Hello, all! Been a while since I updated this story. Writer's block had me scratching the back of my head up until now. Had trouble trying to write Doomguy adapting to a modern setting like DC. It's... not been an easy task. It does somewhat show as written below. I won't detail it, so I allow you to read below.
Anyway, I've been rather keeping with IRL stuff. Aside from updating End Times, I'm undergoing my fourth treatment since the start of this year. I'll be closing to finishing in three weeks. Recieved overall positive news and my future is looking bright as is. More will be detailed after this chapter. Thank you and enjoy!
(Word Count: 7352)
A Week Later
Brooklyn, New York
March 23, 12:47 pm EST
Manny sprinted as fast as he could, pushing a guy on his phone to the ground as he continued his escape. His flight instincts were kicking into overdrive. Quickly glancing over his shoulder, he could have sworn he saw a green blur on the rooftops. Sweating with fear, he ran into traffic - nearly getting hit by a moving taxi that honked. In his hands was a purse along with a gun in his pocket.
"S-Sorry!" He hastily apologized, clumsily escaping to the other side of the road. Running for his life, Manny eventually turned to an alleyway to make a shortcut, only to stop before a wooden fence. Frantically looking around, he saw a pair of trashcans and jumped on them. Climbing up the fence, the thief struggled to get over them. About halfway, though, he was ceremoniously grabbed from behind.
"Nonono!" He rapidly screamed before he was pulled away and thrown to the ground. Groaning in pain, he nursed the back of his head. His vision cleared up and soon met face-to-face with New York's new hero. The bulk of his armor made him one hell of an intimidating hero. Clumsily, he pulled out a snubnosed 38., only to be swatted away predictably.
"Agh!" He cried out, now helpless. Raising hands in protest, the thief's actions did nothing as Doomguy pulled him. Manny pleaded, "P-Please, man! I only took a purse! Nothing personaAAAL!"
He was thrown against a wall, crashing into a garbage pile. Scrambling to get up, Manny felt a heavy weight against his back - pinning him down to the ground.
"Come on, man! Compared to all the other assholes, stealing a purse is nothing but pennies compared to the shit you hear in Gotham!" Manny cried out. Doomguy, of course, had no such patience. Instead, he went for his arm.
"W-W-Whoa! What the hell are you doing?!" Manny was panicking. As if on cue, VEGA stepped in to answer the poor thief.
"Greetings, sir." VEGA politely greeted, "And from my understanding, the Doom Marine is about to dislocate your arm."
"What?! No! No!" Doomguy ignored his protests; getting his arm to his back while the guy struggled against his grip.
"I have called medical assistance and police to your whereabouts. Upon arrival, please inform them that you have a spiral fracture on your right radius."
"NO!"
"Deep breaths," VEGA finished, with Doomguy hearing a pop as he broke the man's arm. Manny screamed - and cried - like a little girl just as the hero stood up, patting him on the shoulder before walking away. But not before taking the 38. and the purse with him.
"I have located the owner of the purse. I will mark it on your map." VEGA informed, updating the Slayer's objectives, with Doomguy firmly nodding.
Later
"Thank you so much, sir!" The old woman gushed, "That man was horrible! Pointing a gun at my face. Thank you again!"
Doomguy simply nodded, waving a hand before leaving. Walking away, the Marine was ambushed by some bystanders taking photos on their phones.
"Yo, Doomguy!" One guy shouted, "Any chance we'll get a face reveal soon?! Brotha wants to know!"
"Is Vega with you?!"
"Got time for a photo?!"
Doomguy, having not grown to crowds such as this for a long time, simply left and continued his work. Climbing to the rooftops with great strength, the Slayer quickly settled down and scoured for further activity. VEGA proved to be valuable as he hacked into police radio, which allowed the Slayer to be efficient and active on the job. So far, most of the crime was tame. An armed robbery here and an angry drunk in another. Occasionally, he'll come across an assault in an alley during his run and break some legs. And arms. And spines. Whatever the case, it had earned him more than plenty of praise from the people.
"I have surveyed many of the reports coming in. So far, most of them have been contained and the rest are misdemeanours. Perhaps it's best to take the day off."
Doomguy frowned but took heed of his companion's words.
"Recognized: Doom Marine. 1-7."
The teleporter activated as Doomguy returned to his base. The warehouse hadn't changed much save for a couple of pieces of furniture. The couch and TV from the house were now moved here due to the Slayer spending more time here than over at the house. Frankly, he was more comfortable in a largely abandoned area than one full of nosy neighbours. Besides a couple of members from the League, he didn't feel the need to cozy up with anyone outside his zone.
Taking his helmet off, Flynn set it down on the couch before going to one of the crates. A lot of it was empty, simply there for display. The few that weren't were full of stuff he got from the local furniture or hardware store. There was only one, however, that he hid his stash. After some navigating, he went to a crate hidden from view and opened it. Inside was a stash of guns he had taken during confrontations and shootouts. Mostly SMGs and pistols inside, along with ammunition he managed to slip away. He figured since the police wouldn't notice some of it missing, he might as well 'confiscate' them for his own personal use. Not that he had much use in them due to the restrictions in place. Flynn furrowed in annoyance that the League was doubling down on this.
Then sighed in resignation and decided to play along, if only because some of them showed any decency towards him. Flynn stored the .38 and sealed the crate shut.
Having some free time to himself, Flynn just sat down on his computer chair and faced towards the computer monitor. VEGA activated the computer before Flynn's tired eyes.
"What game shall we be picking today?"
Flynn gandered his choices on the page. Due to a little bit of mischief, Flynn had VEGA hack into some bank accounts and used the money to buy off a couple of games on the internet. Not a lot to cause an alert, just a few that not many would bat an eye to. He gave a quick rundown of the games he bought.
Bioshock
FEAR
Unreal Tournament 2004
Max Payne
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Hexen
Moving his mouse, he decided to go one for a relatively brisk pace.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
"Excellent choice, Slayer." VEGA commended. The game booted up and Flynn waited for the menu to pop. Clicking on 'New Game', the Marine went to work customizing his character. Orc, Male, Knight. Simplicity at its finest.
Finishing up, he sat through the intro before Sir Patrick Stewart's character popped in and gave his usual monologue. After that, he went to work and began his escape from the dungeon. It took him about half an hour before his character finally got outside. As he played, Flynn pondered if VEGA could be useful in helping develop the next game in advance. Anonymously, of course. And with additional content cut due to time limits.
"Slayer, you have a guest coming." VEGA alerted, "Superman would like to speak with you."
Flynn nodded and gave his permission. VEGA activated the portal, followed by a bright yellow glow.
"Recognized: Superman. 0-1."
The portal flashed briefly before Superman appeared. The Man of Steel was in costume and had a smile on his face as he greeted him.
"Hey, Flynn." Superman greeted him, earning a waving gesture from the Slayer, "How are things?"
So and so. Flynn signed, Work is slow. Taking break.
"That's good." Superman spoke supportively, "Can't be a superhero 24/7."
On break because nothing exciting happens. Flynn signed, his expressions flat with boredom. Superman frowned slightly but kept his attitude up.
"Well, superhero work isn't always exciting..." Superman conceded, "But keeping the people safe is rewarding in itself."
Flynn, in his own sarcastic way, signed, Got that from a fortune cookie?
Superman chuckled at the light joke. "Just something I learned from experience. Anyway, you got time?"
Yeah. Flynn signed, What do you need?
"Got those additional materials you needed for VEGA." Superman answered, "Just so I need experience hands from you. You interested?"
As Superman waited, he noticed Flynn squinting his eyes. The Slayer then signed, What's the catch?
Superman, looking a little guilty, answered, "Those materials were straight out of Batman's pockets."
Flynn, having predicted that answer, simply sighed but accepted the offer.
Fortress of Solitude, North Pole
March 23, 7:30 pm UTC
Clark watched as Flynn went to work on the hardware. Of the suit covered, only his hands and face were exposed. Flynn was deep into his work, pulling and assembling the hardware into VEGA's new core system. Clark would occasionally provide some help, here and there, with VEGA guiding the intricacies of the new additions. Of course, the Kryptonian would have done the work himself but he wanted to gain Flynn's trust. Seeing how laser-focused he was in his work gave the Man of Steel some insight into how Flynn worked. His selective mutism was apparent and he didn't seem to have much in the way of socializing. If any.
Still, Clark - and the rest who wanted to help - was undeterred and worked to help him integrate back to society. At the same time, though, he was fully aware of the Marine's past. Facing the literal forces of Hell has completely eroded away what was left of the man's restrains. Especially when it became abundantly clear that the Slayer no stranger to violence. In fact, he seemed to relish in the act when he could. Just from Black Canary's assessment, the man was tip-toeing the lines of what was acceptable in the League. It was only a matter of time before the Slayer decided to let loose and cause untold amounts of damage to the world.
That said, the Man of Steel also knew he had very good intentions. Destructive, yes. But the enemies he faced were undoubtedly worse. Footage of the Mars Incident made it clear that Hell was real. And they were an absolute cancer to the known universe. If the chances of them coming to Earth ever came, then Superman and the Justice League must never hold back against such an overwhelming threat.
Clark shook those grim thoughts and decided to think of other things. Luckily, the Fortress' robot servant arrived and returned with some hot beverages in hand.
"Superman," Kelex addressed, "Your drinks. As per request."
"Thanks, Kelex." Superman expressed as he took the drinks off the robot's hand, "Off you go now."
"Very well." The robot departed soon after. Superman turned and offered Flynn his drink.
"Hot cocoa?" Clark asked, earning a nod before Flynn took the drink off his hands. Both drank the hot beverage and sighed afterward.
"Really good drinks in a place like this." Clark commented offhandedly. It must have been a while since you drank something like this.
"Hmm." Flynn grunted. A rare instance of the Slayer's verbal communication. Clark continued the conversation, still.
"Right..." Clark changed the subject, "Anyway, remember my cousin? Kara? Power Girl?"
Flynn looked at him for a moment, before setting his drink on a nearby table and - in a rather obscene gesture - opened and closed his hands near his chest. Clark could only look incredulous and stammered, "F-First of all, bad! Second of all, ew! That's my cousin!"
The embarrassed reaction seemed to have gotten a response from the Marine. A small smirk was forming on the man's face before signing, Yeah. What about her?
Superman quickly calmed down and explained, "W-Well, Kara was asking about you recently. She heard about your current living situation and offered you a job at her workplace, STAR Labs."
Flynn raised a brow at the surprising news.
Really?
"Yeah." Clark answered, "Believe it or not, she spoke with her colleagues and they opened up a position for you if you're interested. Just know that she goes by 'Karen Starr'. 'Kara' is her Kryptonian name."
Flynn blinked in surprise and signed, She owns a company?
"Oh, nonono," Clark corrected himself, "STAR Labs is a non-profit organization focused on research and development. 'Starr' was just a coincidence when Kara adopted it. Anyway, they have several locations where they conduct all sorts of tech development. Nothing on the scale of 'mad science' work but their inventions have been used around the world for beneficial purposes."
Flynn's shoulders slacked a bit, having a look of skepticism mixed with reluctance.
"I get you're not a people-person, per se," Clark leaned on Flynn's sense of goodness, "but it would help you to at least have a normal life. At least something close to it. Oh, and a job to pay the bills."
That last bit seemed to trigger a response, Clark noted. Flynn soon signed, How much?
"Enough to pay the rent, I suppose." Clark guessed, "The offer's open... but I have a feeling you won't say 'no' to a monthly paycheck."
Having put the suggestions through Flynn's mind, Clark watched as the Marine pondered for a moment.
Manhattan, New York
March 24, 9:58 am EST
Karen hurried to the elevator as she tried to make it on time. The constant paperwork and software encoding had taken so much of her focus that she nearly forgot about the meeting. And here she was running towards the closing elevators.
"Hey! Hold the doors!" She cried out, jumping in just as the doors were closing shut. She almost crashed into some of her colleagues who, thankfully, moved out of the way. At the same time, she controlled her momentum quite well just as she crashed into the elevator wall. Don't want to leave a dent on impact.
"S-Sorry!" She apologized as she caught her breath before pressing one of the buttons. The elevator soon moved, and Karen used the time to tap her foot impatiently.
"Come on, Karen," she thought, "don't blow your chances. Your cousin entrusted you with this meeting."
After a couple of moments and a few stops along the way, the elevator finally reached the floor and slid open. By then, though, Karen slipped past through and lightly jogged towards the front desk. Scanning her surroundings, she smiled to find the newcomer sitting on one of the sofas near the entrance.
"Flynn?" She called out, earning his attention just as he stood up. Even without the suit, the man was humongous to the point he stood out like a pineapple in a tomato field. He wore a simple gray long-sleeved shirt and jeans over high-cut Converse. Not that it did anything to conceal his physique, which was, in Karen's private words, well-defined.
Nonetheless, she greeted him warmly and said, "Welcome! So glad you joined! I was beginning to believe you wouldn't accept the application."
Your cousin told me about the job offer, Flynn signed. Kara paused for a moment and realized she had forgotten something. Time quickly slowed down and Kara blitzed back up to her office. Scrounging through her messy desk, the Kryptonian found the sign language book and quickly scrolled through its pages in nanoseconds before putting it down and rushing back downstairs. Time resumed without issue and Kara quickly signed, Glad he did some convincing.
"Not. Deaf." He muttered in sparse words. Kara realized and said, "Oh! Right! Silly me! I forgot you haven't been here for a while but I prepared myself just for the occasion."
Kara cleared her voice and straightened her posture, "But where are my manners? My name is Karen Starr. And yes, I know. Everyone makes jokes about my name. Sometimes calling me the 'Poster Girl of STAR Labs' or 'Po-STAR Girl'. Kinda lame if ya ask me."
Flynn listened intently, simply nodding to get by.
"But where was I?" Kara briefly looked off, "Ah, right. Welcome to STAR Labs, which stands for 'Science and Technology Advanced Research Laboratories'. Now if you follow me, we can start a little tour around the place."
Kara turned around and gestured for him to follow.
Flynn hadn't really expected much entering the building. Sure, it was a fancy dome with attachments but nothing to give much thought about. Even walking in to find the decor to be something Apple would blush about didn't phase him in the slightest.
Well... almost.
Taking a seat in the waiting area, it only took a few moments before Superman's cousin appeared and greeted him. Despite the rather paper-thin disguise, she was surprisingly easy to spot–wearing a blue sweater with a buttoned shirt and a black knee-high skirt to fit the scientist look, complete with a tied-up bun and glasses. After a short - if quirky - introduction, he followed her inside where Kara - or 'Karen' as she calls herself - toured him around STAR Labs' facilities. Walking down the hall, Flynn looked both sides to find scientists occupied with their research behind glass surfaces. Bits and baubles were being experimented, here and there. Occasionally, a scientist or two would pass by, greeting Kara until they were unnerved by Flynn's presence.
Flynn simply ignored them, with few things ever really catching the Slayer's attention as he simply shut off and followed the blonde heroine-in-disguise. Hell, he wasn't paying attention to what Karen was saying as he simply stared at her. Strange, he thought, as every time she would turn to face him, he felt... relaxed. Calm around her.
"...so hearing about from my only source of your credentials," Karen continued on, "You're pretty good with a wrench. Am I hearing right?"
Machines, yes. Flynn signed. Karen smiled in acknowledgement.
"That's great! We actually have an engineering division around here, which includes Moi! Software in my case."
As they continued, one of the researchers almost crashed into them with his back opening the door. The dark-skinned man was currently carrying some stacked boxes when he appeared. Despite his load, he was well-built and accustomed to heavy lifting. Kara was quick to move out of the way before the man stumbled. Flynn, meanwhile, moved in as he noticed the man losing his balance.
"Woah!" The man hollered, surprised by Flynn grabbing him, "Sorry about that! Didn't mean to bump into you!"
"Hey, Henry." Kara reached out to help her colleague. "Lemme help you out."
Flynn helped likewise. Both removed the boxes stacked at the top from her colleague known as Henry. With the weight lifted, Henry looked relieved before looking surprised.
"Woah!" Henry said as he looked at Flynn's imposing stature, "Where they been feeding you? Texas?"
Flynn remained mute by the response, which almost unnerved the man until Kara stepped in.
"Sorry, Henry." Kara apologized in Flynn's stead, "This is Flynn. He's... something of an intern. I'm just giving him a tour around the place. Flynn, this is John Henry Irons. A fellow engineer."
"Nice!" Henry set the remaining to the side of his hip and reached out a hand, "Could use an extra hand around here."
Flynn set his box aside as well and shook his hand, signing, You too.
"Flynn says, 'he looks forward as well', Henry."
"Oh?" Henry said, "Sorry. I didn't know you were deaf?"
"I'm not," Flynn spoke in halting words. Henry quickly looked at Kara who said, "Sorry. Flynn has... a disability. He can talk. Just... non-verbal at the moment."
"Trying." Flynn blurted in an attempt to act normal. Kara faked a cough to try and keep things cool. Thankfully, Henry took it well and said, "No worries, man. I get it. I know a guy whose kid has similar problems. Smart kid, though."
Flynn simply nodded before Henry looked down at his wristwatch.
"Oof." Henry sighed, "If you guys don't mind walking with me, I gotta bring these parts to Dr. Stone."
"Yeah, sure." Kara agreed, following Henry behind while prompting Flynn to follow.
"Guess we're gonna see the VIP." Kara whispered to him, "Don't worry, Dr. Stone is a pretty chill guy. He'll be excited to see you."
Further walking down the hall, the trio were soon joined by another colleague. He was a twenty-something man of Asian descent with short black hair and thick glasses. Unlike his other two colleagues, he was shorter. As he got closer, he raised a hand while smiling.
"What up, Iron Man?" He exclaimed, with Henry high-fiving him and replying, "Still reaching for the skies! How ya doin', Ryan?"
"I'm good myself! Hahah!" The shorter scientist, now Ryan, said, "Still, Dr. Palmer's busting my chops. Making breakthroughs with our project, though. Always breaking boundaries."
"And you are still at a short notice." Kara spoke up, prompting a chuckle from Ryan.
"Oh! Always stabbing with me the puns!" Ryan joked back, "How about you, Poster Girl?"
"Ugh." Kara feigned disgust, "I'll feel better if I can squash you like a bug, Ryan."
"Hmm... not as good as the first one, Karen." Ryan teased. Quickly, he soon realized Flynn's presence and backed away a little in surprise.
"Say..." Ryan nervously spoke, "Who's the guy?"
"Ryan," Kara started introductions, "this is Flynn. I'm giving a tour around the place."
"Oh?" Ryan looked surprised, "Is he... a company agent?"
"No. He's a new hire." Kara answered. Ryan's eyes widened and said, "Really?"
"Yep. And before you ask, he knows his way around machines."
"Oh? We got ourselves a Will Hunting here?" Ryan joked, "At least you skipped the janitor duty, big guy!"
Flynn simply stared at the smaller man with apathy, actually causing discomfort as Ryan's cheerful laugh died a bit.
"Heh... Nice to meet you, Flynn." Ryan awkwardly introduced, "Name's Ryan Choi. Physicist. Working as an assistant for Dr. Ray Palmer, technically. Experimenting on dwarf star matter tech-"
"I don't think he knows, Ryan." Henry hijacked the conversation.
"...shrinking technology." That was all Ryan could say, which earned him a simple nod of acknowledgment from Flynn. Finally, the group made their way towards a big door, which had a clear window leaving little for the imagination. Opening, the four found themselves joining with other scientists. Lots of labcoats and name tags, with the occasional security on standby. A pretty standard procedure, all things considered. His presence, however, did get some researchers looking in his direction. A few scientists couldn't help but gawk at the man's size, while the nearby security looked at him suspiciously. Again, not something he's a stranger to.
Irons took the lead and went to another scientist. He was a man of dark complexion and slightly taller-than-average height. He had a pair of thick rectangular glasses on him and he seemed more focused on the clipboard he carried.
"Dr. Stone," Henry addressed while setting down the box. "Here are the materials you requested for the project. Anything I could do to help out?"
"Yes," Dr. Stone looked up, "Thank you, Mr. Irons. Your help is always appreciated. But that will be all for the day."
"Understood, sir." Henry said right before departing. He gave the others a farewell look before leaving. The rest soon dropped off the boxes right where Irons placed down. Ryan took leave after and joined with another scientist nearby. Ray Palmer, presumably. Now it was just Karen and Flynn. The former introduced the new member of the Labs.
"Hi, Dr. Stone." Karen addressed, "I'm here with a new intern seeking interest in our research. He's a... promising one."
"Ah, Karen, thank yo-" Dr. Stone took his eyes off his notes to face Kara only to look directly at Flynn. Surprise... was an understatement.
"Oh! Okay, wow!" Dr. Stone was stunned, "I had expected someone of... normal stature. Forgive me, I'm quite stunned to see you, Mr..."
"Taggart, sir." Kara stepped in. "Mr. Taggart was, actually, appointed to me by a... very outstanding individual. And I figured such a promising... individual would fit right in with our team."
"I... see." Said Dr. Stone, "I'll admit appearance is... not what I usually expected... but I guess you can't judge a book by its cover. Tell me, Mr. Taggart, do you have any credentials? And sort of area of expertise are you in?"
Before Flynn could answer, Kara - like before - added, "I almost forgot to answer but Mr. Taggart here is unable to speak. Currently, for now. He's only able to communicate through sign language."
"Oh." Dr. Stone spoke with sympathy, "I'm terribly sorry to hear."
Thank you.
"He says thank you for understanding." Kara translated. Dr. Stone nodded and continued, "Still, do you have any experience in some area?"
Flynn signed, which Kara translated to, "Engineering. Hardware."
"Hmmm..." Dr. Stone hummed. "Interesting. Wouldn't mind another engineer to the team. Where did you get your skills by the way?"
Before Flynn could answer, Kara told him to wait nearby before talking to her boss.
"About that, Dr. Stone..." Kara stepped, gently breaking the news, "his credentials... are non-existent."
The head scientist lifted a brow when he heard Kara's reveal.
"I'm sorry?" Dr. Stone blinked twice, "He's what?"
"He doesn't... have credentials." Kara winced at the answer she gave him. Dr. Stone looked at her as if she had gone insane.
"Ms. Starr..." He said her name, "I appreciate your honesty and integrity to the Labs but you brought in a dropout in a restricted area?"
"I know how that sounds but Mr. Taggart displayed some remarkable skills."
"Really?" Dr. Stone skeptically spoke, "Do you have proof?"
Kara's mouth was open but little words escaped.
"We could..." She tried to make up something, "...give him a test run?"
The look on Dr. Stone's face said it all.
"Karen..." He sighed, "...there's only so much I can tolerate a small joke or two. But you can't just have someone waltz in and-..."
Dr. Stone's eyes drifted away from Kara's face as his face expressed a look of surprise. Kara turned to where he was looking and saw Flynn working on one of the machines. Said machine was the huge scanner used for identifying extraterrestrial objects.
"Hey!" Dr. Stone exclaimed; walking towards the tall man, "Sir! You can't be tampering with that machine!"
Flynn said nothing. Not even glancing back at the researcher.
"Excuse me!" Dr. Stone made his way towards him, with Kara following behind.
"I don't know where Dr. Starr found you but you cannot-" Dr. Stone didn't finish before the machine booted up without trouble.
"-...tamper..." The head researcher froze in surprise to find the machine working properly. Flynn stood up, wiping his hands with a rag nearby. Dr. Stone stared up at the giant before looking down to where Flynn was fixing.
"H-How did you...?" Dr. Stone muttered. Flynn then began signing.
"He says 'the wires were mixed up in the wrong places'," Karen answered, "They weren't properly checked. And your processor cores were placed in the wrong way."
Dr. Stone blinked twice before mustering up some words.
"I see..." He replied before sighing, "Apologies. It seems Dr. Starr... was correct in giving you the tour. If I may, perhaps we can test your skills."
Flynn simply shrugged, causing Dr. Stone to be somewhat miffed by his nonchalant attitude. He then looked at Kara. The woman smiled awkwardly as Dr. Stone gave her the clear.
6:42 pm EST
Karen finally stretched her legs as she and Flynn got out of the office. The Kryptonian rubbed her neck whilst stretching.
"Gotta admit..." She yawned, "Not bad for a first impression. Kinda funny seeing Dr. Stone spooked by your 'Good Will Hunting' act. Can't get that image outta my head. Heh."
So I'm hired? Signed Flynn.
"Pretty much~" She answered in a light tone, "Congratulations, big guy! You're officially inducted to STAR Labs!"
Flynn smirked, causing Kara to blow a raspberry.
"Ugh, so lame!" She whined, "You should be celebrating! You're back on Earth! Working for the good guys! And now you got a job! Shouldn't that excite you?!"
Flynn expressed a look of uncertainty before signing, Not many phases me, honestly.
Karen sighed.
"Oh, alright." She pouted, "Maybe we can find something to do."
Kara then had a eureka.
"Maybe we should celebrate tonight! How about dinner? Treat is on me!" She suggested. Flynn raised a brow.
Any good food?
"Know a place that sells ramen." Answered Kara, "Not that instant crap you find in Wal-Mart. I'm talking about the real deal. Up in the East Village. You'll love it! Though, hope you're not afraid of heights."
Flynn raised a brow.
East Village, Manhattan
6:48 pm EST
The two landed in the area Kara spoke of. Flynn half-expected the flying but he didn't expect how smooth the flight would go. Currently, they were in an alley. It was void, allowing them to land without worry of being caught. As they exited, they arrived at the place she spoke of.
Entering, they were greeted by the receptionist at the front.
"Table for two, please." Kara requested the receptionist at the front. The young server allowed them in and led them to their table. Flynn took in the interior of the restaurant. This "Momofuku" place had a similar aesthetic to the Labs albeit with some rustic elements such as wood and carved rock. The place was getting busy but there were still some seats left.
"You guys don't mind sitting at the bar counter?" Asked the receptionist.
"Not much at all." Kara politely answered. Flynn signed in turn.
"Same, he says," Kara answered for him. The smaller woman smiled and said, "Alright! Please have a seat!"
The two took their seats as they settled down.
"Here are your menus." The young woman handed the flimsy booklets in front of them.
"Let us know when you guys are ready." She said, "Otherwise, would either of you like some beverages?"
"Uhhh..." Kara waited expectantly for Flynn, "Anything you like?"
Flynn paused and looked at the menu. He noted the picture of alcohol on the menu. Pointing it, Kara turned and said, "Two beers, thanks."
The server acknowledged and left. Now that they were alone, the two get to watch the staff cook in full view.
"So..." Kara mustered up the words, "...feels nice to be back on Earth? I mean, you seem to be settling here quite well. You have friends now, get to eat good food, and finally got a well-paying job. What's not to love?"
So-so. He signed.
Kara pouted in disappointment.
"Well, at least appreciate a free meal outta my wallet!" She huffed, crossing her arms. Eventually, the server returned with the drinks. Huge glass mugs were placed in front of them.
"Ready to order, miss?" Asked the server.
"Yes." Said Kara, looking at the menu. "We'll start with gyoza. I'll be having the Chicken Ramen. For my friend..."
She turned to Flynn, who pointed out his choice.
"...he'll have the Pork Ramen."
"Excellent choice!" Said the server, "I'll have your orders ready!"
As the waitress left, Kara grabbed her mug and raised it.
"Here's to your first day on the job!" She announced. Flynn brought up his drink- hand almost wrapped around the glass. Both clinked their glasses together and downed their alcohol. Kara gave a side eye as she watched Flynn effortlessly drink his to the bottom. Both set their mugs down, now empty.
"Ahhh~!" She sighed, "Refreshing! Looks like you really got the tolerance, big guy!"
Nice to have some beer. Signed Flynn, Haven't gotten around since returning.
"Well, I'm glad to be of good company for moments like these!" Kara smirked, "Savor the moment, am I right?"
I guess.
Flynn's eyes scanned the floor. Everyone was mingling, casually chatting about their day. It was the sort of environment that one could take for granted. For Flynn, returning to a land so familiar to him... yet alien at the same time... left him feeling unwelcomed.
"Hey..." Flynn turned to Kara's voice, "You okay, big guy?"
The heroine had a look of concern in her eyes.
Briefly, his eyes were drawn to Kara's face. The heroine, for a moment, could see how lost he was simply by staring into them. And those eyes told her enough. It took a fire in the kitchen to break eye contact. Thankfully, a controlled one but enough to break focus.
Recovering, Flynn signed, I'm fine. Just looking around.
Kara didn't look convinced. She sighed but put up a smile.
"I guess you've been gone for a long time, huh?" She remarked, "Like a really long time? You're back home but it's not the same one. Everything looks the same but there are just some... things... missing around here. I get it. I've been where you were at."
Flynn quirked a brow, prompting Kara to continue.
"I get where you're coming." Said Kara, "I'm a refugee. Like you. Except my home wasn't the only planet I lost."
Kara looked down with a sad smile.
"I came from another Earth." She revealed, "A different one with different heroes. Same costumes but... not the same faces underneath. Even with the few I recognize, they're not the ones I remember."
She sighed reflecting on her past.
"As much as I like to think I'm home again, being surrounded by people I know... I'm still alone."
Kara's eyes stared into the empty mug in front of her. By that point, Flynn never set his eyes off her, showing that little bit of concern emerging from his brutish shell. His hand reached her shoulder yet hovered over it. He struggled to show that connection... but ultimately kept his hand to himself.
Kara sighed but straightened her back. Her cute smile returned as did her bubbly demeanor.
"Not that there's much I can do." She expressed, "For what it's worth, I would look forward to what the future holds!"
Flynn was caught off-guard a little bit. Ultimately, though, he had enough insight from Power Girl's honesty. Soon, the food arrived. Kara beamed with happiness as she saw the dumplings and ramen come. The food smelled wonderful as it was placed down. Just the whiff of it was enough to Flynn at least indulge in moments like this.
"Would you like some refills?" Asked the server.
"Yes. Flynn?" Kara addressed Flynn, to which he nodded.
"Of course. Enjoy!" The server left with the empty mugs. Both prepared their utensils.
"You're home, big guy." She quietly said, holding onto his hand on the table, "Safe and sound."
Appreciate it.
7:46 pm
Flynn and Kara finally left the restaurant, feeling fulfilled. Kara belched out much to her embarrassment. Covering her mouth, Kara looked at Flynn only to find him smirking at her expense before burping loudly. That caused her to snicker.
"Heh." She chuckled, "Like minds think alike."
Flynn nodded. The two walked back home. Looking up, daylight was nearing its end. Everyone was still out and about at this time, though, some were already heading home.
"That was fun." Kara commented, "We should try this again. Next time, though, you're paying."
Scratched mine. Scratch yours. Flynn signed. Kara smiled at his comment.
"Can do a bit more than scratching." Said Kara, only to immediately blush and regret what she said. "B-But I will hold to your word, mister! A promise is a promise!"
Flynn quirked a brow at her sudden flustering but thought none of it. The two made their way, walking in awkward silence. Kara, to her understanding, realized Flynn wasn't much of a talker. Well, not verbally per se but even his sign language was limited to a few simple phrases.
"So..." Kara spoke up, "I'm glad you're living in Manhattan. We're practically neighbors. My place isn't too far, actually."
Need help walking back? He signed.
"How knightly of you to do~" She teased, "though... I wouldn't mind some company... unless you're in a rush to go home."
Don't have much to do. He replied, Might patrol later.
"Sounds like a great plan!" She said, "I'd love to join but... I am feeling a little buzzed. And there's also work so I gotta balance things out. Maybe we can catch up on patrol another day."
Sure.
"Great!" Kara held his hand and ran into another alley. The two flew into the sky, with Flynn clinging onto Kara's back. It looked rather comical if anyone saw these two in the sky. Luckily, no one knew nor realized they were even there. Flynn looked down at the City That Never Sleeps. The lights began to switch on, becoming brighter as night time entered.
Time passed and eventually, the two arrived at their destination. Landing into another alley, the couple walked out.
"Here it is." Kara revealed her home. Her place was a five-story apartment building. It was ordinary-looking compared to Flynn's own townhouse. It looked nice, of course.
"This is my place." She said, "It's not much but living on lab salary keeps the landlord away."
Nice place.
"Sure is..." Kara replied, scratching the side of her head, "That's the end of my tour. If you like, I can fly you back to your place."
That's alright. He signed, Need to stretch legs. Thanks for the dinner.
"Anytime, big guy." She said, before going up the steps to her apartment, "So... another time?"
Yeah. He said, before waving off. Kara lingered a little while; watching him disappear into the distance before heading in. Flynn wandered around for a bit, getting a better grasp on New York's geography on foot. Going through his pockets, he pulled out a small earpiece. Putting it on, the blue tooth turned on immediately.
"Greetings, Slayer." Greeted VEGA, "I hope today went well. Very little has erupted while you were away. Shall I guide you back to your home?"
"Yes." Said Flynn.
"Very well. Turn right at your destination." VEGA pointed. Flynn proceeded, turning right into another alley and hopping to the side of one building. Once at the roof, the Marine spent his evening running across the rooftops whilst VEGA guided him.
Cadmus Labs
11:09 pm EDT
Dr. Desmond looked at the reports of the new test subject. So far, the growth has been going steady. Not much different from Project Match. It did irk they had to shelf the latter in favor of this. Of course, he knew damn well as to not question his directors about the sudden change of plans. These people were not to be tested. His predecessor didn't get the memo. The only good about this was that Desmond got promoted. As usual, business continued on without incident.
The door to his office opened. Entering was Guardian, the hero assigned to the Labs. Currently, he was under the influence of one of their G-Gnome clones. The small creature on his shoulder rode harmlessly on its host- the latter seemingly unaware of its presence. Desmond groaned in annoyance and said, "What is it?"
"Dr. Desmond." Guardian addressed him, "One of our... directors wishes to speak to you. He's on the line."
The doctor's eyes widened in surprise. He didn't even question it, and he responded immediately.
"Leave now. At once!" He ordered the brainwashed hero. The G-Gnome's horns glowed a bright red and the hero left immediately. Tidying his desk real quick, Desmond turned on the monitors meant for private meetings such as this. The screen flickered on, revealing one of his directors shrouded in white light; leaving only an outline around him.
"Doctor Desmond."
"Evening, sir." Desmond respectfully greeted, "I was unprepared for your appearance. Forgive me, sir."
The director was unfazed by Desmond's squabbling and went straight to the point.
"How goes the Project?"
"So far, Project K.R. has been going smoothly," Desmond wiped a sweat on his brow, "The samples given to us yielded great results. The merging of both father genes went without issue, despite the... unusual method."
"But a success, yes...?" The director's voice lowered slightly at Desmond's implied questioning. Quickly, Desmond corrected himself.
"Y-Yes, sir!" Said Desmond, "P-Progress has been going smoothly! I believe the batch will come out on time!"
As Desmond finished, the director remained quiet. The total silence actually caused the researcher's heart to beat rapidly.
"...I see." The director finally said, "That at least assures me. But it goes without saying that there have been some trials and errors, correct?"
"Uhm..." Desmond gently broke the news, "Well... we did try to repeat the same process multiple times. In case Project KR needed backups, of course."
"You just assured me that the Project was a success?" The Director questioned, "Am I hearing correctly or did you retract your statement? Mistakes happen but forgiveness rarely does."
"N-No!" Desmond quickly responded, "The batch was indeed a success! It was only after the first did we attempt to clone more."
"Go on."
"Well, the first, as I said, went smoothly. The second - for reasons I and my colleagues do not understand - failed to merge despite initial successes. Stranger still, our attempts to clone resulted in... how do I answer this... disintegration."
"Meaning...?" The director's tone turned to a low growl.
"The DNA sample from the Doom Marine disintegrated itself. Rest assured, I was there throughout the whole process! I had all personnel checked and they all had the same answers. I even have footage of the event!"
Desmond finished his explanation, and the director - once again - broke no word. Only an intense silence that left the researcher feeling like there was a noose tightening around his neck.
"Very well." His superior finally said, much to Desmond's relief, "Send it to me immediately."
Desmond sighed and obeyed.
"Of course, sir." Desmond answered, "I'll send it right aw-"
The director's monitor closed immediately.
"-ay." Desmond said before he got cut off. Finally all by himself, Desmond slumped back on his chair, feeling relieved whilst also checking his pants for any soiling.
Khüiten Peak, Mongolia
March 24, 10:19 am ICT
Vandal shut off his monitors. Taking a deep breath, the immortal Cro-Magnon digested the information.
The Slayer was a strange anomaly. Witnessing the death of Parasite was telling that the Slayer's powers were off-limits. But then, the Project showed signs of potential only for Vandal to find out the attempts to create more clones failed. And a rather bizarre one, at that. It certainly told him something was up but there were too many factors he could narrow down. The fact is that Cadmus even managed to create a clone gave him some assurances.
Walking away from his computer, Vandal strode through his home, walking past historical relics. His relics. The immortal gave a few glances at some he had in his collection. They were significant to him by way of importance yet only held stories written in parchments. Now the story he was after had returned unexpectedly.
The Doom Slayer's arrival spelled a bad omen. Maybe a good one but his reappearance could potentially throw the balance of the world. Both good and evil.
In any case, his blood would give the world a fighting chance in the long run. Combining the power of a Kryptonian? Even better. Dabbling with demonology yielded some interesting insights and wisdom. Arming with that knowledge and combining it with today's scientific breakthroughs meant the world may score another advantage against darker forces.
That said, he had no idea how the Slayer would react to seeing an old face. It had been a long time. Ages, in fact. And that long time resulted in the greatest yet untold story. The story Mankind was not yet ready.
Finding himself outside his secret base, Vandal closed his eyes and took in the cold air of his homeland. And in the darkness, all he saw was blood. Violence. Rage. The likes of which created mountains from the bodies that were piled, at that time. A time when Humanity was at its darkest hour. Where not even Gods could escape the inevitable destruction.
And yet, where the Gods failed to do. Only He remained. Standing alongside Earth's ancient defenders.
Vandal exhaled and collected himself.
This was the right decision. I am certain.
"Yes." Vandal told himself, "This was the right course of action."
The time will come. And when it will, there will be blood.
Okay, that is the end of the latest chapter. And man, this was a difficult thing to write. Not only am I stumped at writing modern day terminology (like places and distances, especially the New York setting), but I'm also trying to figure how Doomguy will be able to blend. Let me clear, this man is canonically 6'6" outside of his suit (6'8" in it). He's pretty tall and given his 'chip on the shoulder' attitude, I'm really stretching the boundaries of what's acceptable behavior to normal civilians. Then again, New York is full of strange shit over there.
Anyway, writing Doomguy to adapt to modern times is... quite a task. Inconsistencies are bound to happen.
With that said, much has happened (unless you've been follwing Doom: End Times) and it's been rather slow. On the good news I am almost done with cancer treatment. And it's looking brighter than the last time. Potentially going full remission. Meaning concerns gone down to the point its no longer there. Still have to do some tests to check if it's really gone. But yeah. Pretty good.
And let's stop ignoring the elephant in the room: THE DARK AGES IS FINALLY COMING! WHOOOOOO!
Man, what a badass gameplay we've recieved. Looks amazing. And the visuals just never disappoint.
Ugh, if only I had a PS5 to play this legendary game. So unfair! T_T
Alas, looking forward to its release soon!
With all that said, QnA time!:
Rollynolly: It's more complicated than that. When the world is so used to heroes doing the right thing, something like Parasite's death... really leaves the world reeling from having their bubble popped to reality. As is, the JL are doing what they can to protect Doomguy, though, soon or later, it's gonna implode as is the relationship down the line.
CasualFictionWriter23: I really wouldn't go that far. Even if he were to attack them, he's far more lenient given the overall good bridges (for now). Killing villains are okay, but crippling heroes isn't in his books.
Spartan-666: Right. So just to clear up, bold words is when he's speaking through his helm. Unboldened words is when he isn't wearing it (or out of the suit for that matter). And if it's boldened but doesn't quotation marks, he's speaking through sign language. You'll see that pop up.
And that will be brought up. Hayden might have done something to withhold the Slayer's return, so I'll get around to it.
Wacko12: I keep forgetting to switch to bold. I really need to get that fix, pronto.
musizlover2008: I'm aware of that. I don't use it to create stories. Everything that's written comes from my head. Only to correct the flow of the writing and the grammar is when I use the AI. And like you said, only as a tool.
Red the Pokeman Master: You bring up a very good point. For most of the heroes, the existence of Hell is limited to only a few members. Especially those that are magic-based. And if there was the chance that they did encounter such, it wasn't to the scale in which the Doom!Hell had done. Still, that is something that would be brought up in the story (if I ever stop giving more attention for End Times).
HelloEver22: I've already discussed it before. I'm not planning on any WW romance. As easy of a matchup it sounds, I really can't see the two hooking up in the long term. A platonic and friendship-only relationship, I can work with. PG, on the other hand, I'm sticking to as of this chapter reveal.
Nitus: Okay, I think this needs to be settled. I will start off by saying I do sincerely regret reacting to your previous reviews. I was pretty high-strung from emotions (excitement, mostly) at the time so it did sting to hear. Then again, that's the point of reviews. I should have been a little more grounded and take some considerations. I don't agree with some of it, however, I do take into consideration the plot holes as you mentioned so the ending to this does tiptoe on your favor. It's not caving in. You just raised a pretty good point. And I will take the time to bring this up again in later chapters.
So, to keep things short, I sincerely apologize for the reckless response.
Doom King of Latveria: In due, the Reckoning will come.
Tbh, I haven't been following that much on DC comics lately. Only runs that pique my interest are the Absolute series and anything that has Dan Mora's illustrations.
I cannot say at the moment. Anything involving Argent D'Nur will be relegated to flashbacks or studies down the line. Mystical side, that will be brought up.
Seleucus 01: This is before Eternal so no.
evolution-500: Probably not for a while unless Doomguy pissed off some people to get on their shitlist.
187: You... make some very good points, I'll admit. But as is, Dinah is too much of an optimist to explain such a complex answer. I can see Batman and John Stewart to fill in.
And your answer regarding the League's MO does enforce why they are heroes to begin with. It may not be agreed with like Doomguy in this case but it does make sense as to why the League uphold such a strict code of conduct.
Gusty: Well, as the saying goes, "Play stupid games, win stupid prizes."
Or for some, it's "Fuck Around and Find Out"
tomahawkESP: Self-imposed curse? Could you elaborate?
EndofDaysBitches: That's totally fine.
- Understandable. Truth be told, I would treat this universe of the YJ as an alternate setting that's more in line with other DC universes but still has the makeup of YJ (if I can describe it like that). In regards to Doomguy and the League, characterizations will be a little more different around here. Especially the latter. Once Hell breaks loose, bets are off the League has to throw away the safety mittens and pull out the brass knuckles. Common sense dictates the best course of action even if it means sacrificing their own moral guidelines.
- If you have read my responses to Nitus, I've pretty much broken those rules.
- That's nice to know another fic you enjoy. Not sure if I'll get around to it, though.
Appreciate the suggestions if you have any. But as is, I'm focusing on two at the moment (and that's a lot on my plate as is).
- Yeah, the Endless are a whole lot of complexity that even I can't do justice. Neil Gaiman is fantastic (until you bring up the allegations) and he's very talented in his writings. So much, I can't really bring myself to write them in. I also would recommend the Lucifer series written by Mike Carey. Read them during high school and it's one of my favorite series to date.
- Hmmm. That is something worth thinking about. I still plan on the conflict between Hell and Apokolips but you bringing this up does make me consider thinking over.
- Perhaps. I do plan on not making Darkseid seem like a jobber. He is the Epitome of Evil in the DC cosmology.
Malgrath: That... is a really weird interpretation. And raises a lot of questions as to why Doomguy's hands are wrapped around the woman.
ExcaliburShooter: Man, this chapter is always controversial. Alright, your point is taken. I'm gonna skip the lore bits since it's already been spoken before.
I'll have to consider another rewrite (goddamnit) if I ever get around to it.
Hollowdwrld: Yep! Saw that! Excited except I only have a PS4 and not the next gen T_T
musizlover2008: I'm planning to restart the whole story in another tab. The original really shows its flaws and it doesn't mesh well with the new version of the story. So I'll have to get around to that another time.
The Eschaton: Only if I have the time. I'm already divided with the stories I've written so far. So unlikely. And Scott Snyder's Batman Alts, while interesting, were kinda getting stale. Especially BWL.
Sparda: We'll get around to those. And I do have an idea regarding Trigon. No spoils, unfortunately.
Wickerstein: That's called "character development". And I did a lot of research to change up and understand Batman's character a bit more.
april-551: Well, not the only sentiment I've heard. There's a growing theme in the reviews, it seems. Unfortunately, the comic industries doesn't really know how to move on. Simply recycle and regurgitate the same ol' conflicts. A Catch-22 situation, I'm afraid. But I have had enough of channeling my inner Alan Moore for some time, I'm just me writing what he wants. And thanks for another fic recommendation. Already following "The Inquisitor" so I'll check the Spartan's Wrath.
Good idea worth remembering. Might dabble in it if I can make it work.
Gemini134: Alright, quick Google translation, much appreciate the kind words.
Kensteinn-Fan: Followed that trope as well. Good examples is all I can say.
Crazzytony: Glad I made your day better.
Malgrath: Pretty much sums up what I've said so far in the previous reviews. WW works better when she's not tied down to a romantic filler. I'd rather she be her own distinct character more than anything. Unfortunately, I already have Doomguy having hooked with Power Girl (sorta) so it does clash with what you said. Still, the romance won't be stuck for long.
The Disquieting One: Glad TV Tropes brought you here. And yes, DC really does have a villain problem. All I can say is it comes down to how profitable and popular the villains are. I don't mind the occasional punch-clock villain, here and there, but the more monstrous ones need to go.
Anyway, that's all folks! Also, big shout out to 187! Check out his debut story, Sentinel Justice! Gotta support the potential writers! See ya!