Disclaimer: I do not own anything you may recognize

Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed or reviewed this fic so far.

Rest In Peace Carl Weathers and Hinton Battle (Sweet from 'Once More, With Feeling in 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'). You will both be missed.

I'm not covering Arrow 4x11, so make up your own minds on how that one went. Only two more Arrow Season 4 episodes will be covered now in this fic, but not in this chapter.

Thanks a lot to HRwriter897 for his help with a major part of this chapter, and Stand with Ward and Queen for a suggestion.

Enjoy.

TW: Thank you for the review and glad it was very exciting.

DCMarvel heroes: Thank you for the review and glad it was truly spectacular. Well, its here. Damien won't join, he is too extreme for the Injustice League, but the rest are not off the table. It might disappoint you, but I'm not covering that episode. Outside of Barry and Patty staying together, nothing in that episode will change, so its pointless to do it.

Passing Through: Thank you for the review. It does. Patty sure did. Totally. The Arrowverse Iris has the same personality as Cersei Lannister, but for some reason she is written as a hero instead of the villain she'd be on any other show. Oliver already is in a better mindset than he was in canon, so Adrian will have to try it another way. That does not make any sense. There is no indication that not being able to see or hear makes you immune to Damien's magic. He can throw Matt around telekinetically as easily as he throws around Oliver. Yes they have. I don't like Bill Potts either, but then again, for me nothing beyond 'The Day of the Doctor' is canon. Yes he is. You will see. I highly recommend both 'Kingdom Hearts' and 'Final Fantasy'. The former gets a bit convoluted but is an amazing franchise with great characters, and lots of emotional plots, plus it gets less convoluted if one plays it or watches a walkthrough. For the latter, every mainline game tells a different story but they're all amazing for the part. The best one IMO is Final Fantasy VII, which also spawned a sub-series titled 'Compilation of Final Fantasy VII' with prequels and sequels, which are all really good, and now they're doing a Remake Trilogy. Final Fantasy VI is a masterpiece too, and there are other great ones such as IX, X (and its sequel) and now, XVI.

Chapter 24- Destiny's Crossroads

Earth-21, 31st Century, Metropolis

In the Legion safehouse, which was nicknamed the 'Bad Wolf safehouse', Clark, Nine, Jack and Rose were all dressed differently now, to blend in with the crowd, as Clark was saying. "Whatever it is we've walked into, I'm sorry for getting here so late." He grasped his head. "The state Metropolis is in…."

"I guess I came right in time", Nine realized.

"Really?" Clark asked Nine.

"He always comes when there is a mess", Rose told Clark. "And then he fixes it."

"Try to fix it, Rose", Nine corrected her, then his tone turned firm. "Speaking of, I let you off last time with what you did, but do not try such a thing again, otherwise I will not take you with me anymore. Time is not something you can mess with, especially with these breaches open all over the Multiverse. Do you understand?"

Rose, for once, found herself afraid of The Doctor, but knew she had no argument to justify herself, and just nodded.

"Well, I hope you can fix this, Doctor", Clark said to Nine.

Booster then opened his mouth. "We came as soon as that protocol message came over the Legion Ring."

Skeets started. "Technically, sir-"

"We got here as soon as we could", Clark told Brainiac 5, who looked at him.

"I am afraid you have me at a disadvantage, gentlemen", Brainiac 5 said while holding up the Legion Ring. "We have enacted no such protocol."

"So, you've a ring that allows you to time travel", Harkness noted, taking the Ring from Brainiac 5 and examining it. "Interesting, it might be like my vortex manipulator."

"Things are rough between Earth and New Krypton, but we don't need to recall every Legionnaire from everywhere or when", Garth explained to Clark, then muttered. "Everywhen."

Brainiac 5 added. "Not as of yet."

Booster started. "But-"

"I believe something is going on, and we've to find out why", Nine noted.

Brainiac 5 looked at Booster. "Who are you exactly?"

"The greatest hero you've never heard of?" Booster tried to make a declaration, it came off more as a question.

"Dubious."

"Perhaps we should have a statue constructed, sir."

Clark pulled Booster and Brainy apart, as Nine said. "We've more important things to think about."

"What is this deal with New Krypton, and why are they attacking this Earth?" Harkness asked.

Brainy activated a hologram and started navigating it. "A lost Kryptonian colony- self-designate- Argo- applied for membership to the United Planets."

"Lost colony?" Clark asked, confused.

"If their records prove correct, I believe you have a direct hand in their formation", Brainy noted.

"The Shadow Proclamation is not a thing here, is it?" Nine asked, and got looks from the rest. "Thought so."

Clark remembered what had happened. "The Kandorians! Zod tried to lead them against Earth two years…or a thousand and two years ago."

"Correct", Brainy noted. "Using an artifact referred to as the 'Book of Rao', you propelled Zod's soldiers across the Cosmos to Argo, where they survived and flourished as their own society. For a thousand years, all thanks to you."

"You saved your race", Nine noted to Clark wistfully. "You did a good thing." Clark noted the guilt in his voice, and wondered what that was about, but decided not to press.

"What happened with their membership to the United Planets?" Clark asked.

"They were declined, 'too young', they were told", Brainy explained.

"Sounds like a nonsensical reason, but doesn't justify war either", Harkness had to say.

Garth commented. "As an alien, I think its safe Earth earned what its getting right now."

Nine gave him a look, but before he could say anything, Clark asked. "Brainiac, what's Garth talking about?"

Brainy didn't respond, but Garth said. "Might as well let the dumaka out of the bag."

As Clark looked at Brainy, the AI asked him. "In your evolution as a hero, where exactly are you with regards to your temper?"

Then, Brainiac 5 told Clark everything, and he clutched his fists in anger, and even Nine's face showed rage as he was given more details about everything.

"Listen to me", Nine said to Clark, putting a hand to his shoulder. "I know you are angry, but charging in blind can be disastrous."

"What do you think I should do?" Clark asked.

"We're coming with you", Jack said with a smirk. "They're not prepared for us."

"What do you have that they won't see coming?" Garth inquired out of curiosity.

"Me", Nine declared, looking ahead. "Just me."

He looked at Rose. "You stay here, we'll be back."

Kirt Niedrigh, the Minister of EarthGov, was in a holding facility, talking to his superiors, requesting an off-planet transfer for his prisoner. "Its only a matter of time before he comes looking for the one we captured."

Suddenly, there was a beeping. "Activating emergency power."

Part of the facility was torn apart, and he turned to see Superman hovering there, holding Nine and Jack, as he said. "I believe you have something that doesn't belong to you."

They came inside as Kirt made to press a button but Nine waved his sonic screwdriver, and the pad was done for, while Clark told him. "I'm here for neither side of this conflict."

As some men made to enter, Nine twirled his sonic screwdriver again, and the door was shut, making Kirt gulp. "Who are you?"

"I am The Doctor", Nine declared. "And I'm going to stop your war on aliens."

Clark then grabbed Kirt by the collar, and his eyes glowed. "Where is she?!"

"In….in the detention level…..in block AA-23!" Kirt cried out in fear, as Clark shoved him away. Jack took out his sonic blaster and fired, knocking Kirt out.

Clark immediately flew towards the level, and towards the block, ripping it open to see her inside, in between the rays of red sunlight.

"Clark?!" She cried out weakly in surprise on seeing him.

"Kara!" Clark knelt near his cousin, who'd come to the future, and was now a prisoner, but no more. He was here for her.

Universe-208, Coruscant, Jedi Temple

There was a sense of serenity within the confines of the Jedi Temple, despite the fact it was surrounded by a planet-wide city. Blade opened his eyes, and for the first time he felt actually rested in what, three weeks? A month? The days were starting to blend together the longer he was surrounded by aliens and technology that outdated anything on Earth that wasn't made by Tony Stark, then throw in the mystical magic mumbo jumbo of these Jedi loons. Getting up, Blade let the sheets wall to his waist, exposing his tattooed physique, unmarred by scars despite the severity of many past wounds, even recent ones. Perks of being part undead, he grimly mused.

Throwing his feet onto the floor, the Daywalker rose up and walked forward, only to fall forward, catching himself before his face hit the floor, then pushed his arms up and down. Following the routine, Blade threw one arm behind his back and continued pushing as he thought about the Jedi. These people seemed fairly spartan, something Blade could relate to, but how they dressed, how they acted, some just seemed emotionless, or trying to be. As he changed arms, the questioning thoughts would plague Blade had he not chose to ignore it. He doesn't know these people; he doesn't owe them anything. They find a way back, and at last he can go back to shooting suckheads and whatever else went bump in the night.

But he won't be able to forget. No, Blade stopped in the middle of a sit up to look at the lone desk and chair in the otherwise empty room, he won't forget. His coat, shades, and weapons bar one pistol were hanging on the chair or placed on the desk, which included the Darksaber. Ending his exercises early, Blade found himself rising until he took the hilt into his hands and pressed the activation stud.

The flat, black blade surrounded by a white aura illuminated Blade's face, even if it seemed like the Darksaber drew in the very light around it. Spinning it in his hand before giving it a practice swing, the weapon whistled as it moved through the air until the hunter slowed it down and slowly hovered his hand parallel to the black sword. It gave off no heat despite being composed of plasma, as Vos said, but the feel of it in the air, it felt like electricity on his skin. Blade doubted he would ever understand this galaxy, these people, or even the weapon in his hand, but he was starting to become sure of one thing. He liked the new sword.

Blade suddenly tensed and spun on his feet until his palm drove something invisible against the wall, and kept them there with the tip of the Darksaber pointed at their unseen throat.

"Did you forget to knock?" He asked sarcastically. A laugh came from the wall, before it shimmered, and the shape of a woman came into being. She was older, white haired, and wore the same kind of robes he'd seen other Jedi wear in the Temple.

"Not bad." The woman continued to chuckle before her hand pushed forward, with Blade being thrown into the opposite wall. Recovering mid-air, he twisted his body to allow his legs to push off from the wall and return to the woman with an overhead slash. She barely managed to pull out the lightsaber at her waist and activate the purple blade before the Darksaber crashed down on her, the force sent her to a knee. Straining over the strength, the woman looked up with stunned but curious eyes. "How did you know?"

"The heart is louder than you think."

Bursting into the room was a familiar heartbeat with a green lightsaber in hand, pointing at the downed woman. Quinlan took a second before recognizing one of the few others in the Order with a purple lightsaber, and woman. Taking his weapon away, he gestured to Blade to do the same, and with reluctance, the half-Vampire stopped the pressure he exerted from the black-bladed lightsaber and deactivated it. "What the kriff are you doing here, Kuro?"

An'ya Kuro huffed as she turned off her lightsaber before getting back to her feet. "The Temple was abuzz with news of our guest. I was curious to meet him for myself."

"They don't have knocking where you come from?" Blade snapped back, pissed off from losing that moment of peace he had.

A snort escaped her as she bypassed a glaring Quinlan. "They do, but I found my ways produce fast answers." An'ya said as she left through the door.

"Who the fuck was that?"

Quinlan turned to Blade and understood his anger. He didn't hold much love for older Jedi either. "Her name is An'ya Kuro, she's trained in the more secretive ways of the Jedi. Using the Force to bend light to become invisible, phase through walls, safe to say she's earned the name of the Dark Woman."

"She's an intrusive bitch." Blade snarled. With little more to do, he turned to put on his vest and weapons. Vos watched as he took a gun hidden under his pillow.

"Bit excessive, isn't it?" Blade only rose a brow at the man and jerked his head at the door. Quinlan looked at it before he nodded. "Fair point." With the Darksaber back on his hip, the remains of his sword in the sheath on his back, Blade threw his coat back on. "What do you say, wanna explore the Palace of the Jedi?"

"As long as you make sure none of you motherfuckers try another stunt like that." Blade warned the Jedi. "Otherwise, next time, I might just start taking heads."

"…You are so not a morning person."

Earth-1, Central City

Iris was still sad, wondering if she and Barry would ever get together again. Why had she been such an idiot about the entire thing? Perhaps if she hadn't, she would have been with him.

Now though, unless she tried to break Barry and Patty up, like she'd tried with Barry and Linda, she'd never be with him. And she'd a feeling those two won't take it that easily.

Right now, she was also thinking about her mother, who was about to pass away, and her younger brother Wally West, who'd just started becoming part of hers and dad's lives.

She was about to go back home from work, and was going to get a cab, when suddenly, she fell into a breach, and saw some sights.

First, she saw a handsome man with blonde hair and pointed ears, carrying a bow with a quiver of arrows behind him.

Then she saw a woman with blonde hair, wearing a red dress with a purple sash around her waist, red boots, red wristbands and purple shoulder-pads.

Next up, she saw a pale man with long hair and blackened lips, wearing all black, a crow on his shoulder.

And then, she saw a medieval looking man with reddish brown hair, carrying a sword in his right hand. He seemed to resemble Strider a little. His gray eyes suddenly started glowing blue.

Lastly, she saw someone suited up like the Green Arrow, though this one had no beard.

And then she was suddenly on solid ground, and in front of her, some children were firing at a woman, though she was unaffected by the shots.

"Oh my God!" Iris yelled in horror. "Where am I? What's going on?"

The woman saw her and yelled. "Take cover!"

Iris saw a van nearby and hid behind it, finding another woman there, who was tall and beautiful, with long hair, a soldier next to her.

"You just appeared out of nowhere!" The soldier said.

"Another world?" The woman asked Iris.

"Yeah….how do you know?" Iris asked.

"We're experiencing it all around", the woman shrugged, while they turned to see the woman holding up a hand to the children.

"You don't have to be victims any longer", she said, before walking to one of them and gently taking away his gun. "But I also won't allow you to create any more victims in your wake."

The other children then lowered their guns as the woman led them away, while the woman with Iris muttered. "Damnit!" She put her hand in the soldier's pocket, taking his phone. "Gimme your phone, soldier!"

"Why?"

"I just found my front page!"

She clicked a picture of the woman with the children, as Iris asked her. "Are you a reporter?"

"Yeah, you're one too?" The woman inquired.

"Yes, my name is Iris West", Iris finally introduced herself.

"Lois Lane", Lois revealed her name with a shrug. "When we get out of here, we'll try to find a way to your home."

"Thanks", Iris said, then her eyes lit up. "Lois Lane? I've heard of you on my Earth!"

"Right, so I've a doppelganger on your Earth, cool", Lois shrugged.

They stood up as the soldier told Lois and Iris. "We should get you both to base."

"Is that an order?" Lois asked.

The soldier started. "You aren't soldiers so-"

"That's what I thought", Lois said before leaping over the van's hood, Iris following her.

The soldier cried out in shock. "You got your front page, what else do you need?"

"The rest of the story!" Lois said before running after the other woman.

"And I think its best if I stick with her!" Iris added before running after Lois.

Later, the three were in front of a sanctuary created by the other woman, whose name Iris had learnt was Lana Lang, and she was a vigilante here known as 'Angel of the Plateau'.

"So ummm…" Lois trailed off.

"Its beautiful, isn't it?" Lana asked her. "Its their sanctuary."

"Sure, we'll go with that", Lois shrugged.

"If I was in this world, I'd have run this story", Iris had to say.

"Other worlds, huh? Interesting", Lana muttered.

"Africa, huh?" Lois asked, as she, Lana and Iris turned the other way.

"After what happened in Metropolis", Lana said with a sigh. "I wanted to be somewhere I felt I could really make a difference. To use the abilities I acquired to do good where no one else will."

"Are you making a difference?" Lois asked her while stopping a football coming her way.

"When the sun goes down, and I see that the ones I've rescued are safe, yes", Lana told her with folded arms. "But there's always another battle. Always another fight every time the sun crawls back up in the sky." Lois kicked the football back at the kids who continued playing. "The bloodshed doesn't stop. The sex trade doesn't stop. These children need to know what its like to have a normal childhood. All children deserve that much."

"That is bleak", Lois noted.

"No, its motivating", Lana replied.

"And no side-effects from all the Kryptonite you absorbed into all those tiny robots that make you super?" Lois asked next.

"What is Kryptonite?" Iris asked but was ignored.

"…Only one", Lana finally said, and Lois knew what she meant.

Lois gestured to the playing kids near the fire. "Just you and the kiddies out here in the dark?"

"Are we catching up or writing a story?" Lana inquired.

"Everything's a story", Lois shrugged.

"Fair point."

"What you do, I don't think I'd be able to do it", Iris confessed. "People close to me do it, and I can't handle that either."

"We get used to it", Lois told her.

"I don't", Iris muttered, which caused Lois and Lana to give her a weird look that she didn't notice, before they looked at each other again.

Lana told Lois. "I have an ally in the city, a man named David who has connections to the warlord's operations. He isn't able to give me much information, I'm usually too late to stop the factions from 'recruiting' children, but I try to free them as quickly as I can."

"Is it true that they can't go back to their homes?" Lois inquired.

Lana hugged some children who came up to her. "Here, the only person the warlords can retaliate against…is me!"

"Will they come here then?" Iris asked with a gulp. "I'll be in trouble."

"That's something I accepted when I followed her", Lois told her. "You didn't?"

Iris looked at Lana. "I thought you could keep me safe-"

"Not all the time, if you can't take care of yourself, you're just in the way, so stay down!" Lana told Iris, and she flinched.

"There are kids here, think about them and not just yourself", Lois added.

Metropolis, LexCorp

Malcolm and Savage looked around at the place, impressed, as the former said. "Oliver's building wasn't this impressive, even with Ray running it."

"That's because they're more interested in playing hero than doing genuine business", Lex said, the irony of his words lost on him, before he gestured to his machine. "This is the machine that helped me travel between worlds."

"Now it has been fixed, and has locked onto another world", Zemo added.

"You attached your computer to it", Savage noted with narrowed eyes. "I believe that is of some use."

"The computer is trying to get in sync with this world's frequency, then I can use it to look up things about that world", Lex revealed to him and Malcolm. "Then, we can go in prepared, and single out someone who'd want to support our cause."

"That's quite genius", Malcolm agreed. "I'm looking forward to meeting this new member."

"Our legion shall grow", Zoom said in a growl.

31st Century

Above the Earth, Clark and Kara embraced in Space, as Clark apologized. "Kara, I'm sorry."

"You've nothing to apologize for, Clark", Kara assured him.

"I didn't even realize my Legion Ring had gone missing", Clark noted as they parted.

"Or that your cousin had?" Kara asked jokingly.

Clark started. "In all fairness-"

Kara punched his shoulder playfully. "I kind of always run off mid-sentence?"

"That, and the whole 'end of the world' thing that was in progress", Clark informed her, then added. "Which, all things considered, I could have used a bit of a hand with."

"I was told…." Kara trailed off. "Correction- Ordered….to leave Earth so that you could 'assume your destiny'." She pointed at Clark's suit, especially the symbol. "And, from the looks of it, you certainly did."

"Jor-El moved in mysterious ways, didn't he?" Clark said to himself.

"So, other worlds, huh?" Kara then asked.

"Yeah", Clark nodded. "I've been two of them by now. And we're getting time-travelling through different worlds as well now, with The Doctor and his Companions."

"They were something", Kara noted.

"So, how did you get wrapped up in all this?" Clark then asked Kara while looking at Earth.

"When I landed here in the future, six months ago", Kara started explaining. "Brainiac of all people welcomed me into the Legion." She looked at him again. "It wasn't until we discovered the lost Argo colony that I realized I might have finally found my place in the world." She closed her eyes. "In any world."

Clark held her hand and assured her. "You always have a place in mine."

"That's kind", she said before adding. "I just never really fit in with Smallville, you know?" She then returned to explaining. "The Legion launched a diplomatic mission…someone from EarthGov sabotaged it. And then- war!"

Clark asked her. "Why would EarthGov sabotage a mission to meet our people?"

During that time, Kara's eyes glowed, and she fired, revealing some kind of spacecraft where there used to be empty Space. "Fear!"

And there many such spacecrafts there, as Clark asked. "Friends of yours?"

"Gravity buoys", Kara explained as all of them appeared now. "The only way for Kryptonians to fly through Space with any kind of purpose."

"And these have been hidden out here all along…waiting for you?" Clark questioned.

"For my extraction back to New Krypton, yes", Kara confirmed.

"'Extraction'?" Clark questioned. "But-"

"Clark, I wasn't a prisoner", Kara said before revealing. "I'm a spy!"

The World-Ship, New Krypton

Rokk Krinn aka Cosmic Boy and Imra Ardeen aka Saturn Girl were standing together, hooded and cloaked in red and black, as the former asked. "We're not exactly blending in, are we?"

"Not to worry", Imra assured Rokk while putting her fingers to her head. "None here will see us as anything more than shadows in their peripheral vision."

"That's all well and good, Imra", Rokk said before adding. "But I'm more worried about what those two EarthGov spies are up to."

"Their minds are blocked", Imra noted. "Guarded, as though they've been trained to withstand my telepathy."

Rokk looked around, clutching his fists. "Kirt sure knows how to hold a grudge, doesn't he? I've got half a mind to tear the slakk out of him the next we-"

"Easy, Rokk", Imra calmed him down. "You and Lightning Lad have apparently been spending too much time together."

"Is that a hint of jealousy I detect?" Rokk quipped.

"I shall endeavor to keep my emotions a degree more veiled, Cosmic Boy", Imra said with a smile, before they noticed an EarthGov spy putting something down.

"We've got bigger problems anyways, that look like a bomb to you?" Rokk asked her.

"Indeed it does!" She said, as they threw their hoods and cloaks off and charged.

"Long live the Legion?" Rokk asked her.

"Assuming we survive this conflict, absolutely", Imra told him.

The EarthGov spies saw them and cried out. "Legionnaires!" They took out their guns, only for Rokk to use his magnetism powers to snatch those, and make them hover in the air.

"Nice try, gentlemen."

Imra picked up the bomb and commented. "With all the effort Minister Niedrigh put into your mental training, one would expect hard light or textile weaponry."

"Lousy xenos make my skin crawl", one of the spies said, now both raising their hands due to being held at gunpoint by Rokk using their own weapons.

"Charming", he smirked.

"Bomb disarmed", Imra said, diffusing it.

Then they heard a voice calling out all over the city seemingly.

"Attention. Weapons detected on the plaza. All combatants are to await assessment."

"Was really looking forward to getting through this without running into these guys", Rokk groaned.

"Incoming!" Imra cried out, pushing Rokk away, as they avoided a stun blast aimed at them, and then, various New Kryptonians in red and black hoods and cloaks stood before them, with blue shoulder pads.

"You are hereby taken into custody and charged with terrorism against World-Ship New Krypton and the people of Argo", their leader declared.

"Eradicator Beh-Osk, you mistake our actions", Imra pleaded. "The Legion is here to ensure peace."

"As you did when you brought Kara Zor-El to us?" Beh-Osk inquired.

"You know the Legion was not responsible for that blast!" Rokk protested.

"We'll see what the Judgment Council has to say about your attempts at peace!" Beh-Osk declared, the New Kryptonians shoving the two Legionnaires.

Suddenly, a 'vwoorp, vwoorp' sound was heard, and they all looked around before the TARDIS appeared out of nowhere, and Nine walked out, Jack and Rose behind him.

"Hello!" Nine waved at them, before twirling his Sonic Screwdriver as their shoulder pads went out, making them gasp and fall to their knees, while the sonic sound irritated their ears. "Can't filter the yellow sunlight through your suits anymore?"

"What are you doing?" Beh-Osk cried out.

"We're not here to fight, otherwise you'd be out by now", Jack shrugged, before looking at the Legionnaires. "We're just here to help out."

"Doctor, I think they won't attack now."

Hearing that voice, Nine shrugged. "If you say so." He twirled his Sonic Screwdriver again and the power came back to the New Kryptonians' suits, while they all saw Clark and Kara hovering above them.

"Clark?" Rokk cried out.

"Kal-El?" Imra said at the same time.

"'Kal-El'", Beh-Osk muttered in shock.

"By Rao!" Another one next to him said.

"The Last Son of Ancient Krypton!" Beh-Osk said to the other New Kryptonians.

And then, as Nine, Jack, Rose, Rokk and Imra watched, Beh-Osk and the New Kryptonains knelt before Kal-El.

"Kneel before Argo's salvation!"

"What's going on?" Rose asked Nine.

"They're looking at their savior", Nine noted with a neutral expression.

"Wait! No…" Clark trailed off. "What?"

"Welcome home?" Kara half-asked, half-said.

Universe-208, Coruscant, Jedi Temple

"So, any destination in mind? Read up in the library, have a snooze in the meditation chambers, get a bite in the cafeteria…" Quinlan stopped when he sensed Blade next to him no longer. For a second, he was lost as to why, before the thought hit him and he slagged his shoulders as he lowered his head. "Poor choice of words?" He could feel Blade just glaring at him, yet got no answer, only that the man walked by him. The Kiffar Jedi lagged behind for a few steps before exhaling and following. "Great start to the day. Attacked in his own room, insulted by his only pal-"

"We're not pals."

"I'm afraid to see how the rest of your stay will turn out." Quinlan said in an overdramatic manner that Blade was glad he didn't see, just wished he didn't have to hear it.

His attention was then taken away by a little blur rushing out the doorway to his left, only for that blur to stop in front of him to reveal…is that a baby Werewolf?

Blade looked down at the little, furry person, the size of a child really, unless it was just a small alien. The little guy tilted his head up at Blade, a small moan left him. Raising a brow for a lack of any response, Blade only looked down at the fuzzball, only to turn his attention to several other children to run out of the doorway.

"Wait for us Gun…gi…" A little girl with the same head things as the woman on the Council he met yesterday called out to the little guy in front of him, only to freeze and stare at Blade, along with the rest of the group. They all joined the hairy kid, although he was far from the strangest looking alien in this crowd, though he was certainly the tallest.

"Who are you?" A human looking boy with green eyes asked impulsively. He shivered under the gaze of the dark-skinned warrior.

That was when a large and unfortunately familiar figure appeared next to Blade and leaned down to the children. "Well lookie here! Young Jedi in the making!" Quinlan greeted them cheerily, turning the curiosity and fear from the Daywalker, to excitement at the Jedi Master.

"Master Vos!"

"Having fun kids?" Quinlan clapped a hand over his mouth, looking over his shoulders before leaning closer. "I mean, are you studying hard and doing all your meditation and not falling asleep?"

"Yes, Master Vos!" The younglings said cheerily while Gungi roared in Shyriiwook, and Byph replied in Ithorese. The Wookie, however, noticed the man from before disappear, only for Gungi to turn his head to find the man leaning against the wall.

The Jedi noticed the youngling's gaze and gestured to the Daywalker. "This here is my new friend, Blade."

"We're not friends."

"He's a bit cranky, but don't worry his bark is worse than his-" Quinlan stopped midsentence, and sheepishly looked at the unimpressed glare from Blade. "…I'll stop talking and let you back to your lessons."

"That is most kind of you, Master Vos." An old, brown-green skinned alien with white hair, a beak, and a tail appeared and walked past the Jedi Master. "Come, younglings, we have a long day ahead of us."

"But can't Master Vos stay and teach us?" Katooni begged the wizened Jedi Master, but the Kiffar had to chuckle at their enthusiasm.

"Sorry, little ones, but I have my own duties to fulfil." Several disappointed faces nearly made Vos' heart break, so he conceded. "However, if I'm not too busy before I leave, I'll be sure to test this clan myself if they really are true Jedi." His heart lit up at seeing those smiling faces even as they passed him by. To be young and ignorant to the struggles of the galaxy, Quinlan feared the day their lives will change when reality hits them.

Fron the back of the group, the young Wookiee Gungi turned back to look at Blade, throwing a toothy smile and wave at the solitary man. Confused by the gesture, the hunter merely raised a hand and returned the gesture, before the youngling turned and rushed after his clan of initiates.

"Cute little guys, aren't they?" Quinaln asked as he stared after the group with Blade. "Seems like the Wookiee kid likes you. Probably has to do with the fact that you have the sharp teeth."

"You start them young." There was a tone in that comment that had Quinlan lose some of his humor. Blade's brow was raised, and Vos learnt that meant he was expecting an answer.

"The Order identifies Force-sensitive children as soon as they are born, though there are the rare exceptions when we accept older initiates, like Kota. He was eighteen when he was taken in."

"Why?" Quinlan found that even with those glareshades, Blade can aim a hard look that penetrates their material. "Why so young?"

A deep exhale left the tattooed Jedi as he started walking, followed by the tattooed Daywalker. "The Jedi Order take in Force-sensitive children so as to teach them how to harness and respect their gifts. Show them the right way to use the Force."

"And their families?"

He's not gonna like this, Quinlan thought. "They are taken so young that they don't know their families in order not to form attachments." He can already feel the look aimed at him. "This started a thousand years ago with the Ruusan Reformation. Jedi had their military ranks in the Republic taken away because of it, so we did not appear as a conquering army, and to ensure that no more Sith would reemerge, we take in children not long after their birth to teach them how to be Jedi."

When Blade stopped, so did Quinlan, and saw that his jaw was clenched, and the anger was stirring, especially when he took off the shades and showed those yellow orbs of his. "That is the dumbest fucking thing I've ever heard."

"Let me have it, not like the Jedi haven't heard it all in the past millennia." Another sigh left Vos. He himself was older than the usual requirement when Master Tholme brought him into the Order, but he had no alternative, his parents held him back knowing that if he left for Coruscant, he wouldn't return. That all changed when his aunt betrayed his parents with the Anzati.

"Living beings are emotional. You can't just train that out of them! They need to learn to channel their emotions."

"Like you?"

"I wasn't a baby taken away." Blade snapped at Vos. "I was hitting puberty when I learned what I was. I learned how to deal with what I was, trained to control the monster inside. The choice to cut myself off was mine to make."

"What about the old man?" Blade's eyes turned icy, his knuckles popping, but Quinlan raised his eyes in surrender. "Blade, I'm psychometric. I learned a bit about you the moment I picked up what was left of your sword. You say you cut yourself off, but I know you sliced through every Vampire in your way to get him back. And he's not the only one, just who matters most."

"Like Secura is for you?" Quinlan's eyes hardened as well. Blade did not back down as Daywalker and Jedi refused to back away, the world was empty, and no passing Knight, Master, Padawan, and especially youngling, would dare interrupt them. "Your affection for her is obvious. You care for her, like family."

Instead of snapping back at him, Quinlan only nodded his head and started to walk again with his Vampire hunting companion. "Jedi are supposed to feel compassion and care for life, but not attach ourselves to it. Once we lose those we care so deeply for, we risk falling to the dark side. Some handle it better than others, Aayla certainly did."

"You're supposed to protect life, yet you distance yourself from it." Blade shook his head and snorted. "Sounds like a contradiction to me."

"…Kinda does." That agreement was followed by a lapse in silence between the two. It was something Blade enjoyed as he examined the architecture and looked out at the city beyond the walls. Then Vos decided to ruin it by talking again. "So, we still have a long day ahead of us, sure there's nowhere in mind you want to check out?"

It was several seconds before Blade made up his mind and actually answered. Turning to the Jedi Master, the Daywalker held up the Darksaber. "I could use some more practice."

Middle-earth

The Hobbits were now in the house of Tom Bombadil, inside a long, low room filled with light of lamps swinging from beams of the roof, and on the table of dark polished wood stood many candles, tall and yellow, burning bright.

A woman sat on a chair, she'd long yellow hair reaching down her shoulders, and she wore a green gown, with a belt of gold shaped like a chain of flag-lilies set with the pale-blue eyes of forget-me-nots. About her feet in wide vessels of green and brown earthenware, white water-lilies were floating, so that she seemed to be enthroned in the midst of a pool.

"Enter good guests!" She said, and on hearing that, Spike stepped over the threshold, now entering the house at last.

Seeing her beauty, even Spike was enchanted, and bowed low, like the Hobbits did, before straightening himself.

She ran up to them and grasped Frodo by the hand. "Come dear folk! Laugh and be merry! I am Goldberry, daughter of the River." Then lightly she passed them and closing the door she turned her back to it, with her white arms spread out across it. "Let us shut out the night!" She said. "For you are still afraid, perhaps, of mist and tree-shadows and deep water, and untame things. Fear nothing! For tonight you are under the roof of Tom Bombadil."

"Actually, I'm not afraid of the night", Spike raised a hand, not adding that he was a creature of the night too.

"Fair Lady Goldberry!" Frodo suddenly cried out. "'Now the joy that was hidden in the songs we heard is made plain to me."

"O slender as a willow-wand! O clearer than clear water!

O reed by the living pool! Fair River-daughter!

O spring-time and summer-time, and spring again after!

O wind on the waterfall, and the leaves' laughter!"

Suddenly he stopped and stammered, overcome with surprise to hear himself saying such things. But Goldberry laughed.

"Welcome!" She said. "I had not heard that folk of the Shire were so sweet-tongued. But I see you are an Elf-friend; the light in your eyes and the ring in your voice tells it. This is a merry meeting! Sit now, and wait for the Master of the house! He will not be long. He is tending your tired beasts."

"Does everyone here randomly burst into song from time to time?" Spike wondered now. It was not a musical world clearly, but people had a habit of singing for sure.

Oh well, all of them had the voices for it, he noted.

They sat down in chairs, Spike getting a bigger one, before Frodo asked. "Fair lady, it might seem foolish to ask, but who is Tom Bombadil?"

"He is", Goldberry said, staying her swift movements and smiling.

Frodo looked at her questioningly. "He is, as you have seen him", she said in answer to his look. "He is the Master of wood, water, and hill."

"Then all this strange land belongs to him?"

"No indeed!" She answered, and her smile faded. "That would indeed be a burden", she added in a low voice, as if to herself. "The trees and the grasses and all things growing or living in the land belong each to themselves. Tom Bombadil is the Master. No one has ever caught old Tom walking in the forest, wading in the water, leaping on the hill-tops under light and shadow. He has no fear. Tom Bombadil is master."

A door opened and in came Tom Bombadil. He had now no hat and his thick brown hair was crowned with autumn leaves. He laughed, and going to Goldberry, took her hand.

"Here's my pretty lady!" He said, bowing to Spike and the Hobbits. "Here's my Goldberry clothed all in silver-green with flowers in her girdle! Is the table laden? I see yellow cream and honeycomb, and white bread, and butter; milk, cheese, and green herbs and ripe berries gathered. Is that enough for us? Is the supper ready?"

"It is", Goldberry said; "but the guests perhaps are not?"

Spike wondered if he could ask for pig's blood here, but that'd tip them off to what he was.

"Blimey!" He muttered to himself.

Tom clapped his hands and cried: "Tom, Tom! your guests are tired, and you had near forgotten! Come now, my merry friends, and Tom will refresh you! You shall clean grimy hands, and wash your weary faces; cast off your muddy cloaks and comb out your tangles!"

He opened the door, and they followed him down a short passage and round a sharp turn. They came to a low room with a sloping roof (a penthouse, it seemed, built on to the north end of the house). Its walls were of clean stone, but they were mostly covered with green hanging mats and yellow curtains. The floor was flagged, and strewn with fresh green rushes. There were four deep mattresses, each piled with white blankets, laid on the floor along one side. Against the opposite wall was a long bench laden with wide earthenware basins, and beside it stood brown ewers filled with water, some cold, some steaming hot. There were soft green slippers set ready beside each bed.

Before long, washed and refreshed, Spike and the Hobbits were seated at the table, two Hobbits on each side, with Spike next to Frodo and Sam, while at either end sat Goldberry and the Master. It was a long and merry meal. Spike enjoyed the food, even if there was no blood in it, and he wished he could get more like this.

In fact, even without the blood, he felt refreshed as if he'd drunk some of it.

At last Tom and Goldberry rose and cleared the table swiftly. The guests were commanded to sit quiet, and were set in chairs, each with a footstool to his tired feet. There was a fire in the wide hearth before them, and it was burning with a sweet smell, as if it were built of apple-wood. When everything was set in order, all the lights in the room were put out, except one lamp and a pair of candles at each end of the chimney-shelf. Then Goldberry came and stood before them, holding a candle; and she wished them each a good night and deep sleep.

"Have peace now", she said, "until the morning! Heed no nightly noises! For nothing passes door and window here save moonlight and starlight and the wind off the hill-top. Good night!" She passed out of the room with a glimmer and a rustle. The sound of her footsteps was like a stream falling gently away downhill over cool stones in the quiet of night.

"I think I'm going to sleep now", Spike muttered as he walked off, lying down on a mattress with a pillow, and a blanket of white wool. Soon enough, he fell asleep, even though he was a Vampire who didn't need much sleep.

As he slept, he found himself in a dream, and saw Buffy looking at him in anger, as if disappointed in him.

"You're disgusting", she said, before, to his horror, Willow, Tara and Dawn joined her too.

"I should never have trusted you", Dawn snarled as well.

"Stay away from us!" Tara added.

"Get out!" Willow roared, and Spike felt himself being thrown away.

In that moment, he woke up with a gasp, wondering what kind of dream he had. Panting a little, he lay back down, wondering if sleep would take him again or not.

It did.

When Spike awoke, most of the day had passed, and a rain had just stopped. Picking himself up, he put his leather duster on, and looked around, finding Tom, Goldberry and the Hobbits eating again.

"Join us, lad!" Goldberry said to him, and Spike did not complain, joining them once more and eating the food laid out for him.

"This is really good stuff", Spike told them all.

After they'd eaten, Goldberry sang many songs for them, and when it was over, she wished them a good night before leaving.

Spike decided to walk off, while Tom talked with the Hobbits about things he'd no knowledge of, and some 'Farmer Maggot' was mentioned too.

"Show me this precious Ring!" He heard Tom say suddenly, and then stopped.

Spike turned around to see Frodo handing what looked a Ring to Tom, and it seemed to grow in his hand.

"Huh?" He muttered in shock, while Tom put the Ring on his little finger, and the Hobbits seemed shocked for some reason.

Why?

He heard some kind of voice in his head, telling him he could take it, and be the ruler of all.

For a few seconds, he seemed tempted, imagining himself in a castle, a crown on his head, Buffy by his side, Willow and Tara being respected court magicians, while Dawn was a bubbly Princess, and Xander was the servant.

But then that thought brought him out of the fantasy. He disliked Xander, but no way the rest would make him a servant.

Besides, why was he thinking this anyways?

"Ruling ain't my thing", Spike muttered, when he heard Frodo crying out, and looked ahead, having missed whatever that was about. Frodo had gotten his Ring back, and after examining it, he slipped it on, and disappeared!

Spike's eyes widened. "What the bloody Hell?!"

"Hey there!" Tom glanced wherever Frodo was supposed to be. "Where are you going? Take off your golden Ring and come sit beside me!"

Frodo did so, and sat down next to him, before Tom saw Spike, and getting up, strode towards him. "You saw what has happened."

"What is this Ring?" Spike inquired.

"I know what you are, and you are not of this land", Tom noted, Spike's eyes widening. "I do not hear anything of the music from around you."

"Right…..can you send me back?" Spike inquired.

"Old Tom does not do that", Tom revealed, Spike groaning, before he produced a waterskin with pig's blood, to Spike's shock. "But if the creature of the night does not harm the little ones, he shall have this."

"I won't touch them, I can't actually", Spike said, and Tom handed him the waterskin, Spike sighing in relief.

Then he said to all of them. "If you fall into ill-luck, remember this rhyme." He sang once more.

"Ho! Tom Bombadil, Tom Bombadillo!

By water, wood and hill, by the reed and willow,

By fire, sun and moon, harken now and hear us!

Come, Tom Bombadil, for our need is near us!"

Even Spike had to memorize them, and then he clapped all their shoulders and led them to their bedrooms once more.

Earth-92, Sunnydale

"He fell through a breach?" Willow asked in shock.

"Yeah", Buffy said with a sigh. "And I've no idea where."

"I can try to track him with magic, but ours is not that strong, and we don't know much about this still", Tara told Buffy.

"I get it, I tried to track the warlock behind the breach, this Rack guy, but he has left the city already", Buffy said with a sigh.

"We will try to look into it, but don't expect much results as of now", Willow said sadly.

Earth-199999, New York City

"Come on, we're gonna miss it!" A pair of tourists barged their way through a crowd to get a view of the show in Times Square. They finally managed to get to the front when they witnessed two street performers dressed as robots. Fighting each other!

Unseen to the tourists or New Yorkers, a blonde danced her way through the crowd with an almost unnatural grace. Felicia stopped behind an overweight tourist with a camera on the performers, her hand grabbed the wallet in his pocket, and waited as he walked forward for a better angle, thus freeing the wallet without the thief even needing to pull. Sliding away, Parker's new student's hand swept up to whisk away a pair of sunglasses tucked into a man's shirt, before putting them on herself to enjoy the "fight".

All she had to do was find two guys willing to make an extra fifty bucks.

Felicia backed away, taking the phone from the back pocket of the woman next to her while she did, before looking at the watch she stole at the start of the show. Time was up, Parker would be waiting for her.

An aura of confidence and assurance radiated off the young Hardy. This time, this time she got it right. Three tests in a row have been failed, even though Felicia KNEW she pulled them off perfectly, they just didn't meet Parker's stupid expectations.

But now, there was no way the older woman could knock the smile off Felicia's face.

Middle-earth

It was daytime now, and Spike wondered if he should go out, since it was sunlight.

"I sense a song of magic around you", Tom suddenly said to Spike.

"Pardon?" He asked, only for Tom to shove him outside.

"Ouch!" Spike tried to cover himself, only to realize he wasn't burning. "Huh?"

"You may be a creature of the night, but due to this magic upon you, the sun is of no danger to you", Tom revealed, surprising Spike.

"Whoa!" Spike said, then smirked up at the sun. "This is great." He held out his arms, now enjoying the sunlight happily. "Hell yes!"

The Hobbits looked at him weirdly as Pippin asked. "What's he doing?"

"Basking in the sun, Pippin", Merry simply said.

"This is going to be fun", Spike cheered.

Universe-208, Coruscant, Jedi Temple

Vos led them to a bowl-shaped chamber deep within the Temple, the vault was completely white, with white mats spread amongst the floor near the wall for spectators to sit, Blade assumed as he tossed his coat and extra weapons aside, leaving himself with only the newest addition to his arsenal.

Balance beams, walls, and blocks were scattered here and there, likely to provide distractions and opportunities for training. They took to the center and stood opposite one another. Quinlan summoned his lightsaber, taking the same stance as before as the green light illuminated half his body. "Ready?"

Drawing the Darksaber from his left hip, Blade activated while flourishing the black blade, marking a line in the ground in front of him, before taking a low stance. "Are you?"

Blade then walked forth, twirling the Darksaber, and struck, Vos blocking the blows as he backed, and then they spun and clashed before backing off.

They clashed a few times once more, spinning around as they did so, before Blade kicked Vos, sending him crashing into some blocks.

He brought the Darksaber down on him but Vos blocked, then sat up and spun, elbowing Blade's abdomen before flipping him to the ground. He brought his lightsaber down on Blade but he rolled away to avoid and sitting up, swung the Darksaber as Vos ducked to avoid, and they clashed again, then Blade grasped Quinlan's neck with his feet, throwing him down.

He flipped up as Vos got up too, and they clashed again as Vos grasped Blade's hand and tried to strike but he flipped to avoid, then grabbed Quinlan's hand as he tried to strike, then grabbed his other hand too before headbutting him, then pushed him into a block as they clashed again, and Vos ducked behind the block, causing Blade to stab through it, and then Vos kicked the block on him, sending Blade crashing down.

Blade got up in time and blocked Quinlan's strikes, then decked him before blocking another swing and lowered the lightsaber behind him, striking his back as he got behind Vos and putting the Darksaber to his back, blocked two more strikes, then swept Quinlan's feet from underneath him, sending him down.

Quinlan got up, trying to strike as Blade blocked, then elbowed his head, dazing him. Quinlan tried to strike again but Blade blocked and elbowed his wrist, loosening his grip on his lightsaber as Blade took it, and then crossed the Darksaber and lightsaber against Quinlan's neck.

Quinlan looked at his current predicament, then to his opponent with a glare. "You cheated!"

"Wuss." Blade teased with a fanged smirk, the first Quinlan has ever seen from the guy, before pulling back and deactivating both weapons.

Taking back the offered hilt, the Kiffar Jedi huffed. "Starting to regret teaching you those lessons."

"Maybe you should mix it up a bit more."

"I was going easy on you." Blade rose a brow, that teasing smirk remained in place. "Okay, round two! We're not leaving until we settle this!"

"Settle what, that you're a sore loser?" Quinlan deadpanned the guy. Great, first asshole was emotionless, now he's mocking him.

"I think I preferred when you were grumpy."

Earth-199999, New York City

"You're a buck short." Two-hundred and thirty-two dollars, and fifty cents. It was a pain to collect a random specific amount!

"Oh you can't be serious!" Felicia whined while stomping her foot. "I got everything on that list, and believe me, it wasn't easy!" Watch, sunglasses, wallet without money, a money clip, a pack of gum, phone case without the phone, earrings, and weirdly enough, tampons. She learned early on not to question some of the weirdness of Parker's methods.

"Sizing marks needs to be second nature. You have to deduce who they and what they are likely to have, like that detective guy with the funny hat." Felicia opened her mouth to fight her, but the master thief shut her up with one finger pointed to her face. "One dollar or not, details and specifics matter. Fail."

"You say that every time!" A huff escaped Felicia, plopping herself down on the stairs of the Supreme Court. She thought the idea was pretty ballsy, talking on the steps in front of lawyers, judges, and cops about how she stole from a bunch of clueless marks. Now, Felicia didn't care.

Parker frowned in confusion at her protege's words before seating herself next to her. "I don't say it every time. Sometimes I say deviations of the same phrase."

"Same deal."

Squinting at the younger girl, which sent her leaning back in confusion, Parker spoke bluntly. "You're upset."

"Nooooo, what gave it away?" Sarcasm and the eye roll made Parker deadpan.

"The whining like a brat and overdose of sarcasm." It was Felicia's turn to deadpan. Both blondes held the eye lock for several seconds before both groaned and leaned on their elbows.

"Haven't I done anything right?" Parker looked at Felicia with some surprise. That was the first time she'd ever heard insecurity in the young thief's voice. Felicia always had a confidence, or arrogance, about herself, whether it was her looks, money, or abilities. The world was at her fingertips. It was probably a teenager thing, a rich teenager thing.

Now though, was Parker too hard on her? She was only teaching Felicia the kinds of things she was taught...sort of. Well, some of the things she knew were self-taught before Archie found her. They haven't even gotten to cars yet, and Parker was driving before she was twelve. Felicia had a long way to go...

Maybe she was judging her too harshly. Felicia wasn't her, although she wanted to be her, so shouldn't she be tested the same way as her?

Parker's head

Parker watched proudly from the passenger seat of the car as Felicia honked the horn. "GET OUT OF THE WAY, YOU OLD BAT!"

Real world

Good God, she really needed to write this stuff down, things were getting wonky in her head.

"Why did you even take me on?" Parker snapped out of her daze to see Felicia looking at her and though it was well hidden, there was a vulnerability in her eyes.

For a moment, Parker didn't answer. Why did she take Felicia as a student? Well, she had a few answers, and a few reasons not to, then had more reasons to accept her.

A shrug came from the Leverage team member. "When I first saw you, I thought you had potential. You were good, better than a normal pickpocket. I thought you could do better. Then I remembered what it was like to have someone show you the ropes, it was something I wanted to try for myself. Mold someone my way...then I found out you were loaded."

A groan came from beside her. "Is me having money that much of a deal breaker?"

"I would steal from people like you, so yeah." Parker saw that Felicia was losing interest, so, maybe some more truth was needed. "But...then there was the time we talked in your room-"

"You broke in."

"-and I saw you were still gonna keep on doing what you're doing." Parker continued without a care for Felicia's interruption. "Definitely weren't gonna stop because I said so, or your mom. That's when I saw it." Felicia's blue eyes looked into Parker's brown. "You have balls."

"...Eww."

"You've got a spine. Here I am, a thief on your bed, going through your stuff, and you looked me dead in the eye and didn't give a flying crap what I could have done. It was brave, stupid, really stupid, but brave." Tucking her hair behind her ear, Felicia looked down with a slight smile at the praise. She chanced a look up and found Parker grinning at her. "The guy who taught me, he called me his "perfect thief"." Parker leaned in with a twinkle in her eye. "And I'm gonna turn you into the best." With a wink, Parker stood up and dusted off her jeans. "That's when I knew the kind of fun we would have."

"Not sure if we have the same definition for fun."

"We will." Parker told her before she walked off, leaving a slightly worried Felicia.

"What does that mean?" Parker only walked on. "Parker?" No answer, so Felicia quickly hurried after her. "Parker! What do you mean "we will"?!"

If one lucky New Yorker were to look up, they would be a witness to Iron Man shooting over the city, with the heavily armed War Machine on his tail, a flaming streak trailing behind, and followed by a larger, oval shaped, flying car, for lack of a better word.

"Tony, I'm telling you; we'll need the others for this." Rhodey tried to warn his best friend, but as he'd learned so many times in the past, when the billionaire set his mind on something there's little that could stop him.

"Yeah, and by the time they finally show, Doom could have created an army of Doombots with my specs." Tony told him as the embassy got closer by the second. "This ends right now, and I'm ready." He said as the glow of his eyes and arc reactor shined brighter than normal.

"Listen to me, Tony, I know Victor, he doesn't give up without a fight." Reed did his best, before gaining a sudden thought. "Of course, Victor usually anticipates the fight and wins."

Ben grunted from his place at the steering wheel. "No kidding. Doom may have been small, but he knew how to punch."

"Something you'd like to share?" Johnny slowed down and looked at the rock-skinned muscle of their team. Ben stayed silent. "Oooooh, big bad Grimm Reaper got knocked out?"

"Okay, I am definitely hearing this story." Rhodey spoke in a voice too excited in a grumbling Ben's opinion.

Johnny then turned his body so he continued flying straight, backwards. "Have to say though, Reed, a beaut that she is, couldn't you kick her up into high gear?" Iron Man and War Machine were easily outflying them.

"I told you she wasn't ready!"

"Honestly, I have no idea how you stay sane, Sue." Rhodey told the lone woman over the comms. Said woman was rubbing her temple as Johnny and Reed descended into another argument.

"Who said I was sane?" She said flatly.

Universe-21, 31st Century, The World-Ship, New Krypton

Clark, Nine, Jack and Rose were being led through a Hall of Scion by Chancellor Pa-Vel of New Krypton, and on either side were statues of Kryptonians who'd contributed to Argo's evolution.

"Forgive me for seeming rude, Chancellor Pa-Vel, but isn't this a bit much?" Clark asked the Chancellor.

"Nonsense, my dear Liberator", Pa-Vel told him. "Each statue in the Hall of Scion is a testament to the rebirth of our people through Argo. A monument to the lives and contributions given to Argo-Kryptonian society over a thousand years thanks to your actions. You quite literally 'liberated' our ancestors from the tyranny of General Zod. Their arrival in that strange, new world, heralded by a good omen. The brilliant green light of legend, of the flamebird. Over the ages, the vessel that would eventually become the World-Ship New Krypton was painstakingly grown and tended."

"While I appreciate the history lesson, what does any of this have to do with waging war?" Clark inquired.

"We are a proud, enlightened people", Pa-Vel said.

"So enlightened you're engaging in bloodshed?" Nine asked, making Pa-Vel turn to him.

"Do not speak of matters you don't understand", Pa-Vel said.

"I understand more than you know!" Nine snapped, actually making Pa-Vel flinch as Nine got into his face. "I have seen war, I have seen bloodshed, the worst in my entire Universe. Not much survived there, so don't talk to me of war!"

"He is touchy about that", Jack added in a warning tone.

"Why are you doing this anyway?" Clark then asked, causing Pa-Vel to look up at a statue, as he was unable to meet Nine's eyes. He flew up there, while Clark flew after him, holding Nine and Rose.

"To recover the body of our God", Pa-Vel revealed finally.

"Body? I thought Rao was Krypton's red sun", Clark said, confused.

"The settlers that you liberated from Earth worshipped Rao", Pa-Vel clarified. "Our God is somewhat more relevant."

Clark looked at the statue and his eyes widened in shock and recognition, Pa-Vel saying. "I do believe you knew her once?"

"All of this over a body", Nine whispered in disgust, as Pa-Vel turned to him.

"We are not the only ones engaging in bloodshed, you've seen what EarthGov is doing!" Pa-Vel snarled.

"Using someone else's wrongs to justify your own is not a defense, it is just deflecting blame", Nine said with a sneer, silencing Pa-Vel again.

Space

Imra was holding the EarthGov prisoners captive and speaking with Brainy on comms as she said. "This isn't a 'challenge' anymore. We're in the middle of a war. And if we're unable to the maintain the peace, then we'll need enough boots and rings in the skies to help hold this Solar System together."

"A grim estimate. What do you suggest?"

"We need to recall Legionnaires from all corners of Space and Time", Imra finally said. "Activate Legion Protocol Six."

Earth, Metropolis, Legion Safehouse

Now Brainiac 5 finally knew how Clark and Booster had been summoned to this time period.

"Fascinating."

"I hate time travel", Booster muttered, sitting in the corner.

"And how sir?"

New Krypton

Kara was flying with Rokk as she noted. "I can't help but notice that Lightning Lad isn't along for the ride on this one. You two used to be attached to the hip."

"He got himself into trouble", Rokk said.

"As usual."

"The more things change, right?" Rokk asked before saying. "To be honest, I've kind of been avoiding Garth for a while." They stopped as he added. "Both of us have."

"Why would you….oh!" The realization hit Kara, as she looked up at Imra in the sky. "Good for the two of you, then?"

"That remains to be seen", Rokk sighed. "We've been working so hard to end the conflict abroad that I can't stand any at home."

"You may not have much choice for longer, metaphorical or otherwise", Kara said sadly.

"Kara Zor-El, you left the Legion to rejoin your people, you became a spy for them, allowed yourself to be captured. What did you learn? Help us stop the violence."

"Don't worry about it, Kara."

Kara turned to see Clark flying towards her, holding Nine

"You won't need to betray anyone's trust. Chancellor Pa-Vel just filled us in", Clark revealed to her. "This war isn't just about politics."

"It isn't?" She asked.

"No, its something else entirely", Nine scoffed.

"The Argo settlers told stories that eventually became myths", Clark explained to her. "The tale of a fallen martyr, whose body allegedly holds the key to unlocking their future as a people."

"They told me to locate the coordinates, they didn't say why", Kara told him.

"Why am I not surprised?" Nine muttered.

"New Krypton is searching for a burial site", Clark said, then revealed whose. "The Tomb of Faora."

Middle-earth, Barrow-downs

Spike and the Hobbits were in a sea of fog now, and were going fast. Even Spike was unnerved by this place. "I don't like the feel of this."

Frodo was calling out to the rest. "Sam, Merry, Pippin! Come along! Why don't you keep up?"

When there was no answer, Spike turned around and saw they were gone. "Where'd they go?" Frodo ran around, calling for them, when a voice was heard. "Hoy! Hoy!"

It was towards the East, and Frodo plunged off in the direction as Spike cried out. "Wait! Don't go there alone!" But Frodo didn't listen, and was gone.

Spike had half a mind to bolt, but for some reason, he did not want to leave the Hobbits in this dreary place. They reminded him of the nibblet in some ways.

"Bloody Hell Spike! What have you gotten yourself into now?" He muttered to himself, then rushed ahead. "I'm coming! Don't worry!"

But he could not hear Frodo anymore either now.

As he walked ahead, he suddenly saw an old woman looking at him, smiling, and Spike's eyes widened.

"My dear boy!" She said to him, as Spike looked at her. "Left your sickly mother, have you?"

Spike shook his head sadly. "You're not her. You're not her!"

"We can still be together", she said, reaching out towards him now.

"YOU'RE NOT HER!" Spike cried out as he smacked his hand in the direction, and she was gone. He panted a little, then went ahead, only for Cecily to appear in front of him now.

"Hello, William", she said to him, looking at him in disgust, before lifting her head to reveal blood pouring out of her neck. "Remember this?"

"I didn't kill you!" Spike roared at her.

"You're responsible for it!" She snapped back.

"No I'm not, your old man is!" Spike snarled at her, before regaining some of his normal temperament. "Besides, with your bad behavior, you deserved it anyway."

He walked through her as she disappeared, only for the Chinese Slayer Xin Rong to appear in his way now. She said something in Chinese, but Spike simply shrugged. "I don't speak Chinese!"

Spike ran through her, only to see Nikki Wood in his way this time, as she said. "Had your fill? My son is an orphan because of you!"

"Well, if you'd stepped aside, he won't be", Spike mocked her, and went through her, only for Angelus to appear this time.

"Good ol' Willy, still thinking he is the big deal around", Angelus mocked him. "But then again, what to expect of simple-minded fools?"

"You think I can't do anything, yet you're just a thug with a penchant for violence", Spike replied back to Angelus. "I've killed two Slayers! Me!" He clapped in Angelus' face. "What have you done, eh? Except torment helpless people!"

He went through Angelus, only for Drusilla to appear now. "You have the Slayer inside of you now, disgusting."

"Perhaps it is, but I like it", Spike told her with a smirk. "Its new, and exciting."

He went through Drusilla as well, and found an entrance. Hearing something inside, he went through, and saw Frodo swinging an important-looking sword at a crawling arm near its wrist, breaking it off but splintering the sword up to the hilt.

A snarling voice was heard before Spike cried out. "Oi! Pick on someone your own size!"

He felt an unnatural cold coming over him, when Frodo sang, and Spike felt compelled to join.

"Ho! Tom Bombadil, Tom Bombadillo!

By water, wood and hill, by the reed and willow,

By fire, sun and moon, harken now and hear us!

Come, Tom Bombadil, for our need is near us!"

Then a voice came in reply.

"Old Tom Bombadil is a merry fellow,

Bright blue his jacket is, and his boots are yellow.

None has ever caught him yet, for Tom, he is the master:

His songs are stronger songs, and his feet are faster."

They turned to see Tom Bombadil standing there as he raised his hands and sang again to the Wights.

"Get out, you old wight! Vanish in the sunlight!

Shrivel like the cold mist, like the winds go wailing,

Out into the barren lands far beyond the mountains!

Come never here again! Leave your barrow empty!

Lost and forgotten be, darker than the darkness,

Where gates stand for ever shut, till the world is mended."

There was a cry and part of the inner chamber fell with a crash, then a shriek was heard, and then silence.

"Looks like those are done for", Spike muttered.

"Indeed, now help me bear the other Hobbits from here!" Tom cried out.

Spike held up both Merry and Pippin, and carried them away, as Tom held Sam and took him out, Frodo following them.

"Spike", Frodo said, making Spike turn to him. "Thank you for coming."

"I do not deserve your thanks, mate", Spike muttered, turning away as he thought of his behavior with the apparitions earlier. "I don't."

Outside, they came onto a green barrow, Spike basking in the sunlight happily. "Now this is great!" Meanwhile, Tom woke the other Hobbits up with a song.

"Here, here", Tom said, laying down provisions for them to eat, then ran off, seeming to disappear.

Spike just drank some pig's blood when the Hobbits weren't looking, while Sam said. "This Tom fellow has some great food, don't you think, Spike sir?"

"Huh?...Yes, he does", Spike replied, when Tom returned, carrying long daggers of marvellous swordsmanship, and one sword, that he handed to Spike.

"These sharp blades are good to have", he told all of them. Then he told them that these blades were forged many long years ago by Men of Westernesse: they were foes of the Dark Lord, but they were overcome by the evil king of Carn Dum in the Land of Angmar.

"Few now remember them", Tom murmured, "yet still some go wandering, sons of forgotten kings walking in loneliness, guarding from evil things folk that are heedless."

They couldn't understand much, but seemed to have a vision of what he said, while Tom told them. "I've taken a lovely toy for my fair Goldberry, and spread the treasures. Fare ya well, Hobbits and Spike!"

With that, he was off, as Frodo said. "We need to go now." He looked at Spike. "What will you do?"

"Come with you of course!" Spike said. "I have nowhere else to go!"

The Hobbits looked unsure, as Sam whispered to Frodo. "What do you think, Mr. Frodo?"

"He didn't leave us with the Wights when he'd the chance", Frodo pointed out. "And he could have taken the Ring when we were alone with him, after we left Tom's house. He even saw me use it."

He looked to Spike. "We will take you with us."

"That's good enough for me", he smirked as the Hobbits walked off, and he followed them. And he'd heard that they'd called him 'Frodo', so that was his real name.

Not that he cared.

Earth-199999, New York City

Tony hovered over the Latverian embassy. Since the coup that led to Doom overthrowing the Fortunov, every embassy was under construction, and turned into something more akin to a fortress.

"Knock knock." Tony said with sarcasm as he readied his repulsors, and didn't have to wait long as the stolen Iron Man armors surrounded him in the air, Rhodey and the others too far to help at the moment, but that didn't stop Tony from raising his hands. "Tank, Hammerhead, sorry about this, guys." Two bright blue repulsors launched and struck the two armors, creating a large explosion from each, and a shower of debris fell to the street. "Alright, Vicky, get out here so I can kick your ass!"

"Foolish, Stark."

Doom's voice came from the Silver Centurion, making Tony turn, then to prototype Mark XLIV. "Doom's mercy is not so easily received. Nor is it given twice."

"Buddy, the last thing I need is mercy." Tony growled out as the large doors of the embassy opened up, just as Rhodey, Reed, Sue, Ben, and Johnny arrived. 'Oh, I am so going to kill him.' Tony thought as he stared down at Doom.

The King of Latveria adorned a new armor. It was his own Iron Man armor, except a shining silver steel, a main arc reactor on the chest connected to two smaller ones, all glowing green likes the eyes, all barely concealed by that same dark green cloak. If Tony wasn't going to kick his ass before, he will now.

"Had you not pursued this course of action, you may have lived. But now," Doom's jet boots thrusted him up until he hovered above Tony, "I must ensure no one challenges the rule of Doom."

"Consider it challenged."

A blur tackled Tony, but he was ready this time. His enhanced sensors caught Doom during their fall, grappling and punching as they landed on the street, getting back to their feet as Doom and Tony locked gauntlets, the former pushing the latter back with his boots creating a line in the concrete, until the enhanced thrusters of the suit halted the process. Doom's helmet tilted.

"You like that?" Helmet struck helmet, leading to a metal CLANG after Tony's headbutt before he readied a follow-up punch. "Courtesy of Thor's magic lightning."

The swing was blocked, and the green eyes glowed brighter. Doom's own armored fist drove into Tony's helmet before he lifted the Iron Man overhead, until the Avenger propelled away upwards, firing a dozen mini-missiles as he did. Raising a palm up, Doom clenched it into a fist, the missiles exploding harmlessly. A hail of bullets and more missiles stopped midair next to Doom as he turned his head slightly to see War Machine land and fire, only to stop at the futility of his efforts, the Armored Avenger landing next to him. "Where's Sue and the Three Stooges?"

"Dealing with the armada of armors back at the embassy." Rhodey answered before sighing. "I am so going to pay hell for this."

"JARVIS, be a dear and help Reed get my suits back."

"Yes, sir."

Tony and Rhodey tensed when Doom hovered up with a green orb in his hands turning into a mini-tornado. "You brought this on yourselves. Before, I may have killed you, but now you invoke Doom's wrath!" He hurled the mini-tornado at the armored duo as it turned into a fully sized one. Engulfing the pair in its green winds, the street and cars were thrown around with the men unseen until a blue sphere expanded outwards and dispelled the tornado, causing the debris gathered to fall uselessly to ground. It was good that New York civilians were getting use to attacks of such caliber, otherwise they wouldn't have run so fast to escape the danger zone.

Tony and Rhodey stood unharmed within a sphere generated from Tony's palm.

The sphere faded as Tony pointed at Doom. "We know it's not magic you're using Doom, its Quantum Manipulation. Impressive, but not magic."

"Correct", Doom said as a green glow appeared in his hands. "Super science." Lightning struck at the sky from Doom's palm, forming a green sphere, from which lightning struck both Tony and Rhodey, making them yell in pain. "But only a select few know the power of true magic."

Doom hovered up in the air, but Rhodey grabbed his boot, and caused the electricity to travel, making the King grunt in annoyance as the lightning stopped, Doom freeing his foot and grabbing Rhodey by the throat. He sent a green pulse through the War Machine suit, making the eyes and reactor go out.

From inside the suit, Rhodey panicked. "Tony, Tony I can't move!" He felt his faceplate being ripped away, before all he could see was Doom with a glowing repulsor at the ready.

"RHODES!"

Doom turned to see a flying stone fist slam into his body, freeing the War Machine armor to crash into the street, had Sue not caught him. Crashing to a halt, Doom returned to his feet as the mutated Ben Grimm charged. "Guess what, Vic," Ben threw his first forward, "IT'S CLOBBERIN'-" A metal palm stopped the fist completely. Ben gulped when Doom twisted his wrist, "...time?"

A green flash was all he saw when he was sent over Tony, Rhodey, Sue, and Reed's heads as they recovered. Doom made to step forward when a barrage of fireballs uselessly struck his armor. From inside the suit, cold blue eyes tilted his head up to find the younger Storm sibling.

"Hey Doomsy, wanna play a game?"

The War Machine's plating opened, freeing the man inside. "Suit's dead. I'm out, man." Rhodey sadly admitted.

"Get to safety, pal." Tony told him as he marched forward. "I'll be sure to pay him back." He promised when one of Susan's walls formed in front of him. "Sue-"

"Tony, you need to stop and think." The eldest Storm held up her hand, but collapsed when a metal first broke down her barrier.

"Not this time."

"Tony," Reed ran in front of the armor, not trying to stop him, but talk. "You've been thinking about this the wrong way."

"Actually, I was thinking about how to display the copycat's remains when I'm done with him." Tony actually stopped when Reed elongated himself and wrapped around the suit. "...really?"

"If you would stop for a minute, you'd see that a fight between you two would destroy ten blocks before you were done!" Reed shouted at the genius billionaire. "Stop fighting hard and fight smart! You're Tony Stark for crying out loud, act like it!"

The arc reactor hummed, making Reed worry as he glanced at it and the emotionless, glowing eyes of the helmet. For a few seconds, he feared the worst, until the hum stopped and he could hear Tony talk again.

"Any bright ideas?"

Reed heaved a sigh of relief before calling in his communicator. "Johnny, get Doom back to the embassy."

"That's gonna be a problem." Johnny's voice wheezed back.

"I'm kinda stuck at the moment." Grabbing the arm of the hand at his throat, the flames of Johnny Storm only got hotter and hotter, but nothing seemed to phase the man. The armor itself didn't show any signs of damage.

"Jonathan." Johnny's eyes widened at his name being whispered.

"VICTOR!"

The head of Doom turned to the source of voice, while Johnny tried his best to glance at the corner of his eye. Susan stood there, her face pleading with the man beneath the metal.

"Victor, please. Not my brother."

For a long moment, a tense silence surrounded the Storms and the King. Sue continued to plead with her eyes, and Doom only stared back as far as she could tell from the emotionless mask he wore. Johnny gagged before falling on his rear. Breathing in the sweet air, he looked up at Doom, only to see he was still staring back at his sister.

Until a blue repulsor sent him crashing into the ground.

"We're not done, Doomie." Tony sent another repulsor at the at downed King, only for him to fly out of the way and charge. Flying out of his reach, Tony raced back to the embassy before the black-green spectral hand from last time wrapped around his armored body just as they reached the grounds.

Doom snarled. "So quick to dismiss the mystical arts, yet here you are, crumbling from the power of Dormammu. None of your science and technology can match up to powers like his. Do you feel your soul leaving you?" Tony began to fade.

Reed's flying car suddenly blasted Doom and freed Tony, causing the Avenger to drop down before Reed caught him in the car. "Tony, are you alive?"

Tony groaned, opening his eyes. "Well, if this is Heaven, it's kind of lame." Reed landed.

Tony saw the rising shape of Doom from the smoke. "Reed, get clear." With that, Tony blasted toward Doom, who met his charge halfway as a CLANG and BOOM emanated from the clash. The arc reactors glowed brightly before both unibeams collided. Doom's eyes from behind the mask widened.

"What?!"

"You may have made your own suit, but that's still my armor." Tony grunted as a field of energy from their clash began to grow. "I know it better than anyone, especially how to redirect the flow of power. Something your royal ass couldn't."

"You. Hacked. Me?!" Doom growled at the sheer thought of the impossibility.

"Sort of." Tony chuckled as Rhodey, Sue, Ben and Johnny arrived at a distance and watched before both unibeams stopped and Tony jettisoned away. "Had a bit of help from my fellow brainiac, and JARVIS to hack in and disrupt any upgrades you thought of making. By the way, not a smart move to piss off an A.I." Mocking only made the King growl as electricity cackled around Doom with his reactors glowing brighter. "You don't mess with my tech."

With a final growl, the light engulfed Doom's body before a barrier formed around the ensuring explosion. Sue and Tony strained to maintain the shield as the power seemed to grow outward. The ground itself started to shake, with both Tony and Reed having a hard time believing what their scanners were telling them.

"Is that a nuke?" Ben asked in shock as Susan fell to her knees.

"Not technically, nuke's give out radiation-"

Johnny held up his hand and stopped him. "Reed, English."

Disgruntled, Reed continued as the glow started to die down. "Basically, Victor's suit gave off enough energy to match a small nuclear bomb."

"...I think I prefer it when I don't understand you." Johnny admitted with a gulp. before Sue finally collapsed. Running to his sister, the youngest member of the team threw her arm over his shoulder and helped her up as he, his team, Rhodes, and the metal man walked to edge of the crater and looked down at the smoking hole. "Is he dead?"

"Doom does not die."

"Oh, come on." Rhodey groaned as they all tensed, the smoke blew away to reveal the King of Latveria in the same armor from the Tower, but his cape tattered, and cracks in the metal.

They readied themselves for another fight when helicopters suddenly swooped in over their heads. Before anyone could question it, Humvees drove onto the battle-worn grounds of the Latverian embassy, soldiers exiting the vehicles with their guns at the ready.

A man in a suit with a moustache appeared as well, as Rhodes recognized him. "General Talbot?"

"Doom has diplomatic immunity, so I cannot let this go on any longer", Talbot revealed, aiming his gun at the Heroes alongside the other soldiers.

Doom merely walked back into the building without another glance or another word.

"He hacked into the Avengers Tower and stole my suits!" Tony protested. "He used those to attack Reed and his team."

"You got any proof it was Doom?" Talbot asked with a raised eyebrow, shocking Tony.

"Well…"

"Most of the damage was done by your armors", Talbot pointed out.

"But he is Doctor Doom!" Tony protested. "And he just-"

"We know what he is capable of, and one day, he will slip up", Talbot told the Heroes. "When he does, I expect there will be consequences for him."

With that, he walked away, as the soldiers started departing.

Earth-21, 31st Century

Clark and Kara were flying together, the former holding Nine and the latter holding his TARDIS, at his request, as Kara was saying. "I know what I'm doing for Argo is the right thing to do, Clark."

"New Krypton has a right to pieces of its own history", Clark noted.

"Not to wage war though", Nine said. "Even though EarthGov did it first, but they are not behaving any better."

"No sides are really good in wars, are they?" Clark asked Nine.

"No, they're not, I know, I've seen it", Nine said, thinking of the Daleks and the Time Lords once more.

"I just wish I hadn't been taken advantage of. Again", Kara sighed. "I am so over being a soldier, you know? I follow orders, its what I do. And I kind of hate it."

"I do not like orders either, restrict you too much", Nine shrugged.

"As my better half would say- 'Preaching to the choir, sister'", Clark agreed as well. "It took the world almost ending for me to finally get a grasp on how to tackle my relationship with my…destiny!"

"Thanks", she smiled.

"Let's hope we sort this out before the war escalates", Nine said. "How much farther?"

"According to these coordinates, we should practically be on top of-"

She was cut off when in front of them appeared what looked like a robotic version of a T-Rex, and it snapped its jaws at some EarthGov aerial vehicles, making them scatter around as the pilots bolted in fear.

"What's that?" Kara asked in surprise.

Nine twirled his Sonic Screwdriver, but it was unaffected. "Blimey! Its not a robot!"

"Then what is it?" Clark asked.

"A living thing", Nine realized, as the T-Rex turned to the Kryptonians and Time-Lord, and roared. "Put us down!"

Clark put Nine down, as Kara put his TARDIS down, and they faced the T-Rex thing, which roared at them, and fired flames from its mouth.

Clark and Kara flew around to avoid those, before the former charged it, only for it to fire an energy beam from its mouth that hit Clark, making him fall down with a groan.

It then fired the same at Kara but she fired her Heat Vision, as the energy beams clashed, before there was a shockwave explosion, sending Kara back, while the T-Rex robot thing roared at them.

Clark and Kara got back up, when suddenly a red, blue and silver robot being rolled into the fray and kicked the T-Rex robot away.

Superhero by Simon Curtis plays

The new robot stood up to its full height, and said to the T-Rex. "Stand down!"

It stood up and roared at him in response, as he said. "I do not want to do this, but I must." His arms transformed into blasters, and he started firing at the T-Rex robot, making it stagger back before roaring again, and it charged him, whacking at him as he was sent flying off and falling down.

Recovering himself, he transformed into a truck instead, and rushed the T-Rex thing, ramming into it hard as now it was sent back, while the red, blue and silver robot transformed back into his robot form.

Before the T-Rex thing could get back up, Clark and Kara both rammed into it together, sending it flying off, before the former fired his freeze breath, trying to stop it in place, only for it to fire its flames as it got out of the freeze breath, to Clark's shock, and then whacked him away, before Kara grabbed its tail, and hurled it away.

It fell down, then picked itself back up, and as she flew at it, it hit her with the energy beam from its mouth once more, making her fall down, before the new robot blasted it again.

It rushed the robot, but the robot rolled and got behind it, holding it in place now, though it struggled, and was freeing itself already.

Clark and Kara took the opportunity, and flew at it, punching it under its chin together as the robot let go, and the T-Rex thing was sent flying up and falling back down, now knocked out.

"Thanks for the help", Clark thanked the new guy.

"You do not need to thank me", the new guy said before introducing himself. "My name is Optimus Prime. We are Autonomous Robotic Organisms from the planet Cybertron."

"Sounds a bit long", Nine noted.

"You can call us Autobots for short", Optimus Prime told them.

"Never heard of Cybertron", Kara had to say.

"I believe I am in a different Universe, and so is he", the Autobot said while pointing at the T-Rex thing.

"I'm Superman", Superman finally gave his introduction.

"I am Kara Zor-El", Kara said as well.

"And I'm The Doctor", Nine popped up.

"Doctor who?" Optimus Prime inquired.

"Just The Doctor", he shrugged.

"It is an honor to meet all of you", Optimus Prime said, before looking at T-Rex. "And now I've found him too."

"What kind of planet is Cybertron?" Nine asked out of curiosity.

"We've been embroiled in a civil war for 4 million years", Prime revealed, to their shock.

"Great, more wars", Nine groaned.

"What happened?" Clark inquired.

"There was one known as Megatron, a gladiator who opposed the caste system placed on our society. He was the champion of the gladiatorial circuit, gathering more supporters who listened to him, including me. He wanted to turn Cybertron into a meritocracy, where all were equal in the law."

"Doesn't sound so bad to me, depending on the law", Nine commented.

"It wasn't, once upon a time", Optimus noted wistfully. "However, as time went on, his protests turned from peaceful to violent. He began to change into someone else entirely."

"I've seen that happen before", Clark said, thinking of Lex. There was always a darkness within him, but he used to be a good man once. Now, he was just a monster.

"Then the time came to stand against the Council of Primes, and he revealed his true colors, demanding he be deemed the next Prime over the current one in Sentinel Zeta Prime. I wanted to show there could be change without force, and spoke of that. The Council deemed me a Prime instead, and something inside Megatron snapped, as he believed I had taken what was rightfully his. He severed all ties with me, and plotted his moves. Thus, began the Great War. We were the Autobots, and he led the Decepticons."

"Megatron might have begun as an idealist, but he clearly became a tyrant himself", Nine noted sadly, then looked at Optimus. "I do not like war, but you seem like a good being."

"Yeah", Clark had to agree too. There was just some kind of…nobility, about Optimus Prime.

That was when the T-Rex thing woke up, now having transformed into a robot form too, Clark and Kara tensing, but Optimus raised a hand, then looked at it. "I am glad to see you still function, Grimlock."

Grimlock just growled at Prime. "Space Bridge….Optimus Prime weak….Grimlock angry!"

Optimus angrily retorted. "Because of your actions, Metroplex gave his energon to allow us to leave in the Great Exodus!"

Grimlock questioned in a more somber tone. "Who is that?" Now he felt a tinge of guilt for his role in this.

Optimus raised a hand. "I apologize for my outburst." He himself was partially letting out his grief for all those he had lost, the Dinobot's reappearance having brought it to the surface.

"You two know each other?" Kara inquired.

"Indeed we do", Optimus told her. "It is all right now, he is calm."

"So, he was angry?" Kara inquired.

"I've seen someone else who changes when angry", Clark said, thinking of Bruce Banner and Hulk. "What will you do now?"

"We do not know how to get back, so we will come with you", Optimus said, and the rest realized that was the only way for now.

"Can you hold this?" Nine asked, gesturing to the TARDIS. "Its my ship, its important."

"I will", Optimus said, and lifted the TARDIS up, as Clark lifted Nine, and then he and Kara flew slowly towards their destination.

"Come Grimlock", Optimus said to the Dinobot, and walked behind them, as Grimlock followed them while grunting.

Clark and Kara stopped in front of a huge gate with a Kryptonian symbol on it, as the latter asked. "You think this is the place?"

They opened it, the Kryptonians, Cybertronians and Time Lord entering, and looking around at the place as Kara inquired. "It's a little…ostentatious, don't you think?"

"So was Zod", Clark pointed out. "He must have built this to be his seat after conquering the world."

"Then why bury Faora here?" Kara inquired.

"All the original Zod wanted was an heir, a son", Clark told her, then explained. "He and the original Faora couldn't conceive naturally, and so they began experimenting with DNA."

"Resulting in Davis Bloome, the man who became Doomsday", Kara realized.

"What is Doomsday?" Optimus inquired.

"A very powerful monster, he could have killed me when we fought", Clark said grimly, then looked at Grimlock. "He is like you were when angry, but he could be worse."

"That is scary to think about", Nine had to say. "And I've seen a lot."

"Fate smiled on Zod and Faora's clones when they arrived on Earth. She was one of his trusted lieutenants. And his lover", Clark said, then dropped the revelation. "Zod didn't know she was with child when he killed her."

"And yet, he killed someone he claimed to love, just for his own delusions", Nine said in disgust.

"Indeed, it seems he fell from his path too, just like Megatron did", Optimus noted.

"He came unglued shortly after", Clark added.

"Why face his throne over this pit and not the rest of his dominion?" Kara inquired.

"Guilt", Clark sighed as he flew down while holding Nine, Kara flying down too, as Optimus and Grimlock went down after them.

"What does Argo want with Faora's body?" Kara asked, as they found Faora's body finally, inside what looked like a glass case.

"According to Pa-Vel, their culture has long held that the unborn child was a sacred thing", Clark told her as all landed, and he looked at Faora's body. "Conceived from Kryptonian clones under a yellow sun. Legend tells that if the child had been born, he may have held the key to understanding the limits of our DNA. Like why do we have powers under yellow sunlight and not red?"

"Unfortunately, I don't think Argo is going to be the first to find out", Kara noted as she saw some equipment near the tomb.

"The equipment left behind…."

"No", Kara lifted it up. "These are cartridges from-"

"A DNA extraction device", Nine noted, taking it from her. "I've seen these in my Universe too."

"No chance EarthGov came all the way down here for Faora's DNA, is there?" Clark inquired.

"What would EarthGov want from the DNA of her unborn child?" Kara wondered too.

"How is this EarthGov?" Optimus inquired.

"Really bad", Kara replied.

"I expect something bad then", Optimus said.

EarthGov Lab, Section 31

"Report", Kirt said to the other men at the computers.

"We have successfully integrated the child's genetic material into Subject Zero", one of them told him. "The infusion of solar radiation into the subject, post-op, has proven beneficial."

"Subject Zero's cellular structure is re-constituting, Minister Niedrigh", another one said.

"Let me see it", he requested, and they showed him the images on their computers as he smirked. "Marvelous work. You've…We've made history, here on this night. I can't help but marvel at the irony of what we unearthed beneath Old Metropolis. The Xenos will be undone….by a weapon of their own design!"

Faora's Tomb

Kara was angry as she clutched her fists, her eyes glowing. "How dare they defile this tomb? I'm going to find them and-"

"Kara, don't make us have a teachable moment!" Clark tried to stop her.

"Even after all of this, after everything you've seen, you're going to defend them?!" Kara asked angrily, and it looked like a fight would break out between the cousins.

After a few seconds of thinking, Clark gave his reply.

"Yes."

Kara's fist lashed out, only to be grasped by Optimus Prime. He struggled a bit to hold her back, but the action surprised Kara enough to make her stop on her own, as she looked at him. "Don't you see what these humans are doing?"

Optimus let go as she looked at Clark. "Maybe humanity does need to step away from the table for a little while. I've heard the legends that Argo tells. The story of how Checkmate tried to round them up and exterminate them."

"We can't punish an entire race for the actions of a select few!" Clark retorted to her.

"You sent the Kandorians to Argo because of what Zod was doing!" Kara snapped back.

"No he didn't!" Nine now stepped in between them both. "He was giving them a second chance, and he is right, you cannot judge an entire race over the actions of a few!" He had wiped out the Daleks and Time Lords, but in the former's case, all the Daleks were bred only to exterminate other lifeforms, and the Time Lords had gotten as bad as them.

He wished he didn't have to do it, but there was no other choice. He couldn't save any of them.

Before Kara could retort, Nine added. "I have seen terrible humans, there are many who care only about themselves." He thought of Henry van Statten and the Editor, two of the latest on that list. "But not all are like that. I've met many good ones too, and they have travelled with me." Jack Harkness and Rose were the latest ones, but there were others too, such as Sarah Jane Smith. "Humanity is capable of greatness and good deeds just as much as they're capable of evil. Do not judge all to be evil unless all of them are doing horrible things, and I don't think they are."

Clark added. "Jonathan and Martha Kent, Lois…they're all proof that humanity can be so much more than you give them credit for."

"The war, it showed the best and worst of us on both sides", Optimus Prime spoke as well now, causing them to look at him. "Some like Lockdown and other neutrals told both sides to get fragged. Some tried to maintain integrity and honor, others focused solely on themselves or their allies. Some became bounty hunters or more." He looked at Kara. "Just because humans have the capacity for evil does not mean other species are not capable of doing just as bad if not worse, or even good. My species has a lot of bad such as Megatron, Shockwave and Starscream, but that does not mean all of us are like them."

"Optimus and The Doctor are right", Clark agreed. "And people can always become better too. Bart Allen and Oliver Queen had their flaws, but they overcame them, and they became better."

"I need a Companion…so that they can keep me grounded", Nine added as well.

Kara now had tears in her eyes as she turned away. "The men and women….the humans who defiled that tomb."

"Will see justice, I promise you that", Clark said firmly, causing her to turn around as he wiped her tears.

"Yes, this is not going to go unpunished", Nine promised as well. "EarthGov will see why they should not have done any of this."

"We will help you stop this as best as we can", Optimus added too.

"Sorry about losing my temper", Kara said, then hugged Clark as he hugged her back.

Then Kara's device beeped as Pa-Vel's voice came. "Minister Pa-Vel to sister Zor-El!"

"Go for Kara", she said.

"Legion to Superman! Legion to Superman!" Clark's earpiece came to life as well.

"Go for Superman", Clark said in reply.

"There's a situation developing", Brainiac 5 said while flying with Imra.

New Krypton

"We are launching our assault on Earth", Pa-Vel said to Kara at the same time, as all looked ahead in horror.

"Why?" Clark and Kara asked at the same time.

New Krypton

Jack ran up next to Pa-Vel and said into the earpiece. "There's a monster here, Doctor! Its attacking the place!"

It was a giant, grey monster, with protrusions all over it, red eyes, and hair on the head.

Doomsday!

"We're coming!" Nine cried out.

Earth-199999, New York City, Avengers Tower

Tony stared at the hollow eyes of his helmet. His mind...he didn't even know what to think. The guy broke into his Tower, stole his suits, designs, and beat him, now he was getting off scot-free on a first-class trip home. He's fought aliens, Gods, and monsters, but Victor von Doom, he's never fought someone so brilliant before.

It was like fighting himself.

"I don't like that look." Tony turned his head and found Rhodey walking into the lab, taking a seat on the opposite side of the bench. "You're dwelling."

"Wouldn't you?"

The airman nodded. "Definitely." A heavy sigh left him. "Our world is only getting crazier."

"Which means we got to be ready." Tony vowed. His project in Malibu, and so much more began to emerge in his head.

No rest for the heroes.

Finding a quiet space in the Tower, Susan pulled out her phone from one of the many hidden pouches of her suit. Scrolling back years into her album, she finally found the right one. It was a younger version of herself smiling widely, her arms wrapped around a man with smooth facial features, a chiselled jawline, and piercing blue eyes. He was of medium height, with dark hair neatly slicked back. He didn't smile, but his lips curled slightly, which Sue knew was a smile in his own way.

'What happened to you, Victor?'

"HEY GUYS!" WE'RE BLOWING UP!" Sue jumped at her brother's voice booming through the Avengers' quarters, quickly locking her phone and putting it back before seeking out what caused her young, idiotic brother to get hyped up this time. Reed, Ben, Tony, and Rhodey arrived moments before she did.

"What is it, flame-brain?"

Instead of answering verbally, Johnny pushed his phone in front of Ben's face. The rocky skinned airman squinted his eyes before reading the article. ""The Fantastic Four vs the Iron Men"?"

"We got a name!" Johnny exclaimed his joy, and didn't stop there. "And look at all these comments!"

"Johnny, maybe we should-"

"And we got names!" Johnny laughed as he scrolled down. "Oh Reed, you're Captain Stretchy!" Reed's face scrunched up. "Oh wait, how about Stretch? Long Man? Oh wait, here's a good one, Mister Fantastic." Reed's face, previously scrunched up and disgusted at the names, suddenly perked up. "And big guy here is-"

"Should we be here for this?" Rhodey whispered to Tony while Johnny listed a plethora of names for Ben's alias, which only seemed to make him madder.

"Nope." With that, both armored pilots left the room.

"-the Thing! Yes, that fits you down to the tee! I didn't even know what you were before the rocks showed up."

"Suzie," Ben's fist punched his open palm, "forgive me, but I got a flame to snub out."

"Then there's you, sis. Let's see," Johnny scrolled further down and giggled. "Bubble Girl?! HA!"

"Get in line." Susan gritted her teeth, cracking her own knuckles as she approached her brother.

"I suppose there's Invisible Girl, or Woman, or whatever, not so imaginative, but moving on. Firelord, badass! I likey! Inferno, Blaze, Pyro, though ain't that taken?" Johnny's confusion turned to excitement when he found the next comment. "Wait a minute, someone thinks I'm like that flaming guy back in the 40s, the Human-HEY!" Johnny cried as his phone was taken out of his hand, only to freeze when he found his sister staring at him with the look, his phone in her hand before handing it to Ben, who promptly crushed it between him thumb and index finger. "H-hey, Sue! You know it was just for fun, right?" The look never left, even as she stepped forward, Johnny beginning to cower backwards. "Nononono, it wasn't me! I was just-but you-see, PLEASE NO!"

Earth-7, Midgar

Cloud, Sora, Riku, Tifa, Aerith, Barret and Red XIII came out of the breach, looking around at the darkened road, before the Keyblade wielders noticed a huge mass of Whispers swirling around a big building.

Cloud ran ahead, Sora right behind him, when black feathers started falling from the sky.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Those Chosen By The Planet plays

"Huh?" Sora muttered, as they looked up to see Sephiroth hovering in the sky, his long white hair flowing while he held his seven-foot long Masamune, looking down at them with a smirk.

"Sephiroth!" Sora snarled, summoning his Keyblade. Even though this was a different Sephiroth, his look alone was enough to tell Sora he was no different from the one he knew.

Sephiroth landed on the ground, staring at them, as Riku summoned his Keyblade once more.

Barret prepared to fight. "Okay asshole, let's-"

Aerith put her hand in the way. "Don't." She walked ahead, looking at Sephiroth. "And you…you're wrong."

Sephiroth looked at all of them and spoke. "Those who look with clouded eyes see nothing but shadows." He looked at Sora and Riku. "You have seen so much, yet you too look with clouded eyes."

Aerith countered. "Everything about you is wrong."

They stared at Sephiroth, as he looked down with closed eyes, then looked back up. "All born are bound to her. Should this world and other worlds be unmade, so too should their children."

"The world won't end today", Cloud said, reaching for the Buster Sword. "But you-" he unsheathed it and held it out. "You will."

The Whispers around the building started dispersing from there, as Sephiroth told them. "Listen."

Screeches were heard from the Whispers as they flew around all of them, making them hold their heads in pain, while many Whispers flew around Sephiroth.

"Destiny comes."

The Heroes all continued holding their heads.

Earth-7, few weeks ago

A tall man wearing a uniform similar to Cloud stood in a barren wasteland near Midgar, carrying the Buster Sword that Cloud did. He had black spiky hair, and a scar on his left cheek.

"We drag our asses all this way, and this is the welcome we get", he commented, as he saw an entire battalion of soldiers, all aiming their guns at him, positioned at various points on the hills in front of him.

Two helicopters were above them as well, and some Whispers floated by, but they seemed invisible to everyone there.

The man walked forth, the soldiers all aiming at him, as he shook his head, speaking in a resigned tone. "Boy, oh boy." He looked at the soldiers. "The price of freedom is steep." He took out the Buster Sword, and held it to his head, remembering the words of his mentor.

"Embrace your dreams. And, whatever happens….protect your honor…" He lowered the Buster Sword, now looking ahead. "As SOLDIER!" With that, he charged ahead, swinging the Buster Sword.

"Come and get it!"

Earth-7, Present Day, Midgar

The Heroes looked ahead as the Whispers flew off, while Sephiroth turned around at the mass of them in front of him. Using his Masamune, he cut a path amongst the Whispers, opening a portal of some sort.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Those Chosen By The Planet plays

"I'm waiting, Cloud", Sephiroth taunted, and then walked through the portal, as Cloud watched in dismay and sheathed the Buster Sword.

He started walking ahead, Sora walking with him, only for Aerith to grasp Cloud's hand, trying to stop him. "This is the point of no return."

"What do you mean, Aerith?" Sora asked her.

Aerith let Cloud go, and shook her head, before walking ahead and staring at the portal. She held her hand out, and touched it.

A shockwave of light emanated from her, and the Whispers seemed to glow with the light too, and the portal also had sparks of light now coming off of it.

She turned back to the rest. "Destiny's crossroads."

"Then why did you stop us?" Cloud inquired.

"I'm not really sure", Aerith admitted.

"What will we find on the other side?" Tifa asked.

Aerith turned around to look at the portal. "Freedom." Everyone's eyes widened. "Boundless, terrifying freedom. Like a great, never-ending sky."

"Guess that's reason enough to go", Sora noted.

"We need to be careful", Riku pointed out to him.

Aerith turned around to face the rest again. "What you heard just now were the voices of the Planet. Those born into this world. Who lived and who died. Who returned. They're howling in pain."

"Because of Sephiroth?" Riku asked.

"They…their words…they don't reach him", Aerith confessed. "All these moments and memories, precious and fleeting…they're like rain rolling off his back. And when they're gone, he won't cry…or shout…or anything."

As the others listened, Aerith continued. "He'd tell you that he only cares about the Planet. That he'd do everything in his power to protect and preserve it." She clutched her fists. "But this isn't the way its supposed to be. There's no greater threat to the Planet than him." She declared. "Sephiroth has to be stopped. He has to be. And that's why, I'm asking you to help me. I know that, together, we can do this." Then she added. "But if we do…" She turned around to face the portal. "We'd be changing more than fate itself." She revealed. "If we succeed…if we win….we'll be changing ourselves." She confessed. "I guess…maybe that's why I hesitated."

The screeching sound was heard again, causing them irritation, and when it ended, Cloud stood straight. "You said it yourself. He has to be stopped."

"And that's what we're here to do", Sora added.

"Besides, we've heard enough howling now", Riku said as well.

With that, Cloud, Sora and Riku walked ahead, standing before the portal, as Aerith asked. "Ready?"

"Yeah", Cloud said.

"Let's go change destiny", Sora smirked.

"That's gonna be new", Riku noted.

"Yeah, never tried to challenge destiny", Tifa had to say as she walked forth.

Red XIII walked ahead as well. "This could well be her last line of defense. It won't be easy."

Cloud, Sora, Riku and Aerith looked at the rest, then back at the portal, as Cloud said. "Let's go."

"Come on", Sora agreed, holding his hand out to the portal alongside Cloud, before walked through, followed by Aerith and Riku, and then Tifa and Red XIII went through as well.

Barret stood still, seeming to hesitate, before making up his mind as he pointed his prosthetic gun forwards. "Wouldn't be the first time I spit in destiny's eye." He declared. "Whether you can see the seams or you can't…doesn't change that she is always trying to have it her way." He turned around, thinking of Marlene, and clutched his normal hand into a fist. "Daddy's coming home real soon, honey."

And then, he too walked into the portal.

Singularity

They stepped out on the other side of the portal, finding the long road of Midgar still, with a blockade at the end, as Barret said. "Don't know about you, but looks normal to me."

All of them stopped, when Aerith looked up. "Over there!"

Everyone else looked up, and saw all the Whispers gathering the sky, a purple glow emanating from there, with purple lightning cracking.

They seemed to start taking shape, strong winds all blowing as Barret said. "Okay, that ain't right!"

"Took the words right out of my mouth", Riku commented, as the Whispers turned into some kind of tornado, destroying everything in its path. They turned around, trying to run from it, only for another Whisper tornado to block their path, also destroying everything, the group now trapped between both of them.

As the tornadoes came close, Aerith was pulled in by one of them, followed by Red XIII, and then Riku, while Tifa and Barret were covered in the winds as well.

"Riku!" Sora cried out in horror, before he and Cloud were pulled up by one of the tornadoes, now hovering in midair, upside down.

They felt the wind strongly on their faces, and closed their eyes, before opening them a few minutes later, now finding themselves upside down in midair.

They straightened, and turned around, looking down at the tall Shinra Building, now beneath them.

"It looks so small from here", Sora said, before a Whisper passed them. "What?"

Many Whispers were now passing by them, and the two saw all of those gathering into something, a giant, armored being with a purplish glow coming from it. It raised one hand, and they saw something like a black hole above it, sucking in a lot of debris from everywhere.

Then, the creature hurled the debris all around, shattering things nearby, as a lot of it came right at Sora and Cloud. Sora used his Keyblade, shattering two blocks, as Cloud dodged some of those, then unsheathed the Buster Sword, slicing some apart himself.

Sora and Cloud leapt upon some debris floating in midair, the former shattering another piece of debris coming at them, before they leapt up and found themselves on the road, now hovering in the air, as they faced the giant creature, with Whispers flying around it.

The road shook as Sora realized. "Its going to crash!" The two ran ahead, avoiding one falling part of the road, and then rushing through the other one, as the third part went downwards, causing the two to slide upon it and reach another part.

Then some debris fell in their way, only for Sora to shatter it, as pieces of the highway now came in front of them, the two running up the path before leaping down upon pieces of debris, one by one, before jumping downwards to see Tifa and Barret standing back-to-back, surrounded by flying Whispers.

Cloud stood up and running, sliced one of them, as Sora used a Fire spell on the other one, taking it out as well.

"You're both alive!" Barret noted.

"Happy to see us?" Cloud quipped.

"Wouldn't go that far", Barret said gruffly.

"I'm happy to see you both", Sora grinned. "But we need to find Riku, Aerith and Red XIII."

They looked up at the huge creature as Cloud asked. "So that thing…that's a Whisper too, huh?"

"Looks a lot more like an 'arbiter of fate' than the others", Barret commented.

"We can beat them", Tifa told all of them.

"Yes, and we're going to", Sora declared, as the creature held out its hand, and something like a whirlwind came out of it, before three more Whispers appeared, all looking different, one glowing red, another yellow, and another blue, and they seemed to have blades too.

"Bring it on!" Barret declared, all of them taking their fighting stances, standing back-to-back.

The red one did a sweeping motion as a red blade-like thing appeared in thin air, moving at them, only for Sora to use Reflect, blocking the blade before a random light explosion hit that Whisper, making it screech and stagger back. "Take this!"

Barret then fired at all three as the yellow one fired two lasers that Cloud blocked with the Buster Sword, as Tifa leapt and did a somersault, kicking it on the chin as it was sent flying back.

Tifa then did a Blizzara with her Materia, striking the blue one, before Cloud leapt and swung his sword, slicing the red one twice, while Sora hit the yellow one with Thunder.

It recovered, and fired its lasers at Barret, but Sora leapt in the way and blocked with his Keyblade, as Barret fired at it, and Tifa punched the blue one twice, before kneeing it, before it struck her, making her fall back, while Cloud clashed with the red one, and it sliced at his shoulder.

Cloud kicked it back, then leapt at the yellow one, swinging at it a few times as it tried to block, only for Cloud to spin around with his sword as it glowed, and then leap into the air before bringing his sword down, hitting it with a huge blast of power.

Barret then fired a focused shot at the red one, sending it back, while Sora struck the blue one with his Keyblade thrice, then hit it with Firaga, throwing it back, and as the red one recovered, Tifa rushed it and used a Ruinra Burst, making it fall back again.

The yellow one recovered and rushed at Barret, who blocked its blade with his gun, before it struck him, making him fall down, but before it could strike again, Barret used his Materia to do a Firaga, hitting all three at the same time as they screeched in pain, while Cloud's sword glowed blue, and he leapt up, striking the red one again with a 'Braver', taking it down finally as it dissipated.

Sora was hit by the blue one and fell away, before getting back up as he threw his Keyblade at the blue one, striking it as the Keyblade returned, and then he threw it two more times, striking it both times before catching the Keyblade on return and leaping at it, hitting it three more times, before ducking to avoid the yellow one's swing, and striking it five times with his Keyblade, then leaping to avoid the blue and hitting its head two more times.

Then, Sora's clothes suddenly changed, as he'd gained a Drive Form- the Limit Form. He was now wearing a red jumpsuit with puffy shorts and a zipper that ran down the entire front. He wore a black and white jacket over top, large yellow shoes, white fingerless gloves with yellow and blue straps holding on a silver circle plate, a blue belt with chains hanging off, and his signature silver crown necklace.

The two Whispers tried to use their wind blades to strike Sora together, only for him to do a Dodge Roll, avoiding both, and then he struck the yellow one hard, finally making it dissipate as well, before his clothes came back to normal, the Drive Form done.

The giant being caused a blast of wind, which threw all of them to the ground, the last Whisper dissipating, while they saw the debris forming a path near them, a spiral path.

"Come on, that ain't fair!" Barret groaned as they got back up.

They ran into the spiral path as Cloud cried out. "Run!"

"Come on!" Sora said as well, right behind Barret and Tifa, Cloud at the back, when the path started to collapse, some debris falling on them, but Sora used his Keyblade to shatter it all.

"Shit!" Barret cried out. "Run! Move your ass!"

Barret and Tifa reached the other side, followed by Sora, as the path underneath Cloud collapsed but he leapt towards them, with Tifa and Sora grasping his hand together to keep him from falling. He almost slipped from their grip, only for Barret to come in and grasp Cloud too, all three pulling him up together, before they turned around to see the three Whispers again, the red and yellow ones having been reconstituted.

"Oh, come on! We just beat them!" Sora groaned.

They rushed ahead and leapt near the three, ready to battle again. The yellow one fired blasts, but Barret countered by firing back with his prosthetic gun, as the red one swung its blade, but Sora swung the Keyblade, the weapons clashing thrice and causing a shockwave, before Cloud hit it with a Blizzaga, throwing it back.

Tifa cartwheeled away to avoid swings from the blue one, and as it fired, she leapt to dodge and spinning, kicked its face as it was sent back.

Then she rushed the yellow one and gave it a Whirling Uppercut, sending it back too, before all four were hit by lightning from above, making them grunt as they fell down, and when they tried to get up, fireballs hit all of them.

"Heal!" Sora cried out, using Curaga to heal himself, and then he did the same for Cloud too, while Tifa healed herself and Barret.

Then the giant being threw more things, as their path was blocked, while the Whispers disappeared, Tifa yelling. "Dammit!"

A car blocked their way, but Barret fired at it, destroying it, and they saw another spiral path in the way. Cloud, Sora, Tifa and Barret all rushed towards it together, running through it, before the giant being's hand grabbed the path in front of them.

Sora and Cloud shared a look, then struck the hand together, as it let go, freeing the path, and the four ran ahead, then leapt onto a road pointed downwards, before reaching down, as the red one appeared once more.

Barret fired at it but it swung its blade, deflecting the bullets, and then it swung at them as Sora tried to block its attacks, only for Cloud to take the opportunity and strike it thrice with his sword, staggering it back, and then Tifa did a Somersault and kicked it once more, throwing it off, before Barret hit it with a Ruinra Burst, and Sora leapt up and brought his Keyblade down on it, throwing it back.

This action seemed to stagger the giant creature too, and taking the opportunity, Barret fired at it, while Cloud swung at the red Whisper, and Sora swung at it from behind, the former getting its head and the latter getting its torso, finally dissipating it once more.

The giant being staggered from that, while Barret asked. "Did we do it?"

"Hang on!" They turned around to see Aerith, Riku and Red XIII appear, Aerith now holding her staff.

"We're here", Riku smirked.

"Riku!" Sora said happily, the two sharing a nod.

"Aerith!" Tifa said happily too.

Some beams shot out of the giant creature, making its way towards them, and struck their heads, as they all saw a vision of what looked like Red XIII running through a wasteland with two cubs behind him.

When they recovered, Barret asked. "What the hell did I just see?"

Aerith looked at Red XIII, who turned away. "A glimpse of tomorrow if we fail here today."

At that moment, the big creature's hand slammed down, breaking apart the place where they stood, and they gasped, as Cloud, Riku, Barret and Red XIII fell together one side, and Sora, Tifa and Aerith on the other side, purple lightning cracking from the being.

As Cloud, Riku, Barret and Red XIII stood up, the yellow and blue Whispers reappeared to face them, and as Sora, Tifa and Aerith stood up, the red Whisper appeared to face them again too.

"Damnit! How do we stop these things?!" Barret grunted in anger.

"Well…the big one is way over there", Cloud said, gesturing to the giant Whisper.

"But these ones are here", Riku noted, looking at the yellow and blue Whispers with a smirk.

As they charged with swings, Cloud blocked the yellow one's attacks, while Barret fired at the other one, and then Red XIII leapt at it, striking it with his claws, before biting with his fangs, then leapt away as it was staggered back.

Cloud dodged the yellow one's swing, then sliced it once with his sword, then again, and then a third time, before spinning and striking it three more times, then gave it an upwards slice with his sword, charging it with power, and then slammed down, striking it hard as it was sent flying off.

Taking the opportunity, Riku used Dark Aura, firing multiple Dark Orbs at both the Whispers, stunning them.

Only, the giant Whisper unleashed a gust of wind that struck the four of them, and sent them flying off before falling down at a lower level, the two Whispers already waiting for them.

They got back up, Riku now using a Cure Potion, that healed all of them, and then he charged the blue one, striking it thrice in a combo, before Barret hit it with Ruinra Burst, sending it flying back, while Red XIII did a Sidewinder on the yellow one, spinning and attacking it as it was staggered, and Cloud sliced it thrice with his sword, throwing it back.

The two Whispers fired at Cloud, Barret and Red XIII, damaging them, only for Riku to cast Dark Shield to protect them, before he leapt and did a Dark Cannon, firing a barrage of Dark Orbs at the blue one, making it dissipate again, while the giant Whisper staggered, causing Barret to fire at it again.

Cloud spun his sword, and impaled the yellow one, taking it out too, staggering the giant Whisper more as Barret continued to fire at it.

The giant Whisper then roared as beams like before shot out of it again.

Sora, Tifa and Aerith were battling the red Whisper still, before the beams struck the heads of Sora and Tifa.

Tifa gasped, seeing a vision of a giant, fiery Meteor making its way towards the Planet.

Sora gasped as well, getting another vision, of a different kind.

Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix Fate of the Unknown plays

An old, bald man walked through the dust, his hands behind his back.

Three figures wearing armors with cloaks flowing behind them, holding Keyblades, stood before him.

The tallest of the three wore a red and yellow armor, the second tallest wore a blue and black armor, and the shortest one wore a blue and yellow armor.

Keyblades were stuck in the ground all around them.

The old man's eyes were yellow due to the Darkness. As he walked, an after-image of him popped out of him, only to transform into another figure, this one having a suit with red lines that reminded Sora of Dark Riku, and he wore some kind of helmet as well, while he carried a Keyblade.

The shortest one tried to charge them, only for the tallest one to pull him back and charge them himself, but as he reached closer and leapt, the old man raised his hand and a giant hill rose out of nowhere, making the tall man crash upon it.

As he picked himself up, another hill rose in front of him, and he looked up to see the old man and the masked man standing upon it, looking down on him.

The masked man suddenly leapt down, spewing Thunder from his Keyblade that struck the tall man, damaging his armor and lighting parts of it on fire.

As the masked man rushed away, the second tallest armored one and shortest one rushed after him, while the tall man looked up, seeing the old man wave his hand and aim it downwards.

The sky darkened, clouds covering everything, while the Keyblades on the ground all ripped themselves out, becoming a type of Cyclone together as wind blew around them.

The short one leapt at the masked man, their Keyblades clashing before the masked man jumped back, and then Blizzard was fired at him by the second tallest one, but he leapt back to avoid it too.

The second tallest one looked up at the Keyblade infused cyclone, and ran from it alongside the shortest one, as the masked man leapt onto the head of the Keyblade cyclone and fired Blizzard blasts at them that they avoided, only for him to leap away as the Cyclone rammed into the short one, making him roll and fall on the ground.

The second tallest one leapt at the masked man as they clashed Keyblades but he sent the armored one back, only for the shortest one to fire lightning, but the masked man leapt back onto the Keyblade cyclone that went upwards around the hill.

The tall man was running up the hill, but the Keyblade cyclone got his leg, making him fall of the cliff, as the second tallest one saw him falling and stopped.

As the tall one continued to fall while hitting the hill, he used his Keyblade to grab onto it, only to break a huge chunk off as he continued to fall.

The second tallest one felt the ground underneath her shake, and then the Keyblade cyclone popped out from there, catching her in the middle of it as her armor was struck by many Keyblades, before it passed and she started falling down, while the tall one was caught by the cyclone.

The second tallest one fell into the crater the Keyblade cyclone had made underneath her, her Keyblade falling away, as the short one made his way to her, kneeling by her side.

Her helmet had fallen off, revealing she was a beautiful woman with blue hair. Grabbing her Keyblade, she tapped it and aiming upwards, fired a powerful purple spell towards the Keyblade cyclone that still had the tall man caught in between.

The spell made its way to him, and then formed a barrier around him, dispersing various Keyblades around him, only for many more to strike at the barrier from below, and the barrier with the tall man reached above the cliff where the old man watched.

The Keyblade cyclone and the barrier were in a deadlock now, before the barrier exploded, causing various Keyblades to fall here and there, as the blue-haired woman and the short one watched in horror.

The short one then rushed away.

The tall man fell in front of the old man, various Keyblades falling around him as he picked himself up and charged, only for the old man to block his blow with his own Keyblade.

Using speed that belied his age, he pinned the tall one's Keyblade down with his own, then struck it again, sending him back, before using his other hand to fire a Blizzard blast at the tall one, sending him flying back.

He straightened himself, seeing the left side of his armor freeze completely, while the lower side of his helmet was gone now, exposing his lips and chin, while one horn of his helmet was gone too.

The old man passed his Keyblade to his left hand, when the short one appeared behind him and tried to strike him with a leap, only for him to blur away, and grab the short one. He struggled to get free, his helmet now cracking.

The tall one looked up in horror as the old man smirked cruelly at him. Picking himself up, he charged, only for the Keyblade cyclone to strike him, sending him flying off as the masked man appeared next to the old man.

The tall man was struck by many Keyblades on the chest, that sent him falling down the cliff.

The blue-haired woman stood up, then looked up, horrified to see the short one in the old man's grip.

The right side of his helmet broke completely, exposing his right blue eye, and some of his hair that were golden. She could be seen in his eye, and the old man started burning him, before suddenly freezing him completely.

Then, he dropped the short one, his Keyblade striking a cliff and breaking off, while he continued to fall, hitting the cliff, his armor breaking off even more.

As he crashed on the ground, the blue-haired woman appeared underneath him, catching him as both slid away.

She put him down, cradling him, his helmet now gone for the most part, his face visible. Sora was shocked to see he looked exactly like Roxas!

The blue-haired woman looked at him sadly, and the short boy moved his eyes even while frozen, indicating he was still alive.

Up above, the old man's Keyblade was charged into a purple and blue ball of flame-like energy, that he shot upwards, parting the gathering clouds, revealing the Kingdom Hearts in the sky.

The blue-haired woman watched in horror, while somewhere else, the tall man picked himself up, resting on his knee, sticking his Keyblade on the ground, before ripping off his helmet to reveal his face.

He was a young man with brown hair that reached to the base of his neck in the back and were styled into rather messy, vertical spikes and bangs that framed his face. He had blue eyes and tanned skin.

The young man grunted in anger, and his blue eyes turned yellow, signalling that he was welcoming the darkness.

And then, Sora saw King Mickey approaching the scene from a distance, holding his Star Seeker Keyblade, ready to join the fray himself.

Present Day, Singularity

Tifa and Sora both recovered as the former muttered in horror. "This can't be our future…"

"Weird", Sora muttered at his own vision. "What was that?" His eyes widened. "Maybe they're one of those I need to save."

That moment, the red Whisper swung at them, and they'd have been struck, but Cloud came in the way, blocking its blow with his sword, before Riku struck it with his Dark Orbs, sending it flying back.

Barret and Red XIII ran behind them at that point, as Aerith said. "The future is always a blank page. While the past is always memory, beautiful or deadly."

The giant Whisper glowed with purple lightning, as the red Whisper hovered before it, and the yellow and blue ones appeared once more, as Barret groaned angrily. "Them again? Least they could do is give us a little breather!"

"What's it going to take to put them down?" Sora asked. "Every time we get them, they pop back up!"

"I say we split up", Cloud finally declared. "Take 'em down at the same time."

"In that case, ultra big boy is all mine", Barret declared, and ran at it, as Red XIII ran after him.

The red Whisper turned towards them, only for Cloud to leap at it, causing it to turn around and block his sword with its blade.

"Bring it on, bitch!" Cloud taunted it, before it pushed him back, and all three Whispers hovered in front of him.

Cloud landed on a knee before standing up with Sora, Riku, Tifa and Aerith by his side.

They charged the Whispers, Cloud ducking to avoid the red one's blow and slicing at it, before Sora leapt and struck its face, sending it back, while Aerith blocked the yellow one's blow with her staff, and then spinning it, struck its chest, throwing it off too.

Riku blocked the blue one's strike, then leapt and sliced at its throat, before Tifa spun and kicked it back.

Then, the three Whispers started spinning in a circle, and flew into each other, causing smoke to emanate, and when it cleared, all three were fused into one Dragon-like being, a Whisper Bahamut!

"Come on!" Riku yelled in frustration as it landed and roared.

"Let's do this", Cloud said.

"Oh yeah", Sora nodded.

"Right!" Tifa agreed.

"We can do this- together!" Aerith declared as the Whisper Bahamut spun around and sliced at them with its wings, wounding them as they fell down.

Aerith got up first and joined her hands in prayer, chanting something as a green wind flew around them, and healed all of their wounds. It was her Healing Wind!

As the Whisper Bahamut roared at them, Cloud did a Braver, striking it hard as it was sent back, and it tried to strike back, but Cloud blocked, as Tifa rushed forth and hit it with a Somersault, making it fall backwards, when Aerith did a Blizzaga, summoning blizzard spikes from the ground that struck the Bahamut Whisper, making it screech in pain as it tried to fly upwards, but Sora and Riku were ready.

The two charged and leapt together, swinging their Keyblades in a rapid flurry of attacks as the Whisper Bahamut was hit every time, and then they stabbed it rapidly with their Keyblades too.

It staggered back, and they used the Dark Cannon, firing a barrage of Dark Orbs at it, striking it and weakening it, while they linked arms, and swung their Keyblades, summoning thirteen swords around them that performed a spinning slash attack, which hit the Whisper Bahamut 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 the Whisper Bahamut 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 Whisper Bahamut before exploding, making it screech in pain as it split into the three Whispers once more, all weakened now from the 'Eternal Session', while Sora and Riku fist-bumped.

And with that, Cloud sliced at the red Whisper, while Aerith struck the blue one with Thundaga, and Tifa hit the yellow one with another Somersault, Cloud crying out. "Barret, now!"

"Ain't no stopping us now!" Barret said, his prosthetic gun gathering energy, and he fired, doing a 'Fire in the Hole', while Red XIII used his 'Stardust Ray', both striking the giant Whisper Harbinger in the chest while it was staggered by the loss of its minions.

The attacks hit it hard, making it roar and screech in pain, as beams were sent out of it again, this time getting Cloud and Riku.

Cloud had a vision where he was facing Sephiroth, and he leapt at the silver-haired swordsman to clash with him.

Riku's eyes widened as he too was shown the past.

Kingdom Hearts Final Mix Another Side plays

A hooded boy with blonde spiky hair walked through the Dark City in the rain, before stopping near the Memory's Skyscraper. He looked up at the screens, then looked down as shadows appeared, and various dark creatures with what looked like antennae popped out.

The Neoshadow Heartless!

They surrounded him, while up above on the Skyscraper, a blindfolded Riku, wearing a black coat, stared down at the young boy.

The blonde boy summoned both his Keyblades, twirling them, sparks flying out, before he held them to his sides as Riku turned his head up, raising both hands, the clouds above parting to reveal a meteor shower.

A white-purple outline of the Heartless emblem surrounded the blonde boy. Riku took off his blindfold and threw his head back. The blonde one mouthed something.

On a beach, Kairi ran to the edge of the sand and put her hands behind her back, watching a single meteor fall.

Sora stood in the middle of the Crossroads, looking up at the night sky.

A message in a bottle arrived on the shore of the Dark Margin, as the wave receded.

A white Heartless emblem appeared on a boulder for a split second, before the blonde one passed through it. One of his eyes - golden yellow - was briefly seen, and he walked forward.

In the Dark City, the blonde walked towards the Memory's Skyscraper in the pouring rain. Clashing blades sounded, and in an instant, he was surrounded by numerous Neoshadows, as he held his Keybaldes. He engaged the Heartless and easily destroyed three.

He continued, slashing them with his Keyblades, not hesitating to resort to kicking two of them. Three Neoshadows jumped high in the air. He looked up at them and followed suit, doing a backflip. The three Neoshadows landed on the ground, one on top of the other, and dissolved into darkness. More Neoshadows leapt into the air, and he proceeded to slash at them as he rose; with Oathkeeper in hand, he threw the Keyblade and eliminated four of the airborne Heartless.

The Oathkeeper returned seconds before he landed on the ground, and he backflipped up to the porch of Memory's Skyscraper. As other Neoshadows began to crawl up the structure's gargoyle statues, he looked out at the horde of Heartless. He looked up at the screens of the Skyscraper.

Riku stood atop the screens, looking down at the blonde one. He smirked; the blonde mimicked the action and jumped onto a post, leaping to an extrusion on the wall, and began running up the side of the Skyscraper, Oathkeeper and Oblivion held out at his sides. Neoshadows began to chase after him, as new ones emerged from above, which he promptly cut down. Riku walked up to the very edge of the Skyscraper's screens.

The blonde hurled Oblivion upward in another Strike Raid-like move, eliminating several more Neoshadows. Riku jumped off the edge, body parallel with the ground, with his arms outstretched.

The Oblivion sliced through one more Neoshadow before Riku caught it; his body turned, now parallel to the Skyscraper as three more of the Heartless leapt down after him.

The two approached the Skyscraper's largest screen; the blonde one, now wielding the Kingdom Key D in his right hand, ran past the bottom of the central screen while Riku fell.

The two passed each other, turning their head to the other before continuing on their way. Faint images of Kairi flashed on the video screen as Riku fell.

The clouds above Memory's Skyscraper cleared, revealing three rays of light.

The blonde mouthed something as he and Riku continued on their paths.

The blonde had flashing images of Sora during his Dive to the Heart. He continued to have flashes of Sora's memory.

The blonde walked up to the hooded figure sitting on a rock.

Kairi watched the meteor shower on Destiny Islands.

Riku plummeted to the ground.

Kairi reached toward Sora.

A black coated King Mickey flipped through the air, landing on the rooftop of the Memory's Skyscraper with the Kingdom Key held out to the side.

Back at the Dark Margin, the blonde one approached the hooded figure on the rock again; he turned to the blonde and spoke to him.

Sora then flew over a vast expanse of ocean, seemingly asleep, under a cloudy sky.

Present Day, Singularity

Riku recovered as Tifa asked. "Did we beat 'em?"

"Think so!" Aerith replied.

Barret and Red XIII hit the Whisper Harbinger with their attacks once more, making it stagger as more beams came out of it, striking Cloud's head again, and he'd a strange vision, where he saw Aerith on her knees, praying, and then some kind of Materia fell out of her pocket, falling into some water nearby.

The Whisper Harbinger was hit by Barret and Red XIII once more, staggering back as more beams came out, and Cloud's head was struck, and now he'd another vision, where he was carrying Aerith, who seemed to be dead, in his arms, and he was walking in water, his legs submerged.

Cloud grasped his head, shaking it, then saw the Whisper Harbinger staggering as Aerith said. "We did it!"

"Right!" Tifa commented.

"Let's end this", Riku told them, causing Aerith to fire blasts of magic at it, while Tifa struck it with a Ruinra Burst.

Cloud leapt and sliced it at various points, before Sora and Riku fired beams from their Keyblades together.

This final assault made it screech in pain as it staggered around again, now being destroyed, while beams from it flew all around, and everything glowed brightly, going white.

And with that, another monster of a chapter ends.

So, Iris is on Earth-21, during the 'Valkyrie' plotline, and is being told off by Lois and Lana for being a moron, like usual. Lana sucked in the show, but her appearance in the Season 11 comics redeemed her quite a bit IMO.

In the 31st Century, Optimus Prime and Grimlock have arrived! Hope they felt in-character, and hope Optimus Prime and Nine joining Clark's and Kara's argument was appreciated.

Thanks a lot to HRwriter97 for his help with the entire Transformers side of this, couldn't have done it without him, as I'm only a casual fan of the franchise, while he's the expert in it the way I'm for Tolkien, Buffyverse, Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts.

For Transformers, I'm using the 'Aligned Continuity', which is an attempt to align important plot points from various continuities to make a joint continuity.

The 'Bad Wolf' bit appeared again, as it was the arc of Series 1 of Doctor Who. They are in another world, but since breaches are open all over the Multiverse, Rose as Bad Wolf would send the words here too. And, I'm still irked by how The Doctor dropped Adam off for what he did in 'The Long Game' while Rose gets away with a slap on the wrist for her actions in 'Father's Day'. Yes, Adam deserved those consequences, but Rose should not have been let off, regardless of her reasons.

Spike is still with the Hobbits, and they've faced the Barrow Wights, with Spike facing some of his past Demons. For the Cecily bit, I know she was Halfrek, but I've an explanation as to how they're different people with the same face here, thank you to Marcus S. Lazarus for his help there. I'll give the explanation later, unless someone wants to know now, in which case I'll tell it privately.

The implication of course is that Cecily died due to something Spike did. This is inspired by a Buffyverse novel titled 'These Our Actors'. It's not canon, but I'll be implementing elements of it into the Buffyverse here.

Spike also has a Westernesse sword, while the Hobbits have those daggers.

After this, it will be more movie-based, since that's easier.

And now, the plotline with Doom is done. While the Heroes fought him well, at the end, he was too powerful, and also had diplomatic immunity. But now, the Fantastic Four have finally been named 'the Fantastic Four'! Oh yeah!

Blade meets some people, including the Jedi children who'd their test in that four-part plotline in Season 5 of 'The Clone Wars'.

And Parker talks a bit more with Felicia about things.

Thanks a lot to Brainstorm Sorcerer for all his help in these parts, couldn't have done it without him.

So the Injustice League has apparently scouted a potential new member. Guess who it is?

Meanwhile, Sora and Riku have joined Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Barret and Red XIII for the climax of the FFVII: Remake game, and taken on the Whispers together.

The Whispers encompass all of time I think, so they can show the past too, hence while the AVALANCHE members saw the future, Sora and Riku saw the past, with Sora seeing the 'Birth by sleep' Secret Ending from KHIIFM, while Riku saw the 'Another side, another story..' Secret Ending from KHFM, both events having happened in 'Birth By Sleep' and '358/2 Days' respectively. These two are my favorite Secret Endings of the KH games, hence I just wanted to write them down, and this Whisper battle was the perfect excuse to do so.

Next chapter shall end the two Smallville story arcs, and we shall see the battle against Sephiroth.

The breach cameos in order were Legolas Greenleaf from 'The Lord of the Rings Trilogy', Terra Branford from 'Final Fantasy VI' (2nd best Final Fantasy game behind only VII itself IMO), Eric Draven from 'The Crow', Talion from 'Shadow of Mordor/War', and finally Smallville Green Arrow before she landed on Earth-21.

Hope all enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter.