Chapter 4
The sun beat down on Metropolis Bay as the island drifted in, an unlikely visitor to the cityscape. The initial calm was shattered by a piercing scream, drawing all eyes skyward.
"Let's go see what's happening," Jaune declared, ever the hero. He, Jason, Karen, and Nimueh, a formidable quartet, materialized downtown in a flash of light. Panic painted the face of a woman rushing towards them.
"You got to help me!" she pleaded, her voice trembling. She was unmistakably Lois Lane, her black hair framing her face, her blue eyes wide with fear. And noticeably pregnant.
Jaune, ever the calming presence, gently took her arm. "What's wrong? What's happened?"
"Superman's gone crazy!" she gasped.
Meanwhile, Jason leaned towards Karen, muttering, "That's Lois!" Karen nodded grimly.
Nimueh, her magical senses keen, added, "Something is affecting Superman." She glanced back at the approaching Jaune, who was carefully guiding Lois towards them. "Jaune will handle this," she said, "She can explain what's going on."
Jaune gestured to Karen. "Lois? What happened?"
Lois flung herself into Karen's arms, her voice choked with emotion. "Joker happened," she sobbed. "He put a device in my chest. If my heart stops, Metropolis goes boom!" Jason, Nimueh, and Power Girl exchanged horrified glances.
Jason, ever the pragmatist, cut through the emotion. "We better find that bomb."
Nimueh, already formulating a plan, stepped forward. "I shall contact Zatanna. Perhaps she can assist. I am also grateful the Creator protects this island so Trigon can't interfere with Rachel." With a flick of her wrist, she began contacting Zatanna, while gently ushering Lois back towards the relative safety of the island.
(With Jaune and Superman)
The scene Jaune stepped into was one of utter chaos. Superman, the symbol of hope, was a raging storm of power, his eyes blazing with an unnatural fury. "WHERE IS HE? DOOMSDAY!" he roared, his voice shaking the very foundations of the city.
Jaune, with a sigh, bravely stepped forward. "Calm down, Superman! What's going on?"
Superman responded not with words, but with a punch that sent Jaune reeling. The battle was joined, a whirlwind of fists and heat vision erupting in the heart of Metropolis.
(With Red Hood, Power Girl, and Zatanna)
While Jaune battled a corrupted Superman, the trio raced against time to find the Joker's deadly device. They weren't alone.
"Well, well, 'Mr. J', it works!" Harley Quinn squealed, her eyes wide with manic glee.
Before the Joker could retort, Red Hood unleashed a barrage of gunfire, while Power Girl launched herself at Harley. Zatanna, the mistress of magic, provided cover, deflecting rogue explosives and shielding them from falling debris.
"Come back here, you sick son of a bitch!" Jason roared, his voice filled with righteous fury. He slammed a crowbar across the Joker's face, a brutal blow that sent the clown staggering backward. The fight devolved into a savage brawl.
Power Girl, meanwhile, was barely containing herself. The urge to simply obliterate Harley was almost overwhelming.
Jason, fueled by years of pent-up rage, brutally subdued the Joker. He wrestled with the urge to kill him, but a colder, more calculated thought prevailed. Joker would suffer far more in Arkham, paralyzed and trapped within his own madness, than in a swift death. With a sickening crack, he shattered the Joker's spine, leaving him a quadriplegic.
Zatanna approached him, her expression grim. "We need to deactivate the bomb!"
Just then, the Titans, alerted by the rising chaos, arrived to offer their assistance. Working together, they located and disarmed the bomb, the ticking clock replaced by a blessed silence. Metropolis was safe, for now.
"We need to help Jaune," Karen declared, her voice laced with urgency. They took off, leaving the Titans to secure the area.
(Jaune vs Superman)
The battle raged on, Jaune holding his own against the Man of Steel's raw power. "Calm down, Clark! We fixed everything! Joker's been taken down!"
His words were met with another earth-shattering blow that sent Jaune crashing through three buildings. He landed hard, the wind knocked out of him. "Okay," he gasped, "Talking is out. Wait... I have an idea. Nim, I need you!"
(Island)
Nimueh, attuned to Jaune's thoughts, heard his plea loud and clear. "I am coming, my love," she whispered. Turning to Raven, she asked, "Are you going to be alright, Rachel?"
Raven nodded solemnly. "I should be alright."
With a final nod, Nimueh vanished in a swirl of emerald energy.
(Jaune vs Superman)
The fight was reaching its climax as Nimueh arrived, joining forces with Jaune against the maddened Superman. They fought as a single unit, weaving around each other, deflecting blows, exploiting weaknesses. They were fifteen thousand feet in the air, the city a miniature landscape below.
We need to finish this! Nimueh sent the thought to Jaune, her eyes blazing with determination.
Jaune nodded, gathering his strength. He unleashed a devastating combo, a flurry of blows that finally brought Superman crashing down. With Nimueh supporting him, Jaune seized the unconscious Kryptonian and plunged towards the ground.
(Downtown Metropolis)
Jaune gently laid Superman down in the middle of the street as Nimueh began to extract the fear toxin from his system. The sounds of sirens filled the air as a familiar figure approached.
"What happened?" Batman demanded, his voice a low growl.
"A 'wild Joker' just got paralyzed from the chest down," Jaune replied, a hint of wry amusement in his voice. "Thanks to a 'red-hooded' associate of mine. After they found out about the nuke."
"We knocked him out and removed the fear toxins in him," Nimueh added.
Batman studied the unconscious Superman, his expression unreadable. "He's going to need counseling. Lois is safe."
"Where is she?"
"On the island," Jaune replied casually.
Batman raised an eyebrow. "You have an island?"
"Yeah, you should come visit," Jaune grinned. "It's huge."
(Island)
Lois, resting in the island's state-of-the-art medical facility, looked worried. "Are you sure you're alright?" Raven asked gently.
"Yeah," she said shakily. "It wasn't Clark's fault."
Karen stepped into the room, her face grave. "What's going on?" Hippolyta asked, sensing the tension.
"Have you heard of the Joker?" Karen asked.
"Yes, Diana speaks of him often."
"He gave Kal a face full of fear toxin."
"Making him hallucinate and see me as Doomsday," Lois finished, her voice trembling.
"But what was the deal with the bomb trigger on my heart?" Lois asked, her voice laced with fear. Karen knew she had to tell her. It wasn't going to be easy.
"There was a nuke in the middle of Metropolis," Karen said.
Lois paled. "If my heart stopped..." Karen nodded grimly. She covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh my God."
"The Ultimate Punchline," Karen said with a sigh.
"Tell me you got that sick son of a bitch," Lois demanded, her voice hardening with anger.
"Oh, you don't have to worry about him anymore," Karen assured her, a dark glint in her eyes.
"What happened?" Nubia asked
Just then, Jason and Zatanna walked in. "He's a quadriplegic now," Jason said with satisfaction.
"Where are the others?" Hippolyta asked.
"They are on their way," Karen said, "with Kal."
"Is he alright?" Lois asked anxiously.
"Just unconscious." Just then Jaune, Minueh, and Batman walked into the room.
"He's being treated," Jaune said, gesturing towards the bed being wheeled in, Superman lying peacefully.
"But he's going to need some mental help," Nimueh added with concern.
"Well, yeah, being used as a weapon and almost killing your wife and unborn child, which then nukes your entire city," Karen added dryly.
"Where is he? Can I see him?" Lois asked.
"Let me go talk to the doctor," Jaune said, then soon Superman's bed was rolled into the room.
Lois looked over. "Clark," she whispered.
"Like I said," Jaune said, "He's just resting."
"Thank you," she said. Jaune and Nimueh nodded.
"You must be very strong to handle Superman," Batman commented, his eyes assessing Jaune.
"I'm from Remnant, We are more powerful there." They sat down and talked about what had happened while waiting on Clark to awaken. When he did, he realized what had happened. They had told him what they had done to help him.
"Thank you for doing this to help me," Superman said.
"We know you are going to be going through some things, so, I'm not a counselor, but if you want to talk about it, I'm willing to lean an ear," Jaune said sincerely.
"You just willing to help?" Clark asked. "Is enough."
(Manor)
Later, Jaune was relaxing in the living room, the events of the day weighing heavily on his mind. I'm glad I could help Clark, even though he's not ours, he thought, he's a good man. He didn't need the damned clown messing with him.
He was also thinking about a young woman he had met during that time. A Green Lantern, brave, strong, and powerful. She was also beautiful. I doubt she even remembers me.
Just then, he heard a voice behind him. "I do, Jaune," she said.
He turned around to see a gorgeous young woman. She was of Latin heritage, with long brown hair streaked with green, and wore a green Green Lantern ring over her right eye. She was dressed in a green and black bodysuit, with white gloves and boots, and a similar Green Lantern symbol on her chest.
"Jessica," he breathed. He got up, and she pulled him into a tight hug, the past rushing back in a surge of shared memories and unspoken feelings.
The warmth of her body against his, the faint scent of ozone and space travel clinging to her suit, was a vivid counterpoint to the cold unease that had been settling in his heart. "It's really you," he said, voice trembling slightly. "I... I wasn't sure if I'd ever see you again."
Jessica Cruz held him at arm's length, her green eyes, normally filled with a quiet apprehension, now shone with a warmth that mirrored his own. "I've been looking for you, Jaune. Since… since everything settled down after the whole… thing." She gestured vaguely, clearly referencing the ordeal with the clown, though neither of them mentioned the Joker's name. The dread associated with him was a palpable presence even in his absence. "It took me a while to figure out where you were, what you were doing."
"Living here," Jaune said, gesturing around the spacious, if somewhat imposing, living room. "After…everything, I needed a change. I needed to…rebuild."
Jessica nodded, understanding etched on her face. "I get it. Space can do that to you too. But… I'm glad I found you. I wanted to thank you. For what you did, back then. You helped me when I needed it most."
He shrugged, a self-deprecating smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I just… did what anyone would have done. You were going through a lot."
"No, Jaune," she insisted, her grip on his arms tightening. "You saw me, really saw me, even when I didn't want to be seen. You gave me strength when I thought I had none left. And… well, I never really got to properly thank you."
A blush crept up Jaune's neck. "It's fine, really. Just… glad you're okay."
Jessica released his arms, her gaze sweeping around the room. "This is… quite a place."
"Yeah," Jaune chuckled, running a hand through his perpetually messy hair. "It's… complicated. Long story. But it's home for now." He hesitated, his heart pounding in his chest. "So… what brings you here? Besides thanking me, I mean."
Jessica's expression shifted, a hint of concern flickering across her features. "There's… trouble, Jaune. The Guardians have detected a significant energy surge in this sector. A power signature unlike anything we've seen before."
He frowned. "And you think it's connected to me? Or this place?"
"I don't know," she admitted. "But the readings were… unusual. And the source is centered somewhere in this area. I had to come check it out." She paused, her eyes meeting his. "And, well… I wanted to see you again. Badly."
The confession hung in the air, thick with unspoken desires and hopes. Jaune swallowed, his mind racing. An energy surge? Unexplained power signatures? It wasn't exactly the relaxing afternoon he'd envisioned. But with Jessica here, it somehow felt… less daunting.
"Alright," he said, a newfound resolve hardening his gaze. "Let's figure out what's going on." He looked at Jessica, a hesitant smile playing on his lips. "Together."