The Ultimate DC RPG - Season III

[MST3K 4ever]

Oswald finishes going over the books at Wayne Enterprises one evening.

In the first few weeks profits are up, costs are down, and productivity is way up. Not to mention my side projects thus far haven't suffered a bit. It seems like I got things going just fine.

He hears a cleaning woman enter the room and she says, "Oh I'm sorry Mr. Cobblepot I didn't realize that you were still here I'll come back later."

Oswald looks up and says, "Oh not a problem my dear I'm just finishing up."

She nods meekly and says, "All-right sir I'll take care of the outer office first."

Oswald says, "That'll be fine Miss..."

She replies, "Henderson....Miss Henderson."

Oswald nods and says, "Pleasure to meet you Miss Henderson."

Henderson nods slightly and says, "Thank you sir."

Oswald asks, "Are you all-right Miss Henderson?"

She is trying to hold it together but a single tear rolls down her face and Oswald moves next to her.

He helps her to the couch and says, "Please tell me what's wrong?"

She says, "Well I'm working two jobs. During the day at The Dog House and here at night. Trying to keep up our mortgage payments."

Oswald asks, "What about your husband?"

Henderson shakes her head and replies, "He was a truck driver. Died about 6 years ago in an accident. My oldest son was in the Army, and sent us home a part of his paycheck to help off set the loss. He died two months ago in Kabul and now trying to take care of 3 kids on what I make I fell behind on the payments and now it looks like I'm about to lose our home."

Oswald embraces her as she breaks down and he says, "There there Miss Henderson. When are you due for a raise?"

She replies, "I was supposed to get one 6 months ago, and because of our recent hard-times here the pay raises have been frozen. I love living here but I can't afford it anymore."

Oswald nods and says, "Don't worry things will be different and they'll get better I promise."

She stands up and recomposes herself. Henderson says, "I have faith in you sir, but I'm afraid the raises will be too late. Anyway I need to get back to work sir. It helps me take my mind off of the home situation. I see where I can make a difference."

They make some more small talk and eventually she leaves.

Oswald then calls his accountant. He says, "Alan this is Oswald Cobblepot. I need something done...."

Within 48 hours Miss Henderson recieves word her mortgage has been paid off and she now owns her house.

 

[Andy C.]

As Doctor Fate pelted Vandal Savage with blasts of mystical energy, his face began to crack and split, before the wounds started to heal again. He looked up at the sorcerer and laughed.

"I'm seeing a few problems with your plan, heroes," he said, before the Flash suddenly cried out in pain, a pair of blades seemingly growing out of Savage's legs and cutting the speedster's Achilles tendons before he realized what was happening.

"First and foremost," he said with a mocking smile to the Flash, "You're going to have a fair amount of difficulty breaking my bones."

He then flung his arm towards Doctor Fate, letting loose with a blast of energy identical to his own.

"Secondly," he said, his smile growing far past the corners of his face, impossibly wide, "I can temporarily absorb your powers just as well as Amazo can, and what's even better? You can't knock me off-line with an EMP. Hell, you can't even touch me."

Savage's form began to contort, to bulge and swell and turn into something hideous, an amorphous blob of protoplasmic flesh.

"And third...." he said, as he began to tower over the Justice League......

"....I'm not Vandal Savage."

 

[Spike_x1]

"And I'm..."

"...back in the game."

With the sun shining on me uninterrupted through the giant hole in the ceiling, my body has had time to heal and replenish its energy reserves. I can feel that I'm still not at one hundred percent, but I should be more than strong enough to keep up the fight.

Like a massive cannonball, the boulder that I've ripped out of the Hall of Justice's cavern floor smashes into the monster with a sickening SPLAT! and gooey remains splash around the room.

I don't doubt that the creature can do what it says, but maybe we'll have some measure of luck if we can keep its shapeshifting abilities taxed and out of a solid state.

And I haven't forgotten about Wonder Woman and Ivo.

 

[Andy C.]

"And I'm..."

"...back in the game."

With the sun shining on me uninterrupted through the giant hole in the ceiling, my body has had time to heal and replenish its energy reserves. I can feel that I'm still not at one hundred percent, but I should be more than strong enough to keep up the fight.

Like a massive cannonball, the boulder that I've ripped out of the Hall of Justice's cavern floor smashes into the monster with a sickening SPLAT! and gooey remains splash around the room.

I don't doubt that the creature can do what it says, but maybe we'll have some measure of luck if we can keep its shapeshifting abilities taxed and out of a solid state.

And I haven't forgotten about Wonder Woman and Ivo.

"Ggggrrrlggg......hpbbblt......thppplk......."

Seeping out from underneath the rubble that Superman had dropped on it, oozing through cracks in the stones, bubbling back up to the surface, the Clayface monster began to pull its form back together.

"Yoooouu're...." it said as soon as enough of it had solidified to form a mouth, "...going to have to do better than that."

Instead of regaining its one singular shape, Clayface began to split into multiple forms.....each one taking a twisted and distorted shape of a different member of the Justice League.

"Let's see how you manage against yourselves...." the Clayface duplicates said in a single voice, before rushing towards the Leaguers.

 

[Batman]

Caution. Now Entering - Bialyan Government Airspace.

"Disable autopilot."

In what is perhaps one of the most reckless things I've ever done, I ignore the machine's rather stern warning and resume manual pilot of the controls. Disregarding the very high likelihood of being shot out of the sky by patrolling forces, I watch the landscape of Southeastern Bialya come into full view from beyond the cockpit. My nerves already quite shaken, I do not once consider shifting the throttle into the opposite direction. Instead, my focus remains with the tracking device in my palm, wedged between the steering column and my fingers and giving me the damnedest readings. Faint, but still as strong as they were this afternoon. I've been following the signal for what I imagine to be two days, now, and I have no intention of calling off the search. I promised Harriet that I would do everything in my power to retrieve Master Dick and bring him home.

And speaking as a graduate with honors at Scotland Yard, the level of which "everything in my power" extends can be quite alarming. By all accounts, what I'm doing out here should be impossible. Discreetly commandeering the twin-engine military transport helicopter from a Waynetech facility in Metropolis was quite a feat all by itself, but the probability of utilizing the Oracle program to disable both it's security protocols and it's tracking devices to turn this into my own personal transport is positively absurd. I'm an aide to a billionaire client, and here I am performing an extraction. I haven't performed one of these in twenty years, and at least then, I was acting in accordance of some form of government.

Whatever it is I'm doing now is suicidal by comparison. But I can't allow any harm to come to Master Dick. The boy has been missing for three weeks, and it was getting rather difficult to justify leaving it to the proper authorities to find him. Their interest level being what it was, given the number of runaway delinquents already reported in Gotham, I had no other choice but to quietly conduct my own search. And as luck would have it, Master Dick was more than willing to assist me.

That letter that he'd left in Bruce's hospital room was the first clue to unraveling where he'd disappeared. It was only a matter of discovering the tracking device Richard had stolen from the Batcave - something of which I'd have normally disapproved of, had it not been so useful - and doing what I could to strengthen the signal. Far be it from me to assume what was going through the boy's head whenever he decided to run away from home, but there is clearly some part of him that wanted to be found. And even if the punishment for this reckless behavior is as dire as I hope it is, I just want to ensure he returns.

Nothing else matters. Not my life, nor the risk I'm putting Mr. Wayne's in by leaving him vulnerable. He assumed responsibility for the boy because he thought he could make a difference in his life. In some small way, Bruce saw a reflection of himself in Richard's predicament. The loneliness that came with being orphaned. And I believe that even though he would have never admitted it, Bruce cared for the boy more than words could describe. He would give him a home where Dick had none.

I owe it to that one selfless act of compassion to see this through.

Reaching a higher altitude, to give the helicopter's cloaking device that extra chance of completely masking my presence from radar as I enter the restricted airspace, I decide it's time to do another search. The signal's becoming even stronger than it has before. "Now, then. Reactivate autopilot."

BOOM!

A flash of light erupts from the night's darkness. A fiery explosion.

At first, my fears are that I've been discovered and that the blast is the Bialyan government beginning to open fire. But once several seconds pass, and nothing breaches the outside of the hull, I squint at the cloud of smoke ahead of me to see where it's originated from. And what I find is quite surprising.

It's a palace. Or at least, apart of one. The capital city overshadowing the distant terrain, I watch as the helicopter slowly inches closer towards a large palace evoking the high majesty of Bialyan royalty. I've been to the country only once, when I was a boy. And I'm beginning to remember this same palace's distant visage as the premiere attraction to tourists. Only now, it appears to be under attack. Deactivating the autopilot once again, I swerve the controls to the left and prepare to divert away from the chaos, not wishing to be apart of such a distraction in the midst of my search...

But something happens. The tracking device's receiver lights up and begins to frantically beep. At first, I believe that it's a malfunction on the receiver's part, but it's readings prove me quite wrong. According to this, not only have I found Master Dick's general location, I seem to be only a few hundred feet from where he currently is now.

Surely that's impossible. Isn't it?

Even if it is, and I've not found him after all, can I afford to be wrong?

Swerving the control stick to the right, I decide to take yet another large risk and begin to land, just outside of the ravaged gates of the facility attached to the palace. Activating the autopilot to do the job for me, I leave my seat and divert to the back of the craft, preparing a semi-automatic machine rifle and the weapons I'd prepared to bring along for myself, should Master Dick's extraction become problematic.

I daresay that this is quite a long shot. But I must take it. Richard could be out there, and I need to be absolutely sure before I can continue on my way.

"Oracle, I'll need you to open the hatch whenever we land."

"And may God help me if he isn't here..."

 

[Byrd Man]

"Yoooouu're...." it said as soon as enough of it had solidified to form a mouth, "...going to have to do better than that."

Instead of regaining its one singular shape, Clayface began to split into multiple forms.....each one taking a twisted and distorted shape of a different member of the Justice League.

"Let's see how you manage against yourselves...." the Clayface duplicates said in a single voice, before rush"ng towards the Leaguers.

The tendons in my legs healed, I rushed forward to take on my doppleganger.

SPLAT!

I hit the clay Flash so fast, it splatters all over me. I skidded to a stop, the pieces of clay sliding all over my and heading into my mouth.

"Mwaaaah," I mumbled as the pieces of clay slid down my throat.

I fell to my knees, choking to death on living mud. Clawing at the floor, I began to vibrate my body. I picked up speed, all my molecules moving so fast the clay slid through the spaces and fell to the floor in a puddle.

Breathing and choking, I shoved my hand forward and grabbed the clay with my hand, vibrating its atomic structure to hell in back.

"AHHHHHH!" The rest of the dopplegangers cried out. They began to lose focus and concentration, the clay dripping off their formed bodies.

"Hit 'em!" I shouted to Supes and Wonder Woman. "That bastard orally violated me! Knock the hell out of him!"

 

[MST3K 4ever]

Fate and his clay counterpart battle to a stand-still until Flash makes his move.

Once his opponent begins to melt away Fate says, "Time to end this!"

He waves his hand at his opponent and says, "Diuqil Ezeerf!"

With that the Fate Doppelganger is now coated in liquid nitrogen which he smashes into pieces.

Fate says, "The liquid nitrogen has penetrated it's cells. It is defeated."

The Atom continues watching from a distance and sees the battle going on.

She says, "Okay time for my resurrection."

The Atom uses her night-vision lenses to maneuver through the rubble & debris to the environmental control room.

She pulls three levers and turns a knob.

This is powered through pneumatics so in about five seconds....

Just then she hears the sprinkler system kick on in the main-control room.

I know the roof is pretty well shot, but the water will get out and when it does those clay freaks won't be too happy. Science 101 wins again.

As she begins to float back she suddenly feels very light-headed and rests on the floor.

She sees a vision of her looking up to Lex Luthor.

The Atom says, "If I agree to help you then you'll save me."


Luthor says, "Of course Atom. You help me and your life will be as normal as possible."

The Atom says, "I guess I don't have a choice. LexCorp is the only one who can save me. All-right Lex let's do this."

The vision ends and The Atom is once again shaken.

What is going on with me????

 

[Spike_x1]

I can't help but feel a little jealous at the ease with which my teammates seem to be dealing with their doppelgangers. To begin with, I'm starting this fight at far less than full power when my double seems to have no such difficulties.

His invulnerability is at one hundred percent.

I feel like my chest nearly caves in when his fist slams into it and explosively buries me in the far wall. I can see the frost clouding around his mouth now, too, so I ready my heat vision to counter the oncoming attack.

"You're strong," I say as the air rushes around me in cold fury, "but you're not invincible." When the fire shooting from my eyes meets the intense cold, the resulting cloud of steam gives me cover to rush forward and nearly break my hand on my double's jaw, but send him staggering nevertheless.

"I know because I've been getting beaten every other day lately!" A blast of heat vision at point blank range to the monster's face. "And frankly, I'm sick and tired of getting kicked around with my own powers!"

My other fist sinks into what passes for the thing's abdomen, and it casually swats me aside in return. Things get progressively worse as I hear J'onn's doppelganger approaching now as well.

 

[Batman]

Blood's rushing to my brain, pulse is spiking. There's a psychotic draped over my shoulders. Sensations that are all too familiar. I've let myself get in too deep this time. Underestimated my opponent and gave him every possible advantage. That's the thing about lackeys and underlings, you generally trust yourself to take them for granted. They're stooges working for hire, lacking any of the drive or ambition that their employers usually implement into their given goal. Occasionally, you'll stumble across an exception in the form of a freelancer, an indebted assassin or a cold mercenary. Pick your poison, it's all relative. None of these jackasses ever give me any real cause for concern, especially when I'm dealing with a criminal element as unbelievably predictable as Gotham's. But then there's that odd moment, the moment that you find yourself out of the circle of idiots and staring at a lion's den.

I don't know if this is one of those moments. But it's pretty damn close.

The butcher knife that was threatening to pierce through an open seam in the armor slips further down, forcing me to reach out and grab the wrist that's holding it. This is what it's reduced to. The struggle to survive, fighting at it's most basic level. The would-be murderer tries to wring his arm free of my grasp, but his strength is failing him. We spin, his heels still digging into my stomach like stones, and I see the wall that's only a couple of feet away. His hold's making it hard for me to move, but I have to try. Running out of options fast.

That's right, you bastard. Keep hold...

Going into another turn, I intentionally align us both with our backs turned to the wall, both to prime my next attack and to keep him from making an entry wound. If he succeeds, I'm more or less finished. He knows how to handle the blade. Given the opportunity to cut in, he'd likely be able to maim me in a countless number of ways. Arching my knees, I grit my teeth and begin to twist the knife, slowly, back towards his direction. He tries to subdue my efforts by squeezing his arm across my neck, which nearly works. But he's too late, as I vault us both backwards, crushing him against the wall and viciously jamming the blade back at the wielder. It slices across his face, taking away a good chunk of the mask of skin that he was wearing.

Now's my chance. While he's distracted by the near-miss of his own weapon, I thrust my fist back into his jaw as hard as I possibly can. Back of his head bashes against the wall like a drum, and I can almost feel him grimacing. Finally, I'm inflicting some actual pain. Connecting with another punch, I seize the opportunity to rip his arm away from my throat and slam my elbow into his ribs, knocking him from my body. The brunt of his skull hitting the wall a third time. I can only hope this gives him brain damage. Turning around, I grab him by the sides of his head and slam him against the wall again. And again, watching as he suffers. Until it becomes repetitive.

Bruce would've never done this. To try and end his enemy instead of merely fighting him. It's one of several reasons I've lost interest in trying to please him. It's a thought that I immediately wish I could take back, but it's nevertheless true. We were friends, brothers in arms once. But I've been letting his capacity for compassion hold me back ever since I put on this damn outfit. And I'm already starting to tire of it. Whenever I decided to pull the trigger on Deathstroke, I made my choice. Compassion wasn't an option for me anymore. Given a cape and cowl in place of a red helmet doesn't change that.

Finally, I slam my forehead into his jaw and grab at his face, digging my thumbs hard into his eye. Ripping away pieces of another person's flesh from him as I go along, until his real face starts to slowly be revealed. My thoughts go back to the blade that he just dropped, knowing I could use it to end this. A clean stab into the heart. Penetration of the skull into the brain. A slice of the lungs. Excavating the vital organs. Kill or be killed, Todd. You know it's come to this.

"Wait..."

There's something I don't expect to stare back at me. With his mask ripped away, I had never considered that the face I'd be seeing is one that's... familiar. My eyes widen, immediately realizing who it is. Beyond simply the man that was just trying to kill me. We haven't met, but let's just say that we've traversed a common dwelling.

Paul Dekker?

Dekker was - actually, now that I think about it, is still supposed to be - a patient over at Arkham. I never actually dealt with him directly, but even among the most schizophrenic patients, he was something of an unspoken threat to everyone at the facility. He had been locked up in intensive security for the last seven months after the staff had found him loose on the grounds, holding the severed head of a night watchman that was still being torn apart, by the layers, through Dekker's insane penchant for dissection. Dr. Crane had overseen his treatment, and even he seemed disturbed by Dekker's behavior. A mute, Dekker was respondent only through several forms of non-verbal therapy, including children's blocks and an adapted sign language. Pen and paper weren't an option after he stabbed another patient in the throat in the cafeteria.

All he would ever spell was the word "Quilt." It garnered him a nickname on the grounds between guards as "The Crazy Quilt". Uninventive, but hardly unfitting, given that it was his ambition from the beginning - to make a human patchwork quilt, like he had tried to make out of the corpses of his deceased grandparents. The crime that landed him in Arkham. Stories were made up about him from there, including the fact that even his brain was a patchwork of insanity.

This is the second Arkham inmate that's been freed under questionable circumstances. First it was Arnold Etchison, a deranged serial murderer that was one of my patients. Now Dekker, who was definitely never up for rehabilitation and release any time soon. But intensive security is harder to get into than the standard Asylum grounds - hell, I have an access pass, and even I'd have to go through a rigourous amount of verification codes, body scans and metal detectors. So to release Dekker back into the populace - because there's absolutely no way he could've escaped - only means one thing.

Arkham's being infiltrated.

Dekker acts upon my moment of realization and swiftly kicks me in the chest with both legs, sending me back. With his agility unaffected by the blows to the head, he picks up what remains of his mask and goes running into the gate that opens for him. I pick myself up and give chase. I'll have to deal with what I've just learned later on. Right now, my mind needs to remain in the moment. Which may mean that to ensure that he doesn't harm anyone and still pursue the person that's hired him to oversee the kidnapping operation, I may have to kill a mental patient. That's two loyalties I'll have betrayed, both as a friend and a doctor.

I'm not really bothered by it either way.

"Enngh!"

Having kept the pressure focused on one area, Catwoman slices the claws even deeper into the face of The Flamingo, gaining a sense of satisfaction as her attacker reels from the pain. With all doubt and worry erased from her mind, she felt liberated enough to unleash a fury of attacks - which, while certainly giving her more of an advantage than before, still did very little against the inhuman fortitude of the killer ahead of her. Enraged, he grabbed her by the foot as she went in for a hard kick and tugged, swinging her across the room and nearly causing her to crash into the partially demolished wall.

Luckily for Selina, she had managed to snatch something of her's back from Flamingo's grasp - her bullwhip, which she subsequently lashed into the air and wrapped around Flamingo's throat. The force caused him to stumble forward and allowed her to pull herself back towards him, landing a flying kick. However, despite the execution of the attack, Flamingo's next attack was far more devastating. Grabbing Selina by the back of the head, he forced her hard onto the ground, face-first, and stomped down on her back - nearly crippling her instantaneously.

Can't... feel my...

Picking her up by the ears of her cowl, Flamingo leered over her with an animal-like curiosity, inspecting her clawed hand as she tried to shake off the considerable impact that his attack had made. Running the claws upwards, Flamingo brought them to Selina's own cheek and slowly back to pierce it through the skin. Catwoman wanted to cry out in pain, but all she had was rage, as blood began to seep out from under the wound. Flamingo smiled, preparing to go even deeper.

Until a loud noise echoed throughout the next hall. Flamingo turned, equally as curious as before, ripping the bladed claw from out of Selina's cheek. She grimaced as the blood began to rapidly drip onto the ground, but pushed it aside, using the moment to take advantage of the situation and wrap both arms around Flamingo's neck. Flamingo tried to struggle, but she was relentless. Her hold didn't even falter as they were both surprised, witnessing a figure burst through the wooden paneling of the next sealed-off entrance. A man in a patchwork costume flew through the air, and following him was a shadowy figure, looking as if it were born of the night itself.
The Batman.

"Who's he supposed to be?"

I step forward as Catwoman wrestles with a reject from Earth, Wind, and Fire. Not exactly what I expected to see whenever we found eachother in this screwed up labyrinth, but at least she's alive. If not more than a little beat-up, at this point. I look over at Dekker as he attempts to get up and rush over, kicking him hard in the ribs and driving my knee into his tendered skull. He hits the ground with a broken nose. Doubt he'll be much of a problem for long.

"What the hell... took you so long?"

Dragging Dekker with me, I watch Catwoman try desperately to suffocate the man in a sleeper hold. Probably one of the few things she can do with some semblance of success, given her lack of any credible training. Dekker tries to grab at me, but I pick him up and toss him across the room.

"I wasn't aware of an obligation to save your ass."

"Split up... you wanted to split up... what an asinine..."

Yeah. Even I'll admit, that wasn't one of my best ideas.

"What are you talking about? It worked."

"For you... maybe..."

Watching her struggle some more, I finally sigh.

"You want me to try?"

Seething with hatred, Catwoman nevertheless nods.

"Be... my... guest..."

Letting him go, the Prince wannabe gasps for air. But only long enough to suffer the instantaneous blow that comes as I strike him with a focused uppercut that sends him sailing across the room. He smashes into a statue of the March Hare, shattering it into a pile in the corner of the room. Completely out cold. I sneer at him, realizing that Dekker is remains fairly unresponsive aswell.

"Let me guess. At first, he seemed virtually..."

Catwoman composes herself, wiping the blood from her face.

"Impossible to beat?"

I hold up Dekker's unconscious form. "Mine too. To an almost metahuman degree. But now they're weakened to the point of exhaustion, and I know I wasn't giving him the fight of a lifetime."

Catwoman quizzically looks back at her sparring partner.

"You think there's more to this?"

"Almost definitely."

"You don't know the half of it."

Catwoman and I both turn, surprised by a third voice jetting out from the back of the room. A woman holding twin pistols trained directly at both of us. Her face quite irrevocably scarred up, from the looks of it. Catwoman readies her whip, but the woman fires the gun before it can be used, causing me to tackle my partner-in-crime out of the bullet's path. The woman fires again, causing us to run for cover. My hand already partially jammed into the pouch of the utility belt, searching for any of those batarang things still left over. Only to realize that I've only got one left. Catwoman dodges another shot, looking over at me.

"Oh, this is just starting to get tiring."

Just as I attempt to respond, I notice something. That can of dimestore mace that Catwoman showed me from earlier. Given the severity of the moment, I don't have the time to show her how to break off one of the flash grenades or smoke pellets that I gave her, and I can't bother searching for them in the belt again, but I think I can use the mace to my advantage. Seizing it from Catwoman's belt, she protests as I remove the one batarang from it's pouch and stand.

"HEY!"

"I'll compensate you."

Tossing the can of mace into the air as the woman prepares to shoot, I use my other hand to toss the batarang into the mace, slicing the can in half. It's contents of compressed irritants explode, dousing the trigger woman in the directly eyes. She drops the gun instinctively and shields them, spinning around.

"RRGH!"

Catwoman leaps out from behind cover and dropkicks her in the spine, sending her directly into a metal gate. While she's not looking, I allow a brief smirk to crawl across my lips. She's getting the hang of this. As the woman, still blinded, attempts to get up and reach for the gun, I slide it away with my boot and lift her off of the ground, pinning her against the wall. She grits her teeth and fights back, but I have her secured enough to make that of little concern. I raise my voice to stress the fact that I've had about enough of tonight's games.

"TELL ME WHERE HE IS!"

"Bite me, freak!"

"Tempting..."

Twisting my wrist so that the gauntlet spikes are aligned with her throat, I watch as her mood quickly begins to change.

"But I think I'll go about this a different way."

"You wouldn't!", she spits. "I've read all about you in the papers! You're not scaring me with this ****, you've never killed any of the guys you put away! Why the hell would I be different?!"

I grin, maliciously relaying my intent.

"You're not... but I am."

"You'll release my Queen, Little Bat..."

Turning to the sound of the voice behind me, my eyes fall on a figure in the darkness. The top hat being the most noticeable feature, I can tell that he's covered from head to toe in green, with blood-stained fingerless gloves covering a hand that hovers over a large blade. And the blade is held at Catwoman's throat, who struggles under his grip. I recognize his voice from over the intercom earlier.

This is him. This is the man that we've been pursuing all night, the one responsible for the kidnappings.

And he's dressed like The Mad Hatter.

"Or I'll skin the flesh from the Cheshire Cat."

 

[Andy C.]

I can't help but feel a little jealous at the ease with which my teammates seem to be dealing with their doppelgangers. To begin with, I'm starting this fight at far less than full power when my double seems to have no such difficulties.

His invulnerability is at one hundred percent.

I feel like my chest nearly caves in when his fist slams into it and explosively buries me in the far wall. I can see the frost clouding around his mouth now, too, so I ready my heat vision to counter the oncoming attack.

"You're strong," I say as the air rushes around me in cold fury, "but you're not invincible." When the fire shooting from my eyes meets the intense cold, the resulting cloud of steam gives me cover to rush forward and nearly break my hand on my double's jaw, but send him staggering nevertheless.

"I know because I've been getting beaten every other day lately!" A blast of heat vision at point blank range to the monster's face. "And frankly, I'm sick and tired of getting kicked around with my own powers!"

My other fist sinks into what passes for the thing's abdomen, and it casually swats me aside in return. Things get progressively worse as I hear J'onn's doppelganger approaching now as well.

"Then why don't we change things up," Clayface taunted, the Superman and Manhunter dopplegangers taunting in unison, "and use someone else's powers instead!"

The two protoplasmic doubles split up into a web of snake-like tendrils, each taking the shape of Wonder Woman's unbreakable Lasso. The golden strands wrapped around the Man of Steel, then began constricting him, trying to choke the life out of the caped hero.

"Superman!" called out Wonder Woman, lashing her own Lasso around the clay double. The power of Truth overcame the shapeshifting mass, reducing it to a lump of formless goo.

"This monster may be able to imitate our powers," the warrior woman rallied her allies, "But it can't--"

Wonder Woman's battle plan was cut off by a flurry of emerald fists, buffeting her from all sides with the Flash's speed and the Green Lantern's power.

"And I've had enough of you, too!" Clayface sputtered at the Flash, a half-formed doppleganger struggling to keep its form against the Scarlet Speedster's vibration attack.

Mimicking flight, it levitated into the air, and its head began to sprout eyeballs. Lumping on top of each other like a nightmarish grapevine, the mass of eyes looked in every direction.....

.....then loosed a cataclysmic blast of Heat Vision. Firing in all directions, the kaleidoscope of lasers ripped through the Hall of Justice, and bored into the mountain.

The already damaged Hall of Justice began to shudder, and crumble, the scream of twisting metal piercing through the thunder of collapsing rock.

"Don't--" was all Professor Ivo was able to manage before one of the Heat Vision lasers reduced him to ash, and cut the Amazo robot in half, before the android's frame was crushed underneath thousands of tons of rubble.

A cloud of dust swept over Happy Harbor, chunks of debris raining down into the streets of the suburb. The ruins of the mountain crumbled in on itself, or fell into the ocean, kicking up waves that rolled into the town.

As the smoke cleared, a globe of green lifted out of the rubble.

"That's.....a couple of us...." the Green Lantern said in ragged gasps, his last-second barrier managing to shield himself, as well as Doctor Fate, from the worst of the destruction. His reserves of power exhausted, the Lantern's construct flickered and went out as he lost consciousness.

Wonder Woman slowly and painfully crawled from the ruins as well, her face bloodied, her body covered in cuts and bruises, her limbs shaking with pain as she shoved a gigantic boulder off of her. While she had survived, she was clearly in no condition to keep fighting.

She looked around, searching for the rest of her compatriots. She had no doubt that Superman had survived, and the Flash may have simply outrun the devastation. But in her heart, she knew they would not survive another onslaught like that.

"Not exactly the most clever of moves, I think," said a sickeningly familiar voice from somewhere in the cloud of smoke. "Accidentally immolating yourself with someone else's Heat Vision. Then again, Clayface never had a preponderance of brains. Still, he managed to bring down your little fortress in quite the spectacular fashion before he went."

Stepping out from the dust and smoke came Vandal Savage-- the true Vandal Savage, a satisfied grin on his face.

"You...." Wonder Woman spat, mustering her strength once again.

"It might be wise to consider retreat," said Savage, still grinning as six duplicates of the Amazo android stepped forward, flanking him on both sides. "It's a shame Ivo had to die, but now that I've got his blueprints--not to mention a massive manufacturing facility within the Legion's headquarters-- I can make as many of these things as I want. This is a battle you've lost, heroes."

Each of the Amazos readied their arsenal of stolen super-powered weaponry-- Heat Vision, power rings, magic bolts, and a myriad of other powers from other metahumans-- waiting for their master's order to kill.

"Don't bother trying to fight it," he said, his sadistic smile turning grim. "It was always going to end this way."

"That's funny," called out another voice from above. "I was just about to say the same thing to you."

A series of small, dart-like missiles shot down from the sky, one hitting each of the Amazos. The androids began to shudder and lock up, before deactivating and falling to the ground.

A seventh dart, tipped with a long thin needle, struck Savage in the side of the neck, embedding into his carotid artery. The immortal warlord grunted at the nuisance......then began to scream in agony.

"Binary logic bombs," the voice explained. "As powerful as your Amazos were, I couldn't attack them physically, so I instead attacked their artificial intelligence. They've been infested with a particularly nasty series of viruses that bombards their programming with conflicting data, paradoxes, and override commands. They'll never be operational again."

Savage fell to his knees, his skin starting to turn black and rot away.

"As for you," the voice said, full of contempt, "I obtained a sample of your DNA taken from the battle in Beijing, and isolated the meta-gene that allows you to regenerate tissue. Once that was discovered, I engineered a customized virus especially for you, one that would latch onto your DNA and break it down on a molecular level."

"No....." Savage hissed. "Not......not like this......"

"After every innocent you've killed, I agree," the voice said in a somber tone. "This kind of death is too good for you. But given the circumstances, it's the best I could manage."

A massive mound of rubble shifted, then finally gave way as Superman pulled himself out from underneath the shattered mountain, in time to see Vandal Savage fall to the ground, his flesh and bones rotting away into dust.

The immortal man was well and truly dead.

Out from the dust advanced a line of men, soldiers in body armor with top-of-the-line ordinance. Some wore the camouflage uniforms of the US Army. Some wore the black and purple insignia of Lexcorp's private security firms.

And down from the sky, in a suit of advanced cybernetic armor, came the man who had won the war against the Legion of Doom.

"Superman," said Lex Luthor, a deep concern in his voice as the soldiers swept through the area. "I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner-- we had to fight our way through the Legion's army to get to you. Is everyone all right?"

 

[Spike_x1]

"We're..." My voice trails off as I look through the area to assess the state of my team. I know that Luthor is just going to use this as ammunition against us down the road, about how ineffective we are and a magnet for lunatics looking for a fight, but regardless...

I honestly don't know how we could have stopped Savage without him.

"We're in hard shape, but we'll live."

I just know there are cameras watching the scene. Lex wouldn't miss such an opportunity, assuming that he hasn't been behind everything from the very beginning. I watched the man try to nuke the Earth from his own private lunar watchtower. He'll never be above my suspicion again.

And yet I shake his hand anyway.

"Thank you."

 

[MST3K 4ever]

The Atom finally comes out of her vision of making an alliance with Lex and floats back to the battle ground. Seeing that Lex is shaking hands with Superman she feels physically ill.

That suit...I'll put a year's pay on Brainiac being behind it. Lex is good with the tech but that kind of tech...not a chance in hell. Sadly though my word against his...guess who wins that contest 10 times out of 10.

Just then she has another vision of her standing on Lex's desktop as he says, "Now as willing as I am to help you I need something from you."


The Atom replies, "Name it."

Lex says, "Profiles and other useful information on your fellow Justice League members."

The Atom asks, "Why?"

Lex replies, "Simple if you and I are going to be dealing with one another I need to know about your associates. To avoid any potential misunderstandings and I figure this is a quid-pro-quot."

He leans down and says, "My dear you have so much potential. You could be one of the most powerful ones of them all. Please allow me the opportunity to show you the way, and when we are done you will be standing taller than them all."

The vision fades and she floats to Fate and sits on his shoulder.

He says, "You okay?"

The Atom replies, "Yeah just a long day."

Fate says, "Looks like Lex saved the day."

The Atom replies, "Yeah I guess so."

She floats over to where Superman and Lex are and says, "Nice suit Lex. Must've taken a real Brainiac to fix it up for ya."

She floats back over to Fate and says, "Okay now that I got my parting shot in let's see to the others."

 

[Byrd Man]

I stood up, my legs finally healing from the onslaught of Amazo.

And... what I see disgusts me. Superman shaking hands with Lex Luthor. After everything he told us about Luthor, about how evil he is... how he tried to destroy the world. And... he's shaking hands with him. All because he did what we couldn't do.

That's when I feel something I haven't felt in nearly three years. Worthless. In one fleeting motion, the events of the last few months hit me hard. The Rogues break out, Denny Colt's murder... the death of my brother, and now this. Superman hobnobs with a genocidal maniac, and how close Wonder Woman came to killing Cheetah. All this time together and besides Sta'rro, what have we done worth a damn? Fight with each other and let the Legion of Doom run amok until Lex Luthor saved our asses. We can't even save ourselves, and I can't save anybody I care about. I don't deserve to be called a hero.

"Congratulations on saving the Justice League, Luthor," I said, unclipping my commlink from my belt. "Would have been more impressive if we were actually worth saving."

I tossed my communication underhanded up into the air. By the time it clattered to the floor, I was gone from Happy Harbor and halfway back home.
​

 

[Spike_x1]

The clatter of Flash's communicator against the rubble echoes with the weight its intent carries for all of us. Lex may not be showing it outwardly, but I know he's smiling beneath it all, while my heart sinks.

I can see the looks on the faces of Steel and Green Lantern, our fresh new recruits, as they see what takes place and not know how to respond. I get the impression that Green Lantern in particular feels hurt by this, as I always thought that, out of all of us, he was the closest to the Flash.

Hours later, after the cleanup has been done and the injured taken care of, the remaining members of the Justice League convene atop the Daily Planet building in Metropolis. An ironic change of scenery, considering it actually gets us away from the prying eyes of the media back in Rhode Island.

We all stand in silence for what feels like minutes, each thinking on what our next course of action should be before I finally speak up.

"Despite everything that's happened and the doubt that I know I'm not the only one feeling, I want to keep the League alive." My thoughts fall back to the Flash. "We've been hit hard, not only in the eyes of the world but also in how we see ourselves. But I'm not going to throw in the towel just yet. We can be better."

 

[Byrd Man]

Central City, MS


Three days have passed since the fight at Happy Harbor, and I've been in a world all by myself. Work was work. Only so many fingerprints you can dust before it becomes boring. At home, though, it's worse. Dad acts like I don't even exist. He acknowledges Mom and Wally... but never me. The events of the last few days hung in the air like an unspoken secret.

The news has been covering the Legion of Doom and the aftermath. The world sings Luthor praises and demonizes the Justice League. I realized that my quitting the team doesn't help matters, but I had to do it. For their sake as much as mine. I'm no good to anyone, not anymore.

My Flash suit was under my bed, gathering dust. I was questioning the point of it all. Sure, I pulled a few people from fires, but is it worth all the thousands and maybe millions that were hurt by the Legion of Doom? Was it worth Snart and his Rogues? Or worth the deaths of Denny and Thad?

Let's face it, Flash was all about me playing dress-up and pretending to be someone I'm not: a hero. I was just some nerd that got lucky. Bart Allen: Crime scene technician can do more good in the long run. So I can run fast? So can Usain Bolt, but you don't see him punching Captain Cold in the jaw. Let Superman and Green Lantern be the hero, they can do it better and do it right. Me? I'm no use to anyone.

"Bart?" Mom asked from outside my room.

I got up from the bed and shuffled to the door. I opened it and saw my mother, a worried look on her face. "The TV..."

She led me to the living room where Wally looked up from the couch and eyed me.

"-ity officials are reminding everyone out there to remain calm and do not panic," said the news anchor on TV. "To recap, a pirate signal flashed across KKTV with an unknown assailant threatening the city. We go now to that footage."

"People of Central City...," the man on the screen said with a sick smile. "I am the architect of your demise. What I am about to entail is a promise, not a threat. Your city will be destroyed in two minutes if the Flash does not meet me downtown."

"How much time do I have?"

"Thirty sec--"

A powerful wind ripped through the house as I disappeared. Two seconds later, I was standing outside the Fox building while the masked man, wearing a suit like mine, stood on the street.

"Like my outfit? I made it with you in mind."

"Very dashing," I said, walking towards him. "You got me here. What do you want?"

"You know me,--" he disappeared and then reappeared beside me, an elbow in my ribs. "I like to have an audience when I lecture."

My knees crumpled and I fell to the ground, holding my two busted ribs.

"I want this city to watch as I tear you apart, the same city that loved you... but turned their back on you when the going got tough. It's lesson time, Mister Allen..."

He knew my name... wait, that voice. I know who it is.

"Thawne?"

"No," he said, slamming his foot down on my head. "The Professor."
​

 

[MST3K 4ever]

"Despite everything that's happened and the doubt that I know I'm not the only one feeling, I want to keep the League alive." My thoughts fall back to the Flash. "We've been hit hard, not only in the eyes of the world but also in how we see ourselves. But I'm not going to throw in the towel just yet. We can be better."

The Atom sits on Dr. Fate's shoulders and then floats upward and says, "I did something I'm not proud of, but...."

She gathers herself and says, "I did some recon on LexCorp. Yes technically it was a B & E. Lex is not in this alone. The Legion of Doom was set up to fail from the start."

The Atom takes a deep breath and says, "I know what I'm about to say is crazy, but Lex is working with an alien robot that goes by the name of Brainiac."

She looks around says, "It and Lex have been planning this operation for a long time. It was able to detect me just by distrubances in the air-flow. Lex made sure to make scarce when I was in there, but he is there and I'll bet a year's pay he helped Lex with his battle-suit."

The Atom lets what she said sink and says, "All that being said. I'm not about to quit on this team. If we quit now then Lex has truly beaten us. Face it in our line of work rarely will we ever enjoy an outright victory over evil. Most of the time the best we can hope for is to hold the line for another day."

She floats over to the edge and says, "Hold the line for the people down there and throughout the world who can't do it. If we think this is Lex's ultimate goal then we are fools. He has humiliated us, but he knows as long as we function as a group we are still a threat to him."

The Atoms steels her resolve and says, "You can count on me Superman."

The Atom floats back to Dr. Fate and rests on his shoulder.

Fate says, "I have fought the evil the Luthor represents for longer than most of you have been alive. I have seen greater men than Lex fall to people without Meta-Human powers or any other kinds of power. Except for that of believing in the power of justice and freedom for all. It has taken time but eventually justice and righteousness triumphs. I too will continue the fight along with you."

 

[Batman]

"Tick-tock, Little Bat. Whatever will you do?"

There isn't alot that can leave me with definitive conflict. My entire life, there's been a sense of simplicity when it comes to making my decisions. There's only the right choice and the wrong choice, and if I mess up, I only mess up in the worst possible way. So whenever I'm faced with a situation like this - where the stakes are high enough to end with someone dying - I usually know exactly what to do. Save the life. Break the jaw of whoever's threatening it. Then move onto the other limbs until I'm satisfied. But for whatever reason, this situation strikes me as... different.

"Dammit, don't worry about me!", Catwoman yells out. "Just do whatever you have to and take him out!"

I want to tell her it's not that simple. There's a number of factors at play. The blade held tightly to her throat. The raving lunatic holding it grinning back at me, spouting off Lewis Carroll. His trigger-happy psychotic mess of a girlfriend held captive in my hands. Two obscenely strong assassins-for-hire lying on the floor, both anywhere from hours, to minutes, even seconds away from regaining consciousness. And I'm not even sure I'd be telling the truth.

What if it is that simple? Catwoman's life hangs in the balance, and all I can think about is getting my hands around Mad Hatter's throat. It's like she doesn't even matter. But really, what's stopping me - loyalty? All I've ever done is save her, she's been nothing but a hindrance to me. Her value to me is practically non-existent. The sanctity of life? I can't imagine one more would make a difference. Hatter's probably murdered a countless score of victims.

No, I think I know exactly what it is. The same reason I haven't been taking any chances ever since I put this damn suit on. Haven't tried to honor the vow I made to finally start getting rid of the criminal element once and for all. I've been acting a shell of myself. And it's because of him.

"Your 'queen'?", I growl, forcing the woman around and locking my arm around her neck. "Why should I? Why should I let her live when you've killed innocent girls all over Gotham?!"

The Hatter only smiles, whimsically sliding the blade up and down Catwoman's neck. "Such an aggressive discourse. I merely wish to preserve the order of things. You mean to inflict chaos on Wonderland?"

I grit my teeth. Even despite the circumstances, he's beyond dedicated to his role. Whether he used to work on the grounds or picked it up independently is beyond me. But somewhere along the line, he lost it.

"We're not in Wonderland. And you're not the Hatter."

Indicating the wall mural of the actual Hatter behind him, I watch him as he begins to circle. I don't take my eyes off of his wrist. A simple twist and he'd easily be able to cut through the material of her costume. Still trying to decide if that bothers me.

"Tell me where you're keeping the girls and I'll consider sparing her."

"**** you! **** all of you!", my captive screams. "This was just a job! I just work security for this jackass, I don't know what he does with them!"

"Oh, dear. It seems you've gravelly misunderstood the levity of the situation,", he retorts to me, gripping the blade even tighter. "You're in no position to negotiate. My playthings are mine to own. Mine, mine, mine. They are the property of Wonderland, and you? You're a simple terrorist. You and the Cheshire Cat are subject to execution..."

Angrily, I flex my wrist, adding pressure to the neck. The woman immediately begins to choke. "And you've misunderstood the level of my patience! You're not in Wonderland! These are human lives! Real people, innocent people that you've killed with your insane delusions! And I won't allow it to continue!"

My methods for solving this are beginning to verge on the extreme, but if he thinks I'm bluffing when I say I'm going to strangle her infront of him, he's wrong. I will do whatever I have to in order to bring him down, and if that means taking a casualty, so be it. For the second time in my life, I can say for certain that this is no longer a matter of honoring anyone else's vows. There's no rule to adhere to. No law to answer to. This isn't him asking for penance or me trying to talk reason. This is staring down death in it's most raw, desperate form and seeing what a pathetic joke it really is. And unfortunately for him, I don't have any sort of pity to offer this miserable excuse of an existence.

I'm not Bruce Wayne.

"Killed?", he asks, almost quizzically. "You would honestly believe I've ever hurt my playthings? They belong to me. I would never have put them in danger. I'm protecting them!"

I remain stagnant, keeping the pressure on. But he keeps going. Keeps trying to relay his insane rhetoric as if I'd even begin to listen. The blood on his hands serves as a contradiction to his claims. He's murdered the girls. If not the ones that he's kidnapped tonight, then others. Probably in a number of cold cases around Gotham that've gone unnoticed.

"My playthings are suffering. Suffering every day, in the wicked city of Gotham. Famine, disease, crime and corruption. Such vices have taken so many young and innocent faces and wiped them from the Earth. Many starve on the streets, neglected. Ignored by those who would protect them. It's enough to drive anyone mad, let alone a hatter,", he explains, his voice quivering with the thought. "Wonderland is a safe haven, and I only offer them the love they so desperately need. The affection of a special friend..."

He smiles in a way that looks not unlike a grimace. A true look of evil if I've ever seen it. It's enough to unnerve me. But that's when I begin to realize what he's talking about. And my grip on the woman suddenly loosens, my body overcome with shock. My eyes widened, stunned.

Oh my god. He hasn't been murdering them.

He's been...

"Jesus..."

"In Wonderland, it was said that a special little girl would come and set us free. A girl in a blue dress.", He whispers. "I've been searching for her. Searching, searching, and searching. In the most intimate ways. Searching for an Alice of my very own..."

For a moment, I start to see white. Sights and sounds are eclipsed by an unfathomable, indescribable sense of disgust, overcome by a rage I've never felt. Logic and reason are nothing to me. My grip on the woman finally subsides, and I effortlessly toss her aside. Hands trembling. Breath shortening. More white. A bright circle of it, surrounding what I see. And I don't see anything else in the room - except him. Except the monster.

"You..."

I could swear that even he starts to take a step back, realizing what a grave mistake he's just made for even alluding to such an implication. Fully immersed in the uncontrollable rage that's set off in my mind like a spark catching fire, I reach into the back of the belt and start to do the first sensible thing that's come to me all night. Whipping out a batarang, I lunge forward and use every portion of my arm's strength to toss it out at point blank range. Had you asked me as I was throwing it, I wouldn't be able to tell you if I was even trying to miss Catwoman. What I could tell you was what my mind was screaming out as it left my palm.

Die, you sick, demented son of a b****.

Die.

"RAHARRRGH!"

With the most blood-curdling scream I think I've ever heard, The Hatter finally relinquishes Catwoman, dropping the knife and painfully clutching at the weapon that's now lodged deep into his right eye. A river of blood pouring of it as he cries like an infant, trying his absolute best to avoid going into shock from the pain. It's only a fraction of what he deserves. But watching him topple over, scrambling, screaming and helpless as any number of his victims - his poor victims, the amount of which I can't bring myself to think of at a time like this - it's enough for me breathe again.

I don't want it to stop. I want him to suffer like this for the rest of his life.

But he has to die by my hands, right here and now.

"You... You sick, demented little..."

In a move that I truly don't expect, Catwoman angrily stands over him, nearly as overcome with emotion as I was. At first, I think to myself that it's only because he had her at knifepoint. But one look at the reaction on her face tells the story. She's only enraged because of what he's done. With a swift, fluid motion, Catwoman drives the steel claws on her fingertips deep into his left cheek while he's still down, creating a likely permanent scar in the process. He rolls over and cries out in pain again, but it pales in comparison to what he was already going through.

That's when I get it. I mean, really get it. She wants him dead just as much as I do. That's what her part in all of this was about all along. He took someone from her, someone that means a great deal to her and not just another nameless kidnapped victim. Despite all that I told myself I'd have to do, knowing that it takes everything I've got left in me not to render him a dead broken mess of bone and flesh, I reluctantly grab Catwoman by the shoulder as she goes to lay into him further.

"Stop..."

She immediately turns to me, glaring back. Teeth grit.

"Stop?! What the hell do you mean, 'stop'?! Didn't you hear what this bastard just said?!"

I see her point. God, do I ever see it. But there's one thing that both of us had forgotten for a moment.

"The kids."

Grabbing her as hard as I can so that she'll listen, I bring her in close.

"We have to find the kids. They're still trapped somewhere inside."

She breaks away from me. "If they're even alive! How do we know he hasn't already... I mean, what if he's..."

Turning around, she clenches her fists and stares out, trying to form a coherent thought.

"I know. I know it's difficult. But we have to make him tell us where they are. It's the only value he has to us. After that, then..."

Eyes burning with hatred beneath the mask, I stare back over at him. His face hidden from view, which brings me some small form of comfort. I don't want to have to look at that face right now. I'm afraid of what I'll do just as much as I'm afraid of letting him live.

"Then he gets everything he deserves."

With a pained sigh, she nods her head, unable to bring herself to even look at me.

"Do what you have to."

Not even bothering to wait for her permission, I'm already halfway to him by the time that Catwoman turns around. Grabbing him up from the floor, the blood literally pooling around him from the wound to his eye, I simply place my hand over his throat and lift him off of the ground. Any direct trauma and we'd probably lose him before he could talk.

"WHERE DID YOU TAKE THEM?!?! WHERE DID YOU TAKE THEM, YOU PSYCHOPATH?!?!"

He's finally stopped screaming. The color from his face having completely drained. Looks down at me with his one good eye, warm sweat and sour blood mixing over the right side of his face. He doesn't even try to struggle, despite the amount of pressure I'm fighting not to push on his neck.

"I-Is it time for tea already, Mr. Hare?"

Finally, I start to lose it, grabbing him and thrashing him hard across the face with the brunt of my fist. I've had enough of his dellusions. His games, his tricks, whatever the hell you'd call them. All I want to know is where the girls are, because when I find that out, I get to wipe this little smear off of the face of the Earth.

"ANSWER ME RIGHT NOW, YOU GODDAMN---!"

"P-Please! Please, I'll tell you... j-just stop."

In a show of a complete breakdown, he starts to cry.

"I can't take it any more. The voices. The images. They're all starting to close in. All taunting, all laughing at me. Laughing like a clown. An evil, evil clown..."

Beginning to raise my fist again, I watch as he flinches and raises both hands.

"They're in the D-Dutchess' Dungeon. On the other side of the park. God forgive me, they're locked in. We're all locked in."

Still holding him firmly in my grasp, I glance over my shoulder at Catwoman.

"Go. See if he's telling the truth. If he is, get everyone out."

It takes a few seconds for her to finally leave, racing down the hall as fast as she possibly can.

Turning back towards Hatter, I contemplate as to what I should do with him. A million methods of inconceivable torture running through my mind all at once, just to keep myself busy while she confirms his answer. He only silently cries to himself, having already gotten used to the pain of the batarang sticking in his now blinded eye.

There's a final piece of business that we need to attend to.

"You weren't working alone."

Startling him with that accusation, I begin to walk towards the wall, pinning him against it. Re-affirming my hold over his throat.

"The church is what tipped me off. You had to have someone verify the church for vacancy long enough to complete your 'deliveries'. Your informant, your White Rabbit, he had to be given a way in. This was calculated far too much to keep the church public at the hours you needed."

He doesn't seem to want to respond.

"You're gonna tell me who it was..."

I grit my teeth. "While you can still breathe."

"B-But if I tell you, they'll... he'll..."

He'll?

"Spit it out!"

"The Knave of Hearts."

At first, I want to beat his face in for using yet another Wonderland idiom. But the expression on his face, the eye movement - he's not lying about this, or dressing it up by any stretch of the imagination. He really believes that a Knave of Hearts is out there in Gotham. Could easily just be code for someone.

"Who is it?! Who is the Knave?!"

He starts to answer, but before he can - and I only barely take notice of it - his pupil rapidly starts to shrink. It isn't long before they're diluted just like his hired help from before. Even Paul Dekker's were like that, when he was fighting me in the other hall. Hatter's expression changes. His bleeding lips curling up into a smile.

"My, my, my. You sure like to ask alot of questions, don't you...Hoodie."

Dropping him on the floor, I take a step back, shocked by what I just heard coming out of his mouth. Not so much the words themselves as the voice that took over. Because that wasn't an act. That voice was not Hatter's.

That was something... familiar.

Can't be...

He smiles as wide as he possibly can, then stops. His eye returning to normal.

Hatter's back, evidently. Because he's looking around, confused.

"W-What... what just..."

Just as I try to make sense of what's going on, Catwoman reappears in the entrance, taking us both off guard.

"They're down there. All of them are down there, even a few that've been missing for weeks. They're still alive."

I barely even acknowledge what she says, staring back at Hatter. Still hearing that other voice coming out of him. I could swear that the voice I heard was something familiar, but the first logical one is impossible. Because I watched that son of a ***** sink to the bottom of the Gotham Bay a long time ago. I put him there myself.

So it can't be him. So who the hell was it?

What the hell is going on?

"Batman? You hear me? What is it, what's wrong?"

"I think..."

Turning back to her, unsure of what I'm even saying is true, I take a step away from Hatter. Police sirens are already closing in from the distance, probably alerted by the gunfire. After that little display, I sure as hell can't kill him now. But I'm not particularly bothered by that. I don't even know how it's possible, but somehow, something worse is happening than what we've come across.

"I think something bigger is going on."

 

[Andy C.]

A flash of light erupts from the night's darkness. A fiery explosion.

At first, my fears are that I've been discovered and that the blast is the Bialyan government beginning to open fire. But once several seconds pass, and nothing breaches the outside of the hull, I squint at the cloud of smoke ahead of me to see where it's originated from. And what I find is quite surprising.

It's a palace. Or at least, apart of one. The capital city overshadowing the distant terrain, I watch as the helicopter slowly inches closer towards a large palace evoking the high majesty of Bialyan royalty. I've been to the country only once, when I was a boy. And I'm beginning to remember this same palace's distant visage as the premiere attraction to tourists. Only now, it appears to be under attack. Deactivating the autopilot once again, I swerve the controls to the left and prepare to divert away from the chaos, not wishing to be apart of such a distraction in the midst of my search...

But something happens. The tracking device's receiver lights up and begins to frantically beep. At first, I believe that it's a malfunction on the receiver's part, but it's readings prove me quite wrong. According to this, not only have I found Master Dick's general location, I seem to be only a few hundred feet from where he currently is now.

Surely that's impossible. Isn't it?

Even if it is, and I've not found him after all, can I afford to be wrong?

Swerving the control stick to the right, I decide to take yet another large risk and begin to land, just outside of the ravaged gates of the facility attached to the palace. Activating the autopilot to do the job for me, I leave my seat and divert to the back of the craft, preparing a semi-automatic machine rifle and the weapons I'd prepared to bring along for myself, should Master Dick's extraction become problematic.

I daresay that this is quite a long shot. But I must take it. Richard could be out there, and I need to be absolutely sure before I can continue on my way.

"Oracle, I'll need you to open the hatch whenever we land."

"And may God help me if he isn't here..."

The worst of the fighting was over. Which isn't to say that there was no more fighting.

With Queen Bee left in a vegetative state, and Psimon and his lackeys all taken down by the combined efforts of their intended students, there was little the HIVE facility had left to throw at the members of Titan and Cerberus Squads as they made their way out of the facility.

Still, they met resistance. Armed soldiers, security drones, automated turrets. Between the martial training of Artemis and Arsenal, the metahuman firepower of Starfire and Icicle, the menagerie of tricks up the proverbial sleeves of Changeling and Skitter and Bumblebee, and the technological muscle of Cyborg, there was little anyone could do to even slow them down, much less stop them.

Only three of the super-powered teenagers did not join in the fight.

Two of them were Dick Grayson and Donna Troy-- Robin and Wonder Girl-- both of whom were still barely conscious after the horrendous telepathic torture committed by Queen Bee.

The third was Rachel Roth-- Raven-- who had barely spoken a word, who could only look forward in wide-eyed horror as she realized what her emotions were turning her into.

"So do we actually have an exit strategy?" asked Arsenal, quickly popping out from behind corner to loose a non-lethal impact arrow into the chest of a Bialyan soldier.

"The plan was to make it to the palace's helipad and hijack a lift out of here," said Cyborg, grunting as he carried Robin and Wonder Girl over his shoulder. "I'd ask Robin for the next step, but he's not really in any condition to ask."

"Great," snorted Arsenal. "Any of you guys know how to fly a helicopter?"

They all shook their heads.

"I am certified to pilot a Kor'ellidith sky-dancer," chimed in Starfire, "provided it has a techno-organic neural interface."

"Somehow I don't think they have one of those here," said Artemis, charging forward to swat the last soldier aside.

"Then what do we do now?" asked Changeling.

As the members of Titan Squad bickered, another man stepped into the hallway, picking his way through the incapacitated soldiers.

"Hold it!" Arsenal barked, nocking an arrow and readying to draw.

Unlike the other personnel, this man's clothing bore no markings, Bialyian, HIVE, or otherwise. A caucasian man, middle-aged with neatly groomed hair and a goatee, he stood out from all of the other men they had swept through before.

"Whoever you are," said Cyborg, aiming his right arm as his hand transformed into a plasma cannon, "You'd better step aside. Against all of us, you don't--"

"Wait.......wait......I know him....."

Cyborg stopped in mid-sentence as the half-conscious Robin rubbed his eyes, staggering towards the man.

"......Alfred?" he asks, shaking his head in disbelief. "How'd you get here? What are you doing?"

Robin looked back to his fellow Titans, then back to Alfred.

"Guys, this is Alfred," he introduces them. "He works for....this guy I know. Alfred, these are the Titans. It's, um.......it's kind of a long story."

Robin began to teeter and falter again, but Raven rushed to his side to hold him up.

"We need a way out of here," she said. "Can you help us out?"

 

[Byrd Man]

"I want this city to watch as I tear you apart, the same city that loved you... but turned their back on you when the going got tough. It's lesson time, Mister Allen..."

He knew my name... wait, that voice. I know who it is.

"Thawne?"

"No," he said, slamming his foot down on my head. "The Professor."
​

"Like the suit?" The man who once taught me physics asked as he threw me through the park restroom. I crashed through the wall and landed hard on a porcelain toilet and knocked it off the wall. I flopped to the floor, my knee twisting and dislocating and Thawne calmly walked towards me. I grunted and popped my knee back into place

"I figured the outfit's appropriate. Remember Newton's third law of motion? 'To every action, there is always an equal and opposite reaction.'"

I scrambled to crawl away. But he was on me, faster than I could imagine and stronger than I could ever be. He hoisted me above his head, laughing as he did.

"Figured with the constant exposure of the Flash, the world could use a Reverse-Flash."

"H..how?"

"The speed? Oh, just my own personal cocktail," he said, slinging me across the restroom. I smacked against the wall and slumped to the floor. "Distilled from your DNA, refined with a test subject."

That last part made me snap out of the pain haze I was in.

"Test subject?" I asked. "No..."

"Yes," Thawne hissed. "Dearest brother Thad. You know, it was so easy to turn him into my own personal guinea pig. I just told him how your parents never loved him, how you got all the love meant for him... and you squandered it. By the time I was done, there was no way I could stop him. I turned him against you. He died hating your guts."

That sent me over the edge. His speed and my injuries be damned, I rushed forward, yelling at the top of my lungs as I crashed into him. The sonic boom our impact created destroyed the restroom we were in. We fell through the park and were a mile away, near the bridge that led to Keystone, when we heard the sonic boom. I didn't care about the noise, or my bad legs and knee. I just swung blindly, angry.

"YOU DID THIS!" I yelled, breaking Thawne's jaw with a punch. I hit in him the ribs and knocked him back into the side of a building. "WHY?!"

"Simple," he said, popping his jaw back into place and letting the speed heal it. "You don't deserve it. You're not a hero. You're a little snot that got lucky and thought he could play hero. You ruined my life, Allen. I wanted to pay you in kind."

I charged again. This time, he was ready. My punch was blocked by his arm and an uppercut sent me back reeling. I flew across the street and slammed through the roof of a parked car.

"I haven't gotten to the best part yet," he said with a smirk. "Noticed the cops haven't been anywhere nearby yet? That's because they're not coming. You see, I used my physics background to rig up a little something. I made a makeshift atom smasher. It's not perfect. And that's the point. It goes wrong, it'll create a chain reaction that will level Central City and probably all of Keystone. In my manifesto to the cops and media, I told them I would use it to destroy the city if they intervened in our little face off."

"Where is it?" I asked, pulling myself from the destroyed car.

"You want it?" He asked, laughing. "You'll need to do more than ask. Show me you're a hero, Allen. Show me how far you'll go to protect these people."

He disappeared again, appearing beside me and slamming a fist into my head. I smacked against the pavement and bounced down the road. When I stopped, Thawne was gloating above me.

"Show me you're prepared to die for them."

 

[Byrd Man]

"Simple," he said, popping his jaw back into place and letting the speed heal it. "You don't deserve it. You're not a hero. You're a little snot that got lucky and thought he could play hero. You ruined my life, Allen. I wanted to pay you in kind."

I charged again. This time, he was ready. My punch was blocked by his arm and an uppercut sent me back reeling. I flew across the street and slammed through the roof of a parked car.

"I haven't gotten to the best part yet," he said with a smirk. "Noticed the cops haven't been anywhere nearby yet? That's because they're not coming. You see, I used my physics background to rig up a little something. I made a makeshift atom smasher. It's not perfect. And that's the point. It goes wrong, it'll create a chain reaction that will level Central City and probably all of Keystone. In my manifesto to the cops and media, I told them I would use it to destroy the city if they intervened in our little face off."

"Where is it?" I asked, pulling myself from the destroyed car.

"You want it?" He asked, laughing. "You'll need to do more than ask. Show me you're a hero, Allen. Show me how far you'll go to protect these people."

He disappeared again, appearing beside me and slamming a fist into my head. I smacked against the pavement and bounced down the road. When I stopped, Thawne was gloating above me.

"Show me you're prepared to die for them."

Barry's unmarked car skidded to a stop just outside the police blockade. Civilians were crowded around the cars and barriers, some of them muttering nervously to each other, but most staying silent. Barry pushed his way through the crowd and towards the front. Grouped with the rest of the cops was Barry's partner and best friend.

"Jay," he said as he approached.

"Barry," Jay said in a low voice. Jay led Barry away out of earshot from the rest of the cops.

"Why aren't we out there?" He asked, pointing over Jay's shoulder to downtown. "Bar-- The Flash needs our help."

"That nutjob out there said if the cops or anyone else even gets close, he'll blow the city up with some funky ass IED. Commissioner Dolan said we were to make a perimeter around downtown and let Flash take care of it."

"Have you seen what they're doing?" Barry asked with raised eyebrows. On cue, a loud sonic boom echoed from two blocks over. The boom shook the buildings and sent screams and murmurs through the crowd.

"I can see it," said Jay, looking his friend in the eye. "I can see what he's doing to Bart."

"Do something!" Said Barry through his teeth. "I thought you were some hotshot hero back in the day?"

"I... I can't," said Jay, swallowing hard. He looked down at his feet and back up at Barry. "My speed... It's gone. It got burned out last year when I helped Bart out. I can't help him."

Barry shook his head. He looked back at the crowd, and then back at Jay.

"I'm going in."

"You can't!" shouted Jay. "You don't think I want to be out here?! Watching as he gets his head kicked in?! Powerless to stop it?! NO! But I have to do it, it's my duty as an officer of the law to protect these people over the one person."

"Well, here," Barry said, pulling his badge off. He put it in Jay's open hand and began to walk towards downtown. "As a father, it's my duty to protect that one person."

*****
​

I crawled across the pavement, Thawne skipped along beside me. He was having his fun, like a cat playing with a dying mouse. I started to get up, only to have my legs swept out from under me. I smack against the pavement and was crushed by a flurry of super-fast fists smacking my chest.

"Come on!" Thawne yelled out. "You want to show these people you deserve their love and their respect, then you have to earn it. Save them, hero."

A kick in the ribs, this one knocking a few ribs free.

"Get up and fight me. Fight me, save the day, and then reap the rewards. Either you fight me, or I kill you."

Powerful hands grabbed my neck and I was up in the air, Thawne in my face.

"I kill you, this ends up worse for everyone. You die, then I go to town on those you care about. Your mother, your cop dad, little brother, that old washed up police captain, sweet Valerie Perez, stupid Ralph Dibny, All of them dead by my hand. And if you think this is the worst I can do, then you are wrong."

"No," I mumbled, my hands reeling back. "NO!"

I brought my hands up at the speed of sound, clapping right in Thawne's face. A sonic boom split the air, sending both of us back reeling. The blow disoriented Thawne, sending him twirling backwards while I shook the cobwebs from my head. By the time he rights himself, he finds my fist in his face.

I slammed him towards the ground with the punch, kicking him sideways before he can hit the pavement. His body spins to the right, smashing into a parked car. He tires to get up, but I knock him back down. I hit him again, and again, and again. I ignored the blood making my hand slick as I punch. I'm in my own world, imaging what he would do to my family and those I love. I'm wrapped up in my hate. All my rage and frustration, anger at Thawne's evil, my dad's disowning of me, the Justice League and their moral compromises. My own feelings of being powerless. I put it all into my fists as I pound Thawne through the car and into the ground.

What brings me around isn't the sound of the smacks against Thawne's head, or my own sobbing... It's the laughter.

"Hehehe," Thawne wheezed between blows.

That noise, the sound of him... enjoying it. That makes me stop. I look down at the bloody and bruised man, my fist still suspended in the air. He looks up at my fist with swollen eyes expectantly, and then back at me.

"Do it. Kill me."

"No," I said, stepping away. "No matter what you do, or what you say, I will not do what you want. Killing you is what you want, isn't it? Pushing me over the edge so that my life as the Flash, the one of the few good things I have left, is ruined. You want to ruin me... you won't."

"DO IT!" He screamed. "Do it or I'll destroy that atom smasher, the backlash will--"

There was a shimmer in my movement. Now in my hands were a clump of wires and cables.

"--create a chain reaction that--"

"--Will destroy Central and Keystone. Got it. But, not much of a chain reaction can happen with this," I said, holding up the plug of the deactivated atom smasher. "Come on, Thawne, you hid it in that storage locker you rent in your own name. I found the key when I was rooting through your house a few microseconds ago. That reminds me, you need to water your plants."

"You couldn't have moved that fast. I... I saw you."

"Yeah, world's fastest man over here. Sorry, buddy, I'm calm and collected now, I got my second wind, and I just saved the day. You lose!"

"NO!" He screamed. He lunged out at me. I went to step away, but I misjudged Thawne's trajectory. He grabbed my knee and twisted. I heard a pop and crumpled to the ground.

I saw it all in slow motion. Thawne scrambled to get on top of me. I batted him away, but he recovered quickly. His long, bony fingers wrapped around my neck. Spittle flew from Thawne's mouth, his face frozen in a snarl. His hands began to ring my neck and I struggled against his hard grip. I thrashed and struggled for oxygen, doing my best to throw him off me. Black spots formed around my eyes, my eyesight dimming. The last thing I saw before it went to black: Ed Thawne, the Professor, with a twisted grin on his face.


Mom, dad, Wally, Val, Jay, and Ralph. I'm sorry I failed you.



He won.










BLAM!



I gasped, air rushing back to my lungs. I coughed violently, my body shaking as my lungs gulped down the oxygen it had been denied. Through watering eyes I looked up. To the side was Thawne, his eyes staring forward in an unfocused stare. He had a bloody hole in his forehead. CSI 101: An exit wound. Standing in front of me, clutching a smoking gun, my father.

"Dad?"

"Get up, Bart," he said. Over his shoulder, I could see a fleet of police cars rushing down the street towards our location. "Get up now!"

I sprung to my feet as he yelled. Suddenly, I'm eight years old again and I'm in trouble for trying to take Nancy Jones' Tamagotchi.

"What did you do?"

"Go," he said, the cop cars getting closer. "Run, Bart."

And I did the only thing I seemed to be good at lately:

I ran.

I ran from the scene, I ran from Central, I ran from Missouri and America, I kept running across the world. Running, and running, and running. Running from something I knew deep down I couldn't outrun:


Myself.

 

[Spike_x1]

The Atoms steels her resolve and says, "You can count on me Superman."

The Atom floats back to Dr. Fate and rests on his shoulder.

Fate says, "I have fought the evil the Luthor represents for longer than most of you have been alive. I have seen greater men than Lex fall to people without Meta-Human powers or any other kinds of power. Except for that of believing in the power of justice and freedom for all. It has taken time but eventually justice and righteousness triumphs. I too will continue the fight along with you."

"I'm glad to hear it." I look to the other League members assembled here, not seeing any objection, and turn to see the holographic globe of the Daily Planet spinning.

"The truth of Luthor and Brainiac will be exposed and the world will see them for what they are. Until then, however, life goes on and there are people out there that need help."

Gravity begins to lose its hold on me and I start to float above the Metropolis skyline.

"The damage will be repaired and the Justice League will be stronger than before. We can do this." I exchange looks with J'onn J'onzz, our most reliable hub of communication. "We'll have to work out a new headquarters, but for now, meeting adjourned."

The world slows to a crawl and the busy sight of the City of Tomorrow transforms into something out of an art gallery as my perceptions shift into superspeed and I will myself to rocket through the air.

So much work needs to be done, trust to be regained, and wrongs to be righted from the Society and Vandal Savage. But there's also one more thing I need to do...

...I'm going to find Batman.

 

[MST3K 4ever]

Rhiannon sits at her desk in the office/guest room of her's and Kent's apartment. She just gazes out and calls out for Kent who stands in the doorway and says, "You rang."

She chuckles a bit and says, "Yes I did." Rhiannon turns to Kent and asks, "Do you think this room has any other possibilites?"

Kent enters a bit more into the room and replies, "Well yeah, a gym, game room, TV room, a room where we can keep some very interesting toys for you and me. Why? What did you have in mind?"

Rhiannon asks, "How about a nursery?"

Kent replies, "Well yeah eventually down the road sure absolutely."

Rhiannon bows her head and says, "Kent down the road is 9 months from now."

Kent says, "9 months is usually how it works I mean..."

Just then Rhiannon looks up and he stops for a moment. The realization hits him like a thunderbolt as he asks, "Are you sure?"

Rhiannon replies, "Kent I've been pregnant twice before I know my body, and besides while you slept in I snuck out and bought a pregnancy test. I must've studied pretty hard for it, because I passed it."

Kent takes a deep breath and crosses over to her. He embraces her and she embraces him.

He says, "There's a lot to do and a lot to say. First thing I need to say is I love you."

Rhiannon replies, "I love you too Kent."

He breaks the embrace and says, "I'll be back."

Kent steps back and rubs his Dr. Fate ring twice and disappears to his Sanctum.

Okay this could be awkward. You're pregnant well gotta vanish! I'll be back whenever. I wonder if I should call mom? Not to mention my guess my Atom days are gonna be over for a while. That costume is skin tight as it is.

A few moments later Kent re-appears in the room.

Rhiannon asks, "Decided I was worth coming back for?"

Kent smiles and says, "Sorry I had to get something."

Rhiannon asks, "What was that?"

Kent replies, "This." He shows her a jeweler's box with a diamond ring in it.

Rhiannon's eyes grow large and she looks at Kent who says, "This ring will fool the doctor's tests. It will show everything as perfectly normal."

Rhiannon nods and says in a very neutral voice, "Oh yeah that sure. I hadn't thought of that."

Kent smiles and says, "And yes it's that as well."

Rhiannon smiles as she stares at Kent who slips it on her hand.

He says, "Rhiannon, will you marry me?"

Rhiannon looks at the ring and then at Kent.

She replies with a smile, "Yes I'll marry you."

He takes her into his arms and lifts her up. They both laugh and smile as Kent sets her back down and as they move to kiss it is at the moment they realize something is wrong.

Kent says, "Rhiannon when we kiss I am usually looking at your forehead not over top of your head."

Rhiannon steps back in fear and says, "My turn to say it; I'll be back."

She leaves the room for a moment and when she returns she is visibly shaken and her clothes are somewhat larger.

Rhiannon looks at Kent and says, "I measured myself just after I left her and I had shrunk an inch and a half. I changed into The Atom and back and I had shrunk another 5 inches. I'm only 5 foot now Kent."

Rhiannon gathers herself and says, "I'm shrinking Kent. It's very gradually but sooner or later I won't be able to hide it."

She stares at the ground and says, "Kent, I'm scared."

Kent says, "We're going to the Sanctum and see what I can do from there."

He puts his arm around Rhiannon rubs the ring and they disappear to the sanctum.

 

[MST3K 4ever]

After hours of testing at The Sanctum Kent looks at Rhiannon who is sitting up on a stone table.

He says, "I used whatever spells I could that might help us and came up with some possible results. I don't have a medical degree but from the testing that I've been able to run and understand yes you are shrinking and it's not because you're using your powers."

Rhiannon says, "Gee what was your first clue."

Kent raises an eyebrow and Rhiannon says, "Sorry nerves are starting to get the better of me."

Kent nods and says, "I undertand that."

Rhiannon asks, "So the question is now what do I do?"

Kent replies, "Well first off you're not alone on this. Last time I checked we're engaged. Secondly just because I don't have a medical degree doesn't mean we're lost here you can interepret the results."

He hands her a folder and Rhiannon begins to study it. She looks at Kent and says, "I'm gonna study this at your kitchen table. Do you think you can make us up some tea? It's gonna be a while."

Kent nods and says, "Sure and then after that I got some other...." he shrugs his shoulders and says, "stuff to do here like dust off the spell books, catch up on my Twitter account, and other stuff."

Rhiannon walks over and says, "Look I know this is difficult for you too. I know that but I know what I'm looking for and your hovering over me isn't going to help my anxiety level either."

Kent nods and says, "Thanks love. I'll get started on that tea."

The two kiss briefly and they head off to separate areas of The Sanctum.

Hours later Rhiannon calls for Kent. She says, "As near as I can figure this is the result of the EMP blast."

Kent sits across from her and asks, "How so?"

She replies, "Well my body chemistry is somewhat unique. The Dwarf Star elements in my blood stream can effect me in ways we still don't fully understand and add into the fact that I was at Ground Zero of the pulse blast, combined with my chemistry, and The Dwarf Star elements."

Rhiannon closes the folder and says, "That's my working hypothesis anyway and it's as near as I can figure as the most accurate one I have."

Kent says, "All-right. So what do we do about a cure?"

Rhiannon takes a deep breath and steadies herself and says, "There is no cure. This is nothing that can reverse this process."

The words hang heavy in the room and Rhiannon continues, "To make it worse I don't know what triggers the shrinking process, how long I have, how much I will shrink at any give time, and we both know this won't be good for the baby."

Rhiannon takes a deep breath and says, "It's over for me Kent. I never thought it might end for me like this. For the first time I'm starting to regret having my powers."

Kent says, "That's enough!"

Rhiannon is somewhat shocked by this outburst by Kent who says, "First off don't ever regret your powers. You've made such a powerful difference in the on-going battle with crime. Secondly you lived an entire lifetime and seen things most of us can only dream of. Lastly it was your powers that helped introduce me to you and being with you is something I have no regrets about."

Rhiannon starts to say something and Kent says, "In terms of finding a cure or something you need to remember who you're talking to. We might not have a cure here on Earth, but Dr. Fate knows those who can help you."

Kent stans up and transforms into Dr. Fate. He asks holding out his hand, "Are you ready to go on a bit of a trip?"

Rhiannon nods and takes his hand. They enter his Star Map Room and he says, "I know a group that can help you. They might not be able to cure you but they're able to help, and they owe me quite a few favors which I'm about to call in."

With that Rhiannon & Fate disappear.

 

[Batman]

By the time I've bypassed the open courtyard and headed into the main facility, there are several things that I've already mentally prepare myself to witness. What I actually find does not even begin to register on any possible level of outcome. Holding a semi-automatic rifle in my hands, I raise it at a group of individuals unseen through a thick billowing cloud of smoke. It takes all possible concentration on my part not to drop it on the ground, as shock overwhelms me at the sight of what stands just beyond. Good heavens, not only have I finally found Richard more than half a world away from Gotham - it seems that I've found quite a few others, aswell.

A brash looking young man in a red outfit, wielding a bow and arrow. A young lady whose skin color I do not recognize as any human tone, equally perplexing as the green-skinned boy standing next to her. An older figure who looks to be far more machine than man, a blonde young woman sporting red and blue, a fourth girl also wielding a bow and arrow, a lady with a noticably pale complexion dressed in deep purple robes. And finally, Richard, brandishing more than a few recognizable items from the Batcave. Wearing that same makeshift outfit from the night he and Bruce - well, to put it in the loosest sense, came to a misunderstanding.

Far too much is happening for me to make any sort of rational descision, but by the time that the young woman helping Richard to his feet asks me for help, I know only to respond with a simple nod. Though I'm far from certain of their role in Richard's disappearance and relocation here, I am far more willing to wager that the men who've been rendered unconscious are more the threat then they are.

Approaching Richard and the girl as I lower my weapon, I fold my arm under Richard's and allow it to rest atop my shoulders, helping him advance forward. The Titans. And here I was, thinking I had seen it all.

"Quickly,", I urge, turning my head back towards the others. "There isn't much time. I have transportation waiting outside, but I'm afraid that I'm quite uninformed as to your current predicament. All that I can offer the lot of you is safe passage back to America."

As we all head for the area I had entered from, I look down at Richard, who briefly returns my gaze. It's enough to tell him all that I wish I could say. How he's had us worried sick for weeks, how irresponsible this all is, how severely he should probably be punished. What Bruce would say if he were able.

But most importantly, how relieved I am to have him back.

 

[MST3K 4ever]

Rhiannon and Dr. Fate find themselves standing in a cavern with several torches lighting the area and what appears to be a judge's bench with seven seats around them.

Rhiannon whispers to Fate, "The Supreme Court dealing with budget cuts?"

Fate replies, "Now is not the time for sarcasm. There is no promise that The Elders of Time will appear and they are the only ones who can help you now."

Just then seven figures in white robes appear behind the bench. One of them says, "Dr. Fate you summon us to help Rhiannon Palmer of the planet Earth."

Rhiannon is surprised that they know who she is, and Fate replies, "Yes Chief Elder. On more than one occasion I have assisted this council and you yourself have said that that this council is in my debt. I now summon you all to collect on that debt."

The Chief Elder nods and says, "And we are prepared to re-pay you for your services to us Dr. Fate. We are aware of the situation that Rhiannon Palmer finds herself in and we can assist her, but this assistance is not without a cost to you both. However she may understand once we fully explain our situation."

Rhiannon steps forward and says, "Excuse me. First off how do you all know about me? And secondly when re-paying a debt it is not you -repay and get something else out of it."

The Chief Elder says, "We know all who exist within the sphere of time and the known universes. We seek your assistance in that one of our Elders is stepping down. He has grown tired and is looking to live out his remaining years in peace. One of our agents has been chosen to succeed him. He he has served throughout hundreds of universes for hundreds of years and we now need a successor to him as well."

Rhiannon says very uncertain, "Go on."

The Chief elder says, "We would alter time somewhat so that you would once again be your normal height with your powers intact. However we cannot cure your condition and you will continue to shrink very gradually. Your aging process would be slowed down to the point that your gradually shrinking would not be noticed. For every year your body ages 20 years will have passed. To do this takes great power from us and in the balance of the universes far exceeds anything Dr. Fate has done for us. Otherwise within 2 years you will shrink out of existence even we would not be able to find you, and sadly you will lose your child."


Rhiannon replies, "Okay I understand. What else."

The Chief Elder says, "You are with child. This child has very unique gifts. The gift of second-sight is a rare gift indeed. The visions you've experienced are part of her powers and they were warnings to you from her. She is already proving to be a hero. Her compassion for you and her father is great and that compassion that comes from humanity is a quality we are in great need of from our agents."

Rhiannon looks at Fate and says, "We got a real winner."


Fate nods and The Chief Elder says, "This is a most difficult part of our bargain but what we request now we do so for the sake of our known universes and for the sake of those who dwell in them. We would take your child and entrust it to the agent who will be joining us on our council. He will raise her and teach her our ways."


Rhiannon swallows hard and says, "I understand everything you are saying and there is a large part of me that is willing, but I just met you all how can I trust our child to a stranger to raise. I won't even get to know her."

Just then a familiar voice from behind Rhiannon says, "I wouldn't exactly say I'm a stranger."

Rhiannon and Fate turn at the same time and see Rhiannon's son Edward standing before them. She immediately goes and embraces him.

She says, "Edward I've missed you so much."

Edward replies, "Hi mom." He nods at Dr. Fate who returns the nod.

She says, "So much makes sense now. I've missed seeing you son."


Edward says, "I've missed you too."

They break their embrace and Edward says, "What do you think of the offer?"

Rhiannon steadies herself and asks, "Will you promise to take care of her?"

Edward replies, "Yes I will take care of...my little sister."

Rhiannon smiles at that and Edward says, "And she will know all about her parents I promise you that."

Rhiannon looks to the Council and says, "All-right let's do this."

Edward asks, "My little sister needs a name."

Rhiannon looks at Fate and says, "I've done enough decision making for the day. It's your turn."

Fate says, "Erica."

Just then a stone table appears and the Chief Elder beckons Rhiannon to lay on the table. The Council gathers around and The Chief Elder says, "Close your eyes."

Rhiannon does and within a blink The Chief Elder says, "It is done."

Rhiannon looks around and says, "Really? I didn't feel anything or..."


She sits up and looks at Edward and says, "Oh right that whole time has little meaning thing."

Edward nods and Rhiannon says, "Yeah I got a real problem with that."

Rhiannon notices Edward is now in a dazzling white robe, but still sees his black robe being worn.

Rhiannon walks towards the robe as does Fate. A hand moves back the hood and standing before them is a beautiful woman who says, "Hello Mother, Hello Father."

Rhiannon says, "Erica.'

Erica nods as Fate removes his helmet and Kent Nelson smiles at his daughter. The three of them embrace and Rhiannon says, "I hardly know you yet I love you so very much Erica."


Erica replies, "I love you too as well Mother."

Kent says, "Well well well daddy's little girl is all grown up."

Kent whispers, "I love you Erica."

She replies, "I love you too father."

They break their embrace and enjoy the moment of being together.

The Chief Elder says, "This situation is resolved. Time for us to take our leave. Be well Rhiannon Palmer and Kent Nelson."


Suddenly they are back at the Sanctum and Rhiannon says, "Well hello and goodbye."


Fate changes back into Kent Nelson and says, "Been a long day to say the least. Look if you no longer want to get married to me I'll understand."

Rhiannon looks at him and then the ring. She touches it and moves it slightly forward. Then she moves it back, adjusts it so the diamond is centered, and then smiles very broadly at Kent. The two move towards each other and embrace.