Disclaimer: I do not own anything you may recognize
Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed or reviewed this fic so far.
And once more, thanks a lot to HRwriter897 for his help with the Transformers portions of this chapter, and to Stand with Ward and Queen and Brainstorm Sorcerer for some suggestions and help with other portions.
Also, for how Spike can stand in the sunlight in Middle-earth, when Rack was about to go through the portal, he'd done a spell that'd cast an invisible protective shelling or whatever around him when he crossed through the breach to the other end, as he didn't know where he'd end up, and if it'd be harmful, but since Spike fell through the breach instead, the spell worked on him, and the invisible protective shelling is around him now, and it protects him from sunlight as well. That's why Tom said there's a 'song of magic' around Spike.
Enjoy.
TW: Thanks for the review and glad it was amazing, and good to know. Glad to hear it.
Passing Through: Thanks for the review. I've heard of 'Gargoyles' and I plan to watch it as well, and it was clearly made when Disney had sense. But that's a completely different fandom. Most fandoms have different rules of magic. And even if Arrowverse has similar kind of magic, Damien's magic is nothing like this, its much more straightforward. Its fine, see ya. Thank you very much, best of luck to you too.
DCMarvel heroes: Thanks for the review and glad it was wonderfully done.
Chapter 25- One-Winged Angel
Earth-1, Star City, the lair
After Oliver had patched him up, Roy Harper gingerly fingered the spot where the arrow had hit him.
"Maybe next time, we can do something that doesn't involve me getting stabbed or shot at. Just an idea." Roy said dryly.
"Noted. Roy, I'm sorry I put you in this situation." Oliver apologized.
"I'm pretty sure I put myself in this situation," Roy pointed out, "I know you're not all that happy I faked my death to protect your secret."
"I never should have let you." Oliver told him.
"Do you ever get tired of carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders all the time?" Roy asked and Oliver chuckled.
"You sound like Sara and Laurel." Oliver said.
"Great minds," Roy shrugged as he looked over at Sara, "Man, Lazarus pits? And I thought Metahumans were as crazy as it got."
Later, Oliver's penthouse
"Thea?" Roy walked into the room and Thea sat up in shock. She was still on bedrest for a while to recover from her wounds.
"Oh my god, is it really you?" Thea asked as her lost love sat down next to her.
"Yeah." Roy smiled.
"Where have you been? How long are you staying?" Thea started asking. "What have you been up to?"
"Around. Until my blackmailer is stopped. And nothing special", Roy answered each question one by one, holding Thea's hand. "I heard about what happened. I'm sorry I wasn't there."
"It's not your fault, Roy", Thea assured him. "I'm mad you had to go…but I understand why. Not much you can do."
"I wish things never ended up this way", Roy said sadly.
"Me neither." Thea echoed his sentiments, both looking at each other with a sense of longing. Yet, while they were so close, they were very far apart.
And they'd no idea if that would change.
The lair
"Do you have anything?" Oliver asked as he walked up behind Felicity at the computers.
"There's more power in this thing than in a super computer. I and Ray might try to reverse engineer it for Queen-Palmer Tech." Felicity mused.
"Felicity!" Oliver snapped and Felicity came back to the here and now.
"But for now, I think I found something we can turn to our advantage. I found a tiny flaw in the OS code and I'm pretty sure I can use it to pen a back door into his main computer system", Felicity explained.
"Wouldn't that expose us?" Oliver inquired but Felicity shook her head.
Not if I do it right. Which I already did", Felicity said proudly.
"Well," A distorted voice startled the two, "whoever you are, let me just say that I am very impressed. No one's ever been able to break through my encryption before. Bravo."
"Disguise your voice", Oliver ordered and Felicity nodded.
"Thanks. I would be flattered if it wasn't coming from some nut-job trying to destroy the internet." Felicity said.
"Why would I want to take down the net? Not only is it where I work, I'm addicted to funny cat videos." The Calculator told her.
"Then why do you need a web-nuke?" Felicity asked confused.
"Very clever. Keep me talking to try and buy you time to breach my fire wall." The Calculator said, amused.
"So that's a pass on telling me your evil plan?" Felicity asked.
"Let's put it this way. If you wanna send a message, you don't take down the system. You take down a city." He said before the communications were cut.
"Damn it! He shut me out!" Felicity cried frustrated.
"What did he mean by taking down a city?" Oliver asked.
"Oh no," Felicity said as it hit her, "I've been thinking of what if he used it to take down the internet. But if he used it right, overloading the power grid, shutting down hospital equipment, causing water main breaks…he could kill everyone in the city."
"Find where he is going to set it off", Oliver ordered her.
Earth-21, 31st Century, Space
Superman, Supergirl, Optimus Prime and Grimlock flew up to meet the rest of the Legion, as Brainiac 5 told them. "Incoming WMD from World-Ship."
"What's going on?" Clark inquired.
"Who are they?" Rokk asked on seeing Optimus and Grimlock.
"My name is Optimus Prime, Leader of the Autobots", Optimus introduced himself, and gestured to Grimlock. "This is Grimlock."
"They're from another world, like The Doctor and his Companions, and they're on our side", Kara added.
"The WMD was launched in response to Minister Niedrigh sending Doomsday at New Krypton", Brainiac 5 noted as he looked down using holographic binoculars.
Clark paled on hearing a certain word. "Come again?"
New Krypton
Doomsday was tearing things apart, when TARDIS appeared, Jack and Rose running towards it as Nine opened the doors for them. "Come on in!"
"How do we stop this thing, Doctor?" Jack asked Nine.
"We're going to leave that to others, we need to stop something else", Nine told them both as the TARDIS doors closed and he started flying it away.
"And what's that?" Rose inquired.
"The Kryptonians sent a Gravity Bomb onto Earth in response to this, we need to stop that", Nine said, using the TARDIS to fly off.
Space
"Long story short, Clark faced Doomsday before, and it didn't go well", Rokk explained to Kara. "EarthGov proper did not authorize the launch. Or if they did, they didn't understand what Kirt dug from underneath the city."
"Or what the Beast is truly capable of", Clark noted grimly.
"Incoming!" Garth cried out, as they saw the Gravity Bomb making its way to Earth.
"Some kind of Gravity Bomb", Brainy noted, when they saw the TARDIS going after it, and then the door opened to reveal Nine.
"We're going to try and stop it, but I haven't use the tractor beam of this thing for a while now", Nine told all of them.
"Grimlock fight Doomsday!" Grimlock declared all of a sudden, to the shock of the rest.
"Will you be able to really do it?" Garth asked in uncertainty.
"He could fight me and Kara", Clark remembered. "I guess he could do it." He looked at the Gravity Bomb. "I'll help you stop the bomb, Doctor."
"We will evacuate everyone in case it doesn't work", Kara said, looking at the rest of the Legion, before turning to Grimlock and Optimus while gesturing to the buoy line. "Follow this, it shall lead you to New Krypton, where Doomsday is." She looked at the Legion. "Legionnaires, with me!"
Earth, Metropolis
The Gravity Bomb was about to fall, only for the TARDIS to capture it with a tractor beam, stopping it barely.
"We're holding on!" Nine cried out, Jack and Rose grunting.
"But not for long, Superman!" Jack called out.
Superman flew down, while Kara and the Legion evacuated the people of the city together. Grasping the Gravity Bomb, Superman flew up into Space, and hurled it away towards the sun, where it exploded harmlessly.
"What now?" Rose asked.
Nine smirked. "Kirt will try to run, but we must not let him."
New Krypton
Doomsday had killed a few Eradicators by now, when Grimlock in his T-Rex form rammed into him from behind, sending him flying off and falling down.
What I've Done by Linkin Park plays
Doomsday turned around to face Grimlock, and roared at him loudly, as Grimlock roared back, and the two charged each other, Doomsday punching Grimlock, turning his head the other way, then giving him an uppercut as Grimlock went flying up and crashed downwards.
Doomsday leapt at him with a punch, only for Grimlock to capture the creature's fist with its jaws, barely avoiding the protrusions as Doomsday roared, the jaws actually causing its fist to bleed, before Grimlock used the momentum and turned his head the other way, throwing Doomsday into that direction while he got up.
Doomsday got up and did a leap, launching himself at Grimlock and sending him flying off, crashing through a building, and as Grimlock got up, Doomsday rushed him again, lifting him up and ramming him through more buildings, before smashing him to the ground, and punching him repeatedly, only for Grimlock to whack Doomsday with his tail, sending him flying off and crashing down.
Before it could get up, Grimlock leapt and smashed down on it, before smashing twice again, shattering the ground underneath it, until Doomsday punched Grimlock, sending him off again.
As Doomsday tried to get up, Optimus Prime crashed into him, rolled and unveiled his sword.
"Did you forget, who I am?"
Doomsday let out a roar at him and charged, only for Optimus to dodge and slice at it with his sword, before unveiling another one just like it, and used those to slice at its chest, before spinning and kicking it on the face, sending it flying back.
He retracted the swords as Doomsday got up, and it tried to punch him but he dodged and elbowed it, then lifting it up, threw it down, and was about to punch it again, only for it to kick him hard, sending him flying off.
As it stood up, an energy ray from Grimlock's mouth hit it, making it fly off by many feet and crash to the ground.
Grimlock then charged it as it stood up, and rammed into it once more, pushing it back, and trapped its wrist in his jaws once more, making it bleed, before Doomsday hurled him away, only for Optimus to fire at him with blasters that his hands had converted into, staggering it back.
"We will stand against you!" Optimus declared. "You will not slaughter this planet!"
Doomsday roared in challenge and then rushed at Optimus, giving him an uppercut that sent him flying off again, and as he crashed down, Doomsday punched him thrice, smashing his head into the ground, before Grimlock hit it with a breath of fire from behind, making it roar as it turned around to face Grimlock, and charged him.
At that moment, Optimus transformed into a truck and rammed into Doomsday from behind, making it fly off and crash once more, as Optimus turned into his robot form and stood up. "He is quite strong; we will have to give it our all!"
It charged them both, only for Optimus to spin and dodge as Grimlock grabbed Doomsday's wrist with his jaws once more, and Optimus used the opportunity to punch it on the face thrice, before unveiling his sword as he stabbed it into Doomsday's chest, making it roar out in pain, while Grimlock let go.
Optimus was about to drive the sword deeper, when suddenly, Doomsday recovered, and grabbed the sword, pushing it out itself, and pushing Optimus back in the process, before it struck Grimlock, throwing him off, and lifted up Optimus, hurling him down to the ground.
It was about to stomp on him, but Grimlock leapt at it and both of them rolled away, Grimlock trying to snap his jaws on Doomsday as Doomsday kept trying to punch the robotic T-Rex.
Optimus staggered up, seeing various Kryptonians around him.
"Who are you?" One of them asked.
"My name is Optimus Prime, Leader of the Autobots", Optimus introduced himself as they saw Doomsday punching Grimlock, before Grimlock whacked it back with its tail. "We are here to help you. Earth….is not your enemy!"
They looked at him in surprise as he continued. "A few people from Earth have done you wrong, but not all of them. This creature, you all can fight it together, stand alongside us, use your abilities, and seize this moment!"
As Grimlock and Doomsday were in a deadlock, Optimus made to charge again, only for many Kryptonians to fly at Doomsday from all sides, trying to hold him down together now.
Earth, EarthGov Facility
Some EarthGov soldiers were standing around, when a 'Vwoorp, Vwoorp' was heard, and the TARDIS appeared before them, before Nine, Jack and Rose got out.
"Hands behind your head!" A soldier said as they aimed their guns, only for Nine to take out the psychic paper, and he held it up in front of them.
"EarthGov official", he said with a smirk, the shocked soldiers lowering their guns. "I'm here to meet Minister Niedrigh over his unauthorized attack on New Krypton."
One soldier tried to say. "But-"
"I'll be off then", he said, walking past them alongside Jack and Rose, as they got into a cabin, only to see Kirt about to escape in a pod.
"You will never stop me, Doctor", he gloated. "And New Krypton shall fall, as shall the Xenos."
Looking around, Nine spotted a computer, and using the Sonic Screwdriver, activated it, before rushing to it.
Kirt was about to fly off, only for Nine to type in some commands, and the pod stopped.
"What?" He said in horror, being ejected out of it as he fell down. "How?"
"I'm a lot smarter than you are", Nine said as he staggered up.
"Guards!" Kirt cried out in fear as the soldiers from before appeared. "Arrest them! How could you let them in?"
The confused soldiers started raising their guns at the three, only for Jack to fire his Sonic blaster at one, knocking him out, before kicking another soldier away, and elbowing one more.
Using the opportunity, Kirt ran out of the room, as Jack said. "Doctor, Rose, go after him! I got this!"
Doctor Who Westminster Bridge plays
Rose picked up a fallen soldier's gun, then she and Nine rushed after Kirt as Jack's blaster was kicked out of his hand, but he grasped that soldier's gun and pushed him forth in front of himself, and kicked him out, before decking another as he was down, and before one more could fire at him, Jack charged him and slammed him to the ground, punching him out, before rolling to avoid more shots and got his blaster back, and fired at that soldier, knocking him out.
Nine and Rose continued to run after Kirt, who took out a gun of his own and fired back at the two, causing them to stop and dodge by rolling away, as Kurt rushed off.
The two stood up, Rose chuckling a bit.
"What's so funny?" Nine asked her.
"Usually, we're running from someone or something, now we're running after someone", Rose said, causing Nine to smirk.
"That is true." He rushed after Kirt, and Rose followed him, as they opened a door to a room, finding Kirt about to get into another pod.
That was when Skeets was launched at the pod, shorting it out, while Booster appeared, glaring at him, and Skeets flew back next to Booster.
"Going somewhere?" Booster taunted as Kirt roared in rage and took out his gun.
Rose tried to fire at him but he dodged, then fired back, not getting her but getting the gun as Rose was disarmed, but before anything else could happen, the sound of jets was heard outside.
Kirt smirked. "Reinforcements are here, and now you all shall go down!"
Various soldiers entered the room with guns, as Kirt ordered them. "Arrest all of them!"
To his own shock, the soldiers aimed their guns at him instead, while Jack ran inside, looking at the scene.
"What is the meaning of this?" Kirt cried out in horror.
"Minister Niedrigh, you're under arrest for an illegal attack on New Krypton!" The lead soldier declared.
"After I got free, Skeets and I managed to get into contact with them", Booster revealed. "They do not like what you did, and do not approve of it."
Kirt started getting cuffed and muttered in horror. "This is outrageous!"
"I told you; I will stop you", Nine reminded him. "And the rest of humanity is much better than you are. As you can see, these people are good, and have morality, unlike you! Morality enough to not partake in this senseless war!"
New Krypton
Doomsday had thrown the Kryptonians off, when Clark rammed into him from above, sending him crashing to the ground.
Pa-Vel was there as Clark flew next to him. "Nothing is working, is it?"
"No, its not", Pa-Vel shook his head sadly.
"Then redirect those energy buoys towards the sun!" Clark declared to him, starting to fly up.
"Even you can't escape the sun's gravity, Kal-El!" Pav-El warned him while beginning to do what Clark had asked.
As Doomsday stood up, Clark was punched on the face, spitting some blood out, but then punched Doomsday back.
"I know."
As the buoys were redirected towards the sun, Clark flew at Doomsday and grabbed him, flying with him towards the sun, as he saw Imra arrive on New Krypton.
"Saturn Girl, can you hear me?" He thought mentally, and heard Imra's voice in his head.
"Yes, Kal-El!"
Doomsday grabbed Clark's face, as he grabbed it by the throat, continuing to fly the monster towards the sun.
"Imra, this isn't going to end well for me, and-"
"You don't have to say what needs to be done, Kal-El."
"Oh." Clark and Doomsday were very close to the sun now, both struggling.
A tear rolled down Imra's cheek. "One of the few perks of being a telepath."
Superman got Doomsday's hand off his face, and slammed his foot on its throat. "Aside from telling Lois….please make sure Booster and Kara find their places."
Clark fired Heat Vision at Doomsday, sending it falling towards the sun.
"It doesn't have to be this way, Clark."
Clark started falling towards the sun. "Says the girl not falling towards the sun."
Doomsday was submerged inside the sun now, as Clark smiled in his last moments. "Promise me the Legion won't let anyone dig this thing up again."
Transformers 3 - Battle (The Score - Soundtrack) plays at the 1:13 part
That was when Clark's hand was grasped by someone, trying to pull him away from the sun.
"That's a lot of responsibility for one Legionnaire, Superman."
The voice wasn't Imra's.
Clark looked up to see Rokk holding him. "Rokk, are you out of your mind?! You'll be pulled down with me!"
Then he saw Rokk's hand was grasped by Kara's from behind, who smiled at him. "That's why we practice the buddy system."
Kara's hand was grasped by Garth, and his by Brainiac 5, and his by Imra, and so on, and at the end of it was Grimlock, with Optimus behind him, all of them together pulling.
"Not let Superman fall." Grimlock's voice came.
"Sacrificing yourself is noble, but not when other alternatives are present. You have inspired everyone enough today." Optimus Prime's voice said to him.
Superman smiled. "Not as much as you have."
And with that, Superman was pulled away from the sun, and all of them started flying back together, Clark and Kara holding hands, everyone smiling.
"Long live the Legion! Long live the House of El!"
Earth-1, Star City
The Calculator's men were moving through a building when Diggle intercepted one of them, disarming him and throwing him off, as Laurel jumped at another from behind, grabbing him in a chokehold with her baton and flipping him down as they struggled. Two more tried to fire at them but were taken out by arrows from behind, Oliver and Roy leaping and running forth, the latter wearing his Arsenal suit.
Sara leapt down from a side and kicked another thug away, as Roy said. "I've seriously missed this."
They rushed forth, Diggle tapping his earpiece. "Overwatch, we're on site."
The lair
"I'm trying to find the web-nuke but our adversary knows I'm in his system and keeps trying to kick me out," Felicity explained, "I got a good look at his protocols and if the web-nuke goes online, it will kill eight-thousand people."
"Let's stop that then, huh?"
Felicity jumped before turning to see Hardison having arrived, to her shock. "Hardison?"
"Oh yes, your savior is here, not to worry", Hardison said as he sat down next to her and took over, Felicity letting him do it this time.
He typed in some commands as The Calculator was heard saying angrily. "You're locking me out…how?"
"You're good, but not that good", Hardison said as he pressed a button, and the voice of the Calculator on the other end was cut.
He looked at Felicity. "Guy won't be accessing anything in here, or in his own lair, or in the building. His online presence is compromised too."
"Which means….he has to start from scratch now!" Felicity realized in delight.
Oliver shot down another man as they entered a room, finding the web-nuke, as Diggle asked. "Does anyone know how to disarm this thing?"
Suddenly, they were surrounded by a dozen men, all of their guns aimed at the group as one of them said. "Put your weapons down!"
Only Diggle and Laurel complied, letting their guns and baton respectively drop, when Oliver smirked, to the men's confusion.
And then, Eliot kicked one man from behind and whacked another away before elbowing one more, and as one tried to fire at him, Eliot grabbed his gun and kicked him hard, sending him crashing into another as he unloaded the gun and threw it off, before sweeping another man's feet from underneath him, then spun and elbowed another's throat, before blocking one more's blows and flipping him to the ground, after which he spun and kicked one more into another, before grabbing the next by his head and slamming it on his knee, and then he grabbed the last one by the collar and threw him to the ground, then kicked him and the one he'd flipped out, as well as the one whose feet he'd swept from underneath him before.
After all the men were down, Diggle's and Laurel's weapons finally hit the ground, as the two and Roy were shocked at how fast he was, only Oliver and Sara having kept up with his speed.
"Good to see you again", Oliver said to Eliot as they grasped hands.
"You too", Eliot smirked, before looking at Roy. "You new here?"
"Actually, I'm pretty old", Roy said to him, then turned to Oliver. "He makes an even better entrance than you."
The nuke started beeping as Laurel said. "That's not good."
Diggle had put the charges but they were not working. "It's not working."
Hardison's voice came on the comms. "Most likely he jammed the detonation frequency before I got to him."
"Okay, we do this the old fashion way and manually set the charge", Oliver ordered.
"We can't do that and all of us get out of here in one-piece. Someone has to stay behind", Sara pointed out.
"I'll do it", Roy said and they all turned to him.
"Roy, even if you trigger the C4 with an arrow at a distance, you still need to outrun the blast radius", Oliver told him.
"I can do that", Roy said confidently.
"Roy, you may be wearing red, but you aren't The Flash", Diggle warned him.
"I didn't say it wasn't gonna be risky", Roy said.
"You just got a fresh start Roy. I don't want you to throw it all away", Oliver said.
"I'm the one who brought this maniac into our lives. It's my life. It's my choice", Roy said firmly.
"Ollie," Laurel said and he looked over at her, "let him do this."
Eliot suddenly tapped his comms and smirked. "I think it'll be fine."
"You run like Hell", Oliver ordered Roy.
"See you outside", Diggle told him.
"Good luck", Laurel said.
"You'll need it", Sara added.
"Oliver spoke highly of you, now I see why", Eliot said, all of them going off.
Roy ran to a distance, then looking at the explosives, fired, just as a grapple hook attached to him from above and lifted him up, Roy seeing part of the roof was gone.
Roy ended up on the roof and saw Parker, who gave him a wave with a smirk. "Hey there."
She'd used a gel to melt the roof, then a grapple device to pull Roy up, as they both got up and ran, getting to a line from which they glided down as the explosion occurred behind them, dropping down next to the rest.
Looking at Parker, then Eliot, and then Oliver, Roy said. "You've made some interesting new friends."
Oliver smirked, then looked at Eliot and Parker, while tapping his comms. "There's one more thing you guys can do for me here."
Earth-21, 31st Century, Metropolis, Bad Wolf Safehouse
Brainiac 5 finally managed to repair the damage done by Shockwave on Grimlock's processor due to those experiments that had allowed Grimlock his dino alt mode.
"Think clearly again me can", Grimlock said, shaking his head. "Speak too now can."
He turned to Brainiac 5. "Thanks you have for what you done."
Brainy simply nodded before looking at some readings. "Well, this is strange."
"What is?" Optimus inquired.
"You, my friend", Brainy looked at Grimlock. "You're a prehistoric animal from Earth."
"What?" Grimlock asked in shock.
"How can this be?" Optimus wondered too.
"I do not know, but that is what I found", Brainy said while showing them his readings.
Earth-1, Star City
"And so, the Star City Police Department, myself specifically, would like to formally apologize to Roy Harper," Quentin began as he and Roy stood in front of the press, "it is with deep regret that I admit we were fed false Intel by a source we now know to be unreliable. The Arrow was framed by the same man who unleashed the Bio-weapon on our city a year ago. Mr. Harper here is not The Arrow, he was simply a man trying to right a wrong."
"Captain Lance, does that mean that Oliver Queen is The Arrow?" A reporter demanded eagerly.
"No," Quentin said to the reporter's disappointment, "As I said, we were fed false Intel. The Arrow was a nameless man who had lived for years watching the city suffer before he decided to do something about it since we could not. During the bio-attack, The Arrow fought the man responsible and was killed moments before the SCPD gunned down the madman. Again, I cannot express my remorse enough Mr. Harper, I am truly sorry for everything you have had to endure."
"Apology excepted", Roy said as he shook Quentin's hand and the press applauded.
Later
Roy was backstage, getting ready to leave when Quentin approached.
"Hey, um, listen," Quentin began awkwardly as Roy looked over at him, "I know I said it before, but I'm sorry about everything that happened."
"I get it. We all let our emotions get the best of us sometimes. God knows I have", Roy said and Quentin nodded.
The lair
Oliver, Eliot and the rest watched the broadcast, with Oliver and Eliot sharing a smile before the former said to the latter, as well as Parker and Hardison. "Thank you for coming up with this alibi. I really can't thank you all enough."
"What are friends for, man?" Hardison asked him as he tapped his shoulder.
"Its good to have him back", Sara had to say. She hadn't worked with him much when he was stable, but she knew how loyal he was to Ollie. Ollie needed him back.
"Well, another day, another bad guy taken on some Earth", Parker said as she walked out with Hardison, Sara and Laurel giving Oliver a smile as they walked out too, and Diggle went out as well.
"So, how have you been?" Oliver asked his friend.
"Good", Eliot said, then sighed. "Look…I didn't tell anyone else this, but I met my biological father."
Oliver looked at Eliot in shock. "Really?"
"Yeah", Eliot nodded. "He is a great war hero in my world. He'd a…one-night thing with a woman once and they went their separate ways. He didn't even know about me till now."
"How did you all find out?" Oliver inquired out of curiosity.
"He was called in to kill an alien creature from a different world, but it self-destructed and he was caught in the explosion. SHIELD, which is my Earth's ARGUS but better, took him in to test his blood, and found out. One of them is my friend, and she introduced us", Eliot finished explaining. "He is a good man. Haunted by what he has done, but he is good."
"Like you and me", Oliver noted, Eliot nodding. "I'm happy for you."
"Thanks. Made up with my adoptive dad as well", Eliot said with a smile. "I guess…things are getting better now."
"I hope so", Oliver agreed. "I only told Sara this…but I have a son."
"What? Seriously?" Eliot was the one shocked this time.
"Years ago, before the island, I got this girl pregnant but my mom paid her to tell me she'd miscarried", Oliver said sadly.
"Why would your mom do that?" Eliot asked, surprised.
"I don't know." Oliver shook his head; still not sure he could get past it. "She said I can only see my son as long as I don't tell him I'm his father, and I can't tell anyone else."
"Sounds pretty harsh", Eliot had to say. "You can challenge her on this, ya know?"
"I know, but I don't want to fight her, I just want to know my son", Oliver said to him.
"And I get it. But your son should know you too", Eliot pointed out. "And he won't really know you…unless he knows who you are to him."
Oliver seemed to consider, as Eliot tapped his shoulder. "Not forcing you or anything, just a suggestion."
"I'll think about it, thanks Eliot", Oliver thanked him as they shared a hug.
Oliver's penthouse
"So….you're staying", Thea said happily, Roy nodding.
"Yeah, Oliver's new friends managed to create this alibi for me", Roy told her as he held her hand. "I'm not going anywhere now. I'm staying right here with you."
"If you had to, I'd have asked you to live your life, get married, and have a couple of kids", Thea told him. "Nothing would have made me happier."
"Now that I've the chance to do it all over again…I'll do every single one of those things with you", Roy said to her, taking a deep breath. "I love you, Thea Queen."
"I love you, Roy Harper", Thea replied, before both hugged, then shared a kiss, happy to be with each other again.
Earth-21, Africa
Lois was going through Lana's scrapbook, seeing pictures of Superman, as Lana appeared with some food for all three, asking. "I see you found my scrapbook?"
"Can you blame me for snooping around?" Lois asked, immediately snapping it shut.
"Can you blame me for having one?" Lana asked as well.
"When can I be sent back?" Iris asked randomly.
"Just wait a while, we'll get you out of here when I go back", Lois said with an annoyed groan as Lana sat down near them, putting the food down.
"I left my whole life behind when I came here. Including Clark Kent", Lana said, then added. "Though I didn't have much choice in the matter."
"Lex has that way about him, doesn't he?" Lois muttered, opening the scrapbook to see it again.
"How is he?" Lana inquired.
"Lex? Same jerk taste as usual", Lois said with a shrug.
"You know who I mean", Lana said with a raised eyebrow.
Lois looked at the ring she was wearing, and tucked it away, sighing. "Clark is…good. Its nice to have him back home."
"Superman keeping him busy?" Lana asked.
"He ended up in another world for a while, with one more of us", Lois revealed to Lana. "Took a while, but we found him. We've new friends now too."
"Guess that's good", Lana shrugged.
"This Clark…" Iris trailed off, looking at Lana. "You used to be with him?"
"Yes, but now I can't", Lana said with a sigh.
"How are you moving past it?" Iris asked, unable to imagine moving past Barry now. "I mean, if you loved him-"
"Sometimes just loving someone isn't enough", Lana told Iris. "It just wasn't meant to be, and we were getting pretty toxic, mostly because of me."
"How do you know it wasn't meant to be?" Iris inquired.
"We drifted apart, we were little alike by the end of it, and wanted different things", Lana muttered, then gave Iris an annoyed look. "I know Lois, I don't know you, so don't ask me anymore."
Iris gulped, then turned to Lois. "So I guess….you're with Clark now, right?"
"Yeah", Lois shrugged. "What is it to you?"
"Nothing…." Iris shook her head, seeing Clark as Barry, Lois as Patty, and Lana as herself. She did find Patty nice, but she'd thought Barry and her would break up one day, and then Barry would be hers, as she finally decided she wanted him too, after a year of being hot and cold about a romantic relationship with him.
But he'd told Patty who he was, and he clearly loved her, he'd moved past his feelings for her, just as Clark had moved past his feelings for Lana, and was with Lois now.
But unlike Lana, who'd also moved past Clark, how was she gonna move past Barry? These thoughts were plaguing her mind.
Lana then gestured to the food. "Hungry?"
"Is this some kind of stew?" Lois asked with a wince.
"One of the older children fancies himself a chef", Lana shrugged.
"Well, that explains this", Iris commented.
"Excuse me, do you see what kind of place this is? That kid, he'd love nothing more than to just…learn about cooking", Lana said angrily, Iris looking abashed as both Lana and Lois glared at her. "I just hope I can keep him alive long enough to give him a chance."
"At what?" Lois inquired, eating some of it, as Iris ate it too, while making a face. "We can get him some wi-fi in here, lickity split. Beats the hell out of 25 years of loan repayments."
"A chance at having a life. A chance at chasing his dreams", Lana said wistfully. "The region just needs to breathe. To stand on its own without fear. Or hate."
"That's a lot of responsibility for one woman to take on, super-powered or not", Lois pointed out not unkindly.
Lana closed her eyes, remembering. "I lost myself to love, then hate. Then, revenge." She opened her eyes and looked at Lois with a smile. "Through these children, through this mission, I feel like I'm finding myself again, one piece at a time."
Lois patted Lana's shoulder. "I feel like I should hug you. Should I hug you?"
"I'd rather you not…." Lana trailed off.
KABOOM!
All three looked out with wide eyes, Iris screaming as Lana whispered in horror. "They found us."
"You've got a treehouse made of tanks!" Lois emphasized while picking up her bullet proof west and putting it on. "I'm shocked they didn't find you five minutes in."
"What are we gonna do?" Iris was screaming in horror. "They're gonna kill me! I'm gonna die in another world! Why did I end up here?! Why can I not be with Barry?!"
Having had enough, Lois walked up to Iris. "Hey!"
Iris turned to look at Lois.
SMACK!
Iris' face turned the other way as she yelped, holding her cheek that was stinging from Lois' slap.
She tried to respond, but didn't get a chance to.
SMACK!
Her face turned again, now her other cheek stinging as she yelped once more. Lana had tapped her cheek lightly, just as annoyed as Lois was, though she couldn't actually slap Iris with even half of her power or she'd die, so she'd resorted to a light tap, which was equal to a slap in terms of how it felt for Iris anyways.
"Stay here, don't move, and shut up!" Lois snarled at Iris.
"Now I know how I used to sound like back in the day", Lana said in disgust, hoping she could see Clark again someday, so she could apologize to him, because now she'd seen someone else display behavior like she used to, and she did not like it one bit.
Lana looked at Lois. "Try and keep up. And get as many children clear as you can."
With that, she sped off, and came outside, seeing children running and pointing in horror, fires spewing at some points, when an elbow struck her throat, making her gasp and fall down, only for her to support herself using her hands, and then she used her feet to kick her attacker's face, sending him falling down.
Lois came out and her eyes widened on seeing just who the attacker was.
"Didn't expect to see you here, brown eyes", the attacker smirked while wiping blood from his split lip.
"Corben?!"
"Been a while, you might want to get the hell out of here", Corben told her. "Things are about to get messy."
Lois started getting the children away as Lana and John Corben struggled against each other, the former asking. "Lois?"
"His name is John Corben", Lois explained. "Two years ago, Zod's scientists gave him a heart fueled by meteor rock."
Corben interrupted. "And then you, Miss Lane, tried to give me a better one. It didn't take."
"It was supposed to help you live a normal life, not turn you into a Frankenstein", Lois said in horror.
"Now, now Lois", Corben taunted as he pushed Lana off. "Frankenstein was the doctor." He turned to Lois, who picked up a rod and tried to strike him, but he grabbed it. "I'm the monster."
He snatched the rod, only for Lana to snatch it from him and hurl it away. "Enough! Leave this place!"
She sped between Lois and Corben as he commented. "The Angel, I presume?"
"You bet your ass she is", Lois snarled.
"You smell fantastic", he quipped.
"These children are not your enemy", Lana said, glowing green briefly.
"No, but you are", Corben declared, as Lois tried to strike him but he deflected effortlessly.
"So, you're a hired gun now?" She asked.
"I'd love to get a 'normal' job, but something tells me I wouldn't pass the physical", he commented.
"Or the psych evaluation!" Lana said as she leapt at Corben from behind and kicked his back, slamming him onto a wall.
"Fair point!"
He recovered, turning around and ripping his shirt off to reveal his Kryptonite heart. "I almost had a pretty sweet gig through that maniac Schott. I think we're all lucky it didn't work out the way Toyman wanted it to. Got a brand, new heart out of the deal too. Straight absorbs meteor rock. No fuss."
Lana started rushing him as he marched towards her, Lois crying out in horror. "Oh God…Lana! Your suit! Get clear!"
"No", Lana snarled angrily as she gave him a right hook. "He has ravaged my home." She gave him a left hook. "Endangered these children."
She made to throw a kick. "It doesn't matter who you used to be, Mr. Corben."
He grabbed her foot and spun her around, grabbing her in a chokehold, as she too grabbed his face. "You don't get to walk out of here!"
"My heart…" Corben trailed off, his Kryptonite heart absorbing the Kryptonite fueled nanites stored underneath Lana's skin. "So much…."
Lana screamed in agony, before falling down, Corben letting go, while his hands glowed with power. "What did you do to me?"
Lois supported Lana. "Lois?" Lana muttered. "What's….what's happening?"
The nanites hadn't just fused with John Corben, but also the weapons near him, as he started using his powers to hover them into the air.
"Oh, you know", Lois muttered. "Just your nanites jumping ship with all that pesky Kryptonite!"
"That old chestnut…" Lana muttered weakly.
"I don't know about you two", Corben said with a smirk. "But my day just got a whole lot better."
Earth-199999, New York City, Avengers Tower
The place was fixed back up after the Doctor Doom mess, and things were back to normal. As normal as they could be for people like the Avengers that is.
Natasha, in her Black Widow suit, was doing some target practice, and she got the target every time, before taking off the protection for her ears, and she sighed, putting them back, turning around to see Steve watching her.
"Like what you see?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, smirking.
Steve flushed, making her chuckle internally as she put the gun away.
"Yeah, I do", he admitted.
"I'd like to see you use one of these", Natasha had to say as she gestured to the gun. "I missed it when you did."
"Its fine, I could always need them once more", Steve said with a shrug, Natasha nodding as she walked forth, only for a breach to appear as she fell into it.
"NAT!" Steve cried out in horror as he rushed into the direction, but she was already gone. "NO!"
He was tempted to jump after her, and almost did, but then realized he'd not be helping either of them by doing that, since then both would be stranded, a second time in his case.
So, he calmed down (a little) and decided to call up Tony quickly for help.
Earth-21, Africa
Corben had just used his powers to throw helicopter blades at Lois and Lana, the former pushing the latter away to save her as they started running.
Suddenly, a breach opened and Natasha staggered out of it, causing Lois to look at her in shock, while Corben froze in surprise.
"Natasha?" Lois cried out.
"Lois?" Natasha looked at her, then smirked, realizing she was in a friendly world at least. "Guess it could be worse then."
"Run now, talk later", Lana said, and Natasha noticed Corben, before all three took off running.
"Who is that?" Natasha inquired.
"Someone really powerful, and don't use weapons on him, he can control them!" Lois warned her, the three continuing to run.
Corben taunted Lana. "Not so tough without your superpowers, are you, Angel? Once I finish with all of you, I'll head back stateside and give the Blur…or should I say Superman, a little taste of what a Man of Steel really is."
That caused the three to stop as they looked at him and declared together. "Not gonna happen."
"So, how can we stop him?" Natasha inquired.
"His heart is the source of his power", Lois explained.
"I feel like there's a message in there somewhere", Lana commented, as soldiers aimed their guns at Corben.
"We can have a nice chat about it as the sun sets, assuming they don't get us killed first", Lois said about the men.
"Freeze!"
They fired at him, only for Corben to use his powers and take their guns away. "Nice hardware, fellas. Mind if I take some for a spin?"
Holding all the guns with his powers, Corben smirked at Lana. "Hey Angel, catch!"
Natasha made to push her out of the way but Lois jumped in the way of the bullets, her vest taking all the damage as Lana cried out. "Lois!"
Lois fell down with a groan, as Natasha knelt near her. "You okay?"
The fearless reporter coughed. "I knew my legs and face would be fine, my boobs on the other hand…"
The two helped her up as Natasha commented. "I'm gonna take that as a yes."
Lois grasped her breasts, still in pain. "Hit that ass with something big."
"I've got an idea", Lana told her.
"I've got one too! Go! Avenge my boobs!" Lois cried out.
"I think her idea would avenge your boobs most likely", Natasha shrugged. "Let's hear it."
After Lana told them the plan, Lois noticed some men taking cover and asked. "You numbskulls confiscate any weapons from the attack earlier?"
"Yeah, but we don't know how much good they're gonna do against…that thing over there!" One of them said in horror.
"Its not the weapons", Natasha smirked. "Its us."
Lana got into one of the army trucks nearby, trying to hotwire it. "Come on! Come on!"
"Come on, Angel!" Corben taunted. "I'm going to kill you, just accept it!"
The truck started up as Lana started driving it right at Corben. "I've been trampled by a horse, eaten by a tornado, and had my brain erased. Don't think for a minute I'm going to sweat you."
Corben started. "You can't really think a truck is going to stop-"
He was cut off when the truck rammed into him, knocking him down, as Lana opened the door and ran out. "I only needed to knock you down!"
"Hey crazy!" Lois called out with a smirk, aiming a rocket launcher at him. "Here comes the airplane!"
She fired, only for him to stop the rocket with his powers as he taunted. "Just what I needed!"
"No, just what we needed you to do", Natasha countered as she aimed her Widow's Bite and fired at the rocket.
As it struck the rocket, it exploded, the entire explosion hitting Corben point blank as he and the truck were sent flying off, before he crashed to the ground.
Lana picked up a crowbar and rushed the fallen Corben, with Natasha and Lois, as she asked Lois. "You wanna do the honors?"
"Together", Lois said.
"On three", Natasha added.
With that, all three held the crowbar together. "Three!"
And then, they wrenched the Kryptonite heart out of Corben, as his now empty chest started smoking, while his eyes closed.
At that moment, two breaches opened nearby.
Out of one, Lois saw Steve walk out, and out of another, she saw a Puerto Rican man she didn't recognize walk out.
"Nat!" Steve cried out, Natasha noticing he was wearing the gauntlet Thor had worn before when he'd gone to find him.
He immediately embraced her, and Natasha, to her surprise, embraced him back, as she whispered. "That was fast."
They immediately parted, as Steve told her. "Tony came quickly."
"You waited for him? I'm hurt", Natasha said jokingly, causing him to chuckle and roll his eyes.
"If I hadn't, we'd both be here", Steve shrugged, then noticed Lois. "Hello Lois."
"Hey Steve", Lois waved.
"Well, at least you were stuck in a friendly world", Steve said with a shrug.
"Yeah, except this guy is not very friendly", Lana said, looking down at the unconscious Corben. "I'm Lana, by the way."
"Nice to meet you, Lana."
"And who're you?" Lois asked, turning to the man.
"I'm Cisco Ramon, and since you seem to know about other worlds, I don't need to explain it to you!" Cisco said with a little cheer. "Someone I know fell here."
"Is she called Iris West?" Lana inquired.
"Oh yeah, that's her, where is she?" Cisco asked.
"Cowering inside", Lois sighed, then yelled. "IRIS! COME OUT! CISCO IS HERE TO TAKE YOU HOME!"
A minute later, a still shaking Iris walked out, before seeing Cisco, and let out a loud sigh of relief. "Oh thank God you're here, Cisco!"
"How do you put up with her?" Lana asked Cisco.
"I ask myself the same question every day", Cisco told her.
"Hey! I thought we were friends!" Iris said, offended.
"No, I'm friends with Barry and your dad. I only tolerate you because they care about you", Cisco told her, and Iris looked horrified by this, as if she'd never realized it until now. "After the tantrum you threw when you found out who Barry was, never been a fan of you really. But still, let's go home!"
Iris groaned, clearly looking like her bubble had been burst and she'd been told truths she never knew. She realized no one except her father and Barry even liked her, and now Barry would never be hers.
There was nothing left for her in Central City now except maybe Wally. She decided she needed to transfer to Keystone City now after she'd gotten to know Wally better, and start fresh.
It was time to go once she and Wally were well-acquainted with each other.
Cisco looked at Steve and Natasha. "I'm guessing you two are from another world then."
"Yes, nice to meet you", Steve held out his hand, that Cisco shook, and he shook hands with Lana too.
"Pleasure working with you two", Natasha said to Lois and Lana.
"Likewise", Lois smirked.
"Yeah", Lana nodded.
Cisco closed his eyes and used his glasses to feel the frequencies from Steve and Natasha, and then opened his eyes. "Whoa! I know what Earth you're from. I've made interdimensional extrapolators to your world before."
"You mean…." Natasha trailed off. "Did Clint meet you?"
"You mean Hawkeye?" Cisco inquired.
"Yeah, him", Natasha confirmed.
"Didn't meet him, but did make one for him, yes, he'd ended up here and helped Flash, Green Arrow and others against some droids", Cisco told both Steve and Natasha. "Well then, I guess our worlds are connected already."
"Wait, Green Arrow?" Lois asked, making Cisco turn to her.
"You know 'em?" Cisco inquired.
"There's one on our Earth, but…Superman told us he'd met another one a while ago", Lois said to him. "Does yours have a beard or something?"
Cisco's eyes widened. "Oh yeah, looks like he met ours."
"Maybe we should connect our worlds as well then?" Lois inquired.
"Yeah, I'll make an extrapolator and send it to you", he smirked, holding out his hand. "Cisco Ramon, but you knew that already."
"Lois Lane", Lois introduced herself as they shook hands, then dropped them. "Guess you've to go now."
"Yeah", Cisco nodded.
Lois gestured to Iris. "Good luck with her."
"Thanks", Cisco muttered, as Iris did an 'urggh' and walked through the breach, Cisco giving a mock salute to the rest and walking in after her.
"Guess we should go too", Natasha said to Steve, and they walked through their breach as well, both breaches closing.
Earth-199999, New York City, Avengers Tower
Steve and Natasha walked out of the breach together, Tony smirking as he said. "Good to see you're fine."
"Good to see you're still the same", Natasha replied with her own smirk.
"Oh you don't know? Cap was getting worried", Tony quipped, then walked off, as Natasha and Steve exchanged a look of their own, then smiled at each other, before moving away.
Earth-1, Star City
Oliver and Roy, dressed in their suits, looked down at a car chase going on as the former asked. "You ready?"
"Been a while, but I am", Roy told him.
"Good", Oliver nodded, before softening for a moment as he put a hand to Roy's shoulder. "I'm happy you're back."
Roy grasped his hand. "I know."
With that, the two leapt down and used grapple arrows to swing ahead so they could catch the criminals.
Middle-earth, Bree
The ground was muddy and it was pouring, as Spike knocked on the door as a small window, too high for the Hobbits but not for Spike, was opened, and a bedraggled-looking man peered out.
"What do you want?"
Spike spoke for them. "We're heading for…" he looked down at the Hobbits. "What was the place, again?"
"The Prancing Pony!" Frodo told him.
"Right, the Prancing Pony!"
The window closed and the gate opened, the man holding a lantern. "A Man and Hobbits! Four Hobbits! What business brings you all to Bree?"
"Oi, now does that really matter to you?" Spike asked. "We're getting bloody wet out here, mate! I'm hurt you'd let us get even more wet!"
"Alright, I meant no offense. It's my job to ask questions after nightfall. There's talk of strange folk abroad. Can't be too careful." He stepped aside, letting all five walk into the town of Bree.
"No you can't." Spike flashed a nasty grin, making him uncomfortable.
The gate closed as they walked up the road, avoiding mud or horse droppings. The people eyed them at times, looking very unfriendly, but Spike wasn't worried. Not for himself.
The Hobbits were a different story though, as this was their first time going on an adventure, if one wanted to use the term here.
They avoided a horse cart on the road, then Spike saw the place and pointed at a sign that read 'The Prancing Pony'. "There it is!"
They all walked inside.
"Excuse me?" Frodo called out.
Barliman Butterbur was a medium-sized man with a moustache, and looking at the strange group, he both greeted and offered. "Good evening, masters! If you're seeking accommodations, we've got some nice, cozy rooms available. Hobbit-sized too. Mr. uh…."
"…Underhill", Frodo spoke his fake name, "my name's Underhill."
"Underhill. Yes."
Frodo continued talking. "We're friends of Gandalf the Grey. Can you tell him we've arrived?"
"Gandalf? Gandalf?" Butterbur looked confused, trying to remember, then finally remembered. "Ohh yes! I remember, elderly chap, big gray beard, pointy hat." Frodo nodded.
"Not seen him for 6 months."
Now the Hobbits were shocked.
"Is that a bad thing?" Spike asked the Hobbits.
"Yes, really bad", Sam said in horror.
They all faced each other as Sam asked Frodo. "What do we do now?"
Later
Spike and the Hobbits except Merry were sitting in the pub, each with their ale, as Spike had drunk a good deal of it, and had another mug. "Now this is good stuff, just what I needed!"
The place was quite rowdy. Spike would have joined the rowdy crowd, but he didn't want to leave the Hobbits. He couldn't tell why, but they just reminded him too much of the nibblet.
Frodo told them all. "He'll be here. He'll come."
"Let's hope for your sake", Spike muttered as he drank a bit more.
Merry came back from the bar and sat down, staring at his pint.
"What's that?" Pippin asked.
"This my friend, is a pint."
"It comes in pints?" Merry murmured in agreement. "I'm getting one." Pippin got up and headed for the bar.
Sam tried to stop him. "You had a whole half already!"
"Get more! Good for you, Pippin!" Spike said with a laugh and cheer, getting looks from the other three. "What?"
Sam nudged Frodo in the side and nodded towards the corner of the room. "That fellow's done nothin' but stare at you since we arrived."
Frodo and Spike looked at the Man that Sam was talking about. He was seated in a corner, most of his face covered by a hood as he smoked. His garb seemed to be for living and wandering in a forest.
"He smells", Spike muttered, twitching his nose.
Frodo stopped Barliman as he walked by. "Excuse me, that Man in the corner, who is he?"
Butterbur looked at the Man in question and replied in a nervous tone. "He's one of them Rangers. Dangerous folk they are…wandering in the wild. What his right name is I've never heard but around here, he's known as Strider."
Butterbur walked off as Frodo muttered. "Strider…"
"Guess he keeps striding and striding and striding", Spike quipped dryly.
That was when he heard something. "Sure I know a Baggins. He's over there, Frodo Baggins. He's my second cousin once removed on his mother's side and my third cousin twice removed on his father's side, if you follow me."
Knowing Frodo was hiding his true name for whatever reason, he muttered. "Blimey!"
Frodo was panicking and already rushing towards Pippin, grabbing his arm. "Pippin!"
"Steady on!"
Frodo slipped on the wet floor, the Ring flying trough the air.
Seeing the Ring like that, Spike froze for a moment, now seeing it clearly. And he heard a voice, telling him again he could have everything he wanted if he took it.
Buffy would love him, always and forever!
When Frodo grabbed the Ring, it accidentally slipped onto his finger, and Frodo disappeared into thin air.
That was when Spike broke out of his daze, the thought passing. What was going on with that bling?
Sam and Merry were both frightened already, and so was Pippin.
Spike looked around, and saw two fishy looking men leaving, then narrowed his eyes.
Frodo, while invisible to the rest, was in a whirling world of fire and darkness, and suddenly the Eye of Sauron appeared.
"You cannot hide! I see you! There is no life in the void…only death…"
It seemed like it was pulling him in. Frodo tried to back away, taking off the Ring at the same time. He appeared back in the Prancing Pony.
"Ah!"
No one seemed to have noticed his sudden reappearance.
But then that hope was proven wrong when someone grabbed him by the collar and slammed him to the wall.
It was Strider!
"You draw far too much attention to yourself Mr. "Underhill"!"
The tone in which he said 'Underhill' made it clear he knew that wasn't his real name. The Ranger pushed the Hobbit up the stairs.
And then Strider opened the door to the Hobbit's bedroom as he thrust Frodo onto the floor. He walked around the room after shutting the door, Frodo standing up. "What do you want?"
"A little more caution from you. That is no trinket you carry."
Frodo tried to deny, for all the good he knew that would do. "I carry nothing."
"Indeed", Strider started putting out the candle flames with his fingers. "I can avoid being seen if I wish. But to disappear entirely", Strider removed his hood to reveal he was a ruggedly handsome Man in his 40s with long hair and a beard, "that is a rare gift."
Frodo looked at him, scared. "Who are you?"
Strider didn't answer the Hobbit's question but posed one of his own. "Are you frightened?"
"Yes."
"Not nearly frightened enough. I know what hunts you." He took a few steps, when the door opened suddenly. Strider whipped around, drawing his sword, and in came Sam, Merry and Pippin. Merry was armed with a candelabra and Pippin with a three-legged stool.
Sam curled his hands into fists. "Let him go, or I'll have you, Longshanks!"
A slight smile played across Strider's lips as he sheathed his sword. "You have a stout heart little Hobbit, but that will not save you."
Spike entered at that point, and growled. "I might."
"I was not expecting another Man with them", Strider noted. "Who are you?"
"Name's Spike, now let him go", he growled.
"I never captured him", Strider shrugged. He was tall, towering over even Angel. He was 6 feet and 6 inches.
"Wait, so, you're on their side or what?" Spike inquired.
"What side are you on?" Strider asked instead.
"Uhhh…well, I just found them on the way and decided to join them, because I'd nowhere else to go", Spike said.
"And where did you come from?" Strider inquired.
"Wouldn't believe me if I said it, mate", Spike said. "Besides, what is it to you?"
"Why are you with the Hobbits?" Strider asked, though he was beginning to suspect this Man was not of this world, but he sensed something strange with him.
"If I wanted to kill them, wouldn't I've done it already, before we even came here?" Spike asked, raising a good point. Of course the chip might have prevented him from doing so even if he wanted to, but Strider didn't know of it.
Hearing that, Strider sighed, nodding. "I do not know you, I do not trust you, but you will stay." If he was not on their side, Strider wanted to keep him close to keep an eye on him.
"I don't take orders from you!" Spike snarled, but Strider ignored him as he'd other things to worry about.
He looked at Frodo and said. "You can no longer wait for the Wizard. They're coming."
"Who is?" Spike asked, and thinking the beans were spilled anyways, asked Frodo. "I heard Pippin talk like a bloody idiot earlier, your name's Frodo, why do you have a fake name?"
Frodo sighed, Pippin giving him an apologetic look as Frodo looked at Spike. "We're on a secret errand. I cannot divulge it to you, but secrecy is needed."
"Does it have anything to do with that Ring that made you disappear?" Spike asked, their eyes widened. "I saw it myself."
They looked surprised, as Frodo inquired. "Do you want to-"
"I don't care for blings", Spike scoffed, then turned away. "Not my thing."
That made them a little relieved, when Mr. Butterbur arrived, making Strider retreat into a dark corner. "I've come to bid you good night!"
"Good night, mate", Spike shrugged.
"It's like this", Butterbur began, hesitating and looking troubled. "If I've done any harm, I'm sorry indeed. But one thing drives out another, as you'll admit; and I'm a busy man. But my memory is jogged. You see, I was asked to look out for Hobbits of the Shire, and for one by the name of Baggins in particular."
"And what has that got to do with me?" Frodo asked.
"Ah! You know best", Butterbur assured. "I won't give you away; but I was told that this Baggins would be going by the name of Underhill, and I was given a description that fits you well enough, if I may say so."
"Indeed! Let's have it then!" Frodo said, unwisely interrupting.
"A stout little fellow with red cheeks,' said Mr. Butterbur solemnly. Merry and Pippin chuckled, but Sam looked indignant. "That won't help you much; it goes for most Hobbits, Barley, he says to me", continued Mr. Butterbur with a glance at Pippin. "But this one is taller than some and fairer than most, and he has a cleft in his chin: perky chap with a bright eye. Begging your pardon, but he said it, not me."
"He said it? And who was he?" Frodo asked eagerly.
"It was Gandalf, the Wizard you asked about! But now I don't know what he'll have to say to me, if I see him again: turn all my ale sour or me into a block of wood, I shouldn't wonder. He's a bit hasty. Still what's done can't be undone."
"Get to the point!" Spike snapped, making him jump.
"Right! Old Gandalf. Three months back he walked right into my room without a knock. Barley, he says, I'm off in the morning. Will you do something for me? You've only to name it, I said. I'm in a hurry, said he, and I've no time myself, but I want a message took to the Shire. Have you anyone you can send, and trust to go? I can find someone, I said, tomorrow, maybe, or the day after. Make it tomorrow, he says, and then he gave me a letter."
"It's addressed plain enough", said Mr. Butterbur, producing a letter from his pocket, and reading out the address slowly and proudly. "Mr FRODO BAGGINS, BAG END, HOBBITON in the SHIRE."
"A letter for me from Gandalf!" Frodo cried out.
"Ah!" Mr. Butterbur said. "Then your right name is Baggins?"
"It is", Frodo confirmed. "And you had better give me that letter at once, and explain why you never sent it."
Poor Mr. Butterbur looked troubled. "You're right, master", he said, "and I beg your pardon. And I'm mortal afraid of what Gandalf will say, if harm comes of it. But I didn't keep it back a-purpose. I put it by safe. Then I couldn't find nobody willing to go to the Shire next day, nor the day after, and none of my own folk were to spare; and then one thing after another drove it out of my mind. I'm a busy man. I'll do what I can to set matters right, and if there's any help I can give, you've only to name it."
"Leaving the letter aside, I promised Gandalf no less. Barley, he says to me, this friend of mine from the Shire, he may be coming out this way before long, him and another. He'll be calling himself Underhill. Mind that! But you need ask no questions. And if I'm not with him, he may be in trouble, and he may need help. Do whatever you can for him, and I'll be grateful, he says. And here you are, and trouble is not far off, seemingly."
"What do you mean?" Frodo asked.
"These black men", Butterbur lowered his voice. "They're looking for Baggins, and if they mean well, then I'm a Hobbit. It was on Monday, and all the dogs were yammering and the geese screaming. Uncanny, I called it. I bid the black fellows be off, and slammed the door on them; but they've been asking the same question all the way to Archet, I hear. And that Ranger, Strider, he's been asking questions, too."
"He is!" Strider said suddenly, coming forward into the light.
The landlord jumped with surprise. "You!" he cried. "You're always popping up. What do you want now?"
"He's here with my leave", Frodo finally said. "He came to offer me his help."
"Well, you know your own business, maybe", said Mr. Butterbur, looking suspiciously at Strider. "But if I was in your plight, I wouldn't take up with a Ranger."
"Then who would you take up with?" Strider asked. "A fat innkeeper who only remembers his own name because people shout it at him all day?"
Spike laughed, making the rest look at him. "Good one, mate!" Seeing the looks, he stopped. "Right." He turned to Butterbur. "Besides, for taking up, I'm much worse than this striding fellow here!"
Strider added. "The Hobbits cannot stay in The Pony for ever, and they cannot go home. They have a long road before them. Will you go with them and keep the black men off?"
"Me? Leave Bree! I wouldn't do that for any money", Butterbur said, scared. "But why can't you stay here quiet for a bit, Mr. Underhill? What are all these queer goings on? What are these black men after, and where do they come from, I'd like to know?"
"I'm sorry I can't explain it all", Frodo answered. "I am tired and very worried, and it's a long tale. But if you mean to help me, I ought to warn you that you will be in danger as long as I am in your house. These Black Riders: I am not sure, but I think, I fear they come from-"
"They come from Mordor", Strider said in a low voice. "From Mordor, Barliman, if that means anything to you."
Even Spike felt a chill run down his spine at that name, in spite of not knowing what it was.
"Save us!" Mr. Butterbur cried, turning pale; the name evidently was known to him. "That is the worst news that has come to Bree in my time."
"It is", Frodo said. "Are you still willing to help me?"
"I am", said Mr. Butterbur. "More than ever. Though I don't know what the likes of me can do against, against-" he faltered.
"Against the Shadow in the East", Strider said quietly. "Not much, Barliman, but every little helps. You can let Mr. Underhill stay here tonight, as Mr. Underhill, and you can forget the name of Baggins, till he is far away."
"I'll do that", said Butterbur. "But they'll find out he's here without help from me, I'm afraid. It's a pity Mr. Baggins drew attention to himself this evening, to say no more."
"Well, we can only hope the Riders won't come back yet", Frodo said.
"I hope not, indeed", said Butterbur. "Me and my folk'll keep watch tonight; but you had best get some sleep, if you can."
"In any case we must be called at dawn", Frodo said. "We must get off as early as possible. Breakfast at six-thirty, please."
"Right! I'll see to the orders", said the landlord. "Good night, Mr. Baggins…Underhill, I should say! Good night….now, bless me!"
He went out with a doubtful look at Strider.
"Well?" Strider asked. "When are you going to open that letter?" Frodo looked carefully at the seal before he broke it. It seemed certainly to be Gandalf's. Inside, written in the wizard's strong but graceful script, was the following message:
"THE PRANCING PONY, BREE. Midyear's Day, Shire Year, 1418.
Dear Frodo,
Bad news has reached me here. I must go off at once. You had better leave Bag End soon, and get out of the Shire before the end of July at latest. I will return as soon as I can; and I will follow you, if I find that you are gone. Leave a message for me here, if you pass through Bree. You can trust the landlord (Butterbur). You may meet a friend of mine on the Road: a Man, lean, dark, tall, by some called Strider. He knows our business and will help you. Make for Rivendell. There I hope we may meet again. If I do not come, Elrond will advise you.
Yours in haste
GANDALF.
PS. Do NOT use It again, not far any reason whatever! Do not travel by night!
PPS. I hope Butterbur sends this promptly. A worthy man, but his memory is like a lumber-roam: thing wanted always buried. If he forgets, I shall roast him.
Fare Well!"
Frodo read the letter to himself, and then passed it to Merry, Pippin and Sam. "Really old Butterbur has made a mess of things!" He said. "He deserves roasting. If I had got this at once, we might all have been safe in Rivendell by now. But what can have happened to Gandalf? He writes as if he was going into great danger."
"He has been doing that for many years", said Strider.
Frodo turned and looked at him thoughtfully. "Why didn't you tell me that you were Gandalf's friend at once?" He asked. "It would have saved time."
"Would it? Would any of you have believed me till now?" Strider asked. "I knew nothing of this letter. For all I knew I had to persuade you to trust me without proofs, if I was to help you. In any case, I did not intend to tell you all about myself at once. I had to study you first, and make sure of you. The Enemy has set traps for me before now." He looked at Spike. "And I believed there was another here too. As soon as I had made up my mind, I was ready to tell you whatever you asked. But I must admit", he added with a queer laugh, "that I hoped you would take to me for my own sake. A hunted Man sometimes wearies of distrust and longs for friendship. But there, I believe my looks are against me."
"Eh? You look much better than the Men I hang around with", Spike said with a scoff, thinking about Xander and Riley, and his git of a grandsire too. Though he had to say, he did get the part where Strider was weary of distrust and longed for friendship.
Even with all the cruel jokes, he longed for the friendship of all Scoobies. But why wouldn't all of them really be his friends? Why couldn't he be friends with them?
Sam asked. "How do we know you are the Strider that Gandalf speaks about? You might have done in the real Strider and took his clothes. What have you to say to that?"
"He does have a point, mate", Spike noted.
Strider agreed. "You are quite stout, but I am afraid my only answer to you, Sam Gamgee, is this. If I had killed the real Strider, I could kill you. And I should have killed you already without so much talk. If I was after the Ring, I could have it…NOW!"
The Hobbits were startled as Spike prepared to fight, Strider growing taller seemingly, looking keen and commanding in the eyes.
"But I am the real Strider", he said softly, smiling now. "And I shall protect you." He turned to Spike. "Besides, you have another Man with you who you know nothing of."
Frodo realized he was right, and gave a nod.
Universe-208, Coruscant
'Finally'. Blade mentally sighed in relief. No annoying jackass, no spies, no bloodsuckers, robots, or any kind of aliens. The Daywalker was at peace.
The sparring with Vos took a majority of his time, learning more of the lightsaber forms and how to properly understand the new power in his hand. Their matches were the only time the Jedi with dreadlocks was tolerable, even if they were tied.
Motherfucker's magic gave him the edge, but Blade was learning more and more how to fight his kind. He expected it'd help next time he faces any magicians back home, or the older, mystical Vampires. They were always a pain in the ass.
Anyway, while Blade was managing, he needed a quiet space. Thankfully, Quinlan provided, and introduced to him to the Room of a Thousand Fountains.
Exotic flora from across the galaxy, streams, and waterfalls all around, even the ceiling was decorated with machinery that made it resemble the sky. If he thought it was peaceful in his room, then Blade was in Heaven now.
For the first time since he crashed into the sands of Tatooine, he felt content. His thirst had been sated thanks to Vos, as begrudging as he was to admit it. The man had noticed he was slowing down in their sparring, getting weaker. When he realized the problem was blood, Blade chewed him for suggesting he take some. He couldn't, every drop he drank, made the craving worse.
Hours later, Quinlan returned with a syringe filled with a clear liquid. It was some kind of bacta cocktail, Blade didn't know why, but he took the syringe and used it. To his shock, it was better than his own serum.
No longer worried about his thirst, Blade could meditate in peace, listening to the sound of the water, the smell of the flora, and the Darksaber placed in front of him.
For a long time, the Daywalker went undisturbed, until someone found him and approached slowly.
Gungi found the strange man, Blade, for reasons unknown except for the Force itself, the little Wookiee approached the one his clan have been split about, whether he was scary, cool, or even a Jedi at all. Curiously looking his stoic face deprived of the glareshades he always wore, the youngling quietly crossed his legs beside the man and joined his meditation.
Or at least, he tried to. Gungi was never one to lay still and wait. He opened one of his eyes to see that Blade remained still. Scooting closer, the Wookiee initiate kept peaking at the hunter, before his eyes opened wide at the hilt in front of him. It was a strange shape for a lightsaber hilt, rectangular instead of cylindrical. The desire to have their own lightsaber was strong in Gungi and his clan of initiates, so much so that it drove his next action. Gungi chanced a look at the meditating warrior, before reaching out to touch the hilt...
Until a grip as strong as Beskar stopped his hand. Gungi looked to the face of the man who caught him, yet Blade's eyes remained shut and his expression never changed. All he did was bring his finger to his lips. "Shhhh." It was all the Daywalker did before releasing his grip and returned his hands to their original position in his lap. Confusion and embarrassment filled Gungi, but he followed Blade's lead and did as he did, closing his eyes and focused on himself.
Watching from above, the Grandmaster smiled in humor.
Hearing the cane against the ground, Blade opening his eyes, but while expecting the person to be a distance away, he found the little green Master Yoda in front of him, an amused hum escaping him at the sight of Blade and the baby Werewolf.
"A moment, if you please."
Blade could not detect any reason not to. He stood up, taking the Darksaber into his hand and back to his hip before leaving the little fuzzball. "Lead the way." He said to the ancient Jedi as they walked the path towards the path that led them out of the room.
"Curious, the youngling has grown. Disturb you, he did not?" Yoda asked in the backwards kind of speech that only confused Blade. Was it a speech impediment, or was that how his species talked? Or was he smoking some kind of alien grass?
A shrug came from the Darksaber's wielder. "Kid wasn't doing any harm. Just needs to learn to slow down."
A hum of agreement left Yoda as they passed a pair of Jedi as they left the Room of a Thousand Fountains. "The gift of youth, also a burden, it is." Blade said nothing as he only looked ahead, ignoring any glancing Jedi. Yoda sensed the disapproval in him. "Much to say, have you, of our ways."
"You're not gonna like it."
"No, but to hear it, I desire."
Blade stopped in front of a window, where the yellow light of the setting sun shined through over the skyscrapers of the city beyond the Temple walls. "You take children from their homes, families. You make sure they know nothing else but this…cult! Have them abhor emotions and try follow some code and live their lives as monks without getting close to anyone. Some people where I'm from would have problems with that."
Closing his eyes, Yoda sensed the sincerity of his words. Blade held a pity for the young ones, a sympathy. "Understand, I do. However, a question, if accepted." Blade gave a slight nod. "What path be better, grow with family, alone, confused, as power you know not blooms, or, surrounded by understanding, control, and those like you?"
"Maybe you should have offered them that choice once they understand what they were losing."
"And yet, conflicted, you are." Blade rose a brow while crossing his bare arms, his coat left in his room. "Alone, confused, you were. Scared, angry, lost."
"How do you know that?" A growl left the half-Vampire. If Vos opened his damn mouth, Blade swore he'd cut his goddamn head off.
Yoda shook his head. "Master Vos, reveal this, he did not. Sense it I do, within you."
"…this is not about me." Moving back to the original subject, Blade focused on the children. "Living beings got to feel, experience emotions, learn how to control in their own way. You force this life on them without a choice, whether they want this or not."
"Risk the return of the Sith, the Jedi could not. Thousands of years ago, hard times, they were. Protect the Force, protect the galaxy, protect the young, we must." Even from themselves. A Force-sensitive with no knowledge of how to control their power would be a target for many, none greater than the Dark Side, and its servants, like Dooku.
"Best for you, maybe, but not always best for them." Blade countered. They stared at each other for a moment, Blade's unwavering yellow orbs met the curious and wise gaze of the Grandmaster.
The elder Jedi shook his head. "One right, one wrong, who is to say, which is which. Follow the will of the Force, then, we will know."
"I don't put much stock in faith."
Blade and Yoda stopped their debate as they heard approaching footsteps of. Turning to the source, they discovered the tall, tattooed form of Master Vos.
"Master Yoda, Blade, the Council might have discovered something."
Middle-earth, Bree
The sentry outside got up at the sound of a horse grunt, and walked to the door as he opened the window, then widened his eyes in horror as the gate was broken down and fell upon him, both him and the gate being trampled by the Black Riders on their horses.
They rode through the muddy streets until they reached the Prancing Pony.
Barliman Butterbur stayed still behind the counter, nervously waiting as they passed by, swords drawn.
The Black Riders approached four occupied Hobbit beds, pointing the swords at their centers. The Riders then all plunged their swords into the mattresses, their horses neighing ceaselessly outside.
Strider watched them from a window across the road.
One Rider removed the blanket and feathers whirled around. Pillows had been there. The others got the same result as one kicked a bed over in frustration.
There were no Hobbits in this room.
Merry and Pippin were suddenly awake, sitting up in the bed that they and Sam occupied in Strider's room, Frodo standing in the front with folded arms.
Spike was standing in the middle of the room.
Frodo looked at Strider confusedly, asking for everyone. "What are they?"
"And blimey! How can those bloody gits sound like chalks scraping on a blackboard?!" Spike asked, sounding irritated as he groaned.
The screeching was heard again as Strider explained. "They were once Men- Great Kings of Men. Then Sauron the Deceiver gave to them Nine Rings of Power. Blinded by their greed, they took them without question, one by one falling into darkness."
"What is this about Rings?" Spike inquired.
"Now they are slaves to his will", Strider looked back out the window, observing the Black Riders mount their horses and ride off in the other direction. Then he turned back to the Hobbits and Spike. "They are the Nazgûl, Ringwraiths, neither living nor dead. At all times they feel the presence of the Ring, drawn to the power of the One. They will never stop hunting you."
"What's the One?" Spike asked, but was ignored.
"We leave tomorrow", he said, walking out the door. "I shall make preparations."
"Why wouldn't anyone bloody tell me anything?!" Spike groaned.
Next morning
Most of the preparations were made, but a pony was needed, and right now, Bill Ferny was the only one who had one to sell, as the Black Riders had scared any other ponies off, to poor Butterbur's distress.
Merry and Pippin had come to bargain with him, Spike having come with them, as he did not want the Hobbits out alone, to his own shock.
He recognized Ferny as one of the shady men who'd slipped out the last night. Spies of whoever the bloody enemy was, clearly.
The pony was skeletal though, which Butterbur had warned them of.
"Well hello there", Ferny greeted unpleasantly. "Come to see my pony, have you? I will part with him for no less than twelve silver pennies!"
Spike looked at him, forgetting that he was supposed to let Merry and Pippin do the bargaining. "This little piece of meat ain't worth one, you bloody sod! But fine, we'll give five, take it or leave it!"
Ferny looked at him angrily. "Well then keep your five pennies, I ain't parting with it for anything less than twelve!"
"Well, you better hope dog food costs a lot 'round these parts, eh mate? Because that's the only thing this nag is good for", Spike said with a scoff.
Bill Ferny just snarled at Spike, not looking like he was going to change his mind, meaning Spike needed to use some more persuasive arguments.
Grinning, he walked past the Hobbits, so they could only see his back, and he towered over the short, swathy man, before cracking his knuckles, making Ferny look down at those, then back at his face.
"What do you say, eh mate?" He flashed his Vamp face, and Ferny screamed in horror, to the Hobbits' confusion, as Spike came back to normal.
"DEMON!" Ferny cried out, running around, as people looked at him, confused, as no one else had seen Spike show his Vamp face. "DEMON! SAVE ME!"
"Looks like ole' Ferny is cracked in the head!" One of the people there said, Spike shrugging, while Ferny continued to run.
He looked at the Hobbits. "Well then, I think we can have the pony."
"Really?" Merry asked. "What did you do?"
"Asked nicely", Spike said with a fake innocent smirk.
"I wish I could be this nice, Spike", Pippin had to say, as he and Merry started leading the poor pony away, Spike right behind them.
"We all wish that, Pipplet", Spike nicknamed him, making Pippin give him a confused look, as Merry chuckled, while Spike basked in the sun again. "And this is so great."
Merry and Pippin shared a confused look once more.
Earth-21, 31st Century, Metropolis
Clark was standing on the road, looking around at everything with a smile, when someone accidentally bumped his shoulder.
"Sorry", the man said, causing Clark's eyes to widen as he turned around to see who'd bumped into him.
It was a tall man with dark, blonde hair and blue eyes, with a light stubble on his face, and next to him was a woman with darker skin and long hair.
Clark recognized the man though. It was Carter Hall!
"Can we help you?" 'Carter' inquired, snapping Clark back to his senses.
"Uh….no", Clark said and shook his head. "Its fine, no problem."
"You helped save everyone here, thank you", the woman, 'Shayera', thanked him.
Clark just gave a strained smile, as 'Carter' and 'Shayera' smiled back and walked away, holding hands.
They had both been reincarnated. The two clearly did not remember their past lives, but they were together.
Clark hoped they got a happy ending in this lifetime at least.
He did not realize a tear was rolling down his cheek.
"Kal-El?"
Clark turned to see Brainiac 5, Nine, Jack and Optimus Prime having appeared next to him, as he shook hands with Brainy. "How are the peace talks going?"
"Not surprisingly, EarthGov has disavowed Minister Niedrigh and claims his actions were that of a 'radical'", Brainy said with a shrug.
"And they were right, besides, I saw them capture him in front of my eyes", Nine noted. "Some followed him, but not all."
"Yeah, this war was not approved, and now things will get better", Jack said with a smile.
Brainy added. "As a show of good faith, Kryptonian architects are helping to construct a statue of you in Metropolis this time around."
"What? Another statue? Come on!" Clark groaned, causing the rest to chuckle.
"Meanwhile, EarthGov relief crews are striving to help the World-Ship rebuild", Brainy added, everyone liking the sound of that.
"There were bad people", Optimus Prime said. "But in the end, everyone showed their true quality. EarthGov disavowed the war-mongerer, and brought him to justice, the Kryptonians banded together to defend their new home, and the Legion pulled you out. Every species is capable of great violence, yet also great compassion."
Clark smiled as Brainy noted. "You sound a lot like Kal-El, I must say."
"Is that so?" Optimus Prime inquired.
"Well, there's this man I met in another world, Steve Rogers, they call him Captain America, he sounds a lot like you too", Clark had to say. "I'd love for you to meet him."
"Perhaps one day I will", Optimus said.
"Yeah, and there's this kid, Sora, you should meet him too", Clark added. While Sora did not give grand speeches like Optimus Prime and Steve Rogers, his optimism was as infectious as theirs, and his own.
"So, I believe we should establish contact amongst us all", Optimus finally said.
"Yeah, that'd be good", Nine agreed. "I don't travel much to other worlds nowadays, and I will seal this breach on our end when we get back, but being in contact with all of you won't be so bad."
"Well, you're a genius, Doctor", Jack said to him, then turned to Brainy and smirked. "And so are you, not to mention, handsome, so I'm sure between the two of you, a lot can be figured out.
"We already have this", Brainy held up a Legion Ring that he handed to Clark. "We can modify ones like these, to travel between our worlds, through time between our worlds too if needed."
"That'd be dangerous, but I trust the people here understand that", Nine said very firmly.
"I know someone on my world who can replicate whatever is made here", Optimus added.
"Is this Booster's?" Clark asked about the Legion Ring that Brainy had given him.
"Your Ring", Brainiac 5 pointed out to him. "In order for it to wind up in the 25th century museum that he stole it from, it needs to stay in your possession for a while."
"I thought Kara had my Ring", Clark said while slipping it on.
"She does", Brainy shrugged.
"Have I mentioned how much I hate time travel?" Clark asked jokingly.
"But that's the beauty of it, my friend", Nine said while tapping his shoulder, and they all looked ahead at New Kryptonians and humans working together. "Everything has now turned out fine."
Later, Space
Kara was hovering above the Earth, as Clark flew behind her. "Thought I might find you here."
Flying next to her, he said. "You know, I've always felt torn between two worlds…"
"But this is kind of ridiculous?" Kara inquired.
"To put it mildly", he said with a sigh, before showing her his Legion Ring. "There's always room for one more when my Legion Ring zaps Booster and me back to the 21st century. And I know Chloe would really love to see you at the baby shower." He added. "Which is in a few months and a thousand years ago…"
"Wouldn't miss it", she said with a smile. "But I don't think I'm quite ready to leave yet." She looked ahead. "I just need to savor this for a little while."
"Watching over both worlds?" Clark asked.
"No", she said, her grin getting wider. "It's the first time since before my parents put me on that ship that I've felt….at peace. The only 'mission' I now have is my own."
"What mission is that?"
"I honestly don't know", Kara confessed. "And I couldn't be happier about it."
Earth, Metropolis, Bad Wolf Safehouse
The Doctor and Brainiac 5 had managed to make new kinds of Legion Rings that could also travel through Universe-21, The Doctor's Universe and Optimus Prime's Universe, and through time between these worlds too if needed.
"So, your Universe is Universe-63", Brainiac noted to Nine, before turning to Optimus. "And from the readings, yours is Universe-2010."
"So, is this it?" Optimus asked, Nine tossing him one of those, that he took, and Grimlock got another one.
"Yes, this would be it, and trust me, its gonna work", Nine said with a smirk while wearing his own, and turned to Jack and Rose. "I think its time for us to go back now."
He looked at Optimus. "I can't imagine a war lasting for millions of years, or being a soldier for that long." He asked. "Were you born a soldier?"
"Cybertronian society was once similar to the caste system of Earth, it was something Megatron and I desired to change, but fate would set us on different paths. There was no other choice except conflict."
"So, you chose to be a soldier, to stop Megatron?"
Optimus could only let out an amused chuckle, "I was once a simple data clerk before I met Megatronus. I was no warrior, and I held no desire to fight one I called brother. Yet, Megatron's anger was boundless, and his thirst for violence was unquenchable, until he won."
"You fought because you had no other choice."
Optimus Prime looked down, and for once, The Doctor felt small, not just physically. "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings. My only regret, is the high price it cost. My friends, my home, my planet."
A sigh left the Autobot leader, and the Doctor could almost see the exhaustion, on a mechanical being of all things. "We've lost much because of the war, and despite my hope of being rid of it after fleeing Cybertron, I believe it's not over yet, and there are few of us left to fight."
"I wish it could end", Nine said sadly, walking closer to him. "The war between the Daleks and my people lasted a long time. The Daleks can do nothing but exterminate other life-forms they deem inferior, and my people became just as bad." He looked down sadly, remembering the dark times. "I chose this name- The Doctor. To us Time Lords, the name we choose is like a promise. And I became someone who broke that promise. Did something I wish no one else has to do. I couldn't save anyone."
Optimus saw his haunted look, and reassured him. "Perhaps you didn't, but today, you saved this city from the bomb, and stopped Niedrigh, saving both planets from a future conflict, and more loss of life. I believe you live up to your name, Doctor. You continue to keep your promise."
Nine smiled, looking quite touched. "Thank you for your kind words, Optimus. You're quite noble. Please never change."
"I won't, and that is my promise", Optimus told The Doctor. "I hope we meet again."
"So do I", Nine agreed, the two old aliens sharing a nod of respect.
"Will we ever be here by accident again?" Jack wondered.
"No idea, but that's what makes it so interesting", Nine commented as he walked past them. "But anyways, I shall be sealing this breach."
"Nice to meet you all", Rose added, then walked behind him, Jack also walking off.
As Clark flew in with Kara, he saw the three walking into the TARDIS, and they waved at everyone, who waved back.
"You were all fantastic", Nine commented about the people he'd met and how things had finally turned out here, as the TARDIS door was shut, and the 'Vwoorp, vwoorp' was heard as it faded away, having gone back to its home Universe, that was Universe-63.
"Let us try and test these Rings", Brainiac 5 said, looking at the newly made Rings that he, Optimus and Grimlock all wore, and he turned to Clark. "Perhaps you could try them too?"
"Well, I guess no harm done", Clark shrugged, and put another one on, as they used those Rings, and were transported together, finding themselves on a completely different Earth, and looked around before Optimus noticed the Autobot base on Earth.
"We are home", he said, and looked at Brainiac 5. "I thank you once more."
They all walked in together, and looked around, with Clark, Brainiac 5 and Grimlock noticing a production line, a communications center and a big screen television.
Soon enough, 4 other robot-like beings, clearly more Autobots, surrounded them.
One of them was clearly a female, blue and grey in color, while another was yellow and silver, and there was another red and black one, then a green and silver one, and finally, one more who was red, black and silver.
"Arcee, Bumblebee, Cliffjumper, Bulkhead, Ratchet", Optimus greeted each of them one by one. "I am glad to be amongst you again, my fellow Autobots." He gestured to Clark and Brainiac 5. "Meet our new friends- Clark Kent and Brainiac 5."
"Hello", Superman said with a wave, Brainy simply nodding.
Then they noticed who else was with them, and were clearly shocked. Bumblebee made a communication noise as Arcee asked. "Is that….?"
"Grimlock." Grimlock confirmed for them all.
"Never thought we'd meet you in person!" Cliffjumper said in awe.
"We've heard a lot about you", Bulkhead agreed, also in awe. "Now you're here, in front of us, and…."
"Indeed, it is quite fascinating", Ratchet had to say before he turned to Optimus. "Where were you, anyways?"
"We ended up in the future on another world", Optimus revealed, surprising them a bit. "The Multiverse is real. But these brought us back." Optimus held up the Ring. "I believe you can replicate it."
Ratchet took it from Optimus and took a look at it. "Yes, I can do it. Whoever made it is really smart, I must say. This is very close to Cybertronian technology."
"That'd be me", Brainiac 5 raised his hand.
"Ah! You! Good to know", Ratchet commented, when Optimus noted Grimlock was deep in thought.
"What's the matter?" He inquired.
"My team back on Cybertron", Grimlock said to them all. "They helped Autobots and neutrals escape our dead planet but stayed behind to save more from Decepticons. Sludge's body was found, brought along to see if he be brought back in time, or buried. I'll help…but my team must be safe."
"Is there a way to track them?" Brainiac 5 inquired. "Because I could do it."
"The Energon within us", Optimus noted. "Perhaps that could help."
"Take mine." Grimlock said, glowing a little, before taking out some of his Energon sample, that he handed to Brainy.
Brainiac 5 looked at it, seeming to be doing something that they could not see, and then he looked ahead. "I know where they are, come on!"
He grasped his Ring, doing something that Clark, Optimus and Grimlock copied, as Optimus said to the other Autobots. "Autobots, hold onto Grimlock and I."
They did as ordered, and then the Legion rings led them away from here, into another place, a desolate one, as Clark and Brainiac 5 looked down, seeing they were standing on shining metal, but that was it, there wasn't much more.
This used to be great planet, but now it was all gone.
"Grimlock? Optimus?"
Hearing the voice, they turned to see three more Transformers arrive, one having a red, silver and golden body, another being a lighter shade of red, golden and silver, and the last one being dark red, light red, golden and black at several points.
"Snarl, Slug, Swoop", Grimlock greeted the rest of them.
"You're still functional?" Slug asked, before looking at Optimus. "You too?"
"Indeed, we all are", Optimus confirmed to them, then gestured to Superman and Brainiac 5. "With new friends too- Clark Kent and Brainiac 5. Brainiac 5 got us here."
"Nice see you all again", Swoop said to them, happy to see their leader was still kicking around.
"It is good to see you all too, Lightning Strike Coalition Force", Optimus said happily.
"That's not our name anymore", Snarl said, shocking them all.
"Really? What name do you use now?" Ratchet wondered.
"Dinobots", Grimlock revealed to them. "We're Dinobots."
"Sounds fitting", Clark had to say, remembering Grimlock's T-rex form.
"Sludge? Where Sludge body?!" Grimlock then inquired, the atmosphere turning grim.
"Here!" Swoop said as he, Slug and Snarl led them away, and they arrived near a chasm, finding the body of Sludge, who'd the same color scheme as the other Dinobots.
Brainiac 5 knelt near him, intrigued. "I can try to revive him perhaps", he looked at the other Autobots. "Even mass produce your Energon to help against the Decepticons."
Optimus and Ratchet shared a look, hesitant, while Arcee, Bumblebee, Bulkhead and Cliffjumper looked concerned and wary due to their own experiences, especially Bulkhead as he thought of the Decepticon Biological warfare program that included things such as Tox-En and Cybonic Plague that affected many of those in the Wreckers unit. The other Dinobots glared at Brainy.
Noticing their looks, he assured them. "I do not wish to alter him negatively, just restore him to life if possible and learn more about Cybertronian biology."
"I trust him", Superman said to all of them. "He won't do anything wrong."
"And I trust Clark Kent here", Optimus declared. "So, if he trusts Brainiac 5, I do too. If he succeeds, another Autobot shall return to our side."
"I could make a list of things for you then", Ratchet said, Brainiac 5 nodding and touching the Autobot with his fingers, using his powers.
"Think only of what you want me to know, and I shall know", Brainiac 5 said, and Ratchet did, compiling a list of biology for beginners and including more intricate aspects such as the Transformation Cog and processors.
Brainy removed his hands, as Slug gently placed Sludge's body in front of him, and he looked down at him curiously.
Swoop added. "I got plans. They're Shockwave's. Maybe they can help Sludge?"
"Sure thing", Brainy nodded, holding out his fingers and touching Swoop, taking information about those plans as well, and only those.
Snarl added. "Not like Shockwave, are you? He tore all of us apart, to make this." He gestured to himself and the other Dinobots, disgusting everyone present.
Brainiac 5 vowed. "I will save Sludge, and give him the Dinobot upgrade, and I will not do anything like this Shockwave did!"
"Here, take my Energon sample", Optimus said, handing it to Brainy, who nodded.
"I believe it is time for us to bid farewell now", Optimus realized. "We shall meet again."
"Yes, we shall", Clark said, the two sharing a nod.
"And I shall save Sludge, I promise", Brainiac 5 assured them, as Clark lifted Sludge's body, and then he and Brainiac 5 used their Rings, fading away and leaving this Universe for their own, alongside Sludge's body, so Brainiac 5 could bring him back.
"We should all go to Earth", Optimus said, as the Autobots, including the Dinobots, grasped him or Grimlock on seeing their gestures, and they used their Rings, coming back to their base on Earth.
"Earth!" Swoop noted. "Huh? So, is that the primitive world rich with energy Shockwave found?"
"I believe it is one of many Swoop." Optimus mused. The Decepticon scientist was thorough if nothing else.
Later
Inside the base, Optimus finished telling the rest. "…After Doomsday was stopped and Niedrigh arrested, Brainiac 5 and this Doctor made these Rings, and then The Doctor left with his Companions in that TARDIS, while we came here."
"It's a good thing. Now we've more firepower", Bulkhead had to say, slamming his fists together
"Yeah, this can change everything", Cliffjumper nodded.
"The Dinobots must be used in dire times due to their Dino alt modes, given we're robots in disguise", Optimus pointed out to all.
"Not happy about that!" Grimlock grumbled.
"We're guests on this planet, Grimlock. We need to be respectful of that", Optimus raised another point, as the door opened and a dark-skinned man in a suit walked in.
"Agent Fowler", Optimus greeted him.
"Prime", Agent William Fowler said, sounding very grumpy, before noticing the four Dinobots. "And who're these new bots you've got?"
"These are the Dinobots", Optimus introduced them. "Slug, Swoop, Snarl, and their leader, Grimlock."
They all simply let out growls or grunts, as Fowler groaned, feeling a headache, knowing he'll have to inform the Pentagon of this new development.
He then requested Prime. "Tell me, did you learn anything of the Singularity that popped up months back?"
The Singularity had happened months ago, and there were weird sightings all over the world, forcing the government to request the Autobots for help in containing them. Optimus had been on some of these missions too, helping contain various kinds of monsters.
"I now believe it was caused from a parallel Dimension", Optimus said to him.
"A what?"
"Parallel Dimension. There are many worlds, some like ours, some not, it's a Multiverse after all, the Singularity's point of origin is from a different Universe", Ratchet explained to Fowler, who sighed again.
"So, the Multiverse theory is true then", he groaned, his headache increasing tenfold.
"Circuits became cold back on Cybertron.", Swoop then told the rest of them. "But all normal in appearance. Chilly mist for a time. Then it was gone like nothing happened."
Optimus narrowed his optics, knowing that this was far from over.
Deep Space
A Transformer, this one silver in color scheme with a purple symbol on his chest, stood, looking ahead with red optics.
This was none other than Megatron, and he knew it was about to begin.
Hearing something, he turned to see a breach open, and out of it walked a bald man in a suit, with a shorter man with hair behind him, and with them was another in a strange outfit carrying primitive weapons, a man with long hair and a beard, and one man glowing with lightning.
"Who are you?" Megatron inquired, curious.
"My name is Lex Luthor, these are Helmut Zemo, Malcolm Merlyn, Vandal Savage and Zoom", Lex introduced himself and the rest. "We've been making a team, and looking through Universes and their histories, to see who'd join us. I believe you would, you wanted to change things, they didn't let you, but now-"
The former gladiator cut them off by letting out a dark and sardonic laugh, which unnerved them all to the bone.
"I shall not work alongside weaklings such as you!" Megatron declared as they stared at him in horror. "Leave me be if you do not wish to die!"
"You're the one who will die", Zoom said in his distorted voice, and sped at Megatron, only for Megatron to bat him aside, and as Zoom fell, he felt nearly half of the bones in his body shatter, crying out in pain. Megatron hadn't even hit him that hard, using only a fraction of his savage might or he'd be dead by now, a splatter for him to clean from the ground.
Regardless of Zoom's speed, Megatron was much more experienced, and could process things faster than even the smartest people on Earth. He recalled the Omni globe where he and Optimus had led a thousand battles from it at the same time, keeping track of everything. Not to mention being able to keep up with and react to seekers and aerial bots who were much faster than him by a significant margin, even with his flyer alt-mode.
"Leave, lest you face annihilation", Megatron declared, and they all complied.
Malcolm helped Zoom up, as they, Savage, Lex and Zemo walked through the breach, and disappeared.
Megatron turned around to leave, only to see various Combaticons, Lugnut, Blitzwing and Barricade in front of him alongside Vehicon tanks, snipers and shot gunners.
He was surprised, in a good way. A very, very good way.
"I believed you all had perished on Cybertron, but I'm glad to see you still function."
A navy blue, green and black Decepticon appeared. "We have been gathering forces to try and locate you and the Nemesis. We were watching what just happened, but we knew you could handle it."
"Indeed, Onslaught", Megatron said, then looked ahead.
"I should have destroyed those weaklings for thinking they could ally with the Mighty Megatron!" Lugnut snarled.
"I've not blasted something in a long while." Brawl grumbled.
"Really? It's been only a few cycles since we killed those Autobots." Blast-Off pointed out.
"And in that time, how many times have you and Onslaught fragged each other to recharge?" Swindle quipped, knowing that got under his fellow Combaticon's shell.
If looks could kill, the glare that was leveled at him by Blast-Off would have killed an entire battalion of Autobots.
"You really need to stop riling him up like that." Vortex cautioned him.
"What? It's fun and it never fails to get a reaction out of him." Swindle said.
"Quiet." The leader of the Decepticons ordered. They did as told while Blast-Off continued to glare at Swindle.
Megatron decided to call Soundwave on the Nemesis Warship hovering above Earth for a Space Bridge, since it was time to bring them all, and the Dark Energon he'd found and plucked from the Cosmic shores.
Earth-21, Metropolis, LexCorp
Zoom groaned in pain as he lay down, Zemo commenting. "That didn't go well."
"That's obvious", Malcolm muttered. "What now?"
"We'll have to read our candidates better before approaching them from now on", Lex said, all five clearly shaken.
Singularity
The glow faded as Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Sora, Riku, Barret and Red XIII found themselves standing on water. They looked around, Cloud asking. "Where are we?"
Aerith shook her head, before Cloud looked ahead, only to hear the dreaded voice.
"I'm waiting, Cloud."
Cloud gasped, then turned to Aerith, as Sora asked. "What's happening?"
The entire place started darkening, to their horror, Barret asking. "What the hell is this?"
"Nothing good", Riku said grimly.
"This is…." Red XIII trailed off, only for a large explosion to happen, slowly tearing everything apart.
Cloud looked up to see the purple glow that was coming from the Whisper Harbinger, but a certain silver-haired swordsman was within it.
"Sephiroth."
A giant Meteor was behind him, while the Whispers all floated around him, fiery tornadoes nearby too. Within seconds, all of that was sucked into Sephiroth, and the darkness above opened up to reveal some light.
Sephiroth twirled his sword, dispelling the purple glow around him, and looked down at the shocked Heroes.
He raised his other hand, the nearby debris now floating up, before he aimed at them as all of it shot at them, and those were huge chunks.
They all tried to run from a large piece of the Shinra Building but it struck where they stood, sending them flying off, as Cloud steadied himself in midair, then rushed forth, chopping a train in his way, and more blockades, into pieces with his sword, before landing on a stable large piece of debris, that was ripped apart ground.
Standing up, he turned around in horror.
Final Fantasy VII Remake One-Winged Angel plays
Sephiroth hovered in the air, and he slowly lowered himself down, aiming his Masamune at Cloud, before taking his fighting stance.
After a second, Cloud took his own fighting stance too.
"Let's finish this."
And then it was on.
With a roar, Cloud leapt at Sephiroth, who blocked, smirking cruelly. Cloud struggled to push back, while Sephiroth looked like he was barely even trying.
He then pushed Cloud back, making him land a few feet away, but Cloud wasn't going to give up. Charging Sephiroth, he tried to strike.
"Fate is not to be taken lightly, Cloud."
Sephiroth dodged Cloud's strike, then struck his chest, his abdomen, and his shoulder quickly, before slamming the Masamune on the ground, sending Cloud back from the shockwave.
Cloud recovered. "Shut up!" He rushed forth, trying to impale Sephiroth, but Sephiroth deflected with his sword, then spewed a blast of Firaga, throwing Cloud back again.
Cloud stood up as Sephiroth taunted. "Come, Cloud." Cloud spun and tried to strike as Sephiroth blocked again, then did a Blizzaga, freezing Cloud in place, before the ice shattered, throwing Cloud down.
Cloud looked up, seeing Sephiroth leaping at him, and rolled out of the way, causing the ground to be shattered as he flipped up and tried to slice Sephiroth's shoulder, Sephiroth dodging that.
But this time, Cloud's sword glowed blue and he did an upwards slice at Sephiroth's chest, making him fly upwards. "Going in!" Cloud leapt up after him and sliced his chest again, sending him back, then slammed it down on Sephiroth's chest, making him fall on his knees.
Before he could get up, Cloud leapt down, and spinning his sword, now glowing orange, he leapt and brought it down on Sephiroth again, causing a shockwave as Sephiroth was sent back, but he stood up once more.
Then Sephiroth sliced Cloud's chest twice, sending him back, before striking him with the sword so hard he was thrown back.
"The weakness within."
As Cloud tried to stand back up, Sephiroth leapt at him again, and he barely blocked, the force of the blow still throwing him back.
Cloud fell down on another floating floor, then stood up, seeing Sephiroth jumping down in front of him. He tried to charge at Sephiroth, only for Sephiroth to do Blizzaga again, freezing Cloud before the ice exploded, throwing him off.
As he tried to get up, Sephiroth did an upwards slice, sending him back. "Will you weep for me?" His sword glowed purple as he brought it down on Cloud, causing a shockwave and throwing Cloud off.
Cloud stood back up, Sephiroth pointing the Masamune forth as it glowed purple, and Cloud held out the Buster Sword.
Sephiroth swung his sword, purple blades of air moving at Cloud, and he was thrown away when they hit his sword, making him fly off and fall down by many feet, before he got on his knees and looked up, seeing Sephiroth hovering as two giant pieces of debris came down upon him.
Suddenly, Tifa appeared and leapt up, her left leg glowing, and she did a Somersault, destroying that piece of debris as she landed, while the other piece exploded, Sora appearing behind it, having shattered it with his Keyblade as he landed too.
"Need some help?" Tifa asked Cloud.
"We're happy to give it", Sora added as Cloud stood up.
"Don't know about need", he said, walking towards them before they turned to face Sephiroth, who'd just landed. "Good to go?"
"You know it!" Tifa said.
"Let's do this", Sora added, as they prepared to fight him once more.
Tifa charged Sephiroth, who dodged, then decked her abdomen as she was sent back, but landed on her feet, as he tried to slice her with his sword but she dodged every time.
Sora got flashbacks to when Radiant Garden's Tifa had tried to battle that Sephiroth, and leapt at Sephiroth, who blocked, as Sora leapt back.
Sephiroth tried to strike, as Sora blocked in time, and all the subsequent blades of air too, before he leapt and struck Sephiroth thrice, then did an Explosion, sending him back, only for Sephiroth to strike him with a Firaga, throwing him down too, before Cloud leapt at him again, their blades clashing as a shockwave erupted from it, damaging nearby debris even more.
Cloud struck forth a few more times, Sephiroth blocking as Cloud tried to do a Braver, but Sephiroth blocked that too, the shockwave even more damaging to debris, before he pushed Cloud off, only to be hit by a Ruinra Burst from Tifa, that staggered him, as she leapt forth and did a Somersault, striking his chin and throwing him off.
He recovered quickly and did an Aeroga, spinning as the winds threw Tifa off, when Cloud leapt at him with a Slash Combo, slicing him a few times, before spinning and slicing him hard, making him fall down.
But then he did a Thundaga, striking Cloud as he went down on his knees while Sephiroth stood up, only for Sora to leap at him, but he blocked the Keyblade, causing another shockwave, and pushed Sora away.
Sora stood back up as the three made to charge Sephiroth, but he flew up, his right hand having a dark wave on it, and then he held it out, as a black wing sprouted on his left side, some black feathers falling, horrifying Sora even more as he remembered Radiant Garden's Sephiroth again.
Then Sephiroth's right hand glowed purple and he fired at them, the magic sending them to the ground. They tried to get up, but the magic didn't let them.
Sephiroth had his Masamune to Cloud's face, when gunshots were heard, and he was forced to block with the Masamune, being sent flying up, before various Dark Orbs struck forth at him, only for him to slice them all with Masamune.
Barret and Riku walked forth, the freed Cloud, Sora and Tifa sitting up.
"Barret!" Tifa cried out happily.
"Riku!" Sora said in the same tone.
"Ain't you three having fun?" Barret quipped as they stood up.
"Not without us", Riku added, as Cloud turned to look at Sephiroth.
"Let's go", he said, while Sephiroth landed, his sword glowing, before he spun and struck at Cloud twice, sending him back, before Riku struck him twice, then tried to strike again, only for him to slice Riku's chest, throwing him back.
Then Sora leapt and gave Sephiroth an upwards strike, sending him flying up, before taking his Limit Form, as he struck Sephiroth more times, then did another Explosion, throwing him off, only for Sephiroth to strike him with a Heartless Angel, making him fall down, coming back to normal, severely weakened.
Riku used a Cure Potion, immediately healing Sora, before Tifa did a 'Water' spell, making a burst of water appear near Sephiroth and strike him, while Barret hit him with a Firaga spell, throwing him back, and then Cloud appeared and did a 'Braver', slicing Sephiroth's chest as he was thrown off.
But Sephiroth recovered quickly and hit Tifa with a Firaga, sending her off, then spun his sword as it glowed and brought it down on Cloud, throwing him away too, as he then hit Barret with Thundaga, making him fall to his knees, while Riku was hit by Blizzaga, freezing him before the ice exploded and threw him off.
Sora stood up and tried to strike him thrice but Sephiroth swiftly blocked all three times, then sliced Sora's shoulder, then his other shoulder, then his chest, and his sword glowed as he brought it down, the shockwave throwing Sora away too.
Cloud leapt back up and tried to strike Sephiroth with a leap, but he blocked and pushed Cloud off, when Barret roared and hit Sephiroth with his 'Grenade Bomb' move, the bomb exploding upon Sephiroth, as the flames consumed him, making him fall to his knees.
But he recovered just as quick, as Sora glided towards him and tried to strike again, but he blocked, making Sora throw his Keyblade at Sephiroth thrice, but he blocked all times, then sent Sora off with a blast of Firaga.
As he recovered, Sephiroth did a Thunderstorm, making all of them roll, jump or simply run to try and avoid it.
When it ended, Sora and Riku did their thing, swinging their Keyblades in a rapid flurry of attacks as the Sephiroth was hit every time, and then they stabbed him rapidly with their Keyblades too.
He staggered back, and they used the Dark Cannon, firing a barrage of Dark Orbs at him, striking him and weakening him, while they linked arms, and swung their Keyblades, summoning thirteen swords around them that performed a spinning slash attack, which hit Sephiroth every time too.
Then, Sora and Riku coated their Keyblades in auras, and Riku was handed Sora's Keyblade that he used to slash at Sephiroth alongside his own, then passed both Keyblades to Sora, who did the same, before returning Riku's Keyblade to him.
Their Keyblades then floated side-by-side in energy orbs that reeled in the Sephiroth before exploding, making him fly off from the 'Eternal Session', while Sora and Riku fist-bumped.
But their relief ended when they saw Sephiroth stand back up, and all were concerned, because while his attacks were damaging them a lot, their most powerful ones were only phasing him slightly.
Sephiroth then pressed his hand into a fist, smoke bellowing, before raising his hand up as three Whispers flew out, and he was surrounded by purple lightning and wind, while he raised his sword, causing a ball of fire to appear above, the Divine Proclamation Supernova, which was slowly coming down.
He smirked at the Heroes, as Cloud and Sora gasped in horror.
Then he did a Shadow Flare, as Orbs of Darkness surrounded them, and rushed forth. Sora destroyed three, Riku getting two as well, while Cloud rolled to dodge them, and Tifa leapt up, but Barret was struck by one, and then Sora and Riku got struck from behind too, falling down as the Orbs disappeared.
They stood up, only for Sephiroth to aim at Cloud as dark smoke covered his waist, making him gasp in pain as he fell to his knees, but Riku used the opportunity to do Dark Aura, hitting Sephiroth with Dark Orbs as he staggered back, Cloud recovering, and Tifa did a Ruinra Burst, getting him once more.
Cloud decided it was time for a Summon, and held up his Buster Sword as it glowed, and then he raised his Summon Materia, causing a Chocobo to appear, with Moogle on it.
Sora smiled on seeing Moogle, as the Chocobo charged Sephiroth and pecked him thrice, getting him, while Riku took the opportunity to use the Cure Potion, healing all of them.
"Shall I give you despair?" Sephiroth snarled as he flew up and aimed his sword at the ground, causing a huge shockwave that struck the Heroes, sending them all flying off, but Chocobo and Moogle disappeared, avoiding it, then as Sephiroth landed, they appeared behind him, Chocobo pecking his back thrice now as he was sent forwards.
The Chocobo then leapt and kicked Sephiroth, sending him staggering, before Moogle threw bomb that exploded, making him fall to his knees from the power, while they disappeared.
The Supernova was close now, as Sora tried to strike Sephiroth but he blocked, only for Tifa to kick his face, before Barret shot at his chest, then Cloud leapt forth and did a 'Braver', getting Sephiroth this time as he was thrown back and sliced.
The Supernova came closer, but then dissipated, Sephiroth holding his chest and staggering back, as Barret asked. "We get him?"
Sephiroth raised his hands, the dark smoke and Whispers flying at the Heroes, only for a blast of light magic to strike the smoke, dispersing all the Whispers.
They turned around to see Aerith with her staff as Tifa cried out. "Aerith!"
Red XIII leapt near them as Barret grumbled. "'Bout time you showed."
Red XIII just gave him a look before all seven faced Sephiroth, who stood straight and pointed the Masamune at them.
"We can do this", Aerith assured them. "We can. We can change it- make it right." She twirled her staff and pointed it at Sephiroth.
"Yes, we are going to set it right!" Sora declared too.
Sephiroth flew up and pointed downwards as Whispers flew at the Party, Aerith twirling and doing a Thunder spell that destroyed some, as Red XIII leapt and struck another, getting it, and Tifa leapt and punched one more off.
Cloud, Sora and Riku rushed Sephiroth together as Aerith and Tifa cried out. "Cloud! Sora! Riku!"
"Quickly!" Red XIII added as the three leapt at another piece of debris in the front.
"GOOOOO!" Barret yelled, firing at the Whispers nearby and dissipating them while the three rushed forth and leapt upwards on beams and falling debris, destroying it all alongside some Whispers, then leapt high, raising their weapons to strike Sephiroth who was standing above, smirking.
Buster Sword and two Keyblades were brought down upon him but he held up the Masamune, blocking them all, and causing a huge shockwave as the Whispers surrounded them and faded, and then there was a purple glow of bright light.
Cloud, Sora and Riku found themselves flying in the middle of stars at great speed, then found themselves floating upside down towards a barren rock where Sephiroth stood, so they straightened themselves and landed in front of him, surrounded by red, starry skies.
Cloud suddenly gasped, getting a headache, and grasped his head, as Sora cried out. "Cloud!"
"You all right?" Riku asked too, when Sephiroth grasped Cloud's hand, making him look up.
"Careful now", he said. "That which lies ahead…does not yet exist."
Cloud freed his hand and jumped back, Sora and Riku doing the same as Sora asked. "What do you mean?"
Sephiroth simply looked ahead at the stars. "Our worlds will all become part of it…one day soon. But I will not end." He directed the next part at Cloud specifically. "Not will I have you end."
"This is…?" Cloud trailed off in question.
Sephiroth turned to look at them. "The Edge of Creation."
"What?" Riku said in shock while Sora gasped.
Sephiroth walked towards them. "Cloud, Sora, Riku, lend me your strength." He seemed to have an offer on the table. "Let us defy destiny…together." He looked at Riku. "You've used the Darkness before; you can use it again. It is a means to an end. What say you?"
The three looked at him with wide eyes, before Cloud took out his sword, while Riku said. "I might use the Darkness, but I will never join you!"
"Way to go, Riku!" Sora said happily.
Cloud held out his sword. "Like they said- Never!"
Sephiroth smirked, as they prepared to fight, and Cloud charged, clashing with him, then clashed thrice with a leap before flipping back as Sora charged and clashed twice, then ducked to avoid a blow as Riku clashed with Sephiroth, and they tried to stab him together, but he pinned their Keyblades down with his sword, then struck each Keyblade once, pushing them back to either side.
Cloud leapt at him but Sephiroth blocked and pushed him off, making his sword drop and stick to the ground, as he tried to strike but Cloud leapt to avoid and taking his sword again, gave an upwards slice that Sephiroth dodged, and then he flipped and clashed again, jumping back before rushing towards Sephiroth at incomprehensible speeds, Sora and Riku doing the same from either side, all of them even seeming to disappear.
However, as they struck at the same time, Sephiroth backed off and held his sword up, blocking all three at the same time, then pushed them back as Cloud tried to strike but he dodged, and then Sora spun and leapt, but he struck his Keyblade and threw him back, making him fall and drop his Keyblade, before Sephiroth dodged Riku's strike too and as Cloud tried to stab forth, Sephiroth deflected twice, and then pushed him back.
Riku tried to strike but Sephiroth blocked and pinned his Keyblade down, then struck it, sending him back and making him fall as his Keyblade dropped too, while Cloud leapt with a strike but Sephiroth blocked again.
"Not yet."
He pushed Cloud back, and then rushing forth, struck his Buster Sword, disarming Cloud as the Buster Sword got stuck in the ground.
Cloud turned to look at it in horror as Sephiroth said to him. "Seven seconds till the end. Time enough for you, perhaps. And them." He looked at the groaning Sora and Riku. "I know what they will do, as they've things to do already. But what will you do with it? Let's see."
Cloud turned around as Sora and Riku stood up, but Sephiroth was gone, a single black feather falling down behind them as they looked around in horror, realizing they'd failed.
Earth-7, Midgar, Shinra Electric Power Company
Rufus Shinra, the former Vice-President and now President of Shinra due to his father's death, looked out of the window, as Heidegger, his Head of Public Security, appeared. "Mister Vice President."
Then Tseng, Leader of the Turks walked in, and addressed him by his proper title. "Mister President."
Rufus turned around to look at him, pleased. "That's right." He walked off, Tseng giving a smirk as Heidegger grunted angrily.
Rufus came out, looking at the other officials of the Company- Reeve Tuesti, Head of Urban Development, then Palmer, head of the failed Space Program, and finally Scarlet, the Head of Weapons Development.
Heidegger walked up next to Scarlet, taking his place, as Tseng stood behind Rufus, who looked at the chair of the President, that used to belong to his father.
He touched it, and then sat down on it, smirking.
At the 68th floor, the Shinra scientists and infantrymen cleaned up the mess of the glowing purple liquid from a large broken tank.
Professor Hojo, the head scientist, looked at the broken tank, knowing what had broken out, and started laughing maniacally.
Earth-7, Weeks ago, Wasteland near Midgar
The man, Zack Fair, had finally defeated all the Shinra Troops, and was supporting himself with the Buster Sword, a packet with a Terrier Stamp flying past him that he didn't notice.
He was wounded, blood and dirt on him, but alive.
As he looked around at the dead Shinra Infantrymen, he asked out loud. "Wait, was that all of them?"
He looked up at the clear sky, then started using the Buster Sword to support himself as he walked. "Hey Cloud, you see that?"
There was an explosion behind him, making him fall down, as he groaned, looking ahead to see a bright, glowing light, before it dissipated, and sparks started falling down.
Groaning, he stood up and put the Buster Sword on his back, wondering what this was about, while marvelling at it.
Earth-7, Present Day, Midgar, Sector 7 ruins
The people were trying their best to rebuild after the collapse of the Plate, one man giving food to the others, as some helped the wounded, and others lifted beams.
One girl laughed happily as she saw her dog had survived, and happily hugged it as it barked.
Some children played, running together.
A group cleaned up the broken sign of the Seventh Heaven bar, the elderly Marle watching.
Then the air around them glimmered, making them watch in wonder.
At the Leaf House in the Sector 5 Slums, the children saw the glimmering air too.
Inside the orphanage, a man with a bandaged forehead woke up from the glimmer. This was Biggs, a member of AVALANCHE who'd been caught up in the fall of the Plate.
He realized he'd survived, as he looked at the glimmering air, Jessie's gloves next to him.
Aerith's house
Barret's adopted daughter Marlene Wallace was watering Aerith's flowers in the guest room when Elmyra Gainsborough's voice came. "Marlene!"
"Coming!" Marlene made to run down, but then stopped, feeling something, and turned towards the window, walking to it and looking outside.
"Daddy?"
Wasteland near Midgar
Barret heard Marlene's voice and held out his hand. "Marlene!" He then promised. "I'll come back."
Cloud, Sora, Riku, Tifa, Aerith and Red XIII stood nearby.
Tifa turned to Aerith. "So….what now?"
Aerith just shook her head, as Cloud looked at the black feather in his hand. "Sephiroth." He crushed it as turned into black smoke. "As long as he's still out there, I…."
"I thought you all beat him", Barret said in annoyance.
"No, he beat us", Sora said with a sigh. "He is more powerful than anyone we've battled so far. He is more powerful than Ansem, Organization XIII, Xemnas, everyone!"
"What should be done?" Riku wondered.
"We can beat him", Aerith said, making them turn to her. "We will."
Tifa smirked and stepped forth. "Count me in."
Red XIII walked forwards too. "If its to be a hunt, you could use a nose like mine."
Barret grunted and turned around. "I'm in too. Bastard wants to destroy the whole Planet, doesn't he? An enemy of hers is an enemy of AVALANCHE!"
Sora and Riku looked apologetic as the former asked. "So, will you be able to do it?"
"You're not sticking around?" Cloud asked.
"We want to, but we've our own things to deal with", Riku pointed out. "An enemy of ours needs to be fought too, and we've to prepare to defeat him."
"We understand", Aerith assured them. "You came right now to help, that's all that matters."
"Good luck, Cloud", Sora said to him, then turned to the rest. "Good luck."
"Good luck", Cloud said back with a smile, showing there were no hard feelings, as Sora and Riku shared a look, and pointed their Keyblades forwards, causing a crack to appear before there was a Keyhole symbol and a breach opened.
"Let's go", Riku said, as he and Sora walked through it, and it closed.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Hollow plays
That moment, it began to rain, as the remaining five looked around.
Earth-7, Weeks ago, Wasteland near Midgar
The sky was dark now as Zack supported Cloud, both moving. "Almost there, Cloud. We're almost there…."
Earth-7, Present Day, Wasteland near Midgar
As Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Barret and Red XIII moved forth, Zack supporting Cloud in the past seemed to walk past them, into the other direction, Aerith now looking up as she caught the raindrops in her hand.
"I miss it. The steel sky."
The Mysterious Tower
Yen Sid was looking down, deep in thought, him and Mickey both troubled by what Sora and Riku had informed them, while Donald and Goofy looked quite worried too.
"This is troubling news", Yen Sid said, looking back up. "Not only Xehanort, but Sephiroth is another force threatening many worlds."
"So, what do we do?" Riku inquired.
"Right now, you two must pass the Mark of Mastery", Yen Sid said firmly. "Then, we shall do more."
Sora and Riku shared a look, then nodded.
And one more is finished up.
Thanks a lot to Stand with Ward and Queen for letting me use some stuff from his 'Prophecy of the end' and his now deleted 'Sara's aberration' for Arrow 4x12 here.
Frankly, outside of Roy's return, this is another bland episode of 'Felicity and Friends', so I began it from the moment Roy wakes up after being shot by Oliver. I kid you not, until re-watching the episode for this story, I'd forgotten that the Calculator aka Noah later tried to steal from Palmer Tech too.
But that plot will be off-screen here, because I'm here to write for 'Arrow', not 'Felicity and Friends'.
Hope the return of the 'Leverage' crew was enjoyed as well, and because of the alibi they created, Roy is back permanently. Good for Oliver, now he has the two best members of his team (Sara and Roy) back, and unlike the others, they're always loyal to him and do not bully him.
Plus, Thea and Roy get back together too.
For the 31st Century plot in 'Smallville', once more, thanks a lot to HRwriter897 for all his help with the 'Transformers' stuff, couldn't have done it without his guidance.
In the comics, the bomb actually struck New Metropolis, then the Legion (including Kara) teamed up with EarthGov to evacuate the people, and Booster Gold arrived and helped out too, and this is how things were fixed.
But here, Optimus and Grimlock took on Doomsday first (in the comics, Clark fought him from the start), so The Doctor with his TARDIS managed to catch the bomb, and then Clark got rid of it. There is a tractor beam in the TARDIS, it was used during 'The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit' as well, so I used it here too.
After that, The Doctor and his Companions had to stop Niedrigh from escaping justice, and this is where my version of events happened. Booster stopped Niedrigh's final escape, and EarthGov arrested him, hence replacing their role in evacuating the civilians from canon, since the bomb was stopped here.
I dislike Rose but since almost everyone was getting a moment here, I figured I could have her be a bit more proactive, even if she ultimately didn't contribute to the entire thing as much as The Doctor, Jack and Booster did.
Meanwhile, Optimus and Grimlock joined the Legion in pulling Clark away from the sun, that scene was a joy to write, especially imagining the 'Battle' soundtrack from 'Dark of the Moon' playing in the background.
In the comics, Bart died during the 'Haunted' arc against the Black Flash, and Clark saw his kid version running by in 'Argo', realizing Bart was from the future all along, and it made him cry.
But since Bart survived in my version of events, I decided to change it to reincarnations of Carter/Khufu and Shayera. Seeing Carter will definitely give Clark an emotional reaction.
Grimlock has also been fixed by Brainiac 5, while the Autobots have more people to help them out in the form of the Dinobots. Brainiac 5 also promises to save Sludge later.
The Doctor, Jack and Rose are back in their home Universe, though The Doctor shall come again later, but this is Nine's final appearance during his run for my story. I love Christopher Eccleston as Nine, and he is my 2nd favorite Doctor in the show behind Matt Smith's Eleven, but I can't keep him around forever. Still, hope his role here was enjoyed and he was true to his character.
I'd said the Injustice League had found a potential new recruit, but I never said the recruit will join them. It was of course, none other than Megatron! He was never gonna join these people he'd consider weaklings, and they got sent packing, while Megatron and his army prepare for their assault.
Hope the scene with Blade and Gungi was enjoyed, as well as Blade's talk with Yoda, thanks a lot to Brainstorm Sorcerer for that scene. Now there's seemingly a way to send Blade back.
There are so many moments in 'The Flash' where Iris deserved to be slapped (5x19 being the biggest one), and now finally, my wish has been fulfilled. Barry no longer being obsessed with her, and everything happening to her right now (including being called out for her BS for a change) made Iris have a total meltdown when Corben attacked, hence her reactions, but now, after Cisco also confirmed no one likes her, she knows there's not much left for her in Central City, so after reconnecting with Wally, she shall leave forever, and we shall be spared a lot of headaches.
I'm gonna put it this way- as much as I dislike Lana in 'Smallville' and Felicity in 'Arrow', at their best they still come off as decent and caring people with some flaws (such as social awkwardness in Felicity's case) and at their worst they come off as selfish, uncaring minxes who don't care about the consequences of their actions and how those actions affect others.
Iris at her best comes off as a selfish, uncaring minx who doesn't care about the consequences of her actions and how those actions affect others, and at her worst she comes off as someone so insane and delusional she'd fit nicely in the Arkham Asylum, and get along with all of the inmates too.
And hope Natasha briefly joining Lois and Lana against Corben was enjoyed too, and now she has her own Universe-hopping adventure, and Romanogers progresses a little bit, while the MCU, Smallville and Arrowverse characters have all gotten good interactions together now.
In Middle-earth, Spike has now met Strider at last, and they shall have a more important talk soon. Its again a combination of books and films due to Gandalf's letter, but hope Spike's addition was enjoyed, especially him threatening Bill Ferny, which was inspired by a scene in the fic 'It's an Odd Coincidence' by Telcontar Rulz so thank you to them.
And on Earth-7, the battle against Sephiroth is done, and the FFVII Remake game is over now, as Cloud and Co. depart on their journey, while Sora and Riku return to the Mysterious Tower to begin their Mark of Mastery exam for 'Dream Drop Distance'.
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth is coming very soon, by month's end, so my 3-part crossover between Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy VII: Remake is like an unofficial promo for the game in a way, LOL!
Anyways, hope all enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter.
