Thoughts

"Speech"

Disclaimer: DC and DBZ belong to their respective owners; I own nothing.

Chapter 14: Attack of the Saiyans I: Arrival


Age 761 (2011), East City, Chikyu

"Can't you drive this piece of crap any faster?!"

"I'm doing the best I can you asshole. It's not my fault she's faster than this damn car!" A belligerent woman yelled back to her comrade as she glanced at the rear-view mirror. She was doing her best to swerve in and out of traffic while avoiding the menacing figure that was hot on their trails.

"Shit, she's catching up!"

"Well do something then Bruno. I have my hands full enough with all these damn pedestrians on the road." Whisper A'Daire growled through clenched teeth as she jerked the armored vehicle onto the sidewalk. To hell with them. If they wouldn't get out of the way- they would just have to die then.

Frustratedly sighing, the man known as Bruno Mannheim scurried into the backseat. Rummaging through a bag stock full of weapons, which they had brought along just in case, he smiled as he finally saw what he was looking for. Man oh man. This is one bad SOB right here. Grinning as he cocked it back, the criminal opened the vehicle's sunroof and began firing. Horrified screams rattled his ears as he indiscriminately let loose. Whatever this thing was...it wasn't of Earth.

His poor, innocent victims, were instantly incinerated as the laser beams struck. Not even a trace of ashes was left to showcase a living being had stood there moments before. Three people had quickly fallen victim to his brutality. But before a fourth could, the woman, who they had been running for dear life from, swooped down and deflected the incoming blast with her wrist gauntlets.

Shit!

The vagabond cursed as he recoiled the weapon for another strike. But much to his dismay it needed momentary charging before usage once more. Those few seconds weren't time he had to spare. Before the raven-haired assailant could even blink Wonder Woman was in front of him, standing angrily atop the Capsule Corps vehicle they had stolen.

"I don't suppose I could convince you to go easy on us?" The once brave criminal squealed in a hushed tone. Her cold narrowed eyes were answer enough as she reached down and promptly crushed the weapon.

Tossing it to the wayside. Diana roughly grabbed the man by his collar, pulling him up to eye level before abruptly shoving him back down into the car. With a hard thud, he hit the floor his skull slamming harshly against the carpet, leaving him unconscious. The driver of the vehicle's eyes bulged open as she glanced back and saw the Amazon princess tearing the roof of their prized possession. All that hard work...for nothing! Does she even care about salvaging this prototype?

But as quick as Diana's destructive rampage began...it abruptly ended. In a flash, the daughter of Zeus was gone. The now bewildered woman frantically glanced around as she attempted to locate the brightly dressed hero. Her search was delayed rather quickly as the furious Amazon appeared right in front of her, in the middle of the road. Whisper's eyes expanded to the size of saucers, her red hair flailing wildly as she attempted to swerve out of the way, but was ultimately unable to. The resulting crash completely totaled the car. A dent outlined in the shape of Diana's frame was engraved on what was left of the hood.

Coughing, thanking whatever deities helped her survive that crash, the Intergang criminal slowly crawled out of the car and quickly began making a break for it. Her partner was a total loss at this point. There was no reason both of them should go to prison. And besides, there was truly no loyalty in the criminal underworld anyways. But before she was even halfway down the street Wonder Woman there again, furiously glaring into her skull.

For Christ's sake can't I catch a break?

Pulling out the trusty revolver she always kept handy, the frightened woman began firing with all her might. Diana didn't even bother to dodge or deflect them, instead electing to allow them to ricochet off her godly frame.

"B-b-but I thought you were hurt by blunt force objects?" The incredulous thief asked in total surprise, the smoke still steaming from her shaking gun.

Diana's stern face softened slightly as she heard the remark. "Where do people get this notion from?" The baffled princess questioned as she batted the weapon away. This wasn't the first time she had heard such a ridiculous idea either.

"Maybe it's because you always deflect stuff with your bracelets." A chuckling Goku said as he suddenly descended from the skies above.

"And just where have you been this whole time?" The Amazon asked as she began wrapping things up. Tying the Intergang criminal up with a torn down light pole.

"Well, you see about that..." The Saiyan began as he scratched his head in typical Son fashion.

"You were off training again huh?" His wife rolled her eyes as she finished tying up the remaining occupant from the car crash. Goku did this almost every day. It was frustrating at times...but it was she had married into.

"Yeah." The guilty Saiyan conceded as he blushed, trying his best to avoid his wife's gaze.

"Well luckily for you- it wasn't that big of a situation." She assured him, giggling as he breathed a sigh of relief. She loved those cute distraught facial expressions he made.

"Well, that's good to know," A suddenly cheerful Goku said as he wiped his brow. Today had presented him with a rare opportunity to train by himself. As much as he loved his family he needed to train by his lonesome sometimes. "What about these guys though?"

Diana's smile quickly soured as she glanced over the tied up criminals. They were members of Intergang, high ranking ones at that. Ever since the Red Ribbon Army's destruction at the hands of the now married couple, Intergang had been slowly creeping into Chikyu's criminal underworld. Today had been their boldest display yet, stealing one of Capsule Corps newest prototypes. It seemed dissension with the Capsule Corporation was something both Intergang and the RRA shared. Normally Wonder Woman would've cared about preventing needless destruction to property, but it was just a prototype after all. Bulma had shown her plans for numerous other vehicles weeks earlier.

Intergang was an American criminal organization. The fact that they were so easily muscling their way into another country was startling, to say the least. She would have to talk to Bruce about this and see if he knew what was going on. Those weapons they carried were unlike anything she had ever encountered. They instantaneously vaporized their victims. The family of the victims would never even know what happened to them.

"Diana are you OK?" A worried Goku asked as he saw the sorrow wash over her normally jovial features.

"I just need a moment Goku," Sometimes stopping the enemy wasn't simply enough. There was irreversible damage done here today. Sighing as she pondered it one last time, the exiled princess cleared her mind. It wasn't good to hold onto suffering. "I'm good now honey."

Placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder Goku pulled his wife into a hug. She didn't have to say it; he already knew. The two embraced, nestling against one another as they exchanged body heat.

"Thanks." The proud Amazon smiled as she scooted closer to her husband's chiseled chest.

"No problem." The Saiyan responded with a quick grin. "Now, about those bracelets. If bullets don't hurt you...why do you deflect them?"

"Seriously?" Diana groaned as the couple began walking off. The police would be there momentarily to take care of the rest.

"Yeah...seriously. Why do you?"

"Honestly...it just looks cooler that way."

A large sweat-drop formed on the Saiyan's face as he and his now chuckling wife took to the skies. She could be a real goofball sometimes.


Age 761 (2011), West City, Chikyu

"Lunch is ready Gohan."

No further words were necessary as a shaggy-haired child quickly scampered down a long flight of stairs, tail wagging as he dashed over to the dinner table.

Bulma laughed as she viewed the eager boy leap into his chair, mouth literally drooling as he eyed the meal for the afternoon.

"Manners manners Gohan. What do you say?"

"Thank you, Godmother Bulma for preparing this meal."

A satisfied smile settled onto the lavender haired woman's face as she heard those magic words. "You can dig in now."

The Demi-Saiyan quickly acquiesced her words and began tearing the food apart. Teaching him proper eating etiquette had been a real struggle. Till this day, it was something his father had never fully understood. Gohan was miles ahead of his father, but even using cutlery, he managed to make things look as uncivilized as possible. She guessed it was just something genetic he shared. But regardless he looked so cute attempting to devour everything at once on his plate.

The three-year-old was an absolute bundle of joy. Bulma had been ecstatic when Diana and Goku had announced that she would be his Godmother. She wasn't quite ready for a parental role herself, but she loved the time she spent with Gohan. He was quite possibly the smartest pre-pubescent boy she had ever met. She was after all in charge of his education.

Diana's schedule was quite busy pertaining to all the heroic things she needed to attend to. And Goku...well he was Goku. Neither parents were deadbeats, far from it. They loved and adored Gohan like any good parent should. But it when it came to matters concerning his education, neither one seemed to have the time or was intelligent enough to teach him. Bulma gladly offered herself as the proverbial lamb to help their son. Who better than her anyways? She was one of the top ten smartest people on the planet.

Every day before work, well superhero duties, Wonder Woman would drop him off at Capsule Corps. From early morning till the afternoon Bulma would spend the day with her Godson. While it was her duty to educate him, they didn't always do it in a typical manner. For instance, the Capsule Corps heir had taught Gohan a small sample of probability by having him watch his parents old tournament fights. The young Demi-Saiyan had been instructed to calculate what each fighter's statistical chances were.

It was both fun and educating. Nearly anything involving battle held the boy's attention. The apple didn't fall too far from the tree in that regard. When it came to anything physical Gohan was more than up for the challenge. Goku and Diana had already admitted that their son was more powerful at the age of three than they had ever been during their tournament fights. It was baffling to consider someone so young being this strong. Even Clark had to marvel at his abilities when he had stopped by for a visit not too long ago. At this rate, it was almost a guarantee that he would be the most powerful person on the planet when he fully came into his own.

"You're using the wrong fork Gohan." Bulma corrected as she viewed her Godson frustratedly using the salad fork, attempting to stab into a thick slab of meat but to no avail.

The youngster blushed, embarrassed by his simple mistake and quickly up the meat fork. "Sorry about that."

"It's no biggie." The Capsule corps heir responded with a warm smile. "At the very least you're..." Bulma's words were left trailing as a sudden ring at the door interrupted her train of thought. Quickly standing up, the billionaire heiress slipped into the long corridor that eventually lead to the front door.

"Goku, Diana, didn't expect to see you here so early." Bulma said in surprise as she opened the door. It was only 1:30 and they normally didn't pick Gohan up for another hour. But for the most part, Gohan's studies were done for the day anyways.

"I hope we didn't interrupt anything?" Diana asked as their longtime friend invited them inside.

"No...not at all," Bulma immediately dismissed the notion. "We wrapped up thirty minutes ago actually. Your son is quite the genius."

The married couple turned to one another and shared a smile. Goku had never received the opportunity to have a formal education. Diana had been thoroughly educated by the best teachers on Paradise island, but had been exiled at the tender age of thirteen. She was still learning the confusing in and out's of man's worlds. But it appeared their son would not face any such hurdles.

"It smells great in here Bulma!" Goku exclaimed as he took a whiff of the delicious scent marinating throughout the household.

"Why thank you Goku," His best friend chuckled as the trio took a turn into the dining room. "What you're smelling is actually an old family recipe that my Grand..."

"Mommy! Daddy!"

Bulma's explanation was once again interrupted as the hybrid bundle of joy, known as Gohan, leaped into the arms of his parents. A bone squeezing hug ensued as both parents embraced their child.

"Wow, sport you're really getting strong." Goku whistled in admiration as he placed his son back on the floor. That hug almost felt like a handshake from Clark.

"Really?" His son asked in amazement, attempting to flex what little muscles he possessed.

Wonder Woman's hand rose to her mouth as she began laughing. Gohan was definitely his father's son. That childlike spirit they both possessed was unmistakable.

We interrupt your daily scheduled programming to bring you a live interview with Lex Luthor.

Bulma's brows furrowed as she turned over to the TV situated on the wall across from the dining table. It wasn't on when she had gone to answer the door.

"Gohan did you..." She didn't even have to complete her sentence as the young child quickly nodded. Well, that was a big sigh of relief. If Lex was somehow taking over electronic devices she didn't know what she would do.

Wonder Woman's joyous countenance quickly changed as she viewed Superman's arch-nemesis appear on the screen.

"I'm Cat Grant reporting live from WGBS news with Lex Luthor."

The blonde haired newscaster was an old acquittance of Clark. Bulma had initially run into her during her first trip to Metropolis. She was a bit snooty, but that sense of entitlement helped her greatly in the field of journalism. She was a former writer at the Daily Planet but had immediately jumped ship once Morgan Edge offered her a job WGBS news, one of the world's largest telecommunication companies. The Daily Planet hadn't been big enough to contain two personalities as large as hers and Lois Lane's.

"How are you doing today Mr. Luthor?"

"I'm quite fine Miss Grant, and you can just call me Lex." The bald haired man responded with a smile.

"Ok, then Lex," The newscaster quickly corrected herself. This was a huge interview, she couldn't afford to anger who was possibly the most powerful man in the world.

"What brings you to our studios today? For years, the LuthorCorp enterprises have been run from the shadows. We all know about your father, Lionel, who tragically died a few years ago. His massive fortune, as well as his conglomerate, was passed down to his only son, Lex. For years, we've heard about you but never actually seen you publicly until today. You've practically been a ghost."

"Well, that certainly is true Miss Grant." Lex chuckled as he took a sip of his coffee from the table. His eyes shimmering as he raised his glass.

Cat Grant had to admit that he was quite attractive. Usually, CEO's of corporations, especially ones as large as LuthorCorp were headed by old, extremely elderly men. But that was not the case here. Lex was incredibly young considering his position, and could've easily passed for a GQ model- save the bald head.

"In the past, I didn't deem public knowledge of my presence as necessary. My father's company, rather my company now, has been well managed and operated from the shadows. Your average American doesn't know the head's of other large companies, nor do they need to. Save for a few minor exceptions such as Dr. Brief and Bruce Wayne, the large majority of us are indeed anonymous."

The blonde reporter nodded, this was, in fact, true. Your average joe-schmoe couldn't point out the CEO of Disney if you put him in a police lineup. "So why this sudden change now then? What's caused you to change your stance?"

"To put it simply Miss Grant...the world as we know it is changing."

"Care to extrapolate on that?" Cat Grant asked with raised eye.

"Of course," The billionaire said with a smile. "The old system and ways of doing things are outdated, antiquated- obsolete. My father's system of business operations simply doesn't work in this current era. Having a good product and marketing it is still a viable way of gaining sales, don't get me wrong. But the people need more. They desire more. The public wants to be able to match a face with your product."

"But if your product is good none of that should matter."

"In theory, that should be true, but my research and statistics have proven otherwise," Lex interjected. "Miss Grant do you know which two companies brought in the most revenue last year?"

"The Capsule Corporation and Wayne Enterprises." The bleach blonde quickly responded, firing the words off, almost before Lex could almost finish his sentence. Those were the two largest companies by net worth. Practically everybody knew this.

"And as I mentioned earlier those two companies have visible faces which the public can attach themselves to. Not to mention the fact they're both mutual sponsors of the Worlds Martial Arts Tournament, something I'm seeking to buy stock in as well."

"As if! Bruce and I would never let a chauvinistic, arrogant pig like Lex buy into it!" Bulma indignantly shouted at the screen. "To hell with him and his blood money!"

Back on the screen Cat Grant's eyes burst wide open. That last tidbit of information was sure to be headline grabbing news. Capsule Corps and Wayne Enterprises had built the Tenkaichi Budokai into the largest sporting event in the world. Billions in revenue flowed from the competition. It was easy to see why someone like Lex wanted in on it. He certainly had the funds to do it.

Briefly noting her surprise Lex trudged on with his train of thought. "And in this age, especially this age, people need something human to look up to."

"Human? What do you mean by that?" Cat inquired as she leaned forward in her seat.

"I'm sure you've seen those brightly colored super-powered beings gallivanting around our globe as heroes."

The newscaster's eyes narrowed. He was referring to Superman and the heroes who had picked up the mantle following his lead. The acidity in his tone certainly implied hatred, but why?

"You seem to have a problem with the Wonders," Cat remarked, noticing the subtle frown that flashed on Lex's face momentarily. "They're doing a wonderful job if you ask me."

Internally Lex wanted to scream and tell the plastic bimbo seated in front of him to shut up. No one had asked for her vapid opinion, it was completely inconsequential. But the heir to the Luthor empire had an image to maintain. He couldn't afford any blunder, especially during his first publicly scheduled interview.

"It's all a matter of perspective if you ask me, Miss Grant."

"How so?"

"The Wonders," Lex so greatly despised that word. The fact this era was referred to as the 'Age of Wonders' was a slap in the face to all the scientific progress humanity had made. "Are causing more damage than they are actually fixing."

"But how? Crime rates have decreased dramatically in the places the Wonders reside. Heck, Gotham is currently seeing its lowest crime rate in fifteen years!" Miss Grant vehemently argued. She had to admit she did have some bias though, considering the fact Superman had personally saved her life before.

"I know where you're going with this," The bat. It was always one of these unfit heroes receiving unwarranted credit. "Instead of associating the drop in crime with Batman can't we simply congratulate the fine job police commissioner Gordon is doing there?"

"I made no mention of Batman."

"I knew what you were implying," Reporter tricks and backpedaling were not going to work on him. "This is part of the problem I'm speaking of. It seems normal human beings cannot be properly credited with anything now that these super-powered heroes have appeared."

"Detective Gordon is doing a fine job from what I've read but..."

"But what Miss Grant?" Lex interposed. "Batman still deserves the credit from your viewpoint I'm assuming?"

"He, at least, deserves to share some of it, maybe not all of it." The news host conceded with a long sigh. Her breath dragging as she wondered how she even stumbled into this ideological battle with her guest.

"But have you ever thought and pondered how much crime is being caused because of people like Batman? Gotham has always been a crime-ridden denizen, but now maniac's like the Joker have risen up to combat these so-called heroes."

As much as Cat Grant didn't want to admit it, she had to reluctantly agree with Luthor's words. People like the Joker didn't exist before Batman, or they were at least in hiding if they did.

"Take for instance the car chase that took place in East City shortly before our interview. Sure, Wonder Woman manage to apprehend the criminals responsible, but she was still responsible for a hefty amount of damage. On top of that, at least three people were reported dead, a fourth narrowly avoiding the same fate."

Involuntary shaking spread across Diana's arms as she heard those words. She had done her best to save lives. The fact that a monster like Lex was doing his best to paint her and her friends in a negative light was aggravating, to say the least. If only the world knew about the abominations Luthor was responsible for! It was highly suspicious that he even knew such close details of her scuffle with Intergang, it almost sounded like he was somehow involved.

"I'm sure Wonder Woman did her best, though," This was all news to Cat. She knew something had occurred in East City but no reports, as of yet, had been so descriptive.

"I'm sure she did but quite frankly it wasn't enough. In no way, shape or form am I trying to blame or hold Wonder Woman responsible for what happened," Lex quickly differentiated. Her worldwide following was almost cult-like at this point. The backlash would be immense if he even dared suggest such a thing. "But more and more of these kinds of tragedies are happening as a response to these heroes."

"Greater tragedies would happen if the superheroes weren't there to prevent them though. If Wonder Woman hadn't been there to stop these aforementioned criminals, more lives would have been lost today."

"But those lives were lost as a result of those criminals deeming those actions necessary as an avenue to get away from her," Lex rebutted. "In our own city of Metropolis, I've witnessed this firsthand."

"But Superman has been doing a fantastic job don't you think? His approval rating has been through the roof." The Man of Steel was arguably the most popular person in the United States. His constant heroic actions were becoming the thing of legend.

"But approval ratings are based on the flimsy whims of people. Nothing ever remains set in stone," Lex was proof of that himself. His father had been hated by the public, but since his mysterious death, LuthorCorp's public perception had improved vastly.

"Before our Kryptonian's arrival how many super-powered villains were strolling through Metropolis? The city of tomorrow has never been a crime filled haven like Gotham, but following Superman's appearance a day can't seemingly go by without some Meta-human monster wreaking havoc."

"But once again we can't hold Superman accountable for that. Correlation does not necessarily equal causation Mr. Luthor."

"I know and recognize that Miss Grant," The annoyance was teeming through Lex's words with every breath. "My main point throughout our entire discussion has been the reaction these heroes have caused. How many super-powered villains have we seen in the just the past few years? Parasite, Livewire, Toyman...need I go on?"

A disgruntled scowl fell on Cat's face. Lex raised excellent points there. Not much argument could be made against this position. Meta-humans did appear to be coming out the woodwork now.

"As valiant as these superheroes intentions may appear, they are causing as much harm as they seem to be stopping. Lucifer was once an angel. Devils don't come from hell beneath us. They come from the sky."

Bulma had heard enough. Following that last dramatic soundbite, the billionaire heiress promptly shut off the TV. The aura in the room was noticeably tense as Diana and Goku stood silently fuming at his words. It was now clear what the bald-headed man's intentions were. He no longer sought to remain hidden from the world, manipulating events from the shadows. It wasn't enough anymore. He wanted to destroy Superman, as well as his fellow heroes in the public eye. It was a strategy that was befitting of a man like Luthor's heart [1].

"He sure has some nerve." Goku glowered as he folded his arms. The Saiyan had never physically met Lex Luthor but Clark had filled him in on the details. He was even more pompous than Goku could've imagined.

"Nerve doesn't begin to describe the half of it." Diana growled in frustration. She was seriously beginning to doubt whether that man had any good inside him.

"I don't know how Clark refrains from smashing into LuthorCorp and kicking his ass," Bulma huffed as she rubbed her temples. In truth, she knew that wasn't Superman's style or personality. "I know Bruce has to deal with some real lunatics, but at least, none of his have the funds or power that Lex does."

That was something the trio could all agree to. Batman's brand of villains were maniacal psychopaths, but at the very least none of them would garner public support from anyone. Lex had an entire corporate empire behind him to sway public perception with propaganda.

"Uncle Bruce?" Gohan's eyes lit up and mention of his name. "He used to come visit a lot but I barely see him anymore." The child pouted as his lips began quivering.

Bulma, Clark, and Diana all knew how their friend could be. Batman was an incredibly aloof man. He was fully dedicated to his pursuit of justice, possibly even more so than anyone in the room. That tended to lead to a one track mind, in this case, an obsessive devotion.

"How is he doing, by the way, Bulma? You're the closest out of all of us to him." Diana inquired as she glanced over to her friend. They had known each other since childhood.

"I..I don't know actually," Bulma sighed regrettably. She hadn't heard from him in weeks. "Whatever he's up to, though, I hope he's alright."


Age 761 (2011), Gotham

Darkness.

It enshrouded him from all angles as he raced through Gotham's dreary rooftops, somersaulting as he dashed across the city's skyline. It was a particularly gloomy night, even for the crime filled metropolis. A downpour of rain drizzled from the sky, indiscriminately soaking everything in sight. People scampered indoors, raced to their cars, scurried under umbrellas to avoid being caught in what was quickly becoming a light monsoon. No one was out and about in the city's entertainment district, which was odd considering it was midnight on a Friday evening.

Actually, that wasn't entirely true.

The dark knight, as well as a significant portion of the police force, were traversing the streets on a city-wide manhunt. Someone or rather a group of criminals had stolen a number of priceless jewels from the diamond district. Those foolish bureaucrats and business owners should have known better than to so boldly advertise a ten million dollar jewelry collection in this city. This was Gotham for goodness sake! That was like dangling immobile prey in front of a snake.

But in all honestly, Bruce was even more surprised by the fact that the jewels had managed to remain safe for this long. He had expected a robbery attempt to be made the same night the diamonds were brought in. He had to at least slightly tip his hat for the fact they managed to hold out for a month. And for once Catwoman wasn't behind this theft, at least from the clues he had deduced to this point.

The thieves had been sloppy, incredibly sloppy in fact. They had tripped the silent alarm mere minutes after they had broken into the store. Selina was a magician at avoiding traps of any kind. Her catlike reflexes and agility certainly lived up to her name. Where she usually messed up was the process of making a clean escape. She always left clues behind of some kind. Polyester fiber from suit, a string of leather from her whip, sometimes even a claw mark on the glass of the case she had stolen from. It was almost like she wanted to get caught, and that certainly appeared to be the case in the close encounters they always had.

But enough of that. Batman needed to remain fixed on the mission for the evening.

Following their rather clumsy theft, the criminals had managed to leave the scene of the crime, though not before a police car spotted them. A quick shootout occurred with the thieves not wanting to chance an unnecessary car chase. But that was where catastrophe had struck. The gunshots from AK-47 tended to travel rather quickly. The response was immediate, and before they knew it Gotham PD was swarming in on them. The last thirty minutes had seen a raucous car chase around the city. Fortunately, almost no one was out tonight and casualties had been minimal, save for the lone police officer thus far.

The ear piece in Bruce's cowl was a constant source of updating information. Tonight he unveiled a new a prototype he had been working on for the last several weeks. Normally he would've been following the chase in his Batmobile but his mechanical suit was allowing him to keep pace with everything down below. The night vision certainly helped as the oblique sky, coupled with the thunderous rain, seemed to be making everything even more obscure to view. His movements were light, a quick hop taking him wherever he desired. His grappling gun was completely unnecessary tonight.

He had built this suit with some of his Meta-Human foes in mind. Bane specifically had been his inspiration as he welded the suit's necessary components. It was intended to be hard-hitting but swift as well. His earlier design had been more powerful and impact resistant, but bulky machinery slowed it down significantly. He still decided to keep that model stashed in the Batmobile, though, who knew when it might come in handy. This model was sleeker, faster, more efficient, and though Batman would never say it- it just quite frankly looked cooler.

Spreading his cape the dark knight prepared himself for the descent below. With his binocular feature, Bruce had been able to view the police barricade coming up just yards away. The goons were far too busy shooting back at the police to actually pay attention to the road. Their recklessness would bite them in the ass once more. In a few seconds, the spike strip ahead of them would flatten their tires, sending them spiraling into arms of the police.

Well, this night has almost been a complete waste. At least, I got to run a field test with the suit though. Hopefully, I can, at least, gain something from interrogating those thieves. There has to be something larger at work here. No one would be so openly sloppy knowing what the response to the theft of those jewels would be. They have to be working for someone. I'll have to look into the background of the ownership of the diamonds and see...

Bruce's inner monologue was left unfinished as a shooting star rocketed across the murky skies. What in the world? His eyes narrowed as his binoculars zoomed in on the object, only to curse in dismay as he projected it's trajectory. It's headed straight towards us! Before the Dark Knight could even respond the object impacted the city as it crashed into a nearby building, crumbling it to its foundation. Large tremors soon followed as the surrounding area shook from the mighty force.

Batman managed to stay upright, the spikes in his boots extending as they nailed himself to the rooftop. The structure swayed, but eventually remained upright. The officers down below weren't so lucky, however, as several police cars had been toppled over. A cloud of dust swept over the area momentarily distilling the view. As the microbes of dirt began dispersing, a clearer picture of what had occurred began to form.

Bruce's initial assessment had been completely wrong. It wasn't a shooting star or a meteorite of any kind; it was a large spherical orb. It appeared to be a ship of some kind. Its metal appeared to be incredibly dense considering the fact there wasn't a single scratch or dent on it following its collision. Was this a top secret government prototype being tested over Gotham? He wouldn't put it past them, but factoring in the inclement weather, it was anything but ideal to be doing a test run.

He had to get a better view.

Lowering himself down onto the street, Batman decided to examine the unidentified object up close and personal. The police officers had managed to pull themselves up now and had stumbled to their feet. The unexpected crash had somewhat sidetracked the arraignment of the criminals. A key decision now had to be made. Investigate the mysterious crash, or apprehend the criminals at hand. In a split second decision, the police officers decided to split their manpower and do both. Half of the squadron broke apart and raced to the scene of the chaos while the other half remained fixed on the task at hand.

The first officer to arrive on the scene gawked as he tilted his cap. This wasn't something you saw every day, even in a city as wild as Gotham. There was nothing but ruins left behind in the wake of whatever had struck. Quickly fumbling through various sized pieces of rubble his eyes widened as he reached the epicenter of the destruction. It was a ship of some kind and it appeared to be opening. The other officers who had been trailing behind him finally arrived in time to see the door hatch open, with a long haired man floating out of it.

Bruce frowned as he watched from behind a light pole. He had hoped to remain hidden until absolutely necessary but this new discovery had distorted his plans. His nerves were now suddenly on edge for some reason. He had a terrible feeling about this, and his instincts rarely if ever failed him. Lightning crackled in the sky as one of the officers finally decided to speak up.

"W-w-who are you?" A shaky voice stuttered out. His hand was slowly reaching for his gun. You could never be too safe in Gotham.

The man in question didn't even bother to respond to the question, instead tapping the odd device that was attached to his face. Light beeping, that Bruce only managed to hear due to his enhanced sensors, emerged as numbers began rapidly flashing on the device's screen.

"So the creatures on the planet are still alive? Kakarot has failed us! How pathetic!" Anger dripped from his voice with every infuriated word.

Bruce keyed in on the first half of his words. The creatures on this planet? Quickly putting two and two together, he deduced that the man wasn't an inhabitant of Earth. The idea of extraterrestrial beings was entirely plausible considering the sheer size of the Universe. Hell Superman was an alien himself. He knew the Earth would have a close encounter of the third kind some day, but he did not expect it to be so soon. On top of that, the delegations with new alien were going splendidly sour thus far.

"Answer the question!" Another officer yelled this time, more authoritatively as he cocked back his weapon. There wasn't time to play twenty questions, they had more pressing issues just up the street.

The shout seemed to garner the man's attention as he glanced over to the officer with a brow raised. "A measly power level of ten and you dare have the nerve to attempt to command me?" Hearty laughter ensued as the man lowered himself down to ground level, landing directly in front of the officer.

"Don't you ever raise your voice at me...fool." His face turned dead serious as he outstretched his palm. A sizzling ball of orange energy dispensing as it shot forth towards the officer, obliterating him from the annals of time.

Shit!

Bruce cursed as he sprung into action. The surrounding officers all began firing, angrily letting loose their ammunition for their fallen comrade. The spiky haired man chuckled as every single bullet harmlessly bounced off his skin, falling to the ground like the harmless raindrops from above. The squadron all stood in awe, jaws slacking as the man summoned another ball of energy. The ashes of their friend were all that needed to be said about the assured deadliness of what was to come.

But before he could release the energy once more, Batman struck. A Batarang exploded in the would-be assailant's face, momentarily disorienting him enough to disrupt his concentration. With a guttural growl, the dark knight ordered the officers to evacuate the premises immediately. The were a liability at this point would only get in the way. The trooper's wisely heeded Bruce's words and began a mad dash back towards their police cars.

"What do you want?" The voice scrambler in Batman's cowl activated as he yelled the words. Normally his natural menacing tone would be enough to strike fear into the hearts of most criminals, but it was vividly clear this attacker was anything but that.

The steam from the explosion had cleared giving view to the man's spotless face. The Batarang had done nothing. If anything, it had only served to further anger the extraterrestrial as he now furiously glaring towards Bruce.

"Pitiful. Absolutely pitiful," The absolute vitriol behind the words was immense. Batman could distinctively hear the grinding of his teeth as he spoke. "If weaklings like you are the best this world has to offer, I can't see how Kakarot failed to subjugate this planet. Looks like big brother Raditz will just have to do the job."

Kakarot. Once again there was mention of that name. The computer in his mask instantly began running through its database as it attempted to locate anyone with that name. Asiatic, no possibly Semitic origin? He pondered as data quickly flashed and dissipated before his eyes. An exasperated frown settled onto Batman's face as his mainframe came up with nothing. Not a single result popped up.

There was another alien on Earth besides Clark, who was somehow connected to this less than benevolent invader. Great...just great.

The distinguishable sound of loud beeping halted Bruce's thoughts as the man in question spoke up once more.

"A power level of fifty? That's almost impressive considering the weaklings on this planet."

Power levels? Bruce knew he had heard those words before. His eyes bolted open under the cowl as an epiphany struck him. Goku! The World's Martial arts champion frequently commented on his ability to sense the energy of other people. Master Roshi, as well as the battalion of Goku's other friends, could do it as well. But this man appeared to be able to put it into quantifiable numbers, well, at least, his scouter did.

"But enough of you I don't have time to play with ants." With those passing words, he began levitating into the air once more.

Bruce knew he couldn't allow him to escape.

Speedily grabbing more Batarangs, the dark knight proceeded to rapidly fire them at the still ascending man in the sky. Without batting an eye the alien erased the bat-shaped throwing knives from existence. Multiple balls of azuline energy instantaneously vaporizing them. Ki! Bruce had initially pondered that being the source of his power but couldn't definitively say so until now. But there was no doubt in his mind after seeing that little spectacle.

The veins in Raditz head throbbed as he glanced down towards his attacker. He was on a tight schedule, but he could afford some time to deal with the meddling inhabitants of this planet. Grinning wickedly as he changed his trajectory, his flight path now placing Batman directly in harm's way. The dark knight braced himself as his arms formed a protective x-shaped shield around his face. He was far too expeditious for Bruce to even dream of avoiding.

The two met, harshly, as the full weight of Raditz body slammed into Batman. A large pop was heard as the dark knight was sent tumbling, his body rolling several kilometers down the street, managing to upheave pavement along the way. With an agonizing groan, he slowly climbed to his feet, fortunate that this new suit had carried the brunt of the damage. His head was still ringing as Raditz materialized before him. A dastardly smile flaring as his fist submerged himself into the confines of Bruce's stomach.

His eyes exploded, nearly threatening to dislodge from their sockets as his gut caved in. He was given a chance to momentarily breathe as he collapsed to his knees. The goading eyes of his attacker watching in merriment as he upchucked this evening's meal. His eyes were in a daze. He had never been hit this hard before, not even by a juiced up Bane. His breath was growing heavier with every fleeting moment. But he could not afford to give up now. God only knew what this monster might do if he was allowed to escape.

Struggling to his feet with renewed vigor, Batman recognized what had to be done. His opponent, still cackling madly was caught off guard as he reached into his utility belt and unveiled a small metallic orb. A look of curiosity was the last thing Bruce saw before the smog from the now dropped pellet flooded his view. Loud coughing was heard in the distance as the smoke did its job, granting the dark knight an opportunity to escape.

Bruce didn't know how much time he had bought with that little stunt. In truth he was even lucky his opponent had even been foolish enough to provide such an opening. Raditz, as he'd called himself, was leaps and bounds more powerful than him. One punch had been enough to crack his suit's double plated armor. His only hope now was to get the thrasher suit. It was significantly slower than this current prototype, but it potentially possessed the power to match blows with Raditz.

Tapping a button on his utility belt, the Wayne heir beckoned the Batmobile to him. The smoke would be clearing any second now and the alien would be even more pissed off. That scouter allowed him to track Bruce's every move, there was nowhere he could potentially hide even if he wanted to. Getting rid of it should have been his first priority, but it had got lost in the shuffle during their brief battle. Chastising himself for that mistake Bruce vowed to rectify his error.

"I'll have your head for that Earthling!" Batman's time was up as he heard incensed screaming from down the block.

Hopping into the driver's seat of the Batmobile Bruce rapidly typed codes into the cars computer system. Down the street, Raditz hair thrashed wildly from side to side as he glanced around for his rather sneaky opponent. His eyes narrowing as he finally spotted the behemoth of a vehicle just up the road. Got you. Panic set in as Batman viewed a magenta ball of Ki erupt from his assailants hand, streaking directly towards him. No, I need more time! The sweat under his mask poured, but it was far too late.

A dissonant explosion soon followed, shattering several nearby windows along the way. Large, burning embers, illuminated the rainy night as flames flickered from what was left of the Batmobile. Smirking, thinking his task was completed Raditz flipped around, hopping into the air once more only to be halted by a booming voice from behind. His eyes expanded in confusion as he viewed a mechanical leviathan emerge from the fire.

"Round two." Was all Bruce said as he leaped into the air, the pavement cracking in his wake.


Age 761 (2011), Olympus

"Look at those foolish mortals and their petty dalliances. Don't they realize how fickle it all is?" Hera spat in contempt as she peered into the orchid pool bubbling in front of her. "Futile! How futile it all

is!"

Today the auburn haired goddess was in one of her rather peachy moods. The chalice in her left hand overflowed, dripping onto the sandstone gravel as she angrily gestured towards the flashing image. It a was snapshot of two lovers on what appeared to be a rather romantic date. The Eiffel tower provided a scenic backdrop as the couple leaned over their dinner plates for a passionate kiss.

"Disgusting." A repulsive scowl spread across her godly features as she waved her right hand, expunging the image from her sight.

In truth, Hera should have been overjoyed at the sight. She was after all the goddess of marriage. The love she had just witnessed often lead to marriage, which only served to supplant her power. But in the centuries following her marriage to Zeus, her once sweet disposition had slowly turned bitter. Zeus. It was once a name that sparked torrid flames in her heart. Well in a way it still did, but usually not with positive connotations anymore.

Their romance had once been the things of legend. In his youth her husband had gone to the edges of time and space just to woo her. She still recounted the time he slaughtered an entire battalion of titans just for mispronouncing her name. In hindsight that should have given her a precursor of things to come. Zeus was an incredibly prideful man, a flaw which would eternally haunt their marriage. But she young, vacuous...and in love.

By the mortals modern standards their union had been an abomination. Sister and brother marrying each other was a crime punishable by death in at least a few of the stricter countries on that dustball down below Olympus. But immortals could not be judged by the infantile merits of human morality. Besides there hardly any other readily available options at the time anyways. All of the Olympians were her brothers or sisters in one form or another.

Having seen enough repulsive images for the day, the goddess began to slowly saunter up the massive stairs that lead to her throne. Impassively removing her glittering peacock cloak, the despondent matriarch plopped down into the chair. Arching her head as she leaned back against the gold plating, her mind once again began to run wild, until she was interrupted by soft feathers prickling her skin. It was her ever faithful peacock at her side, attending to her like any loyal pet was supposed to.

"You love me don't you?" Her celeste eyes floundered, almost as if they were awaiting an audible response.

"Oh..of course I do mother. How could you ever doubt that?" A frown settled on Hera's face as she instantly recognized the sound of the sarcastic voice from behind. Eris.

"What? You're not happy to see me?" The magenta goddess faux pouted, as she stepped from the shadows. Her eyes blinked rapidly, artificial tears threatening to dribble down her slender cheeks.

"You can cut the act." Her mother scolded as she motioned her pet away. She couldn't even have one peaceful moment of despair?

"But mother I'm just so concerned about you," Both parent and child knew that was a blatant lie. Eris only referred to her as mother when she wished to deride her. "The queen of the gods shouldn't be drowning in misery."

Well, that was something they could actually both agree to. Hera had been locked in her private quarters for the past two months. Outside of that lonely peacock, the wife of Zeus hadn't seen anyone. She had seemingly lost the will to do anything. Her so called husband hadn't even bothered to check up on her, not even once. At the very least Athena and Hermes had scribbled concerned letters. They knew better than to test her temperament when she was in one of these moods. But Eris cared little for her fury; she reveled in it.

"Why are you so distraught anyways mother?" The personification of chaos pondered as she put a thoughtful hand on her chin. "What has father done to you this time?"

In truth, the All-Father had done nothing at all...which was precisely the problem. Her husband, her king, her lover showed her no affection whatsoever. She couldn't recall the last time they had made love, or even so much as kissed. With each passing millennium, the Skyfather seemed to grow more and more distant. His extramarital affairs were nearly innumerable in number. It certainly didn't help considering his consort was the very goddess of marriage.

"Do we really need to recount the list of detestable actions your father has committed?" Hera huffed as she slouched in her chair. She didn't need to retread on all those embarrassments.

"Well since you brought it up," An overly eager Eris persisted. "There was Themis, Eyrynome, Semele, Alcmene..."

"Eris..." Hera grumbled in an annoyed tone.

"Metis, Leto, Hippolyta..."

"Hippolyta!?" At the mention of that name Hera rose with a startled jump.

"Oh, dearest mother you didn't know?" An astounded gasp escaped her daughter's lips. "I thought you knew this entire time."

"You must be lying. Hippolyta would never!" The fiery-haired goddess shouted in total disbelief, her fist angrily slamming into the throne's armrest.

"What reason would I have to lie? Even telling you this benefits me in no way." Eris rebutted. Spilling the beans could potentially place her directly in sight of her father's wrath.

Hera had to concede that point. Though they were mother and daughter Eris had long despised her for reasons unknown. Their relationship was only slightly better than her own with her father Cronus.

"But Hippolyta is one of my most faithful worshipers. Her loyalty to me has been unquestionable. How could she do this to me? Why would she do this to me?" The veracity of Eris words finally began to sink in. The queen's brain wracked as she attempted to contemplate this immense betrayal.

"Mother you won't believe the tale I have for you."Emerald eyes gleamed as Eris leaned over her mother's shoulder. A scheming smirk brimming as she began to unravel years of deceit.


Age 761 (2011), Themyscira

"Are you sure you've gathered all of it?"

"Yes, Derinoe this is every last item that was requested."

"Including a child?"

Reluctantly, Alkyone placed the sleeping baby into the withered hands of Derinoe. There was no coming back from what they were about to do.

"Are you sure this is truly necessary? Is this really the only way?" Alkyone warily inquired. The newborn daughter was sound asleep, her peaceful form completely unaware of the madness that surrounded her.

"She left us no choice." Derinoe grimly stated, her face remaining completely expressionless as she coddled the infant.

By 'she' Derinoe was referring to the queen of the Amazons; Hippolyta. The stranglehold of their monarch's rule had slowly begun to crumble in recent years. Ever since her daughter's disgraceful banishment, decreed by Zeus himself, the Amazons had begun to lose faith in her ruling. Though outright derision would have been completely out of line, several of the queen's sisters started to secretly question her judgment. If she couldn't even control her own daughter, what better of them?

But one incident, not even of the queen's own doing, was not enough to shatter their faith. The Amazons had been immensely loyal to her and her regime for centuries. It would, at least, take repeated incidents before their loyalty began to truly flounder. Over the past eleven years, she and Alkyone had conspired to create such incidents. The first of them being Alkyone's very escape from imprisonment in the dungeons.

The vast majority of Amazons were ignorant of the reasons for her punishment. It was still a hotly contested subject amongst the island's inhabitants. But buying Hippolyta's words her subjects had bought it. So when Alkyone and her compatriots were mysteriously spurred from jail, murmuring about the judgment was brought up once more. Seeds of doubt were slowly furnishing.

Derinoe's belief and faith had already been completely eviscerated by Eris revelation. Though Alkyone and her companions hated Diana, they still possessed immense respect for their queen. But all that changed once the truth had been revealed to them. Wonder Woman was truly the dragon Alkyone had foretold her to be. Their decade-long imprisonment felt even more unjust as the disgusting details of Diana's origins emerged.

Hippolyta had not only lied to her citizens but the gods as well. The magnitude of her deceit was beyond all conception. Athena forbid Hera ever discover the truth. It would surely spell the doom of the Amazons. The queen was supposed to be a living testament to Themyscira's ideals and values. But that whore beguiled her subjects and the very deities responsible for her creation. Loyalty to their queen was a duty every Amazon, but such immense treachery was irreconcilable.

Hippolyta and her seed needed to be cleansed from the Earth. It was the only way to amend for her spider-web of crimes. The idea was bolstered as Hippolyta continued her line of questionable actions, spurning more Amazons. One such act was her decision to secretly attend her daughter's wedding. Her daughter had wed the foolish mortal that trespassed their sacred land years ago. Diana's banishment meant the cessation of all interaction with the Amazons, but Hippolyta had once again bent the rules [2].

The Amazons had been clueless to the whereabouts of their queen when she'd suddenly vanished that particular day. Fury and ire spread throughout the island as Derinoe spilled the tea. The queen's arrival back home was met with very vocal displeasure. A number of Amazons had been converted to Derinoe's side that day. Their zeal and loyalty were sealed as they learned every excruciating detail of their queen's duplicity.

But alas every Amazon could not be swayed by the truth. Some blindly remained loyal to that grandstanding wench. Amazons like Phillipus would die before they ever betrayed their queen. Derinoe didn't even bother attempting to convert staunch followers like her. Their devotion was simultaneously admirable and pitiful. But alas, they would all see the truth in the end. One way or another.

Though Hippolyta's merits and actions had misled the Amazons, her prowess and skill could not be denied. Her leadership, courage, and bravery had pulled her sisters through colossal turbulence. From their ancient battles with monsters of myth to their enslavement and eventual escape from the claws of Hercules- Hippolyta had always led the charge. If not for her cacophony of lies, Hippolyta would have been the perfect liege.

If only. If only...

That was the reason Derinoe and Alkyone stood here today, in the darkest, most well-hidden cave in Themyscira. The queen's bloodline needed to be preserved. Such magnificent qualities could not be allowed to die. If Hippolyta could not rule, her descendant would. One who was free of the stench of man's touch. One who could be perfectly molded into the quintessential Amazon.

"A sacrifice must be made for the greater good of our people." Without a further word the wrinkling woman transferred the baby into the hands of an awaiting witch.

The turquoise woman, with spikes protruding from all angles of her skull, gently grabbed the infant as she proceeded towards a steaming caldron.

"Your sacrifice will not be in vain little one." Alkyone was forced to look away as a jagged knife materialized in the witches hand.


Age 761 (2011), Mount Paozu

"Noooo!" With an ear-rattling scream Diana awoke from her bed. Profuse beads of sweat dripped down her perfect porcelain skin as her heart beat began to finally slow. There were something wicked brewing amidst Themyscira.


A big thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 13!

Authors Note: The first chapter in the Saiyan saga arc is complete. There was a lot to get to. This was the longest chapter I've written thus far. You can expect the same structure in the upcoming chapters as well. All the future chapters will be 10K+ from now on unless it's a chapter note or something like that.

[1]: Lex Luthor has largely remained hidden from the public eye up until this point. He's been orchestrating various crimes and events during the five year time skip following the previous chapter. Superman and co know of his deeds and treachery but have been unable to directly indict him on anything. He's covered his tracks on all bases. Arrogant as ever it's not enough to simply dismantle Superman from the sideline anymore, he needs to be proactive. Thrusting himself into the public eye he intends to do this through a public relations battle that is now slowly building.

[2]: Hippolyta was there in the shadows, but not publicy.


Q/A:

ElizabethGreene-QueenOfViruses: This is a DC X DBZ crossover only. Plus I know next to nothing about One Punch Man outside of the episodes I watched.

Nima: My issue with Deathbattle regarding Superman vs Goku was the fact they didn't stick to one variation of the character. There are numerous versions of Superman in all forms of media. Deathbattle amalgamated their own Superman from various sources instead of just sticking to one. The should have stuck with Post-Crisis Superman or New 52 Superman and called it a day. On top of that, they falsely attributed certain feats to Superman and miscalculated feats for Goku. I readily admit that the most powerful version of Superman would beat Goku. But the most commonly used versions? Not at all especially after Dragonball Super.

Kabuto S. Inferno:

RecklessBaka: I'll be using various DC story arcs as well as the DBZ sagas. Can't really say which ones I'll be using at the moment, though. The version of the Kryptonians in this story aren't as xenophobic as they are in mainstream media. The Tuffles and Kryptonians were kindred spirits due to their shared interest in science and technology. The Green Lantern/PTO thing will be explained in later chapters. Yes, other villain groups will be formed later on. You'll just have to read later on and see about Fate/Zatanna. Clark signed up as Superboy for the tournament.

ThatGuy brother of OtherGuy: In previous chapters I stated that Superman would gradually grow into his power. Superman was barely above his Golden Age incarnation, in terms of strength, in the previous chapter. He'll eventually become the powerful Man of Steel we all know and love. But in the previous chapter, he was indeed weaker than Diana and Krillin. Even in the previous chapter, I mentioned the fact Clark had no training and had never been involved in a serious fight before either.

Guest: Jaco might make an appearance later on

Graig: Real life and sometimes a lack of motivation often times keep from updating as much as I should. Thanks for the praise but there are several other good stories in this section as well.

Johnny Spectre: I never actually pondered the parallels between Athens, Sparta, the Kryptonians, and Saiyans. Great point.


Character Ages:

Gohan: 3

Piccolo: (Technically) 8

Chiaotzu: 23

Goku: 24

Wonder Woman: 24

Superman: 24

Krillin: 25

Bulma: 28

Batman: 28

Yamcha: 28

Lex Luthor: 28

Tien: 28

Raditz: 29