your father again before I do give him my regards," Sithis paused before adding, "the same for your mother of course." He'd considered the little project pointless, the small protectorate worthless to his needs, given he'd need to defend it from other interested parties drawn by his interests. "Tell the Detective I will be by later to give the additional instructions. Watch over this one." He passed off Galatea to the Amazonian. "I must leave now."
As far as things went matters between the gods were complicated especially since the Daedra and Aedra weren't supposed to interfere without 'provocation' or an invitation to do so.
Bruce Wayne could be very useful, but the detective always made sure to pay his debts off quickly, which was decidedly troublesome. Even so if he could recruit the 'Dark Knight' it would be a boon, and given the Amazonian's interest well that was just a very large potential boon in and of itself.
In any event if he dallied any longer one of the Aedra would probably decide to butt in to his affairs, which would be decidedly bothersome. Valar had been so annoyingly indecisive in deciding things..
-scene break-
Here he was again on the Top Floor of the Foot Ninja headquarters in the Americas. It was several hours later or mid morning on the eastern coast of the continental United States of America after Sithis had visited the Justice League. The whole League had gone to alert when word gotten out that the Dark Knight was out cold. "So exactly what happened?" Raiden inquired to the scientist. He didn't particularly care what his other half side had been doing. This thing should have been a simple thing, he didn't understand precisely how they could befoul such a simple civil project.
"A large portion of the Mousers went offline."
He frowned, a large portion was rather vague of an answer, and Raiden did not like vague answers. "How many is a large portion?" He pressed.
"About half." Stockman squeaked cowering before the system lord and the master of the Foot clan, the later of whom was sitting slightly infront of the Shinto Kami's raised platform.
"I would label this a failure my lord." the Shredder added reaching for his prongs, which were sitting before him.
The inventor didn't appreciate the slight, "Well that's why you wouldn't make a good scientist." Baxter Stockman, Saki's top scientist, retorted hotly. "You can't write off every problem as a failure otherwise you'll never get anywhere."
The system lord took the moment to glare them both into submission, and more to the point into glorious silence. The failure didn't make since, it should have been simple, "Both of you enough, the project will continue as long as this doesn't occur again. If it does Saki-kun isn't known for being merciful. Now go do your little skit for the television, I expect a full report by this afternoon do not fail me. Find what is wrong, and fix it." He snapped banishing the man with a gesture towards the door.
Stockman scurried from the room. "He acts like a rat." Hun muttered after the man had left the audience chamber.
"Saki since I'm here we will address the matters at hand, since Talpa is currently in a stalemate with those Ronin," Well it was stalemate because neither of them, Talpa's forces, or those with the other five armors, were doing anything at present. Strictly that was better for him, peace was good for everyone. "he is unable to render assistance and it would not be a good idea to even consider the Dark Brotherhood, given they are currently dealing with their rivals. It is thus I am sending Aoshi-kun and Sano, I trust you can complete your mission without problems."
"Hai Raiden-sama." The fearsome Shredder gave a low bow of great respect to the Shinto god of storms.
At the same time humanoid mutant Turtles, mutant ninja turtles were presently settling into their new lair in the sewers beneath New York. Donatello was working on some of the welding for the lair while Michelangelo was occupied setting up the entertainment center they had cobbled together.
To Mikey's dismay, there simply wasn't enough power to get the televisions running in what he had now dubbed the "Turtle Cave." It thus was the cause for him to strike up a conversation with his more technically savvy sibling Donatello as to what the would call their new lair.
After a few names were suggested, Splinter, their father figure a himself a mutated humanoid rat, interupted to inform them and announce that, "We will call this place home." The sagely Rat then took the time to proceed, and to inquire as the location of their remaining two brothers. As it was the two remaining turtles were apparently occupied with salvaging items from the old lair.
Leonardo and Raphael were at the momentfinished gathering the items from said old lair, among them a broken canister with the letters TCRI and custom sign that proclaimed 'Sewer Sweet Sewer.' Leo expressed some sorrow over losing their home of 15 years. His more hot headed brother Raphael had other concerns. Desired of vengeance concerned him, vengeance against whoever had sent the Mousers into their old lair in the first place. With everything packed, the two brothers returned to the new lair in a vehicle designed by Donatello as the Sewer Slider.
It was upon their returning to the new lair that Mikey again wished to test out the entertainment center this time with his salvaged DVD collection. Unfortunately for him as soon as he turned on the television of the entertainment center, that he was interrupted by his more tenchology inclinded sibling, who wanted to watch the television News broadcast about the press conference which was being at New York's newest and though hardly leading technology company, Stocktronics. The new company's advantage was of course due to their lead man's brilliance and some minor technological sharing from a certain power whose interests in earth probably weren't healthy. The big wigs of the company were presently taking bids on how long it took Oscorp, or one of the other major Corps to buy it out.
Founder and CEO, Dr. Baxter Stockman was at the moment giving a short speech before unveiling his invention to deal with the city's rat problem, the Stocktronics Mouser. To the surprise of the turtles, the robot's design was precisely the same as the cadre of robots that destroyed their old lair some time earlier.
It was all Raphael needed to get up and prepare to leave the lair. He had one thing on his mind that was wanting to go after Stockman, but Splinter stopped the humanoid turtle citing the near disaster that had been their, the turtles, last incursion to the surface world. Watching the rest of the press conference, the Turtles looked on as the Mouser prototype eats several rats in a maze. It was a rather concerning process, the next bet would probably be how long PETA took to claim the Mousers were inhumane to rats.
– Chapter Conclusion -
Helltanz's notes: