There are battles, and there are fights that just sort of 'happen.'

Bat had been building up to a confrontation with the Justice League for weeks. After putting an end to the easily dealt with criminal population of the city, The Justice League saw him as by far the biggest threat to global peace and stability.

Seven heroes had descended on him, and seven heroes lay broken in front of him. He had beaten them all, and it hadn't even been that difficult.

He swung the bat one last time as he surveyed his surrounded.

"You don't seem to know what a hero is." Bat said, as he placed the bat on his shoulder. "A hero shows up, beats the monster, and then goes home. It isn't our place to involve ourselves in social or political issues. We leave that to politicians."

Superman raised his head. He considered Bat carefully.

"Politicians are monsters too." He rasped.

"It isn't our place to replace them."

Superman bristled. Before he could to his feet Bat smashed his head again. The force was so great that even the Last Son of Krypton could not take it. He crumpled. Bat stood among the mass of broken bodies, wondering what he would have for dinner that night.

"Took you long enough."

Bat turned around, glowering. Garou, the new Silverfang, was sitting on top of a piece of rubble, grinning at him.

"Funny seeing you here." Bat drawled. "What, these guys too much for you?"

"Nah, I beat them too." Garou said, kicking out a long, powerful leg. "In another universe."

Bat's eyes narrowed. "Another-"

"Yeah." Garou said. "Another universe, exactly like this one. Only difference is I beat them all faster than you did…" He surveyed the scene with an amused glance.

"And the others?"

"In their own universes." Garou said. "I daresay soon enough every S class hero will have conquered the Justice League."

"I was told King already had."

"Of course he did." Garou snorted. "He's King. Actually, I was told he took on three different universes at once… And won."

"Three?" That might have given him a little trouble. He felt a twinge of pride: King truly was the greatest of them all.

"Anyway I'm hungry." Garou said. "Let's swap war stories over dinner."

He leapt off of the counter, and they walked into a local restaurant like nothing had ever happened. The civilians who had seen him beat the Justice League were intimidated by him- obviously, they would be- but he made it very clear that he wasn't going to do them any harm.

Garou shook his head.

"You beat the League, but they'll be back tomorrow." He said. "You know how this Multiverse works, right? No one stays dead for long."

"They call it the… uh-"

"The Retroactive continuity." Garou said patiently, as if he were talking to a stupid child. "These universes revolve around these heroes. When they die, they are revived, and the cycle begins anew. Seemingly… forever."

"Is there no way to stop them?"

"None that we know of. Blast has been trying for twenty years, and hasn't figured out how to do it."

"They're not hard to beat."

"But they can't die either." Garou said. He leaned back in his chair and waved around the restaurant. "This place… the people… the businesses here… the entire planet… all of it doesn't really mean anything. The only thing that really matters is what happens to 'them.'

Bat gave him a look. "

'You make it sound like normal people don't matter."

"They don't." Garou said bluntly. "Not to this universe, anyway." The waitress who was pouring him a cup of coffee gave a surprised jump, and accidently spilled the coffee on his wrist.

"It's fine, don't worry about it." Garou said, rubbing his hand as she gave him a startled look. She hurriedly made her way back to the kitchen. Bat rolled his eyes.

"She certainly matters enough, if you're being nice to her."

"I wasn't being nice." Garou insisted.

"Are you asking to get hit?" Bat growled.

They stared at each other.

"Let's eat first." Garou said.

"Sure."

The girl brought their food ate and they ate, doing their best not to talk to each other. They were still eating when Doomsday attacked the planet.

After they beat him, they returned to the restaurant and continued eating.

"The Justice League aren't heroes." Bat said.

Garou lowered his chopsticks and considered his words as he continued speaking.

"People get upset at you when you disrespect them… question their motives and their powers, and what they do to people. They treat their heroes… like a religion. They're not heroes. They're gods."

"Even gods can be killed."

"Sure." Bat said. "But if they're just going to come back-"

Garou stood up. He placed his palms on the table and grinned.

"No one's invincible." He said. "Do y'know how many times I was told that I couldn't beat Superman? And in the end I got to do it twice."

"Still couldn't beat me."

"Oh, is that what you think?"

They glared at each other. Bat paid for the food, and then the two of them walked out without incident.

"What are the others doing?"

…

S- RANK 1 BLAST

"So this is the full strength of the DC Universe…" Blaster murmured, as he stood over Metropolis, his Cape blowing wildly in the wind. "It was truly nothing special."

S- RANK 2 TORNADO

The green haired girl twisted her finger upward. Superman cried out in fear as shards of kryptonite shot out from the ground all around them, penetrating him from dozens of different angles.

"Hmph.' She said contemptuously. "You are this weak, and think yourself invincible? Don't make me laugh!"

S-Rank 3 Silverfang (Garou)

"I can beat him!" Robin said, as he kept punching the bag furiously in between sobs. "I'm… just as good as a fighter as he is!"

S-RANK 4 ATOMIC SAMURAI

"All this money… all this power… means nothing if your opponent can cut right through you."

S-RANK 5 CHILD EMPEROR

"Maybe… inmates would stop getting out of Arkham Asylum if someone would just fix the alarm."

S-Rank 6 Metal Knight

"All this technology…!"

S-RANK 7 KING

King sat on top of a chair overlooking the city. His heart thumping wildly in his chest.

S-RANK 8 ZOMBIEMAN

"Neither of us can die… So let's dance!"

S-RANK 9 DRIVE KNIGHT

"Power… cannot simply be hoarded and used as you see fit!"

S-Rank 10 PIG GOD

Pig Good took a big bite out of Killer Croc's leg as he looked out at Gotham Bay.

S-RANK 11 Watchdog Man!

The streets of Gotham were clean and orderly. Not a soul dared to step out of line. Watchdogman sat crouched like a statue, and waited.

S-Rank 12 Flashy Flash

The Flash was panting heavily. He simply could not keep up.

"He's… too… fast!"

S-Rank 13 Tanktop Master

"Anyone… can master the way of the Tank Top!"

S-Rank 15 Puri Puri Prisoner

Comissioner Gordon stood up.

"Is this the good cop, bad cop routine?" The Joker purred. He knew how all of this ended- he would escape Gotham, kill millions of people, and then be sent back here to recover so he could do it all over again.

"Something like that." Gordon said wryly, as he shut the door behind him. The Joker was still smiling as a large hand clamped down on his shoulder.

"Hello, big boy."

S-Rank 14 Metal Bat

"Well, I don't envy the universe that get Puri Puri Prisoner."

"True that." Garou said. "Still though, there's only so many of us and infinite universes in the multiverse… all of which are constantly retconning their heroes back into existence. We'll never beat them all."

"So we bash as many of them as we can."

"Same deal as ever." Garou agreed. "There'll always be more of them but that doesn't mean we should lay down and die." He smiled to himself, and twisted his wrist. "I guess I get to be a monster after all."

"If you are, I'll think nothing of taking you out… again."

"Is that a challenge?"

They glared at each other.

"I don't have time for Small-fry like you." Garou said softly. "I should be getting back to my own universe. Doubtless they'll be expecting me to fight them… again."

He cast a look back at Bat.

"If you need help… I won't come running."

He turned back around and disappeared into the city.

Metal Bat sighed, shaking his head aggressively.

"What the hell do I do before they come back?" He wondered aloud. He tapped the bat against his shoulder with hostility.

…

The very next day Batman was lying in his mansion like nothing had happened.

"It certainly is very fortunate that no one on the board of Wayne Enterprises asks too many questions." Alfred said dryly, as he handed Batman a cup of tea.

"I'm lucky to be alive." Batman said. "If I hadn't upped the armor plating on the cowl than I would have been killed."

"It is certainly fortunate that you are prepared for every possible situation." Alfred said, as he pulled back the curtains. "Do you have any plans on how to deal with that accursed Baseball Bat Man?"

Batman said scowling at his tea.

"None." He said. "He's too strong-"

"Simply outsmart him."

"He's too strong to be outsmarted." Batman insisted. "Nothing I have tried… even comes close to working."

"Perhaps it is because you still know nothing about this boy." Alfred said. "Everyone has a weakness. Something that they can exploit. Can you think of nothing that you have learned about this man?"

Batman closed his eyes, deep in thought. He remembered how his enemy had spoken, how he had acted- and who he was fighting for.

"He has a younger sister." He said slowly. "I don't have a name, but… if I can find her… and convince her to talk him down…"

He sat up out of bed, and winced.

"Best send one of the Robins." Alfred said.

…

Ten year old Zenko missed her older brother terribly. Ever since the S-Rank Heroes had begun traversing the Multiverse… she had not seen hide or hair of him. The Hero's Association had assured her that he was fine, but she knew better than to believe them. After all, her brother had straight up left them to join NEO Heroes at one point.

She began to wonder what the point of practicing piano would be, if her brother wasn't there to appreciate her music. She wondered if- something DID happen to him- when exactly she would be told. It was very possible that the situation would become so dire that she would never even see him again- or even be able to mourn him properly. The thought depressed her.

She came home to their empty apartment and tended to their cats- the Mother Tama and her recent litter of growing kittens. She did not notice the other boy standing in the room with her until his shadow descended on her.

She let out a cry and whirled around.

"Easy." He said, holding his hand out in front of her. "I'm not here to hurt you."

Zenko stopped, feeling her breath hitch in her throat.

"Who are you?" She demanded.

"I'm a hero." He said, as he took a step towards her. "Like your brother."

"Like-"

He wasn't S-Class, but she knew so little about the lower rankings (Aside from her beloved Handsome Kamen at A-1) that she could not place him. The more she thought about it, the more she realized she had never heard of any child heroes aside from Child Emperor himself. (Errr, Wild Emperor, he was trying to call himself now)

"What kind of hero breaks into a girl's apartment?"

"What kind of girl lives alone?"

"I'm not living alone, I live with my brother!" She snapped. "He's just… not here right now…"

"Would you like to go see him?"

She looked up at him, shocked, as he held out his hand to her. Without a second thought she reached forward and took it.