Earth One (DC)
As the shadows danced along the walls of the Batcave, Bruce and Clark stood amidst the hum of computers and the faint echo of dripping water. They were deep in conversation, their brows furrowed with concern. Bruce broke the silence, his voice a whisper in the cavernous space, "He's informed me that his superior is planning a meeting. It's set to take place at the old, forsaken warehouse on West Street. The rendezvous is tomorrow evening, at the stroke of 11 p.m. We must ensure we're there to intercept them; it's crucial that we attend uninvited and thwart whatever plans they have in motion."
Clark, his posture as steadfast as his resolve, simply nodded. His eyes, a steely blue, reflected a shared understanding of the urgency and the risks involved. There was no need for further words; the plan was set.
"What concerns me is the fact lexcorp had somehow got my technology" Bruce continued.
Bruce paced, the cowl of his suit casting a shadow over his furrowed brow. "LexCorp's involvement complicates things. If Luthor has access to my tech, he could be a big problem."
Clark crossed his arms. "We need to find out how deep this goes and retrieve any tech he may have before he gets chance to use it."
"Agreed," Bruce replied, tapping into the Batcomputer. "I'll start by tracking the tech's unique signature, it will probably take a while before it gets any hits".
Earth Two (Db)
Dr. Gero's lab was a cacophony of whirring gears and buzzing circuits, the air thick with the scent of solder and the sharp tang of ozone. For two months, he had laboured tirelessly, his vision driving him forward, a relentless force that refused to acknowledge the barriers of time and fatigue. His interdimensional device, a marvel of science and ambition, stood at the centre of this controlled chaos, its surface a lattice of delicate sensors and robust conduits.
It was more than a machine; it was a gateway to infinite possibilities, a bridge to worlds unexplored and dimensions unseen.
As the final test loomed on the horizon, Dr. Gero's heart raced with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation. This test was the key, the last step in a journey that had consumed him. Success would mean a breakthrough of cosmic proportions, an achievement that would etch his name among the stars. Failure, however, was not a concept he was willing to entertain.
The lab was silent now, the moment of truth at hand. Dr. Gero initiated the sequence, his fingers dancing over the controls with practiced ease. The device hummed to life, a low, resonant tone that grew in intensity until it filled the room, vibrating in his very bones.
And then, with a flash of light that banished all shadows, the device activated. Reality bent, twisted, and finally tore, revealing a black portal, a void in space that beckoned with the electric shimmer that seemed to absorb the light around it. Dr. Gero stepped forward, his eyes wide with wonder and his mind racing with the possibilities of what lay beyond.
This was it—the threshold of a new era. Dr. Gero had done it. He had opened the door to a universe.
Earth One (DC)
Clark and Bruce were clad in their costumes, both garbed in shades of black that rendered them an intimidating presence. Concealed at the pinnacle of the abandoned building, they lay in wait for the crime boss's arrival. Bruce had persuaded the informant he had encountered the previous night that failure to show up would mark him for retribution; it would be a clear sign he had divulged their secrets.
Below, the informant paced, his anxiety palpable in the dim light. Suddenly, the quiet of the night was broken by the approach of headlights. A car pulled up, its lights cutting through the darkness, signalling the start of what was sure to be a pivotal confrontation.
The crime lord entered, flanked by two men whose hands rested on the weapons at their sides. "Explain the events of last night," he commanded with a tone that brooked no argument. The informant gulped, his words tumbling out in a nervous rush, "There was this... this figure. He had this uncanny ability to disappear and reappear at will." As he spoke, a vein throbbed ominously on the crime lord's forehead. His voice erupted in fury, "WHAT?"
Above, two shadowy figures eavesdropped on the exchange. "How about a demonstration of that 'blinking' trick for our friends down there?" Bruce whispered with a hint of mischief. Clark's response was a silent, knowing grin. With a swift motion, he slid down his mask and, in the blink of an eye, he was gone, leaving nothing but the night air in his wake.
Beneath the dim lights of the warehouse, the boss's tirade was abruptly cut short. His face, once contorted with rage, now frozen in a silent gasp. Before him materialized a figure, shrouded in shadows, its visage a void where a face should be. The boss's hand twitched, a reflex to point out the apparition, but the figure dissolved into the air, only to reappear behind him. "Looking for me?" Clark's voice emerged, laced with a feigned menace that was betrayed by the wide grin splitting his face, and the gleeful twinkle in his eyes.
The boss, overcome by a primal fear, leapt into the air, his feet momentarily losing touch with the ground. He spun around, only to find emptiness. Clark had vanished once more. Seized by inspiration, Clark darted across the room, his movements a blur, striking the walls with force enough to send reverberating booms through the hollow space.
The two armed guards, previously statuesque, were now a flurry of motion, their weapons scanning the expanse for the elusive figure. But in a blink, their firearms disappeared, as if plucked from reality, leaving their faces etched with bewildered shock.
Then, with a calculated blow, he punched the ground, fracturing the concrete and sending tremors spider-webbing across the floor, a testament to his otherworldly strength.
The boss's scream, though silent, echoed through the cavernous warehouse, a spectral sound that seemed to linger in the air long after it had ceased. The bodyguards, once immovable pillars of security, were now shadows fleeing into the night, their resolve shattered by the unseen terror that stalked them. The informant, a mere wisp of a man, had slipped away unnoticed, his presence as fleeting as a whisper.
In the void left by their departure, Bruce emerged from the darkness like a phantom, his presence both commanding and ethereal. With a grace that belied his strength, he swept the boss's feet from under him, sending him crashing to the unforgiving concrete. The breath was wrenched from the boss's body, leaving him gasping for air, his chest heaving in a desperate rhythm.
"Now you talk," Bruce growled, the menace in his voice a stark contrast to the silence that had fallen over the warehouse. It was a command, not a request, and it brooked no argument. The boss, his eyes screwed shut, began to speak, his voice a trembling thread of sound that grew in volume as he spilled his secrets. He spoke of hidden dealings and covert operations, of names that were spoken in hushed tones.
As the boss's confession poured forth, it seemed as if the very walls of the warehouse were listening, absorbing every word.
He confided that he had been coerced into participating, effectively blackmailed. In essence, he found himself ensnared in a complex web of intrigue, manipulated like a mere pawn in a larger, shadowy game. The weight of his predicament bore down upon him, leaving him torn between duty and self-preservation.
And then, as suddenly as it had begun, it was over. The boss's words trailed off into silence, and he was left panting, his body slick with sweat, his mind reeling from the enormity of what he had just revealed.
When he finally mustered the courage to open his eyes, he was met with nothing but emptiness. The warehouse was deserted, a vast and hollow shell that offered no comfort, no respite from the storm of emotions that raged within him. Bruce was gone, vanished as if he had been nothing more than a figment of the boss's imagination. But the echo of his growl lingered, a ghostly reminder of the power he wielded and the fear he inspired.
As Bruce left the warehouse, he discreetly placed a tracker and communication device on the car parked outside, hoping to gather additional intelligence.
Upon their return to the Batcave, they shed their costumes and engaged in a hushed conversation. "This conspiracy runs deeper than I anticipated," Clark mused. Bruce nodded solemnly. "Indeed, things are about to get much more challenging," he replied. "We'll need a solid plan. Come back tomorrow; I'll input the intel we've gathered into the computer and see if we can uncover any leads."
Earth Two (Dc) Dr. Gero's elation knew no bounds; his test had succeeded. Now, the next phase of his meticulously crafted plan unfolded. For years, he had patiently bided his time, waiting for this precise moment. Finally, all his tireless work would bear fruit. With a sense of purpose, he keyed the coordinates into the tablet, each digit resonating with the weight of destiny. The room seemed to hold its breath as the device hummed to life, its interface flickering with otherworldly symbols.
As the final digit clicked into place, a low hum reverberated through the air. The room quivered, reality itself warping at the edges. A dark void materialized, its obsidian depths swallowing the surrounding light. It was a portal—a gateway to realms beyond mortal comprehension. Dr. Gero's heart raced; he was on the precipice of unravelling secrets that had eluded humanity for eons.
He stepped closer, the hairs on his arms standing on end, a blue beam short forth from across the room directly in to the portal.
Earth One (Db)
Clark found himself once again within the familiar confines of his home. The allure of the green crystal weighed heavily on his mind—a magnetic pull that had persisted despite his resistance. He hungered for answers, and this crystalline artifact held the key.
With determination etched across his features, he picked up the crystal, its subtle energy tugging at him, urging him to venture northward. He tucked it securely into his inside pocket and launched into the sky, a supersonic blur streaking toward the pole.
As the icy expanse of the northern tundra came into view, Clark decelerated, landing gracefully amidst the snow and ice. The crystalline beacon still nestled against his chest, he prepared to unveil its secrets. But then, an anomaly materialized at his side—an oddity so black that it defied perception. It expanded, growing in size until recognition dawned: the same malevolent void that had assaulted him months ago in his bedroom—the very entity his mother had sacrificed herself to shield him from.
Emotion surged within him—a maelstrom of fear, anger, and grief. Before he could deliberate, a brilliant blue beam enveloped him. Pain lanced through his body, yet this time, he retained mobility. Struggling against the mounting agony, he pushed away from the void, attempting to fly. But the portal's voracious hunger outpaced him. Inches above the ground, he collapsed, succumbing to the inexorable pull.
As consciousness waned, a single thought echoed through Clark's mind: I'm sorry, Mum
Earth Two (Db)
Bulma toiled away in her lab, fueled by determination and curiosity. Ever since Goku's unexpected arrival several months ago, she had immersed herself in the intricate puzzle of interdimensional portal technology. Her brilliant mind overflowed with theories, but what she craved were concrete facts.
Aware that the nefarious Dr. Gero might meddle with such a device, Bulma took precautions. She had meticulously crafted several monitoring devices, each attuned to detect interdimensional disturbances. The previous day, her equipment had briefly blipped—an ephemeral anomaly that left her uncertain whether it had truly detected anything. But today was different; the lab hummed with urgency.
Her fingers danced across the keyboard at what looked like superhuman speeds, setting sensors to record every scrap of telemetry. Two minutes later, it vanished, leaving Bulma with gigabytes of data to sift through.
Meanwhile, near Mount Paozu, Goku paused mid-chop having been working his way through firewood. A colossal Ki signature had brushed against his senses—an arrival of immense power, it was only there for a second before it vanished. He couldn't discern its nature—whether friend or foe—but one thing was certain: a formidable presence had breached their world.