Disclaimer: I do not own anything you may recognize
Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed or reviewed this fic so far.
Thanks a lot to Stand with Ward and Queen and gussygus28 for their suggestions on this chapter.
Enjoy.
TW: Thanks for the review, glad it was fantastic. Its 'Injustice League', and you'll see soon.
Chapter 23- To the Future
Earth-1
In all his thousands of years of living, Hath-Set, known as Vandal Savage for decades now, could not be more confused by the gathering of men around him. Throughout his existence, he'd spent time amongst the most powerful men in the world, and yet, he was standing before men from different worlds. He had seen a lot, done a lot more, but this was new. What a curious thing to experience something so new after living so long that nothing could surprise him anymore. Or so he believed.
"Who is it that leads this crusade?"
Lex let out a chuckle that lacked any humor while looking to his original partner. "We never did work that out, did we, Zemo?" The baron did not reply, nor did he put away his gun, not that Lex paid it no mind as he faced the immortal again. "Our little band is more a gathering of equals. Consider us like a Parliament."
"If the Parliament consisted of people who would oh so like to deal certain nuisances that have spawned in our lives." Malcolm added as he approached the only man that made the previous Ra's al Ghul wary. "It was I who recovered your ashes. At first, I merely sought a favor to gain, however," he gestured to the baron, billionaire, and speedster behind him, "they have opened my eyes to what a collection of like-minded individuals like us, could do."
Amusement shined in Vandal's eyes as he looked Merlyn up and down. "You think I would sit and stand at attention for someone else's whims?"
"We could always put you back the way we found you." The immortal turned his head and glared at the soldier from another world, like before, he did not cower.
"Men have lost their tongues for speaking to me in such a way."
"Gentlemen, please." Lex aimed a look at the baron, who only glanced back. "Our intentions are not to belittle one another," Lex held up a finger without even looking to know Zemo was about to speak but stopped and sighed disappointedly instead. "Our agenda, is to unite our causes, our resources, and our wills, to create a world without the "obstacles" standing in our way."
"Individually, we have fallen short of success, but together, we may very well prove to be unstoppable." Malcolm backed up Lex as he offered Savage a robe. The man who taught Robin Hood to shoot eyed both it and the Demon's Head, before accepting it, putting it on and covering his nude form at last. "Together, our enemies won't stand a chance. Green Arrow, Flash, they'll be gone, and we would have the world run as we see fit."
"All our worlds."
This was a more ambitious than Savage expected. He knew it was his destiny to lead the planet, he was the only one with the will to do so. No one could see it, but then again, few had the knowledge or experience that Vandal himself had. What these men were proposing, it could open a door to fulfill the fate that awaited him and finish the path he started four thousand years ago. Yet, there was much that gave him pause. "How do I know that you are true to your word, and have no intent to enslave me for my knowledge, or my power?"
Deadpanning the immortal, Lex told him flatly. "I assure you; we didn't bring you back just so we can threaten to kill you over and over again. There is no hierarchy here."
Vandal jerked his chin toward the silent, black clad metahuman. "What about the speedster?"
"He has learned that his power does not make him a god, and he is still very killable." Tilting his head with a smirk, Zemo made his message clear.
"Ignoring my Sokovian friend's prejudices, let's just make things simple." A hand extended towards the immortal. "Hi, my name is Lex Luthor, would you care to change the worlds for the better with us?"
It was with a hard stare that Vandal Savage re-examined man in front of him. Luthor had charisma, and intelligence, money as well clearly. His reasons for this were his own. The man, Zemo, his despisal for Vandal was palpable, and it seemed to extend to the metahuman as well. Said speedster was motionless the entire time, as if kept at heel by his masters, so it seemed the "Sokovian", a nationality that he did not recognize, spoke a hint of truth. Then there was Malcolm, the opportunistic, conniving magician, who gained the League of Assassins and title of Ra's through trickery and alliances.
They were a league of violent conmen with a hint of genius.
He may have use for them after all.
Taking the hand offered, the once Egyptian priest offered a grin.
"When do we start?"
Star City
Oliver angrily beat up a Ghost as the sight of Thea fighting for her life on the hospital bed flashed in his mind. "Where is Darhk?"
The Ghost ran off and jumped onto some wires, electrocuting himself.
Later, the lair
"No luck?" Felicity asked as Oliver walked into the lair.
"Just more Ghosts willing to die rather than talk", Oliver snarled as he put his bow up. "Where are Sara and Ray?"
"Looking for other leads", Diggle explained, Oliver nodding.
"John", Oliver then said. "Could you and Lyla make Andy talk?"
"We'll do our best", Diggle said, walking out, while Sara and Ray walked in.
"I'm guessing you'd as much luck as I did", Oliver noted.
"More Ghosts willing to die rather than talk", Sara echoed his own earlier words.
"Classic League technique", Oliver noted, when Laurel walked in. "How is she?"
"Still in surgery", Laurel said, looking shaken up. "Nothing on the tipline so far either."
"What do we do?" Ray wondered, before looking at Oliver. "Look, I'd love to help more, but-"
"The company", Oliver sighed.
"Yeah, they like me running it, but if I'm not around much, both of us will get kicked off", Ray pointed out.
"Go, handle it", Oliver said to Ray, giving him a reassuring look as Ray nodded and walked out.
"How's she doing?" Quentin asked Oliver on seeing him walk up to him.
"She's in surgery again", Oliver said, sitting down in front of him.
"Then what are you doing here?" Quentin asked.
"Looking for Damien Darhk", Oliver said bluntly. "There's a card that we haven't turned over yet, and we haven't turned it over, because when we do, he will know that you are working with us."
"You want to know where I've been meeting with Darhk", Quentin realized.
"Yeah", Oliver added. "You won't be able to go home. Luckily, we have space in the bunker. There are living quarters."
"What about Laurel and Sara?" Quentin inquired.
"They can take care of themselves", Oliver pointed out.
"Yeah, they can do that", Quentin said with a rueful chuckle. "Ok-office building, 832 Sixth Street, 30th floor. But with Thea in the hospital, me, Sara and Laurel watching our backs, Ray running the company, and Eliot, Parker, Hardison and Hunt back in their world, your team gets mighty small."
"None of it matters once Darhk is off the board", Oliver told him.
"You'll kill him?" Quentin asked, out of curiosity more than judgment.
"You've seen what he is up to, there is no other way", Oliver pointed out before walking off.
Earth-199999
Pitch black surrounded Tony. There was no ground, no ceiling, nothing but a void that went on forever. Breathing heavily, the Iron Man's hands intertwined behind his head. "Okay, Stark, keep it together. Keep it together." He repeated to himself but his heartbeat only increased, he could hear it, feel it beat against his chest. "This isn't real. Doom's messing with your head. Neural scrambler, a kind of hypnosis, roofies for all you know. You're smarter than this, stronger than this, COME ON!" He cried as his grabbed at his hair and began to hyperventilate. "Focus! Focus...focus on them." Tony told himself as he shut his eyes and thought. Pepper. Rhodey. Happy. Steve. Bruce. Natasha. Thor. Clint. Focus on the people closest.
A light flooded the darkness around Tony, making the genius open his eyes and find a doorway of blinding light. With few other options, Stark walked towards the light.
New York City, Avengers Tower
Gasping himself awake, Tony, stripped of his armor sat up straight, nearly knocking into Rhodey and Sue as they gently held him in place. A hand went to his heart while his eyes found his best friend.
"Rhodey?"
"Take it easy, brother." War Machine advised as he helped Tony to his feet. They nearly gave way before Rhodey caught the man again.
Groaning with a hand on both the bed and Rhodey's shoulder, Tony blinked his eyes rapidly to regain his senses. "I just had the worst hangover of my life."
"If only it was just a hangover." Susan said as she checked the pad with scans of his brain. "Your neuroelectric signals went flat, you had no response to stimuli. Basically, your body was fine, but your mind was gone." She said with worry while a faraway look was in Tony's eye, looking at nowhere as he focused on one insignificant spot in the glass. The lack of a response had Rhodey and Sue share worried looks.
"Tony?"
That snapped the man back to reality. "Yeah, brain dead, I get ya. Now," he walked past both of them through the doors with the lab in mind, "time to make that bastard all dead."
Earth-1, Star City
Oliver entered the building, having nocked an arrow, and moved around. The others had been stationed in different exits. He found bodies of Ghosts.
He walked further, opening a door, and saw a Ghost hanging on the wall, shurikens stuck in his wrists and feet.
His expression stoic, he looked at the body, knowing who was behind this.
He tapped his comms. "White Canary, Spartan, Black Canary, status?"
"Nothing on my end", Diggle's voice spoke.
"Nothing here either", Sara added.
Laurel didn't reply as Oliver said again. "Black Canary?"
Not getting a response from her, he cried out. "Black Canary is not responding!"
He rushed out, going where she was stationed, as Sara and Diggle reached the spot, and found Laurel on the ground, a syringe sticking out of her.
Kneeling near her, Oliver checked her pulse. "She is alive!"
"Let's get her to a hospital!" Sara said urgently, Oliver nodding as he lifted her up bridal style.
Later
Oliver, Sara and Diggle stood in front of where Laurel was lying on the hospital bed, Quentin sitting next to her and holding her hand, as Felicity came in. "Oh my God, are you okay?"
"I think so", Laurel said hoarsely, then looked at the rest. "It was him, the Throwing Star killer."
"Why did he attack you like that?" Diggle wondered.
"Don't know", Laurel sighed, before remembering. "The doctor said there was a drug in my system from the syringe he used on me, though its taken out now."
"What?" Sara inquired.
"Dycloseral."
Oliver looked down, deep in thought, Sara and Diggle noticing that, as the former asked. "You know about it?"
Before he could respond, the door opened, and Nyssa walked in, wearing casual clothes, to the surprise of the rest.
"Are you all right, friend?" Nyssa asked, looking at Laurel, as Laurel smiled.
"Yes, I'm fine, thank you for coming, Nyssa", Laurel thanked her.
"I heard about Thea, you have my condolences", Nyssa said genuinely to Oliver, and he nodded.
"While I am still looking for my sister, I have some followers of mine trying to trace Darhk, if I find anything, I will let you know", Nyssa said, then started walking out.
"Nyssa."
"Yes?" Nyssa stopped.
"Thank you", Oliver said, and she nodded, before walking off.
Earth-199999, New York City, Avengers Tower
Reed was tapping away on the holoscreen, working alongside JARVIS to purge the tower of whatever virus that Doom possibly left behind. He was always thorough, that man, if he still was a man, Reed thought in concern as he heard the doors open. Turning to find Tony with Rhodes and Sue trailing behind him, the inventor of the Iron Man armors looked down at the empty armory below.
"Where's my stuff?"
"Gone." Ben said grimly.
"Flew around the place, even the city, saw no sign of the tinmen." Johnny added as he played with a piece of lab tech that Reed stretched his hand out to take. "Hey!"
"Are you sure you should be walking, Tony? You were knocked out for hours-"
"The only medicine I need is to tear that bastard apart for messing with my tech." Tony said as he brushed by his fellow scientist and began to type away. "Why haven't you been tracking the arc reactors in the suits?" He asked heatedly.
"I thought it was better to make sure he didn't leave any unwanted additions to the Tower."
"Did he?"
Reed frowned at the tone. "Not that I could find-"
"Good, now we can focus on finding that cape clad son of a bitch."
"Woah, take it easy, Tony." Rhodey held Stark by the shoulder to stop him from typing and facing him. "It's a little early to be looking for payback."
"Then when is, Rhodey?" The airman stepped back at the anger evident in Tony's eyes. "He stepped into my house, took my armor-"
"You're pissed because he beat your tech?"
"I'm pissed because he got away!" Tony yelled, shocking Reed's team and Rhodey, who looked closely and saw the emotions in turmoil in his friend. "Made sure this building was impenetrable, and he got through. Ensured no one could steal my armor, and he did. I threw everything at him, and he walked it off."
"And you want to pick another fight?"
"I've dealt with monsters and men, I'm not afraid to go for round two."
"You should." Reed interrupted the two friends, making the genius and airman turn to him. "That man is relentless, and dangerous. He is brilliant, and amoral. We were lucky he didn't do worse."
"You sound like you know him?" Rhodey voiced his suspicion.
With a heavy heart, Reed lowered his head. "We do." Ben answered. "We went to college with him."
"Who the hell is he?" Tony needed to know.
"Victor."
Tony, Rhodey, Reed, Ben, and Johnny turned to the unexpected source of the voice. Susan.
"His name is Victor von Doom, the new King of Latveria."
Earth-1, Star City, the lair
"So, why does Dycloseral ring a bell?" Diggle asked Oliver.
Felicity was typing on the computer and said. "Because 4 years ago, the Hood took down Justin Claybourne, the CEO of the pharmaceutical company that manufactures it."
As she said that, Claybourne's image and data appeared on the screen.
"And what was he doing?" Sara asked Oliver.
Oliver confirmed. "The man unleashed weaponized tuberculosis in Lamb Valley and when his company produced the cure called Dycloseral, he increased its price from $10 a pill to $1000 overnight."
"Damn! He sounds worse than most of the others you took down", Sara noted.
Felicity added. "After Claybourne's death, his company went down. He had no other family members to leave it to."
"But Prometheus used Dycloseral 3 years after the incident", Diggle noted. "That can't be a coincidence."
"It does send a message", Sara noted.
"What message?" Felicity asked.
""I'm alive and I'm coming after you"", Oliver said.
"You think Prometheus is Justin Claybourne?" Diggle inquired.
"In this town, people who are dead turn out be alive every Wednesday. Besides, we have time-travel and alternate Earths", Sara pointed out.
Suddenly, Oliver got a call, and picked it up. "Hello….All right, I'm coming."
Cutting the call, he walked off.
"Hey", Thea said weakly as Oliver walked in.
"Hey", Oliver echoed, sitting by her bedside. "Sorry I haven't been here before. I was-"
"Tracking Darhk, I figured", Thea sighed, then laughed weakly but a spike of pain shot through her.
"Easy", Oliver said gently. "The doctor said you need to rest for a while."
"You okay?" Thea then asked Oliver.
"You're here because of me", Oliver said with guilt. "And now the Throwing Star Killer injured Laurel too, she is here too, all because of me."
"I'm here because of Darhk, Laurel is here because of the Throwing Star Killer", Thea corrected him, holding Oliver's hand. "Look Ollie, I know you blame yourself for everything, and, some of us blaming you for everything bad last year might have something to do with it, but please, don't do it anymore. You're not responsible for everything bad, a lot of good in this city has happened because of you too. Lawton's family, they are now living better off because you, Eliot, Parker, Hardison and Hunt went after Cray and Smith. Think more about things like that, and not the bad."
"Well", Oliver said, a tear rolling down his cheek as he grasped her hand tighter. "I'll do my best."
Thea was about to say something when suddenly the machine started beeping, and her eyes closed, as Oliver cried out. "Thea! THEA!" He looked around. "DOCTOR!"
A doctor rushed in soon.
Later, Oliver stood outside the operation theatre, as the doctor walked out. "How is she?"
"We have stabilized her for now", the doctor said, Oliver sighing in relief. "But there is a complication."
"What?" Oliver inquired.
"She was hit by three bullets, one of those hit a button of her coat and splintered, the piece is very tiny, its close to her heart, but it'd be near impossible to take it out, we could damage her more."
"And if it remains inside?"
"Every time she drinks a fluid, it will move closer to her heart."
Oliver felt numb, unable to hear the doctor calling his name, unaware of everything, except a sound in his head, of the machine beeping as he visualized Thea's eyes closing.
Suddenly, he walked off, and took out his phone, dialing it. "Hello….I need your help."
Later
Oliver watched as Ray entered the hallway. "What's the matter, Oliver?"
"A bullet splintered of hitting the button of Thea's coat", Oliver told Ray. "The shrapnel is too close to her heart. Trying to take it out the usual way will damage her more, and if its not taken out, every time Thea drinks, it will move closer to her heart."
"I'm sorry, Oliver", Ray said in sympathy, putting a hand to his shoulder.
"You can save her", Oliver pointed out, as Ray's eyes widened. "With your tech."
Ray was about to say something, but Oliver said. "Please Ray, only you can do it. I'll do anything you want."
Seeing the pleading look in Oliver's eyes, Ray could not deny it for whatever reason. "I'll do it, Oliver."
"Thank you."
Central City
There was a knock on Patty's door, and she opened to see Barry on the other end, her face mad.
"I was right. I thought that you would look mad, and you do."
"What happened?" Patty asked simply.
"Um... I don't really have a good excuse", Barry confessed. He still wasn't sure to tell her he was the Flash, and he'd left her to try and stop Turtle.
"Nothing?" Patty asked angrily. "Nothing? I mean, come on, Barry. Anything is better than nothing. I mean, come on. Holy crap, I've been a really, really cool girlfriend. Most girls don't have the self-esteem to handle the... plans? Oh, no plans. That's cool. Or the... or the... waking up in the middle of the night screaming again. Fine, whatever. And then... and then the really, really fancy plans... which were awesome. And then you ditched me right before I almost died."
Barry started. "I mean, when you put it that way, it..."
"I'm actually really upset."
"Yeah, I know."
"Look, we've been having fun. And fun has been so great. But... I'm moving past fun to the close part. That's what I want, okay? That's where I'm going. You need to figure out what it is that you want. And do it fast."
Barry thought about it. Strider had said he should tell her if he trusted her, Oliver had said the same thing. It wasn't like not knowing won't put her in danger, as this day had proven.
Zoom wasn't an immediate threat anymore either.
Barry decided to think a little more, but he was leaning more towards telling her now.
Star City, the lair
"How are you holding up?" Sara asked Oliver, then seeing his look, sighed. "Sorry, stupid question."
"Ray will save her man", Diggle assured Oliver. Felicity wasn't here, since she'd gone to the hospital to help Ray in his endeavor as well.
That was when Nyssa entered the lair. "I have something for you."
Adrian was sharpening his sword when he sensed Talia enter behind him. "I have found where Darhk lives."
"His car was spotted leaving a place called Stonehaven", Nyssa informed Team Arrow.
"Here is the residential address", Talia held out an address to Adrian, who took it.
"Now I know where he lives", Adrian said with a sick smirk.
Earth-199999, New York City
In all her sixteen years of life, Felicia Hardy learned there was one thing she hated above all else. Boredom. She hated the mundane, dull, lackluster moments in life, which included waiting, which is what she was doing right now.
Dressed in simple clothes, jeans, jacket, and a white top that couldn't hide her chest even if it tried, Felicia followed the instructions sent to her phone by someone called "Miss Robbing". It had to be Parker. It took her a minute to realize when she got the number in her phone when she realized, she pulled the switch with their phones when she was in the young Hardy's room.
Parker told her to head to JFK airport and meet her at the baggage claim, and "dress appropriately". Now she stood there, waiting for the woman who was supposed to make her a better thief.
"You're late." Felicia whipped around to find the older, taller blonde woman staring at her with arms crossed.
An indignant noise escaped Felicia. "By twenty seconds at most!"
"You're either on time, too late, or too early." Parker pointed closely at her face, and like before Felicia had to lean away from the finger. "You were late by twenty seconds; you get to wait for twenty minutes."
"How's that fair?!"
"It's not, it's meant to tell you to show up on time." Parker met Felicia's glare with a "sweet" smile before she started walking, her new student quickly following.
"What am I doing here?" A thought came to Felicia, her eyes widening. "Are we stealing a plane?" She whispered in shock.
"Pfft! That is way too big for someone so young." Parker stopped and thought harder about it. "Although it would be a great way to-never mind." The idea died faster than it was conceived. Felicia was sooooo not ready for a plane.
"Then what are we doing?"
"Hold this." Parker took off the blazer she was wearing over a white shirt and handed it to her student, the teenager confusedly followed her direction before being taken by surprise when the woman swept her jacket off her. "I take that." Felicia could not question her in time before the thief smoothly swiped a pilot's uniform from their suitcase, before taking the hat from another one not paying attention. "Play the odds, do the unexpected. Take nothing for granted. Everything you do has a reason."
The words made sense, but the lesson did not to the Hardy girl. "What does any of that even mean?"
"It means," Parker started as she adjusted the uniform and placed on the hat, and looking at her now, there's no way to tell she wasn't a pilot in Felicia's eyes. It was barely a transformation and yet Felicia barely noticed it. Parker's good, really good, Felicia thought. "Avoid those cameras." Felicia looked and saw the closest camera, that would soon turn towards them. "Also, I might have put your face in their system for suspected terrorists."
"You did what?!" Felicia's eyes went from the camera to Parker. Except, the woman was gone, Felicia whipped around to find the woman dressed as pilot, but she already blended into the crowd. "Oh great, trial by fire." A groan escaped the girl, but there was no way she was getting caught. She never was before, not until she met Parker, she refused to be caught now. She was not her father.
The only thing in her hand was the blazer Parker traded for her jacket. Quickly putting it on and tying up her hair, Felicia's eyes darted around the airport, from the people, cameras, and security. Her mind was a whirl, the cameras would catch her, and if Parker was telling the truth, she'd be arrested for terrorism. How the woman managed that, the younger thief could only imagine.
Running out of ideas, panic almost began to get to Felicia before she looked down. The emergency stop button for the baggage claim. As Felicia discreetly checked around her to make sure it was unnoticed, she turned on her heel, and moved her leg back into the button. Alarms started to buzz, with cameras turning to the cause, but there was no blonde for them to catch.
While security came to investigate, Felicia had to stop herself from walking fast. Don't act guilty or they always suspect you, she learned that early on from taking jewelry and money from unsuspecting marks in the mall. A group of flight attendants were passing by a camera's line of sight, and the blonde thief quickly joined them, her outfit enough to blend in with them, while the face and body of the attendant beside her hid Felicia. From that group, Felicia moved on to a man wheeling a large bag labelled fragile on a baggage cart, and using its height as a shield. It's a good thing there were always plenty of people in airports, crowds are great for invisibility.
From behind his computers, Hardison watched everything happening in JFK.
"Damn." The hacker muttered in mild surprise. He was controlling the footage in case Parker's methods proved too...extreme. It was a decision both he and Eliot decided was best in case the girl couldn't crack it. However, Hardison was yet to find her on the footage.
Girl got some skill. But could she make it out unseen?
When Parker came back from meeting Hardy, she seemed confidant, excited even. Now, well, an intrigued Hardison paid closer attention to see what Parker saw in the girl.
A cart transporting two older passengers and their luggage was where Felicia found herself, hitching a ride with the luggage giving ample cover before she had to hop off before the camera on the other side could see her.
The walkway proved an issue for Felicia, moving steadily and slowly before the video could see her, but then, a group of men wearing suits walked beside the walkway, and all she had to do was remain in place before joining them. Indistinguishable from the rest, there was no sight of her besides blonde hair tied in a messy bun.
Heart pounding, Felicia finally made it to the exit, and driving up in a fancy red Audi, was Parker waiting for her. The woman's face was unreadable, but there was no way Felicia could hide her smile as she walked through the doors after the most exhilarating thing she'd ever done. It didn't even involve stealing, all she had to do was not get caught.
"How was that?" Felicia asked with confidence as she walked around the car before entering, only to notice Parker on her phone.
"You took too long."
Felicia's face turned stony. "Come on, you threw me into the deep end here!"
"That?" Parker laughed at her, making the student glare at the teacher. "That was the kiddy pool." Felicia went to argue before the sudden take off of the car had her hitting the back of the seat as Parker gunned it back to Manhattan. "And you failed."
"What?!" Felicia cried upset. "None of the cameras in the terminal saw me." Parker gave her a look out of the corner of her eye. Thinking back to her escape, and confidant she was not caught, remained by what she said.
Until, upon her reflection, she remembered passing the doors.
"There was a camera outside." Slouching back in the chair, defeat marred across her young features, yet Felicia was stubborn. "But that shouldn't-"
"You were caught. You failed. End of story." Parker said with no room for argument. A huff left the girl sitting beside her before a silence filled the car. The odd glance to the occupant of the seat next to her had Parker eventually sigh. "But I suppose, for your first lesson, you weren't...terrible."
While the confidence was carved down, Felicia at least perked up at hearing the praise. Her mind was working its ass off, thinking of the right routes to take, when to move, where the cameras covered, all while remaining inconspicuous. It was the most Felica had ever done for one of her "escapades", and yet she didn't even steal anything, despite that, it also felt just as fun.
"But still, you failed."
"...you're not great at this whole pep talk thing, you know that?"
Universe-208, Coruscant
The Jedi Temple looked more like a fortress in Blade's eyes, with four towers in each corner, and a fifth, central tower that rose above the others. It was rather isolated from the rest of the city planet, which was surprising, you'd think the city would use up all its space. Since the moment he laid eyes on the structure, he kept his yellow eyes on it, it felt...mystical in a way. The air around it was supernatural, reminding him of the more dangerous hunts he had been on, with more powerful Vampires, and mystics he encountered.
"Home sweet home." Vos said as he reclined in the air taxi, arms stretched across the back. "Also knows as-"
"If I wanted a fucking history tour, I'd ask." Blade's crass tone interrupted the Kiffar. The pair of Jedi looked taken aback by the language and rudeness.
The offended Jedi, however, only deadpanned the Daywalker. "Killjoy."
A grunt was all he got as an answer. Quinlan remained quiet until the air taxi landed before the steps of the Temple. Another grunt as Blade stepped out of the flying car to stare up at the steps, where statues seemed to emerge at the top. Didn't take them for the decorative type. Then again, he saw the jewel piercing on Secura's belly button...do they even call them belly buttons?
Nope, Blade shook his head, he was not going down that path. Aliens and their parts can remain a mystery for all he cared, unless he needed to beat or kill them.
"Been awhile since I've been back. What about you guys?" Quinlan inquired as they began their climb.
"I was leading the militia in the Outer Rim territories, scouting routes, campaigned across Kabal. My men deserved some leave, but Falon stayed. That's when the Council called me to intercept you and our "guest"." Kota answered throwing a look at the trench coat wearing hybrid.
"Had only just arrived after a mission to Cavamina Minor." Aayla answered, and whatever else she said was lost as Blade stared at the Jedi Temple as they finally reached the top of the steps. Huh, place seemed bigger than he thought.
Idle chat was shared among the three Jedi as they entered the building, and Blade...he was conflicted. Mostly because of the Werewolf walking by him casually as if he was just another guy in the street. He couldn't help but stare, which drew the attention of said Werewolf.
Black eyes narrowed and growled at the half-Vampire. "What?"
For once, Blade was speechless. The Werewolf talked...now he's really fucking sick of this place.
"Master Monn." An arm threw itself around Blade as the Kiffar Jedi smiled at the wolfman. "Been too long. How you doing, man?" Monn stopped growling but continued to glare at the gaping Daywalker, which Vos quickly noticed. "Sorry about my friend here, he's never seen a Shistavanen before." The lupine Jedi hummed before turning on his feet, paws, whatever and left. Quinlan smiled after him before raising a brow at his shorter, gloomier, friend. "It's rude to stare, you know." Vos said, before yelping when his arm was twisted behind his back. "Owowowow!"
"You don't say." Blade quipped before releasing the arm. The Jedi rubbed his pained limb before rejoining the two other masters, one watching in amusement, the other confusion. After that, Blade did his best to control his reactions around more aliens, no matter how, well, alien they looked.
Even if he wasn't staring, the hunter did notice an air of tension among the Jedi. Something Quinlan also noticed. "Something happened."
It was Kota who answered. "A colony of Togruta on Kiros were threatened with invasion by the Separatists, Master Yoda tried to warn them but they decided to negotiate instead. Ten rotations later, communications stopped."
"Skywalker and Kenobi were sent with their men to investigate." Secura finished.
"Wait, I thought Obi-Wan was on Umbara." Both the alien and human Jedi stopped and shared a look, concerning Quinlan and Blade, the former more so than the latter. "What?"
"The Umbara campaign is over, they secured the planet."
"Don't leave us in suspense." Blade told them with only mild interest, earning him a mild glare from the blue woman.
"Master Krell took over Skywalker's battalion after he was called back by the Chancellor. During that time, Krell was revealed to be a traitor."
"Krell?" Quinlan thought back to his interactions with the Besalisk Jedi, and there were none. Contrary to what the people think, not all Jedi knew each other. What he had heard was that Krell was effective in his tactics, straight forward, but lacking finesse. "Did not expect that."
"Here I thought the three of you got along." Secura said, a hint of bite in her tone.
Vos, however ignored it, while Kota didn't respond to the comment. "What happened?"
"Apparently, another man from outside the galaxy, like Blade, was found by the 501st before Skywalker's departure and joined the battalion as a volunteer." The grizzled Jedi had a grin on his face. He would have liked a man like that with his militia. "A genetically enhanced super soldier called Steven Rogers. Apparently-"
"Captain America?" The three Jedi were surprised by the shock on the Daywalker's face. "Captain America was here?"
"On Umbara. You know this man?" Kota questioned.
"Yeah, from Earth. The man is the world's greatest soldier."
Kota grinned again, now he really wished he could have met the man. "What about Krell?" The Jedi with dreadlocks inquired, although he noted the astonishment on Blade's face when he heard the news. Guess this Rogers guy was a big deal.
"Once his treason was discovered, Rogers and the Clones tried to arrest General Krell. He escaped, but apparently Captain Rogers managed to singlehandedly fight Krell before a friend from his own world arrived and brought him home."
"A soldier who can fight a Jedi," Quinlan whistled lowly, "Could use a few more men like him."
"Agreed, too bad he didn't stick around." Kota lamented before glancing at Blade. "Might have been able to bring you home as well."
However, Blade shook his head. "Doubt it. Let's just say we run in different circles."
"From what the reports said, that wouldn't have stopped him. The Clones called Captain Rogers a hero." Secura said, which had Blade smirk slightly.
"He is." Boy scout or not, that didn't mean a man like him couldn't respect Captain America.
Earth-199999, New York City, Avengers Tower
"Wait a minute, you're saying that this Doom guy, took control of the Tower, the armors, and nearly killed us, is your ex?" Rhodey asked just to be sure.
Sue sheepishly scratched her arm and nodded. "It was years ago."
"I never even knew you were together. I didn't even know Victor had a girlfriend!" Reed voiced his shock. He shouldn't be though; Victor was always secretive.
"Ahem!" They turned to a flaming hand held up with an impatient pyrokinetic on the other end, pointing to himself with his other hand. "Young guy, didn't go to college with you oldies-"
"Didn't go to college at all."
"-so could someone please tell me who the hell is this Victor Doom guy?" Johnny elected to ignore what Ben said, but he was definitely getting him back later.
Reed sighed before taking a seat and explained how he knew the man that beat an Avenger, War Machine, took control of some of the most advanced pieces of technology in the world, and conquered a country. "When Ben and I were in college, we met this incredibly gifted student. He was solitary, preferred his own company, and very arrogant, but he could always back it up. When we met, a rivalry and I guess a friendship you could say developed."
Ben snorted. "Every time they were in a room together, it was like watching one of those foreign soaps, you had no idea what was going on and you had no hope of figuring it out."
"Sounds like Tony and Banner when they start yapping." Rhodey added.
"We collaborated on several projects. It was refreshing to meet someone so challenging." Reed got excited as he thought back to his younger days with Victor. The things they could have done together, which made him lose his smile and demeanor. "But that all changed when...an accident happened."
"That was with you?" Sue spoke up in surprise. Reed held down any questions he might have to finish the story.
"Victor, brilliant as he was, always pushed the boundaries between genius and madness. He originally brought to me the concept of travelling to alternate dimensions, but he tried to use findings based in old superstitions and traditions to go to what he called "Hell"." Reed shook his head as he looked back, when the brilliant mind seemed to descend to lunacy as he raved about "Devils" and "magic". "Victor wanted to create a portal, and he managed to create the machine. He didn't want any help; he didn't even tell me why he was doing it. One day, I came across his device in the lab, when I saw his numbers were wrong, so I corrected them." Pain flooded Reed's face as he remembered the aftermath. "After turning on the device, it exploded. He lived, but Victor's face was disfigured in the explosion." With shame, he looked back at Tony. "He blamed me for what happened. The last time I saw him was promising payback...while wearing a-"
"Metal mask." Reed looked over at Susan to find her staring at him with hard eyes. "The day he left; he was wearing the same mask he was today. He couldn't bear the thought of anyone seeing his "imperfection". Victor was a perfectionist."
"And you dated a creep like that?" Johnny questioned in shock, and here Sue usually ragged on him for his dates. He thought about using that hypocrisy for a later date, until his sister's hand flicked up, and he felt something really hard hit the back of his head. "OW!"
"He was a sweet man." Susan defended Victor. "He told me about his life back in Latveria, why he needed to succeed. There was no other choice for him."
"No offense, Susan, but you are talking about a man who not only stole from us, but nearly killed us as well." Tony pointed out. His anger subsided, but was still buried beneath the surface.
"He wasn't always like that."
"A long time has passed since then, Suzie. People change." Ben cautioned her as he gestured to the whole room. "Just take a look at us."
No words left Susan that time, only looking down in her hands to try and understand, what had happened to Victor for him to become like this. He was always so sure of himself, never one to seek out others, but he was gentle with Sue, he did not mind that their conversations did not involve science of any kind. Most of the time, Victor was, for lack of a better word, normal...in his own way.
"Sir, the scan is complete." JARVIS spoke up as a holographic, life size representation of Doom's armor appeared before them, designs and details spreading out around it for Tony and Reed to see.
"I've never seen an alloy like this." Reed as he thoroughly read the schematics.
"Neither have I. Stronger than titanium, and lighter. Man made." Tony noted as he flicked away other notes to find a detail he's really interested in, taking the holographic box and expanding it for all to see. What he saw surprised both geniuses. "Quantum-dot technology. I thought Pym was the only expert."
"Victor always prided himself in being the smartest man in the room, more often than not, he was." Not even their college professors could keep up with them. "Still, this is years ahead of its time."
"Should we pretend to know what you're talking about, or should we get our translators out?" Tony and Reed looked over and saw the confused and expectant four waiting for answers.
"Doom is manipulating quantum fields to manipulate matter and energy at a molecular level. He's essentially creating magic, so to speak." Tony explained.
"Arthur C. Clarke said that, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic"." Reed actually chuckled at what Victor managed to do. "He actually did it, he created magic with science."
"If he's so smart, then why is it that he needs your armor specs?" Ben scratched his head in wonder while Stark and Richards looked over at the schematics, Tony circling around the hologram as he read.
Looking at the chest piece of the armor, Tony felt something click as he "pulled off" the chest piece and discovered the truth. "The distribution system, it's flawed. The electrical recovery rate on this thing can't handle a major attack. His shields fail for a brief window."
"But the Iron Man armor has the key to fix that flaw." Reed followed Tony's line of thought. Ever the perfectionist, Victor needed to make his suit better. He looked at the Armored Avenger and smiled in astonishment. "You built something even Victor hasn't figured out yet."
"Yeah, well, I'm smart." Tony bragged as a beeping from another monitor caught his attention, pointing his hand at the screen before flicking it to the center to display a map of the city, specifically where his suits are.
"The Latverian embassy?" Rhodey said worriedly.
"Tony, you're not-" Reed began, before noticing Tony was already walking away, and sighed in defeat, "You are."
"I'm getting my stuff back." Tony told them all as he made his way to the launch bay. "And this time, I'm ready for him."
Earth-1, Central City
Russell Glosson aka Turtle was about to inject Patty, whom he'd abducted, with something to kill her, as she shook her head in fear.
Suddenly, Barry sped in as the Flash, but Russell stood and held out his hands, as a kinetic pulse came out of him, slowing down Barry and stopping him in place.
Russell punched him twice and gave him an uppercut as Barry was sent flying off and falling down. Getting up, Barry ran off.
"Guess he doesn't care about you as much as I thought", Russell said, turning to Patty.
Barry ran further, and then ran back to Turtle's base, entering it again, as Russell let out a kinetic pulse. Barry slowed down a bit, but pushed through it, as Russell sent out another one, Barry struggling but pushing through again, and this time, he punched Russell hard, knocking him out.
Picking up a knife, he cut Patty's restraints as she hugged him in relief. "Thank you. Thank you."
Barry hugged her back. "Its okay." It was time now. He had made his choice.
"I thought about it", Barry said, confusing Patty, causing her to look up at him.
Reaching up to his mask, Barry pulled it off, revealing his face to Patty. "I am the Flash, Patty. And I'm sorry I lied to you."
He went down on one knee. "I know you're mad…"
"Yes, I am mad", Patty said, as Barry sighed. "Because you didn't tell me sooner."
"I'm sorry, Patty", Barry apologized.
"I get it. I'm mad, but I get it", Patty revealed, surprising Barry as he looked up at her. "I guess…part of me kind of knew. Back on Christmas, when you saved me, and I told you about my father….I just felt something familiar about you. And all those weird excuses, they all make sense now."
"Well, if you're mad, I get it, you did deserve to know earlier, I should have told you weeks ago."
"But you have now, you trust me enough to tell me", Patty noted, wiping some sweat off her forehead.
"I thought I was protecting you, but I was being an idiot is all", Barry finally confessed, and remembered Iris' tantrum on finding out. "Its just that someone close to me threw a tantrum on finding out. I did not think you'd act like that, it just scared me to tell. But now I know you're different."
"So are you, Barry", Patty said, reaching up and kissing him, as he kissed her back.
They parted, and she said. "Take me home, please." Barry saving her and revealing his identity had relieved her, but she was still shaken up.
"Sure thing", he said, lifting her up bridal style and running off.
"Who owns the house?" Oliver asked as he, Sara, Nyssa and Diggle walked towards it.
"It's owned by a dummy corporation", Diggle informed.
"You two take the back, we'll go from the front", Oliver told Sara and Diggle, as they moved towards the back, while he and Nyssa walked to the front, entering the house, only to see it empty, finding a table and various chairs thrown around, and glass shattered.
There had been a struggle here.
Finding a fallen photo frame, Oliver picked it up, and his eyes widened at what he saw.
Damien Darhk was in the picture, with a woman, and a young girl, all three smiling happily.
Oliver couldn't believe it. Damien Darhk had a family too. And they had been taken.
He tapped his comms. "Darhk's not here. And some people have been taken."
Oliver knew who'd done it, and he dialed Felicity, who picked up. "Hello, what's going on, Oliver?"
"Can you tell me if anything related to Claybourne started up again recently?" Oliver asked her.
"Sure, just wait a sec", Felicity said, and a while later, her voice said. "The old Claybourne manufacturing plant reports heavy usage of water and power over the last few months."
"Thank you", he said, before cutting the call, and then took out the phone to call Damien that Nyssa had given him.
"What are you doing?" Nyssa asked.
"Trying to take out two birds with one stone", Oliver said, then dialed the number, as the call was picked up.
"Hello, who is this?"
"Green Arrow", Oliver said in a growl.
"You cannot track this call, if that's what you're thinking", Damien's voice told him. "I've taken precautions."
"Your family has been taken", Oliver revealed, and he could sense pin-drop silence from the other end.
Then he heard Darhk growl angrily. "If you do anything to them, I-"
"Not by me, I will never fall to your level", Oliver said with a sneer. "The Throwing Star Killer took them. They were gone when we arrived. But I have a possible location, I will send you the address, meet me there."
Ray, in his ATOM suit, was near the shrapnel that was close to Thea's heart, and taking in a deep breath, he held out his hand, and grasped it. "Felicity, I got it."
Felicity was holding a tablet, seeing Ray's location and the shrapnel's location on the screen, to guide him. "Yeah, you have it. Now, follow the previous path, and I'll pull you out."
"Sure thing", Ray said, carefully treading the previous path, before Felicity took out the syringe gun, and pressed a button, that pulled Ray out of Thea's arm, with the shrapnel.
Ray flew off and landed near Felicity, holding the shrapnel up. "We got it."
Suddenly, the machine started beeping, making their eyes widen, only for the beeping to stop and Thea to go back to normal, as both sighed in relief.
The doctor came in as Felicity hid the syringe gun inside her coat, while she looked over Thea. "Everything seems to be fine…for now."
Felicity grinned behind the doctor, as the miniature Ray grinned too.
Universe-208, Coruscant
"Okay, be a little bit less yourself and you should be fine...just try not to stare, or glare. You know what, we'll need a few minutes."
Those were the words Vos said before Blade was pushed by the taller man to enter the Council chamber atop the center tower of the Temple.
Perhaps he should have taken the advice and prepared himself.
Surrounding him were a green skinned squid guy, a guy with brown skin and small horns on his head, a man with the biggest forehead Blade had ever seen, what he was assuming was a man with downward curving horns, a dark-skinned woman with, well, whatever the fuck the things that were on her head, a small, little green dwarf thing with long elf years, and another dark skinned man that seemed to be human based on what his senses could tell. A lot of the chairs were unoccupied in the circle surrounding him. They were staring at him like he was some oddity kept in a circus, and after God knows how long he'd been off Earth, now they might have some answers for him.
"Like what you see?" The Council were taken aback as Blade finally spoke, anger far from hidden. "Quit staring and start fucking talking already."
From his spot in the doorway, Quinlan buried his face in his hands.
"Oooooooh shik."
Kit Fisto let out a surprised laugh that he tried to suppress but failed. "You will have to forgive us, my friend." The Daywalker turned to the Nautolan Jedi. "Only two of us have ever encountered someone that have originated from beyond one of these disturbances, and safe to say, the feeling is much different in this case."
"Yet, the man we saw was human." Windu spoke up, keeping his eyes on the man called Blade. There was something different about him, far from a mere man, else the Force would not ripple as such around him. There was more, something dark about him that he did not recognize. "You, are not."
"You're half right."
"Masters." Quinlan walked in, stopping any more words to be exchanged between Blade and Windu. Part of him wanted to see that spar, however. "Blade has explained to me his biology. He is half human, and half a species native to his planet that resembles the Anzati, but require blood, not the Force."
"A dark appetite." Master Mundi stroked his beard at the notion.
"A rarity, this is, one from outside the galaxy." Blade snapped his head to the source of the voice. Yoda's lip quirked at the staring; many did in his presence. "Curiosity, we have."
Blade leaned close to Vos. "Is the elf high on something?" It only earned him a smack from man he met on Tatooine.
"Count Dooku's interest in you is concerning. Rarely does he involve himself in matters, unless they have some importance." The co-creator of Vaapad brought up.
"I didn't invite him over for drinks, if that's what you're thinking."
"No, but you were found in the company of Death Watch. Terrorists and assassins." The lone female in the council chamber spoke for the first time.
"I wasn't exactly having people line up to look after me once my ass hit the sand." Blade snapped back, making the several Council members narrow their eyes. "They took me in and sheltered me. There was nothing for me to do other than stay. Wasn't until before the attack when I learned what they are and cut ties."
"Not without leaving with a prize." The Zabrak Jedi noted towards the unique lightsaber by the hunter's hip. "How was it you came to earn the Death Watch leader's weapon?"
"Blade beat Pre Vizsla in combat, then used it in a brief duel against Dooku, before the combined forces of myself and incoming Mandalorians forced him to retreat." Quinlan supplied to his fellow masters.
A great many surprised expressions filled the faces of the Council. "To face the Count in a duel and survive is a rare feat, especially for someone without the Force." Kit voiced his amazement
Pulling back his coat, Blade exposed the hole which Dooku's lightsaber left in his armor to the Jedi, the skin beneath fully recovered thanks to the fresh human blood he consumed moments before the injury. "I managed."
"Anger I sense, within you." Yoda spoke, gaining Blade's attention as the centuries old Jedi pointed his walking stick at the man. "Careful, you must be."
"Everyone has anger. It's how you channel that anger that matters." Blade countered, yet how the little green guy was peering at him, it felt odd.
A hum escaped the Grandmaster. "Truth in your words, there are. And yet, anger not at others, but yourself, I sense."
Quinlan's eyes shifted from Yoda to Blade, and saw the man tense. It was true then, even back when they first talked on the ship, Vos felt anger at what he is, almost as much as when he spoke of Vampires. "I didn't come for some anger management session. I came, because he," Blade jerked his thumb at the now sheepish Vos, "said you can get me home. Now, can you? Or do I have to make my own motherfucking way back?"
Despondent, Quinlan looked skyward in hope that his new friend doesn't get him kicked out of the Order by being himself, the one thing he asked Blade to tone down. Why does the Force hate him?
A look was shared between the current Council members before Windu spoke directly to the Daywalker. "We will meditate on the matter in hope of a vision to guide us to answers for your predicament. Until then, we can offer you the safety of the Temple, as long as you do not violate our laws."
Blade removed his shades so he can stare at the Master of the Order. Both men locking eyes, wills engaging to better learn of the men on opposite sides. Windu felt out with the Force to better read the Daywalker, yet his mind, his emotions, were better guarded than some Jedi.
"I'm no prisoner. As long as that's clear, we're good."
"A guest, you shall be. Our promise broken, it will not." Yoda vowed to the Daywalker, whose yellow eyes looked back at the smaller being, and nodded.
"Master Vos will show you your temporary residence and watch over you while you inhabit the Temple."
Blade and Vos stared at Windu, then at each other, both sighing with only the former speaking with sarcasm. "Great." Without another word, he left the chamber, with Quinlan jumping to follow his pace, only speaking when they passed the door.
"If I lose my rank because of you-"
"Oh would you stop bitching already."
"I don't even know what that means, asshole!"
Earth-1, Star City
Oliver, Sara, Nyssa and Diggle explored the old Claybourne manufacturing plant, before they noticed a locked door.
"Might be worth checking out", Diggle said.
"Yes, could be something", Nyssa told him.
"You two go, we'll let you know if we get anything", Sara said, as Nyssa and Diggle went off, while the two walked towards the locked door.
Before they could try to force it open, it opened by itself, revealing Darhk's wife and daughter inside, bound and gagged.
The two ran in, towards Darhk's wife and daughter, when suddenly, the door shut itself, causing them to turn around.
They turned back to the bound and gagged mother-daughter duo, only to see the Throwing Star Killer.
"Who are you?" Sara inquired.
"Prometheus", he finally gave his name to them.
"Justin Claybourne", Oliver declared. "You have failed this city."
"Not as badly as you have", Prometheus retorted calmly.
Oliver fired at Prometheus, but he threw a shuriken and it cut the arrow into two at its midpoint very cleanly.
Arrow 5x9 Green Arrow vs. Prometheus soundtrack plays
Prometheus flipped and jumped at the Oliver, putting him on the ground. He then punched him twice on the chest before Oliver kicked him away.
During that time, Sara untied Darhk's wife and daughter.
As Oliver got up, Prometheus tried to kick his knee but he dodged. Prometheus swung his sword but Oliver ducked and got on his other side. Prometheus tried to hit him again but he kicked his hand.
As Prometheus tried to punch him again, Oliver grabbed his elbow and punched him there. He then grabbed him by the head and threw him across a felled book case. Prometheus fell on its other side.
"Get them out of here!" Oliver cried out to Sara, as she used her Canary Cry, shattering the door.
"Get out of here!" She said, as Darhk's wife and daughter ran off together.
As Prometheus got up, Oliver leapt over the book case and kicked him on the chest with both feet, sending him down again. As he tried to get up, Oliver kicked him on the knee and he fell again. He tried to get up again but Oliver did a spin motion and grabbed his head between his feet and flipped him to the ground.
This time, Prometheus got up first and kicked Oliver on the foot. He rolled away and got up too. Prometheus tried to hit him with the sword but he grabbed his hand and punched him on the chest. He then backed off a little.
He tried to punch Prometheus but he grabbed his hand and threw him across the book case. He fell on the other side. As he tried to get up, Prometheus leapt over it and did a flip. Green Arrow looked at the flip and it gave him a sense of déjà vu.
As he was distracted, Prometheus landed next to him, grabbed him by the back of the collar and threw him away.
Oliver grunted, slowly getting up, as Prometheus pointed his sword at him. "I've been waiting three years for this."
Sara was about to unleash her Canary Cry, but now Prometheus decided to stop holding back, and rolled forwards, kicking her away with both feet, before Oliver tried to grab his head between his feet again, but Prometheus grabbed his foot and elbowed it, making him grunt, before decking Oliver's gut as he was winded and went to the ground, Prometheus getting up.
As Oliver tried to get up, Prometheus now did a spin motion and grabbed his head with both feet, flipping him to the ground.
Before Oliver could get up, Prometheus was suddenly stopped by an unseen force, and thrown off, crashing into a wall.
Oliver got up and turned to see Damien standing there. The sight of his sister on the hospital bed flashing through his mind, Oliver charged Damien, while Prometheus got up as Sara rushed him.
Oliver spun twice and tried to strike Damien as Damien backed to avoid, then ducked before punching Oliver twice, but Oliver blocked the third time, decked Damien's gut, and tried to strike with a spin but Damien blocked, only for Oliver to kick his knee as he went down.
Spinning again, he struck Damien's face, sending him down once more.
Sara whirled her bo-staff and whacked Prometheus' face, before trying to strike again as he blocked with his sword, then kicked her chest, before flipping and grabbing her head with his feet and flipping her to the ground as her bo-staff dropped.
Sensing a presence, he whirled around and deflected two arrows fired at him by Nyssa, and as Diggle tried to fire, he rushed off, and hurled a shuriken that got Diggle's gun, disarming him.
Oliver kicked Damien's face, sending him back again, and realizing he was outmatched in terms of skills, Damien waved his hand as all four were sent crashing into the wall, and then he lifted them up with magic. "Where's my family?"
Oliver grunted. "We saved them!"
Damien's face scrunched in shock, before he let them down, but still kept them still with his magic. "I want to be clear about something- I have shown you all repeatedly that you cannot beat me."
His expression softened. "You all saved my family. So, I'll give you a few weeks to spend with yours. Enjoy your time, what's left of it."
He walked off, and then the four felt themselves able to move again.
The lair
Oliver walked into the lair and asked. "Are Darhk's wife and daughter in police custody?"
"They told police they weren't his wife and daughter", Diggle said while Quentin shook his head. "Had fake ID and everything."
Laurel was back, having recovered, as Oliver asked her. "You good?"
"Yeah, I'm good now", she nodded.
"He could copy moves", Sara said about Prometheus. "He copied both you and me."
Oliver groaned, when Felicity gave him the good news. "Ray and I got the shrapnel out."
"Thea will be fine", Ray assured Oliver, as he looked at the two of them like they'd erased his five years of Hell forever.
"I…I can't thank you two enough", he said, sitting down next to them. "Really….I…"
"Its all right, Oliver", Ray said while putting a hand to his shoulder.
"What are friends for?" Felicity smiled too.
Oliver smiled back at both of them, before getting up. "I'm going to see Thea."
Central City, STAR Labs
"You told her then?" Caitlin asked, as Barry sat across from the rest of the team, and Iris.
"Yeah, she wasn't mad at all. Well, a little mad, but she understood", Barry said with a smile. "Should have told her sooner."
"Well, either way, she knows now, and you two are good", Cisco noted. "My man!"
"Thanks", Barry simply said.
"I'm…happy for you", Iris said to Barry and he nodded, but she winced when he looked away.
Part of her had hoped maybe one day, she could be with him, even when she was with Eddie. But now she knew that wasn't possible at all. The way he used to look at her, he'd that look even when he just talked about Patty.
Why did this have to happen to her?
Star City
Thea's eyes opened as she saw Oliver sitting next to her. "How long have you been there?"
"A few hours", Oliver told her. "Darhk and Prometheus, that's what the Throwing Star Killer calls himself, they got away, but we'll get them."
"Two of them at once, as if we didn't have enough on our plate", Thea groaned.
"You don't worry about that", Oliver told her. "You worry about getting better. Once you're good to go, the doctor will release you into my custody. Until you get better, you're on bedrest."
"I'd fight you on it, but I don't think I can win", Thea joked weakly as both chuckled.
Damien was comforting his sleeping daughter Nora in the car, as his wife Ruvé drove, and he'd assured her the new beginning was coming.
Suddenly, an arrow landed in front of their car, making her skid it to a halt.
"Stay inside", Damien said, and ran out, kneeling near the arrow. It didn't look like the Green Arrow's arrows.
Suddenly, a special arrow hit his wrist, and went through, before sticking to the ground, and another arrow of the same kind went through his other wrist, sticking to the ground too, before two more hit his legs, also going into the ground.
"DAMIEN!" Ruvé cried out.
"STAY INSIDE!"
Damien's head was suddenly grabbed by Prometheus. "You have been trying to kill the Green Arrow and his loved ones for sometime now. If you had, I'd have cut off your head."
Damien angrily yelled. "Who are-"
He was cut off when Prometheus slammed his head to the ground. "The Green Arrow and his loved ones are mine. You kill any of them, you die."
"You took my family, I should kill you", Damien snarled.
"If you do not go after them again, we will not cross paths", Prometheus said.
"Who are you?"
"Prometheus."
And then, he was gone.
Earth-21, Metropolis, Daily Planet
Clark was greeting people in the building, when he saw someone step in front of him and groaned.
"Clark Kent!" Cat Grant said, tapping her foot.
"Cat, what's up?" Clark asked.
"Did you get none of my calls?" Cat inquired.
"Must have forgotten to charge my phone", Clark simply replied.
He started walking into his office, hearing some people talk about his alter-ego stopping a fire a while ago, as he asked her. "What's up?"
"That's what's up", she said, gesturing inside, and Clark saw Booster Gold waiting for him, decked in his suit.
"We've got to stop meeting like this", Booster said.
A while later, Clark led Booster to the rooftop and said. "I'm at work, Booster!"
"I know, back on the scene after your little hiatus, which was shorter than expected", Booster shrugged.
"You're from the future. Did you know about what was chasing Bart?" Clark asked with folded arms.
"Our knowledge from the future is ever-changing, Mr. Kent", Skeets said as it appeared. "Pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Superman, sir."
"Your 'agent'?" Clark inquired.
"Something like that", Booster nodded, before tossing his Legion Ring to him. "You have any idea what 'Legion Protocol Six' is?"
"Never heard of it", Clark confessed, catching it, when a voice was heard.
"Authorized user present. Prepare for mandatory recall."
"Booster?" Clark questioned as the ring glowed blue.
"I thought you were the expert", Booster told him, as the purple light engulfed the area, and when it faded, Clark and Booster were gone, smoke emanating from where they used to stand, Skeets alone now.
"Sirs?"
"Protocol Six completed."
Clark groaned. "Booster, you okay?"
He sat up as Booster's face was on the ground. "Never better. Skeets?"
Clark helped him up as Booster commented on not getting a response from Skeets. "Typical Skeets, sleeping on the job."
"I don't think he was invited", Clark said while looking ahead.
"Invited where?" Booster asked, before looking ahead too.
Clark was speechless, while Booster trailed off. "Oh well…."
They were in Metropolis, which was torn apart, and a destroyed Superman statue was in front of them.
"….At least we're still in Kansas."
As Clark examined the destroyed statue, Booster commented. "Have to admit, I'm jealous. If I'd known you'd a statue coming, I wouldn't have backed down on that whole 'Key to the City' thing'."
"Wait a minute", Clark turned to Booster. "When we first met, you said you were from the 25th century."
"And?"
"The Legion are from here, the 31st century, so how were you able to get one of their Rings in the first place?" Clark inquired, wanting to know.
Booster started. "Hey, a true magician never reveals his-"
"Excuse me."
They turned to see Skeets flying towards them.
"Sirs! Sirs! Sirs!"
"Skeets, how did you get here?" Booster asked in shock.
"I've been buried in a time capsule, waiting on this very spot for your arrival", Skeets told Booster.
"For a thousand years?" Clark inquired.
"I didn't want to let Booster down, Mr. Kent."
"I get along plenty fine without you, shiny", Booster waved it off.
"Of course, sir."
Clark looked at the Legion Ring in his hand. "I really don't know how to process a lot of what's going on right now, but this Legion Ring said it was 'recalling' Legionnaires." He asked the big question. "So where is the Legion?"
Booster looked up and told him. "You are so worried about the wrong problem right now."
Clark looked up to see a burning spaceship heading right for the city, as Booster added. "Now this has Superman written all over it."
Clark ripped his shirt off to reveal his suit and symbol underneath. "Get the civilians clear of the crash zone!"
"Why?"
Clark took off his glasses. "Because I've never caught a spaceship before." With that, he flew towards the spaceship.
Inside the spaceship, Garth Ranzz aka Lightning Lad was on his knees and cuffed. "Grife!"
"This vessel is going to crash", Brainiac 5 told him while looking at the controls.
"What was your first clue?" Garth grunted. "Of course, it wouldn't have to crash if someone hadn't gotten slakking fresh with the navigation system!"
"'Prick us will we not bleed?'" Brainiac 5 quoted Shylock from Shakespeare's 'Merchant of Venice' in reply.
"We should never have rehabilitated you", Garr joked now.
Brainiac 5 turned to Garth while pressing a button, unlocking his cuffs as lightning cracked in his hands. "Without Brainiac 5, who would rescue the gallant Lightning Lad?"
Brainiac 5 started moving ahead, Garth behind him as the former started. "Of course, if you had not got caught in the first place-"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah."
A device fell in front of them.
"Look ou-"
It exploded in a blue light, but they backed in time, only being sent to the ground, while soldiers appeared in front of them.
"Restrain the prisoner!"
"We've got larger things to worry about than my love life", Brainiac 5 noted while helping Garth up, whose hands crackled with electricity once more.
"You take the five on the right, Brainy, I'll fry the rest."
"Garth…"
"Fine, 'stun' only", Garth said before hurling weak blasts of lightning that got some men.
Brainiac 5 simply blocked a man's blow while Garth stunned another by touching him with his lightning empowered hand. "You and stupid Rokk and stupid Legion Charters and stupid-"
"Be nice." Brainiac 5 struck the man down, before they were fired at.
"Oh, but they get to shoot at us?" Garth asked with wide eyes.
"I did not say we could not hurt them", Brainiac 5 pointed out while twisting another man's arm.
"Abandon ship! Abandon ship! Abandon ship!"
"I mention how glad I am that we rehabilitated you?" Garr asked before knocking two more men out with lightning. "You need to go make 'nice' with the Nav computer."
"Agreed." Brainiac 5 punched one more out.
"We're gonna crash!" The pilot suddenly said, frantically pressing buttons, as the ship continued to go down.
"I take that back", Garth muttered.
"I do not believe flowers will 'do the trick' either", Brainiac 5 noted.
They saw a fast red blur moving towards the ship as Garth commented. "Earthgov can't be dense enough to shoot down their own ship! Is that a missile?"
Brainiac 5 smiled. "Not quite."
Superman flew towards the crashing ship, and placed himself underneath it while turning around, cushioning its fall with his back.
He looked down, seeing Booster trying to evacuate people. "Come on!"
"Evacuate! Run now!" Booster cried out to the people.
"I'm uploading a safe route to each of your data devices currently", Skeets added.
"Why should we listen to him?" One of the men wondered.
"Look at those clothes, is he even human?" Another one added.
"I don't see how that could possibly matter right now!" Booster snapped.
Then one of the men looked up, and saw Superman trying to stop the crashing spaceship.
"Booster?!"
The sight caused everyone to run, along with Booster who said. "You're clear, Superman!"
"Brace yourselves!" Superman said, supporting the spaceship on his back as it crashed to the ground, but the ground remained undamaged due to Superman taking the brunt of it.
As Garth and Brainiac 5 flew out, Clark muttered. "Remind me to tell Oliver….I caught a fricking spaceship."
He stood up and smiled on seeing the two Legion members, grasping Garth's shoulder, who grasped his back. "Clark!"
"What brings you to the future, Kal-El?" Brainiac 5 asked him, Clark reminded of his Vampire doppelganger Spike briefly, before shaking the image off.
"I was hoping you could explain that to me", Clark finally said, before turning to look at the spaceship he'd landed. "Glad I got here when I did, though. Why did you two crash a spaceship?"
"We weren't trying to crash it, we were trying to escape", Garth rectified.
"Down on the ground!"
They looked around as soldiers with guns surrounded them, and some other ships appeared around them too.
"Stand down and submit yourselves into custody!" One of the men said.
"I don't understand", Clark said in confusion.
The three put their hands behind their heads and went on their knees as Clark asked. "Is the Legion at war with Earth?"
"Nothing quite so simple, I'm afraid", Brainiac 5 told him before pointing upwards. "Behold the enemy of your precious Earth….New Krypton!"
"That's impossible!" Clark gasped in shock.
That moment, a strange 'Vwoorp, Vwoorp', sound was heard.
Doctor Who Theme Tune plays
All of a sudden, an old blue British police box from the 50s of all things appeared in front of them, as Garth muttered. "What the…?"
The men and the Legion watched in shock, while the box opened and a short-haired man in a black breasted leather peacoat walked out.
Clark heard two heartbeats from him, which made him realize this was an alien.
The man looked around, confused, when behind him, a younger man with a very handsome face walked out as well, and finally, a blonde woman in a pink shirt.
"Whoa!" The short-haired man said. "We are in the future….in another world!"
"Because of that breach?" The younger man inquired.
"That is true", the man said. "I couldn't steer away in time."
"What do we do now?" The woman inquired. "The future in another world…..wow! Like…..wow! Blimey!"
"I will have to think on what to do", the man told her.
"Get down on the ground!" One of the men said while aiming at the three newcomers.
"Hey, I'm thinking, do not interrupt me!" The man said, before producing a short screwdriver-like device from his pocket, confusing them all.
He twirled it as a sonic beeping was heard, slightly irritating Clark's ears, and then the guns of the men suddenly smoked, and they dropped the guns while gasping in pain.
"That's new!" Garth had to say.
"It appears to be a sonic device", Brainiac 5 noted.
"Hey handsome", the younger man greeted Brainiac 5, making him smirk, as the man narrowed his eyes. "You look like someone I know."
"Trust me, I am not", Brainiac 5 said.
"Just to let you know, he's an AI", Garth told the man about Brainiac 5.
"Works for me", the man shrugged, as Clark and Garth shared a weird look.
Suddenly, Skeets appeared between the men, having been thrown by Booster, and shocked them all, taking them out, while Booster walked next to them.
"Who are you?" Clark asked the three newcomers.
"Captain Jack Harkness", the young man held out his hand, that Clark shook. "That suit is looking really good on you."
Clark groaned, as the woman introduced herself. "I'm Rose Tyler." She looked at Clark's and Garth's suits. "Are you two superheroes?"
"Yes, really great ones I might add", Garth smirked.
"Blimey, so superheroes are real in this world", Rose muttered in awe.
"And you are?" Clark turned to the short-haired man.
"I'm The Doctor."
"Doctor who?"
"Just The Doctor, mate", he said with a shrug, while looking around them. "I believe we need to get out."
"What about the TARDIS?" Jack inquired, gesturing to the blue box.
"I can take it", Clark said, lifting it up easily, to Jack's and Rose's awe. "What do we do now, Brainy?"
Brainiac 5 asked them all. "Would all of you be amenable to disguises?"
"We disguise ourselves all the time, of course we're amenable", The Doctor told him.
Earth-92, Sunnydale
Spike and Buffy were walking together in the night, and arguing, as the latter was saying. "Like really, can you ever-"
"Vampire, remember?" Spike said with a smirk.
"Why did I ever kiss you?" Buffy groaned.
"You made the call", Spike shrugged, before they heard some chanting, and looked ahead to see a man with long hair waving his hands around near a breach.
"Who is that and what's he doing?" Buffy asked Spike.
"I know him, he's a Warlock, name's Rack", Spike told her. "Looks like he is messing with a breach, but good ol' Spike is here to stop him."
He cried out. "Oi!"
Rack turned to Spike as he smirked. "Trying to go on a ride through the Multiverse now, are we?"
"This does not concern you", Rack snarled.
"I'd say it does", Buffy said as she fired her crossbow at his leg, but he deflected it with a spell, and smirked, before Spike took his Vamp face, and rushed at Rack.
Rack stopped him telekinetically, only for Buffy to cartwheel and kick his face, sending him staggering back as Spike was freed.
Buffy lifted him up by the collar, only for him to blast her face as she was sent flying back, but during that time, Spike punched his face, turning it the other way, and then he grasped his head as a reflex, only to realize there was no pain.
He smirked. "Looks like too much magic makes ya…not so human, eh?" Before Rack could recover, Spike punched his face again, making him spit out blood, then spun and kicked his face, making him fall down, before kicking his side a few times.
Before Spike could kick him again, Rack unleashed a magic blast that sent Spike flying through the breach, as Buffy screamed in horror. "SPIKE!"
"Oh no!" Rack whispered, then looked at Buffy, before gulping and chanting a spell. Buffy rushed him, but he teleported away before she could catch him.
Buffy looked around, her face showing her shock. Where had Spike been sent to now?
Middle-earth, The Old Forest
A breach opened, and Spike fell out of it with a gasp. "Blimey! Just what I needed….not!"
He stood up and dusted himself, then looked around to see he was in a dense forest, and it was nearly night-time, though the sunlight wasn't penetrating the thick forest.
"At least something's good", he muttered as he started moving forth.
Then, he heard someone crying out. "HELP!"
Hearing that, Spike rushed forwards and was shocked by what he saw.
Two little men, short enough to look like children from a distance, were running around, calling for help. They were dressed in what looked like medieval travel clothes. One of them had curly brown hair, the other a curly blonde.
He'd have thought they were kids, but their faces clearly showed they were quite old, yet their bodies did not seem like they'd any deformity or something.
They noticed him and stopped, as the brown-haired one requested. "Can you help us?"
"With what?" Spike inquired.
"A tree has got two of our friends", the blonde one said, pointing at it, and Spike looked in the direction.
He'd have laughed had he not seen that the tree actually had someone captive, as he could see two legs sticking out from under the tree's crack, and it seemed to be constricting.
Spike rushed towards the tree, and grabbed the jaws of the crack that held one of the trapped ones. He roared, using all his strength, but, to the relief of the two who'd called him, and the one trapped, he managed to force it open, as another little man started panting on being freed, before running out, his hair a golden yellow.
Spike let go, only for the tree to whack him with a large branch, making him fall back. "Bloody Hell! Tree, I am going to-"
He stopped, as they all heard something. A deep glad voice was singing carelessly and happily.
"Hey dol! merry dol! ring a dong dillo!
Ring a dong! hop along! fal lal the willow!
Tom Bom, jolly Tom, Tom Bombadillo!"
They stood still as the voice burst out again.
"Hey! Come merry dol! derry dol! My darling!
Light goes the weather-wind and the feathered starling.
Down along under Hill, shining in the sunlight,
Waiting on the doorstep for the cold starlight,
There my pretty lady is. River-woman's daughter,
Slender as the willow-wand, clearer than the water.
Old Tom Bombadil water-lilies bringing
Comes hopping home again. Can you hear him singing?
Hey! Come merry dol! derry dol! and merry-o,
Goldberry, Goldberry, merry yellow berry-o!
Poor old Willow-man, you tuck your roots away!
Tom's in a hurry now. Evening will follow day.
Tom's going home again water-lilies bringing.
Hey! Come derry dol! Can you hear me singing?"
They stood as if enchanted. The wind puffed out. The leaves hung silently again on stiff branches. There was another burst of song, and then suddenly, hopping and dancing along the path, there appeared above the reeds an old battered hat with a tall crown and a long blue feather stuck in the band. With another hop and a bound there came into view a man, or so it seemed. He had a blue coat and a long brown beard; his eyes were blue and bright, and his face was red as a ripe apple, but creased into a hundred wrinkles of laughter. In his hands he carried on a large leaf as on a tray a small pile of white water-lilies.
"Help!" The two little men said to him.
"Whoa! Whoa! Steady there!" The man held up a hand and they stopped. "Now, my little fellows, where be you a-going to, puffing like a bellows? What's the matter here then? Do you know who I am? I'm Tom Bombadil. Tell me what's your trouble! Tom's in a hurry now. Don't you crush my lilies!"
"Our friend is caught in the willow-tree", the brown-haired one said.
"What?" Tom Bombadil leapt up in the air. "Old Man Willow? Naught worse than that, eh? That can soon be mended. I know the tune for him. Old grey Willow-man! I'll freeze his marrow cold, if he don't behave himself. I'll sing his roots off. I'll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away. Old Man Willow!"
Setting down his lilies carefully on the grass, he ran to the tree. Tom put his mouth to a crack and began singing into it in a low voice. They could not catch the words, as Tom broke a hanging branch and smote Old Man Willow with it. "You let them out again, Old Man Willow! What be you a-thinking of? You should not be waking. Eat earth! Dig deep! Drink water! Go to sleep! Bombadil is talking!"
There was a tearing creak and the other crack split open, and out of it another little man, this one with golden red hair, sprang, as if he had been kicked. Then with a loud snap both cracks closed fast again. A shudder ran through the tree from root to tip, and complete silence fell.
"Thank you!" The little men said, as Spike stood up, and they turned to him too. "Thank you!"
"No worries, I am the hero after all", Spike boasted. "Name's Spike."
Tom Bombadil burst out laughing. "Well, my fellows! You shall come home with me! The table is all laden with yellow cream, honeycomb, and white bread and butter. Goldberry is waiting. Time enough for questions around the supper table. You follow after me as quick as you are able!"
With that he picked up his lilies, and then with a beckoning wave of his hand went hopping and dancing along the path eastward, still singing loudly and nonsensically. Too surprised and too relieved to talk, the little men and Spike followed after him as fast as they could. But that was not fast enough. Tom soon disappeared in front of them, and the noise of his singing got fainter and further away. Suddenly his voice came floating back to them in a loud halloo!
"Hop along, my friends, up the Withywindle!
Tom's going on ahead candles for to kindle.
Down west sinks the Sun: soon you will be groping.
When the night-shadows fall, then the door will open,
Out of the window-panes light will twinkle yellow.
Fear no alder black! Heed no hoary willow!
Fear neither root nor bough! Tom goes on before you.
Hey now! merry dol! We'll be waiting for you!"
After that they heard no more. Almost at once the sun seemed to sink into the trees behind them. Great shadows fell across them; trunks and branches of trees hung dark and threatening over the path. White mists began to rise and curl on the surface of the river and stray about the roots of the trees upon its borders.
Out of the very ground at their feet a shadowy steam arose and mingled with the swiftly falling dusk. It became difficult to follow the path, and they were very tired. Their legs seemed leaden. Strange furtive noises ran among the bushes and reeds on either side of them; and if they looked up to the pale sky, they caught sight of queer gnarled and knobbly faces that gloomed dark against the twilight, and leered down at them from the high bank and the edges of the wood.
They began to feel that all this country was unreal, and that they were stumbling through an ominous dream that led to no awakening. Just as they felt their feet slowing down to a standstill, they noticed that the ground was gently rising. The water began to murmur. In the darkness they caught the white glimmer of foam, where the river flowed over a short fall.
Then suddenly the trees came to an end and the mists were left behind. They stepped out from the Forest, and found a wide sweep of grass welling up before them. The river, now small and swift, was leaping merrily down to meet them, glinting here and there in the light of the stars, which were already shining in the sky. The grass under their feet was smooth and short, as if it had been mown or shaven.
The eaves of the Forest behind were clipped, and trim as a hedge. The path was now plain before them, well-tended and bordered with stone. It wound up on to the top of a grassy knoll, now grey under the pale starry night; and there, still high above them on a further slope, they saw the twinkling lights of a house.
Down again the path went, and then up again, up a long smooth hillside of turf, towards the light. Suddenly a wide yellow beam flowed out brightly from a door that was opened. There was Tom Bombadil's house before them, up, down, under hill. Behind it a steep shoulder of the land lay grey and bare, and beyond that the dark shapes of the Barrow-downs stalked away into the eastern night. They all hurried forward, hobbits and ponies. Already half their weariness and all their fears had fallen from them. The song was heard again.
"Hey! Come derry dol!
Hop along, my hearties!
Hobbits! Ponies all!
We are fond of parties.
Now let the fun begin!
Let us sing together!"
Then another clear voice, as young and as ancient as Spring, like the song of a glad water flowing down into the night from a bright morning in the hills, came falling like silver to meet them:
"Now let the song begin! Let us sing together
Of sun, stars, moon and mist, rain and cloudy weather,
Light on the budding leaf, dew on the feather,
Wind on the open hill, bells on the heather,
Reeds by the shady pool, lilies on the water:
Old Tom Bombadil and the River-daughter!"
"Do they always do that?" Spike asked the little men.
"We do not know, just met them", the red-haired one said. "My name is Peregrin Took, but you can call me Pippin."
"Meriadoc Brandybuck, call me Merry", the golden-haired one said.
"I'm Samwise Gamgee, you can call me Sam", the curly blonde one revealed his name.
Spike looked to the curly brown-haired one. He noticed there was something about him, a heaviness in his eyes, he did not know why. He felt something from him, something calling to him, for reasons he knew not.
"Underhill, my name's Underhill", he finally said, though Spike had a feeling he wasn't telling the truth.
But why bother?
Noticing his look, 'Underhill' asked. "Have you never seen our kind before?"
"Uhmm….I'm gonna say- nope!" Spike shook his head.
"We're Hobbits of the Shire", Merry said.
"Never heard of that either", Spike shrugged.
The Mysterious Tower
Sora and Riku stood in front of Master Yen Sid, next to whom stood King Mickey, and Donald and Goofy.
Sora and Riku had agreed to take the Mark of Mastery Examination to prepare for the battle against Xehanort, though the former was a bit reluctant to take it, but had agreed to it due to Riku agreeing to it as well.
"Very well then", Yen Sid finally said. "Sora and Riku, let your examination begin."
Suddenly, a blue breach appeared in the room, and out of it ran a young man with blonde, spiky hair, carrying a long sword on his back and wearing black clothes, two women, one in a pink dress with a ribbon in her hair, the other with long flowing hair and big breasts, wearing a white sleeveless top and a black miniskirt, and with them was a dark-skinned man with glasses, having his right hand missing, and type of gun in its place as a prosthetic, while a lion-like being with a flaming tail was with them too.
Sora recognized three of them. "Cloud! Aerith! Tifa! Its good to see you three again!" He looked at Cloud. "Did you defeat Sephiroth?"
But the three simply looked confused, as Cloud Strife asked. "Have we met before?"
"Uh….yes?" Goofy said from where he stood. "Don't you all remember?"
"I think I'd remember meeting people looking like you three", Tifa Lockhart said as she looked at Donald, Goofy and King Mickey weirdly.
"But how can you all forget?" Sora asked, really confused.
"What is even going on? Where are we?" The dark-skinned man inquired.
"This is not our world", Aerith Gainsborough noted, closing her eyes and sensing it. "It is a different world, and we crossed through a breach."
"We need to get back!" The lion-like being said. "The Whispers are gathering."
"How do you not remember us?" Donald asked Cloud, Tifa and Aerith in his usual quacking way, making the three share confused looks.
"We have not met any of you", Cloud said.
"But that makes no sense!" Sora responded.
"Perhaps I can explain", Yen Sid finally said, making all of them look at him. "As you know, there are many worlds, all around us. You all have visited many of them, but they're not the only ones in existence. Sometimes, there are two different versions of a similar world, with similarities, and differences. Other times, two versions of the same person can exist in two different worlds, having the exact same life, or perhaps diverging at some point."
Riku's eyes widened. "Do you mean to say…."
"These are a different Cloud, Tifa and Aerith from the ones we know?" Sora finished, and Yen Sid nodded.
"So, you know our doppelgangers or something?" Tifa asked the group.
"I guess….." Goofy trailed off.
"I believe that is the case", Aerith finally said, sensing the energies around them all. "There are many worlds indeed…some feel familiar, some don't."
"How did you get here?" Riku asked.
"We were about to face the Whispers, they were gathering, then we were here", Cloud told them. "In your world, I guess. I've a feeling Sephiroth is behind this."
"By Sephiroth, you mean your Sephiroth?" Sora asked.
"I guess he'd be the one from our world, yes", Cloud revealed.
"What are these Whispers?" Mickey asked at that point.
"They exist to ensure the course of destiny is not altered", the lion-like being explained. "They correct any deviations from the course."
"Who are you?" Sora asked the creature, before turning to the dark-skinned man. "And you?"
"You can call me Red XIII", the creature finally gave its name.
"Barret", Barret Wallace introduced himself as well.
"What does Sephiroth have to do with this?" Sora then asked.
"He has returned, after years, I am not sure why, but he is causing something", Cloud told them all. "And we have to go back and stop him."
"I can help", Sora then offered, to the surprise of the rest.
Riku started. "Sora-"
"They may not be my friends, but they look the same, they sound the same, I'm sure they're exactly like them", Sora said passionately. "I will help them stop Sephiroth." He looked at Yen Sid. "You might not agree, but I will go."
Yen Sid shrugged. "Perhaps this can prepare you for what you have to face in the examination, so I believe you should go."
"Thank you, master", Sora said with a smile and nod.
"What can you do?" Cloud asked, only for Sora to summon the Keyblade, as they were shocked by how it looked.
"What's that?" Barret inquired.
"The Keyblade", Sora said.
"I'm coming too", Riku then said before summoning his own 'Way to the Dawn' Keyblade. "With all of us, we could take on Sephiroth."
"The Sephiroth I fought was one of my strongest enemies", Sora warned Riku. "This one can be just as dangerous."
Riku smirked. "Let's see."
"Good luck Sora", Donald cried out. "Good luck Riku."
"Yes, good luck both of you!" Goofy added too.
"Win the battle, then return", Mickey said with a smile, and they nodded.
"I believe the portal is….here", Aerith pointed at it with her finger, as Sora and Riku fired beams at it together, and a keyhole symbol appeared, before the portal was visible again, a street visible on it.
"Let's go", Cloud said, as he walked through, followed by Sora and Riku, and then Tifa, Aerith, Barret and Red XIII went through as well.
A battle of fate was about to take place.
And this is another one done. Thanks a lot to Brainstorm Sorcerer for all his help with this chapter once more, couldn't have done this without him. And thanks to Stand with Ward and Queen for a few suggestions too.
Oliver, Sara, Nyssa and Diggle fight both Adrian and Damien, as Thea is saved by Ray and Felicity. Hope the combination of Arrow 4x10 and 5x9 was enjoyed.
Damien is taking the Tobias Church role here in a way pretty much.
Barry has revealed his identity to Patty, and Iris is going delusional in her mind, like usual.
Meanwhile, the Argo plot of Smallville Season 11 comics begins, so Clark is in the future with Booster Gold, and has met Garth and Brainiac 5 again, but….The Doctor is here too, Nine to be specific! And with him are Jack Harkness and Rose Tyler.
I'm not a fan of Rose, I do not like her at all, but she was a Companion during this time so I've to keep her. She'll be in the background most of the time. This is between 'The Doctor Dances' and 'Boom Town' for DW.
Parker finally begins to train Felicia, and the first time went about as expected.
Blade has finally met the Jedi Council, and is already showing them what manner of guy he is, LOL! Poor them, except Windu and Mundi, screw them both!
On the other hand, now Tony and Rhodes know who it was they faced- Doctor Victor Von Doom! Arguably the greatest villain in Marvel Comics, and one of the best in either of Marvel and DC. Hope the backstory was enjoyed as well.
Thanks a lot to Brainstorm Sorcerer for his help with all 3 bits.
Meanwhile, 'Dream Drop Distance' is about to start but the KH characters are interrupted by the Final Fantasy VII: Remake characters, and now the concept of doppelgangers has been explained to both these character sets as well.
Now its time for Sora and Riku to join Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Barret and Red XIII in the battle against the Whispers and then Sephiroth.
And Spike has ended up in Middle-earth. I'm making this a combination of books and movies, so we got The Old Forest, Tom Bombadil and Goldberry. Spike has met the Hobbits as well, but let his trials now begin, especially since he is still soulless. Imagine Andy Hallett as Tom Bombadil.
Anyways, hope all enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter.
