Doctor Fate was a complicated existence. He was the Lord of Order, Nabu, who sought to maintain peace, reality, uphold the law, and eradicate chaos. He was Hector Hall, son of the Hawks, reincarnated through half of their lifetimes, but never able to tell them, lest he bring up old wounds detrimental to their lives. Together, their combined abilities, personality, compassion, wisdom, and determination created Doctor Fate.

The Lords of Order always required an avatar. It was their law, and to break a law was … an unfathomable concept. Hector was the sixth to take up the mantle, and he worked well. He naturally lived a long life, longer than most, so time was of no issue. And with time, came experience … experience … and tragedy … the tragedy of knowing loss.

Whether it was the whim of Nabu, or the memories of their host, Doctor Fate was all too familiar with loss. So, Fate took to prevent loss this time around, a protective wall of law that would prevent all evil and chaos from disrupting it.

Thus, came a very … particular argument. She will kill us all. She's fifteen! The life of the daughter of Trigon, who will usher in the age of darkness and death. Age does not matter in the works of time and destiny. She's FIFTEEN! Technically, you are as well. The girl is completely aware of the fact she will kill everyone the moment she turns sixteen.

Rachel Roth, daughter of Angela Roth and Trigon, a destined child that would doom all life … the end of days. The conception itself was quite simple. A lost woman brought into a cult as a sacrifice, seduced by the demon himself, who left her as the sole survivor. The end result of a group too asinine to realize what they were doing, and a woman who was an unfortunate victim of circumstance. That would have been the proper moment to stop this. The woman was an adult who lived her life. But hesitance sent her to Azarath. She was pregnant with a child, a child that has the right to live as anyone else! A child whose non-existence would save everyone.

Said child spent most of her days meditating, likely quietly contemplating her place among the universe. Racehl Roth was definitely an anomaly in spite of her heritage. She was an empath. While she did have great natural magical ability, her true power laid within her emotions. To sense them, guide them, direct them, and, in the case of her own, utilize, compartmentalize, and access her own as a source of power. And, in spite of her great capacity for wickedness… she never attempted to use that power for herself.

She was undoubtedly a noble soul … so no matter how much Nabu demanded order … Hector Hall's decision remained supreme. "I have read the books, sir." The fact she kept her room orderly also helped. Her expression was neutral as she nodded. "They were… very delightful. The formation of Earth zero was fascinatingly engaging. I would've never thought about the use of magic during the formation of the multiverse."

"Energy is present through all walks of life. Though few understand it, Magic is another form of energy that luckily not everyone can utilize." The chaos that could happen otherwise … "How are your dreams?"

"… As horrific as always." She looked down, her face now troubled. "I… I keep having the same dream… the world is on fire … everything that was once alive is a statue… everything that was once dead is a demon … and ... and Trigon rules it all… there's never a change no matter what."

She knows her destiny, prevent it and save humans if you truly care for them. They're just dreams, it's our job to help her! Dreams that perfectly illustrate the horror future awaiting everyone. She's been told all her life her purpose is to be the portal. If destiny played out … darkness would win, and Trigon would be released … "All you can do is find your own peace in time…"

"Is… is that truly possible ... for someone like me?" She asked pleadingly.

"Peace can oftentimes be found even in the most, darkest of creatures. Even Lucifer himself can be found doing the occasional act for good."

Ms. Roth blinked. "I thought he ran a bar in Vegas to encourage vice and sin?" The girl asked.

"And he could be destroying Vegas and leaving nothing in his wake." They were so lucky that the 'leader of evil' was more of a broken daddy's boy than a genuine villain.


Inko cried her eyes out. "My little boy made a friend …. A friend with a girl!" She never thought she would live to see the day ... not so much that she didn't have faith in Izuku, but more that by the time it would happen, she wouldn't be around due to… her less than… stellar diet.

"Did you have to emphasize that last part!?" Her boy shouted in embarrassment, blushing red like he was a giant strawberry.

"Sorry Izuku, but you can't blame an old mother for being excited." She chuckled after hiccups.

He groaned. "I'm just lucky she can't understand Japanese and overhear you …" Oh was that a fact now?

"Come on, don't be like that." She snickered. It had been about three months since her boy left overseas… and a part of her couldn't help but wonder how she agreed to it. "I'm still a bit baffled as to how you met this Mister Yagi…"

"Oh, well…. Remember the sludge incident on the news that Kacchan was involved in?"

"You mean how Tatsumaki was insisting on visiting the villain herself for a little 'incentive action'?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. "Because of the fact that you ran into danger." She understood trying to save a friend… but the fact he did so when no other hero was around to help … it was enough to give her already fragile heart a heart attack.

"Yeah … he saw me and decided to train me. He was inspired by my act of goodwill." He smiled. "The other heroes ..." Wait, there WERE other heroes… then why didn't any of them do anything?! "Couldn't do anything because their builds and quirks were incompatible with the situation at hand. Except there was Backdraft, who could've used the water to wash the slime away, but he was busy putting out the flames to keep them from spreading … or Kamui Woods, who could have grabbed Kacchan if it wasn't for the flames setting him and the green connection ablaze … or Mt. Lady, who could've just reached down… I don't really understand why she thought the building space was such a big deal, she was able to reach down and protect the citizens from the backlash of All Might's Detroit Smash…. I guess it was just something you learn as a hero, I don't get it myself …" He muttered.

"Nice to see your time away didn't change you too much." She smiled. His muttering might've made people uncomfortable, but it was a sign that he was truly happy where he was. "Tell me, how's the training going? All Might's secretary was one thing, but you're training with legitimate heroes, big heroes at that." Heroes that could hurt her fragile baby if they didn't watch their strength.

"It's all been very good for me... all except for Auntie Fubuki trying to make it 'less hard on me'. If Star and Stripe-san wasn't here, then she would've stopped weeks worth of training I needed to stay ahead of schedule." He winced. "I mean, she's the one that told me she wanted to see my progress, her telling me to do less is kind of hypocritical."

"You know she's just trying to look out for YOU." Inko frowned gently.

"I know …" He sighed.

"Izuku! We're going to see the JSA museum!" A cute, blonde American girl that looked around Izuku's age came into view. She blinked in surprise. "Oh, you talking to your mom? Wow, you look exactly like her. Same big innocent looking eyes."

"Courtney-chan…" Her boy whined …. now to fulfill her motherly duties.

"Oh, is this the cute American girl you've talked about?" She asked in perfect english.

Courtney slowly turned to Izuku. "… You call me-"

"Bad connection, have to cut, goodbye!" He exclaimed hurriedly out of panic.

"Make sure to take care of him!" She called out again in english as the video cut, she sighed in content. It didn't matter if you were on the other side of the universe itself, a mother's duty was to always tease their children about potential girlfriends. Hopefully Izuku could manage to keep a decent conversation with her. Now, all she really had to do in the meantime was make sure Tatsumaki stayed out of the loop for the longest time.

She heard the door open. "Inko-chan, can I get a head pat after I shower?" Said woman asked in the 'I am done with life' tone she carried sometimes.

"Of course you can …" She turned to see the small girl walk in … covered in blood. Her eyes widened, alarm blaring in them. "… Who-"

"It ain't mine or a villain's." Tatsumaki answered quickly, frowning heavily. "It's from the Water Hose couple. They got killed off in a fight with that villain, Muscular."

"That's horrible..." Inko gasped. "Izuku admired that hero team."

"Yeah …" She sighed. "And the HPSC is giving them praise for 'dying a noble death' … glorifying the job once more as their kid has to process the situation." The woman walked up the stairs, grumbling with disdain. "This world would be so much better without the need for heroes. It's like they think they're the answer to everything."

Inko sighed … Tatsumaki's view on the world has never been positive … Especially after … the lab. "You certainly didn't think that way with Hawks." She mentioned.

"...He's different." Her sister muttered. "He agrees with me … a world where people can rest easy because there's no trouble … that's the only good world." Tatsumaki continued going upstairs. "I'm just glad Izuku's never going to be a part of the never ending madness of it all." She stopped at the top step, turning to Inko. "How is he doing at that new school anyway?"

"He's doing well." Luckily, white lies were something Inko was a master at when it came to her sisters. "He's even made a friend with a cute girl."

"Oh?" Tatsu raised an eyebrow. "How nice. Give me a heads up if she gives him trouble. We don't need a repeat of his seventh year."

Inko sighed, now recalling that unfortunate event. "I still say you hanging that girl by her panties on top of the Tokyo Tower was too much."

Her little sister gave her a flat look. "She dropped a bucket on his head and said no one would ever love a 'quirkless loser' like him. I don't take that shit lightly. It's like how Hisashi pumped and dumped-"

Twak

Inko pulled her slipper back with telekinesis, frowning sternly. "Get in the shower now before I rescind those head pats."

"Inko-chan…." Tatsu groaned.

"Now." Raising her sister was harder than raising her son.


Courtney was seeing stars as she gazed at the building. "JSA history …" So cool! This was what she lived for! She always thought she was just going to have a normal standard life as a cheerleader, but now she was living the dream of every kid in the world! Becoming a superhero!

"All the history of the world's first heroes... right here… I've gone to heaven …." And sharing this momentous occasion with her was her new friend and fellow hero in training, Izuku Midoriya, aka….

"Hey, so quick, probably dumb question ... what is your hero name?" She asked curiously. The boy couldn't speak English all that fluently, but she was able to talk with him decently enough.

"Hero name …" He blinked. "I … um …" The kid looked off into the air. "Haven't thought of it …"

"Okay, let's brainstorm." She raised her hand. "What hero are you taking a legacy after?"

He blushed. "… Not say."

"Okay …" Touchy subject apparently. "What's your quirk?"

"… Not say."

"… Should your hero name be 'Not Say'?" Courtney deadpanned.

"Sorry, sorry-!" The boy repeatedly bowed his head frantically.

"Whoa, dude, chill, I didn't know it was a sore subject." She put her hands in the air.

"Sorry…" he sighed with a big breath. "Quirk... never been strong... classmates often... make fun back home "

"Oh, is that it?" Courtney smirked as she got in closer. "You wanna know mine?"

"Oooh, very much, yes!" Izuku's eyes widened with sparkles that shined almost brighter than her own staff.

She giggled. "Behold the amazing power of …" She waved her hand, as multiple soapy orbs formed into the air. "Bubbles."

"Oooooh." He looked so awed by it, popping one with delight. "Fun quirk."

"You could say that. As a ten year old, it was a blast at parties." She smiled as she formed them around his mossy green head. "Course besides blinding people in the eyes and giving me a soapy clean body twenty four seven, they don't have any special properties or anything. Just normal bubbles you'd get from a bathtub." Definitely not a hero grade quirk. "When you get older, people judge you on the quality of your quirk...so yeah, I've been where you've been."

"But your quirk super helpful, like Laundry Hero: Wash!" The boy called out with a bit more excitement than she expected over her quirk of all things.

"Yeah, except Wash can make his bubbles lift people while mine follow the laws of physics." She snorted.

"Can you add soapiness to texture?" He asked. "Is quirk to make bubbles or to secrete bubble mixture?

"I..." she blinked. "Huh... I guess I never thought of it like that… my body as a kid was always a little bit slippery I guess. I just thought that was from making so many bubbles."

"Also, staff emit cosmic energy and put in you." He pointed out. "Put energy in bubbles?"

… Courtney turned to the staff, which gave its floating equivalent of a shrug. "... Well, look at you, greenie beanie." She smirked as she rubbed his hair. "Aren't you a little quirk genius?"

That made him fluster in a cute manner. "Na-nah, no genius, just spend time studying powers. Big hobby … only hobby. Well, hero merch too. Lots of hero merch."

"Oh really?" She pulled out her phone. "Do you have the limited edition Superman statue molded out of the oh so rare yet harmless gray Kryptonite?

"No … snipped by XJ-203 on ." Izuku sulked.

"Well you're looking at her." She grinned, showing him the image of her paid-worth statue. "Mom was feeling generous from her first alimony check."

His head perked up immediately. "Aaah … so cool." Izuku's eyes sparkled again. Boy was definitely funny and cute, she'd give him that.

"Hurry up kids, or I'm upping the gravity to six!" Star and Stripe shouted out from the front door.

"I almost don't move." Izuku spoke as she trapped him by the hand.

"Come on, you don't want to keep the number one waiting." She winked at him as she dragged him by the hand.

"Touching…" the boy's face lit red. He clearly didn't hang out with a lot of girls back in Japan… and that suited Courtney fine. She liked Izuku ... and she wanted to see where this could lead.

"So, are we seeing this stuff because we're rewarded for positive behavior?" Courtney asked as they walked inside.

"No, we're taking a tour because Colonel Steel dropped one too many plasma grenades on the land field, and Captain Atom is clearing the field of any potential radiation leaks." The number one American hero answered.

"... I not radioactive?" Izuku asked with a pale face.

"Don't worry. You should be fine, probably." Star and Stripe nodded... "We'll scan you two after just in case … especially so your aunt doesn't go nuts."

"Yaaay." Izuku spoke with a dull tone. Seems the aunt really was a bad topic for him.

"Now most of these were taken in, illegally and without restriction, by Amanda Waller during her days of trying to craft an Anti Justice League counter measure." Star and Stripe commented. "Fortunately the League and government has come to a ... mutually understanding as of late." Aka, both sides didn't want to take chances of another Doomsday coming to Earth.

"Justice League?" Izuku asked. "Why here not Hall of Justice?"

"The government may be willing to work with the League, but they don't fully trust them. The Justice Society on the other hand has more of an established rep with government cooperation." Star and Stripe explained. "The only other team that has better rep are the Freedom Fighters, but the group tends to go MIA for months at a time."

"Shouldn't that be a red flag?" Courtney asked while raising an eyebrow.

"You'd think so, but not that big of one compared to other leaguers." She noted. "There's too many disasters that require our attention. Like preventing people from stealing anything valuable or powerful, like so..." Star and Stripe presented them...

"It's the Flash's first helmet!" Izuku shouted happily. "Made-"

"With a literal speed pinch." Courtney smiled with excitement. "Forged out of an instant-"

"Due to the catastrophe in downtown Central City?" He asked. "The one with-"

"The Fiddler's surprise bombing!"

"You two are certainly getting along." The number one hero smirked. "Chīsana ingen ni wa gārufurendo ga dekite imasu ka?"

"Kare wa sode wa arimasen!" Courtney really needed to pick up Japanese. So many teasing jokes were lost on her. Her eyes perked as they spotted at a certain spot.

"Hey Izuku, check this out!" She pulled him again to look at something else. "It's the mask of the Psycho-Pirate, from-"

"-from first crisis event!" The Japanese kid immediately got out of his flustered state. "Where multiverse collided and was reborn!"

"So much existentialism was created because we might have never existed!" She cheered. "Not to mention the creation of the Hall of Heroes in the multiverse!"

"Watched over by Over Monitor!" Izuku cheered.

"Wait, I thought there was only one monitor?" Courtney asked, she blinked. "Aside from the Anti-Monitor."

"No, multiverse split, one monitor became 52 monitors." Izuku corrected.

"Wasn't the whole point of a monitor supposed to be a cosmic guardian that oversaw everything?" She asked. "Having more than one seems kind of redundant… plus if there's more than one monitor, wouldn't there be more than one anti-monitor and there would be continuous crisis events over and over again?"

"Pandora has that covered." Star and Stripe waved off.

"Who?" They asked, clueless.

"Long complicated story that would rattle your brains even more." She waved off again. "Trust me kids, sometimes you just have to accept the universe is too big to truly know everything."

"Is that why people like Lex Luthor and Brainiac are evil, because they can't accept that?" Courtney asked.

"A good portion of it, yes." Star and Stripe nodded as she turned around. She smiled nostalgically at the object in front of them. "Now here's something that brings me back. The cape of Green Lantern."

"First one, Alan Scott!" Izuku grinned widely.

"Why was his costume so tacky compared to the new ones?" Courtney asked.

"He ran off a different power source." The number one explained.

"He carved magic emerald into ring." Izuku grinned as he went through a notebook that... that popped out of nowhere. "A ring bathed in green flames he commanded, no recharge needed! Just couldn't touch wood for odd reason."

"Magical weakness." The woman shrugged. "Every magic user has one. No matter how weird."

Courtney looked around … seeing a curious little idol. "Oh, this one looks cool." She reached out a finger to it.

"Yikes, don't touch that one." Star and Stripe pulled them back, frowning. "That idol keeps the Enchantress trapped in her own dimension."

"Ooooh, the arch nemesis of Doctor Fate!" Izuku gasped.

"I wouldn't say arch nemesis." Stargirl shook her head. "Plenty of other contenders could take that role. Like Anti-Fate or Wotan … still, surprised that something like this is here." She stared at the idol warily.

"It's partially to do with Amanda Waller." Star and Stripe spoke up with an eye roll. "Back in her heyday of anti-metahuman advocacy, she wanted extra protection, so she had one of her subordinates get possessed by the Enchantress and used the idol to keep her on a short leash. What the woman didn't count on however was the emotional and mental instability that came with it."

"The woman was a supervillain sometimes." Courtney rolled her eyes as she turned to the object, noticing something. "Quick question." She raised her hand. "Is it supposed to be glowing?"

"… Shoot." Star and Stripe groaned before announcing loudly. "Guys, call whatever magician will answer!"

"Even Constantine!?" G.I. Robot shouted out from outside.

"Save that for a last resort!"

"Aaah!" Izuku screamed in fright, turning to Star and Stripe. "Slow it down!"

"Stargirl, get Izuku and anybody else defenseless to a safe distance, it's likely that the base is going to become ground zero of a magical attack!" Star and Stripe shouted authoritatively, before grabbing the object. "The idol of the Enchantress shall not break!"

The crack began seizing within the little thing, but the brightness began glowing more and more. "Will that hold?!" Courtney yelled.

"Only for so long! My quirk isn't magic, so there are still limits to how much it can take!" The number one shouted. "It'll buy us time though, so like I said, grab each other and RUN!"


The Enchantress gazed upon the strangeness of her prison … "It won't break … why?" It wasn't magical, it wasn't divine work, it wasn't specialized metal … it was as if order itself had shifted to say it wouldn't break.

Bah, it must've been one of those meta powers that kept popping up around or in the modern world. So ridiculous! If something wasn't from magic, it shouldn't even exist! She would change the world back to the way it should be, free of humanity and mortals! Only the magics roaming free across the land!

"Hello again, false Lord of Order." She heard the damned voice of Fate speak up.

"Really, you've known me for years." The female voice seemingly sounded with a roll of her eyes.

"And the moniker is still adequate."

"Nabu, I could smell the stench of your self righteousness from across ten dimensional planes." She growled as she attempted to force the idol to break from her side.

"Save your threats wench, there is no escape for you. So says fate." The runes began forming, tightening and fixing her prison.

"So you say, but the fact I'm able to break free even for this long means the hold has weakened. I can sense it in the air… the balance of the Mystical world is in for a rude awakening…" Something old … something primal was being unleashed in the world….

"Something you will not experience for a long time." They stated firmly. "You may escape in ten thousand years, or even in a thousand, but today you shall remain bound."

She focused her power, focusing on the avatar of Nabu.. "Your presence is shrouded in darkness... no ... you're shielding their presence... what are you trying to hide, Nabu?" She smiled greedily.

"Why would you care?" The (for lack of any other identifier) false lord of order questioned. "This is Doctor Fate we're talking about, someone experienced beyond countless tricks and traps. He wouldn't be stupid enough to bring it on the island."

"Not it … who…." She cackled as she extended the reach of her sight.

"Who-who, what the fuck is she talking about Fate?" The false Lord of Order glared. "And why the fuck did you bring them here!?"

"I have many duties beyond being your answering machine for every magical mishap, Cathleen Bate." Fate explained as her prison tightened more. "She's nothing more than a child I'm overseeing, nothing to concern your matters in at all."

The Enchantress smirked as she identified the source of power. "The seed of Trigon... oh she will do nicely!"

"The seed of WHAT now!?" The false order maker shouted in sheer astonishment and terror.

"It is a very complicated situation! You came to me for help!"

"Tell me she's at least not in immediate distance!"

"It won't matter anyway, once I seal the Enchantress for good…" She felt her binds tighten. "Let darkness fade into the light … Let shadow be bound to the sun…" The old fool began chanting as the Enchantress prepared her assault.

"You're powerful, Lord of Order, there is no denying that…" The only good thing about being sealed away in another dimension… given her time to teach herself new spells to affect other dimensional planes… "But you are slow to LEARN!" And with a bright flash of light, green flames erupted from the nearby enchanted emerald, her will able to overtake its power as it consumed the two fools. "So nice of you to leave such a powerful artifact nearby!"

"I am immune to magic!" The false order exclaimed, acting as a shield for Fate … as the fire simply bounced off her. Okay, false lord of order was a deserved title. What kind of ability allowed you to declare the laws of all things?! "Hah, now you can't do anything against us!"

"Maybe…" She cackled as she used the emerald's flames to lift the idol up… "But I don't need to!" And threw it against the ground, breaking it. "For now I am free!" She cackled, rising into the air from the pieces.

"I can punch souls!" And the false lord of order decked her in the nose, making her yelp in pain. Enchantress then growled.

"Just because you say something doesn't mean you should … of course…" She blinked. "Your words have power … that is … easily rectified." And in a snap of her fingers, she had done it.

"...!" The false lord shouted… but no words came out. Her eyes widened. "...!"

"You may be immune to magic, but the world around you is still vulnerable." She snickered as her power grew. "As I remove all air in this land!" No one bested her in combat, no one bested her in power… for she was power incarnate!


If Izuku had to sum up the past three months, it would be Stupawesome. Which was not a word in the slightest, but it was the only way he could describe something as stupendous and awesome at the same time. He trained with heroes! He got autographs! He was getting stronger! His aunt wasn't taking him home because he was quirkless and couldn't be a hero! HE TALKED TO A GIRL!

It was so good, that he almost completely forgot that life liked to particularly screw him over. "How fast fly!?" He asked fearfully as the only girl, and probably only friend, he's ever been able to talk to, dragged him by the hand as she led him by the staff.

"Halfway between the speed of sound, but it varies on my concentration!" Courtney, aka, Stargirl (Legacy super hero, so AWESOME!) shouted. "I'm just trying to make sure we're a safe enough distance from the incoming magic nuke!"

He heard a strange sound, watching as buildings seemed to crumble … but explosions happened the opposite way, so that would be an implosion … but what would be-the clouds were getting sucked in, implying a vacuum was forming. A vacuum meant no oxygen. No oxygen meant no breathing! "Fly faster! No air!"

"Trying… trying… getting… getting harder to… to… to…." And Courtney began to close her eyes weakly… as they began to fall.

Crap crap … crap! Izuku breathed with struggle. "Staff … fly … please …" His vision flickered… his chest got heavy… no…. No, no no! This couldn't be it! Was… was he really about to die like this … useless to everybody, unable to even get close to his dream … everyone dying … and him … being … a worthless… Deku like always….

FRWOMP

What looked like a giant dark shadow... Or it just could've been his blackening vision, overcame his sight… catching him and Courtney in the middle of their free fall. "Wh… what….?" This quirk or meta ability didn't seem familiar to anybody on the base that he's seen.

Was it a transfer with the Enchantress? A magical hero? It wasn't sparkly so it probably wasn't Zatanna Zatara, maybe John Constantine-still couldn't breath, still couldn't- "Azarath Metrion Zinthos."

"HUGGGGGGJJJJJJ!" The sweet cold and fresh air entered his lungs, making him cough as he finally found himself able to breathe again.

"So much air! Life, I love you!" Courtney shouted in great relief. "Thank you new chick!" Wait, what?

Izuku diverted his attention to what Coutney was talking about. A figure in a purplish blue hooded cloak, most of her eyes and face being covered in the shadow that overcasted her. "..." They didn't seem like they were the talkative type either, given how they flinched… man was that relatable.

On the one hand, this was another girl…. On the other hand, she saved their lives, and it would be more rude not to answer … come one, you talked to one girl, another shouldn't be a problem. Do it, do it, summon the courage that All Might saw in you! "Hi." Izuku squeaked like a mouse. Perfect. "...Th… thank you."

The girl's eyes slowly shifted upwards to his gaze, her eyes shining a bright, almost mesmerizing violet. "Are… are you alright?" The new girl asked timidly.

He nodded. "Yes … alright …"

"So we all good?" Courtney asked, nodding. "Good. Come on guys, we gotta bolt. The stereotypical 'portal to the apocalypse' is forming." She pointed to the giant green vortex in the air.

"...The end of the world is more green than I imagined." The new girl stated as she looked up.

"You should see Mr. Mxyzptlk." Izuku nodded. Who knew a death could look so balloon colored. But Stargirl had a point. This was a hero base. As civilians, they were just going to make the job harder by being near the trouble. He sighed. "We go now, heroes will cover us." As much as he wanted to be on the other side of that… he wasn't ready. He hadn't even earned the right to call himself a hero, or even a hero in training if he didn't even have All Might's quirk.

"Glad we got that covered, let's move!" Courtney grabbed him again (why was she always holding his hand!?) as they floated up…. Only to see that the new girl hadn't moved at all. She blinked at her. "...Ah… you do know we're all in danger right?"

"...Yes." The girl took a minute to respond.

"...And you're not moving because….?" Courtney asked.

"...I'll… just get in the way…" The cloaked girl sighed. "It's better... If you just leave me here."

"… You get hurt." He argued.

"...I'm… I'm no help to you…" The girl turned her head. "I'm… useless."

"…" He grabbed her arm. "We leave. Together. Come." He wasn't going to let someone suffer because they felt they weren't worth it. Everyone deserves to live.

"But…."

"Please." He begged. "Life… matters….you….matter." Ugh, why couldn't he speak more english!

"It does …" They slowly turned … to the ragged, green skinned spectral woman with a sharp smile. "For me." And she flew right at them.

"Get down!" Stargirl shouted as she flew ahead, firing her cosmic rod right at the specter's face. "Eat fresh lasers from space!" And it went right through them. "Oh come on!" She exclaimed with a moan.

Enchantress cackled. "I'm essentially a ghost, the mortal plane has little effect on me, yet I have little effect on it in return… what I require… is a fresh pair of skin." She flew right towards the hooded girl.

"Come on!" Izuku pulled her out of the way as they barely avoided her. "Run away! Run away, get to cover!"

"Run?" The villain laughed as steel grew from the ground, chaining them. "Run where!?"

"Here!" They turned to see Star and Stripe flying above head with a glare on her face. "The air within a cubic hundred feet of me paralyzes non corporeal entities!"

"Oh really?" She grabbed onto him, and, with an extended claw, struck him right in the arm, her finger goring straight through his flesh.

"GAHHHHH!" He screamed in unimaginable agony.

"Izuku-!" Star and Stripe got closer, only for green flames to erupt.

"Your plan is to get close to me so whatever order you give will take effect… but I guarantee that the second I think you're too close, the boy will lose an arm, and whatever else I can take apart in three seconds ... and I can do permanent damage in three seconds…" The spectral entity was smiling insidiously.

Izuku... Izuku got in the way… he got in the way and the heroes were compromised… he couldn't help… other than… other than…

He turned to the cloak girl, eyes pleading despite wincing in great pain. "Run! Now!" He was the hostage, but she was the target. His life was keeping Star and Stripe back, but this stranger had no such obligation. He'd be able to save her. "Run… Ru-gaaahhh!" The woman twisted his arm.

The cloaked girl….. Didn't run… she… she looked at him silently… and then… and then to the villain. "You want me, yes?"

Enchantress smirked. "Undoubtedly. You hold within yourself great darkness… great darkness that would be very beneficial to me."

"… Leave him be and my body is yours." No … no! Where was Doctor Fate!? Where was anybody!? Please, don't-

"AHAHAAAHAHAHA….!" The villainous spirit cackled in triumph. "You were clearly raised as a lowly human….someone of your stature…" The Enchantress threw him aside. "Shouldn't be so WEAK!" And flew right into the girl's body.

"NOOO!" Star and Stripe shouted as Courntey caught Izuku, no, don't focus on him, focus on-!

Faboooommmmmffff

A dark… sickly green glow came out of the girl… her face exposed… cracks adorning her face…her lips twisted into an evil smile. "Hehehehe … say goodbye … to the age of humanity!" She screamed as souls of the damned raised from her shadow.

"Stargirl, get Izuku out of here now!" The number one hero cracked her knuckles. "It's about to get nuclear!" She touched the air. "The air a thousand cubic meters in front of me is solid!" And the shadows began freezing in place as if there was an invisible wall in place, but it already began cracking.

"Come on Green Bean, you heard the number one hero!" Courtney shouted as she tried to pull him back.

"Gahhh!" He tried to hold in a scream as his wounds bleed more.

Courtney winced. "Sorry-!"

"I'm fine…. I..." He tried to hold back his tears, biting his lips. "...I failed… I'm... I'm not hero…I... I failed her…" He got in the way, he… he really was just a dek-

"No time for self loathing, Izuku!" Courtney got in his face, her expression resolute. "Focusing on these mistakes won't do you any good in the long haul! But we have heroes who can handle this! Everything's going to be okay-"

SMASH

The barrier in the air…. Broke. The floating, possessed girl laughed. "You will fall, hero! Then all shall!"

"All light in a two mile radius will melt away darkness, shade, and shadows with blinding energy!" The air got brighter-

FRUMMMPPPGFF.

Before complete and total darkness covered the sky. "This vessel… this seed… I haven't felt this powerful since the heyday of Eclipso! I now possess the full EMBODIMENT OF DARKNESS!" Enchantress roared in glee.

"Ah great, magical power high." She grimaced as Doctor Fate flew by. "Glad to see you could make it. She found your apprentice."

"My watch. My days of teaching have long since passed." He uttered in an unnerving steel tone.

"Right." Star and Stripe cracked her neck. "So who's playing exorcist and who's playing hold them down?"

"You think that mortal vessel saves you …" Fate's hands swirled with magic. "All it does is quell the complaints of my own."

He … what-!? "Fucking hell, it's going to be one of those days." Star and Stripe grumbled, as she ran forward. "I am immune to magic! I can punch ghosts out of children!" She began charging right at the villain, who simply disappeared into the darkness of the ground.

"Nabu's vessel has a point, even if he's foolish to try so, I will never give up this body!" The shadow emerged and pulled Star and Stripe down, face first into the pavement.

"And when have you ever heard of a hero listening to common sense!?" They threw out a kick that was also teleported around.

Doctor Fate, meanwhile, raised his hands, which swirled as they mumbled in languages unknown to man, symbols appearing all over. They... they were going to kill that girl... that girl... who's eyes were calling out for help.

"Izuku, we need to go now!" Courtney grabbed his arm. "We're holding them back!"

"...Sensei can't touch her… Fate… Fate is going to kill her…" Izuku muttered.

"They won't be able to do anything if we get in the way-"

"I… I… I can't let her die!" Izuku shouted as he ran off, ignoring the pain in his arm as he was yelling out his lungs.

"IZUKU!"

The villain huffed. "The boy walks to his death … how amusing." Enchantress waved an arm, as a wave of spiked shadows rushed to Izuku.

"Kid, you are REALLY making me regret my job at the moment!" Star and Stripe shouted as she jumped towards them and pulled him out of the way. "I hate Fate's plan as much as you do, and I'm trying to save her, but I can do that better if you're not here!"

"Me reach her! I can stop…"

"HOW?!" Star and Stripe shouted in incredulity. "Your body's barely in the shape it needs to be, not to mention you don't have a quirk!"

"Wait, he doesn't-!?" Courtney shouted as black flames blasted her backwards. "Ah!"

"You may be immune to magic, False Order, but if I cause every living thing to die, then that fixes the situation quite easily." The villain cackled as waves of black fire and shadow began growing larger and larger. "Because you're dumb enough to waste your power on them!"

"Damn it, Izuku, just go, this is literally do or die time-" Izuku was barely paying attention to Star and Stripe. Come on, come on, she had to have it on her. He was ashamed to say this, but he overheard what All Might said to Star and Stripe the day he came to the base… he almost couldn't believe it, but then he remembered what world he was living in. Come on, come on- "Are you even listening to me-!?" On her belt… was-

"Got it!" Izuku quickly grabbed what he needed…a piece of All Might's hair, in a test tube vial. In any other time, Izuky would save this as a most valued treasure, but there were more important things to worry about than collectibles. "This is going to be either really painful or really gross!" He opened the vial of hair. For once he was hoping for pain.

America's number one saw it and her eyes widened. "Kid no!" Star and Stripe shouted as he shoved it into his mouth. "Even if you go through with that, it'll take an hour for the hair to digest! You won't have the time!"

"New Order, speed up digestion!" He shouted.

"I am not sending you in there! You are literally going to make the situation-!"

FLASH

Light and dark clashed against each other, as the island itself seemed to rumble. "So Fate, how old is THIS host, I wonder?"

"Old enough for her to know the only way to end this…. Is with death." Doctor Fate's glare hardened.

"Look, if you're really concerned, get your aunt. Her ability to hold them down will give me enough room to save the girl!" Star and Stripe shouted, trying to persuade Izuku. "Enchantress won't leave by punching them, you either need magical or esoteric means! That quirk WON'T help the situation if you want to save her!"

"Girl can fight it…!" Izuku shouted in broken english. "Girl can fight off Enchantress, just need chance!"

"You don't know that-!"

"I do!" Izuku screamed with confidence he didn't know he had… even though what he was saying was a huge bluff. "She's stronger than she thinks, I can reach her if I can just get close to her!"

"You literally JUST met her!"

"That doesn't matter!" He shouted. "She's a good person, she deserves the chance to fight for her life! Please!" He got on his knees. "Please let me help her give her that chance!"

"Izuku-!"

"...She said her life was useless … I've felt like that all my life." He sighed. "...Please….let me help her."

…Star and Stripe let out an explosive breath. "… You are a fucking nutjob." She pressed a hand to his head. "Izuku Midoriya will digest hair at the speed of light."

He felt … felt … nothing. "… What now?"

"What advice did All Might give you?" She asked carefully.

'Clench your butcheeks and yell from the bottom of your heart, SMASH!'

"Better I show it than explain it!"

"If you die, I'm telling your aunt!"

"Wouldn't she kill you!?"

"I'll use New Order to bring you back to life before I do!"

"… You can do that!?"

"JUST RUN!"


Raven knew what must be done … there was no fighting this. It just ended in misery. At least this way she'll be taking down an evil with her … she'll die helping someone. She was nothing more than a prisoner of her own body now…. Her fate had been decided… she chose to embrace darkness… and that darkness would eventually fade away.

"So much darkness … so much destruction … such glorious power!" The Enchantress cackled. A force of evil Raven could attempt to fight, could attempt to vanquish… but what would be the point? Raven on her own couldn't escape her destiny, but perhaps this outside force could change it. Doctor Fate was the sorcerer supreme of this universe, he was more than capable of killing her… and her death would withhold the apocalypse.

"Power you shall not use any further!" The light had burned ever brighter, the inevitable end finally manifested into a blinding sun. "Fortores … septurek!" A spear of light was launched forward, stabbing its way through her leg.

"Ha! Should have aimed for the head, moron!" The Enchantress was a spirit. Pain and damage wouldn't bother them. To her, Raven was just a suit she was piloting. A suit that would wear down eventually. She was already worn down as it was, the Enchantress was draining her for everything that she was worth.

What else could she have expected from coming to Earth? She knew it was just a way to prevent Azarath from suffering the brunt of Trigon's invasion. In the end, the prophecy rang true. But … this was different. She … she would perish … and then everyone on Azarath would live …

So she would take the suffering as the Enchantress mustered a wave of death and decay. "Today you will fall, for death is the fate of humans!" Black fire covered the bulky blonde woman as it covered her limbs. "I am far beyond your False Order, and soon, the Lords of Order will feel my undivine wrath!"

"Clearly your new body has addled your brain. You are no match for the lords of order."

"And yours has rotted away. How long can you hold on, how much damage can you withstand … let's find out!" She fired more of the endless abyss of darkness from within Raven. A darkness that was always inside of her, a darkness that would never fade.

Soon Doctor Fate would end it all… it would all end…and the only thing that would prove her life was worthwhile… was that one boy in green… the one boy, who just met her, yet said her life mattered… naivety on his part no doubt… but … it gave her a warm feeling nonetheless… he would live a long and happy life…. Now that she would be out of the picture…. Now… now that she would-

"SMAAAAASH!"

FWOOOOOOOSH

What felt like a hurricane exploding impacted her stomach, creating a whirlwind of air that sent everyone back… and while she felt some of the backlash….it didn't hurt… at least, it didn't hurt her as much as it hurt-"BWAAAAAAH!" The Enchantress screamed in agonized cry as she hurdled into the ground. "So… so many pure souls… so much impact all at once…. It's sickening!" She snarled in disgust.

"Fight!" A voice shouted, grabbing her arm. She turned and saw the boy. The boy ... the green haired boy who lost a limb. "Fight, Fight!" The boy repeated again as he kept holding onto her… Green eyes wide, concern and…belief in them…why… why was he holding onto her-

"Pfffttt, ahahahahah, you think you can reach the mind of my vessel!? She willingly gave herself up… and you will make her sacrifice deliciously IN VAIN by clinging onto her like this!" The Enchantress shouted with a cackle. She pressed darkness onto the boy, squeezing and crushing him. "Your useless attempts at pushing me out are doomed to fail! It's as useless as your existence is pointless!"

"Tell… tell me something… haven't… heard…. Before!" The boy, gritting in broken english, shouted as he just held on harder. "Fight… Fight!"

Why… why was he fighting for her? They LITERALLY just met, there was no reason! No one in their right mind would… "Why…" She spoke out quietly with the little hold that she had.

"Shut up…!" The Enchantress shouted to herself.

"Why…. why…?"

"You're life…. Not useless!" The boy screamed, even as he started bleeding from his eyes from the pressure. "You can fight …" He roared out. "I am here! I am here for you!"

Because of her ... was holding onto her with broken bones and bleeding all over. "Fight!"

"Oh I will!" The Enchantress formed a spear.

"Izuku!" The girl in the star costume screamed, looking worryingly terrified. "Get out of there!"

He … didn't know her … she was just a stranger … and he wanted to help her all the same. Did…did such kindness exactly exist in this world? "It won't work…." Could… could she actually have a friend. "No, you've already given yourself up to me, you can't fight back!" She…. she must've been selfish…. In spite of her destiny… she…. She wanted to keep living… "YOUR TIME IS OVER!" She wanted to live … even if it was only for a little while … she wanted to LIVE!

Her body seized and froze. "I … want to … live …" She uttered out in a whisper.

"I will not leave, I will not!"

"You…. will…" Raven growled…. This was still her body… her power… her emotions…. "Azarath… Metrion…. ZINTHOS!" And with a loud cry, she filled her whole body with her power, exorcising the spirit from within-

"NOT SO FAST!" The Enchantress screeched like a banshee as she held onto her back, even as her spirit was being forced out. "You let me inside, and I will not let this door close!"

"I can shove ghosts out of vessels!" Star and Stripe ran forward, and as Rachel held the body down … the hero smacked their side, causing the Enchantress to fly out. She groaned tiredly. "Ugh… you kids do NOT make my job any easier…."

"Idiots, I'm still here, and false lord of order or not, I will NOT go back to my prison!" Enchantress shrieked in defiance, floating in the air.

"Once again, Enchantress, you forget the real Lord of Order is right here." Doctor Fate spoke as white light binded the woman by the hands and neck. "Your time in this plane has already come and gone."

"No … I … shall not …" She gasped out, murderous intent in her spectral eyes.

The woman placed a finger on the Enchantress' forehead. "The Enchantress is unable to move." And… the woman paused.

"...You couldn't have done that earlier?"

"It's a gamble, there's only so many crazies out in the world that forgo their former identities." She stated with a grumble. "I mean are you Doctor Fate or Nabu?"

"Yes."

"Proving my point."

"Are …" Rachel turned to the boy, feeling concern and guilt. "You okay?" She asked quietly.

"I… I ask you same…" The boy asked in return, giving her a strained but big smile. "You… you fine?"

"I… I am." She responded, slowly nodded. "...Thank-"

"Izuku!" The younger girl in the star costume shouted with glee, running up to the boy. "You did it… you almost got yourself killed and I would've never in a million years did what you did, but you did it! High five, Izuku!" The blonde girl cheered.

The boy smiled, moving his body…. And the stump where his now missing arm was. He stared at the non-existing limb for a moment, as if finally registering it. "CHIKUSO!" He screamed in pain.

The bulky woman paled. "Oh shit, has anyone got an eye on the green bean's missing arm?!" Star and Stripe shouted, looking around frantically.

"That direction." Fate gestured as they all walked away, the man keeping his eyes on the boy the entire time.

"… Doctor … I-" Raven's voice stopped, hesitant.

"I know it was not your fault." He stated, keeping his gaze in the same direction.

"… Do you know him?" Rachel blinked.

"I know of his flame …" He answered, almost nostalgically. "I can't tell if Kudo would be proud of his determination or sickened by his altruism."

She looked down. "He… he sacrificed everything ... and he doesn't even know me…" Rachel blinked, turning back to the boy who was trying to hold back his screams of pain as Star and Stripe was working on attaching his severed limb back to where it belongs. "What … what kind of person is capable of doing that?"

"A noble soul …" The lord of order stated sagaciously. "Come, we must prevent the return of the Enchantress and contain her better."

"I see…" She kept staring at the boy who baffled her.

Doctor Fate looked at her for a moment, before groaning. "I suppose that it would be safer to keep you at a distance from the Enchantress at the moment… if you wish to accompany the boy with his recovery… you may do so."

"… Thank you." She bowed.


Cathleen sighed with small relief. "Your arm is back in place." Real touch and go there. Luckily it wasn't the first time she's used her quirk to heal people, though it was never a guarantee she could fix dismemberment, or loss of blood… if Izuku had died… he… he likely wouldn't have come back… and his aunts and his mom would murder her immediately.

"Don't know if I should be relieved or terrified that we can treat missing limbs like a bullet wound." Courtney winced, turning to the recovering pupil. "You good?"

"Yes… yes… I... I feel… much… less sore…" Izuku nodded weakly as he moved around his once missing limb. "Feels stiff, but okay for most part."

Cathleen sighed. "Good, now you can take this… You baka!" She yelled, slapped him upside the head. "You're lucky that it activated when it did, except you're not lucky because you blew off your own arm!" She screamed, shaking him by the shoulders. "Do you know how worried I was for you!? Did you even think about how I would've explained any of this to Blizzard, let alone Tornado if she were to ever find out!?"

"Ehehehe …" Izuku made a nervous grin, "please don't tell Fubuki-sama."

"I won't…" Her eyes narrowed, "but I will tell your mom."

"... Kill me now please." He begged with a squeak.

"… So question." Cournety raised her hand. "You said you had a weak quirk, then Star and Stripe said you're quirkless, then you punch shadows into submission and break off your limb." The legacy hero in training tilted her head. "Which story is it?"

That was going to be awkward. "My …" Izuku began speaking up. "My quirk … is …" It looked like a lightbulb went off in his head. "Superpower!"

"... So is this a translation issue or a concussion issue?" Courtney asked.

"I, I explain." Izuku spoke up. "Quirk makes strength, builds energy into power, but power takes years to build up." The boy explained. "Star and Stripe-san help build power and body up to usable level." Huh…. not the most unreasonable lie he could've come up with.

"And blowing your arm off is 'usable'?" Stargirl's voice sounded incredulous, a fair reaction.

"He did say it took years for it to become usable." Cathleen explained, helping with the lie. Best to keep the story consistent. "So, how did your first time feel?"

The kid looked up contemplatively. "… An egg in a microwave."

Snnnk

There was a snort from the front of the tent. "...Was that Steel's stomach growling or a pig with asthma?" Courtney asked, blinking.

"...Sorry." A soft spoken voice spoke up as they entered the tent, revealing the cloaked girl, who was apparently Trigon's daughter, a being so evil that almost every corner of the known universe knew of it. Her shoulders shrunk, looking shy. "I… I don't mean to intrude."

"So, you're checking up on the dumbass wonder here?" She asked knowingly, pointing to her pupil, who could only wince in embarrassment.

"...Yes… ." She walked closer to Izuku, who blushed, but otherwise stayed still as she approached. "Your arm… is... Is it okay?"

"Y-Yes. Star an-and Stripe heal." He chuckled. "You… You been worse. No... No issues?"

The cloaked girl shook her head. "No… I… the Enchantress's influence is gone… I... I would've fully given into her... But… but…" The girl looked like she was choking up. "Why… why did you save me?" The girl in the purple hood asked weakly.

The boy, looking absolutely resolute without pain or fatigue, answered immediately. "You needed help…. My body, just… moves on its own."

"But you had no reason to believe you'd reach me…"

"I hoped for it…" Izuku nodded. "You... You catch me in fall… you good person." He smiled.

"Aww, you're such a marshmallow." Courtney grinned, ruffling the boy's hair.

"Heh, heh.. Yeah... yeah… mom… mom made me that way…" Izuku's face blushed red from the affection, before shaking it and turning to the girl. "So… what your name?"

"Ra…" The girl paused, clearing her throat. "Raven. My name is Raven."

"Stargirl, but you can call me Courtney." The legacy hero in training grinned, shoving her pupil to his feet. "Now are you going to introduce yourself or am I just going to have her call you green bean?"

Her pupil's smile was shaky but warm nonetheless. "Hehehe… Izuku… My name, Izuku Midoriya." The boy bowed his head. "Please to meet you, Raven-chan."

The cloaked girl blinked. "… Just Raven."

"Right, right, sorry, sorry, just... Just habit." The boy blushed again.

Cathleen snickered as she saw another opportunity to tease him. "So the new girl gets the chan and not Courtney?" She smirked. "Do you see something you like? Dewa, kono onnanoko wa anata no type na no desho u ka?"

… The kid's eyes rolled to the back of his head as his soul left his body, collapsed to the ground, startling the girls.

Cathleen finally saw what her master saw in this boy. A simple desire to help. No tragedy or secret motivation... just pure altruism... the spirit of a true hero….. He still had nerves made out of glass, but the potential was there, it just needed to be built up … for a long… long… long time.