Chapter 1: Cain
Chapter Text
The multiverse is more than just a prism…
It is ever expanding and ever growing…
A place where one choice, one fork on the road can lead to many opportunities…
But every spark of brilliance there is a spark of madness…
These are the stories of both…
A dapper man with brown hair and spiky beard connecting to his hair stroked said beard as he looked out into the endless vastness of the Isles of the Great Library. He smirked like a devilish imp while adjusting his small glasses before his sharp eyes. Outfitted with a dark gray suit with a black bow-tie, a white buttoned up shirt, golden buckled black shoes, he gave a very devilish and mischievous appearance. As he glanced out the window of his lavish mansion, his eyes turned to a book depicting the subject of dreams.
Dreams. They are the gateways into our deepest and most fragile subconscious parts of ourselves. They show our greatest aspirations and our deepest fears. Some would say that they are where the best and worst parts of ourselves spiral into each other and mash into who we are. And just like every snowflake is unique in its shape and form, so do what make up a person's ideal dream and life. A noble ambition many great heroes of ancient pantheons and legends share with the common, humble folk across the multiverse…
Many strive to make those dreams and lives a reality, going through tribulations and challenges to fulfill their dreams without complaining a single time. Yet there are those that do so at the cost of many and won't stop until they reach what they see as the one single truth. These some call a dreaming madness, while most common folks call nightmares. And those very things are not always meant to travel outside of the Dreaming realm… The Domain of Dream… Lord Morpheus… One of the Endless… The Sandman…
But just because the king of dreams has a steady hold on the dreams and nightmares of his realm, it doesn't mean one or two things don't slip his grasp. For even the smallest of nightmares can lead to madness and bring forth a torrent that could bring the multiverse to the brink of chaos. And that, my dear reader, is where the story begins…
Dream Realm
Dream walked through his kingdom, wearing his iconic black tunic on top of his pale white skin and black hair. His eyes like stars shone brightly as he watched over his kingdom with the accuracy and notice to detail paired only to those of a hawk. Every step he took through the dreams of his many guests to his kingdom were careful and soft, making sure not to disturb them. Usually, he would have his dreams and subjects help in such a daunting task, but he'd sent them to check up on certain worlds that needed more close attention than the small dreams of the visitors to his kingdom.
The king was taking a much more active role as of the last few nights, and he had a good reason to do so. For it wasn't that long ago that a great evil deed was committed in his domain.
"Where are you?" Dream groaned in desperation. "You should know that you can't escape me in my own domain, least of all with one of my treasures." Dream's eyes caught a dream that had a glowing red footprint.
Dream jumped down into the dream like plunging into a pool, with his sand pouch and mask by his side, he jumped down to defend his domain and those that visited it. It was a role that he rarely took on his own, but time was of the essence. If the item that was stolen was ever used in the waking world by a mind as twisted as the one the thief had, then it could destroy everything that made the dreams unique and affect the waking world in ways no one could predict. Dream knew this as it was his duty to maintain the dreams of all the multiverses in check. Like a dam separating a city from the tides of the ocean, even one crack between them could spell disaster to them both. It would be an invasion of all dreams and nightmares that would wipe all the stories from the Great Library clean from existence and he would not allow it.
Going through what felt like diving deep into the waters, Dream found himself in a Greek temple where red footprints led him to the great statue of the king of the gods, Zeus. He'd seen many dreams that took place in such a place. But this one felt much more sinister than the past iterations he'd visited. The heroic journey that the dream had once had was now being drained by a force that once fed it. Suddenly, a great red light illuminated the temple room, forcing him to cover his eyes with his helmet. Now he could see it. The thief and his stolen loot.
He narrowed his eyes as he saw a cloaked figure kneeling before the statue, holding a large red ruby above his head. Energies gathered around the ruby as the cloaked figure looked at it like it was a brand new star in the sky.
"Yes, yes, just a little more, my precious." The cloaked figure muttered with mad glee. "Soon I'll have it. Soon I'll have what's been kept from me. From us."
"That is not for you to keep," Dream spoke, making his presence known to the interloper. "Return the Dream Stone to me, and I promise you, a punishment that most humans would call bearable." He held out his hand as the cloaked figure turned back, holding the ruby close to his chest like one would protect an infant.
The cloaked figure turned around, revealing a tall creature with a pale white skull for a face with glowing red eyes sprouting from his sockets. He wore a black cloak over his body, a dark blue shirt, pants with a gold buckle belt, black gloves and boots. This was the nightmare known as Dr. Destiny. He held the ruby with a golden chain in one of his hands.
"Never. I've slaved for your rules and the whims of the dreamers for far too long!" Dr. Destiny snarled. "When do I get my fair share, huh?! When do I get to live my best dream?! I've seen what lies beyond the wall of the dreaming and the wake. If I take the Dream Stone with me and I get the best of a few worlds… then I'll get a dream of my own." Dr. Destiny almost sounded pitiful.
Though his plea did tug at Dream's heart strings, the Sandman knew what would happen if Dr. Destiny accomplished his mission.
"I'm afraid I can't allow you to do so, Dr. Destiny," Dream said, unmoving, steadfast in his position. "If the walls between the dreaming and the waking are sturdy because the powers that make up each stay separated. If they are broken and weakened by any force, then you'll cause chaos and madness to spread through the realms of the multiverse. What you're planning will do just that. As the Lord of Dreams, I cannot allow that."
Dr. Destiny's once pitiful look turned sour and bitter, glaring at Dream with fire in his eyes. He'd seen it to be possible and no one would stand in his way. No mortal, god, hero or villain would stop him. Not even his former master would stop him from getting his happy peaceful dream. He held up the Dream Stone with both of his hands as it radiated power and energy.
"Then I have no choice but to move you, Lord Morpheus!" Dr. Destiny fired a red beam from the ruby.
Dream pulled out a handful of his sand from his pouch, creating a shield to block the attack. He was not much of a fighter given his status. But the last thing the king of dreams would do was take any unnecessary risks in his own domain. The fight needed to be quick. He vanished into thin air before wrapping the dream they were inside. The walls bent and warped around Dr. Destiny, causing the nightmare to fall and tumble as the dream took a much darker and bizarre aspect.
Dr. Destiny fell down a slope made up of the temple floor. He was then tossed and thrown into the large living statues of the gods of Olympus. They punched him and slammed him into the ground. Whenever Destiny got a blast from the ruby in, he was met with chains and large stone hands holding him down. He groaned in pain as he was pinned against the floor.
"You didn't think it would be that easy in my domain, did you?" Dream asked.
"No, but you have little power elsewhere." Dr. Destiny slammed the Dream Stone against the floor, creating a large crack. "See you in my dreams, Lord Morpheus!" Dr. Destiny fell through the crack that he'd created, leaving Dream and the Dream Realm behind.
Dream reappeared from thin air with narrowed eyes.
And that, dear readers, is how I entered this story…
House of Mystery
"Hello, dear readers. I'm sure you're aware of who I am," Cain said before raising an eyebrow. "You don't? Cain? From the other story? Still nothing? You mean to tell me you haven't read the previous story? Naughty, naughty. I recommend reading it for context. For all those that are still here, allow me to re-introduce myself. I am Cain. Owner and keeper of the House of Mystery." Cain gestured to the lavish mansion filled with treasures from all corners of creation, and with many sinister shadows that hid its secrets from all.
Cain walked through the halls of the House of Mystery with the book in his hands. As he walked, he passed several items of sinister and heroic background that he'd collected over the centuries. First was a small pink crystal orb inside a metal pendant that exuded magic and pure Quintessence. Next was a green arrow set up next to a wanted poster for Eda the Owl Lady and Green Arrow. Then there was a piece of a glowing green moon rock with a plaquette that read 'Gamma Quadrant of Sector 4'. Then there was a bullet encased in a special glass orb that had the name 'Boston Brand'.
"You know the House of Mystery. It's that house down the street that you could've sworn wasn't there before. It's that house you see people going in but no one comes out. Here all the treasures forgotten or misplaced find their spot." Cain poured himself a drink from the Davenport Development Drinking Globe before walking to his other showcases of his collection. "I am a collector of the odd and bizarre, a creature of specific tastes you could say. And stories are the one thing I love to collect the most." Cain walked past the golden belt that belonged to Thor, a half-eaten Peach of Immortality, and a busted white Volkswagen Beetle.
Cain reached a large wooden mast of an old Greek ship. It looked worn out and had clearly seen better days. It looked like it had been used in a great adventure and now spent its retirement in the House of Mystery as a well deserved reward.
"In fact, this is my latest acquisition and the reason for my involvement in our previous story. The mast of the Argos," Cain said. "Mind your head around that mast, it took the life of its dear captain… That reminds me of a story, actually. Aboard that vessel were two incredible individuals. Both Demigods in their own right. This is the story of how I met and went on an adventure with Hercules and Orpheus."
Earth: -8991
What if The House of Mystery existed in ancient Greece?
"I had decided to stretch my legs in the ancient land of Greece, one of my favorite ancient lands, when I heard that the son of Zeus was taking a trip on some interesting mission."
Cain, disguised as a traveler, spotted Hercules walking next to his satyr trainer Phil towards the docks. The world traveler and keeper of oddities had expected many things in his travels, but to see a demigod in such a humble appearance was something new indeed, and it opened his mind to curiosities to come. He simply had to follow them to wherever their journey took them both.
The young demigod looked a little too thin despite his Herculean strength, with slightly curly red hair, a red headband, blue eyes and slightly tanned skin. He wore a brown leather gladiator armor with a blue cape hanging from his back, forearm guards and gladiator sandals that reached up just below the knees. By all accounts he had the appearance of a young hero. But he had the young man reeked of being a boy scout with little to no knowledge of the real world
"I just don't understand, Phil. Why do we need to follow this Orpheus guy anyway?" Hercules asked. "If we took Pegasus we'd be in and out no problem."
"Because, kid, this mission requires a certain degree of tact and our odds against Hades's goons himself ain't good if you just punch your way through," Phil replied. "Besides, Apollo asked to have him come with us to get the Fleece in the Argos."
"I'm just saying. What's a musician going to do if monsters come knocking?" Hercules spotted a young man flirting with all sorts of women by the fountain. "I mean, no offense but what's a lyre going to do when a cyclops comes to stomp on us?"
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe a melody as sweet as mine will put the big brute to sleep while you struggle to keep up with his strength." The musician started playing his lyre as more women swooned around him. "After all, if these beautiful ladies are mesmerized by it, no one with a beating heart could help themselves. Besides, you're one to talk. You may dress up like a hero, but your looks leave a lot to be desired. I bet you couldn't even best one of these lovely ladies." The musician spun one of the maidens for added flare.
Hercules growled and tightened his fists. Despite being the son of Zeus and Hera, having the strength of a god and being trained by Phil, maker of heroes, there were still those that looked down on him. From the monsters and villains he faced to the pompous jerks at school he had to save, and now some little womanizing musician thought that he didn't fit the look of a hero.
"Who does that guy think he is?" Hercules growled.
"That would be Orpheus, my young friend." Cain walked up to the two travelers, revealing himself.
"And who are you supposed to be?" Phil asked, noting the sketchy look on Cain.
"I apologize for disturbing you. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Cain and I'm a humble collector of pieces of art you'd say." Cain bowed before them. "I couldn't help but overhear you talking about your quest. It appears we'll all be together in the Argos. I do hope we can get along."
"Yeah, whatever you say, pal." Phil gave Cain a look over, clearly not trusting the older gentleman.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Cain. I sincerely hope you're more of a pleasant companion than a certain womanizer. I bet a single splash of water will knock him clean." Hercules shot a glare at Orpheus as he was about to kiss the pretty woman in his arms.
Now it was Orpheus' turn to scoff and glare at the son of Zeus.
"I have heard of you too, believe it or not, Hercules. And it seems the rumors about you being a sapless brute are very sadly true." Orpheus started playing his lyre. "Apparently you didn't even know of your true heritage up until recently. And during that time you were nothing more than an outcast and a clumsy wrecking ball with legs. Too bad I'm all out of sympathy for someone like you. But then again, your parents must not have taught you how to be delicate with your strength." Orpheus watched Hercules fall for his words and taunts like a predictable fool.
Hercules had had it. He didn't care what this jerk said about his looks or his strength, but no one insulted his parents if they valued their bones not being snapped to pieces. Mortal or not, this musician was going to learn to mind his tongue. He stomped towards Orpheus, cracking the ground slightly with each step.
"This will be interesting," Cain said as Orpheus played his lyre.
"Alright pal, let's see you play that lyre with broken fingers." Hercules reached out to grab Orpheus only for his hand to be caught by the maiden Orpheus had been seducing earlier. "Huh, hey miss, mind letting go?"
The maiden's eyes were blank and half-lidded, seemingly not hearing Hercules's words. She then stomped on his foot, much to the shock of Hercules before punching him in the face. Her strength was now something he could feel, which was not something just out of thin air.
"What the?" Hercules regained his bearings from the shock only for the maiden to attack him with punches and kicks. "Hey, what's the matter? Who are you?" He stopped one of her punches, grabbing both arms, trying to stop her without hurting her. "Would you please stop?!"
"My, my, it seems you haven't noticed." Orpheus continued playing. "This is the power my lyre has. From bending the elements to swooning the hearts of people. Your brute strength pales before me and the little tune that gave that darling maiden a boost." Orpheus played as the maiden flipped Hercules into the fountain, breaking it.
Hercules growled as Orpheus laughed at him. It was a dirty trick to use someone else to fight your battles. Especially if that someone was a woman his strength could easily split in two.
"As I said, you couldn't beat one of these lovely ladies," Orpheus laughed.
Hercules growled as the water fell on top of him. But that gave him an idea. He pulled his hand back before slamming it into the water. His move sent a splash of water at Orpheus at the speed of an arrow and strength of a bull.
Orpheus barely got time to react as the splash of water sent him back to one of the nearby stands.
"And as I said, you couldn't take a single splash of water." Hercules dried his cape.
The two young heroes were ready for round two only for Cain and Phil to step between them.
"Alright, kid. That's enough of that. You both got some good hits there. Cool it, both of you." Phil turned to Orpheus as Hercules listened to his mentor.
"Yes, I believe it is time we all went to the Argos. It'll set sail soon I believe." Cain gestured them on to the next leg of their journey.
Cain watched Hercules and Orpheus walk side by side, trying to out pace each other at every step. It was a hilarious attempt at finding out who was number one from the two of them. Human nature at its finest in his opinion. They both had the makings of heroes, but who could say about their paths. This trip would be quite the delicacy to enjoy. This was much better than watching them through their dreams alright.
"Oh, if only I had some popcorn." Cain walked after the heroes and Phil with a smile on his face the whole time.
As the group sailed on the Argos, Cain took this chance to observe not only the ship but the two young heroes that were his main source of entertainment. He watched them try to best each other in every way. They played cards against each other, with Hercules losing, only to find that Orpheus was cheating. They then tried fishing with Hercules pulling up a small school of fish with his net only to be bested by Orpheus as he serenaded the fishes out of the water. They both seemed to be evenly matched in terms of skill, though they had different strengths and abilities when it came down to fighting. To Cain, it was all the same, as he watched them while eating some popcorn.
"I truly am having a blast, aren't you, Mr. Phil?" Cain asked the satyr.
"Yeah, a freaking barrel of laughter." Phil rolled his eyes as the boys got into another argument. "I hope those two get over this whole nonsense before we reach our destination."
"Well, as they say the journey is what matters, not the destination," Cain said. "Popcorn?" He offered the satyr.
"Nah, I'm good." Phil walked up to his protege to get him to stop.
Hercules and Orpheus were pushing each other to see who was strongest. Something that would've been easy for Her, but thanks to Orpheus' lyre, the waving of the boat was playing against him.
"Give it up, Jerckules, clearly you're no match for my finesse." Orpheus pushed.
"Says the guy who needs to rig the game to have a chance." Hercules pushed back. "What are you without that lyre anyway?"
"What are you without your strength?" Orpheus shot back.
"Enough. Quit acting like babies." Phil split them. "We're here." Phil pointed to the island before them. "Wait, what the heck is that?"
The two young heroes and Cain looked up at the island that they were about to make land on. At first glance, it looked like your average Greek island in the middle of the Aegean Sea, but this one had something different from the others. Something that made Cain almost drop his popcorn. Almost.
At the very top of the island lay a city, a city made up of buildings made out of a blue-ish material and orange tiled roofs. The architecture was far more advanced and unlike anything that the young heroes had seen. Some buildings had tall spiky towers. Others had curved arches that connected separate towers to the buildings. And even their statues stood with greatness upon them. It glowed and reflected the light of the sun like glass but it still held a mighty and imposing quality as though the whole city was indeed made out of glass yet stood at the very top of Mount Olympus with great pride.
"Whoa, Phil, what is that?" Hercules asked, putting his hand over his eyes for protection.
"Not sure, Herc. I've been to this island before but never had it had such a city pop up out of thin air before." Phil scratched his head. "I got nothing. Must be the work of one of Hades' goons."
"It looks like a city made out of crystals," Orpheus said.
"Glass to be more specific." Cain walked up to join them. "That is the legendary City of Glass my friends. According to legend, it is supposed to be in Africa though."
"How do you know that?" Phil asked.
"I'm a collector, remember. And sometimes what I collect are stories," Cain said. "The City of Glass was an ancient African city where humanity began. It was built on lush jungle fertile lands along a river and "spread out more than a man can walk in a day" as the legend goes. It was led by a wise queen and all lived in harmony and prosperity by following a single rule. A rule of not getting involved with beings beyond their mortal bonds."
"Um, what does that mean?" Hercules asked.
"No demigods basically, my dear boy." Cain replied. "Sadly, someone broke that little taboo, leading to the city being purged by a great fire. And that was the last anyone ever heard of it, but it seems someone has brought the city back from legend and myth."
"It must be some kind of trick from Hades. Only a god could bring something like that from the dead," Phil said. "And the Fleece is the bait for us to go in."
"A problem for you perhaps, but the lord of the underworld hasn't faced my music." Orpheus played his lyre.
"The city holds many dangers to fight invaders, Orpheus. You need to be careful." Cain warned.
"Besides, you're not going in alone." Hercules reminded Orpheus they weren't going anywhere. "This is our quest."
"Please, if you stepped into that city you'd wreck it with your clumsy feet." Orpheus mocked Hercules which devolved into another growling contest.
Cain took his attention from the battle of egos between the heroes before looking at the City of Glass. He remembered how it was destroyed back all those thousands of years ago when the queen fell for his master, the Lord of Dreams. There had been nothing left after the queen broke that taboo and yet the city stood in the distance, looking at them like a ghost of a past life. He wondered if this had something to do with the rogue nightmare Morpheus had told him to look out for. In retrospect, he probably should've been doing that instead of adding to his collection. But now, if the return of the city was tied to the nightmare then he could just say that he was working on his mission and call it a day.
However, a glistening caught his eye.
"Um, gentlemen, it would seem that it is best for us to abandon ship." Cain pointed over their heads.
Hercules, Phil and Orpheus looked up at where Cain was pointing to and were shocked to see a large fireball coming towards them. They rushed to tell the captain to turn the ship out of the way of the incoming attack. The fireball struck the ocean, narrowly missing the Argos. But the waves and steam that came from the attack, left them all partially blind as a second fireball came towards them.
The captain turned the ship over and over, trying to avoid the incoming balls of fiery death, but it seemed that for each one he avoided there was another fireball coming their way. They narrowly avoided the flames, but the sail had been burnt almost half way through.
"What is this madness?!" Orpheus demanded.
"It would seem the city doesn't want us to get close to it." Cain offered his insight. "It isn't uncommon for such cities to have defenses like that to protect them. Though I find it odd that a city that was destroyed by fire would use fire to protect itself. Something is definitely afoot here."
"Well, we gotta do something before we're all barbecued!" Phil pointed out as another fireball came their way.
Cain rolled his eyes as he figured he had to give the young heroes a hint.
"If only someone could make the waters move us faster and if only someone else were strong enough to smack the fires away!" Cain dramatically called out. "Oh woe is our fate!"
Hercules turned to Cain and then to Orpheus who seemed to get the same idea. He rushed to the partially useless mast of the Argo, breaking it free, much to the shock of the captain and the sailors.
"Alright, you move the waters and I swat the fires!" Hercules reeled back the mast like a club.
"Don't think you can order me around, Hercules!" Orpheus played his lyre, moving the ship with the waves of his music.
Hercules didn't bother to respond. He kept his eyes on the sky waiting for the next fireball that came towards them. Narrowing his eyes, he looked for any sign of light through the steam, holding the mask tightly and ready to swing it.
"Herc, two o'clock!" Phil instructed.
Hercules saw it. A large fireball coming down on them. He swung the mast, wacking it away from the flames with the mast. As the crew cheered, he saw another ball of fire coming down on them. With a backhand serve, he struck the fireball away from the ship. With Phil's help, he saw the other fireballs coming towards them and did his best to swing at all of them as Orpheus got them closer to the shore. The weight of the mast was nothing to the strength of Hercules as he swung it with ease, hitting every single fireball that got ever closer to them. But the many bat swings were taking their toll on the mast as it now looked like it had been set on fire.
"The mast won't last long, you got at least one or two swings left, kid!" Phil called out.
"That'll be plenty! We're about to reach the shore!" Orpheus smirked.
"About time, were you waiting for me to do all the heavy lifting?" Hercules asked, hitting another fireball away.
"Excuse me?! I'm the one working his fingers to the bone." Orpheus played faster, making the ship pick up speed.
"Um, kids," Phil said, but his words fell on deaf ears.
"Do you not comprehend the dexterity needed to play such an instrument?" Orpheus scoffed. "Of course not, you'd sooner break it or kill your teacher before mastering it."
"I don't need to play some musical instrument to be a proper hero!" Hercules snapped. "You wanna talk about dexterity? Because I've got plenty of it when it comes to training and using my strength when it really matters. I don't use it to swoon girls like you do."
"Kids." Phil called louder.
"Please, do you think I need my lyre to swoop fair maidens off their feet? I could do that with a smile and a blindfold!" Orpheus laughed, playing his lyre faster.
"I really hope you realize that there are women that won't be fooled by that whole act you're pulling. I pity you in fact!" Hercules retorted.
"Kids!" Phil called out.
"Pitty? Me? What would you possibly pity?" Orpheus demanded.
"Your whole womanizer persona isn't going to last and one day you will find out that all those poor girls you've 'swoon' off their feet eventually found real happiness." Hercules glared at Orpheus. "A real love that's not born out of magic or magical music instruments. And when that day comes, you'll see that all your galavanting and tomfoolery was only passing."
"Why you-" Orpheus began.
"KIDS!" Phil screamed in their ears.
"WHAT?!" They asked, only to be suddenly thrown forward.
They had made it to shore with everyone else and with only minor bruises and scratches. Everyone groaned in pain as they picked themselves up from the harsh stop.
"Everyone alright?" Hercules asked, getting groans and a few thumbs up in response. "Well, that's good enough I guess."
"Yes, what is a cohesive sentence when groans of pain are given in response." Cain commented. "Cheer up everyone. Broken bones and pain are a sign that you all lived through something horrifying."
Hercules helped Phil back to his feet as Orpheus dusted himself. The two young heroes glared at each other as they continued walking towards the city. Cain gave one look at the busted mast before following them. He was far too invested in the rivalry between the two heroes that he just had to follow them. Besides, he liked his odds more with them than without them if what was going on had to do with the rouge nightmare. But he did make a note about taking the mast to the House of Mystery, he still needed a piece for his collection and this was turning out to be quite the story to go with it. A win win in his book really.
Hercules and Orpheus glared at each other with every step that they took, making sure that the other knew that their little spat was far from over. Though Hercules had some sense of guilt for what he said. He just couldn't bring himself to apologize because his experiences with Adonis hadn't exactly left him such a good taste. It felt like for every step forward he took, someone would beat him just because of his "better looks". It infuriated him to no end. But a part of him knew that it wasn't right to pin all those things on Orpheus, who for the most part was far better company than Adonis ever was. All that Orpheus had really done was stand up for himself against his own insults. An apology might be in order.
"Listen, Orpheus, what I said back there was-" Hercules began.
"Oh you hear that? No? Neither do I." Orpheus walked farther away from the group.
Hercules let out a sigh of understanding. He wouldn't want to talk to him either.
"You really screwed it with Orpheus, didn't you?" Phil asked.
"Yeah. I just thought that he was just like Adonis and that no matter what I did he would just insult me at every turn." Hercules explained. "I didn't think that he'd take it so personally. He was capable of going blow for blow with me and all. I thought he'd be tougher I guess." They continued talking as they walked until Cain caught up to them.
"Musicians like our friend Orpheus wear their emotions on their sleeves, not unlike many people I've come to be acquainted with, young Hercules." Cain explained as he walked next to them. "Unknowingly, your comment hurt his pride, and he sought to use his own skills to prove you wrong. And your talk about how in the end his bravado and romantic nature would leave him alone struck a cord that would require more than a simple apology to mend. I suspect genuine apologies will be needed here after you prove that his skills are more than just for show."
Hercules dropped his head in shame. His temper had gotten the better of him and now the mission was in jeopardy.
They continued to the top of the island where they were met with the City of Glass. They hid behind some large rocks, not wanting there to be a chance that the fireballs would try their luck once more. They waited quietly for a minute before they peeked out. There were no fireballs, and there didn't seem to be any fireballs coming their way, in fact there was nothing and no one coming their way.
"Curiouser and curiouser," Cain said.
"Shouldn't someone come out and keep guard on the city?" Hercules asked.
"Or to check if there are no uninvited guests coming their way." Phil stepped out from behind the rock. "If the Fleece is there we gotta find it and get it back to Greece before anyone else takes it away."
"If that's the case, we should split up and search for it." Orpheus walked towards the city, only to be stopped by Hercules.
"Hang on a sec, Orpheus," Hercules said. "That city was shooting fire at us just a second ago. We can't go in without a plan."
"He is right, young Orpheus. The City of Glass was once home to many people before it vanished. It reappearing and starting shooting fireballs at incoming ships is not something to be taken lightly." Cain advised. "There's bound to be more than a few surprises here and there before any of us get close to your prize."
"Why are you here, Cain? You said you were a collector but there's little to collect here." Orpheus challenged.
Cain found himself in a crossroads. He usually loved those. But he needed to be clear and vague enough to keep the heroes on his side long enough to solve this little mystery.
"Oh but there's oh so many things to collect here. But don't worry, I'm not here for the Fleece you keep mentioning. The item I'm looking for is in the hands of a man, if you could call him that, and an item that he stole from my master." Cain explained. "The item I seek is a little ruby rock with a golden chain wrapped around it. That is the only thing I've come to recover and the only thing I will take. You have my word." He bowed, adding to his explanation.
"A ruby, eh?" Phil hummed.
"Precisely." Cain turned to face the city. "Now, shall we go on our way?"
Hercules, Phil and Orpheus all had questions. But so far they were at a loss while Cain had all the answers. With shaky trust, they decided to follow.
The group walked through the city streets, their footsteps echoing with an eerie rhythm. The magnificent buildings of the City of Glass did not soothe the echoing sound of their steps. If anything, the great city's architecture and streets added to the unease that filled three of the group's members. No shadows were seen moving about their day. No animals barking, chirping or mewling on the streets. Even the wind had stopped blowing through the city. They were the only four living beings in the fabled city.
"There's no one here," Orpheus said. "No one except us."
"I can't even hear the waves of the sea below us." Hercules put his hand behind his ear. "It's like there's nothing around us."
"And this place is supposed to be a nice spot, Cain?" Phil asked. "Cause, I ain't staying longer than I need to."
"The city used to be full of people before it was destroyed. Which means that this is but an incomplete mirage of the City of Glass." Cain touched one of the buildings.
"What do you mean by that?" Hercules asked.
"Touch anything. Any of the buildings, even the street if you want and you'll see what I mean." Cain instructed before they did as he said.
As soon as they touched the other buildings, they all felt it. The buildings didn't feel right. They were solid but squishy, almost as though a blob was putting the walls together. Similar to how you put your hand on a blob of ice cream or a slightly wet sponge. It was there but it was only in partiality. One would say that it was an illusion slowly taking form but not completely.
"Man, this feels so weird." Hercules looked at his hands, shaking the feeling off. "That's not like any building I've ever touched."
"Same here, kid." Phil dusted his hands. "The street feels more like someone painted over the dirt and grass. This is some shoddy work."
"But why bring back a mythical city here of all places?" Orpheus asked.
Cain's ears perked up at the sound of something being whispered by the town square.
"I believe we're about to get our answer." Cain gestured to them to listen.
The heroes and the satyr stayed quiet, listening to whatever Cain wanted them to listen to. It was a whisper. A whisper that bounced and echoed in the empty city. The whispering of the only other living being in the city. They quietly followed the whispering through the streets. They slowly made their way to the city center, where a temple had been erected by the gods. But the one in the middle was not Zeus but the Golden Fleece they were looking for, draping a statue that resembled Dr. Destiny. They watched from the corner as the whispering grew louder to the point it was almost a scream.
A large shadow lifted itself from the ground. It was a cyclops. It was large with light bluish gray skin, pointy ears, tusks, a gladiatorial skirt and forearm guards. On top of his head was a strange helmet with a large glass upon his eye that shined like the sun. Tears dripped from behind the glass as he bellowed in pain as though someone had ripped out his own eye. It slammed his fists against the ground, making the whole fake city shake.
"Oh please, let these nightmares leave me! I've done what you asked of me!" The cyclops demanded. "I stole the Golden Fleece like you instructed! Even made this illusion like you asked! Please, let me be free of these nightmares of my eye being gouged out!"
Back with the heroes, they all looked at each other with this new information.
"The cyclops was working with someone," Hercules said. "You think it might be Hades, Phil?"
"Nah, Hades usually sends his two stooges to do his work for him, but he has been known to outsource his issues. But he always makes sure to get us involved in his mess." Phil thought out loud. "But that whole nightmare rant isn't something Hades has in his pocket."
"So, we face another master?" Orpheus commented. "It won't do them any good with me."
The cyclops slammed his fists against the ground once more.
"ANSWER ME, DR. DESTINY!" The cyclops roared, glaring at the statue.
"Dr. Destiny? Well, isn't this a surprise," Cain muttered.
"Friend of yours?" Phil asked.
"Would you believe me if I said that I try to stay clear of such irrefutable characters?" Cain shrugged. "But sadly, he is the man I am looking for."
Phil only gave him an untrusting glare. It was far too much of a coincidence that the strange man had just happened to get involved and know all those things. There were only so many interesting coincidences that he was willing to overlook before he put his hoof down. And this man was putting him on edge since the beginning. It was as though he was just waiting to stab them in the back. The bad feelings didn't stop there. But before he could ask or demand any more answers, the ground started to shake below them.
The group turned to see the statue draped with the Golden Fleece shake as a red light sprouted from its chest. The statue shattered like a shell as Dr. Destiny took a deep breath.
"I am free!" Dr. Destiny cried out. "Oh how long have I waited for this moment!"
"Please, Dr. Destiny, free me from the nightmares!" The cyclops begged. "I did everything that you asked for. I even kept that ship from coming to the island."
Dr. Destiny turned to the cyclops. It had been easy to turn him into a willing ally after giving him a look at another cyclops's fate. The nightmares would seize now that he was in the mortal world, finding what he needed could be done by him alone. So he saw no harm in-
"What ship?" Dr. Destiny asked.
"Freeze fiends!"
Dr. Destiny and the cyclops turned to see Orpheus standing before them, lyre in hand and ready to play.
"I am Orpheus, and I am the one who will reclaim the Golden Fleece and send you back from whence you came!" Orpheus played his lyre, sending a powerful wave of sound towards Dr. Destiny.
But the skull-faced nightmare was unmoved by the display of power. He stepped forward, raising the ruby in his hand, letting it glow brightly. All the power and energy that the lyre had sent their way was absorbed like a sponge would absorb water. He glared at Orpheus, and even without eyelids, he could send a clear glare of anger towards the young musician. He was not going to stop by something so mere as a musician with an enchanted instrument.
"Cyclops, take care of these interlopers while I get something from this world and I swear your nightmares in the Dreaming will end." Dr. Destiny turned around, letting the cyclops do his dirty work.
The cyclops roared, charging at the young musician. His eye glowed brightly as it fired a fireball at him. Orpheus sent a wave of music to divert the fire, but the cyclops was expecting that. It fired fireball after fireball at Orpheus, forcing him back and to stick to defense. He was pushed back so much that he tripped but that did not stop the one-eyed monster. It jumped at Orpheus swinging down his large beast-like arm with the intent to kill.
As the arm's great shadow loomed over him, Orpheus recoiled in fear of his death. He felt the air of the attack hit him, but nothing else followed. He tentatively opened his eyes to see what had happened and saw Hercules standing between him and the cyclops's arm.
"You, but I thought-" Orpheus began.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry I acted like a jerk. You reminded me too much of someone I constantly deal with and I took it out on you without knowing you. What I'm trying to say is, I'm sorry." Hercules pushed back the cyclops' arm. "Listen, you can berate me later, but now we need to stop that guy and beat this cyclops. Think you can play him something special?"
Orpheus smiled, accepting Hercules' apology. He picked up his lyre and started playing a swift and enchanting tune.
The air around the cyclops began to spiral and his sight became blocked by all the dirt. Thing Hercules used to his advantage to push back the brute's arm before jumping and punching him in the stomach.
"Nice going kid! Alright, Cain, we gotta help them think of a way out of this," Phil said from his hiding spot. "Cain?" Phil turned around after he didn't hear a reply.
Cain was gone.
"Why that no good, jerk." Phil grumbled as Hercules and Orpheus faced off against the cyclops.
Hercules kept the cyclops back with his strength as Orpheus used his magic lyre to blind and redirect his flames. But it was not going their way. The large monster was not giving them much quarter to work with. The flames kept them back and made them run for cover whenever the beast managed to get a clear shot. It looked like they would need a miracle to turn the tide of battle.
"Kid! His eye! Aim for the eye!" Phil called from the other side of the city square.
Hercules heard him. He punched the ground, getting a large rock big enough to take out someone's head.
"Mind giving it a little magic?" Hercules asked.
"Only if you can throw it." Orpheus flicked one of his lyre's chords, making the rock glow.
Hercules waited for the cyclops to turn their way before jumping out of his hiding spot. With all the strength of a demigod, he tossed the rock directly at the large monster's eye, shattering the glass. The beast bellowed in pain, holding its wounded face and eye.
"Talk about dramatic irony, but don't worry, here's a sweet dream to help you." Orpheus played a melody, causing a small thunder cloud to pop up above the cyclops.
Before it could do anything, a bolt of lightning struck him, knocking him out.
"Nice going, Orpheus." Hercules high fived Orpheus.
"Was it ever in doubt?" Orpheus asked.
"Good that you two are getting along." Phil walked up to them. "Now, we gotta find Mr. Cain. He gave us the slip."
Back with Dr. Destiny, he held up the Dream Stone over his head as it absorbed energy from the surrounding area, taking in what looked like constellations and pictures of places and dreams of people. All the while the skull-faced man smiled with dark glee. He could feel the power coursing through the stone.
"Yes, soon my dream will come true," Dr. Destiny said, not noticing a hand snatching the Golden Fleece from him.
"So, you influenced the cyclops to create a spot where Lord Morpheus would track you and then used the Golden Fleece as an anchor to enter the Waking World. How far am I?" Cain asked, holding the fleece in one hand.
"Close enough, old man. I just took energy from many of this world's dreamers, powering up the Dream Stone to stand on my own. I'm no longer the Sandman's servant!" Dr. Destiny laughed. "I will have a world, a dream of my own. The madness showed me what to do!"
Cain stiffened up at the mention of that thing. He knew that anyone influenced by it would do drastic things, especially if it involved a piece of his master's domain. He pulled out his shovel, aiming it at Dr. Destiny.
"I cannot let you go, Dr. Destiny. You must be stopped," Cain said. "And we both know killing isn't an issue for me."
"That it isn't. But you're not keeping me from my destiny!" Dr. Destiny lifted the Dream Stone over his head, disappearing with a mad laugh.
Cain grunted in displeasure. It would seem his quarry was now in a realm he could not reach on his own.
"So, that's who you are, Cain." Cain turned around to see Hercules, Orpheus and Phil pointing at him with an accusing finger. "You're a servant of Morpheus!"
"Who was that guy?" Hercules asked.
"As I said, my problem and it would seem you bested his beast and almost got him cornered," Cain said. "Maybe. I believe this is yours. I'll take my leave if you will." Cain tossed the Golden Fleece back to Orpheus.
Cain snapped his fingers, making the mast of the Argos appear by his side. He got his collective piece and soon enough a large mansion appeared behind him. The House of Mystery was always there for when he needed it.
"It was a pleasure watching you work, young heroes. But I'm afraid this is where we part ways. Things to do, nightmares to wrangle, and a master that's going to give me a new assignment. You know how it is." Cain sent the mast into the house before entering himself. "Ta ta." He waved goodbye before the House of Mystery disappeared.
Hercules and his companions were left in a state of shock. Sure, they'd bested the beast and recovered the fleece but what they heard and saw left more questions than answers.
"Phil, who was that guy?" Hercules asked.
"Trouble, kid. Trouble." Phil sighed.
Back in the House of Mystery, Cain closed his book before putting it back on the shelf.
"And that's the story behind my little Greek Adventure. Was it to your liking, my lord?" Cain bowed.
"Not that I don't find your tales fascinating Cain, but the threat Dr. Destiny poses to the multiverse must be answered." Dream walked up to his servant. "The world you were in has become unstable due to his meddling. And I fear that he will not stop at one. You caught his scent, did you not?" He looked out to the endless void, spotting a red scar forming on one of the doors of the Great Library.
"Of course my lord, I am quite the bloodhound." Cain held up his hand, showing a piece of Dr. Destiny's cloak.
"Then I task you to find him. Recover the Dream Stone he took and undo the damage that he has done." Dream commanded. "I will do what I can to contain the damage he has started, but it is imperative that the Dream Stone is recovered."
"Yes, my lord. However, I fear that I may not be strong enough to face him as his strength keeps on growing," Cain said. "May I seek out some like-minded allies?"
Dream raised an eyebrow at his servant.
"You mean to forge your own team of 'Challengers of the Unknown', as I recall?" Dream asked. "I never took you for a team player."
"Needs must be met, my lord. They will have some interesting stories to add to my collection." Cain argued.
Dream thought it over. It wasn't a simple request and Cain was not the most simple of men to lead such a strikeforce. He'd seen the results of such forces aligning with the Son of Oberon, Rac Shade, The Changing Man. He and his allies did well in his task. But Shade was a man of noble ambitions and a code of honor, Cain was a different creature altogether. Yet, his devious mind never failed him and he was never disloyal to him nor his task. But it wasn't Cain the one he was worried about the most. It was the companions that he was planning on gathering for this little crusade of his that worried the Lord of Dreams.
"Very well, you may form your own Challengers of the Unknown, Cain. But do not reveal to them all your secrets nor the powers of the Dream Stone," Dream said. "Only give to them the information they need when they need to. Am I clear?"
"Crystal, my lord." Cain bowed before the Lord of Dreams as he left to fulfill his task before any more damage could be done to his kingdom or the waking world that he protected. "I shall go out and stop this mad dream before it can sprout wings and fly away into the Dreaming. Oh what a glorious story this will be. Be sure to stick around, dear reader." Cain smirked with a devilish smile that showed his teeth.
Chapter 2: Nite Owl
Summary:
Earth -5102
What if someone saw that only one decision mattered in Paris?
Chapter Text
The multiverse is more than just a prism…
It is ever expanding and ever growing…
A place where one choice, one fork on the road can lead to many opportunities…
But every spark of brilliance there is a spark of madness…
These are the stories of both…
Cain was a proud student of stories. He knew their finer details like he knew the finer points of his sharp nails. And the one that he was studying to best hunt his prey was that of the 'Challengers of the Unknown'. Shade had chosen heroes and allies to help him on his quest. But despite their great deed and victory over the force of madness that was Klarion Cipher, his choices were too narrow minded in his own professional opinion.
"If I am to swiftly find and strike at my quarry, I'll need a team that will be by my side at all times but not be squeamish about certain actions," Cain said as he observed the statue of the frozen in stone Bill Cipher. "I'll need to collect them as I visit their worlds, that way they will be prepared for what needs to happen. But I cannot limit myself to heroes, someone of a more villainous nature is needed."
Cain walked over the small bust of an owl carved out of marvel with a strange Chinese symbol on its forehead. The bird itself had a fierce glare to it. With eyes that could gaze upon eternity and see all its secrets. Like an oracle of wisdom, it showed that there was more to life than one iteration of a story.
"Mhm, yes, I remember your story and what you are meant to represent." Cain caught a scent most familiar, which only made him smile that much widely. "Oh, and would you look at that irony. I'm heading there too." Cain walked to the entrance to the House of Mystery, opening the door to see another door before him.
The door that stood before Cain was a red and black door that swirled together into a Ying Yang spiral in the middle. Black polka dots appeared on the red side like the spots on a Ladybug while green claw marks popped in the black the center of the door there was the picture of a large night owl with its wings spread and talons grabbing hold of two jewels, a pair of earrings and a ring. But the door had something else on it, a creeping red scar coming down from the top.
Earth -5102
What if someone saw that only one decision mattered in Paris?
Down the rabbit hole we go." Cain opened the door stepping into the sunny streets of Paris. "Eugh, this place is far too bright for my taste."
Cain walked through the streets of the city as the Parisian citizens went on about their day without a care in the world. It wasn't uncommon for Cain to see people being happy or carefree, but that often led to something horrible happening to them by either their own ineptitude or fate taking a nosedive when they least expected it. It was a classic trope that led to people being more mindful and purposeful with their lives rather than just mindlessly drifting through life. It was a simple classic that could be taken to great extremes that Cain loved to see. But now he had to face Dr. Destiny and his machinations. Though it made him wonder what he was looking for in this realm.
From the past realm he got the energy of other dreams and a clear star-filled sky for him to play with. But this world seemed like the complete opposite of the past one. Perhaps there was something here he wanted or just the power of dreams this world had. Regardless, Cain had a trail to follow and an ally to find. Which reminded him of the story behind the Owl bust that he'd gotten.
"Oh yes, that bust, almost forgot, the story began-" Cain's words were cut short when an explosion caught his attention.
The sound of a storm of pigeons flying over him made him look up as a man dressed like a pigeon flew amongst them like a maniac. Trailing right behind was a pair of spandex wearing teenagers, one dressed in red with black polkadots and the other one dressed as a black cat with green eyes.
"You won't catch me, Ladybug and Chat Noir!" The man cooed like a pigeon. "I shall steal all the bread in Paris and your Miraculous! So swears Mr. Pigeon!" Mr. Pigeon flapped his wings like an actual pigeon.
"What in the name of-?" Cain muttered at the sight before him.
"Not a chance, Mr. Pigeon!" The red suited girl swung with what looked like a yo-yo with the young man swinging his staff without a car.
The storm of pigeons went through the city, destroying windows, flipping cars and pooping on more than a few statues on their path. It was like a catastrophe of nature's wrath happening right in the middle of the city. All the while, the two teenagers battled it out with the villain on top of said flying rats until they managed to push each other into the Eiffel Tower. As soon as they collided with the iconic landmark of Paris, it tilted, before being lifted by the pigeons.
The villain commanded his pigeons to take the landmark, while the red spandex heroine summoned a strange colored item from thin air. The battle was waged as the Eiffel Tower crashed against buildings and roads. Cars were flipped, buildings were toppled, china shops were shattered beyond recognition. Chaos was unleashed on the city before Cain's eyes and a part of him was loving this.
He saw the monument crash down and fall to pieces and some people screaming in terror. It was quite the flip of destiny and fate to see such destruction.
"Marvelous, simply marve-!" Cain sang, looking up to the skies.
"MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!"
"Come again?" Cain and everything else was enveloped by a sea of glowing ladybugs, blinding him.
Cain coughed and spat out a couple ladybugs, swatting them away like the pests they were.
"Finally, what was all… that?" Cain opened his eyes to see the city back in one piece. "Not a damn thing out of place. Not even a scratch. What is this madness?" He turned to see the people sighing in relief as they went back to their normal day as though the city hadn't been destroyed before their eyes.
"What?" Cain looked around, only to see everyone not being bothered in the slightest.
He had gone to many worlds and heard of many stories, but this was perhaps the first time he ever got this kind of reaction out of people. They had just seen their own city torn apart by a flock of flying pigeons and a superhero fight had taken place, and yet nothing. Not only had they no answers or replies to the destruction but how seemingly the whole thing had been swiped clean. Despite many worlds sharing in the superhero genre, there were rarely any of them that didn't at least react in some way or form. But the people around him were more uninterested in the world around them than the most jaded of people.
Well, not completely uninterested. They were all too happy and complacent with their lives. Almost as if they knew that no matter what happened they would be fine shortly after. It was a sickening feeling that he couldn't hold down. Like an acidic reflux going up his throat, he felt the urge to scream. What good was a story if everyone was happy and content at the end without any consequences. It was no different than living like cattle until the farmer decided to chop one of them for food and or to sell off. He wanted to ask questions-no, demand answers before he beat them to death with his shovel for whatever reason they gave him. But before he could murder anyone, Cain's eyes landed on someone he recognised from his story.
Up upon the rooftops, a figure clad in a metallic gray and black costume watched everything with a pair of binoculars. He had a gray cape and a black cowl that resembled feathers and connected to a black circle in the middle of his chest. His torso was covered with an armored chest plate on top of a black long sleeved shirt, gray gloves with sharp claws at the tip of his fingers. Around his waist was a gray utility belt with an owl-like symbol as a belt buckle. His pants were black with armed plates on his thighs and armored gray boots that almost looked like talons. His face was covered in a black cowl with an iron mask that covered his upper face, making it look like an owl's face.
"Paris, Log date 02-23-2010. Ladybug and Chat Noir have bested Mr. Pigeon for the 70th time. Total damages repaired by the Miraculous Ladybug reach to an approximate of $17.5-20.5 Million Euros." He recorded as sighed. "Property value decreases by another 15%, making the local and federal government pay citizens to live in the capital another 200 Euros a month. And yet everyone cheers for Ladybug as though she were the second coming of Christ. What does it matter? If they could see what I see, they wouldn't bother."
"I certainly don't."
The man turned around, throwing a razor sharp boomerang at whoever managed to sneak up on him. Sadly, that man was Cain. He swung his shovel at the weapon, sending it back to the man that had thrown it. The moment the owl armored man looked at Cain, his eyes widened.
"If that's how you say hello to people, I would hate to see how you say goodbye. I take it that you're a detective of some kind?" Cain asked. "Or some sort of assassin judging from all the armor?"
"I am Nite Owl. As for what I am doing here, oversight." Nite Owl's eyes glowed bright yellow, earning the sharp look of an actual owl.
"Neat trick. The name is Cain. Yes, I'm sure you're doing a good job at supervising things. But I must know, what is this whole thing with the ladybugs and the reset messes." Cain leaned on his shovel. "Would you be so kind as to tell me what is going on? Or will we just stand here until the sun goes out?"
Nite Owl didn't reply at first as he looked at Cain directly while his eyes glowed. His mouth didn't move but his expression softened and molded until he finally relaxed. It was as though he looked into the soul of Cain and saw that he wasn't an enemy until he made him one. It was a tense moment but one that had to do with pure realization in the mind of Nite Owl. It was as his world had been turned around.
"I take it that you're not from around here." Nite Owl's eyes went back to normal. "But this city has been under threat for the last few months by a villain by the name of Hawkmoth. He creates other villains like him and the heroes, Ladybug and Chat Noir, stop him. And every day they do the same thing over and over again. It is tiresome."
"Yes, and everyone else walking around like it's just another Sunday stroll must be used to it." Cain lazily pointed to the people below.
"When your house burns down and pulls itself back together like clockwork you stop caring about the smoke," Nite Owl said. "However, what they don't see is the reaction that stuff like this has on their city and the country as a whole. More organized crime that moved in. Less people living here due to the housing market being a joke. Fewer businesses dare to open when they can't afford certain prices such as rent. Taxation is at an all time high because money is slowly being devalued. The works."
"And you seek to fix this by…?" Cain asked.
"Find Hawkmoth, find the heroes, neutralize both aspects of this cycle." Nite Owl pulled up a phone-like device before pressing some buttons. "I've been tracking their movements and have come to the conclusion that their secret identities are reachable for me."
"And how long did that take you?" Cain asked.
"Two days. One to settle things back home. One to get here." Nite Owl turned around, preparing to leave.
"And why are you interested in doing this if this isn't your city?" Cain asked.
"It's more about what their actions do that makes everyone's work that much harder and pointless that I've come here. Not to mention that Hawkmoth threatened to start a nuclear war over the Miraculous that one time." Nite Owl looked at Cain over his shoulder. "Would you care to help me?"
"I have my own mission, but should you succeed, I might make you an offer." Cain smiled.
"Better make it a very good one." Nite Owl dropped down.
Cain looked down into the alley he'd seen Nite Owl drop into, only to see no trace left of the man. He could sense something great about the man, almost as though he himself was a collector of stories. But his tone and body language told Cain more. The man he'd spoken to was a warrior on a mission, a soldier out for himself and ready to strike down any who stood in his way. This Nite Owl carried a great power within him and had the wisdom and skills to back it up. This Cain was certain of. The man was no mere mortal and he… struck a very clear resemblance to a man he once met when he first came to this world many years ago. Oh yes, he remembered that night now.
"So this is where your rebellion has led to, Talon?" Cain smirked. "If I recall, I called the story: The Owl's Flight."
Years Ago…
In a manor on the far coast of England, Cain was examining some pieces that were being shown in the manor. And amongst them was the white bust of an owl, the same one he'd soon acquire. But there was another reason that he'd come to the castle. It was the seat of a man that had gone to Tibet and returned, making a fortune and aiding in the protection and securing the future of his country.
Cain looked up to see the portrait of a family. In the center was an old nobleman with tanned skin, and long white beard, wearing a black suit with a very familiar looking belt around his waist. To his right was a beautiful woman with braided blonde hair wearing a black dress much like her husband's. And to the man's left was a young man with short black hair, and a trimmed black mustache, wearing a black suit of his own.
"I had come to the home of a newly named lord, a man known as Bakar. He'd made his fortune in trade and travels between England, Europe and Asia. Many called him the Owl as he had great wisdom and knowledge of what he should do. Truth was that he always knew what to do and when, leading to many believing that he was some kind of foreign sorcerer." Cain recounted. "But many more saw it better to have a sorcerer on their side than against them. He was given the title of Lord of the Waning Tides. Soon, he found a wife and had a son by the name of Edmund. A handsome and skilled man in both his father's trade and his own. It seemed like the start of a dynasty that would last for centuries. Sadly, an invisible hand believed that they had a say in this family's legacy."
Cain looked out of a window to see men wearing red monk robes sneaking into the room where Bakar and his wife slept. He closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
"Evangeline!"
"Mother!"
Bakar and his son bursted into the room to see their wife and mother held up by the neck. Their eyes flared in rage as they saw the Eastern monks preparing to strike should they make a move.
"Bakar, return the Miraculous and your family will be spared." The monk commanded. "If you do not, we are prepared to take it back."
"You dare to come to my home and attack my wife in our room and expect me to bow to your whims?" Bakar unsheathed his blade. "You fools have been in your temple for far too long to believe you hold any authority here."
"They are not meant to be used for the whims of man. They are not tools to-" The monk tightened his hold on Bakar's wife's neck.
"To do what? Use in frivolous wars? To give when you deem them necessary. You hold two in great regards but the rest are abandoned. Why should you dictate the path of history?" Bakar snarled.
"Release my mother and we might spare you," Edmund said.
"This is not up for debate." The monk strangled the woman. "Return the buckle now!"
Evangeline gave her husband a tearful smile, one he'd dreaded more than anything.
"I love you." Evangeline pulled out a knife, stabbing the monk in the stomach.
The monk screamed in pain before breaking Evangeline's neck.
"NO!" Bakar rushed in with his son by his side.
The monks jumped in fighting off the father and son. Their strikes were swift and meant to disarm, but against the blades of the angered father and son, they met their match. They moved swiftly and tore apart the room, with blades cutting flesh and punches breaking bones. Blood was spilled as one of the monks got struck by Bakar's sword. A blow to Edmund caused him to drop the candles on the floor, starting a fire.
Bakar and his son ran out the room as the fire spread through the room and to the hallway. They ran as the monks ran after them with a vengeance and the fires ate through their home. Pain of loss and anger fueled the father and son as they continued fighting against the invaders, but all that it did was spread more of the fire and destruction. They fought back against the monks, stabbing and punching several of them as they made their way out to the balcony. Both Bakar and Edmund looked worse for wear, bleeding and bruised as the remaining monks stepped towards them.
"It is over, Bakar Talon." The stabbed monk growled. "We will take the Miraculous you stole and your memory will be erased from the annals of history."
"You may kill us, but we will have our vengeance. Your pathetic order has its days numbered!" Edmund called out, willing to fight to the end. "We do not run from a fight!"
"No, my son. This is my last fight, but not yours." Bakar placed something in his son's hand.
"Father-?" Bakar pushed his son off the balcony, taking his sword from him.
Edmund reached out to his father as Bakar stood before the monks.
"Now the fate of the world is out of your hands." Bakar smiled, holding his swords. "Let's see if you all can die like men at least!" Bakar lunged at the monks with a bellow akin to that of an owl launching itself to fight.
Down on the cliffs, Cain watched the manor go down in flames while he held the owl bust in his hand. He looked to the side and saw Edmund gasping for air as he pulled himself from the cold waters. He looked up in rage as he held a belt buckle in his hand.
"I swear, the house of the Lord of the Waning Tides will rise again." Edmund cursed.
Present…
"And that's the story, or so it would seem," Cain said. "It would seem Bakar Talon's line survived through his son all the way down. But let's see if your descendant can live up to your claim." Cain looked at the faint trail of red and began following it.
Thomas walked through the streets of Paris with a glare in his eyes. He needed to strike now while the iron was hot and the heroes and villains didn't suspect him. But first, he needed to rid himself of the last bit of the Guardians and their antiquated method of leading the world. He didn't personally hate them or what they did. Logically speaking, keeping jewels that could alter or remake the fabric of reality at the whims of fools was a good idea. But to hand such powers to teenagers and allow an idiot like Hawkmoth free reign? Something had to be done to make a real choice.
He looked at the apartment complex in the middle of a no name neighborhood of Paris. It looked harmless enough and didn't stand out, a perfect place to hide. His investigation and the information he'd downloaded from the overhyped Ladyblog had allowed him to triangulate the location from which Ladybug had gathered up her extra allies. As well as the location of his next target. It took a lot from him not to laugh as he made his way up the stairs. He wasn't known to laugh much, but the incompetence and disinterest he was met with? Pitifully laughable.
Thomas knocked on the door, before an elderly man opened the door.
"Yes, good afternoon, sir. May I help you?" Fu asked.
"Yes, my name is Bryce Nappier, I have an appointment for a massage." Thomas lied.
"Oh, yes. I remember now." Fu stepped aside. "Please, come on in. You may hang your coat on the rack. Please, take off your shoes and lay down on the mat while I get ready."
Thomas did as the old man asked. Normally it would be easy, but the idea of a massage was the best way to go. He had the time.
He allowed the old man to work on his back and undo all the knots that riddled his back. He winced and groaned, hearing everything get put back in its proper position. A part of him was telling him that he should put an end to things now, but he knew better. The next part had to be played out accordingly before moving on to the next target. Better to let the old man do what he loved before the inevitable happened.
"I must say, you have a lot of knots on your back. And these scars," Fu said. "What exactly do you need to do to get so many wounds and so much stress?" He continued massaging Thomas's back.
"I run a company back in the States. A family business. I'm in the middle of closing an old deal and you could say that the stress doesn't need to be there for the final signing." Thomas groaned, feeling his back loosening up with Fu's oiled hands. "I heard from an old acquaintance that you are the best person to get a massage from."
"I'm glad that my fame has reached the states, but I am just a humble old man with a business." Fu pressed his palms against Thomas's lower back until he felt the last knot get undone by his hands. "And there we go, the last knot. You may get up slowly."
"Thank you." Thomas did as the old man told him.
He shook the old man's hands with his own. He smiled, giving him a show of gratitude.
Fu walked back to his sink to wash his hands as Thomas put his clothes back on. However, as he was washing his hands, he noticed that he was missing Wayzz's Miraculous on him.
"What the-?" Fu's words were cut short as a swift karate chop landed on the back of his old neck.
"Rest up, Wang Fu. Your guard has ended." Thomas caught Fu before he fell. "Now, Bakar and Edmund's promise has been fulfilled. But go gently into that good night knowing that I hold no ill will against you. Just the cycle you represent. Now rest." Thomas placed the body on the mat he worked on.
Thomas walked to the music player, opening it with a knife he'd brought with him. Inside was the Miraculous box, the last box.
"One down, five to go." Thomas put the Turtle Miraculous inside the box. "Not shedding a tear for the last guardian, Archimedes?"
"What good would my tears be, Master Thomas? I just met the man," Archimedes replied.
"True. Now, let us go grab a butterfly. It is high time he fought someone his own age." Thomas picked up the Miraculous box before walking out of the apartment.
Gabriel was fuming. Mr. Pigeon had been bested once more and was running out of ideas. He paced, thinking what Akuma he could create next to finally get his hands on the Miraculous. He had to fulfill his dream. A dream about a perfect world for him and his family, a dynasty that he would bring to fruition. No matter who or what he had to use to achieve it.
"Master, please, I know that you want to fulfill your dream, but this isn't the way," Nooroo said. "We could create an Akuma to-" Gabriel snapped his fingers, silencing his Kwami.
Gabriel glared at Nooroo with disdain. Ever since he had acquired him and the Peacock Miraculous, his perfect world and vision had slowly been crumbling. And any of his plans to fix that vision were destroyed by Ladybug and Chat Noir. But soon he'd come up with a plan that would eliminate them for good once and for all. He did not need any other ideas or thoughts aside his own.
"Sooner or later, Ladybug and Chat Noir will slip and I will not allow anyone to get in my way. Even if Paris has to be destroyed a hundred times over, I will make my dream come true!" Gabriel claimed. "And I will make everyone that's stood in my way suffer, especially Ladybug."
"You are more pathetic than I thought."
Gabriel turned around to see Nite Owl coming out of the shadows.
"Who are you?! What are you doing here?!" Gabriel demanded. "How did you get in my home without my security going off?!"
"I'm impressed you could hear anything over your rambling. Don't bother with your security system. I figured out your password, 'Emily'." Nite Owl scoffed. "You are an idiot in all the senses of the word. Doing the exact thing over and over again expecting a different result. That's insanity if I ever heard it. Hand over your Miraculous and I'll let you live."
"Nooroo, dark wings rise!" Gabriel transformed into his Hawkmoth persona before lunging at Nit Owl. "If you know all this about me, then you must've known that I will have to kill you!" Gabriel swung his cane at Nite Owl, forcing him to catch it with his hands.
Nite Owl dug his boots onto the ground, stopping himself. He had to play this right. Gabriel pulled his cane back before punching Nite Owl in the face. A shallow punch, the man had never thrown a proper punch in his life, but it gave the illusion that it hurt. Nite Owl ducked and dodge the cane swings, blocking them with his forearm at the last minute, making it look like he was struggling. Hawkmoth kicked him in the stomach, sending him back. Again, a sloppy attack. He just needed one more blow before revealing his cards. Hawkmoth jumped at Nite Owl once more, swinging his cane like a club, breaking through the intruder's defenses.
The blows landed on Nite Owl's shoulders, arms and one in the face, much to Hawkmoth's glee. With each blow Gabriel earned more and more bravado, seeing the fight turn in his favor. He could let loose against this intruder all his anger and frustration. Like a living punching bag that was meant for him. He didn't care who or what he was, he would die and whatever he had would be used by him to make his dream a reality.
"You thought you could come to my home and demand anything from me?!" Hawkmoth punched Nite Owl. "I am the master of this city! I am Hawk-!" Nite Owl caught the cane with ease.
Before Hawkmoth could question why someone could do that, Nite Owl punched him across the face. His teeth loosened up before being backhanded with force. Grabbing his arm, Nite Owl flipped him over his shoulder before landing a strong kick to his stomach. Hawkmoth landed with a loud bang against the side of his lair. He spat out blood, tasting the metal in it. He didn't know what happened.
Nite Owl walked towards him with a cold determined look on his masked face. All the damage seemed to have disappeared. He dropped the cane before Hawkmoth.
"Pick it up." Nite Owl snarled.
"W-Why?" Hawkmoth coughed up three teeth.
"Because unlike you, I know how to fight." Nite Owl stated in a demeaning tone. "It's high time you fought someone your own size, Gabriel."
Hawkmoth snatched his cane, swinging it at Nite Owl. But Nite Owl leaned back, easily avoiding the weapon, before punching Hawkmoth in the nose with a jab. He followed it with bobbing under another swing of the cane and hitting Hawkmoth in the liver. He followed that with a kick to the side, sending the villain against the wall. He then slammed his face against the wall, shattering it. Nite Owl pulled Hawkmoth off of the wall before kicking him behind his knee, bringing him to the ground. He then kneed Hawkmoth's jaw, breaking more teeth.
"And I'm not stopping until you really suffer." Nite Owl picked up Hawkmoth's battered body. "Not because of all your villainous activities, but because of all the madness you've brought to the world."
Nite Owl continued his assault, punching and kicking Hawkmoth without pity or mercy. It was an onslaught that could only be described as inhumane, the kind of spectacle of brutality fit for the ancient Roman Colosseum between animals and unarmed slaves. Nite Owl pulled out his sharpened boomerang, using it like a dagger with great skill and dexterity. He sliced at Hawkmoth's body, cutting his tendons and limbs before cutting his cane in two. Soon enough, Hawkmoth fell to the floor, covered in blows, blood and missing almost all his teeth. Nite Owl took Hawkmoth's Miraculous, transforming him back.
"Three down, two to go." Nite Owl pulled out the Miraculous box before dropping the Butterfly and the Peacock Miraculous. "Now, to catch a cat. And you'll help me, Hawkmoth, after I pin you like one of your butterflies." He stepped over the beaten villain.
Adrien hated coming back home, so cold and lonely. He wished he could wear the mask all the time. Adrien entered the house, only to find it even more cold and lonely than normal. Something wasn't right. The house was never this dark at night.
"Hello, Nathalie? Father?" Adrien called out.
No response.
He looked around, only to see a light coming from the dining room. Adrien didn't like it, but he slowly made his way there. Maybe his father and Nathalie were having a romantic dinner and forgot to tell him. Which part of him worried and another part of him was happy for.
"Hello, Nathalie, Father?" Adrien slowly opened the door, only to find the dining table illuminated by candles. "What is-?"
"I took the liberty to tell his secretary to take the night off."
Adrien snapped back at the sound of the unfamiliar voice. He saw Nite Owl sitting on one of the chairs, sipping some wine. Adrien's mind was filled with questions and only briefly stopped himself from calling out to Plagge.
"I wanted us to have a chance to talk uninterrupted." Nite Owl stirred the wine in his glass before sipping it.
"Wh-Who are you? What do you want?" Adrien tried to act the scared teenager. "This is private property, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave before my father and his bodyguard arrive."
"More polite than your father, I'll give you that. But they won't bother us. Your bodyguard has a meditation session for the next hour, with no phones or calls," Nite Owl said. "As for your father, he's a bit tied up at the moment… Chat Noir." He pointed to the other end of the table.
Adrien was shocked not just by him outing his secret identity, but by the sight at the end of the table. His father. Beaten up and tied up with ropes to a chair. Blood dripped from his face and broken mouth.
"Don't worry, he's still alive. And he can't hear us due to the unconsciousness and the blood in his ears." Nite Owl sipped on his wine.
"You're… A monster! An Akuma!" Adrien looked at him with hatred.
"I can assure you, Hawkmoth had no hand in creating me." Nite Owl pulled out the butterfly Miraculous, still stained in blood. "In fact, you could say that I did in one evening what you and that girl of yours couldn't do in almost a year. He's sitting at the end of the table if you're wondering." He put the Miraculous back on the box.
Adrien's emotions bubbled and boiled like a volcano about to erupt. Hatred could not even begin to describe what he felt at that moment for the two men in that room. For one, his father was a villain, Hawkmoth, who had terrorized Paris and his friends. And the other was someone that had broken into his home and was holding his father hostage. There was no logic, only emotion.
"PLAGG CLAWS OUT!" Adrien transformed before Nite Owl's eyes.
He swung his staff at Nite Owl with all his strength, forcing the vigilante to jump out of the room. Nite Owl skidded to a halt as Chat Noir came down from above. He sidestepped out of the way of the spinning bo staff. He raised his arm to block the attack, before jumping over Chat Noir's head, avoiding another attack. The bo staff was shifted into the form of a baseball bat, but it carried no less force behind it. Nite Owl dodged, bobbed and weaved around the attacks that were wild but far more battle trained than his father.
Chat Noir knew how to use his weapon after all his lessons and time on the field. But as he spun his staff and destroyed everything around him except his enemy, he only thought of one thing. Hatred. How much he hated the man before him. How much he hated that he had hurt his father. How much he hated that he'd been fooled all this time by his father. He hated that no one took him seriously and assumed what was best for him. And he was going to unleash all of that anger on this man!
"Good form. But you're losing focus of your surroundings." Nite Owl moved out of the way, grabbing the staff before slamming Adrian on the floor.
Adrien stood back up, snarling like an angry cat. He lunged forward, reeling back his right hand.
"CATACLYSM!" Adrien thrusted his hand forward.
"Predictable." Nite Owl grabbed Adrien's arm, redirecting the deadly attack to the floor.
The floor crumbled below them, causing them to fall down to Gabriel's hidden chamber. Adrien fell down hard while Nite Owl gracefully landed on his feet with the aid of his cape.
Adrien groaned as he got back up and saw what was under his feet. He turned to see something that shook him to the core. It was his mother. He rushed to her glass coffin in utter disbelief. He'd thought her gone, but she was here all along. It was another one of his father's deceptions.
"I really didn't want to do this, Adrien. But you're not giving me much of a choice." Nite Owl pulled something from his pocket, a ring.
Adrien snatched his staff back before charging at Nite Owl, swinging for his head.
"Stop." Nite Owl commanded, making Adrien stop in his tracks.
"W-What?" Adrien struggled.
"Drop it." Adrien did as he commanded. "Kneel down. And listen." Adrien fell to his knees as he looked up to see Nite Owl holding the rings his father and mother wore.
"H-How? How are you doing this?" Adrien asked.
"Because Adrien, you have been living a lie your whole life. Your parents used arcane powers of the Miraculous to conceive you. A perfect little boy. But in the end, no more than a puppet for his parents to play house with." Nite Owl revealed. "You and Pinnochio are very much the same. Only difference is that you're trapped in a crumbling golden cage unaware that you were a puppet playing at being a real boy. With your parents pulling your strings. Telling you who to socialize with, marry, live, etc."
Nite Owl looked at the ring, noting all its meanings and what it had been turned into. A symbol of loyalty, love and happiness being turned into a tool of slavery and manipulation. Had he been more of a wide-eyed heroe, he would've tried to comfort the boy, maybe even tell him that it would all be okay. But that wasn't the real world. He knelt before Adrien as his Miraculous beeped.
"Why… Why are you doing this?" Adrien barely had the strength to look up at him.
"Because this cycle, this wheel of chaos will never end unless someone makes the only right choice. And I will do that. I will break the wheel," Nite Owl replied. "But that doesn't mean I'm not sympathetic to your plight. I'm going to offer you the one thing no one else has given you in your entire existence: A choice."
"A choice?" Adrien didn't believe him.
"Yes, a choice free for you to make. I will give you back the rings that hold your existence, and you can live a normal life away from all this madness. I've doctored paper to have Nathalie, the closest you've had to a true mother, take you in as your guardian so you can stay in Paris. A sizable portion of your father's fortune will be granted to you to do with as you please. You will be able to go to school, have friends of your choosing, your choice of a life, a dream of your own if you will. No one will pull your strings ever again." Nite Owl explained. "All you need to do is hand over your Miraculous."
Adrien transformed back as Plagg got between his wielder and Nite Owl.
"What is stopping me from blasting you right here and now, huh?!" Plagg hissed as his energy crackled around him.
"This." Nite Owl pulled out a transmitter. "This transmitter is linked to my heart rate. If I die, everything and everyone in a 100 meter radius will go up in smoke."
"What kind of choice is that?!" Adrien snapped. "What happens if I refuse?!"
"Then the wheel keeps on spinning. You and your lady will continue running around Paris without any end in sight. Only without Akumas there might be an end. You'll be left alone, never learning who the one that truly loves you is and that will be the end of things." Nite Owl explained. "Don't misunderstand, Adrien. This is a choice. I could make you give me your Miraculous. But you've been controlled for far too long by everyone else's dreams. It's time to have dreams of your own. But first you need to wake up. What will you choose?" Nite Owl held out his hands, with the ring resting on one of them.
Adrien looked at Plagg and then back at his ring, the ring that held him tied to this world. His whole world was crumbling down around him. Tears flowed out of his eyes and down his cheeks. He wanted this to be a nightmare so badly that he would give anything for it to end. But no matter what he tried or did, he couldn't wake up. He was stuck in this twisted nightmare or a real world. And now he had to face it. He wished that his lady was with him to save him. But then the thought of Ladybug made him feel happy.
"What about Ladybug?" Adrien asked.
"I will retrieve her Miraculous. But, I will sweeten the deal. I promise not to hurt her. I won't harm a single hair on her head, Adrien." Nite Owl promised. "You two can still have your happy life together, you just need to start living in the real world."
Adrien looked at Plagge, his one and only friend in the end. He couldn't betray him. He just couldn't.
"Adrien," Plagge said. "It's okay kid. I had fun while it lasted." He gave Adrien a smile to cheer him up.
Adrien wiped the tears away. He could still do something.
"Plagge. Destroy me and the ring with me!" Adrien commanded.
"CATACLYSM!" Plagge struck his own ring, sending a destructive wave through Adrien.
Nite Owl was pushed back from the blast. He covered himself with his cape. He looked at the spot where both Adrien and Plagge once stood.
"His one and final act of rebellion was to keep me from my prize." Nite Owl smiled. "Well played, Adrien. Now you're truly free. Have a nice eternity." He dropped the ring, watching it bounce on the floor.
Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, watched her perfect life unfold before her. Her house was pink and bright as Adrien helped her make fabulous clothes and their beautiful children played with their pet hamster. Everything had gone well in life since Hawkmoth was defeated and had married the man of her dreams. She could already see their future being bright and beautiful.
"I love you Marinette," Adrien said.
His words were like honey to her ears.
"I love you too, Adrien. Please, kiss me once more before the fashion show." Marinette reached out to kiss.
In the real world, Ladybug kissed the air passionately as Dr. Destiny held up the Dream Stone beside her. He'd had such a fun time feeding the stone with so many dreams and energies from the people of this world. All so caught up in their own trivial matters and content with Ladybug's power that dreams were particularly potent.
"Oh Adrien, I didn't know you could do that with your tongue," Ladybug moaned.
"Ah the dreams of a horny youth~. They are as sickening to watch from this angle as the other." Dr. Destiny scoffed.
"You know, you could always just not watch them." Dr. Destiny looked back and saw Cain swinging his shovel at him, hitting him in the face. "I always preferred the vital lesson of premarital sex often leads to disembowling by slasher." Dr. Destiny crashed against the wall before pulling himself up.
Dr. Destiny held his jaw, snapping it back in place. He narrowed his eyes at Cain with nothing but rage that sprung from his appearance and the pain his now physical body felt.
"Cain. I see that the Lord of Dreams has set you on my trail, hasn't he?" Dr. Destiny snarled.
"I am one of his favorite hunting dogs when it comes to certain nasties like you." Cainspun his shovel aiming it at Dr. Destiny's head. "Surrender and undo whatever you did to that poor girl."
"...No." Dr. Destiny snapped, lifting the Dream Stone.
Marinette's eyes glowed red as her dream turned into a nightmare. She turned towards Cain with hatred in her eyes. She saw him as Hawkmoth, holding Adrien by the neck.
"NO! Hawkmoth, you won't destroy my life!" Marinette pulled out her yo-yo and swung it at Cain.
Cain narrowly avoided the spinning weapon as it smashed through a smokestack. He jumped back as Ladybug spun her yo-yo and swung it at his head like a whip. He blocked the attack with his shovel before she cut the distance between them kicking him in the stomach. He jumped out of the way of a punch aimed at his head. Her attacks were vicious and with her subconscious taking the reigns, there was nothing holding her back. He growled at Dr. Destiny as the superhero girl shot her yo-yo forward, piercing through an AC box with ease.
"What are these things made of?" Cain asked, wrapping his shovel on the yo-yo's string. "I know they're magic but to be this deadly for a young lady? Please, give me strength."
"You will pay for attacking my family, Hawkmoth! I will make you pay!" Marinette pulled at her yo-yo. "You should've stayed in whatever dark hole they threw you into! This time I beat you, you will not let you off without taking your Miraculous!"
"And that just proves your shortsightedness."
Marinette turned around only to receive a kick to the face from Nite Owl.
"I take it that you're not here for just little old me, are you?" Cain dusted himself.
"The girl's Miraculous is one of the most powerful ones. I've all but collected all of them or put them out of commission. Hers is the last one," Nite Owl replied.
"She's enhanced and unbound thanks to my quarry's influence. May I suggest a team up?" Cain spun his shovel.
"It doesn't matter. They're both going down." Nite Owl pulled out his boomerang blade.
Cain and Nite Owl charged at Dr. Destiny and Ladybug with determination.
Cain swung his shovel at Dr. Destiny as he blocked it with a blast from the Dream Stone. He blasted Cain back only for him to turn into a living shadow, sinking into the cracks. He popped up behind the rogue nightmare, hitting him in the back. They glared at each other clashing tooth and nail against each other.
"You won't stop me, nightmare wrangler!" Dr. Destiny snarled. "I won't give up my dream!"
"Sadly, that's not a good reason to spare you." Cain snarked back. "If it was Able it would've worked. Not on me though."
Dr. Destiny sunk into the shadows followed by Cain as they popped in and out throughout the city. They popped out in the middle of the subway, scaring the passengers as they fought and traded punches. They went back into the shadows dropping down in the middle of a gala, accidentally shoving the mayor's wife into a cake. They jumped back into the shadows ending up at the top of the Eiffel Tower.
Back with Nite Owl and Marinette, they continued fighting amongst the rooftop. His bladed boomerang blocks and swatted away at Ladybug's yo-yo with ease. He had plenty of experience with long ranged weapons like this one, but her strength was another matter. She swung her weapon wildly and whenever she got close enough, she landed some surprisingly strong blows. Normally, he would've struck her down in any given opening but he knew the best path was to incapacitate her.
He got in close, striking her armpit mid swing. Marinette dropped in pain before going for a roundhouse kick. Nite Owl caught her leg before slamming her on the ground. He snatched her yo-yo, trying her up with it. She thrashed and kicked like a wild animal against him. But he easily countered and blocked the attacks.
"Enough!" Nite Owl punched Ladybug in the face, knocking her out.
He snatched her earrings off of her, leaving her an unconscious girl on the rooftop.
"And just like that, the wheel is broken." Nite Owl dropped the earrings into the Miracle box.
Back with Dr. Destiny and Cain, the former was thrown into a school classroom.
"It's over, Dr. Destiny. You will come with me now." Cain demanded.
Dr. Destiny laughed as the Dream Stone glowed brightly.
"No, this is only the beginning!" Dr. Destiny illuminated the whole room, blinding Cain.
The light subsided, revealing that Dr. Destiny had indeed vanished. Cain huffed in annoyance.
"I see he's escaped." Nite Owl surprised Cain.
"Not many can sneak up on me," Cain sighed. "I suppose that you won your battle?"
"That dream is over. Now humanity is on its own." Nite Owl pulled out the Miracle Box. "You're a collector, right? A gift. Sorry if it being incomplete bothers you."
Cain examined the box before shrugging off.
"I believe there's a story behind it." Cain summoned the House of Mystery. "Perhaps you can tell it to me while we hunt Dr. Destiny."
"I don't work well with others. But I have nothing here," Nite Owl said.
"Then come with me. We'll have some good ideas to do together." Cain and Nite Owl entered the House of Mystery.
Nite Owl entered the room Cain had lent him.
"Archimedes, roost." Thomas transformed back as a white owl Kwami floated next to him.
"So, what is the plan, Master Thomas?" Archimedes flew by him as he pulled out a journal.
"The mission is still the same, only on a much grander scale. I will require your services for a little longer, Archimedes." Thomas looked at the owl symbol on the journal.
"I've faithfully served your family for centuries, Master Thomas. Since Bakar freed me, you and your family have allowed me to fully unlock my potential." Archimedes bowed its head. "But for what comes next, we can't do it alone. Oversight will be needed and to see all the outcomes."
"Then let's get to work," Thomas said seriously.
Chapter 3: Metamorpho
Summary:
Earth -6102:
What if Murphy’s Law created an Element Man?
Chapter Text
The multiverse is more than just a prism...
It is ever expanding and ever growing…
A place where one choice, one fork on the road can lead to many opportunities…
But every spark of brilliance there is a spark of madness…
These are the stories of both…
Cain and Nite Owl had started looking over all the information that they had gathered about Dr. Destiny up until that point. It wasn't much, but all they knew for sure was that the nightmare was using the Dream Stone to locate worlds with pieces that would form the perfect dream for him. He'd taken the bright mythology and abundant mixture of fantastic and human worlds from the first world Cain had caught up with him. Then he took the cycle of luck and good fortune from Nite Owl's world. Which meant that he was looking for a specific aspect from the next world. But with so many worlds and aspects to choose from, the possibilities were too broad to follow every clue.
"Question: What does Dr. Destiny intend to do with the aspects that he's taken from the last two worlds? Both appear to focus on bringing the fantastic and the power of creation and luck to sustain it." Nite Owl observed at the board with the information that they'd learned. "Which means that he wants his dream to suit his every need. But what is the thing he needs above all? We need to learn more about the criminal to better counter them."
"Sadly, Dr. Destiny was not my favorite nightmare to hang out with. His job, like that of the other nightmares, was to take in all the darkness from the Dreaming and moderate it. But he was affected by something outside the Dreaming's control." Cain dusted his collection. "If I had to take a guess, he wants something psychotic to balance his turbulent mind. Reminds me of a story. The story behind this very mask as luck would have it." Cain picked up a golden face mask that looked half melted.
"Adorable, what does it have to do with our target?" Nite Owl asked.
"Let me tell you the story…"
Cain walked through a futuristic city as the rain fell down on his umbrella. He was never a fan of all the futuristic realms, even if all worlds were eventually going to get into such a state. He walked into a museum, hoping to get at least some culture out of the trip. As he walked through the museum exhibits, he got caught by something interesting. Each and every single piece was linked with Murphy's Law. Each of the exhibits had Murphy's Law attached to them with the time and moment that they were created.
Each and every single one of the exhibit pieces had interesting and fascinating stories behind them and they intrigued Cain quite a lot. The first one was a lama furred sweater that was covered in pistachio cream. The second one was a chef's hat that was covered with cake batter and cooking tools shoved through it as though it had been in a warzone. The third object that he was was an old fire truck made to look like it was fighting against a T-Rex like some kind of transformer. Each and every single piece that he looked at had a great story behind it. Cain couldn't help but feel like a kid in a candy store. Now he had to get to the bottom of all the different pieces.
"I found myself in a futuristic city named Danville, and inside the Murphy Museum of Murphy's Law. There I found that each of the pieces had a story full of twists and turns that seemed like the complete opposite of your world's-your former world's unnatural amount of good luck."
"Sounds lovely." Nite Owl commented.
Cain then found himself face to face with two golden masks, one was smiling and the other one was frowning. Those two pieces had something special and Cain could feel it. There was something that was drawing him to them. With them bringing out the innermost thoughts to the surface. His eyes went down to the story behind the masks and how they were so important to the museum.
"According to the description and story behind the masks, they had been created back in the 21st century due to the museum's founder's ancestor, Milo Murphy running into the strange metal that they were made from." Cain explained. "The metal altered and influenced the thoughts of people and through a series of complications and events that involved what seemed to be a golem, they were made into the masks that later on were added to the museum. And that was when the explosions happened."
Cain was almost knocked back by a loud explosion. He turned around to see a man wearing a red and black squared jumpsuit with a red cap running towards the masks with a gun in his hand. He had a crazed look on his face as he aimed his blaster at Cain.
"Step away from the masks, old man." He threatened.
Cain narrowed his eyes at the man, thinking very carefully on how to rip him apart. Just because someone had a flashier gun and terrible sense of dress didn't mean that they were safe from his wrath. The man kept looking at the masks, unknowingly revealing that they were his target. This intrigued Cain quite a lot and made him reign in his more murderous impulses. He slowly walked back, making sure that the man knew he wasn't a threat. At least until he proved to be something entertaining.
The man reached for the masks only for another blaster to shoot away the frowning mask. The armed man turned to see a young man standing there with a blaster of his own. He looked handsome with a square jaw and an officer's suit. He had short brown hair, brown eyes and a slight cut below his chin.
"Hold it there, no one is robbing my old lady's museum if I've got something to say." The man held the man at blaster point. "This is Officer Rex Mason requesting back up to take in the suspect-And it's out of battery. Huh? I could've sworn that I charged it this morning. Darn it, well at least the blaster still works."
However, as though answering the call of tempting the universe, the blaster Rex held broke apart.
"...Man. I told them the C-1998 was not good for extensive field work," Rex said.
"That just seems like shoddy workmanship." Cain pointed out.
"I know right?" Rex replied.
The armed thief aimed his blaster at Rex, attempting to fire. But Rex quickly caught hold of the armed thief's hand, twisting it before he kicked the back of the criminal's knee. The criminal struggled back to his feet, landing a haymaker at Rex's face, pushing him back. The criminal lunged for the smiling mask, snatching it from the display case. Rex tackled the man to the floor, trying to wrestle him into submission. They rolled in the ground before Cain.
"You didn't think of stepping in?" Nite Owl asked.
"Not really." Cain shrugged.
The thief put on the mask over his face, feeling its power course through his body. He kicked Rex off of him. Springing to his feet, the energy the mask was giving him was unlike anything he'd ever felt before. It was like the heat of the sun was coursing through his veins. He could hear the thoughts of everyone around him. He felt their rage, their distrust, their sadness. A buffet of emotions that he could use. He turned to Rex as the officer punched him in the face. The thief went down, but there was no pain, only laughter.
"Yes, yes, yes, that's the ticket." The thief pulled himself up. "Do it again." He taunted.
"Usually, that's not how this goes," Rex replied.
The thief threw a punch, but Rex easily caught it before punching the man in the face again. But this time, he felt like he'd actually punched steel. Rex winced in pain before the man landed a real punch on Rex's face, sending him into the exhibit and knocking the second mask down to Cain's feet.
"Now this is power!" The thief pulled out a pocket watch. "Enjoy this time while it still lasts, Rex Mason. Soon, you and all the Murphys will pay for what you've done."
"'All the Murphys'? That's a pocket time sphere, a time machine." Rex's eyes widened in shock at the implications before him. "Stop! Those are still experimental, you could kill yourself!"
"Then I'll see you in heck!" The thief activated the time machine, sending him back in time.
Rex didn't think about it twice. Even with every cell in his body telling him not to, he ran towards the time portal, jumping after the thief. He was never one to take it safe. But he would see the man brought to justice one way or another.
"After that, the portal closed and that was the end of it," Cain finished his story.
"Or so it would seem. You said the masks had the energy to control emotions and thoughts." Nite Owl walked up to Cain. "Then it stands to reason that someone who wishes to turn their thoughts into a reality…"
"Would seek a way to do so," Cain finished the sentence. "Then I guess it is time to see how that story ends." Cain and Nite Owl made their way to the next door.
They saw the door and it was as they expected. The door to that world looked like it had been put through the wringer, a woodchipper, a stampede and a lumberjack competition and yet it was still standing. Parts and pieces of it were held together by duct tape, and others with glue. Some of those pieces looked like they belonged to other doors and yet they all fit perfectly. The door itself depicted a large golem-like creature made up of different pieces and things put together, giving it a semi-human appearance. He spread his hands and legs, making a protective shield against what looked like lightning, rain, hail, meteors, giant robots and other threats. But right on the center of the door was a small red crack.
"It seems our target hasn't wasted any time," Nite Owl said. "But this means we have more time than before. Let's move quickly." Nite Owl reached for the door.
"Hold on." Cain stopped him.
Nite Owl was just about to ask when a lightning bolt struck the doorknob, making the owl-themed vigilante jump back in shock. He instinctively looked up at the sky for any signs of lightning, or anyone with an electric weapon that could do the same. But then he remembered that in the House of Mystery and the Isles of the Great Library there was no such thing as weather.
"Shocking, isn't it? No pun intended," Cain said. "In my case, I opened up the door and a blazing inferno nearly cooked my goose. Almost singed my eyebrows as well. This is the one door that can almost most certainly kill you as easily as welcome you."
Nite Owl groaned in annoyance and frustration. If there was something he hated, it was unpredictability.
"Shall we go in? Or do we wait for something else to jump out?" Nite Owl asked.
"After you, sir." Cain opened the door for Nite Owl.
Earth -6102
What if Murphy's Law created an Element Man?
Cain and Nite Owl arrived in the world with little difficulty after the lightning bolt incident. However, they hadn't arrived at the same time as when Cain last visited the world.
"Everything appears to be less futuristic than what you described," Nite Owl said.
The city closely resembled a normal present day city of the Tri-State Area. Everyone went on about their day, enjoying summer and other such activities.
"This must be the time period Dr. Destiny is looking to find his prey. The one currently wearing the laughing golden mask," Cain explained. "My guess is that this world has a good flow of time travel. Going back and forth from one point in time to the next without a care in the world. Or time."
Nite Owl didn't share in Cain's words or consideration for what he said. The fact was, this world was as chaotic as his own and it all stemmed from the same source. And a mad man was planning on using that chaos for his own narrow minded benefit. Part of him wondered if everyone was so narrow minded or shortsighted just because they feared the truth at the end of the rabbit hole. And that in the end they would all turn out just like him. Some, like Cain, would say that it would make the multiverse a dull place with no excitement and no goals to achieve. After all, if every action didn't come with responsibilities and consequences stories would lose all their meaning and reason to exist. Nite Owl could at the very least appreciate the lessons the stories of his youth taught him, only slightly.
"If your story is anything to go by, that means that the thief of the golden mask came back to this time for some purpose involving a family," Nite Owl said. "The Murphy family, if I recall correctly. What was the mask called again?" Nite Owl pulled out a phone-like owl device and started to scan the internet for information.
"They were called the Medusa Masks, and they were capable of influencing the thoughts and emotions of others whenever someone used the mask." Cain and Nite Owl walked down the street, ignoring the looks some people were giving them. "I suspect that our thief's family was somehow wronged by the Murphy family in some devastating way and believed that going back to this time would set the record straight. This time period must be the time of that grievous malpass. If Dr. Destiny is after that mask and the power it has for the Dream Stone, then our next course of action is simple."
"Find the Murphys, find the thief and that'll lead us to Dr. Destiny." Nite Owl's device pinged, giving him the address of the family they were looking for, along with all the other information that he'd wanted. "I've got them. In fact, the youngest member of the family, Milo Murphy, will be passing in the school bus that is going to pass us by in five seconds." Nite Owl turned to the end of the street.
However, as they turned to see the upcoming bus, a small bolt rolled down and bumped into Cain's shoe. They looked down to see a couple more come out of nowhere. They looked around for the source of all the nuts and bolts that were rolling down around them. As they looked around for the source, they noticed a shadow looming over them and blocking out the sunlight, followed by the creaking noise of metal being bent and stressed to the point of snapping. Cain and Nite Owl looked up to see four large billboard ads dangerously hanging over the city street they were on.
"You don't think those might actually-?" Cain asked.
"I'm afraid so." Nite Owl cut him off, preparing himself to move out of the way.
The sound of a bus caught their attention, noting that the youngest son of the Murphy family was there for them to see. Cain and Nite Owl saw the young teenager sitting on the bus with his friends, oblivious to the danger that was about to befall them. They wondered what were the odds of such a terrible accident taking place at that exact time as the bus passed through the street. But just as the bus stopped for the red light, the billboards fell, threatening to smash the bus and everyone in it.
Everyone looked up in shock and terror as the billboards came down ever closer to them, like the blades of a guillotine coming down on someone's neck. Cain and Nite Owl had to think of something before it was too late. But as they all screamed and ran for their lives, another figure jumped down from above. It was a big figure that could easily dwarf a sumo wrestler. It reeled back its right arm, stretching it farther than any normal man could ever be capable of doing before morphing it into a razor sharp blade. The figure swung its new blade arm, slicing the billboards to pieces with the skill and speed of a master chef. It then stretched out its other arm, transforming it into a large dust sweeper, catching all the pieces of the billboards before they crashed onto the bus full of children.
The figure landed in the middle of the street with a booming stomp. With the light of the sun shining down on the figure, everyone could see it better and clearer. The figure was like a large muscular humanoid golem, with its body being made up of different parts and things. Its head and neck were completely white like it was made out of plastic. Its upper right side was all brown rocky and jagged like living earth. Its upper left side was purple and scaly like it had been covered by the skin of a lizard or some strange kind of chemical mixture. Its right leg looked like it had been carved out of wood or at the very least like someone had glued a tree trunk to the golem's body. It's left leg was shiny and sturdy and looked like iron but bent and moved like a regular leg. The only piece of clothing that the golem had on was a pair of black shorts, covering whatever dignity it still had.
The figure crushed the parts of the billboards with both of his hands before they transformed before the eyes of everyone. The hands began to glow and heat emanated from them as though a furnace was melting and burning iron before them. The figure turned back to the top of the building from where it had jumped from and growled. It then launched the melted remains of the billboards to the top of the building smashing some of its front side.
"And back off this time, you psycho!" The creature bellowed.
"Did that golem just talk?" Cain asked.
"After all it did, that's what you put your attention on?" Nite Owl asked.
Back with the golem, it heard the remark made about him before its eyes landed on Cain. It was about to call out to him but something stopped him.
"Wow, that was awesome, Mr. Golem." Milo said, poking his head out of the boss. "You really saved our bacon there. We would've been pancakes if it hadn't been for you."
"Milo, maybe you shouldn't talk to the large and possibly dangerous golem from the news." Zack tried to pull Milo away from the window.
"Hey, at least I'm housebroken," the golem replied with a smirk which got a few giggles from the other students.
However, the smiles and cheers didn't last very long. Suddenly, screams and shouts came from the back as the golem was the target of all manner of garbage, stones and pieces that were lying around. It turned around and saw an angry mob coming for it and the bus was not going to stop them. Their eyes were red with anger as they started to pull out pitchforks and other mob weapons. The golem didn't feel threatened, it could easily push back these people. But they weren't in their right mind. Its anger was going to be saved for the one that was truly responsible. It growled, looking back at the building.
The golem transformed its whole body into a clear cascade of water. The water turned into a living tidal wave, pushing back and knocking the mob away from the bus, allowing it to drive off and away from the whole mess. The waters flowed away, leaving the mob behind, knocked out and away from the street. Sadly, there were two individuals that weren't spared that treatment. And all the while a golden masked man laughed at how easily he turned the people against the hero that had saved his target.
"Soon, Murphy. Soon you will suffer as you made my family suffer, so swears Psycho Pirate." Psycho Pirate laughed with dark glee.
Cain and Nite Owl were carried by the waters far from the scene before either of them could do anything to fight back. They were soon spat out of the water, leaving them oddly enough as dry as they were before getting caught up in the waters.
"Well, I must admit, this is the first time I've gotten dried up by the water." Cain picked himself off before starting to dust himself. "Where do you suppose we are, my comrade?" Cain looked around, noting that they were somewhere underground.
"I'm more curious about the one that brought us here." Nite Owl turned to face the water as it formed back into the golem. "Speak now you metamorphous creature." Nite Owl pulled his weapon ready to fight.
"What did you call me?" The golem transformed its hands into a spiked maze and a hammer as they prepared to battle.
Nite Owl could see that this would be a dangerous fight, but he had dealt with shapeshifters before. But how would he fare against the elements? Guess there was only one way to find out. He gripped his boomerang and was ready to strike when Cain stopped him with his shovel.
"Now, now, there's no need for violence, gentlemen." Cain stood between them, calming the situation. "I believe you brought us here for a reason, isn't that right, Officer Rex Mason?"
Nite Owl and the golem relaxed at the mention of the name.
"You remember me?" The newly revealed Rex asked. "I remember seeing you back at the museum a few months ago. I thought that maybe you got caught up in the whole time travel Murphy's Law debacle. But you didn't get… changed. Like me." Rex looked at his hands in worry as they morphed back to their semi-normal state.
"I'm sorry to tell you, officer, but I do not fall prey to any laws except the ones of my master. But what is it that happened to you?" Cain pointed to Rex's body. "Last I saw you, you were a normal human being. Admittedly with more bad luck than the average but still."
Rex sighed. It had been a long time since he'd been able to have a proper conversation with people face-to-face. The few small talks he'd had often ended with him running away from an angry mob thanks to that psycho, Psycho Pirate. The mere thought of the guy made whatever passed for blood flowing in his veins to boil like never before. He wanted to punch him so hard that the mask got permanently fused to his fist. But he couldn't focus on that. He had to explain his situation, even if remembering the experience made his body burn and his pain kept him from losing his sanity. There was at least something to be grateful for in the case of his family's history with bad luck.
"Well, if you remember correctly…"
"I jumped after the portable time sphere with nothing more than my bravado and my sense of justice."
Rex drifted through the time tunnel after Psycho Pirate and his own portable time machine. He ran over ancient ruins, relics of lost treasures and one or two cavemen having a campfire meal. His arms and legs moved together through years of harsh training and bad luck dogging his every move as he made it to the portable orb that Psycho Pirate was on. He jumped on top of the sphere, scaring Psycho Pirate for a second.
"Stop this thing, this instant!" Rex hit the glass over and over. "You're under arrest."
"And you're be dead!" Psycho Pirate steered the time sphere into the walls of the time tunnel.
Rex felt his body smashing against every bit of concrete and metal in history. Energy coursed through his body, making everything in the element table stick to his body while his uniform was all but destroyed. He gritted his teeth, clinging onto the time sphere with his nails. But he could feel his body burning, breaking apart as it changed and morphed into something new, something else.
"It was theorized that if an unprotected human body got into direct contact with the energy of the time tunnel then it could alter the body's chemistry completely. But for that to happen that body would need to be hit with every single bit of energy at the same time."
"The odds of that happening are astronomical." Nite Owl commented.
"Nope. Just Murphy's Law." Rex replied.
Rex shifted his arm into a hammer and started breaking the time sphere. He remembered his family's lessons. Find the best way out of every situation and use all options to your advantage. It hurt and it made him wish to stop it, but he used this chance to apply everything he knew on his own shifting body. Rex shifted his hand back to normal before slipping his fingers into the cracks. Like rolling a bowling ball, he swung the time sphere with Psycho Pirate inside, making him spin without control.
Keeping up the offensive, Rex shifted his left hand into a lasso, wrapping it around the time sphere. Pulling himself into the sphere, he stopped it from spinning. Now he was face to face with Psycho Pirate. But the abrupt stop gave Rex a clear look at his own face. He no longer recognized himself. He was now no more than a featureless golem made out of parts of different time periods. No one would ever recognize him. Not even his parents or anyone he loved, not even Sapphire. His sadness turned to anger and hatred as he glared at Psycho Pirate through the breaking glass and the mask.
"WHY?!" Rex demanded. "Why do all this?! Who are you?!"
"My name no longer matters, but my family name does! I am the spawn of Elliot Decker's bloodline! But I will take vengeance on your family for ruining mine! I will forever be known as Psycho Pirate!" Psycho Pirate cackled madly as a blind light engulfed them both. "Soon, I will wipe you all out!"
"Next thing I remembered was landing here in the underground."
Rex finished telling his story with a sad sigh. Remembering the experience didn't do him many favors. But it reminded him that he still had something to fight for. He had to stop Psycho Pirate.
"It's been three months of close calls and near misses. I've almost gotten him, but thanks to the Medusa Mask, he can turn people against me by manipulating their emotions." Rex looked at his new friends. "I've sort of become the town monster, The Golem they call me. Everyone's afraid of me."
"Hello there, mighty Golem, protector of our fair city." A man dressed like an underground mole man drove by on an old miner cart. "Have a good day."
Cain and Nite Owl turned to Rex, expecting an explanation.
"Except for Scott. Scott's cool." Rex shrugged.
Nite Owl ignored the comment on the metamorphing man's hobo friend. He instead looked up the name that Psycho Pirate had shouted in the story. Oddly enough, he did find quite a lot about the man rather easily in the local news and city council records. But nothing criminal or even close to illegal.
"Elliot Decker, mid-twenties, Caucasian, shaggy brown hair with a mullet, big nose." Nite Owl described. "No criminal records, nor illegal activities. Volunteers as a school crosswalk guard on the weekdays. He has filed a large amount of complaints to the city due to all the accidents that he has been in during his work and volunteer work. These complaints range from noise, to destruction of property, to unleashing wild wolves, to old inoperable cars driving beyond the speed limit, being covered in pistachios at the zoo, to landslides, to being stranded on a deserted island in the middle of a lake, to being mauled by rabbits and chinchillas."
"Goodness," Cain giggled. "Talk about having bad luck. Did that man break every mirror he saw while growing up?"
"Nope, it turns out that all those events and more were caused by something called 'Murphy's Law'. And he blames Milo Murphy for everything." Nite Owl showed a picture of Eliot Decker holding up a sign with Milo's crossed out face.
"Wow, I had no idea great great great great grandpa Milo had such a hater." Rex scratched his head in surprise. "Can you tell we look alike?" Rex smiled.
"Yes, you clearly inherited his nobel bearing," Cain said.
"And if Psycho Pirate is to be believed, it didn't stop there. It would seem his whole family has been plagued by the Murphy Clan's misfortune, which lead to an inherited prejudice and hatred towards anyone descended from Milo Murphy's bloodline." Nite Owl put down his device. "You said he's been trying to kill your ancestor all this time? Perhaps we can help each other."
Rex looked at Nite Owl and Cain with curiosity. He wasn't expecting any help. But maybe answers as to how the dapper gentleman was standing there with them.
"I promise to answer all your questions about me and my colleague here soon enough, my metamorphing friend," Cain said. "But we are tracking a man, of sorts, that we believe will target this Psycho Pirate soon enough. So you see, your quarry is bait for our own."
"We track 'em and take them both down before they cause any more damage." Nite Owl added.
Rex looked down in thought. There were still lots of questions bouncing in his mind about what could happen and who these two people were. Part of him wanted to know more before setting off on some comic book team up that he'd never even dream of. But every second he stood there, gave Psycho Pirate a chance to strike and kill his ancestor and probably a whole lot of other people. That mad man was crazy enough to do that if it involved wiping out one person. So many people were in danger, not just his existence.
"If what you say is true, then sign me up." Rex held out his hand.
"Pleasure to have you on board, Officer Rex." Cain shook his hand. "My name is Cain, and this is my associate Nite Owl. Don't let his cynical demeanor fool you. His mind is worth more than meets the eye."
"How shall we call you?" Nite Owl asked.
"Um, I thought I'd just be called Rex. That's my name." Rex pointed out.
"But you still need a nom de guerre to strike fear in the heart of your enemy." Cain argued. "Rex doesn't really do that unless you're a Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur."
Rex thought for a moment. Like any kid, he once had the dream of becoming a superhero and saving the world with a smile on his face and crazy powers. He had the powers and he did smile from time to time, but none of the names he'd thought of made sense or worked. He could keep using the name 'The Golem' like everyone had been calling him. But it just didn't make him feel whole. He wanted his own name. A name that would inspire and make a change-
"Wait, what did you call me?" Rex asked.
"A 'Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur'? Not what I would go with if I were you." Cain said.
"No, Mr. Sourpuss here. A 'metamorphing' something or other?" Rex asked. "Metamorphosis is when a creature goes through a great change, and sometimes that also occurs with substances and like it or not. That has happened to me. Call me… Metamorpho!" Rex shifted his arms into a concrete blade and flaming magma giant hand.
"Good name. Now, shall we head to the next item on our list?" Cain suggested.
"I know a shortcut." Metamorpho gestured to the mining cart. "These tunnels are connected all over the city. I've been using them to move around and keep track of Milo and his friends. They do get into a lot of trouble, but Psycho Pirate has been making it much worse as of late." Metamorpho, Cain and Nite Owl got on the mining cart before he pulled the lever.
Nite Owl had his reservations but he knew better than to argue with the strangeness of a world that was as chaotic as this one. Besides, this was the best way to get to their destination and close enough to Dr. Destiny.
"Is this thing safe?" Nite Owl asked as they traveled through the underground.
"First rule of Murphy's Law-" Metamorpho accidentally snapped the cart's brake. "Safety and expectations often go out the window." They started to move faster and faster with the extra weight.
The cart picked up speed as they rode off with no breaks at their disposal. They were greeted with the sight of a roller coaster of tracks as they went faster and faster. The cart twisted and turned as they went through the course over and over again. They dropped down into the depths of the caverns of the underground at top speeds before going back up in a spiraling motion at top speed. They felt every single bit of the air's force hitting their faces. They then felt every splash of water, dirt and left over boxes of Chinese food that were scattered through the underground.
Metamorpho cheered and laughed like he was on a rollercoaster. The speed of the wind hitting his face made him remember his first date with Sapphire . He held up his hands, expecting a picture to be taken of them as they jumped over the cracked railings before landing on one of the nearby pipes. He'd lived in this time all these months and yet every turn and twist that Murphy's Law gave him always reminded him to be grateful to live with excitement around every corner. Even when smaller pipes were shot at him due to excessive pressure.
Cain laughed at the sheer terror most people would feel while being in such a ride. The way the cart swiveled and splashed with the waters under it was so much fun to imagine people going through the motions and unable to do anything but try to survive with the whims of the universe. It was like bad luck was really trying to target him. As they shot out of the pipe and into the streets of Danville, Cain couldn't help but cackle like a mortal man just going through with the motions.
Nite Owl gritted his teeth behind his lips while holding tightly to the sides of the cart. Roller coasters were not his favorite thing in the world. Rarely anything was. But this was the best path to pick. Or at least that's what he told himself, forcing himself to endure the insanity that their newest recruit was putting them through. As they bounced from building to building, spinning like a large hopping rock, he saw why Elliot Decker would be against such chaos being unleashed constantly. He tried to release his grip from the cart and just glide away from this madness. But the mission kept him tied to this madness.
"How far is the location?!" Nite Owl screamed as they landed on the street, passing around cars.
"We should make a sharp turn at the next intersection!" Metamorpho replied. "Don't worry, we can use the portable ice rink to make the turn."
"Portable what?!" Nite Owl demanded.
"How fun! So much fun!" Cain laughed madly.
Nite Owl bit the inside of his cheek as he watched them go through crazy stop to crazy stop. It was tiresome and Cain's cackling was not helping him one bit. But this was the path they had to follow. The path that would get him closer to what he wanted.
"Hey guys, look! No hands!" Metamorpho screamed, holding his arms up in the air like a kid on a roller coaster.
"Like this?" Cain copied him like it was all just a game.
"I truly hate you both more than you could possibly know." Nite Owl muttered before turning.
Psycho Pirate paced in his abandoned hideout as he looked for another shot of inspiration to murder the Murphy Clan. He looked at the pictures he'd taken, and used as target practice with darts and knives. He thought that this would be easy. Grab the Medusa Mask, travel back in time to the root of his family's misery and put an end to it before it could spread like the poison it was.
His plans were always simple and to the point. Make an accident happen by influencing the emotions and minds of those around him. The Medusa Mask fed him well enough with all the power he could ever hope to achieve, but it wasn't enough. And every time the spawn of Murphy's Law would be there to stop him before his ancestor bit the dust. Though, Psycho Pirate did get a small big psychotic evil smile every time he turned the minds of people against their own protector and savior. It was the little things.
But the smile he had dropped as he recalled how close the golem had gotten to capturing him today. If he'd been one thought slower, then he would be dead or captured and stripped of his power. He had to strike fast and he had to strike so hard that the golem would not be able to stop him.
"There must be a way to stop both problems with one single strike." Psycho Pirate punched the picture of the Murphy family and friends.
"Maybe there is."
Psycho Pirate's eyes snapped open as he turned around. He looked for a source. He was certain that no one knew that he was there all this time. The Medusa Mask would've warned him of anyone that was there apart from him. But he sensed no minds or people around him.
"Am I losing my mind?" Psycho Pirate asked himself.
"No, you're not. I'm your conscience, we haven't spoken in some time. But don't worry, I'm here to help."
"How?! I've tried everything! Unleashing beasts to rip them apart! Explosives! Guns! Lasers! Monster truck driving accidents! Gas leaks! Even dropping the heaviest things I could get my hands on and nothing!" Psycho Pirate ranted, punching the wall. "I even tried to cover my tracks with their cursed Murphy's Law! But every time I get foiled!"
"There's your problem. You try to alter their chaotic rules to suit your needs. But it is their game and they know it a lot better than you do. You have to make them play your game."
Psycho Pirate's eyes looked up with a brand new level of clarity. It was the kind of clarity that came when something obvious was discovered. The answer was in front of him all along. Of course he would not be able to destroy the Murphy Clan with their own law. They were masters of that domain and he wasn't. He would have to force them to play his own game.
"Yes, my own game." Psycho Pirate smiled. "I need to make them play my game and put them in a situation where I have all the control."
"That's the ticket you've been missing. Use the chaos and the people that avoid said chaos," Dr. Destiny instructed from the shadows. "Use their thoughts and those of the mask to make yourself stronger and more powerful. Then not even the golem will be able to stop you."
Psycho Pirate looked over the map of Danville and the Tristate area until he found what he was looking for. He needed a place full of people that he could control and that would increase the power of his mask. It was also the place where the Murphy Clan would be easy pickings for the vengeful villain. Psycho Pirate smiled behind the mask as he knew what to do next. And hopefully, he could have the golem taken care of at the same time.
"Yes. The cavern network behind the Murphy household is where the metal of the Medusa Mask was found, and it is the place where the people go and I know exactly how to tap into their emotions." Psycho Pirate started rushing to the network and the Murphy house.
However, as Psycho Pirate exited the room with a new scheme in his mind, Dr. Destiny appeared from the shadows. He caressed the Dream Stone like he was stroking the fur of a prized pure breed feline, like any good villain. The Medusa Mask was indeed one of the most dangerous and powerful items that he'd ever come across. But the thoughts and the influence it had on them was what he really wanted to get a hold of. The power to turn his own thoughts into a reality was truly the power that would help make his world a dream come true. And what a better time to get ahold of such power than when it's at its most powerful.
"Soon your dreams of vengeance will be fulfilled, Psycho Pirate. But as you fulfill your dream, and that of your bloodline, you will help me make mine a reality all the more closer to one." Dr. Destiny chuckled. "But in the meantime, I will have to make preparations to put my world in order soon. Maybe after this world." Dr. Destiny sunk back into the shadows, laughing like a mad man waiting with baited breath for his chance.
Meanwhile, with Cain, Metamorpho and Nite Owl, their cart stopped just across the street from where the Murphy house stood. They were covered in dirt, feathers, smudge marks on the cart, missing one wheel and the inside was full of fish. Cain held a Mary Poppins umbrella and briefcase in his hands with a devilish smirk on his face. Metamorpho was dressed up as a scarecrow with straw coming out of his mouth along with a few Cuban cigars and a pipe with a chill smile on his face. Nite Owl was covered in wet paint of every color on the market as he held a large tuna in his hands, had it not been for his mask, no one would've known that he was fuming in anger.
"Gotta say, that was quite the tour we just went through." Cain hopped out of the cart, drying himself before putting his souvenirs away. "Who would've thought that a farmer's market and an antique shop would be such explosive sports for fun and quite a lot of goodies."
"Yeah, there's always something fun in Danville." Metamorpho slipped out of his costume before standing next to Cain. "Sorry you took all the paint back there, Nite Owl. Need a hand?" Metamorpho offered his hand to the vigilante.
Nite Owl didn't reply. He dropped the fish inside the cart before slowly and quietly getting off of the cart. He wiped the paint off of his body without even addressing his companions. However, just as he finished getting the paint off of him, he kicked the cart so hard that it flew straight into a backyard tree, smashing it into splinters and causing the tree to fall down with a loud thud. With his enemy destroyed, Nite Owl let out a sigh.
"Next time, I'll take the bus, if you don't mind." Nite Owl walked past his two allies, looking like he needed to murder someone.
"Um, is he okay? Or is this just him normally?" Metamorpho turned to Cain.
"Yes, he is more of a straight man to our usual comedic routine. Honestly, I do not know much about Nite Owl, but his strategic mind is what's gotten us on the path towards our enemy," Cain said. "I'm sure he is fun at parties when you get to know him."
"He doesn't exactly look like he goes to any parties. Ever," Metamorpho said. "But there's just something about him. Murphy's Law has given me and my family a good idea on how to sense danger and I sort of feel subtle danger from him."
"My boy, thank you for your warning, but I am nothing if not prepared for any and all manner of backstabbing." Cain tapped Metamorpho's shoulder. "Besides, his dark analytical mind is the perfect gateway into the mind of our quarry and what steps he may take next."
Metamorpho wasn't all that convinced. But he had only known Nite Owl for one afternoon, so he decided to follow Cain's lead. He would just have to keep his eyes open for whatever Psycho Pirate would pull this time around.
They made their way to a perfect hiding spot behind a few cars. They got a good look into the house and the people inside. It made Metamorpho feel like he was a peeping tom looking into a girl's house. But at the same time, it was the only way to make sure that no one could go into the house without them spotting them. Psycho Pirate was many bad things, but a master of stealth was not one of those things. But they still had to count on the influence and machinations from the dreaded Dr. Destiny.
They watched as Milo and his friends, Zack and Melissa, went over some homework while watching some television. It was a pretty carefree moment that had nothing to do with the danger they were under. However, Milo did turn to look out the window on more than one occasion.
"Hey Milo, you okay man? You've been looking out the window for a while now." Zack commented.
"Expecting a package or something?" Melissa asked.
"What? No, no, no, I just can't shake the feeling that we're being watched," Milo said. "Hey, have you guys seen Diogi?"
Back with the dimensional hoppers and time traveler, Nite Owl observed everything through his binoculars, keeping track of all areas of the house.
"Hm, the kid has some good senses. But they haven't found us out, yet." Nite Owl commented. "No signs of Psycho Pirate or Dr. Destiny though. The home's pretty well protected and has some good upkeep. Almost as though it was built with all manner of natural disasters hitting it."
"Rebuilt, actually. My mom often told me stories of all the things that happened to this house. They were also the same things that happen to my house, and a few others." Metamorpho scratched the back of his head. "How did you know what they were saying?"
"I can read lips." Nite Owl replied.
"If this house is such a fortress then any direct assault would be met with failure," Cain said. "Unless it can work as a double edged sword. Is there anything around here that could be used as a trap?"
"Well, there's the cavern caves behind the house, but every Murphy knows how to navigate them." Metamorpho replied.
Just then the trio heard a small bark coming from behind them. They turned around to see a small yellow dog with spots and a brown nose looking at them.
"Hey there Diogi. Here to keep us company?" Metamorpho scratched the dog's belly.
"A pet. Great." Nite Owl turned back to keep on watching the scene. "Tell me when something is actually about to happen."
In that instant, Diogi smelled something in the air. He turned around and started growling at the edge of the forest, getting the attention of the group.
"What is it boy?" Metamorpho asked as Diogi started barking loudly.
"Is it just me or did it get uncomfortably quiet?" Cain asked.
Metamorpho and Nite Owl noted the same thing. Apart from the barking of the dog, there was no noise. No cars. No people. Not even birds were making any noise. It was as though the world had been hit with a mute button. And that's never a good sign when there's a mad man on the loose with the power to control people with his mind and the power of an evil mask.
Just then, Psycho Pirate stepped out of the forest with his mask glowing like the specter of a dark nightmare. His eyes glowed like two bright flames haunting the waking world as he looked upon the house he and his family came to despise oh so much. His eyes then landed on Metamorpho as he created a pair of large hammers out of his hands.
"You got a lot of nerve at coming here in broad daylight on your own, Psycho Pirate." Metamorpho got ready for a fight.
"Oh, golem, so good to see you. I was just passing by the neighborhood when it struck me to put an end to these squabbles." A bunch of red eyes glowed behind Psycho Pirate. "But I am not alone. Destroy them and send the brats into the cavern network!"
Metamorpho, Cain, Diogi and Nite Owl watched as the whole city rushed them like zombies. They were armed and ready to cause damage thanks to the influence of the mask. Every member of the mob was foaming at the mouth in rage as though everyone had been bitten by a rabid animal and, like the sickness, anger had spread. They held up lit torches as they charged at the group with no remorse or fear for their lives.
Metamorpho quickly changed his strategy. He changed his hands into liquid cement, blasting it into the ground. Erecting a large wall of concrete, he stopped the charge of the zombies. But he could feel and hear the punches and kicks and hits that the zombies were giving the concrete wall.
"We gotta move!" Metamorpho picked up Diogi as they ran towards the house.
"It seems that we've gone from a disaster movie to a zombie movie," Cain said, summoning his shovel. "And I can assure you, I won't be the first one to go down!" Cain whacked one of the citizens before running after Metamorpho and Nite Owl.
"They have the numbers. Psycho Pirate intends to lead us into a trap." Nite Owl flipped another angry zombie before throwing a smoke bomb to cover their escape. "He's probably going for the caverns. That's where the mineral used for the Medusa Mask was found."
"That might make him more powerful." Cain added. "But it shall also be his doom. We'll turn the trap against him. But first, bait." Cain looked to the house.
Milo headed to the door with Zack and Melissa to see who it was after hearing some weird stuff going on outside.
"Wonder what's going on outside," Milo said.
"Maybe there's a parade." Zack rolled his eyes.
"It kinda sounds more like a hoard of zombies. Maybe they're shooting a film," Melissa commented. "There has been a lot of focus put on the Golem. Maybe there's a rise in monster movies."
"Please, like those would ever be good again," Zack said as Milo opened the door to reveal Metamorpho, Cain, Diogi and Nite Owl waiting for them. "Then again, I could be wrong."
"Diogi! Thanks for finding him, Mr. Golem." Milo was then picked up by Metamorpho as were Zack and Melissa.
"You're welcome, but we gotta run!" Metamorpho ran as the kids struggled to get out of his hold.
"What is going on?!" Zack asked. "Who are you people?! Are you kidnapping us?!"
"Ask the angry mind controlled horde of zombies." Cain commented as they made their ways to the caverns.
The kids looked behind them and saw Psycho Pirate riding on top of a shield as all the mind controlled people chased after them. This of course made them have a lot more questions than before.
"I have so many questions!" Zack screamed in terror of what was going on as Metamorpho and the trio jumped into the caverns.
The trio ran into the caverns going deeper and deeper into the connecting tunnels that linked them. They heard the hoard of zombies running after them with Psycho Pirate laughing maniacally ahead of them. The hoard illuminated their way with their torches as they all cried out for the blood of Psycho Pirate's enemies and how much they wanted it.
Cain poked his head out from one of the shadows, watching the angry mob walk in search of them. He spotted Psycho Pirate going deeper and deeper into the caverns in search of the mineral. It must've been drawing him in. Sadly it was also in the direction that they were. He phased back into the shadows popping back to where the rest of the team was.
"The horde is coming closer, they'll meet us soon enough. But we can still beat them to the prize." Cain knelt down.
"And the perfect spot to make our trap. Metamorpho, you'll have to keep the horde busy while Cain and I deal with Psycho Pirate and Dr. Destiny." Nite Owl drew up the plans on the ground. "He'll be there to absorb the energy when it's at its strongest. I'll separate Psycho Pirate from his mask, but to have him lose his army, Metamorpho will have to turn into knockout gas."
"I'll need to know what it's made of to do so," Metamorpho said.
"Excuse me, hey, innocent children dragged here against our will," Melissa said. "Could you tell us what's going on?"
"Yeah, you make it sound like this Psycho fella wants to kill us." Milo added.
Metamorpho, Cain and Nite Owl looked at each other.
"Well, I think it's a good time to tell them." Cain shrugged it off.
Metamorpho told Milo, Zack and Melissa everything. To say they were shocked was something of an understatement. But there was no time to waste with their shock. They had to get to their positions for the plan to work.
Psycho Pirate listened carefully to the voices and the words of hatred and anger that he was manipulating. He loved the power and the call it had over him. The call of the metal that made the Medusa Mask called to him and it was telling him where his targets were. He could hear Milo Murphy's voice calling to him. His overly sweet and annoying voice was all the more infuriating.
"Hey guys, I think I found a way out!" Psycho Pirate heard Milo's voice in real life.
"That way, my horde! Follow his voice to his death and end!" Psycho Pirate commanded, going deeper into the caverns and his destiny.
Psycho Pirate led his crew into a deep cave, big enough for all of them. He saw a large golden piece of ore in the middle of the room with Milo, Zack, and Melissa stuck to the back of the cave.
"At last, Murphy. You will die!" Psycho Pirate laughed.
"Then it's probably a good moment for me to step in!" Metamorpho dropped down from the ceiling, transforming himself into a tidal wave.
Metamorpho separated the angry people from the kids, pushing the mob back with his new body. He morphed back into his solid form before transforming his hands into large rubber hands. He wrapped himself against the mob, making them drop their weapons as he pushed them back, but they were more than what he had hoped. Despite his great powers and the many more powerful and easily available methods of riot control that he had, Metamorpho had to keep the riot focused on him. His eyes landed on Dr. Destiny as he appeared behind Psycho Pirate.
"Yes, keep going Psycho Pirate." Dr. Destiny held up the Dream Stone as it absorbed the energies of the Medusa Mask.
Dr. Destiny's eyes lit up as the dark emotions fueled and manifested before his eyes. The power over thoughts and making them a reality was just what the doctor ordered. The energies flowed into the Dream Stone and made him cackle madly while Metamorpho kept the horde back, digging his feet into the ground with all his might.
"Soon, just a little more!" Dr. Destiny laughed.
"Man, they weren't kidding, you are as ugly as they said." Metamorpho grabbed one of the citizens before tossing him into the crowd.
"Wow, he needs a lot of skin care," Melissa commented while Metamorpho shifted one of his feet into a large wooden boot, kicking back the horde.
"I got some for different burn degrees, if you want them." Milo pulled out all his cream packs.
"You can keep them, you fools! I have bested you and not even the golem has the heart to kill those that want to kill him!" Psycho Pirate laughed maniacally as the mod struck and hit Metamorpho with sticks and stones and any and all weapons that they had brought.
But Metamorpho only smirked as the weapons started to break against his ever shifting body.
"Why are you smiling?!" Psycho Pirate asked.
"Because you're about to get a few uninvited guests to the party!" Metamorpho pushed all the angry zombies away, giving himself some space. "Milo, now!"
"Masks everyone!" Milo, Zack, Melissa and Diogi put on specialized gas masks.
Metamorpho's body turned transparent as he became a special type of gas. The green air spread through the entire mob, getting into their mouths and noses. Everyone breathed in some of the gasses. Their rage and anger that fueled them and Psycho Pirate shimmered down into a small spark. Metamorpho swirled and spread himself through everyone's lungs, calming them down before they could do any more harm to him or to themselves.
"Wait, what is going on?!" Psycho Pirate couldn't feel their anger any longer.
One by one his army of angry zombies fell down to the floor. Exhausted and sleeping like babies, they were now completely out of the fight.
Metamorpho pulled himself back into a single entity. He fell down on one knee in exhaustion.
"Phew, that was intense. Never thought being full of air would be so tiring," Metamorpho panted.
Psycho Pirate growled, pulling out a gun. He would not be denied this close to victory. He was about to pull the trigger when a boomerang sliced his gun in two. In pain, he turned around to see Nite Owl running towards him with his fist reeled back, knocking him back in pain.
Psycho Pirate tried to pick himself up but Metamorpho got to him first. He shifted his arm into thick roots that wrapped around him, trying the villain up. Metamorpho punched Psycho Pirate across the face, knocking the Medusa Mask off of him.
"You won't be needing this anymore." Metamorpho snatched the mask before crushing it. "Now, Mr. Spooky. Where were we?" Metamorpho turned to Dr. Destiny.
Dr. Destiny was about to leave when Cain stood between him and the exit.
"This is the part you give up." Cain said.
Dr. Destiny looked at the Dream Stone before blasting the ceiling. Cracks formed and rocks fell from the ceiling, forcing Metamorpho to protect the people while Cain and Nite Owl covered their heads.
Metamorpho aimed his arm at the damaged ceiling, blasting quick drying cement on it. He quickly filled the cracks and covered the damage stopping everything from collapsing.
"Is everyone okay?" Milo asked.
"I'm afraid not." Cain pointed to the missing Dr. Destiny. "Dr. Destiny just left the area while in the middle of the chaos."
"But he did leave us a clue to where he'll be going next." Nite Owl picked up a red crab-like robot leg. "Though, I wonder what this will give him."
"And so the hunt continues," Cain said.
After dragging everyone out of the caverns, and dropping Milo and his friends back at the Murphy house, Metamorpho approached the two travelers.
"So, what now?" Metamorpho asked.
"We go after Dr. Destiny." Nite Owl replied.
"We could use your assistance." Cain added.
"Well, this place should be safe for a while. Grandpa Milo already put in a word to some time travelers that he knows and they'll take Psycho Pirate back to the future with a letter I gave him." Metamorpho looked sadly at his hands. "I'm not ready to face Sapphire like this. Better stay on the outside for now."
"When one feels like an outsider, it is always important to remember that friends can make you feel welcome." Cain placed a hand on Metamorpho's shoulder. "You are welcomed to join our odyssey." The House of Mystery appeared before their eyes before all three of them walked inside.
As the house began to disappear, it appeared once more.
"Diogi, go home." Metamorpho opened the door, letting the Murphy dog out.
Chapter 4: Sideways
Summary:
Earth -3202
What if a young hero had a list of things to do?
Chapter Text
The multiverse is more than just a prism…
It is ever expanding and ever growing…
A place where one choice, one fork on the road can lead to many opportunities…
But every spark of brilliance there is a spark of madness…
These are the stories of both…
Cain finished showing Metamorpho around the House of Mystery and the stakes of their mission. To say that Metamorpho was ready for anything was an understatement. Though he did have to fix a few broken boards and shelves that Murphy's Law had affected. Though annoying to some, Cain found it entertaining, plus he was happy that none of his collectibles were damaged thanks to the House's magic.
"Sorry for the mess, Mr. Cain." Metamorpho picked up the remains of the broken shelf with a sweeper hand.
"I'll admit that this is not the kind of mess I was hoping to clean up first," Cain said. "But it is interesting to see an actual mess happen in the House of Mystery. It makes it feel alive and with an identity of its own. I'm mostly pleased that my collection wasn't damaged." Cain picked up the skull of a large beast from the ground before placing it on a brand new shelf.
"So many stories to go along with the pieces," Metamorpho muttered. "So, any idea of where we're going to go next?"
"For that we should join our ally in the operation room." Cain opened a door before walking in.
Metamorpho couldn't tell if the eternal dream being was being truthful or just making things up. But he didn't want to be alone in the spooky house that seemed as alive and twisted as its owner. He quickly followed after Cain, walking through the door before it closed behind him.
"Creepy." Metamorpho walked after Cain.
The room Nite Owl had fashioned as his workshop, looked like an old autopsy room. There were operating tables, a board full of pictures and information linking to Dr. Destiny and his plans. From pictures of other villains and enemies they had faced, to what the living nightmare was doing with all the energy that he was trying to gain. The lights were bright while the floor was made up completely of white tiles that were as spotless as they looked eerily terrifying. And in the middle of a working table was Nite Owl, looking at things through a magnifying glass. He looked as focused as a bird of prey stalking its prey in the middle of the night. The only dark thing in such a pristine white space.
Nite Owl was looking into the piece of evidence that Dr. Destiny dropped when they were back at the caverns. The robotic crab-like leg was advanced but no more than an appendage of a small mechanical contraption. He'd seen technology like this before, but it wasn't wasn't narrowing the list of possibilities of where Dr. Destiny could go. He had to learn more about it. That was the key for the next step in his plans.
"Oversight." Nite Owl's eyes glowed brightly as he observed the piece of tech while pulling out a recorder. "The appendage appears to be made of a metal alloy that's carbon dated to at least two hundred years from the current era, which means that it comes from a world with time travel and advanced technology that can safely cross the time stream. I believe this piece is a leg of a crab-like drone, no more than a foot of height. Probably used for exploration or espionage. The circuitry of the leg shows that they are fueled by a powerful source of energy. One thing is certain, Dr. Destiny requires something of this world. Perhaps these robots would be a basis of what he plans to do with the Dream Stone. Or perhaps he plans to use the circuitry to make the powers of the Dream Stone more accessible to the user."
Nite Owl got up from his work table before looking at Cain and Metamorpho over his shoulder.
"Is it possible?" He asked.
"The Dream Stone isa powerful relic of the Dreaming and only beings from it can use it. But the power Dr. Destiny has used so far can only absorb and influence dreams and their energy. He can't create them or make them a reality. Only Lord Morpheus can do something like that as it is his domain." Cain manifested a Dream Stone in his hand. "Think of it like parental control over the television."
"Then it stands to reason that he'll look for something to break through those restraints." Nite Owl narrowed his eyes. "Has anyone altered a Dream Stone physically, or added anything?"
"What, like a button or something?" Metamorpho asked, only getting a blank look from his companions.
"No, Metamorpho, I believe our friend refers more to a bypass between the user and the Dream Stone. Right?" Cain asked. "If that's the case, then there was one story of someone foolish enough to try to control such energies and came awfully close." Cain summoned a new item into his hand.
The item looked like a metallic scepter that crackled with energy with an orb of energy at the end. It had cracks and scratches around it but it still looked as powerful as it was advanced. Cain twirled it around, remembering the story.
"It happened a few years ago in a sleepy if not ordinary looking bay town…"
"Oceanside, if I remember correctly. I'd gone there because of a vacation, though looking back I should've gone to a place less cheerful and average. The fireworks were nice though."
Cain walked through the streets as the local New Year's celebration was taking place. Fireworks blew up in the sky as the people celebrated the beginning of a new year, but Cain looked for something a little less colorful. The people seemed nice enough, but he was always more at home at darker spots with a macabre atmosphere to it. However, something caught his eye.
A bright light came from the forest, a light that Cain had seen and felt many times before. He made his way down to the forest as the pull of that energy got stronger and stronger. It was dimensional energy. He stuck to the shadows of the trees and the night as he made his way to the source of the energy. Normally, he would've sent someone else or allowed the locals to deal with this mess. But the idea of getting a story and a souvenir out of this strange twist was enough to go and find what was going on. He had the curiosity of a cat after all.
Cain peeked out from behind a tree and saw a bunch of scientists and men in hazmat suits working on strange machines around a strange arch connected to many energy generators. He raised one of his eyebrows as he saw a man in a lab coat and a woman in a suit walking towards the arch while the man carried the scepter in his hands. He could tell they were talking about something interesting and as ever the curious character, he got closer to listen.
"-we've wasted too much money and time in this experiment, Portefoy. You better get some much needed results, or I'll make sure you don't have a spot to drop dead on." The woman glared at the man in a lab coat.
"I can assure you, Miss Dominus. The rare metals that we've uncovered will unlock the door to the energies of other dimensions." Portefoy smiled, holding up the scepter. "These energies from the Dark Universe will not only put Dark Star on the map but it will make us all immensely rich. The circuitry and energy conductors of the scepter will open the gateway and we can get all the energy we can get our hands on in mere seconds. We could even crack time travel if we wanted." Portefoy looked at his reflection on the scepter with a smile full of himself.
Dominus rolled her eyes at her scientist's actions. She didn't care about his ideas of grandeur, she just wanted to make her company more than just a brand of energy for the small town of Oceanside. She wanted results and what better time to do some illegal experiments than when everyone was looking at the pretty fireworks. She gave the signal to get the machine started.
Cain rolled his eyes at this. Typical mortals with egos and death wishes for quick riches and power always thought they owned everything they got their hands on. Part of him knew he had to do something to stop them. But another part of him wanted to see what happened and how it blew up in their faces. So, he stayed quiet and kept on watching from the shadows.
"Derek, come on, you can't be angry at your mom and storm into the forest."
Cain looked back to see he wasn't alone anymore.
Two high schoolers walked through the woods alone on their way to the strange experiment. One was a young man of Puerto Rican descent with brown hair and brown eyes. He wore a dark blue long-sleeved t-shirt with a brown short sleeved shirt on top of it with a pair of jeans and black sneakers to finish his look. The other one was a girl with long blond hair tied in a pony tail and fair skin with clear blue eyes. She wore a black t-shirt with a funny monster on it, a green jacket and a pair of jeans with monster drawn shoes.
"As though by fate or chance, I found myself accompanied by a pair of youths that were completely unaware of what was about to happen to them. Energies and experiments of this nature and teenagers never mix well."
"It's not that Ernie, I just feel like nothing happens in this town. And I feel like I need to do something with my life that's not working for some company." Derek sat down against a tree. "We're already in Junior year and I just feel like I need to do something more. Maybe do some stuff before leaving for college? If I ever figure out what I want."
Ernie sat down before her friend with a sigh.
"At least your mom has expectations for you to be something great. My family still says I'm wasting my time in making cosplay costumes." Ernie rubbed her temples. "We need to get out of this town. Maybe catch the next bus out of here as soon as we finish high school?"
"Yeah, but how far could we get? I just want to see the world and do some crazy stuff before having to settle down in some stuffing job," Derek said.
Ernie rubbed his knee, trying to make him feel better. However, before she could say something, a bright light caught her attention. She looked past Derek and at what was going on. Bright lights were coming from behind the trees and it looked like it was getting stronger and brighter. She'd seen enough monster movies, read sci-fi novels and watched anime to know that was never a good sign or something normal in any town. But she couldn't help but let out a…
"What's that?" Ernie asked.
Derek turned around to see the bright lights.
"Okay, that's not normal. Let's go see what it is." Derek got up with all the curiosity of a teenager wanting something more.
"What? Derek." Ernie reached out only to miss. "Shouldn't we call the cops, or something that's not a cliche of every single horror movie in existence?" Ernie whispered as they walked to the source of the lights.
The two teens dropped down to see the experiment happening in the middle of the woods.
The arch turned on as Professor Portefoy inserted the scepter in the middle of it. The energy sprouted from the scepter as the professor watched with a greedy smile. The energy spread over the arch, giving off readings through the machines connected to the arch. Bright glowing orange energy crackled open before the eyes of everyone. Soon enough, the energies cleared up, revealing a strange space with different colorful worlds. It was like looking into a painting straight out of a sci-fi movie. Everyone could see strange creatures flying through the void of space as crystals floated around the worlds past the arch. It was all that Dominus and Portefoy wanted and all that Derek and Ernie wanted to see in their lives.
"Amazing." Derek whispered.
However, as fate would have it, Derek's whisper was heard by a passing guard.
"Freeze punks!" The guard aimed their rifle at the two kids. "This is a restricted area!"
Derek and Ernie jumped from their hiding spot, looking at the guard aiming at them. But their sudden movement startled the guard, causing him to shoot at them. The bullets flew at them, narrowly missing their heads. Derek didn't wait another second, he took Ernie's hand and took off running away as the guard fired at them.
"Stop! This is a restricted area!" The guard continued firing at them like a trigger-happy maniac.
Derek couldn't believe what was going on. But his mind was more focused on fleeing from the area and the people that were trying to kill him and his friend. The sound of the bullets whizzing over and around his body, narrowly missing him and Ernie by some miracle. He no longer cared about going into the dangerous and mysterious scene straight from a sci-fi movie.
However, the flying bullets and the two scared teenagers running towards the experiment didn't go unnoticed by the scientists or the head of the company.
"What the devil is all that racket?!" Dominus asked, turning around to see the mess happening before her eyes.
"It seems we have intruders. The guards will take care of them, not to worry Miss Dominus." Professor Portefoy shrugged off.
"A couple of dead teenagers and bullets flying is too dangerous, you foo-!" Dominus ducked as the bullets flew their way. "Watch it you moron!"
The bullets struck the scepter and flew into the portal, alerting the creatures that resided in the void. The arch buzzed and sparkled with energy shooting out from it. The damage was only small but what came from the other side was far more dangerous than what the energy could be. A large black tentacle shot out of the portal, thrashing and causing chaos around the location.
Everyone turned to see a large black monster with large razor sharp teeth, four glowing bright blue eyes broke through the portal arch as more black tentacles sprung out from the other side. The beast thrashed and snatched scientists left and right. Chaos spread quickly as the monster snatched and devoured scientists and guards all the same like a wolf attacking a flock of sheep. It was a scene straight out of a horror movie. The energies of the arch started shooting all over, frying the equipment, creating portals that sucked in people into god knows what terrible fates. The beast roared and pushed further out of the portal, trying to get out into the world.
Dominus and Portefoy ran as fast as they could, only for a portal to snatch the professor mid-escape. He let out a cry of help as he fell down but Dominus couldn't bother to stop her feet. All she wanted was to get away, that power and energy was all she could ever want and yet it was all a disaster.
Derek and Ernie hid behind one of the machines as they watched the whole scene in fear.
"What is that thing?!" Ernie asked, fear filling her voice.
"I don't know, but it looks like a monster made out of black ink!" Derek replied, not noticing a black tentacle slithering towards his leg. "We need to go-!" Derek was snatched and lifted into the air.
"Derek!" Ernie reached out to grab her friend, only to miss him.
Derek was tossed and shaken like a ragdoll until he was hovering over the large beast's mouth. He looked into the beast's large glowing maw, watching his own life flash before his eyes. All the missed chances and all the missed opportunities flashed before his eyes as he clung to the black tentacle. He fought for the hold, keeping himself from falling into the beast's open mouth.
Ernie didn't know what to do. She wasn't an action heroine like Ripley, but she had to do something. Her eyes landed on the scepter at the base of the arch. This gave her an idea. A crazy idea. But an idea nonetheless. She sprinted towards the scepter and the arch. She jumped over the opening rifts and portals in the fabric of reality. She grabbed hold of the scepter with all her strength.
"If anime and movies and video games have taught me anything, if you remove something that looks important then the whole thing goes down!" Ernie pulled the scepter with all her might.
She pulled and tugged at it until it broke free of the arch.
The arch crackled with energy as rifts materialized and closed around the area. The beast roared as the energy began pulling at it back into the dark of the void it had come from. But as the beast was pulled in, so was Derek. He reached out to grab hold of anything to break free from the beast's tentacle. But the grip of the beast was strong. He grabbed hold of a cable as he was dragged into the portal, holding onto it for dear life.
"Ernie!" Derek called, making Ernie drop the scepter before grabbing the cable.
Derek went into the portal while Erine held the cable with all her might, digging her heels against the ground like she was trying to overturn the soil.
Derek looked at the large vast void with all the energies crackling around him. His eyes landed on the large beast as it tried to bite down on him. But before it could sink its teeth into him, he was struck with bright orange energies, making the beast release him. He let out a scream of pain. Every nerve in his body was on fire as he twisted and turned from the power. His eyes shot wide, glowing with energy.
But as quickly as the power filled him, he was pulled out by Ernie.
They fell on the ground before the portal before it collapsed before their eyes before disappearing completely. Ernie laid down in silence looking at what was there before hand and what they had just experienced. The silence seemed to envelop them completely with only Ernie's breathing breaking the silence if only slightly. Derek fully broke the silence as he took in a deep sharp breath in before coughing wildly as though he was about to spit out his lungs through his mouth.
"Derek, Derek, talk to me." Ernie checked up on her friend, making sure that he was okay. "What happened? Are you okay? You want me to take you to a hospital? Tell me something!"
"Let's… Let's just… Let's just get the hell out of here." Derek struggled to get up with Ernie helping him to his feet.
They walked away from the crazy experiment that they had witnessed and survived, leaving the area. However, as they walked away from the scene of a sci-fi movie, neither of them noticed the orange sparks coming out of Derek's fingers. Nor did they notice a certain dapper gentlemen picking up the scepter.
"I believe the saying goes 'sometimes you have to let children get burnt before they learn the stove is hot'. But that science experiment brought out some interesting developments."
Back at the present, Cain looked at the scepter that he'd recovered from the world and the story. He did often wondered what had happened to the young man after he was almost drowned in the energies of the portal and the other realm. It would've been an interesting story that he had to look into sooner rather than later.
"The experiment seemed like a poor attempt to reach into the Dark Multiverse or the Nightmare Realm as those in the Dreaming call it." Cain explained. "The whole mess was an exercise in messing with something people shouldn't have."
"But it may be exactly what we're looking for." Nite Owl took the scepter. "The circuitry and the designs of the scepter is almost identical to the robotic leg. And if this can be used to access such energies, that's where Dr. Destiny will go next."
"Alright, let's go be heroes, Outsiders!" Metamorpho punched his palm, earning weirded looks from the other two members.
"Let's put that name in our back pockets for now, we need to catch Dr. Destiny while we have the element of surprise." Cain reached for the door, opening it before another door.
The door was split down the middle by a bright crackling yellowish orange line resembling one of the rifts from the story. The left side of the door was colored bright red and white with a list of items written on it almost carved, ranging from common chores to some oddly specific tasks. While on the right side was dark blue and light greenish blue in sharp diagonal lines with a list of it's own but this one was filled with fun activities and outlandish stunts.
"'Get first price for cutest pet rock'? 'Rift between Mt. Everest and the Great Wall and take pictures of both places'?" Metamorpho read with intrigue. "Okay, one sounds way more fun than the other."
"Then, let us see what's going on between the two different bucket lists and how they play into our quarry's plans." Cain opened the door. "After you."
The trio stepped into the door, walking into the new world. They soon found themselves in a new location, a bright sunny beachside town. The sound of the waves crashing on the beach and the pier brought a sense of tranquility to the scenery. The sky was clear and they were all out in the open.
"Well, this is kinda nice. I could really spend some vacation here and catch some sunshine." Metamorpho whistled.
"We need to get somewhere we can see the entire city. We're too exposed." Nite Owl pointed out.
"Not to mention that we need to find the young man from back then. I believe his name was Derek," Cain mentioned as the sound of police sirens came from down the street.
The trio watched as a runaway stolen armored car drove off while on a gun fight with the police closing in on them as a trail of money floated by. However, they then saw a bright crackling rift opening above them before someone jumped out of it.
The figure was a lean young man wearing a strange suit over his body. His features were hidden behind a dark blue and light greenish blue in a dynamic pattern. The upper part of his body, from the shoulders, pecks and head it was dark blue in a V-shape. The lower upper body and from the shoulder to the elbow was colored light greenish blue. The pants were dark blue with V-shaped accents of light greenish blue on his knees and feet. His arms were dark blue with his fingers being light greenish blue . His mask had two light greenish blue eyelenses with a V on his forehead. The lean male figure traced his fingers in the air, creating a yellowish orange rift through which he jumped through.
"Well, I believe there he goes." Cain commented.
Back on the pursuit, the colorful hero pulled out his phone and started recording his exploits.
"Hey there Sidewayers! It's your main man, Sideways and I got a treat for you today!" He turned the streaming camera at the pursuit. "A classic police chase! Let's see if we can make it more interesting for the boys in blue. Don't try this at home!" Sideways jumped through another rift, landing on top of the armored truck in a crouching position.
The armed thugs looked up with one of them poking his head out of the truck.
"Hey there! Say hello to the internet!" Sideways waved at the criminal.
The criminal pulled a gun in return. He fired at the hero, narrowly missing his phone and the hero's head.
Sideways kicked the gun away before rifting into the driver's seat. He fell on top of the criminal before elbowing him.
"Sometimes I wish I had spider powers." He commented.
Earth -3202
What if a young hero had a list of things to do?
Sideways grabbed hold of the steering wheel, spinning it in a sharp turn. The truck turned on its side as Sideways jumped out the window, making another rift appear over his head. He'd been getting better at making the rifts and was now capable of making them appear whenever and wherever he wanted. Another rift appeared ahead on the street with Sideways jumping out of it. He rubbed his head with a smirk. Expecting to see the truck slowing down to a stop behind him, he turned around. But instead, he saw a clear street without a trace of the armored truck. Scratching his head, he wondered where the armored truck was. He examined his rift, making sure that it was working properly.
"Where is it? I could've sworn I had it on lock this time." Sideways scratched the back of his head before hearing something screeching towards him.
He turned around only to see the truck skidding towards him. With an unheroic scream of terror, he jumped out of the way, letting the truck crash against his rift. The crash was loud, but it stopped the truck, bending itself like it had crashed into a large steel beam.
Sideways looked at his unexpected handiwork with a surprised look on his face.
"Huh, that's one way of stopping a runaway truck." Sideways hummed to himself as two of the armed robbers stumbled out.
"Eat lead, freak!" They shot at Sideways, forcing him to jump into another one of his rifts avoiding the bullets.
Sideways landed behind the armed thugs before kicking one in the stomach and punching the other across the face. One of the criminals fired at Sideways, forcing him to jump back and dodged the bullets. He might've been invulnerable, but the idea of getting shot was not something that appealed to him. Without missing a beat, he traced his fingers into two different rifts that appeared behind the two robbers. And as fast as lightning, he threw two punches into the rifts, hitting the two criminals behind their heads.
"And for the big finish!" Sideways grabbed the heads of the two criminals and bashed them against each other with ease.
The criminals dropped to the ground unconscious as Sideways continued to film for his streaming.
"And that's how you do it Sidewayers, always keep an eye out for the unexpected." Sideways gave the stream a thumbs up as the views and the replies poured in like rain. "Man, I'm getting a lot of love and comments from you guys. Love the love guys. And sorry, but that's all for today, unless you guys know of a crime happening somewhere else." Just as Sideways finished his sentence, the police arrived, circling him.
"Freeze, Sideways!" One of the officers aimed his gun at the young hero.
Sideways rolled his eyes as he saw the different officers aiming their weapons at him like he was some criminal. It was a cliche of the superhero genre and everything, but he couldn't blame the boys and girls in blue for taking him like a threat. He could make portal rifts to anywhere he wanted and that included banks and safes full of cash and jewels. Plus the whole mask thing with the awesome costume wasn't making things easier for him and the people that didn't follow him on social media. But that was neither here nor there, now he had to do the same routine as he did yesterday and the week before.
"Hey there, officers. Caught you guys a present, and before you ask, my hands are up." Sideways turned around, holding his hands up, while still streaming. "Got anything to say to the millions of followers watching?"
"Cut the feed and come quietly!" The officers demanded. "And keep your hands up."
"Okay." Sideways moved his hands up, opening a rift on top of him. "Bye!" He jumped into the rift as the officers cursed their luck.
"Dang it, Gary! You know he does that every time!"
"Sorry, it slipped."
Not far from the location, the trio of dimensional travelers watched the events unfold. It was hard not to see the different reactions and interpretations to what had happened. The trio's suspicions had been proven right about the young man but that didn't mean that they were all in agreement as to what had happened. Cain smiled at the interesting development before them as it was indeed an interesting new story for him to add to his collection. Nite Owl narrowed his eyes at the events that took place before their eyes, analyzing every action that had been taken. And Metamorpho…
"Wow! That was awesome! Kid handled himself nicely there." Metamorpho cheered. "Did you see those things he made and how he hopped around like a videogame character?! It was so cool!"
"He wasted time and his treatment of the situation as a joke and a game. He should've just made a rift appear before the truck's wheels, taking them out before taking out each of the gunmen and the driver." Nite Owl critiqued. "And that streaming thing he was doing was a waste of time and effort. Keeping people aware of your movements is the perfect way to get yourself blindsided. We should neutralize him and demand answers before proceeding."
"Now, now, Nite Owl," Cain said. "No need to be so judgemental of the young man. Sure, he is rough around the edges, but was anyone not so at that age? Besides, the less you know, the better you learn in the long run. Now, let us find him and ask him about the tech we're looking for."
"Um, yeah, how do we do that if the kid can portal himself anywhere?" Metamorpho asked as Nite Owl tracked his signal.
"I got his location," Nite Owl said. "He's five miles ahead of us and three miles west of here. I got the address. Let's move."
Nite Owl pulled out hsi grappling hook before taking off, leaving Metamorpho and Cain behind.
"That guy is scary sometimes." Metamorpho commented.
"That could be considered efficient to some," Cain counted. "But yes, it is quite spooky indeed."
Ernie yawned as she got out of bed wearing her favorite monster onesie. She was glad that she didn't have to go over her sister's stupid stuff that she left lying around as she went to the bathroom. Her large collection of monster action figures, anime posters, and movie books and fashion magazines were all disorderly put on her side of the room according to her system. But her sister just loved to blame her for the mess of her stuff. Hard to be a sister to someone like that.
"Man, this is the last time I'll stay up playing video games." Ernie washed her face in the sink. "Good thing it's a Saturday." She got ready to brush her teeth before she caught a strange light in the mirror.
Ernie narrowed her eyes until she realized that there was a glowing yellowish orange rift behind her.
"Missed a spot there." Sideways poked her cheek.
Ernie screamed in shock, falling on her butt as Sideways took off his mask, revealing Derek's face.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Ernie. It's me!" Derek held up his hands. "Derek, remember? Your best friend."
Ernie looked down at her onesie and back at Derek with an embarrassed angry blush. She quickly got up, pouncing on Derek as she throttled him. Her hands and shaking weren't doing anything to actually hurt him, but it was the best she could do to prove that she was angry with him. Afterall, what girl liked getting a surprise visit from her superhero best friend.
"What is wrong with you?!" Ernie throttled him with all her might. "I told you to stop doing that! What if I was in the middle of a shower or worse, my sister could've seen you and labeled you a perv?!"
"Sorry, sorry, I wasn't thinking." Derek apologized. "Hey, did you catch the stream?"
"I just woke up, man." Ernie got back up to her feet as Derek did the same. "But, I guess you had your fun and crossed another item from your bucket list?"
Derek pulled out a notebook while smiling. He flipped it open until he reached the item he was looking for.
"Item number 25: Stream a superhero fight." Derek crossed it off from his list. "Check. Doing pretty well, aren't I?" Derek twirled his pen with a smug look on his face.
Ernie took his notebook before going over the things he'd written down he wanted to do. Most of the first few items were jokes or superhero first steps that she helped fill out. First was to figure out how his powers worked. Then it was make a superhero costume, which she happily made for him. Then there were some of the more outlandish ones like the one he had just crossed off.
"So, now that your ego has been satisfied and it's not even breakfast, how does the search for number ten go?" Ernie asked. "Or maybe number twenty?" She handed his notebook back for him to look at.
Despite the fun Derek was having with his newfound powers and the list of things he'd wanted to do with them, there were some serious items on the list. Number ten was finding out who were the people that had opened the portal that had given him his powers. And number twenty was battling his very own arch nemesis. A milestone in every hero's career, something he was sorely lacking. It wasn't that he didn't want to get answers or learn about what had happened to him, but he just didn't have the rush to figure those things out. Or any leads to start looking. So, for the time being, he would just be the carefree hero of Oceanside and internet sensation Sideways.
"Well, so what if we haven't made all of the checks?" Derek shrugged. "Besides, we looked all over and there were no traces of the creepy science guys that night. Maybe they decided to take all their stuff to some hidden secret base or something? Plus, remember what day it is today?" Derek asked his best friend.
Ernie thought about it before her eyes widened in realization. There was something that they were dying to do. A certain movie was coming to town and they wanted to watch it all the more. She looked at Derek as she nodded slowly.
"The special edition release of the new Dreadbolt and the Terror Titans comic! With the reveal of a new hero!" Derek and Ernie said at once.
"I completely forgot! My brain really needs coffee to wake up!" Ernie jumped in place. "We gotta be there for the whole event! I've followed those comics since forever and I've studied the animated and live action series and they are all awesome!"
"Heck yeah! And what's best, I can get us there in the blink of an eye!" Derek snapped his fingers.
Just then there was a banging on the door.
"Ernie, is there someone in there with you?" Ernie's mom called out.
Derek made a rift and jumped out before the door was opened.
Back at his own room, Derek quickly got dressed in his normal civilian clothes. He put his costume away, safely hidden underneath his clothes. Sure, it was a pain and would've given him a rash if not for baby powder, but it was worth it if he got to be a hero. He quickly made his way downstairs where his mom was waiting for him.
"Good morning mom," Derek said.
"Good morning, Derek. Where are you going in such a good mood?" Helen asked.
She was a tall woman with tied up blond hair and a band by her right side. She wore a beige business suit with a white shirt underneath along with a skirt and high heels.
"Me and Ernie are excited to catch the release of a new comic book later today." Derek got some toast into the toaster before pouring himself some orange juice. "I'm gonna go meet her later today."
"Ooh, that sounds like a date."
Derek turned to see another woman, but this one with dark skin, long black hair that hung loose and wore a blue t-shirt and beige pants. This was his other mom.
"It isn't a date." Derek pouted.
"Stop teasing him, Rocio." Helen kissed her. "He's still not emotionally prepared for a girlfriend. Though we could give you some tips for when you do." Helen kissed her wife once more, making her giggle.
Derek groaned at the display of affection. He had no problem with his moms showing affection to each other like that every morning, but when they offered dating tips for him and his best friend, that was another story. Part of him just wanted to ignore those conversations but he loved his moms to pay attention to them. He walked away from the table with the toast in his mouth before heading out the door.
"Oh Derek, mijo, you remember that you're supposed to help Mr. Banks today?" Rocio asked, stopping Derek on his tracks.
"Huh? What? When did I say that?" Derek asked.
"I asked you yesterday while you were doing your homework. Don't you remember?" Rocio looked at her son with a raised eyebrow.
Derek's mind snapped back to the past day. He'd been finishing his latest science assignment while listening to music on his headphones. He was so in the zone with his music that he hadn't heard his mom knock on the door before entering his room.
"Mijo, Derek, Mr. Banks needs someone to help look after his house while he takes his twins to the doctor for a check up and his wife's working." Rocio called out. "I'd do it but I have classes at that time. Are you free on Saturday?"
"Huh?" Derek pulled up one of his headphones. "What was that?"
"I asked if you're free on Saturday afternoon," Rocio replied.
"Oh yeah, sure. I mostly got a free day, there's something later at night though." Derek explained.
"Great, thank you mi amor. You're the best." Rocio kissed the top of Derek's head before heading out.
Derek groaned at the memory. He had promised to do that stuff. It wasn't that he minded helping out around the neighborhood. Mr. Banks was a very chill guy and a good father to his family but he just couldn't stand his eldest kid or Scott.
"Oh man, why can't Hailey do that? She's already a Freshman, isn't she?" Derek asked.
"She is, but you're already sixteen and a Junior at highschool. He trusts you more," Rocio explained. "Plus, I heard that Hailey and Scott had something to do. It sounded important, but I don't know the details."
"Fine, I'll text Ernie and tell her the situation," Derek groaned.
He wished to go all the way to the other side of the country with one of his rifts. But he couldn't say no at that moment. With a beaten sigh, he grabbed his stuff before heading to the Banks residence. He'd known the Banks since he was younger and was on pretty good terms with the parents and the twins were sometimes a menace but he and Hailey had always had a bit of a tense relationship. It wasn't like they hated each other's guts or anything, but they just didn't seem to connect or keep a steady friendship. Part of him wondered if it was because their personalities were so stark contrast to each other. But somewhere in the back of his mind, Derek wondered if it had anything to do with the list that Hailey always lugged about but never got around to it.
"Better make the best out of this," Derek finished texting Ernie before turning to the Banks residence.
He was about to knock on the door when he heard a twig snapping behind him. He looked over his shoulder, but saw nothing. Shrugging it off, Derek was greeted by the tall Hawaiian man that was Mr. Banks.
"Derek, so good to see you!" Mr. Banks hugged Derek, snapping him out of his funk. "Wow, you feel more solid than the last time I saw you. Been working out to impress the ladies?"
"Hey, Mr. Banks. I heard you needed a house sitter?" Derek said. "Something like that. So, what do I gotta do?"
"Just some stuff around the house, the plumber is gonna come by soon and the showers have been a bit wonky. So, just be on the lookout for him." Mr. Banks explained while two little chubby babies jumped on him. "I gotta go, thanks for the solid. I'll make it up to you later."
"It's cool, Mr. Banks. Glad to help." Derek waved as Mr. Banks drove off with the twins.
Across the street, hidden from view, Cain, Metamorpho and Nite Owl watched Derek like a trio of hawks.
"That's our target. Be prepared to engage." Nite Owl pulled out his boomerang.
"Hey, easy, it's just a kid. We just gotta talk to him," Metamorpho said.
"I agree. Besides, there don't appear to be any threats that could attack him, he'll be willing to listen." Cain noted something. "Though, it would seem that he's about to have company."
He pointed to two teenagers, a girl and a boy. The girl wore overalls with a long sleeved red and white shirt, glasses and sneakers. She had a long brown ponytail and tanned skin like Mr. Banks. The boy had a green t-shirt, jeans and green sneakers. He had lightly tanned skin and short brown hair, and the look of a doofus.
"I'm telling you Hailey, the list will be a sinch! We got this in the bag!" Scott cheered.
"Scott, would you please not scream about the list for all to hear?" Hailey asked. "Let's take it easy. There's no rush to finish all the items before the summer."
"But we're on a roll, right Beta, my teddy bear man?" Scott pulled out a pink teddy bear with a screen for a face.
"If you mean, you've finished almost all the mundane items on the list except for cleaning the attic, then yes. You are on a roll, you buffoon." Beta sighed.
"Nailed it!" Scott pumped his hand.
Back with the trio…
"Okay, now it might be awkward to approach Mr. Derek." Cain commented with a frustrated sigh.
"Wonder what's with lists in this world," Metamorpho commented.
Helen just finished her strategy meeting with her boss at Dark Star Industries, and was eagerly waiting for her boss to give her some pointers. Or to agree with her strategy but she was open to criticism.
"And so, we will make sure to reach out to the Oceanside community by offering a trial with the new energy source that's being developed. We need to keep the people on our side and reaching to the less fortunate areas will do just that, Ms. Dominus." Helen finished.
Leto Dominus couldn't have cared less about the company's image or reaching out to the less fortunate of the small seaside town she had settled on. Her dark look told that she would rather spend her time and resources on other matters. But she was not one to start something she didn't like.
"I like it, and with the show that our energy is not only stronger but more environmentally conscious, we'll have the environmentalists on our side and the federal government in our pocket," Dominus said. "Proceed with the strategy Mrs. James." She dismissed Helen before scowling at her phone.
More so at the video on her phone and who it was showing.
She watched Sideways stopping the criminals before giving the police the slip. That was the power that she had been seeking. It was the gateway to the unlimited power that she wanted and needed to escape this little quiet town. But every time she tried to snatch that clown, he disappeared.
"If only I could get my hands on him and find out what makes him tick." Dominus growled.
Just then a portal appeared before her eyes, sucking in her phone. She was about to scream, but a small red and white crab-like robot appeared, holding her phone. It handed it back to her before its eyes glowed brightly. Dominus looked at the robot before it brought out a hologram of someone she believed long dead.
"Apologies for the rude appearance, Ms. Dominus. But my time is short and it is high time we talked." Professor Portefoy smiled, now having a cybernetic eye, a beard and futuristic armor.
"Portefoy? I saw you fall into that rift months ago," Dominus said. "How are you alive?"
"I had the misfortune, or fortune, of falling into a rift that sent me into the far future. It might've been months for you, but it's been years for me. I have amassed powerful technology, but these fools keep getting in my way. Listen to me, all our dreams and goals are being taken from us as we speak. Sideways is but one piece of the puzzle. His rifts not only can go into other parts of reality but also between dimensions." Portefoy explained. "One day, he will meet a stupid girl that stole my research and together they will create a future where the energy we sought to use will be distributed by them. This will lead to the sickening utopia I am stuck in."
"What?!" Dominus smashed her fist into the table. "That is my company's legacy. My legacy!"
"Yes, I reacted in a very similar manner that got me tased. I've been trying to destroy the girl with my bots, or at least her wretched list," Portefoy said.
"List?"
"In the time records, she wrote that had she not gotten the courage to complete her stupid list, she would never have found her passion for science. Something sentimental like that. Disgusting," Portefoy said. "But she is of no concern. Sideways is the real target. You must capture him and use his power to achieve our ambition."
"Easier said than done. He appears and disappears faster than any of my agents can get their hands on him." Dominus gritted her teeth.
"Which is why, I'm sending you a little gift from the future." Portefoy created another portal before Dominus.
This portal was bigger and a very human looking figure appeared from within. It looked like a man wearing a large brown trench coat, a black tactical suit with a large white skull on his chest with a yellow bolt across it, a black mask with sharp yellow glasses.
"Whoa, now he looks like he can get the job done." Dominus smiled with no small amount of lust.
"Meet my agent and personal terminator, Bolt." Portefoy smirked. "Now, go and bring Sideways in. Dead or alive."
Bolt's eyes glowed with a spark of electricity.
Back at the Banks residence, Derek let out a sigh as Hailey and Scott were watching some romantic comedy.
"This is so boring and so unrealistic. Can't we watch something else?" Derek asked.
"Hey, if you don't like it, you can just not watch it, Derek," Hailey said.
"I thought everyone liked romantic comedies," Scott, the lovable dumbass, asked.
"Not when they have uncharismatic characters with zero chemistry." Derek pointed to the screen. "At this moment I'm rooting for the evil step mom." Derek pulled out his notebook before writing something down. "Find the movie directors of this movie and hit them. Hard."
"Hey, Hailey, Derek has a list just like yours," Scott said.
Derek rolled his eyes as Hailey did her best to hide her list from Derek's sight. Not that he cared, he already knew of Hailey's list of things to do. No biggie.
"Scott!" Hailey snapped.
"Buffoon," Beta let out from inside the backpack.
Derek pretended he hadn't heard that strange voice before turning to Hailey.
"Relax, Hailey. Everyone has a bucket list of stuff they want to do. Just be glad that you're stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new things." Derek put away his notebook.
"Huh, that's kinda nice of you, Derek." Hailey switched the channel. "Just for that you get the channel changed."
However she hit the news channel that showed off Sideways' morning adventure.
"Hey, it's that funky lights guy!" Scott pointed only for Hailey to groan.
"Not a fan of Sideways?" Derek asked.
"Not really. This guy claims to be a superhero but all he does is make messes and show off. I bet he makes these things happen just to get the attention he wants." Hailey didn't know but it struck Derek's ego. "And people just clap for him like he didn't just cost the city a pretty penny to fix the street."
"You're just saying that because you don't know him." Derek muttered.
"You don't need to know him to know he's a buffoon," Beta said.
"In fact, item number 600: Prove Sideways is full of it." Hailey wrote down on her list.
Derek rolled his eyes at that. But he couldn't help but feel like Hailey was in the right. Sure, he had fun and stopping a few crimes was awesome, but he didn't have anything that drove him to be a hero. Heck there wasn't any big injustice or crime he had to face. He needed something to get him skin in the game. But first…
"I'll be right back." Derek got up. "Don't do anything funny while I'm gone." He eyed the pink teddy bear in the backpack.
"Don't worry, Derek, the next thing I'll do is clean the attic. Time to get that item once and for all." Hailey and Scott cheered while Beta rolled his eyes.
"What's with these kids just having to clean junk?" Beta ranted, not seeing the rift forming behind him. "The least she could do is fess up and get together and ki-AAAAHHH!"
The next thing Beta knew, he was face to face with none other than Sideways.
"Man, Care Bears have really gone downhill with their designs. What are you supposed to be? Sass Machine?" Sideways asked.
"None of your business, buffoon! Hailey! Help!" Beta screamed. "That side buffoon just kidnapped me!"
"Kidnap is a bit of a harsh word. Plus, screaming won't work. I mean, look where we are." Sideways gestured to them being on the rooftop and far from Hailey or Scott's ears. "Now, out with it. Who or what are you?"
"My lips are sealed! You won't get anything from me!" Beta tried to pull himself free.
"His name is Beta, a computer algorithm sent from the future to ensure Hailey Banks will complete the list of items that'll lead to her making great strides in the future."
Sideways and Beta turned to see Nite Owl standing behind them with a menacing glare in his eyes.
"Wait, what? Since when does cleaning the attic count as something to save the future?" Derek asked.
"On another note, who are you and how do you know that?! All you masked buffoons look the same to me!" Beta asked only for Nite Owl to snatch the AI out of it's teddy bear body with swift precision.
"Dude!" Sideways jumped back. "Brutal much?" Sideways got ready to fight against Nite Owl who just plugged himself into Beta.
"I gotta agree with the kid, that was a bit much." Metamorpho and Cain joined the other two heroes. "Sorry about him, he kinda likes punching and hitting before talking."
Sideways was kinda freaking out at the sight of not just one but now three strangers like him. He kept his guard up, ready to punch his way through if he needed to or rift far from the Banks residence if he needed to.
"Please, we mean you no harm, Sideways. We're here because we believe you could help us find someone we're looking for." Cain bowed. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Cain. and these are my allies, Metamorpho and Nite Owl you already met."
"Sup, kid. Good moves back there." Metamorpho reached out his hand, only for Derek to punch him in the face. "Okay, rude, but understandable. Not a bad punch but you're gonna want to put more weight behind your punch. Try putting your whole arm and hips in next time."
"Um, thanks, but why are you after me? I'm fairly new to the hero game," Sideways said.
"Because, according to the AI's database, you and Hailey Banks work together to create a renewable source of energy that stabilizes the planet. And now mad scientist criminal from the future and an evil want to stop it to capitalize on that energy and all the resources from other worlds." Nite Owl dropped that bomb of information, leaving Sideways with wide eyes. "It's all in the AI's memory banks. I've downloaded it and erased the last five minutes of its memory. Put it back where you snatched it." Nite Owl tossed Beta at Sideways.
"Jesucristo." Sideways caught the AI before dropping it into a rift. "So, what, they'll send the Terminator after me and this Hailey girl? Boy?"
Just as Sideways said that, a lightning bolt struck the rooftop, sending him flying into the backyard. He got up only to meet Bolt dropping down on him with a strong punch to his stomach. The air got knocked out of him as cracks appeared beneath him. Bolt pressed his hand against Sideways, sending an electric current through his body. Sideways screamed in pain before being thrown through the living room of the Banks house.
"Sideways. By order of Professor Portefoy and Dark Star Industries. You'll come with me." Bolt stepped towards Sideways, hands crackling with electricity. "Dead or alive."
Sideways struggled to get up. His head was buzzing and his eyesight was all dizzy. He'd never been hit with such brutality before. As he heard the steps of his attacker coming, he only had one thought. He had to run. He rolled out of the way of a stomping foot aimed for his chest before jumping into a rift. Appearing out in the backyard, Sideways turned around to see Bolt coming after him once more. He ducked under his punch, throwing a punch like Metamorpho had told him. He landed the blow in Bolt's stomach, sending him back. He then spotted the trio, looking at him.
"Care to join?!" Sideways snapped.
"Hang on, I'm-" Nite Owl stopped Metamorpho.
"This is his fight," Nite Owl said. "Besides, Dr. Destiny will make his move and we have the location of where." He brought up his locator.
"Well, I ain't letting the kid fight alone!" Metamorpho jumped down.
"Very well, we'll take care of Destiny in the meantime." Cain and Nite Owl took off.
Sideways looked at Metamorpho as he landed at his side.
"Got your back, kid. Ready for a crash course?" Metamorpho transformed his hands into a hammer and a shield.
"Say the word, teach." Sideways watched Bolt getting back up.
"Take a deep breath, analyze how he fights and exploit any weaknesses." Metamorpho blocked a lightning bolt with his shield. "Also, your powers need to be focused. Think of where you want your rifts to go and make them. You need to be certain and count for every detail."
Sideways didn't know what to say. Looking at his hands, he had always allowed his powers to go loose but always to where he wanted. He was honestly scared of where his powers could take him. It was like he was afraid of letting the genie out of the bottle. A bottle that had nearly cost him his life.
At that moment, Ernie entered the house. And she wasn't alone, Hailey and Scott had both come down after hearing the ruckus.
"What is going on?!" Ernie asked in shock.
"Who are those guys?!" Hailey asked.
"Superhero fight!" Scott the lovable dumbass cheered.
Sideways's eyes widened as Bolt turned to face the other kids. Fear was starting to freeze him in place. His mind wandered into horrible possibilities like what that monster had done the night he got his powers. He was powerless. He couldn't do anything.
"Don't wander into too many what-ifs. You need to be here and roll with the punches!" Metamorpho pulled Bolt back and away from the kids. "You're up kid! Get him!"
Sideways wasn't sure what to do. He had to do something. His eyes landed on Ernie, Hailey and Scott as they looked at him in shock. The fear in their eyes felt colder than the void he'd been stuck in. He didn't want anyone to go through that sensation again. A heat sprung from his chest and spread through his body like wildfire. This was how he was going to prove himself as a hero. He felt the energy coursing through him as he had found his heroic reason.
Sideways looked at Bolt as it ran towards him with lightning in his eyes. He couldn't think of too much of what could happen. He had to focus on what he had before him. He jumped into a rift appearing behind Bolt, kicking him in the back. Bolt swung his fist back only for Sideways to jump into another rift. He appeared on top of the electric terminator, kicking him in the face before jumping into another rift. He repeated the same process over and over, increasing in speed until Bolt was surrounded in a small dome of rifts. He punched and kicked at the electric villain as he dodged the electric shots being thrown at him. It was like a game of tag with an electric socket, but he was winning.
"Good! Hit him in the legs!" Metamorpho explained.
Sideways slid down between Bolt's legs before kicking him behind his legs. He sprung back to his feet just as Bolt threw an electric punch at him. The punch was swallowed by a rift that sent it back into the Terminator's stomach, going deep into his stomach.
"Had enough?" Sideways asked.
Bolt replied with an electric discharge that sent Sideways back. Metamorpho caught him as Bolt glared at the two heroes. His body shot out sparks and revealed a mechanical body underneath its body. Something that gave Metamorpho and Sideways an idea.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Sideways asked.
"That he just became even more punchable? Yep." Metamorpho rushed at the robot, transforming his arms into large wooden hands.
Bolt fired eclectic charges at the tow heroes with the rabid rage of a feral animal.
Sideways opened different rifts, blocking and diverting the lightning sent their way. He opened a path for Metamorpho to run through, landing a strong punch on the robot's face. He grabbed hold of the robot's arms with a vice-like grip, tearing them off with a herculean strength. The young hero took this chance to jump through between the hero and the villain, landing a mighty punch on the Terminator's head, sending it flying.
Bolt's head fell on the ground with sparks coming out from the neck stump.
Sideways panted as he watched the body fall down to the ground.
"Man, that was intense," Sideways panted.
"It's all about the hero stuff kid." Metamorpho patted Sideways on the back. "Not bad for your first supervillain."
"Are you okay?" Ernie ran to Derek's side, checking him over. "What happened? Are you alright?"
"Y-Yeah. Just got out of my first supervillain fight and it could've gone worse." Sideways joked. "But man, so many rifts really tuckers a guy out."
"That was so cool!" Scott called out. "You were swish, wish, swish and he was all zap, zap! And the big guy was-!"
"Scott, one tiny thing before you continue fanboying: WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT MY HOUSE?!" Hailey screamed.
"Don't worry, we'll fix it." Metamorpho morphed his hands into power tools.
Meanwhile, in the depths of Dark Star Industries, Dr Destiny furiously typed away at the computer, getting the proper information on the alterations the Dream Stone needed. He watched the monitor as the information poured like gasoline into the fire. He could almost feel the new lengths of power he was about to achieve with his alterations. All he had to do was put them to work on the Dream Stone.
"Soon my pretty. Soon you will be the most powerful of all Dream Stones." Dr. Destiny drooled.
"That's creepy, even for me." Cain smacked Dr. Destiny back, hard.
Dr. Destiny growled as he watched Cain and Nite Owl walking towards him with killing intent. It was too soon. He hadn't made the modifications to the Dream Stone and he would not be able to best them both on his own. Gritting his teeth, he thought of his options. His hand reached for the Dream Stone, only for Nite Owl to cut him off.
"You're surrounded." Nite Owl threw a dagger at Dr. Destiny, making him bleed. "Surrender. It is impossible for you to defeat us."
Those words rang in Dr. Destiny's head. He wasn't beat yet. He could still win this war.
"This battle you've won, Cain. You and your dog get this night." Dr. Destiny pulled out the head of one chaos bot. "But the war will be mine!" He activated the self-destruct function on the chaos bot, causing a large flashbang to blind his pursuers.
They covered their eyes, allowing their sight to return. They saw Dr. Destiny had escaped and left them alone.
"Blast and tarnation. He's escaped once more!" Cain gritted his teeth.
"But it would seem that we stopped him before he altered the Dream Stone." Nite Owl walked to the computer. "I'll delete it in case he comes back or someone else gets any bright ideas." Nite Owl plugged his own communicator into the computer, taking all the data from the computer.
"Then we must regroup and move on to the next world Dr. Destiny will go after he licks his wounds," Cain said.
Night had fallen and Derek and Ernie had gone to their comic book event. They had fun and participated in the event as much as they wanted. It was a great thing to cross off his list, but now he had other items to add to his own. Which was what made their laughter so bitter sweet.
"Are you sure you need to go with them?" Ernie asked.
"If that Destiny guy is behind all these things, then I have to help them. Plus, I can learn to be a better hero with them." Derek argued, though it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself. "I promise to come back often. Someone has to keep the people safe in this town."
Ernie looked down, feeling like her friend was moving on from her and everything they knew. But if that terminator was anything to go by then he had to see this through. Which made her want to cross something off her own list.
"Well, if that's the case." Ernie kissed Derek on the lips. "I'll make sure to be ready to save your butt every time. But promise me that you'll be safe." She blushed as did Derek, who tried to register what had happened.
"I promise. Besides, now I have another reason to come back in one piece." Derek turned to the House of Mystery standing there at the end of the street.
Metamorpho, Cain and Nite Owl waited for him by the entrance, watching the goodbye between the friends.
"I still don't like it. You sure he'll come back whenever he wants?" Metamorpho asked.
"The House of Mystery opens and appears everywhere it wants. It is the classic urban legend of the place you swore wasn't there before," Cain explained. "Young James has to but wish it and the House will give him a door back to his home."
Derek put on his costume and joined his new mentors. He would help them protect his home and all homes from the threats that were popping up. It would not be easy but he needed to step up as a hero.
"Ready whenever you are, boss." Derek said.
"Welcome to the Outsiders, Young Sideways." Cain gestured to him inside.
"Don't worry, kid. We got your back." Metamorpho smiled as they walked inside the house.
Derek hadn't known what his path of becoming a hero would be like. But now he understood that it was a responsibility that he had to uphold. He would make everyone that trusted in him proud. And he would prove himself a hero worthy of his title. Besides, there are worse things to happen than life going sideways for him.
Chapter 5: Punchline
Summary:
Earth -2002
What if a girl saw all the possibilities of nihilism?
Chapter Text
The multiverse is more than just a prism…
It is ever expanding and ever growing…
A place where one choice, one fork on the road can lead to many opportunities…
But every spark of brilliance there is a spark of madness…
These are the stories of both…
Sideways jumped back, spinning in mid air, dodging Metamorpho's stretching large hands. He dropped into a rift before jumping before his new mentor, throwing a kick at Metamorpho's chest, only for the ever changing man to turn into water. Sideways was swept by the changing currents before being tossed back before Metamorpho shifted back to his normal shape with a large fist. He reeled back his large hand before throwing his punch at Sideways. Thinking quickly, the young hero formed a rift under his feet, dodging the attack as it crashed behind him.
"Not bad kid, you're getting better at thinking on your feet." Metamorpho shifted his hand back. "But you can't rely on the same trick all the time. Use those rifts to more than just move. One of those stopped a truck, try doing that again." Sideways landed behind him in a superhero landing.
"I don't even know how that happened. Besides, you aren't exactly the easiest opponent to fight against." Sideways pointed out.
"Which makes me the perfect sparring partner for you. Keep you on your toes." Metamorpho smirked. "Between Bolt and your usual criminals, you gotta keep yourself finding new ways to use your rifts. It's a big multiverse out there, gotta be more than a one trick pony." Metamorpho turned his hands into large spiked orbs before jumping at Sideways.
Sideways rolled out of the way before jumping into another rift. He appeared on the side of Metamorpho landing a punch across his face. Grabbing hold of Metamorpho's arms, he tossed him like a pro wrestler. He turned around, creating another rift behind Metamorpho just in time to kick him in the back. But as soon as his feet landed on the shifting man, Metamorpho turned his whole body into solid steel. The pain of hitting such a solid substance at such speed, made Sideways jump back, holding his leg in pain.
Metamorpho couldn't help but chuckle at the young hero's antics. He'd decided to take the kid under his wing as the only other person in the team that had to learn how to use his powers and to learn through trial and error. And he felt like the kid was doing good progress at making his powers more versatile and easier to use. Thankfully the House of Mystery had a room big enough for them to train and be far away from Cain's collection that they would not have to worry about breaking something valuable.
"Always expect your own plans to backfire on you, Derek. That's a Murphy Family motto," Metamorpho said. "You're getting better at using your momentum and speed to get a leg up on your opponents, but don't just think of attack and maneuverability, think defensively." Metamorpho helped Derek back to his feet.
"Easy for you to say. You can turn into anything you can think of." Derek was durable and strong as heck, but not completely invincible."How do I beat someone like that?"
"I gotta know the chemical composition of everything I turn into. I gotta keep thinking of how to make my body stable. Even talking right now takes a lot of brain power." Metamorpho explained. "Even the best Jack of All Trades has a weakness you can exploit. Now, let's try those shields again." Metamorpho suggested with Derek nodding.
Metamorpho turned his hands into giant fists made of rock as Sideways made rift after rift to block them. He had managed a few durable shields that blacked the punches, but he had yet to get the hang of how to do it on command. But it was a start.
Cain watched the sparring session with some mild interest. The passing down of knowledge between generations was always a subject of interest for him. Afterall, it was the best way that stories held their relevance through the ages.
"It seems that young Derek has taken to Metamorpho's lessons like a fish to water." He turned to Nite Owl as he did an autopsy on the chaos bot and the head of Bolt.
"Good, that way he'll be useful for the mission." Nite Owl analyzed the circuitry. "Now that Dr. Destiny lost his chance, at altering the Dream Stone, he'll look for another world with the proper technology."
"You'll have to be more specific than that, my friend. There's no shortage of advanced technological worlds." Cain manifested a cup of tea. "There must be a way to track him, or at least narrow down our search."
Nite Owl hummed in thought, considering all the possibilities. He then remembered all the information he'd downloaded, which included personnel files. Looking at the robots, Nite Owl came to a conclusion that would give them their next destination.
"Destiny is looking for individuals with energies that attract the Dream Stone. He's gone from vast energies from different people to individuals. He'll look for someone with a mind as dark and twisted as his own." Nite Owl put down his equipment. "That's how we'll find him."
"Sadly, that doesn't narrow it down much." Cain took a sip of his tea. "There is no shortage of mad individuals in the multiverse. Sanity seems to be what's in short supply sometimes."
Just then, they heard a beeping going off.
"Is that one of your doohickies low in battery or something?" Cain asked.
"Do you really think I'd put noise to my equipment for it to start beeping in the most inopportune times?" Nite Owl asked, getting a shrug from Cain. "It's not coming from any of my equipment. Nor from the remains of the bots." Nite Owl started looking for the noise.
They weren't the only ones hearing the noise. Metamorpho and Sideways heard it too. They all searched for the source of the noise. Nothing in the House of Mystery should be beeping or making a sound like that. They walked down the hallway until they came upon a part of the collection filled with technological pieces from across the multiverse. They started wondering what was going on and what was making the noise. But all their thoughts were stopped when they came across a strange device.
It looked like a phone mixed with a game console. It had four buttons, a screen and a speaker.
"What is that?" Metamorpho asked. "It looks like cellphone of some kind. Must be a custom job."
"It kinda looks like one of those personal digital assistant things from the early 2000s." Sideways pointed out as Cain picked it up. "My mom used to have one of those back in the day."
"Yes, but why is it beeping?" Cain curiously asked. "It's never done that before."
Nite Owl took the strange communicator from Cain's hand, pressing the button of the strange communicator. It turned on, revealing that it had received a brand new message from across the realms. Normally, he would've thought this to be some strange prank or glitch from the device. But his brief stay in the House of Mystery had shown him that some laws were more easily bent than others. A piece of tech still linked to its realm and up to date information coming from it was not so far fetched as he would've thought.
"Someone just sent us a video." He didn't waste any time and pressed play on it.
They all looked at the strange communicator as it showed a heavy set dark skinned man with short black hair and a beard. He looked like he had just crawled through a sewer while a bombing was taking place. One of his eyes was covered with an eyepatch as scratches and bruises covered his face. He had bags under his one eye and typed away like his life depended on it. Certainly he had seen better days if not weeks.
"Kim, this is Wade, my time is short but I've got it. I know what her next sick scheme will be about. She's planning on disrupting peace talks between the Prime Minister of Iramang and the Rebel leader of the newly liberated country of Karabunishi. It'll take place in a couple of days in the Forbidden City of Sufi Gamarha. Director Betty will get you as close as she can but since the Global Justice Network is not very welcomed there. You need to get going, before she causes another attack. We need to stop Punchline before it's too late."
The message ended and it left the group with a curious and intrigued look on their faces, or at least on the faces of Sideways, Metamorpho and Cain.
"Well, now I am excited to see what happens next." Cain said, giggling like a child.
"It sounded straight out of a spy flick to me. But it doesn't sound too good for everyone else," Metamorpho said. "Whoever this Punchline is, must be one nasty girl. We gotta stop her."
"Sounds good to me, Rex, we'll be here and back in ten seconds flat." Sideways got ready to make a rift only for Cain to stop him.
"As admirable as your dedication to the hero game is, my boy, we do have our own slippery fish to catch," Cain pointed out. "Dr. Destiny is out there and god knows where. Dividing our attention won't do us any good. He-"
"He's in the world this communicator came from." Nite Owl cut off as he went through the communicator.
Everyone looked at him with curious eyes as he continued working like a madman. He pulled up the information stored in that old device almost as if he knew what parts made it tick and what would get him the answers he wanted. It was a scary thing to see a man work like he knew all the answers before anyone else in the room. He turned the screen towards his allies, showing a picture of Wade with something sinister behind him. At first glance it would've looked like a common shadow, but if they narrowed their eyes, it looked like Dr. Destiny.
"Holly molly! It's him!" Metamorpho said.
"Man, he looks straight out of a nightmare," Sideways pointed out.
"How did you find him, Nite Owl?" Cain asked.
"I guess that everything in the House of Mystery is connected to the energies of the Dreaming, that's why some can be thousands of years old and still look like they were made or purchased yesterday. Am I wrong?" Nite Owl asked.
"...That is a very good guess, Nite Owl." Cain raised an eyebrow at Nite Owl.
"Following that logic, they can be used to track that energy. The same kind of energy the Dream Stone is packing in the fistfuls." Nite Owl explained. "Also, despite this tech being old by almost two decades, it is as effective and precise as the modern counterparts. Which means that they can do exactly what he needs them to fix the Dream Stone. Not to mention that this Punchline woman is exactly the kind of person that Dr. Destiny might be looking for." Nite Owl downloaded all the information on Punchline into his own communicator.
"Hasn't he heard of dating apps?" Sideways joked cheekily.
Metamorpho did give him a high five though the rest merely looked at him like he was not reading the room correctly.
"And this Punchline girl, why do you think she's important?" Sideways asked. "She sounds like she should be locked up and have the key thrown down the drain."
Cain would've agreed with the young hero, had such twisted characters not been the source of such good stories. He looked at Nite Owl as he pulled up the information about Punchline. He looked at the picture of the woman. She was all dressed up like a punch rocker clown, some kind of fetish if he'd ever seen one. Long black hair tied up in a ponytail with a blue streak on her right bang. Her face was almost pale white with two red painted cheeks and nose like one a clown would have and blue lipstick. She wore a skin tight long sleeve lilac shirt with a tight black leather dress on top of it, a black skirt with a blue belt, lilac leggings, black punk rocker dominatrix shoes with an O and an X on each leg and black gloves. Her pale blue eyes reminded him of those of a doll's eyes, lifeless. Almost like a gateway into an abyss. But underneath all the stuff he recognized her and where her role in the story surrounding the communicator.
"I believe I know this woman. It's a story I like to call…"
"Joker's Gambit…"
Cain sat in a café drinking some tea while reading a book he'd found lying around, not a particularly riveting read but a read nonetheless. He took a sip from his drink as a young lady went to pick up his drink. As she reached for his drink, he stopped her.
"Miss, I haven't finished my drink. Please, come back later," Cain said.
"Whatever, not like it matters." She muttered, pulling back her arm.
Cain turned to see the girl in question. She had pale white skin, pale blue eyes, long black hair that went down to her back and had a forgotten look on her face. She looked like she had given up on life and was just going through the motions for the sake of a paycheck to live. He'd seen those looks many times before on people with dead end jobs and no ambition, it was the same with the scars on her. Such a waste. If his brother had been there, he would've given the poor girl some words of encouragement or comfort. But alas, he was not his brother.
"The world seemed tranquil and not the least bit concerned with itself. Some would say that it was all fine and dandy. But then, a new character joined the cast. A character I like to call The Joker."
"Excuse me miss, what's your name?"
The young lady turned to look at the middle aged businessman. He wore a black jacket on top of a burgundy shirt and pink tie, beige pants and brown shoes. His black hair was combed back and had a smirk only a businessman could have on their best day. He oozed smugness but carried himself with a proper demeanor. In a way, Cain found their interactions much more interesting than the book he'd been reading.
"Um, Alexis, sir," Alexis said. "Alexis Kaye."
"Hench. Jack Hench, I am in the business of making people into the best version of themselves. And you look like you could use a scene change, if you understand my meaning." Jack handed her his business card. "At HenchCo. we look for the best to aid the best. If you're interested, the number is on the card."
Alexis watched the card with confused eyes. She didn't know where this had come from. The man looked like he was about to scam her and take her into some kind of pyramid scheme. Guys like him always made people like her fall for these kinds of tricks. It seemed like the perfect way for them to make money out of her like everyone else. From the job, the student loans, rent, food, water, electricity, it was all a big scam. A joke meant to make others pay for it out of their own pockets. A person in such a state would've dropped the card away, but then again, that person wasn't Alexis Kaye.
What could she lose if she went for it?
Cain watched as the girl left the café, not even bothering to tell the manager or her boss that she was quitting. With a raised eyebrow, he drank what was left of his tea before following her, leaving the book 'The Art of the Joke' by M. Hamill.
He was not in the habit of following people, no that was a lie, he definitely was. But usually the people he followed had a spark to them. This Alexis Kaye looked like she wanted to be put out of her misery. But he was not one to judge, not harshly at least. He made his way behind Alexis until they made it to the other side of the city, where they came across a large building with the name of HenchCo. on the front of the building.
Alexis went in without saying another word. She muttered something under her breath: 'Not like it matters.' A somber famous last words before stepping into another world.
"It turned out that HenchCo. was a business of managing people. But it was not the kind you'd expect. Jack Hench had seen the rise of supervillainy in that world and saw opportunity. Not to be a villain himself but to supply the mad scientists, world conquerors, terrorists, and monstrous characters of the world with the one thing every organization needs. Henchmen."
Alexis had gone through all the training and cleared up the psych and health evaluations. She was fitted with a red jumpsuit and mask and black glasses and sent out in her first assignment.
"Henchmen, and Henchwomen, I Dr. Drakken don't ask much of you," Drakken monologued. "Just complete and utter obedience. My word is law!"
"Law of the jungle more like," Shego scoffed.
"And whenever I'm not around, you take orders from my second in command, Shego." Drakken sighed. "Our mission, unleash a weather machine upon Washington, freezing them in a mini-Ice Age while we take over the government! Let's face it we're doing the United States a favor here."
Alexis couldn't help but smile. For the first time in what felt like a long time, she was smiling. She was very much excited for what was going to happen. The new job was agreeing with her quite well. Her body felt like it was burning with intensity and she wanted more of it. Every task and angle she memorized and worked on. Every foolish do-gooder she kicked in the face and stopped. Every evil plan that she was a part of made her feel alive like ever before. Could it be possible that after all the time she had wasted in those other dead end jobs, this was the one she belonged to?
"However, for all the amazing things Alexis Faye believed she was doing, reality soon made itself known."
The day of the invasion of Washington with the large weather machine, Alexis expected a victory. But all she got was a kick to the face. She fell hard, one of her lenses broken.
"Sorry girl, but the weather didn't say chilly today." Kim Possible knocked out another henchman with ease.
Alexis tried to stop her, only for a bumbling teen to fall on top of her, knocking her out.
"Hey, KP, did I miss anything?" Ron asked.
"Not really, let's stop Drakken and put a stop to this Ice Age." Kim and Ron ran past Alexis.
Alexis struggled to get up, reaching out to stop the two intruders, but she couldn't. Before she knew it, all their hard work had been destroyed. Horror and anger mixed inside of her as she watched it all happen. All her hard work brought low by two teenagers no older than she was. She watched through the monitors how Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable made all the machinations of Dr. Drakken into nothing more than a flaming wreck. She wanted to stop them, she tried to stop them. But every attempt she tried failed.
The plan had gone down in flames and she was now out of a job. But HencCo. had her back. She found herself under the employment of another super villain trying to take over the world. She dressed up as a ninja, black robes and a mask as her new boss paced before her.
"I am Monkey Fist and you shall address me as either Master or as Sir. Our mission is simple: spread a powerful simian agent through Europe that will transform everyone that becomes infected into primal warriors subservient only to me!" Monkey Fist explained. "And for that, you must be warriors!"
It was grueling work, but Alexis took to it like a fish to water and then some. Every push up she made, every punch she threw, every kick she mastered were all part of her path to vengeance and victory. She was willing to devote herself to her new master and work her butt off to become the reason their plan would work. She read strategy and philosophy to sharpen her mind against the forces that would rise up against them. She even started learning how to become an accomplished chemist and chemical engineer. Something she believed would make her superior to the other henchmen and women. But it seemed that her new master was more interested in promoting monkeys than humans.
But it didn't matter to her. She would not fail this time. When the time was right, she would rise up and defeat any who stood against them.
"The truth was that the game was rigged. Or at least, it seemed rigged from an outsider's perspective."
Alexis fought against Kim Possible of all people once again. Her training had made her better prepared for the confrontation, but they were nonetheless equals. For every blow Alexis threw, Kim countered with one of her own. They jumped up into the upper levels and continued battling as they exchanged blows. They jumped high, spinning in the air like professional acrobats before gracefully landing. The battle was so engaging, that Alexis hadn't seen Ron Stoppable of all people sneak up on her master and destroy his own virus.
"No!" Alexis cried out!
Which in turn gave Kim Possible the chance to tie her up with her grappling hook. Alexis was lifted up like a piñata and left there for the police to arrest. She growled and thrashed in rage at Kim Possible and her stupid sidekick. How could someone like her always win?
Alexis was once again, transferred to another evil mastermind after being released from prison. But the story was always the same. She would find a cause and it would fail. She would exert effort into becoming the best and it would bite her in the ass. She'd gone through every single villain, mastermind, mad scientist and wannabe dictator on the list of HenchCo. twice and every time the story ended the same way. She was tossed to the side, her bosses bested and the day was saved.
And all the while Cain had collected the Kimmunicator on the side after watching Alexis get thrown in prison.
"At this point some would get tired and quit the henchman game, but Alexis had other ideas."
Alexis stomped into Jack Hench's office with papers in her hand. She didn't even bother knocking. Her face of rage looked like that of a mad dog about to snap and tear through anything that was in its path. She slammed the papers on Jack's desk, cutting his call short.
"I'm gonna have to call you later." He hung up the call. "You know there are appointments, Ms. um…"
"Alexis Kaye, and I demand answers." Alexis pulled up the papers. "We have the resources and manpower to take down a small nation. We have connections with some of the most brilliant and deadly supervillains on the planet. How is it that we keep losing to a redhead cheerleader and her idiot blond sidekick?!"
"What can I tell you kid? Those 'brilliant and deadly supervillains' don't exactly live up to the name. Besides, if it ain't Possible and her boyfriend it would be some of the international agencies that keep the world in one piece." Jack shrugged.
"What?" Alexis asked.
"...Look kid, the basis of every business is that there must be a demand and a supply. I supply the henchmen demand these guys ask for." Jack got up from his desk. "I don't control what happens afterwards. Some get stopped, or foiled. Henchmen get passed along to other villains and the company gets a check every time. That's what gives you your check every month. That's how the game works."
"Game?" Alexis was led to the door by Jack.
"Yeah, any two bit schmuck can get themselves a gimmick and go out to try to take over the world, the best clowns in the circus know how to keep the people going." Jack opened the door. "The game is meant to be played, not won. Starting to connect the dots?" Jack gently shoved Alexis out.
"So, this is all a job?" Alexis asked, with a face that showed that everything she'd been led to believe was a lie.
"There you go." Jack closed the door in her face.
Alexis stood there, her world crumbling around her. Laughter echoing in her mind like a sickening poison. She had played the game by the rules of society and was stuck in the same place for years. She had tried to play it by someone else's rules and had found herself right back where she had started. All she could picture was Jack Hench's smile laughing at her for thinking she could beat the system when the system was working against her and everyone else. A small giggle escaped her lips.
It wasn't funny. But to her it was. She was laughing at the existential abyss that she was being plunged into. All her great bosses and leaders that had inspired her were no more than jokes, jokers that just did what they did because they had slightly bigger ambitions than the others. But she'd seen the truth. If nothing she did mattered in the long run then she had to change the rules of the game. She had to be more than just one of the clowns in costumes around her. She had to be the ringmaster. It dawned on him like the daybreak of a brand new day for her. The light struck her in the face as a sinister smile spread on her face. A smile that would give people nightmares.
"If anyone can get a gimmick and run this circus, then it's time for the inmates to run this asylum…" Alexis whispered as she walked away, smiling like she was about to commit murder and get away with it.
"And that, dear kiddies, is how one bad series of days turned a simple sad girl into a monster. Because what's scarier than a woman that sees everything rigged as the punchline of some cruel joke…"
Cain watched the picture of Punchline as he finished telling his story. In a way, he was very intrigued that the young lady had gone on to become something more interesting than what he'd imagined. Guess all it took was a wrong choice at the wrong time and place to lead one down the rabbit hole of damnation. It kinda brought a smile to his face to imagine what she had done since. And from the look of the information before him, she'd done a lot of things to earn herself a place amongst the most wanted in the world over the span of a few months and years.
"I can't believe you watched the supervillain origin and did nothing to stop it." Sideways jumped in. "Santa madre that's a lot of deaths and crimes!"
"And that's the woman Dr. Destiny is after? We gotta stop them!" Metamorpho added. "Him from his whole thing and her from causing this much chaos. For all we know it could lead to the destruction of those countries and the nearby territories."
"Which is why we're going there, posthaste." Cain summoned a door before them.
The door that appeared before them looked like it was made of metal colored wood with the initials 'KP' in the middle. It was covered in graffiti of clown faces, smiles, knives and what looked like a punching glove punching a redhead, a chibi Punchline stabbing a blond boy, and blowing stuff up as people ran away screaming. It looked like the door had been vandalized with the glowing red scar cutting a smile in two.
"It looks like a subway station after getting tagged by some street artist," Sideways pointed out.
"But it smells much cleaner than one." Metamorpho waved his hand in front of his face.
"Come on, time is of the essence." Cain opened the door and the three of them stepped through it.
Nite Owl looked down at the information about Punchline and her motivation to destroy all that made her unhappy from the very beginning. So many people went about their daily lives wondering what the world would do to or for them. They thought that every action mattered, even if they were within a system that was unfair. And yet, Alexis, or Punchline as she called herself, was the only other person that knew the truth he knew all too well. She would make for a fine first real ally. It obviously didn't hinder her that she'd been able to turn all the so-called heroes of her world into scared little children with just a few charges of dynamite and a few knives.
"It'll be a pleasure to meet you, Punchline. Let's see if your set up matches my standards." Nite Owl jumped through the door as it closed behind him.
Earth -2002
What if a girl saw all the possibilities of nihilism?
Nite Owl landed behind his team as they made their way through the corridors of what looked like an old castle carved out of the mountain it was set upon. The corridors were lit by torches, with solid white brick carved on the walls, and no speck of dust seemed out of place. The corridor had open windows that gazed at the outside world and the rest of the forbidden city. Towers of pale brick rose up with bright blue tiles on the roofs and markings of religious significance rained down from the top to the bottom. The streets were carved from the mountain like everything else, yet they were big enough to allow cars to pass through them with ease. It was a marvel of the ancient world, a marvel to watch and gaze upon. But it was also the place of a horrible trap.
The cars of the political representatives drove in with guards and media covering every inch of the streets. The Prime Minister of Iramang and the Rebel leader of the newly liberated country of Karabunishi were there for peace and reconciliation, unaware of the trap they were walking into, like lambs to a slaughter. The Forbidden City of Sufi Gamarha would become a necropolis if they didn't do something to stop Punchline and Dr. Destiny, and quickly.
"Hey, Nite Owl, what took you so long?" Sideways asked.
"Running straight into danger is a foolish action. I opted to wait and see if it was safe to set foot in such a holy place," Nite Owl said.
"He was probably brooding, kid. But we gotta find Punchline and her little evil helpers before they make this city into a mortuary." Metamorpho looked outside. "Everyone's arriving."
"Which means time is of the essence." Cain pulled out a pocket watch, looking at the time. "We need to search the place and find Punchline before Dr. Destiny gets to her. As cliche as it may sound, we must split up. Anyone who finds either of the targets calls for backup. This time, we don't let our prey escape."
"And we stop a horrible terrorist attack, right?" Sideways asked.
"Yes, yes, that too." Cain shrugged.
However, as they were about to split up, Metamorpho looked up at the sky. He saw what looked like a star moving through the night sky. Narrowing his eyes, he tried to make out what it was, and it wasn't a shooting star.
"Hey, guys, I think something is coming this way." Metamorpho pointed up.
The team looked up as Cain and Nite Owl pulled out binoculars to see what it was. It was indeed no shooting star. They saw a plane with the initials GJN on the side. It was all black and completely undetected by any common radar or sensor. They saw a small gate open up from the back and a figure jumping out from the plane before heading towards the forbidden city.
"It looks like we're going to have some company." Cain put down his binoculars.
"They could compromise the mission. Best to take her out before anyone notices her." Nite Owl narrowed his eyes.
"What?! No way! We don't even know who-She?" Sideways asked.
"The message was meant for a Kim Possible, that's likely her." Nite Owl walked away.
"She could help," Metamorpho argued.
"A fifth member would do us some good. See if you can convince her to aid us and if not, keep out of her way." Cain instructed. "Move out, gentlemen."
The group nodded in agreement, rushing to check up every nook and corner of the forbidden city. There were many ways that someone could disrupt peace talks between the meeting leaders in such an isolated spot. Making the ceiling collapse on them in the middle of the talks, poisoning the water they were drinking and have them die before everyone, let poisoned air into the room where everything was taking place to see them all choke to death, or something as simple as simple as kicking down the door and and taking out the representatives with bullets or something else. The options were endless and with no idea when the strike would take place, there was a running clock behind the head of each of the heroes. The ticking of that clock made them all do a complete search of the entire location. With each taking a different level, they made sure to not miss a single spot of the forbidden city.
Cain rushed up to the upper floors, looking for the possibility of Dr. Destiny or Punchline taking the demolition route. He searched room after room of the upper floors, but all he found were an observatory for the sufi that had built the city, a few offices for him and his students to work at and a small room filled with brooms, rugs and ancient pillows. With a frustrated growl, Cain closed the room. He took in deep sniffs of the air, hoping to catch the smell trace of Dr. Destiny. This time there would not be any last minute escapes. His eyes opened as he caught something.
"Found you." Cain ran after the scent of Dr. Destiny. "This time, you're mine!"
Sideways ran from floor to floor with his rifts, looking into the dark shadows. Part of him hoped that he wasn't the one to find the crazy terrorist girl first. Fighting criminals, thugs and a few robots was fine in his book, but a terrorist with clown makeup made his legs freeze up. It was a strange fear that he couldn't figure out why though. Maybe it was that crazy look in her eyes that made him shiver. But he pushed the fear aside as he checked the shadowy places of what looked like a large mosque room for prayer, using his phone lamp to check every inch for the sign of his targets.
"Man, if this place wasn't meant to be a dangerous mission, these pictures would be lit." Sideways took a picture before moving on to the next room.
Metamorpho transformed into air and mist, moving silently through the lower floors where the kitchen, baths and assembly was being prepared. He felt dizzy the longer he remained in that form. He took a second to turn back into a solid humanoid body in one of the bathrooms. He was about to transform when he heard two guys speaking English.
"The boss said to set the charges under the table."
"Might be hard with everyone doing a sweep every five minutes."
"Not these puppies. They don't even look the part. And the dogs they're using have been changed for our own dogs. No sniffing these out."
Metamorpho peeked out his head, following behind them to stop them from doing something bad.
"Maybe they'll lead me to Punchline and her to Dr. Destiny." Metamorpho whispered.
Kim took off her helmet after she dropped down. She felt like she'd been aged twenty years, her body was riddled with scars and wounds given to her from all her run-ins with different villains over the years. But none more vicious and deranged as Punchline. She pulled out a heart-shaped locket, opening it. Inside she saw a picture of her, Ron and Ruffus. They looked so happy and with a bright future ahead of them, it was hard to believe that it had only been three years since the picture had been taken.
"Don't worry Ron, I'll get her for what she did." Kim whispered, closing the locket.
She turned her head, hearing someone approaching her. She hid behind one of the pillars as Sideways walked towards her.
"Oh man, I thought that I heard someone around here. I hope I didn't miss anyone on my way here," Sideways said before a swift kick to the back of his knee sent him to the ground.
The kick was precise and gave him little time to react to the arm wrapping around his neck and right arm. It was a tight hold on him. He mentally cursed getting caught off guard and not having anything to alert him to the danger around him. He tried to get his attacker off of him but was pulled back, keeping him from getting a good grip on the arm.
"I'll ask once. You better answer me truthfully," Kim said. "Where is Punchline?"
"I-I don't know. We're looking for her too," Sideways choked out. "I promise, if I knew where she was, I'd rift her to a maximum security prison."
"Wrong answer. No one but me and my allies know about her here." Kim tightened her hold on Sideway's neck.
Sideways started to panic. This was not ideal but he had to do something. His usual rift escape would be useless with him immobilized. If only he could bring something to help him out and get the crazy lady off of him. That thought made him realize he could do something better. He looked at his caught arm. His fingers could still move. Picturing what he needed, he created a small rift above them.
The next thing Kim knew, she was blasted off by a stream of cold water. She was forced to release her grip over the goon before the water was turned off. Getting back to her feet, she got a good look at the young man. He dressed up like one of those comic books her brothers used to read. But that didn't stop her from kicking him in the chest. She pinned him down before aiming her grappling hook at his face.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, same team, same team!" Sideways held up his hands. "We're here to stop Punchline, I swear. Wait-y-you're Kim. The one that was going to get the video from the strange communicator."
"Who are you? And how did you get your hands on a Kimmcomunicator?" Kim asked, narrowing her eyes.
"I could answer that, Ms. Possible." Cain stepped out of the shadows. "We're here for a target of our own. And I'll gladly explain everything if you'd kindly get your foot off my young ally here."
Kim narrowed her eyes at Cain before looking at the young hero under her heel. He must've had some-kind of portal power to make a torrent of water to pop out in the middle of the desert. And if he wanted, he could've just made a shark pop out and take a bite out of her head. They had earned at least a few seconds of her time.
"You got ten seconds." Kim kept Sideways pinned under her heel.
Punchline looked at the foolish politicians talk and speak to each other before the whole world to see. It made her sick that these farses were made to look so important while it was all pointless. Both sides had committed terrible acts in the past and to each other. Some even grabbed other countries to aid them in their genocides in exchange for keeping their trade stable. She would've loved to shoot them all before the cameras for all the world to see. But her plan was something much nastier that made her smile with sinister glee.
"Boss, we're ready to set off the devices." One of her lackeys disturbed her thoughts.
Normally, she would've slit his throat for that. But she was about to witness a good joke being played on the world. So she let it slide. This time.
"Any signs of Possible?" Punchline asked.
"None ma'am," he replied.
"Shame. I hope she's watching the news." Punchline put down her tablet. "It'll be so funny to see her face. Almost as funny as when I shot her idiot boyfriend."
Just then, her lackey fell down unconscious. She turned around, ready to fight Kim Possible. But instead, she was met with a tall dark stranger wearing an odd costume. But there was something alluring about him, and that made her smile.
"Your man will wake up to the authorities, Ms. Punchline. But I hope to speak with you before you go on with your plans." Nite Owl walked towards her.
"Oh really~?" Punchline drew her knives, lunging at Nite Owl. "Pray tell what do you want to talk about?!"
Nite Owl dodged out of the way of her knives. Sidestepping away from her sharp heeled kick, he flipped her to the ground before drawing his boomerang. As Punchline swung her blades at him, he expertly parried the attacks with his signature weapon, letting her get closer.
"You're the target of a creature known as Dr. Destiny." He blocked her knee to his stomach. "As soon as you start to feel another voice talk to you and show you your perfect world, turn around and strike him in the chest with your knife." He looked at her face, holding his blade at her neck.
"Why?" Punchline asked.
"Because, I can give you a bigger stage. A stage that everyone, everywhere will hear your message of anarchy and destruction of the corrupt systems that govern the lives of the people. Your life." Nite Owl didn't flinch as she held her knife under his chin. "I promise you that stage, Alexis Kaye."
Punchline smiled, liking the idea. His words were sharp and the look he was giving her made her feel like she was prey and he was the predator. Guess it didn't hurt to take heed of his words before the night was over. She slipped out of his grip, giving him one last look before running out the room smiling. He wasn't chasing her but it didn't matter to her. She was there to cause chaos and chaos was what she was going to serve. But if his words were true and someone was trying to make her into a patsy…
Well, they were soon going to learn what the punchline was!
Back with Cain, Sideways and Kim, she had been brought up to speed. And she wasn't liking it one bit. It was bad enough that someone had gotten ahold of an old Kimmuncator and could listen to their private calls, but now, someone else wanting to make Punchline worse was even worse. She was already far too dangerous on her own, killing and poisoning people around the world to claim that there was no point. She'd targeted her family, friends, loved ones all in an effort to break her. She'd paralyzed Ron after she had killed Monic and bombed everywhere she'd gone to. And now someone wanted to make Punchline and her message an even worse plague on the world.
"Where is this Dr. Destiny now?" Kim asked.
"The trail leads down. My guess is that's where we'll get our quarry and where their targets are." Cain informed her.
"We gotta tell Metamorpho, he's down in that area." Sideways got ready to make a rift.
"In that case, I hope you get your enemy before I get my hands on Punchline." Kim tightened her fists. "She has a long rap sheet that needs to be answered for. And not necessarily by the letter of the law."
"Cain, it matters not to me if you wish her to rot or be thrown to the electric chair," Cain said. "She's bait and once we're done with her, you can lock her up and throw away the key for all I care."
"Yeah, that's as best and as nice a way to say, we'll help you catch her, Ms. Possible." Sideways held his hand out with a thumbs up.
Kim couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the young hero's action. It was quite polite despite her almost snapping his neck a minute ago.
"Kim will do, kid. Now, let's go catch Punchline," Kim said. "She's probably gone to the conference to take out the leaders of the countries."
Sideways walked into the rift alongside Cain and Kim Possible. They appeared behind the flashing photographers and the members of the press. They watched the Prime Minister and the Rebel Leader sitting at the table ready to sign their papers. Their eyes shifted, looking for any signs of either Dr. Destiny or Punchline and her goons. It wasn't good that the trail had ended up there with all those people and not one stood out as a possible target. But that didn't stop them from looking.
"Where could they be?" Sideways whispered.
"The scent leads down here, but it would seem that Destiny made sure to spread his scent all over the place," Cain said. "I can't pinpoint him as much as I would."
"Not only that, this is exactly Punchline's MO," Kim said. "Lots of cameras, lots of people caught in the crossfire and one big target that could send shockwaves through the two countries. The two factions have been at odds for over five hundred years over who has the claim to the resources and the world heritage site that is the forbidden city. They've finally achieved to strike a proper truce but if anything goes wrong…" Kim looked all over for the signs of Punchline's work before anyone would notice them.
"Feuds reignited, vengeance and people demanding bloody action against the other side as though it would satiate the ire of the gods? Understood," Cain sighed. "Same old story, it gets boring."
"Well, this one is about to get a bloody twist if there ever was one."
The trio turned around to see Metamorpho poke his head out from the dirt with a smile on his face.
"Friend of yours?" Kim asked.
"Yep." Sideways nodded.
"I know what Punchline has in store for this meeting." Metamorpho pointed to the pens. "The pens are rigged."
Back with the Prime Minister and the Rebel Leader, they both picked up the pens as the treaty was laid before them. However, as soon as the pens got pulled out of their holders, dark purple smoke shot out at them. The representatives and their entourages coughed as the dark smoke went into their bodies through their skin, nose and mouth. Their eyes widened and snapped open for all the world to see. They looked bloodshot with purple colored veins popping through their skulls like they had just been injected with poison. Then they started to laugh.
It was a laughter that Kim knew all too well.
"We gotta stop them!" Kim comanded.
"Sideways, clear the air!" Cain turned.
"On it!" Sideways jumped in, creating a rift that brought a mighty wind that dispersed and cleared the area.
But the damage was done. The Prime Minister and Rebel leaders jumped at each other with the pens like knives. Their entourages jumped in, pulling out their guns and knives to kill everyone in their path. But they were stopped.
"No one is dying on our watch!" Metamorpho jumped in, spreading and stretching his hands. "I'll hold them back until this thing passes!" Metamorpho held them tightly and apart from each other.
"Here's Punchline!" Punchline busted in.
Punchline and her goons kicked down any resistance they were met with before aiming their rifles at Metamorpho and the two leaders. They all had a crazed look in their eyes, with a light red glow coming from Dr. Destiny. He stood behind the terrorists with a crazed smile of his own as they opened fire upon everyone in the room. But just as the bullets were about to hit their targets, rifts appeared before them, blocking the shots like massive glowing bullet-proof glasses.
"Huh?" Punchline raised an eyebrow.
"Looks like your plan just went sideways, Punchline!" Sideways dropped down between the terrorists and Metamorpho accompanied by Kim and Cain.
"Do not let them get in your way," Dr. Destiny growled into Punchline's ear.
"Kill them all! But save Possible for me!" Punchline unsheathed her knives with a sick smile.
The terrorists attacked the heroes, shooting at them with deadly intent. But for every shot they fired, they were met with a large rift that blocked the bullets with ease. They were then surprised to see Cain appear behind them before smacking them all with his shovel. He moved fast and precise, like a tai chi master, striking at their arms, guns and heads. He had disarmed them with an impish smile on his face. They drew their knives, trying to get Cain. But he easily avoided their weapons, leaving them dazed and scared at his skill and terrifying smile. It was like they were fighting a living shadow with the face of a demon. However, he held his hand up, stopping them.
"I believe you'll have better luck with the young lady and gentleman than me." Cain pointed with his thumb.
They looked in the pointed direction, only to receive a double drop kick from Kim and Sideways.
Kim moved fast, dodging and weaving through their attacks. Pulling out a pair of white and blue gloves, she punched and dropped the terrorists, letting electric charges knock them out as she struck them. Her blows were more vicious and targeted to quickly incapacitate her opponents. She ducked under a knife before kicking the terrorist where the sun-don't-shine before uppercutting him in the jaw. Sensing another attack, she jumped over the second terrorist before punching him in the back of the head. She briefly glanced at her new partner, Sideways, and saw the kid was doing quite alright on his own.
Sideways didn't hold back on his side. He tried to never hit anyone too hard. But these guys were terrorists and they needed to be taken down. Hard. He popped behind them, kicking them in the back. He saw more coming his way before punching them so hard they flew backwards. Hearing the cocking of a gun, he created a shield rift, blocking the bullets. He smiled at his newly mastered skill.
"You've entered a no-guns zone, so I'm gonna confiscate those." Sideways rifted around, snatching the guns.
"You think your clowns will keep me from getting you, Punchline?!" Kim growled.
"You're so close, don't give them an inch!" Dr. Destiny held up the Dream Stone behind Punchline's head. "Let your worst impulses go free and show the world just how much of a joke it really is."
Punchline had heard the voices in her head over and over ever since jumping to the other side of sanity. She knew them all and was hardly one to argue against them. But this voice was trying to control her. And controlling her was a very bad move. In a split second, she turned on her heels and slashed at Dr. Destiny's chest, leaving a big gash on his chest. The look of surprise in Dr. Destiny's face was one that she relished in the eyes of her targets. It always had that sweet mixture of inevitable fear and shock of their world crumbling before them. It must've been the same look that a bunny had when the wolf gobbled it up. It was the look she loved.
"I'm not a fan of being manipulated by others, Mr. Destiny," Punchline said with a sweet sinister tone.
But before she could attack the skull-faced schemer, she got kicked in the back. She rolled back to her feet only to receive a punch to the face that made her bleed from the corner of her mouth. She looked up and saw it was Possible. Of course.
"I'm the one that you should worry about, Punchline." Kim got into a fighting stance.
"Oh, Kimmy, here and no blonde to cover your back?" Punchline chuckled. "Oh, is he still out of the game after I shot him in the stomach?" She lunged at Kim, swinging her knives at Kim.
Kim dodged and blocked her swings, landing a knee on Punchline's stomach. But she swung back at her, cutting her cheek. Punchline then sharply kicked her in the stomach, only for Kim to catch her foot before slamming her against the ground. Kim then proceeded to kick Punchline in the face, splattering blood. Punchline smiled, jumping to her feet slashing at Kim once more, cutting her uniform and skin with deadly precision. Kim used her electric gloves to punch and shock Punchline, but the woman seemed to not care about the pain or the damage done to her. Their fight was getting violent and there was no way to stop it without one of them killing the other.
Dr. Destiny watched the fight with glee, despite his injuries.
"Planning on leaving the party already?" Cain cut him off with Sideways dropping from the other side.
"It's over, Skeletor rip-off!" Sideways covered the other paths with large rifts, covering the exits. "Drop the jewel and no one gets hurt."
"Not what I'd use, but yes. That cut looks rather nasty," Cain said. "Being real isn't all that's cracked up to be, is it?" Cain was ready to smack Destiny's head off.
"Indeed. I'll have to work on that. In the meantime, Punchline did teach me something." Dr. Destiny pulled out a belt stocked with grenades from inside his coat. "When cornered, blow everything sky high!"
"Why is that always the last resort of every bad guy in history?!" Sideways asked.
Dr. Destiny pulled the pin before tossing the belt at the remaining civilians and where Metamorpho was holding the two sides from attacking each other.
"No!" Sideways jumped after the grenade belt.
He created a rift before himself. He snatched the belt before making another rift far above the forbidden city. With all his superhuman strength, he tossed the belt into the rift, letting a shockwave of the explosion push him back. He crashed into Punchline, making her lose her balance. This gave Kim the perfect opportunity to punch Punchline in the face, knocking her out.
Dr. Destiny used this chance to escape. In a flash of red, he disappeared, much to Cain's anger and annoyance.
"Damnation! He slipped through our fingers once more!" Cain glared ready to kill someone.
"Perhaps," Nite Owl dropped the last of the terrorists before walking towards Metamorpho. "But we did stop his plans, did we not?"
"Ow, what took you so long?" Sideways groaned.
"I was stuck dealing with the rest of Punchline's forces," Nite Owl replied. "I also took the time to come up with a chemical formula for an antidote."
"Good luck getting the equipment to make it." Kim held her arm, glaring at the knocked out Punchline. "Her chemicals are active for 24 hours and the longer they're untreated the worse the damage will be."
"It is good then that we have our own chemical lab on two legs." Nite Owl showed the formula to Metamorpho. "Can you make it?"
Metamorpho looked at the formula while still holding both sides from attacking each other.
"It's a bit complicated, but I think I can pull it off." Metamorpho shifted the chemicals in his body, letting gasses come out of his hands.
The two sides inhaled the vapors, taking in deep breaths of the stuff. Little by little they stopped struggling. They dropped their weapons before they fell down, limp like little children after a long day.
Metamorpho slowly put them down.
"Phew, they're okay now. But we should call someone to check up on them." Metamorpho let out a breath.
"I'll ask Director Betty to think of a cover story for what happened." Kim turned to the knocked out Punchline. "As soon as I put this one in a deep dark cell with no doors or windows."
"I advise against it." Nite Owl stood between them. "We'll take her."
"What?!" Everyone asked.
"You can't be serious!" Kim snapped. "She's a dangerous lunatic and terrorist! You have no idea what she's done to so many people! The graveyards she's filled, the friends and loved ones she's crippled, all need to be answered for!"
"Which is why she'll help us save all realities." Nite Owl turned to Cain. "She's the only one that's broken free of Dr. Destiny's grip. She could hold an insight into how his mind works. Besides, I would hardly call you lending her to us as getting off scot free. She'll work with us under my direct supervision. Not to mention the House of Mystery is the perfect detention facility for someone as crafty and tricky as her."
Cain hated to admit it, but Nite Owl's words were getting to him. The woman was dangerous, no way around it. But she also processed an insight into the mind of Dr. Destiny. She could consult their next moves to get one step ahead of the rogue nightmare. Besides, the House of Mystery rarely allowed anyone to leave that was part of his collection. So, with a weary sigh, he reached a decision.
Metamorpho and Sideways weren't liking the idea one bit. They both voted for Punchline to be put in a straightjacket in a place where she couldn't harm anyone.
"This is a bad idea," Kim said.
"My dear, can you guarantee that Ms. Punchline won't slip out of your grasp before your allies arrive?" Cain asked. "Or that you won't murder her in the meantime?"
Kim narrowed her eyes at Punchline. She wasn't going to lie, she hated Punchline for what she had done. There wasn't a day that she didn't want to make her suffer every torture she'd dealt onto others. She had paralyzed Ron, almost killed her brothers, put her family under witness protection, killed her best friend Monique, made Wade go underground. The list went on. If she was left alone with no one to watch her back, she would cross that line.
"Once she's done helping you as your consultant, send her to these coordinates." Kim handed Sideways information on a card. "That's the jail she'll spend the rest of her life in. I don't ever want to see her again."
"It is a deal then." Cain nodded as Nite Owl swung Punchline over his shoulder.
"Don't like this," Metamorpho said.
"Yeah, I'm not sleeping next to her," Sideways agreed.
Deep inside the House of Mystery, Punchline awoke on a bed with Nite Owl working on his own things across from her.
"Did you sleep well?" Nite Owl asked.
"Like the dead," Punchline replied. " I can't help but notice that I'm not in some dungeon or tied up. What's the catch?" She rolled to her side.
"You're to aid us as our criminal consultant until I say so." Nite Owl turned to face her.
"You sound like a schemer. What's stopping me from killing you?" Punchline asked.
"This scheme is right up your alley. And it'll make all those horrible things you've done look like childsplay." Nite Owl lifted her chin. "It'll be the Punchline worthy of your name."
Punchline smiled like the cat that was about to eat the canary. Her chest felt warm. Could this be love? Adoration? No matter.
"I'm a murderous psychopath." Punchline kissed Nite Owl. "I'm in."
Chapter 6: Bronze Tiger
Summary:
Earth -2202
What if Smithsville/Emilyville was protected by a fierce tiger?
Chapter Text
The multiverse is more than just a prism…
It is ever expanding and ever growing…
A place where one choice, one fork on the road can lead to many opportunities…
But every spark of brilliance there is a spark of madness…
These are the stories of both…
Punchline had long learned to be the kind to roll with the punches before she started punching back. Even as she was bounced from dead end job to dead end job like everyone else in her world, she knew that the first rule of all fights is knowing where to hit and make the most damage. Regardless of the situation, you had to know where to hit and that was something she needed to learn fast with her new environment. For all intents and purposes, she was a prisoner with an explosive collar wrapped around her neck if she didn't do exactly what her new boss wanted her to do.
The thought of him meeting her on the same level and seeing the cosmic joke made her smile like a mad woman in an asylum. And the idea that he was scheming with her in mind made her giggle like a little girl in a candy store. Oh the fun she could have with him and all the other playthings they would be picking up on their way. But she needed to play along with the other boring squares that were tagging along. After all, every game had those pawns that needed to act as cannon fodder for the real players to work their magic. So she would play the part of a consultant while looking for the openings that she wanted to strike and hurt the most.
At least she could walk through the corridors of the House of Mystery… But she couldn't enter any room alone without supervision. At least, the pieces of the collection were fun to look at if not dangerous to touch.
"I bet I could do a lot of damage with these things." Punchline looked at a pair of swords crossing a shield that showed a rising sun with a green lantern-like symbol over it.
She looked back, making sure that no one was around. Reaching out to snatch the weapons, she tested how the new choker on her neck would react.
"Hands off the displays."
Punchline turned to see the most annoying babysitters she'd ever had to deal with.
Metamorpho and Sideways looked at her like a pair of guard dogs at a junkyard waiting for a reason to pounce on her. Their eyes were fixed on her, their bodies tensing and ready to attack if she gave them a reason to do so.
"Word to the wise, Cain hates when his pieces are touched by anyone that isn't him." Sideways remarked, crossing his arms. "I swear I saw him cast some curse on one of the plants to eat people's faces."
"Oh, I didn't know you cared so much~." Punchline walked towards Sideways, swaying her hips. "Don't tell me that you're a stickler for rules, Sidey. You could show me the best places in this house if you want me to keep my hands to myself. Or maybe I could show you some things~?" Punchline leaned forwards, letting the young hero catch a glimpse of her tight suit.
Sideways took a step back, inwardly thanking that he had a mask to cover his blush. What could he say? He was a young man with little experience in romance and a drop dead gorgeous femme fatale was just stirring up his hormones. There was something about the danger and the sexiness of her that made him putty in her hands. His mind tried to focus on the more pressing matters, like the fact she was a psychotic terrorist that would stab them all to death for a gag.
"Step back, lady." Metamorpho stepped between them.
"Aw~, big brother is here." Punchline pulled back with a smile like an innocent little girl. "Guess we will have to have fun some other time, bye bye, Sidey~!" She waved at him goodbye before walking away from them.
As soon as Punchline rounded the corner, Sideways let out a breath that he was holding.
"Damn, that woman is evil as sin." Sideways shook himself. "My mom always warned me about women like her. I thought she was kidding."
"Yeah, she's good at pushing buttons and that's one of the reasons she's dangerous." Metamorpho looked at Sideways. "I've met a few like her. Last thing you wanna give them is any information they can use against you. Or giving them free reign inside the place they're at."
"Still can't believe that we're working with a wanted terrorist or that Nite Owl convinced Cain to get her onboard," Sideways said. "Why couldn't we have asked Ms. Possible to come with us? Bet she would be a much cooler and less creepy company. Present company excluded, dude." He held up his hands in defense.
"Don't worry, kid. I share the feeling." Metamorpho looked at the direction Punchline had gone to. "Hopefully, this won't be a long term arrangement. It kinda feels that for every time we get close to Dr. Destiny, there is always something or someone that helps him slip away."
"Man must be crazy lucky." Sideways scratched his chin. "Ernie would say a little too lucky."
Cain looked through his many books to help him create a perfect trap for Dr. Destiny. Sadly, most of the information he was looking at was either too obvious or not meant to counter the Dream Stone. With the wounds he'd received, Dr. Destiny would be very careful with hsi next move. Plus there was a chance that he was still looking for a place with the resources to alter the Dream Stone to suit his needs. His thoughts were cut short when he noticed that he wasn't alone.
"Shouldn't you have a chaperone, Ms. Kaye?" Cain asked, calmly turning around to meet Punchline's smiling face.
"Nite Owl said to get used to my new surroundings," Punchline replied. "So, he told me to take a stroll through your little palace of relics. Must be tempting to use some of these things and have a confrontation with anyone that pisses you off." Punchline leaned on a glowing orb that showed an icy kingdom caught in a perpetual snowstorm.
"Now, why would I ever do that?" Cain asked. "I'm just a humble collector of stories and fables and one or two antiques. Starting wars and going for bloody vengeance is something I do in my spare time to those that have earned my ire." Cain towered over Punchline, making her move to her next object of interest.
"Does that mean that even you play games or prefer to make your own rules?" Punchline asked, leaning next to a bottle of size altering potions with the words 'Don't Drink' printed on the glass.
Cain kept his eyes on her, well aware of her cat and mouse game. He was not foolish enough to reveal information of vital importance to someone like Punchline with such ease. There were things his master wouldn't like to be revealed to common mortals. But he was tempted to tell her and then kill her for getting too close to some of his possessions. But he held his hand. If Nite Owl was right, she could be the key to solving this Dr. Destiny dilemma.
"Is there something you need, Ms. Kaye?" Cain asked, pulling her away from a singing trident he'd collected from Atlantis.
"I'm bored. Tell me one of your famous stories," Punchline said. "Like, what's the story of this thing?" She pointed to a bag of snacks across the room.
The bag looked exactly like any other normal snack bag one would find at their local supermarket, grocery store or convenience store or snack cart at the corner of the street. However, there was something odd about the snack bag in question. It was bright yellow, big enough to fit in one's palm and it had 'Proud Snacks' printed on the front with brown letters on top of the picture of a man that looked like a scarecrow. It definitely didn't look like something Cain would collect, let alone keep.
"Don't tell me that's just your snack, is it?" Punchline asked.
"As a matter of fact, my dear, I wouldn't force feed the contents of this bag to my most vile enemies. Nor any mongrel in fact. Not even I am that cruel." Cain watched as Punchline made her way to the snack bag.
"What? Why? Is it poisoned or something?" She innocently asked.
Cain forced back a giggle. If the contents of the bag were poisonous or contaminated in any manner that would be one thing. But those snacks were something much more. Which reminded him of a story-
"I think I've seen one before." Punchlines words
"Come again?" Cain asked. "You must be mistaken, Ms. Kaye. There are only so many worlds that have these… things and yours isn't one of them."
"Huh, must've been Dr. Destiny's thing then," Punchline shrugged.
"What? You saw Dr. Destiny picture the world this bag came from?" Cain looked like he was ready to bite her.
"I'm telling you what I saw," Punchline said. "Come on, give me one reason to lie about something so specific." She smirked, looking at Cain.
Cain wanted to find some flaw or call that the young woman was bluffing. But peering into the woman's mind was like taking a dip into the swamp while alligators were in heat. He couldn't trust a word she said to him but he could also not think of what she could win by tricking him. She knew the stakes of what was going on, and she knew that if she didn't cooperate with them she'd meet a most gruesome end. That was the problem with working with twisted madmen, and women, one could never see what scared them and what didn't. But, if playing her game got them results…
"It all started when I took a stroll through the California west coast," He sighed.
"OH, goodie! Where did the Devil go down to check the sights?" Punchline clapped like a little child.
"That's a different story," Cain quickly cut her off. "This is more a story of a man that thought he could trick his way to easy riches, a poor girl in search of a purpose, a deadly trio in search for power, and a young man that saw himself as the only one that could stand up against corruption. I call this story…"
"The Tiger's Shadow"
Earth -2202
What if Smithsville/Emilyville was protected by a fierce tiger?
Cain walked through the streets of Smithsville-now renamed Emilyville. He'd heard very few things about the city, mostly it resembled any other city that was next to the Pacific Ocean of the Western United States. And yet, he couldn't shake the feeling like something was amiss. He looked around and wondered what it could be. He stroked his beard wondering what it could be. He saw all the usual signs of a normal city in California. There was a drought. There were jacked up prices for commodities. There were people of Latin descent explaining why 'Latinx' wasn't a thing in countries outside the U.S. There were young activists and social justice warriors spouting how unfair the world was.
Everything seemed to be rather normal. Which made Cain wonder why there was the strange stench of evil in the air. He looked into the shadows of the alleys and spotted some shadowy figures moving. With a raised eyebrow, he followed after the strange figures in silence.
"I had almost given up hope that this world was somewhat interesting, when I caught sight of something that made me smile."
Cain turned his head to peek into the alley and saw a bunch of men wearing large coats and dark hats talking about insidious businesses.
"You sure the bosses were cool with us doing this in broad daylight?"
"Call it whatever you want, Smithsville, Emilyville, Monkeyville, it don't matter. It's business as usual."
"Yeah, as long as we listen to the real masters of the city, we're going to be rolling in dough. So you got the stuff?"
"I got the stuff." The first man pulled up a briefcase. "I still think we should've met at night or some place more private."
"You wanna argue with the Trio?"
The man's face went pale before shaking it like crazy."
"Thought so. Let's see it."
The third man pulled up the briefcase, opening it to reveal large doses of glowing green drugs ready to be spread through the city. The other two men smiled at the pieces before them, wondering what they could do with all of it. The first one picked up one of the biles and watched it against the light of the sun with a smile. Every community and city had its own drug or substance problem and their bosses were upping the ante. Because what he had in his hand was not something so common as crack or heroin. The thing the third man had brought was something else.
"Venom." The first man smiled. "Looks legit."
"Straight from Santa Prisca's cartels." The third man answered. "They sent this package to see what can be done before establishing a major shipment of the stuff to the city and into the states."
"I know a few people that would love to have these super steroids pumped into their system," the second man said. "But the bosses will want a guinea pig before selling them to the major athletes. Anyone in mind?"
"Excuse me, gentlemen!"
The criminals scurried to hide their illegal loot, turning around to see a man accompanied by a monkey wearing an employee suit. The man was a skinny African American man with a smug smile, short black hair and a goofy aura of him. He wore a long white shirt with a light purple tie, blue pants and black shoes. He approached the criminals with a goofy grin while the monkey dragged a cart filled with what looked like snack bags.
"Good afternoon, Oscar Proud, owner and founder of the Proud brand of Snacks." Oscar shook the criminal's hand in a frantic manner. "Or Proud Snacks as you've obviously heard. And I'm here to give you the chance of a lifetime. Being the first to try my new, all-good, all natural, all delicious, Proud Snacks. Now with lemon and salt." Oscar handed the criminals three yellow bags of his snacks.
Cain had met and seen many different people over the course of his existence, and in most cases he could tell exactly who they were with a glance. And he could safely say that the man in question was a bit of a… dumbass. The classic fool that thought was the big cheese only for life to knock them down a peg. And he could see that the ne'er-do wells had arrived at the same conclusion.
"And you think we're interested in these snacks… because?" The first criminal asked, slowly reaching for his gun.
"Because my trained eyes can tell what you are." Oscar pointed to one of his eyes. "Fellow entrepreneurs!" He claimed as the criminals pulled back from their weapons.
The three criminals didn't know if the man was an idiot or simply didn't read the room at all.
"So, please, take a bite and tell me what you think." Oscar handed each of them a bag, much to their confusion and annoyance.
"This is why we do things at closed off places, we avoid the weirdos," the third criminal whispered.
"What was that?" Oscar asked.
The three criminals hid the briefcase before each opening their respective bags.
"Nothing, something caught in his throat." The first criminal said. "We'll take a bite of… of these and see if we can do… business with you." He did his best to keep himself cool and collected in front of the fool that could identify them.
Oscar smiled like he was about to win the lottery as the three criminals grabbed a hand of the snacks. They ate the contents of the bags, chewing like it was just any other snack. But then it happened. Their brains processed the flavor of the snacks inside their mouths. It was sour, incredibly sour. Almost like they were tasting pure concentrated bitter lemons. But that was only the beginning, the inside of the flavor was followed up by the intoxicating flavor of rotten fish after it had been marinated in the most bitter of vinegar. They tried to spit it out for the sake of their mouths, but the strange chewy consistency of the snacks got them stuck on their teeth. They were trapped with their mouths practically filled with a chemical poison that would leave them praying for cyanide.
All this however was not passing through Oscar's mind. All he saw were three men that couldn't stop enjoying his latest concoction. To him, this was a victory and a chance to beat his nemesis, Wizard Kelly. He let out a laugh as the three men looked at each other like they were loving the new snacks he'd given them. Although, in reality they were trying to find a way to spit out the foul concoction from their mouths and drink bleach to get rid of the flavor.
"Ha, ha, I knew you'd like it, fellas!" Oscar smacked one of them in the back, making him swallow the snacks. "Here's a few more with my card. Call me and we'll do business together. Let's go Mr. Chimp."
Oscar and Mr. Chimp walked away from the three criminals as they managed to spit out the horrible snacks with vomit.
"Oh my god, I can still taste it." The third criminal spat out.
"I'm never complaining about my mother-in-law's cooking ever again." The second criminal wiped his tongue with his sleeves.
"That wasn't cooking. That was a chemical attack." The first criminal pulled out his gun, aiming it at Oscar. "We're about to do our civil service, boys."
As the criminal was about to pull the trigger when a sharp kick came down on his arm, hitting his wrist. He screamed as the gun went off, missing Oscar by a few inches.
"Huh, someone's car must've backfired." Oscar shrugged before heading out of the alley.
The criminal looked at his hand, and broken wrist before he turned around to see what had attacked him. Only for him to get punched in the face with a hard fist covered in yellow gloves that were as tough as knuckle dusters. He felt his face bones crack and shatter before another punch cracked him across the face. He was sent back as a sharp kick to the stomach, courtesy of a bright yellow boot. The man fell to the ground before the other two looked at their attacker.
"You three should know better," a voice spoke. "The concrete jungle has its own predators."
The owner of the voice was a tall young African American man with tanned skin, black hair cut in a buzzed top style with bright yellow eyes. His face was covered with yellow stripes that made it look like he had the fangs of a tiger digging into his face. His body was sharpened by countless hours of training and looked like he could put martial artists to shame and snap people in half with one hand. He wore an orange leotard with a s-neck, a tiger skin harness around his chest connecting to a yellow diamond, a black belt around his waist. His hands and feet were covered with yellow gloves and boots with tiger printed borders.
"And this is the Bronze Tiger's jungle," He growled.
The other two criminals pulled out their own guns, but Bronze Tiger closed the distance between them. He punched the second criminal in the face before, smacking the third criminal's gun out of his hand. Grabbing the third criminal's arm, he kneed it from below, breaking it before spinning on his heel and kicking the second criminal in the face. He didn't stop. His fist punched and beat the criminals, without any mercy. He punched them in the jaws, kicked them in the knees, before flipping them against the brick walls, knocking them out with great pain. Each blow he had landed on them was a painful strike against them, much like how a tiger would dispose of a rival or a threat to its home.
Bronze Tiger picked up the briefcase from the ground, opening it up to see the biles of Venom. He closed it up before looking around for anyone else. Unbeknownst to him, Cain watched him from the shadows as he left the three badly beaten crooks in the ground.
"I had never seen such ferocity from one so young. I must say that the thought of seeing what he would do next intrigued me. This young tiger would lead me to something else entirely."
Cain picked up the leftover bag of snacks. Not like he needed to eat at all, but he was curious as to what these things were. He took a whiff of the bag's contents and quickly recoiled in horror and disgust.
"I've known poisons more inviting to the pallet than these snacks. Was he a serial poisoner or just a madman with no taste?" Cain put the bag in his pocket. "It'll be a good souvenir regardless." He walked after the young man for more of the story.
Penny groaned at her luck. Her boyfriend was out of the city for a recital, her 'friends' had left her hanging on their study group for a smoothie run, and her dad had forgotten to pick her up from the library. That's how she ended up carrying lots of books on a presentation she would have to do most of the work on. At least the Gross Sisters weren't around to get her money. They had told her that it wasn't worth kicking someone that was already down. It was sad when the school bullies were more considerate than her actual friends.
"I swear, I can't wait to get out of this city," Penny hissed. "If it's not dad's greed-fueled antics, it's Dijoney or Lasienega or Maya's nonsense." She carried the books from the library before tripping.
She fell forward, closing her eyes before hitting the floor. But she never touched it. A pair of strong arms pulled her up before snatching her books.
"I see that you're still surrounding yourself with poor company, Penn."
Penny turned around, recognizing the voice all too well. She saw Benjamin Turner, her old neighbor and older brother figure.
"Ben!" Penny hugged Benjamin as he held her books. "When did you came back?! It's been years, boy!"
"I came back about a week ago," Benjamin replied. "I've been getting used to the old stomping grounds. What have you been up to? Finally out of middle school?"
"I'm half way through high school, if you must know, Ben. As you can see, I'm a woman." Penny twirled, striking a pose. "But man, look at you. You look fierce, and quite sturdy. Where the heck have you been?"
"China for the most part, working my way from there through Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Had a lot of work from then on, mostly security and keeping folks from doing stupid things." Benjamin explained. "I take it things haven't been changing much here?" They walked down the street.
"Where do I start?" Penny groaned. "Dad is still chasing an easy get rich scheme, mom is practically keeping the family in one piece, I'm looking for a job, and my so-called girlfriends are flakier than a snowflake in the desert. Sometimes this place seems like it just isn't going anywhere. I'm saving to go to a good college and get far from here." She looked at the street, at the seemingly normal place where she was stuck in.
But Benjamin didn't see that. His eyes noted several crimes and actions that would affect everyone. He saw a waiter stealing from the cash register, a cheating husband going out with his mistress, a woman snatching a wallet, and a drug peddler giving their clients their fix. It was all under the surface, hidden in plain sight for any to see if they tried.
"You'd be surprised how some cities are a little too similar to each other regardless," Benjamin said.
The two of them continued walking until they reached the Proud Family home. It looked just like how Benjamin remembered it. Apart from the mobile pet hospital that was parked on the driveway.
"Hey, mom, guess who I ran into?" Penny opened the door, gesturing to Benjamin behind her.
"Hello, Mrs. Proud." Benjamin waved at Trudy.
"Oh my gosh! Benjamin Turner, is that really you?" Trudy went to hug the young man. "Look at you, you're a man now. I remember when you were babysitting Penny and used to chase after her."
"Not my fault she got into trouble," Benjamin replied, causing Penny to pout.
"So, you moving back here to Smith-I mean, Emilyville?" Trudy asked.
"Yeah, I got a job at the local gym I used to train in and I'm just trying to get reacquainted with the new normal around these parts," Benjamin said. "I bet a lot has happened to even rename the place."
Penny and Trudy looked at each other, remembering all the insanity and craziness that their family had gotten involved with. It had been trying and had left a lot of them both humbled and wiser in some cases. It didn't help that Oscar often got involved in some crazy schemes that ended up backfiring on him and the family big time because of his greed. But at least they still had each other.
"Yo, Trudy! Where's dinner at, baby?!" Oscar came into the house.
"Some things haven't really changed." Trudy got up from the table. "Oscar, we have a guest."
"If it's from the bank, I ain't here." Oscar then caught sight of Benjamin and how he was close to Penny. "Hey, who's this little punk, Penny? Don't tell me you're two-timing that Karim kid. He looks like he has a toothache or something." Oscar got in Benjamin's face.
"Nice to see some things haven't changed." Benjamin got up from his seat, letting Oscar see his full size.
Oscar's bravado died as soon as he saw Ben's full size. Not only was he almost as tall as him but he had more than enough muscle to snap him like a toothpick. Now that he stood eye to eye with the young man, he didn't see a mere boy but something dangerous. It was the same kind of feeling that a chihuahua dog had when they then stood face to face with a doberman dog as it growled. But Ben didn't do anything but look at Oscar before Trudy stepped in.
"Oscar! This is Benjamin Turner, our old neighbor." Trudy smacked Oscar over the head.
"Huh? This is little BT?" Oscar looked at Ben up and down not fully believing a little kid would look like this monster. "Dang son, what are they feeding you?! Ain't you a little big for a 16 year-old?"
"I'm in my twenties, Mr. Proud." Ben crossed his arms.
"Wait, really? My baby girl is too young to date you!" Oscar tried to puff up his chest, but Ben didn't budge.
"Daddy!" Penny snapped.
"I'm not asking her out, Mr. Proud. I just came by to say hello," Ben replied. "And from what Penny has told me, she's off the market as some would say."
Penny covered her face in embarrassment from her father. She saw Ben like an older brother and often looked up to him. And now she couldn't help but hope he didn't listen to her father. It seemed like her father just had to stick his foot in his mouth every time he spoke. Part of her wished that there was something, anything to get her away from this conversation.
The doorbell rang, and she quickly sprang to get it.
"I'll get it!" Penny opened the door, hoping it was something to get her mind off of the situation. "Oh… it's you." Her mood soured almost immediately.
"Girl, where have you been?" Asked a lady by the name of Dijoney Johns.
If Penny was the normal, responsible girl of the group, Dijoney was the loud trashy girl that made people run for the hills. It didn't help that the girl literally left Penny hanging for everything and she had to clean up afterwards. Penny sometimes wondered why she hung out with her at all.
"I don't know, Dijoney, maybe the library? Doing research for our journalism project?" Penny asked.
"Oh… that was today?" Dijoney asked innocently. "I could've sworn it was tomorrow. You should've texted, girl."
Penny pulled up her phone, showing Dijoney all the texts she'd sent her. It was a long list. And all the while, Penny had a sour look on her face.
"Um, oops," Dijoney said.
"'Oops'? That's all you have to say?" Penny asked.
"Sorry, but Lacienega offered us a ride in her new car and we all went for smoothies at Wizard Shake!" Dijoney took a selfie holding up her smoothie.
"I see there are things that really haven't changed." Ben walked up behind Penny.
Dijoney looked at Ben and suddenly dropped her smoothie. Hearts sprung from her eyes as she howled like a wolf before pushing Penny out of the way. If there was anything that would characterize Dijoney more than being a bad friend, it was thinking with what would be a woman's lower head. She salivated at the sight of Ben and all but was ready to jump his bones.
"Why hello there, baby~. What brings a hot thing like you to this neck of the woods~?" Dijoney asked with a sultry smile. "If you're looking for some fun, you can just call me-" Dijoney clung to Ben's shoulder, only for Ben to move out of the way to let her fall.
"Dijoney Johns. I know who you are," Ben said. "I've known you for ten years." He helped Penny up. "And I see your taste in friends hasn't improved."
"Hey, you're my friend too, Ben." Penny smiled.
"Hold up, hold up, hold up! Penny, girlfriend, you know this stud~?" Dijoney asked, practically drooling.
"Dijoney-It's Ben." Penny asked, but Dijoney was still in Lala Land. "Benjamin Turner. He lived a couple of houses next door. You called him cat face when we were five?"
"Don't ring a bell." Dijoney denied.
"Yeah, I guess that happens a lot, mayonnaise." Ben turned to Penny. "Gotta go, Penny. Hope to see you around. Stay safe."
Penny waved Ben goodbye as Dijoney drooled as he walked away.
"He already gave me a pet name~." Dijoney melted to the floor.
"You just ignored the part where he called you empty headed, huh?" Penny walked back inside her house, leaving Dijoney outside.
Unbeknownst to the entire neighborhood, Cain observed the whole thing with a curious cat-like grin.
"And that's how a young man set out to right the wrongs of the city…"
"So, please, pray tell, what would Dr. Destiny would want with him?" Cain asked.
Back in the present, Cain finished his story. Punchline, however, was not very into giving out easy answers for his questions.
"I didn't quite get it the first time, but it might've had something to do with Looney Tune physics, something, something, an ancient totem of power, something like that." She smiled at Cain, who did not look amused.
"Are you telling me that Dr. Destiny is going into that world for the possibility of gaining cartoonish physics on his side with twisted ramifications for the Dream Stone?" Cain asked, but only got a creepy smile for his troubles. "I suppose a world that brought forth the twisted mind of Oscar Proud would be invaluable to the machinations of Dr. Destiny." He sighed.
"Yuppie! Time for a field trip!" Punchline cheered.
Cain didn't doubt for a second that this was most likely a trick from Punchline to escape their captivity. Her mind was like a labyrinth of different possibilities, each more dangerous and deranged than the other. But that was the reason she was capable of escaping Dr. Destiny's influence and was therefore their best chance at getting one over him. Regardless, he was not about to let someone like her off her leash anytime soon. He summoned his allies to the room before calling forth the door to the next realm they were going to.
"Wow, back to work so soon, boss?" Sideways asked.
"Yes, as the saying goes, no rest for the wicked." Cain turned to Nite Owl. "You want her to be our consultant, you keep an eye on her. If she steps out of line, both of you will suffer."
"Understood." Nite Owl stood unflinching as Punchline popped from behind him.
"Don't worry, boss man. I know how to work with men in tight uniforms." Punchline dusted off Nite Owl's shoulder. "We could even try to find another color set that fits you better~."
Cain, Metamorpho and Sideways weren't sure what they were looking at. Part of their minds wondered if the crazy villainess was pulling a trick of some kind. While another part wondered if she was actually attracted to him. None of them wanted to get the answers to that question. Punchline was crazier than a bag of cats and quite frankly far more dangerous than any feline they had ever met. Probably best to keep a safe distance from her. And yet they had to make sure that she was held in a tight leash.
"I suppose you three want me to keep an eye on Punchline?" Nite Owl looked at the group.
"Yes," they all replied simultaneously.
"Now that's an idea I can get behind." Punchline licked her lips.
"But just to be on the safe side." Cain pulled out a black choker with white spikes. "This will help me track her. If she gets more than 10 meters away from you, she'll be brought back to the House of Mystery, and into a locked room full of hungry beasties."
"Kinky." Punchline lifted her hair as Nite Owl put the collar on her.
Cain summoned the door, wanting this conversation to be over fast. He was not a prune in any sense of the word. But Punchline's advances were just getting under his skin. And those that did that ended up skinned by his hand.
The door popped up before their eyes, cutting the mad display of dangerous courting short.
It looked like it was split in two by a pair of claws tearing it apart. The upper part of the door was colored purple while made out of leather. It had the picture of a happy family with parents, three children, an uncle, a grandma and a small white dog that was biting the father's ear. The lower part of the door looked like it had been shredded by a pair of claws and fangs. It showed a dark city with three tall buildings and the roaring face of a tiger baring its fangs at them.
"This one looks rather colorful," Sideways said.
"Yeah, hope we don't run into any tigers." Metamorpho remembered the incident in the zoo when he was young. "Those cats were very angry back then."
"Well, this should be interesting to say the least." Cain opened the door before they all walked into the next world.
The group followed after Cain, arriving at the city of Emilyville without much trouble or need to fight. Though their arrival did get them some weird looks from a few of the residents.
"Live your truth brother!"
"It's okay to be straight!"
"Down with the rich white man in power!"
"My truth?" Metamorpho asked. "I come from the future and it just sounds weird to me."
"I think it's probably best to keep to the shadows lest we get dragged into this…" Cain watched a LGBTQ+ pride parade with dancers, streamers, lots of boas, feathers painted like rainbows and drag queen carts passing by. "I want to say a representation of what the ancient Greeks and Roman would've believed Dionysis lived every day in his religion."
"Yeah, we should probably head out. Any idea where to start boss?" Metamorpho asked.
"Split up to cover more ground. Metamorpho, Sideways, head to the west and east side of the city, I'll check the north, Nite Owl-" Cain turned to see Nite Owl and Punchline missing. "Where are they?"
"Man, now that's rude." Sideways said.
Meanwhile, in a tall tower in the middle of the city, Wizard Kelly spun his signature basketball as he signed some papers on his desk. He was easily the tallest man in the city and he felt like the king of the world. He didn't care what was the point of some of the papers he was signing, all he knew was that he was getting richer with each signature. Sure he had to make a few changes here and there, but they were necessary evils that would bring in the mighty dollar to his pocket. All he needed was some hot piece of-
"Excuse me, Mr. Kelly." The pretty young blonde secretary popped out the door. "There are three individuals that need to speak to you. They said it's urgent."
"Oh, tell them to come later, and get in here to help me with some papers, baby." Wizard Kelly put his feet on his desk.
"Um, actually sir, they-"
"Get your feet off the desk, Kelly. Don't forget who paid for it." The door opened up to reveal three imposing people walking into the office without a second thought.
The first one was a large muscular man wearing a dark blue suit with a white shirt and a black tie. He gave off the intimidating air of a shark on land walking towards the desk. The second one was a slim woman wearing a black suit with a matching skirt and sharp talon-like high heels. She looked at Wizard Kelly with the sharp eyes of a bird of prey, almost aiming at the man's jugular. And the third one was a lean man wearing a brown suit with an orange tie and handkerchief in his coat pocket. He led the trio up to Wizard Kelly, who instantly dropped his basketball and fell on his ass.
Wizard Kelly looked at the three with fear in his heart. He knew who they were and every time they came over was not a good thing. Fear gripped his heart like when prey was surrounded by three predators. A fear he was reminded of by the masks all three wore. The first one wore a shark mask, the second one wore a vulture's mask and the last one wore a fox mask.
Fox turned to the young secretary, who shrank in fear.
"Leave, sweetheart, Kelly will be busy the rest of the day," Fox said. "And close the door."
The secretary closed the door before grabbing her stuff and running out of the building.
"Now, Kelly, we need to discuss a few irregularities with our numbers." Fox placed his hands on the table as Shark picked up Kelly by the arms.
"And don't try to weasel out." Vulture circled Kelly, lifting his chin up with one hand. "We know everything that passes for business in this little city."
"Y-Y-Yeah, sirs and madam." Kelly began to sweat. "If it's about the whole changing the city name and the statue business, I got rid of those brats just like you asked. I-I thought you'd be pleased."
"Don't get us wrong, Kelly. Putting those sheep and brats on a false trail was the best way for us to get all those nasty government secrets without anyone knowing. Now we have increased our fortunes by 15%." Fox leaned forward. "Afterall, give the sheep a flashy coin to chase after and well… How would you put it, Shark?"
"Go after it like a school of sharks after blood," Shark replied.
"Couldn't have put it better myself." Fox smiled a toothy grin. "Which brings us to how you managed to sneak something that didn't belong to you. In the middle of the chaos, you snatched a few of those documents from the CIvil War. Which pointed to the location of a secret underwater port. And you know how Shark feels about you dipping your feet in the water."
Shark growled at Kelly, making him shrink in fear.
"Our deal with the Santa Prisca Cartel requires silence and a smooth transportation of their illicit product into the United States." Vulture chimed in. "And when we hear that you take something in secret, we wonder if you're trying to screw us over."
Kelly began to sweat. He had thought of making the port into a tourist attraction for deep sea sightseeing with his name and face on it. It was a quick cash grab for him. Usually, his bosses were fine with him being the center of attention. But of course, he was now being brought back down to Earth for thinking too big.
They had picked him from the crowd and made him the face that would front for their control. And they were never above reminding him when he cost them.
"I-I didn't think you'd mind, is all," Kelly said. "I mean, no one knows about the Terrible Trio-"
"Shark." Fox growled.
Shark grabbed Kelly's tie, slamming him into his desk without blinking.
"What have we told you about that name?" Fox asked.
"N-Not to u-use it." Kelly held his nose, fearing it might be broken.
"Correct. Now, thanks to your little scheme, the cartels have been struck by a little problem," Vulture said. "A vigilante."
Kelly looked at Vulture like she'd told him something that didn't make sense. He turned to the other two members of the Terrible Trio expecting there to be a joke in there. But he already knew the answer. Everything was serious with them.
"Yes. Someone has been hitting our street businesses and stole all the product the Santa Prisca Cartel so graciously gave us." Fox leaned forward. "Had we known about the secret port, we would've arranged the dealers to spread out and sell it discreetly. But given we didn't know about it, we did everything in the middle of the day, which led to it being stolen. And now the cartel expects the earnings we promised them. So, either we get the product and sell it at twice the price or you cough up the dough."
"...Out of my pocket?" Kelly asked.
Fox pulled a small piece of paper, giving it to Kelly, who went white in the face.
"Hell no-!" Vulture placed a knife under Kelly's throat, shutting him up. "I-I-I mean, I'll get it back! I'll get the guy, promise!"
"Happy hunting then, Kelly," Fox said.
Nite Owl and Punchline watched the gym as Benjamin Turner sparred and practiced with another boxer.
"I'm surprised that you found him so easily, boss man," Punchline said.
"I merely looked for the biggest connections between crime and places where training could be done based on the information that you got from Cain." Nite Owl pulled out his phone, hacking the cameras inside the gym. "This Bronze Tiger shares many of my views on crime and injustice, yet he doesn't have the same resources that I do. He's gotten close to the information that I need for my plan."
"Want me to go down there and shake him up a bit?" Punchline drew one of her knives.
"No, that'll need to come later. But I can see him getting to where we want him in a few seconds." Nite Owl spotted Penny Proud walking into the gym with a sour look on her face.
Benjamin easily danced around the other boxer, dodging his attacks with ease and smacking him over the head like a teacher mentoring his pupil. He'd been up against some of the best and most dangerous fighters in the world, but this was far too easy for him. But, at least he was teaching these kids something useful for them to use if they ever needed it. It kept them off the streets and that was something he could work with.
"Don't swing wildly, look for an opening." Benjamin dodged. "And make sure you keep your stance when you throw a punch." He swatted away the punch of his partner as he fell down covered in sweat.
Benjamin helped the man up to his feet and out of the ring.
"Remember, you gotta work on your technique before going out to a big brawl." Ben spotted Penny growling at a punching bag. "Take a breather and some water. I'll be right back."
Penny muttered in anger and frustration as she glared holes at the punching bag.
"You know, most of the people that come here don't do it in skirts." Benjamin got Penny's attention. "Hey Penny, what's going on girl?"
"Hey, Ben. Sorry, I've just been stressed out is all. It seems like my friends are into some weird stuff as of late. Plus, Dijoney hasn't stopped asking for you since she saw you again." Penny growled. "Not to mention she's told Lacienega and Maya about you and all."
"You sound jealous," he said with a mocking smirk.
"Look, with all the weird and crazy stuff that sometimes happens here, I just want things to be normal. Would you like to meet them?" Penny asked.
"If they're anything like mayonaise, I'll pass," Benjamin said.
However, as soon as he said that, the doors busted open, revealing the rest of Penny's friends. With Dijoney leading the charge.
"There he is!" Dijoney rushed up to Ben knocking Penny out of the way. "I see you're all sweating for me~."
"D, how did you all get here?" Penny asked.
"I may have had Maya's bro hack your phone's location," Dijoney said offhandedly.
"Wait, what?" Penny pulled out her phone to see Maya's brother shrugging. "Unbelievable."
Benjamin sighed as it seemed there was nothing he could do. He might as well introduce himself.
"Fine, guys, this is Benjamin Turner. An old friend and neighbor that just came back." Penny introduced Ben to everyone. "Ben, these are Zoe, Michael, Dijoney you already know, Lacienega and Maya. Her family moved here at the beginning of the year."
Ben looked at the friend group and although he recognized Zoe, Michael, and Dijoney, sadly, he didn't know much about the last two. He tried not to assume anything, but he could tell that they weren't exactly 'friends' of Penny. Especially since Lacienega was giving him sultry eyes.
"So, where have you been keeping this man, Proud? Because he looks like he could use a guide around town~." Lacienega winked at him. "You look like a man that knows what he wants~."
"First off, good morning. Thanks for the offer but I know my way around the city just fine. And I would rather not get arrested because of your hormones," Ben said.
"Whoa, you did not just say that." Maya glared at Ben.
"Sorry if I was rude, but I'm working and the last thing I need is two underaged girls coming here and making assumptions with their flirts." He pointed to Dijoney, who looked about ready to pounce on him.
"Not that, I mean the other thing." Maya glared.
Ben looked at Penny who just gave him a confused look.
"Let me drop some knowledge about the word 'good', brother. Good is an ancient anglo-saxon word, go-od, meaning the absence of color. I.E. it's all good, which it could be, OR Good Will Huntin', meaning "I'm Hunting Brothas!" So when you say good morning, what you're telling me is "I'm gonna kill yo colored butt, first thing in the morning!"" Maya explained.
Ben and Penny looked at each other, wondering where the logic behind that came from. Ben wondered if the girl actually believed what she had just said. Penny for her part was deeply embarrassed about what most of her 'friends' were doing. One thing they could both agree on was that the three girls were bad news.
"...So, I was wondering if you wanted to grab a bite after work, my dad is celebrating getting a new deal with some investors for his snacks," Penny said.
"Your dad found investors for his… snacks?" Ben asked.
"I know, it's crazy. But they seem to be legit," Penny said. "Some big company called 'Big Three Shippers' wants to ship his snacks across the country. Guess that's a reason to celebrate."
Ben wasn't all that convinced. He'd tasted Oscar Proud's snacks before and based on what he'd seen the other day, the taste hadn't improved. If someone was willing to send out countless of those snacks across the country, there had to be another reason for it. But before his thoughts delved too deeply into those thoughts, he spotted something looking at him from across the street from the gym.
"Y-Yeah, I'll see what I can do, Penny. Gotta clear it with the boss first," Ben said. "It was… nice meeting you kids." He waved at them before heading out.
"He seemed nice." Zoe pointed out.
"I'll say," Michael said. "How come you never mentioned him, Pen?"
"He used to babysit me ten years ago, lived a block from my house before he moved," Penny explained. "He sent me a few cards and postcards over the years. He's like a big brother to me."
"In that case you won't mind someone else giving him a fun time~." Lacienega liked her lips at the thought of Ben.
"Move aside skinny, a man like that wants his girls with some meat on them!" Dijoney hip struck Lacienega. "This sister has plenty of that!"
"I think you're confusing meat with fat," Lacienega hissed.
"Well, he technically can't be with either since he is well over 18 and we're still in high school," Zoe pointed out, only to get glares from the girls. "But, um, there's nothing wrong with looking?"
Penny rolled her eyes as the two girls started fighting each other like a couple of hyenas over a piece of meat. Honestly, she could tell that Ben wasn't one for being surrounded by two horny girls and a bunch of kids. This also made her wonder if she should keep certain friendships. Lacienega was always mean to her and did her best to rub it in her face. Dijoney was flaky at best. And Maya was always ready to jump on someone's throat if they made any mistake. Maybe things would get better with Ben around and her daddy's new partners.
Back with Nite Owl and Punchline, they were waiting for Bronze Tiger to arrive and Punchline was having fun seeing the dysfunctional friend group.
"I bet those two girls end up marrying for sex and are penniless by the time they're thirty." Punchline pointed to Lacienega and Dijoney. "Ms. Woke, over there, will die bitter and alone because the world will break her down little by little. And BT's little bundle of joy will end up having to be basically a single mom working a job she may hate because the world will screw her over." Punchline giggled.
Nite Owl didn't care about her guesses, but from where he stood, he could see her being dangerously close. He heard something walking up behind him before ducking under a kick. He turned around, catching one of Bronze Tiger's punches. He pulled back before backhanding Nite Owl. Nite Owl ducked under the swing, only to be met with a knee heading his way. Nite Owl blocked the knee, lifting himself up with its momentum. He kicked Bronze Tiger in the stomach before exchanging blows with him once more. Bronze Tiger punched and jabbed, clawing at Nite Owl like a fierce tiger. But Nite Owl was just as much a trained warrior as him. Every punch was countered and returned. Bronze Tiger felt his opponent's punch grace his body slightly.
"Spying on kids on my turf, you must be stupid or have a death wish." Bronze Tiger jumped high and delivered a roundhouse kick to Nite Owl's head. "And you better stay away from them."
"Pretty words after two of them were trying to send you to jail." Punchline drew out her knives.
Bronze Tiger got cracked across the face by Nite Owl, before getting kicked in the stomach. He turned to block another punch with his forearm. He countered punching and kicking at Nite Owl who saw all his moves and countered with his own. Every blow he struck, he felt like he was punching steel. But this was not the first time he was up against an armored opponent. With a swift kick, he swiped under Nite Owl's feet, forcing him to jump. He jumped up, gracing Nite Owl's face with an uppercut. But instead, he received a palm strike to the face. Growling in pain, he stopped himself from reaching the edge.
"Enough, Bronze Tiger, we're not your enemies." Nite Owl walked up to him. "I'm here to offer you aid. You're outmatched and punching blindly. You're wasting your energy and you don't even know it."
"That's a lesson I've learned already." Bronze Tiger pulled out a pair of sharp clawed knuckle dusters, making them look like tiger claws. "When outmatched, cheat."
"Ooh, I like that lesson." Punchline twirled her knives.
Bronze Tiger launched to attack Nite Owl once more, only for Nite Owl to drop a smokebomb, blinding him. He coughed but kept his eyes open for anything.
"You've fought injustice and crime since you were young," Nite Owl spoke through the smoke. "You hardened and trained yourself with different masters because you know the truth of this world. Those in power keep the sheep in place and exploit them whenever they see fit."
Bronze Tiger spun around, punching at the smoke but missed. He closed his eyes as his opponent talked. He then heard a step behind him. He spun around, cutting Nite Owl's cheek before the vigilante tased him. He fell to the ground, growling.
"The company that's shipping Oscar Proud's snacks is a front run by Wizard Kelly." Bronze Tiger looked up at him in curiosity. "They are called the Terrible Trio and they're using Kelly as their front. They seek to use the snacks to transport Venom from Santa Prisca. The same kind you stole."
"W-Why are you telling me this?" Bronze Tiger asked.
"Because, I want to see the full extent of your commitment. Should this be discovered, Oscar Proud will be the fall guy, and his family would pay the price." Nite Owl reached out to Bronze Tiger. "Will you allow the cogs of the machine destroy them until they become part of it? Or will you break the machine and all those that control it? The world is rigged and you know it. Penny will end up following in her mother's footsteps. She's even the doormat for friends that don't really care for her. And you know where roads like that lead to. Join me, and I will grant you what you want more than anything."
Bronze Tiger knew that he shouldn't listen to this strange bird man. But he could tell that he was telling the truth. The world wasn't a fair place and as much of a fighter as he was, he could only hit the small fishes. He needed to find a way to hit the big ones. He also needed to find a way to help the Proud Family, he would not have them pay for someone else's crime. Feeling like he was making a deal with the devil, he reached out to the man above him. He took his hand in a firm grip, pulling himself up.
"Just remember, if you screw me, you'll learn what it's like to have a tiger's teeth in your throat." Bronze Tiger glared in threat.
"Now that's the fire I've been looking for." Nite Owl said.
Oscar felt like Scrooge McDuck, rich, filthy stinking rich. And he loved it. It turned out that those entrepreneurs he had run into contacted him after a little bit, and now he was set to receive the riches that he always deserved. His latest batch of salty lemon fish gummies were a hit and he couldn't wait to share it with the rest of the country. Though, it was a bit odd that they wanted to meet him in a crusty old hidden underwater port. And that Mr. Chimp kept trying to get them to leave and making strange faces about skulls and some junk. But what's important was that he-they were about to make enough money that would make Wizard Kelly shrink down a few notches.
"Quit it, Mr. Chimp. We're about to hit big money!" Oscar smirked as he dragged the monkey and the carts full of snacks. "This is the call we were waiting for to go to the big leagues. Ruffles, Lays, Beef jerky beware, Oscar Proud and his snacks are coming for you!" He walked deeper down through the secret passage until he came upon a hangar for ships.
The hanger looked big enough for three large ships or submarines to go in and out through a hidden entrance. It was being cleaned up by a crew of rough looking fellas as some worked on getting boxes out of one of the submarines. They were packing guns and others looked like they came out of a pirate movie. Many shot Oscar dirty looks, and most men would've taken that as a sign to run the other way. Not Oscar though.
"Oscar Proud, great to see ya here." Wizard Kelly walked up to him with a smile on his face.
"Back off, Kelly, this is my lifetime score, baby!" Oscar growled.
Kelly smiled like a comedian at his own joke. He could not believe that the Terrible Trio had actually put Oscar Proud in the line of fire. Now all he had to do was let him do the deal and they'd have their own scapegoat and then deal with the dumbass vigilante.
"Oh, don't worry, Oscar," Kelly said. "I'm only acting as a middle man. You're the one these fine gentlemen want. They're all yours." He stepped aside, letting Oscar see the men he'd be doing business with.
Oscar blinked twice at the sight of the men that were unloading the boxes. Wizard Kelly saying that he was free to do business with a major company and not get a slice? Too good to be true.
"About time all things went my way!" Oscar smirked, marching towards the men. "Get ready world, Oscar is going to the top!"
Kelly smiled, noticing the secret pictures being taken of Oscar talking to the members of the Santa Prisca Cartel. A little something that Fox called ensuring the deal would go according to plan. In case something went sideways they could always pin it on Oscar Proud. The man was the perfect stooge, walking blindly into hell if a stack of money was dangled in his face. If only he could get the vigilante that stole the Venom samples and he'd be a very happy man.
"So, gentlemen, do we have a deal or what?" Oscar asked.
"Este cabrón sabe que estamos manejando drogas, ¿no?" One of the members asked.
"¿No le vez la cara de idiota que tiene?" Another member asked. "Seguro que el chango es más listo que el."
"What they say?" Oscar asked.
"They said, you got yourself a deal." The lieutenant shook Oscar's hand with gusto.
Kelly could already feel the money pouring in and the Terrible Trio getting off his back. Nothing could make this day any better.
"Yo Kelly."
He turned around only to receive a hard punch to his stomach. He'd never been struck like that, the pain was excruciating. Bending over in pain, he set himself up for another punch across the face. He felt his teeth flying out of his mouth followed up by the bitter metallic taste of his own blood. He fell to the ground, completely knocked out and in pain. He only got the hazy look at his assailant, Bronze Tiger.
"I always thought your crap was overhyped." Bronze Tiger jumped for cover before anyone could see him.
The cartel members looked at the downed Kelly and quickly knew something was up. The lieutenant grabbed Oscar, pulling him away from the possible gun show. He whispered to his men to take care of things.
"Everything okay?" Oscar asked.
"Oh yes, señor Proud. Let's celebrate this with an old tradition, a drink." The lieutenant pushed Oscar into the makeshift office.
"A drink? I could do that." Oscar walked, oblivious to the men putting on masks and pulling out large guns.
Bronze Tiger watched as Oscar was almost shoved into the office as the mercenaries of the cartel looked for him. He was thankful for the many shadows of the secret port he could use to move. He slowly and carefully stalked his prey with the information he'd gotten.
Ducking behind one of the crates, he watched one of the mercenaries go by before making his move. He grabbed him from behind, dropping him to the ground, punching him in the face twice. But this caused the gun to fire off, alerting the others. Bullets started flying in his direction, forcing him to run quickly through the crates. He jumped over the crates as the bullets narrowly missed him. He turned around in time to throw three knives at the mercenaries. The blades caught one in the leg, and two in the arms, making them drop their guns.
He dug his heels on the ground, seeing his chance to fight back. He jumped high in the air, letting the ceiling lights, blind his targets. Pouncing on them like a beast of the jungle, Bronze Tiger punched them across the face, broke their bones with sharp strikes and took them out without any form of mercy. He ducked under the swing of a knife before twisting the mercenary's arm and stabbing him in the shoulder with his own knife. He sidestepped away from an AK-47 being used as a club.
"Pathetic." Bronze Tiger kneed the mercenary in the stomach before slamming him against the concrete floor.
Bronze Tiger heard a gun clicking before firing at him. He felt the sting of the bullet cutting his right cheek. Growling like a beast, he turned and ran towards the rest of the mercenaries on all fours like a real tiger. He snatched one of the boxes the mercenaries had brought with them, throwing it at them. As they shot the box to splinters, Bronze Tiger cut the distance between them, looking like a real tiger to them. He drew out his knuckle dusters, punching them so hard that their masks and faces got turned to mush. Their blood splattered as he punched them over and over like a tiger tearing through its prey's flesh. His fists knocked the last of the mercenary's down, letting him have a moment to breathe and check up on his next target.
The door to the office opened up as the lieutenant jumped out, drawing his guns. He fired at Bronze Tiger, hitting his shoulder and then in the leg.
Bronze Tiger took cover as the lieutenant pulled out a green vial of Venom. He watched as the man drank it straight, becoming larger, bulging with muscles.
"You're dead, man!" The lieutenant ran towards Bronze Tiger with the strength of ten men.
He reached Bronze Tiger, slamming his fist in the ground, cracking it. Bronze Tiger jumped out of the way. He winced as his leg and shoulder were wounded, but it wasn't the worst thing he'd felt. The mercenary kept on throwing punches and attacks at him, but he could read them like a book. For a second, he thought of using the Venom he'd snatched, but that was for a rainy day.
"Get ready to die, cabrón!" The lieutenant snarled. "You can't beat me in a straight up fight!" He kicked Bronze Tiger in the stomach.
"First rule, when outmatched, cheat!" Bronze Tiger growled, bearing his fangs at the mercenary.
He saw his opening, punching him in the knee first. He grappled the leg, twisting it until he heard a loud snap. It was broken, and now his opponent was open to him. Bronze Tiger weaved around a desperate punch. He then struck with ferocity under the armpit, the kidneys, the liver and then the neck. The mercenary coughed and fell back to the ground in pain. Bronze Tiger lifted his right leg before slamming it against the lieutenant's face, breaking his jaw and nose.
Bronze Tiger huffed and panted, calming himself down. His heart was beating fast as the power of the adrenaline was numbing the pain. It had been a while since he had to be so vicious against anyone. But he didn't regret it. They deserved it. He turned his sights to the office, noticing that Oscar hadn't come out. He ran to make sure he was okay.
He opened up the office door to see a sight that made him grunt in disapproval.
"Money, money, money~! I'mma be rich, mama! In your face~!" Oscar was drunk off his ass with a bottle of tequila in hand and money in the other.
"Time to go, Mr. Proud." Bronze picked up the man as Mr. Chimp just pretended not to know him.
A short time after, Trudy opened the door to see Ben with Oscar slung over his arm. Ben wore his normal clothes, making sure that his wounds were covered up.
"What the-? Oscar?" Trudy asked. "Weren't you in a meeting?"
"Heya there, miss! Wanna kissa rich m-m-man?" Oscar slurred with a laugh. "J-j-just don't tell the old ballchains." He giggled.
"Ben, what happened?" Trudy asked.
"I'm not sure, I found him drunk saying something about a meeting and being rich," Ben said. "I think he celebrated a bit too much, or it was all just a prank."
"Put him on the couch." Trudy sighed. "What am I gonna do with this man?"
"I gotta go, Ms. Proud. Have a nice night." Ben walked out the door before bumping into Penny.
"Ben, what are you doing here?" Penny asked, catching sight of the cut in his cheek. "What happened?" He stopped her hand.
"Cut myself shaving. Nothing to worry about," he said. "Here, it ain't much but it'll help for a while." Ben handed Penny a stack of cash of hundreds.
"Wha? There's at least ten thousand dollars here!" Penny said. "Where did you get it?"
"An old boss gave me an upfront payment to help him with a security job. I'll be gone for a while, but I'll be back." Ben explained. "Take care of yourself, Pen. And remember, when outmatched, always look for an edge."
Penny didn't know how to respond, she just watched him walk away into the night. She looked down at the money before putting it in her bag. She hoped to see her big brother soon.
Ben met up with Nite Owl and Punchline as they waited for the rest of the team to arrive.
"Did you say goodbye to your princess?" Punchline asked.
"None of your business." Bronze Tiger growled.
"Easy you two. We'll be working together, let's try to get along." Nite Owl held up a set of negatives.
"Will this actually do what you say it will?" Bronze Tiger growled.
"And so much more." Nite Owl turned to see Cain, Metamorpho and Sideways appear from one of his rifts. "I take it you didn't have much luck, did you?" He put the negatives away.
"Well, Metamorpho almost got lynched by doing what people called a parody of 'Black Face' AKA 'White Face'." Sideways groaned. "I almost got canceled because one of my videos exposed a girl called Maya as a hypocrite, and Cain gave a rousing speech about pride."
"I merely gave them the actual dictionary definition of the word and how it's being misused in certain topics." Cain noticed Bronze Tiger. "And who might this be?"
"Bronze Tiger, he aided me and Punchline in our search for Destiny." Nite Owl explained. "Sadly, he escaped, but we got a possible lead to his next target." Nite Owl pulled out a metal handle with a hole in one end.
"Of course, why didn't I see it before!" Cain laughed. "We have our heading, let us go and prepare!" Cain summoned the door to the House of Mystery before they entered.
"Welcome to the team, Bronze Tiger." Metamorpho shook his hands.
"Glad to be here." Bronze Tiger looked at Nite Owl and Punchline as the latter smiled.
Chapter 7: Blackfire
Summary:
Earth -4102:
What if the Empire created a dangerous Inquisitor?
Chapter Text
The multiverse is more than just a prism…
It is ever expanding and ever growing…
A place where one choice, one fork on the road can lead to many opportunities…
But every spark of brilliance there is a spark of madness…
These are the stories of both…
The Outsiders watched as Cain ran from side to side of the House of Mystery looking for some artifact he had in his collection. He'd been popping from door to door like a rat trapped in a maze in search for a piece of cheese. He muttered wondering which one of the pieces could be the one that he was looking for. Sometimes he said something like "not this one", "maybe this one" or "perhaps I left it in the other room, no wait, this one." The ramblings of the immortal nightmare sounded like the ravings of a madman as he tried to piece together a cohesive thought out of his mind. But despite all the strange calls and thoughts that Cain was mumbling, it served to show the other members of the makeshift team that the collection inside the Mouse of Mystery was filled with as many dreams as well as nightmares.
"Now I remember, I put it in the south room." Cain snapped his fingers before walking into another door.
"Is this normal for the freaky old man?" Bronze Tiger asked.
"Well, if you're immortal and you deal with nightmares and dreams on a daily basis?" Sideways surmised. "You might have a few screws loose after a few centuries."
"What exactly could he be looking for?" Metamorpho asked. "That thing that Nite Owl handed him seems to have gotten him going. What was it exactly, man?" Metamorpho asked, looking at Nite Owl.
"The object that I found appeared to be the handle of a weapon of sorts. But the design and mechanics used in it make it seem like a flashlight." Nite Owl pulled out the weapon. "The energy source is missing but it would've allowed for a constant flow of energy to generate a beam of light."
"In English, Birdman," Bronze Tiger said.
However, just as Nite Owl was about to answer, Cain appeared before the group with a large stack of books and different collectible items from around the whole House of Mystery. He carefully put down everything before dusting his hands with a proud smile on his face.
"The item is known as a Lightsaber, Metamorpho." Cain smirked. "It is a weapon from a more civilized time from a galaxy far, far away. A blend between the traditionalist sword fighting warriors of old and a more futuristic setting where star travel is possible. Originally used by a legion of knights but also by dark warriors. This is where Dr. Destiny seeks to achieve his next step in his mad scheme."
"Alright! Let's go and take that guy down!" Sideways jumped in excitement. "I always wanted to go on a spacefaring adventure!"
"I hear a 'but' coming," Punchline said.
Cain sighed, feeling that Punchline was right made him slightly annoyed.
"Sadly, Punchline is right," Cain admitted. "Each of these books and relics are from different variants of the Isles of the Great Library. Some depict dark fates, while some depict brighter ends to the stories. Some have beings that shouldn't have existed. And others are just too much for a few readers." Cain gestured to the different pieces before them and how some could reflect completely different from one another.
Nite Owl understood it completely. Every action, every decision made created a divergence on the road of destiny. Like a tree branch sprouting twigs. The possibilities spread in his mind like a wildfire, consuming all possibilities and reveling in the unpredictability. Chaos was cut loose in these worlds just like many others. He couldn't tell what was good, what was bad. All he knew was that the source of it all was the same as it always was.
"We gotta look over all of these versions and see which one Dr. Destiny is heading to." Cain picked one of the books. "Each one of you will look in and find which one reverberates with the piece Nite Owl found."
"How?" Punchline asked.
"Objects are drawn to the realms they originate from, think like a homing beacon," Cain explained.
"There has to be a quicker way to find the damn bastard amongst all this junk." Bronze Tiger growled.
"There might be," Nite Owl said. "Sideways, your powers are connected to dimensional rifts. Something that isn't normal, I presume?"
Cain saw what Nite Owl was leading to and it was a gamble that could turn in their favor. If Sideways was able to sense or detect the rifts that someone like Dr. Destiny created into the doors, then they could track him with more efficiency. But that all hinged on Sideways being able to detect them amongst the vastness of the different worlds that he had before him. And that would need a lot of concentration.
"I haven't really tried to do anything like that. I could mess up," Sideways said.
"Well, if you don't then you can live with knowing that you didn't do anything to stop the end of existence." Punchline whispered into his ear.
"What?! I don't want that! I-" Sideways began only for Punchline to lean into him.
"You're out of your depth, baby~. This is the grown up side of the pool." Punchline smirked. "Or else, you and everything you love will drown because you can't keep up."
"Hey!" Metamorpho snapped, pulling her off of him. "Back off, Punchline."
"That was uncalled for, Punchline. Don't forget that he's been pulling his weight long before you came along." Cain glared at Punchline.
Derek might've been young and more thick skinned than they gave him credit for, but dissidence between the ranks was the last thing Cain wanted.
"Let's see how it works." Sideways turned to Nite Owl. "What do I do?"
"Close your eyes and focus," Nite Owl said while Punchline made faces at him.
Sideways glared at the clown from behind his mask. He was not going to let her get under his skin. He looked at the mountain of books and relics before him. Stretching out his hands, and letting his energy flow through his body, he closed his eyes. He took in a deep breath, feeling all the power around him. He felt like he was diving into the ocean and everything around him was moving with full vibrant colors that he couldn't see but feel.
Cain's energy reminded him of the Halloween nights where he and Ernie would scare each other completely. Metamorpho's was shifting in place but it still felt some brightness from it. Punchline felt like a dark pit that drove anything close to it mad and dangerous. Bronze Tiger felt cool like a forest after a rain and a warm fire slowly warming your soul. Nite Owl felt cold and empty, almost like there was something missing or he was simply hollowed out.
"Guys, this feels… freaky…" Sideways stumbled a bit.
"Now, focus on the records and items of the worlds we seek." Nite Owl instructed. "They should tell you what you need to know."
Sideways turned towards the stack. He cautiously opened one of his eyes to see what he was looking for. As soon as he did, he saw what he'd only ever seen in sci-fi movies and amazing pieces of art. It looked like a large swirling of constellations mixing and matching against each other, taking different shapes and forms before his eyes. For a moment, it looked like a large eye with bright stars gazing upon him as she slowly made his way towards them. Like a moth to a flame, he flew towards the eye and saw glimpses of different events clashing and reshaping the galaxies. From giant battle stations being blown up, to clashes of warriors over spewing lava. From mystics holding the balance to musicians singing and dancing to their own beat. It was amazing and would make for an awesome live stream if he could broadcast it.
"Dudes, you should see some of this stuff," Sideways said.
"Focus, Sideways. Find the rifting that we seek." Nite Owl's voice echoed like a far off dream.
"Yeah, yeah, sorry for having some fun," Sideways said.
Sideways looked around for anything that might look out of the ordinary. But that was easier said than done. Everything looked so fantastic and advanced that he could've been looking at a rift and not known it. He watched more scenes take place before him. Some of great battles between creatures that looked like orcs from the Lord of the Rings. Others looked like strange crossroads between friends and people. He even caught a glimpse at a kiss or two.
But something caught his eye.
"Wait," Sideways said. "What's that?" He looked up at the image of a battle.
His eyes landed on what looked like a ragtag crew stepping back in fear of a woman with long black hair, glowing purple eyes and her hands covered in purple energy. She was dressed in fully black armor, metallic sleeves, forearm guards and mid-section. The energy in her hands glowed bright purple, almost like she held two small stars in her hands and looked like she was about to attack the group.
"Who's that woman?" Sideways reached out towards her, but then noticed something behind the woman.
Sideways looked at the image behind the woman. It resembled the ghost of Christmas Future with red eyes and had something hidden in his hands. The figure looked familiar. His mind suddenly clicked, reminding him of who that was.
"DR. DESTINY!" Sideways pressed his hand on the image, getting the figure's attention.
He jumped back in shock of the sudden movement of the image. And then, like a fish being reeled out of the water, he was pulled away from the image with only a small piece in his hand. He didn't have time to see what it was, but he found himself falling back on the couch. He held his head as it buzzed like a beehive. He slowly blinked himself awake, almost as though he'd been pulled out of a nightmare. He saw Cain, Metamorpho, and Bronze Tiger looking at him.
"Sideways, Sideway, you okay?" Metamorpho asked.
"What happened?" Bronze Tiger asked.
"Wha-? What happened?" Sideways held his head.
"We lost you there for a moment, young Derek." Cain explained. "It seemed like you were in some sort of trance."
"Man, it was wild. And amazing," Sideways groaned. "My head is killing me. Ever gotten out of the water after holding your breath as far as you could before breaking for air? Well, it was kinda like that."
"Did you find anything useful?" Nite Owl stepped in followed by Punchline and her sick smile.
Derek wanted to tell him to give him a minute and to rub it in Punchline's face. But he was still trying to figure out what he'd seen and what it all meant. It was so clear but also so strange that he couldn't put it into words for anyone, not even himself. He pulled up his mask up to his nose, getting more air in his lungs. He rubbed the sides of his head, trying to get a clear picture of what he'd seen. Just then, he felt something in his right hand. Looking down on it, he noticed that it was a hexagonal green jewel.
"I don't remember this being in my hand," Sideways said. "I… I think I got it from that picture? I-I saw him. I saw Dr. Destiny in it!"
"You did?" Cain asked before looking at the jewel. "I know that jewel. It's the Jewel of Mandalore, handed to the crowned princess of their warrior clans. Last one to have this was adopted into Clan Vizsla. It was an old abandoned tradition since…"
Earth -4102:
What if the Empire created a dangerous Inquisitor?
"The Blackfire Inquisition."
Cain walked through the streets of a strange world amongst the stars. He found himself surrounded by strange creatures and beings, speaking different tongues and pointing to goods that looked like mutated fruits or parts of animals he had thought long extinct. Some of the fruits were blue with purple spots while others looked fuzzy with creamy centers. Other merchants showed off pieces of advanced technology that although trinkets to some, were commodities to others. But Cain couldn't help but feel at home.
He was a stranger in a strange land that had long accepted strangeness as part of the norm. That's how he was walking down the crowded market streets without anyone looking twice at him. His eyes took in the colorful and the bizarre existing side by side. It looked more alive than any so-called melting pot cities he'd ever come across. He was currently in a world called Mandalore.
"Worlds that are connected to the vastness of space are far from simple walks in the park. More often than anything, you're bound to meet someone that will look extremely different from you and not bat an eye. With starcrossing trips between planets, there was little that couldn't be done or discovered. But there was always something that made such melting pots feel familiar."
"The Empire is here!" A short alien creature ran towards the market. "Run before they-! AAARGH!"
The alien creature was cut down by a red bolt fired by a man in a white armored stormtrooper armor. A whole squad of soldiers wearing the same armor stormed down the street, all holding similar black weapons and scary helmets. As soon as they walked in, a lot of people ran away, some vendors even closed down shop before hiding from them. The fear that people had for such people made Cain curious. So he decided to stick to the shadows and see what might happen before him.
The stormtroopers walked down the street, facing forward with their blasters ready. They stopped before the body of the dead little alien before another figure joined them. This one was much taller than the stormtroopers, covered head to toe in black armor with a black mask that resembled a skull, and a long black cape. He looked down at the dead alien as his heavy breathing echoed on the street. His mere presence made everyone hold their breath.
"I ordered the blasters to stunt," he spoke with a calm yet terrifying voice. "He could've led us to the branch faction of the rogue Bo Katan."
"He ran, Lord V-" The stormtrooper's words died out in his throat as he felt a hand gripping his throat.
The trooper held his throat, trying to pry off the hand strangling him. But there was no hand on his throat. He was slowly lifted from the ground by an invisible force. Even if he nor anyone could see it, his neck was being pressed and crushed by an invisible force.
"I expect obedience from all of you. If the rebellious Mandalorians aren't found, you will all suffer the same punishment your companion is suffering." Lord Vader turned to face the sacred Stormtroppers before their fellow trooper was dropped on the ground, gasping for air. "Proceed with the search."
Cain raised an eyebrow as the stormtroopers searched for these rebellious Mandalorians. He kept himself hidden in the shadows as the scene played out before his eyes. Though, he noticed this dark lord turning his head towards his direction a couple of times. It wasn't uncommon for some beings to detect him, but rarely did he meet someone that he wanted to avoid. However, their shared focus on each other's presence was cut short by a tiny, not very important-
BOOM!
…Explosion.
"Rebellions and dictatorships went hand in hand like iron fists and weak susceptible people. So, it came as no surprise that the Galactic Empire had more than a few unhappy eggs in their basket. In this case, a group of roguish Mandalorian warriors called…"
"Blackfires attack!' A woman called out amongst the smoke as she flew out like a bat out of hell.
Black armored Mandalorians got into a battle with the forces of the Empire, firing and taking out the white warriors with all their might. At the head of the attack was a female Mandalorian warrior wearing black Beskar armor with metallic sleeves and forearm guards and a midriff. And around her neck hung a green jewel. Her classic Mandalorian helmet covered her face, but she sounded younger and more aggressive than the other members of her squad.
She punched the Stormtroopers without a second thought, sending them flying like they weighed nothing at all. She snatched one of their rifles, breaking it in half with one hand before smacking another trooper with the remains of the blaster. She got blasted twice in the back by two troopers, but she didn't even flinch. She turned around with rage in her eyes before flying up to the troopers, snapping their necks with ease. It wasn't just her strength and resistance that was formidable, but she held great speed and power to compensate. For every fired bolt she dodged and received, she took out three different troopers. Her fighting skills and great physical prowess left no survivors.
Her glowing purple eyes landed on Vader, who just stood there and saw the whole onslaught take place before him.
"There's only one left, mistress." One Mandalorian aimed his blaster before an invisible force stopped him.
He was pulled towards Vader, who swiftly pulled out his lightsaber and sliced the Mandalorian's head off.
The warrior woman and the rest of her forces charged at Vader with all their might. But for the Sith Lord, their attacks were predictable and easy for him to fight off. His crimson red lightsaber deflected their blaster shots, taking out one of the Mandalorians before grounding another one. He reached out with his hand, pulling the downed Mandalorian to him before throwing him into another one of the Mandalorians. Sensing another Mandalorian coming towards him, he sidestepped out of the way before cutting off his arms with a swing of his red blade. Without mercy, he then slammed the Mandalorian through a wall. He then looked at the last member of the Blackfires. Just in time to stop one of her punches with the aid of the Force.
"You are a very difficult rebel to get a hold of," Vader softly said. "And your skills are far superior to that of any Mandalorian I've come across."
"I am a different breed of Mandalorian." She struggled against the power of the Force. "I am Komand'r, true heiress of the throne of Mandalore and the one that'll make the Empire kneel before her." Her eyes glowed bright purple, catching Vader's attention.
"There's something inside of you, Komand'r. A power unlike the Force, but it is powerful indeed." Vader redirected her attack away from him.
He watched her crash into the building and saw it break apart from the sheer strength of the blow. The ground trembled as she shot out from atop the building before charging at Vader once more. However, this time, her hands were engulfed in bright purple light. Vader took note of this development as she shot towards him like a falcon would upon its prey.
She shot her hands forward, throwing the purple starbolts at Vader. Using his lightsaber like many times before, Darth Vader attempted to block the attacks. But the power was so strong that he was pushed back. He did his best to counter the onslaught coming towards him but the sheer intensity of the attacks pushed him back. Komand'r saw this and smiled under her helmet as she charged at Vader with top speed. However, the Sith Lord sensed her plan.
He allowed the power of the Force to guide him, tapping into his anger and hatred like any good Sith. And then, he struck. He swung his lightsaber at her face just in time to knock her out for a loop. Her helmet was knocked off of her and she had a cut across her right cheek. Her long black hair and orange skin were revealed to the dark lord. She pressed her hand against the cut as Vader loomed over her.
"Impressive," he said.
She punched at him with a glowing purple fist, but Vader had expected it. Using his lightsaber, he blocked the purple coated hand and used his spare hand to press down on Komand'r. He focused on choking the life out of her and normally he would have. But she was too strong. Even as she clawed at her throat and he kept her from moving, he could sense her unbendable spirit pushing forward. This was the type of power and skill that would topple Empires. And what Sith didn't want that under their command. He sent a powerful Force shockwave at her, knocking her out.
He watched her, making sure that she was out of the fight. After a moment of silence he sheathed his lightsaber.
"You are powerful, Komand'r. But you have no technique nor ambition," Vader spoke. "But I will unlock your true potential."
Cain was intrigued, watching the crazy events unfold.
"The thirst for power the dark lord was taught to believe in and worship made him spare the life of the ruthless warrior princess. After all, what power hungry lord does not want an equally powerful warrior under their command?"
Komand'r opened her eyes to find herself in a dark red room. She'd been stripped of her armor and was bound by her hands and feet. Gritting her teeth, she pulled and struggled to break free from her hard iron bonds. She heard the metal creaking and bending but she couldn't break free. She was unable to move freely and that angered her. Her eyes glowed in rage as she tried to fight off her restraints, but she only got the same result as the last time.
"Impressive."
Komand'r turned her head towards the voice. She saw Vader walking towards her from the darkness of the room.
"Even with all those sedatives in your system, you still hold so much power and strength." Vader observed the restraints holding her back.
"Just wait until I'm free of them." Komand'r snarled only to receive an electric shock through her body.
"Those bonds are easier to break than the ones you've placed on yourself, Komand'r." Vader pointed out. "You could've easily turned the tide of the battle had you fully cut loose. But your warrior clan, the Blackfires, stifled your power. Did they not?"
Komand'r looked away with a scoff. Flashes of her childhood after being taken in by the Blackfires passed through her mind. After being found alive in a crashed spaceship, she was taken in by their clan's leaders. She excelled at the physical trials and the battling ways of her clan and quickly rose up the ranks. But as soon as her powers kicked in, she was feared. The elders called her a creature of dark sorcery, and wanted to cast her out, but her parents defended her. She followed the clan's ways until her parents were killed by the Empire's dogs. Once they were gone, she only had a few members of her clan by her side, the rest abandoned her. And now, she was alone.
"But I see something they didn't. Your potential." Vader's voice brought her back.
"Under your thumb?" Komand'r scoffed.
"I offer you a choice. Become an Inquisitor, rise up the ranks and then join me, as my apprentice." Vader offered. "Together, we shall unlock the true potential inside you and rule the galaxy together."
Komand'r narrowed her eyes at the dark lord.
"And if I refuse?" Komand'r asked.
"Then the Empire's scientists will find out what makes you special." Vader revealed.
The choice was simple. Komand'r was no fool, if she joined the Empire as one of its Inquisitors then she could cut loose and show the extent of her powers. She could get to live and have everything that she could ever want. But her warrior's blood would not have her bend the knee so easily. She wanted a challenge and being someone's lap dog was not one of her goals. She would claim everything from the Empire and make all those that tried to put her down. But she would play it smart for now.
"I agree to your terms, Lord Vader," Komand'r said. "But, I want two things in return."
"And those would be?" Vader asked.
"My armor, modified to suit my new task, and a new name." Komand'r broke free from her restraints.
"A name?" Vader asked. "Very well, from this day forth, you will be Blackfire."
A bit lazy in her mind, but she did appreciate the irony. Now she would honor her clan and strike fear in the hearts of all who doubted her.
The door opened up to reveal a large hulking alien with orange skin and tusks poking out of her chin. She wore a black uniform with black armored chest, shoulders, forearms and a helmet with a black visor.
"This is the Ninth Sister, she will introduce you to the ways of the Inquisition," Vader explained.
Blackfire and the Ninth Sister sized each other up like two fighters about to start a fight. The Ninth Sister was the first one to scoff at Blackfire.
"Is this really the runt I'm stuck with, Lord Vader?" Ninth Sister scoffed. "I've seen Twi'Leks more threatening than this little girl. I'm gonna enjoy breaking you." She leaned down, smiling at Blackfire.
"Ninth, huh? You'll do, for a punching bag." Blackfire tightened her fist.
The Ninth Sister reached for her lightsaber only to be punched in the face by Blackfire. Her visor was broken to pieces, as she was sent flying out of the holding cell, breaking the door on her way out. In two seconds, Blackfire had done what many fugitive Jedi had only dreamed of doing. Defeat an Inquisitor in one single blow.
"A bit of a blowhard, ain't she?" Blackfire smirked.
"...Yes, she tends to do that." Vader walked out of the cell. "I expect to hear of your progress soon, Blackfire."
"I will not fail you, Lord Vader." Blackfire bowed her head with a smile on her face.
Once Vader was out of range, she lifted her head. She could feel her body waking up as she cracked her neck. Whatever they had given her was indeed the good stuff. But she was far from being easily manipulated or put down. The galaxy was a big place and she would see it bend to her will now that she could cut loose and achieve her full potential.
"Let's have some fun with everyone here." Blackfire walked out of her cell, spotting the Ninth Sister groaning. "Nice meeting you, Ninth. But I can take it from here." She walked away towards the training grounds of the Inquisition, letting everyone that saw her know that she was not to be messed with.
Cain watched everything from the shadows as he pulled out the green jewel he'd snatched.
"A wise man once said, it is much easier to herd cats than it is to herd tigers. And Komand'r, or rather, Blackfire was indeed a fierce tigress out in the wild."
Blackfire trained hard amongst the inquisitors, learning to harness her emotions and focus them like a flame. She allowed a few strikes to hit her and give them a sense of superiority. Some were like tickles against her stronger body, punches, kicks, some blaster fire that stung. Others did hurt and taught her to endure the pain. She stood up and endured the worst the Force could dish out on her. Every blast from the Force, every shock of electricity and every attempt to break her spirit only made her stronger. And every time they mocked her for not having the Force, she made a note to remember their names and punched all of their teeth out when no one was watching.
Soon, after months of training and preparing, Blackfire walked up to the fighting arena for her final test. She looked up to the stands above the black rock surrounded by red hot lava as the Head Inquisitor walked into view. The feeling of his cold dark eyes looking at her used to unnerve her, but all it meant was that she was strong enough to challenge him. And that was a feeling she enjoyed more than anything.
"Blackfire, you came to us at the bequest of Lord Vader himself," The Grand Inquisitor said. "And although you possessed a power unlike any we'd ever seen, I thought you wouldn't last. But through many trials you've achieved great things under our tutelage."
"I am honored to live up to your great expectations, Grand Inquisitor." Blackfire bowed.
"Flattery as always. You have now one final trial to pass before you become one of us." The Grand Inquisitor snapped his fingers.
Blackfire was surrounded by the Ninth Sister, the Sixth Brother, and the Tenth Brother. They all pulled out their lightsabers, igniting the two blades from either side before they began spinning.
"Defeat all three of your new siblings and you will be one of us." The Grand Inquisitor tossed her a lightsaber, which Blackfire caught. "Fail, and you die."
She looked at the lightsaber before turning to her enemies.
"What happens if I kill them?" Blackfire asked.
The Grand Inquisitor only gave her a knowing look.
"Just wanted to make sure there were no hard feelings." Blackfire looked back at the Inquisitors as they approached her. "Let's give our master a show, shall we?"
The Sixth Brother growled in anger. He jumped at Blackfire, who ignited her lightsaber blocking the red blades with ease. The inquisitor grunted as Blackfire's strength easily pushed him back. Just then, the Tenth Brother jumped in slicing at Blackfire, trying to get her. But every single one of his swings was blocked or dodged by Blackfire. She blocked high and dodged low, parrying his strength with her own. She let him pass only to backhand him with her free hand. The Sixth Brother tried once more to attack while Blackfire was open, but she saw him coming.
Blackfire cut the distance between them, catching his hand with ease. She smirked as she added more and more pressure to her hold. The inquisitor groaned in pain as he felt his wrist and hand slowly cracking under her strength. She could've done it quickly but she was taking her time. The roar of the Ninth Sister caught Blackfire's attention. Ever since their first meeting they had been at odds but Blackfire wasn't one to care about it. She tossed the Sixth Brother at the Ninth Sister's legs, forcing her to jump. Blackfire took the chance, jumping to meet the large inquisitor before punching her in the stomach. She grabbed her by the leg before slamming her down on the arena.
"This the best you can do?" Blackfire smiled. "Pathetic."
"No, this is!" The Tenth and the Sixth Brother pressed down on Blackfire with the power of the Force.
Blackfire felt a great pressure coming down on her body. The ground underneath her was cracking and breaking. The two inquisitors put all their anger and hatred towards Blackfire in their combined attack. They hated how she seemed to be favored by their master and had no true respect for them or their mission for the Empire. But all that would change.
The Ninth SIster got up and started punching Blackfire like a drunken brute. She was the one that hated Blackfire the most and wanted her to suffer. She continued punching her with the Force enhancing her strength, but Blackfire only seemed.
"Are you done?" Blackfire asked bored out of her skull.
The brothers were surprised as Blackfire didn't seem bothered at all.
"My turn," Blackfire said.
The Ninth Sister brought down her lightsaber with all her might, but it was stopped by Blackfire's own lightsaber. Her eyes glowed bright purple as she pushed the blade back. As the blade got closer to the Ninth Sister's face, Blackfire punched her in the stomach so hard that she flew up to the ceiling. Not missing a beat, Blackfire broke free from the Force hold and flew up into the air. She pierced the inquisitor's chest with her own lightsaber before letting her drop. She turned, looking down at the two remaining inquisitors with a smile.
"Thanks for the workout, boys." Blackfire's hands glowed bright purple.
She flew down, picking them up by the face. She held them up as her hold on their masks grew tighter and tighter. They struggled and tried to break free of her hold, dropping their lightsabers in fear. Her hands glowed, brightly burning them with her full power. She then unleashed it, incinerating them.
The Grand Inquisitor looked in both amazement and fear at the great power Blackfire had just unleashed. It was no secret to him that most of their prey revolved around younglings and a few masters that had survived the fall of the order. The greatest strength of the Inquisitors revolved around their numbers, technology and Imperial backing. But to see Blackfire defeat three different Inquisitors with such ease was something that sent shivers down his spine.
"I take it that she's ready."
The Grand Inquisitor turned to see a holographic projection of Darth Vader looking at him with cold black eyes.
"She enjoys the battle a little too much for my taste, but aside from that, she's ready, Lord Vader." The Grand Inquisitor bowed as Blackfire flew up to where he stood.
"Congratulations are in order, Blackfire. Now you are an Inquisitor," Vader said.
"And I am happy to serve, Lord Vader." Blackfire bowed.
Her plan was working so far. Blackfire was once a warrior princess hated by all, but now she was a forged weapon of the Empire. And a weapon she would not allow anyone to wield but herself.
"And so was born the legend of Blackfire…"
"To many a myth, to many more a monster, to all a legend of the unknown reaches of the galaxy." Cain finished his story.
"Whoa, that was just insane!" Sideways said, putting his mask back on. "What is it about you and just watching supervillain origins?!"
"I watch and collect all manner of stories, good or bad, young man." Cain pocketed the green jewel. "And it seems that's where Destiny is headed."
"So, we're going to a world up in space where there's a crazy world-conquering sister with superpowers in hopes of stopping an equally crazy skull-faced cracker?" Bronze Tiger asked, looking at Nite Owl and Punchline.
"Yes," Nite Owl replied.
"Ooh, I can't wait to make everything go boom!" Punchline smirked with madness. "All those alien toys sound so much fun. Maybe I could get alien metal knives as a souvenir."
"No one let her near any of that or any explosives." Metamorpho sighed.
"Let's go before Dr. Destiny gets wise that we're on his trail!" Cain summoned the world's door into the House of Mystery.
The door appeared before the group and it looked as futuristic as it did intimidating. It was made out of metal like Blackfire's armor. It was all black with the purple silhouette of Blackfire punching through what looked like a large metallic moon as X-Wings and Tie-Fighters flew at her, firing at her but not even bothering her.
"Well, that just looks a bit on the dangerous side." Metamorpho pointed out.
"Question, how are we going to breathe if we don't have spacesuits?" Bronze Tiger asked.
"Oh, right. Mortals need to breathe to stay alive and can't survive in space," Cain said. "This should do it." Cain pulled out a few old spacesuits.
"Thanks, but I've got a better idea." Nite Owl's suit transformed into a space version suit.
Nite Owl's mask became a black mask that covered his mouth and nose, giving him red visor eyes. His cape became a pair of large sharp wings with a jetpack between them. His talons and boots glowed a bright silver with a sharp outline.
The rest of the team looked at Nite Owl's space suit and could only stare in awe.
"Just what kind of suit is that that you can pull this off?" Sideways asked.
"Enchanted protection?" Cain asked.
"Who cares what it is?! My pretty bird looks mighty fine in these new threads~." Punchline wrapped her arms around Nite Owl. "Do you have anything to match me~?"
"Are those two-?" Bronze Tiger asked.
"There are some stories I'd rather not know." Cain looked at Nite Owl with curiosity.
The rest of the team suited up in light purple spacesuits with large glass domes over their heads. The suits were anything too flashy, but they were packed with some tools on their belts, a backpack with enough air should they need it and magnetized boots and gloves to better move around. According to Cain, the team that owned the suits were part of an exploration team that went deep into space. And he then bought them off of them after they retired. Though some of them weren't completely cool with their new threads.
"Not that I mind the new threads, but how am I supposed to use my powers inside a space suit?" Metamorpho asked.
"We'll just have to hope we don't have to fight in space." Cain and the team went into the door. "Now, remember, we find Blackfire and Dr. Destiny. Stop Destiny no matter what. If a space battle does occur, use the suits, until then, keep them on stand by." Cain pressed a button in his suit's belt, making the suit slip into the belt.
"Well that's useful to know." Bronze Tiger did as Cain did.
The team arrived at the streets of the capital city of the planet of Lothal. They quickly mixed amongst the crowd looking for their prey. Though it did make them wonder why the door had sent them to that particular location.
"So, question, how are we going to find one woman in such a big galaxy?" Sideways asked. "As much as I'd love to rift around a whole alien planet taking pictures and streaming, how are we going to get Blackfire and Dr. Destiny to us?" Sideways held up his phone and started taking pictures and filming.
"Firstly, do put that phone down. You're starting to attract attention." Cain looked at the staring crowd.
"We're in space, boss. You're telling me that this is the first ever phone they've seen?" Sideways asked, gesturing to his phone.
"Hey, what's that funny little device?" A Twi'lek man asked.
"I've never seen anything like it," a human woman said.
"Is it connected to the holonet or something?" An old goatman asked, stroking his beard.
"Guess that answers that." Metamorpho scratched the back of his head.
Cain rolled his eyes at the attention they were gathering. However a glare from him sent them on their way.
"Guess that works," Bronze Tiger pointed out. "FYI, Nite Owl and Punchline are up on the rooftops." He pointed up with his thumb.
"Getting back on topic, Sideways," Cain sighed, hating Nite Owl's disappearing act. "The doors lead to where we need to be. Meaning, trouble will find us."
As if on cue, a loud explosion rocked the street, sending everyone into a panic. The Outsiders looked at the direction of the battle and saw Blackfire walking out of the black smoke completely unscathed as a tall purple cat-like man picked himself off of the ground with a large blaster rifle in hand. The cat-like man fired at Blackfire, only for her to smack the blast away from her with ease. She smiled before shooting a starbolt at him that sent him crashing into one of the walls. As all this was taking place, the silhouette of Dr. Destiny could be seen amidst the smoke, all but taunting the Outsiders to come for him.
"As I said, trouble will find us." Cain summoned his shovel.
"We gotta stop her." Metamorpho said. "She's gonna kill that guy."
"And that freaky skull guy will use this to get away." Bronze Tiger cracked his knuckles.
"Time to get the people out of here, Sideways' style!" Sideways created a rift for them to jump into.
Blackfire floated down to where Zeb was. She'd expected some light workout from one of the last of the Lasat and their legendary fighting skills. But so far, she wasn't impressed one bit.
"Tell me where your friends are, and maybe I'll let you live out the rest of your days in a cell," Blackfire said. "Minus your legs, of course."
Zeb spat out some blood from his mouth, glaring at Blackfire with defiance.
"Never." Zeb spat out.
"Okay, don't say I didn't warn you." Blackfire aimed one of her starbolts at Zeb's legs while her eyes shined bright purple.
"Hey crazy!"
A rift opened up below Blackfire before one of Metamorpho's arms shot out, uppercutting her. Blackfire was sent flying back before Sideways and Metamorpho jumped out of the rift.
"Looks like your little execution went a little Sideways!" Sideways stood ready.
"Good quip, kid." Metamorpho transformed his arms into spiked mazes. "Now, do your thing."
Sideways created rifts around the people nearby, sending them far from the dangerous area, leaving them and Blackfire alone.
"Who are you two supposed to be?" Zeb coughed.
"I'm Sideways, and this is my friend Metamorpho." Sideways jumped next to Zeb, pulling out his phone. "Say cheese!" He took a selfie with the Lasat, which left the alien confused.
Blackfire landed with a heavy thud, punching the ground as she glared at the new arrivals.
"Remember the plan, kid?" Metamorpho asked.
"Keep her distracted, right?" Sideways pointed out. "How exactly do we survive though?"
Blackfire shot herself at them with her hands glowing with power. Sideways created a shield rift, blocking the attack from the super powered inquisitor. But the shockwave that came from it, sent them back. Metamorpho got back to his feet, transforming into a massive tidal wave taking Blackfire by surprise. He sent her back with a powerful current only for her to jump out of it. She fired her starbolts at the moving water, trying to burn it into vapor. Sideways took the opportunity to make a rift behind her, cracking her across the face with all his strength. Only to regret it immediately.
"Ouch! Damn you must be made of steel or something!" Sideways held his hand in pain.
Blackfire grabbed him by the throat, glaring at him with glowing purple eyes. Sideways swung his hand, making another rift, giving Metamorpho a chance to punch Blackfire down to the ground with a metal hammer. She landed with a loud boom before getting back up. She didn't have much time to get her bearings before Sideways popped on top of her, stomping her on the back. Metamorpho jumped out of another rift transforming his arm into a battering ram and punching her in the face. Sideways appeared from the side, tackling her while keeping her off balance. Metamorpho followed with a kick to the stomach courtesy of quick drying cement, encasing her in a thick hold. Blackfire broke free with a mighty war cry.
"Well, we got her mad," Sideways said. "That's something!"
"Something bad!" Zeb snarled, holding his wounded chest. "Come on, Kanan, where the frick are you?!"
Blackfire went after Metamorpho, punching him over and over as hard as she could. He held up his arms, hardening them into the strongest metals and minerals that he could think of, but it was only giving him some breathing room. However, he did catch a smile on Blackfire's face.
"Come on, come on, come on!" Blackfire called out, loving the battle more than anything. "Give me a real challenge!"
Sideways created a rift behind Blackfire and Metamorpho. Metamorpho turned into a gas, sending the crazed alien warrior to the other side of the rift. She fell through, giving Metamorpho and Sideways a chance to breathe. But that didn't last long, she turned around and blasted a combined blast of her starbolts, forcing them to jump out of the way.
"This isn't over," Blackfire said.
Dr. Destiny smiled as she watched the two heroes fighting the inquisitor and loving every second of it. He just needed her to take him to the machines where he could modify the Dream Stone, but her thirst for power was making the stone even more powerful. It could work in his advantage to let her play around some more. With her food before suggesting she go back to the lab. It was kinda funny to see her beat up Cain's-wait!
Bronze Tiger kicked Dr. Destiny in the face, sending him to the floor. He smacked the Dream Stone out of his hands before pinning him to the ground. The rogue nightmare tried to reach for the stone, but a shovel got in his way.
"Sorry, but I think this is the end of the line, Dr. Destiny." Cain, leaned on his shovel for added effect.
"I don't think so." Dr. Destiny snarled.
Before they could ask what he meant, a red bolt passed over Cain's head. They turned around to see lots of Stormtroopers and armed vehicles coming into the scene, firing first and asking questions later.
"The footsoldiers are always close behind." Dr. Destiny elbowed Bronze Tiger off of him before kicking Cain back. "See you in your nightmares, Cain." Dr. Destiny snuck into the shadows.
Cain growled, looking at the Stormtroopers like he wanted to skin them. He quickly spun his shovel and cracked three across the face. Bronze Tiger didn't get left behind. He punched and disarmed the white armored enemies with swift punches and kicks. He broke their armor and struck them in their throats, pushing them back before joining with the others.
"Are kidding me?!" Blackfire snapped as Sideways snuck away from her hold. "I was finally having some fun!" metamorpho used this chance to encase Blackfire's head in quickly freezing dry ice.
Cain was about to get them out of the area when a smoke screen went off between them and the soldiers.
"Well thought, Metamorpho," Cain said.
"This isn't me," Metamorpho replied.
"Then who-?" Sideways was snatched into the thick black smoke.
"Kid-!" Metamorpho was blasted with something and quickly fell down.
"A kidnapping, of coruse." Cain was grabbed as well.
"You gotta be-" Bronze Tiger's world went blurry before being taken out.
Blackfire broke free of the dry ice with a pounding headache. Her eyes glowed brightly with a frown. She turned to look for the rebels and their allies but she saw nothing more than black smoke. Shooting up into the sky, she hoped to see any traces of her enemies. But she only saw the smoke being cleared out and some beaten Stormtroopers. Grumbling in anger, she floated down when one of the remaining troopers approached her.
"Inquisitor, Lord Vader's ship is-" Blackfire grabbed him by the neck, snapping it.
"Just when a girl is having fun, you clowns have to get in the way." Blackfire dropped the trooper before flying off to the base.
Unbeknownst to Blackfire, Nite Owl and Punchline watched her from a distance through a pair of binoculars.
"She looks like fun." Punchline dropped her binoculars. "Liked how she wasn't one to let a subordinate talk to her like that."
"Her indomitable spirit aside. Her raw power and instincts are what interest me." Nite Owl activated his jetpack. "She wants a kingdom, we shall give her one."
"What about BT?" Punchline asked.
"He's more useful to me with them than with us." Nite Owl replied. "Besides, they'll get Blackfire one way or another."
"I love your deviousness." Punchline licked her lips.
Cain groaned as his eyes fluttered awake. It wasn't the first time he'd been kidnapped, and that told him a lot about his kidnappers. For one, he was still alive, his restraints were meant to immobilize him but not shock him or anything. The second then was that he and his companions were all in the same room and were slowly waking up. And third and most importantly, they were not alone.
"Alright, I'm a fan of suspense as much as the next one, but please, be so kind as to step into the light before I'm bored to sleep." Cain sighed.
"Well, since you're very talkative, mind starting with answering a few questions?" Kanan asked, stepping into the light. "Who are you and where did you come from?" He was then joined by Ezra and Hera by his side.
"Very well, I can answer those two," Cain said as the rest of the group woke up. "My name is Cain, and these are, well, most of my associates. Sideways, Bronze Tiger and the big fella is Metamorpho. As for where we come from, that's a bit harder to explain."
"Where are we?" Sideways asked.
"Don't know, but we're not dead." Bronze Tiger pointed out.
"Explain yourselves, who are you?" Hera asked. "You two fought against Blackfire and somehow survived. And the other two of you fought off Stormtroopers." Hera pointed to the pairs specifically.
"Don't forget they saved me," Zeb added from the shadows.
"Cat-man? You're okay!" Sideways broke through his restraints easily. "Um, oops. Sorry for breaking your things."
"Um, it's okay." Ezra shrugged.
Cain stood up, slipping out of his restraints while Metamorpho turned himself into mist and then broke Bronze Tiger's own restraints. There didn't seem to be any need for the restraints any longer. Of course that ended up with them getting blasters aimed at their faces. To which only Sideways flinched at.
"Kid, don't flinch, you're embarrassing yourself." Bronze Tiger glared at Kanan's mask, noting that he was blind. "Gotta give it to the crazy blind guy for pulling a gun at this brother."
"There's no need for hostilities, I'm sorry, I never caught your name." Cain defused the situation.
Kanan glared at Bronze Tiger once more before Hera put her hand on his shoulder. It was one of the few calming things in Kanan's life at the moment. But if these strange individuals could take on the strongest Inquisitor and give them their shot, then it was a longshot too sweet to miss out on.
"My name is Kanan Jarrus and these are my friends and allies. We're part… or possibly all that's left of the Rebellion." Kanan put his blaster away. "Ever since Blackfire has been on the front lines, we've suffered many casualties."
"Holy crap this is totally a sci-fi movie." Sideways whispered.
"We intercepted a transmission that said Darth Vader and the Emperor would be here in a few hours to see the final touches of their new super weapon." Kanan explained. "Zeb was on his way to tell us what we wanted to know and how to strike when Blackfire caught on to him."
"And that's where we joined in the story," Cain said. "Ms. Blackfire was and is still being aided by a person of interest for me and my colleagues. And we sought to strike while he was busy influencing Blackfire."
"Also because it was the right thing to do," Metamorpho pointed out.
Kanan looked at his friends, the closest thing he had to family. The words of the man before him rang true; neither he nor Ezra could pick up anything from them. Which meant that they were on their side for now at least. There were only three people that needed to be on board with this to make it official.
"What do you say, master?" Kanan turned to see three robed figures.
"I say that they speak truthfully and in uncertain times, the unexpected is to be our ally." The first figure unveiled himself, revealing his white beard and blue eyes.
The second and third figures removed their hoods, with one of them being a woman with orange skin and white and blue horns and the other a young man with short blond hair and blue eyes.
"I am Obi-Wan Kenobi, this here is Ahsoka Tano and Luke Skywalker," Obi-Wan introduced. "And we would like to ask for your assistance in this plan against the Empire and Blackfire." He crossed his arms behind his back as a blue astromech rolled up next to an orange and white mech followed.
Cain took notice of that clear difference between the targets. This meant that Blackfire was close to making her own move and they needed to be ready to strike. It would involve them, but the end justifies the means indeed.
Blackfire knelt before Darth Vader as he scolded her for her defeat and the escape of the rebels. She'd heard the threats and suffered the wrath of the Sith Lord many times before and yet she was not looked up in defiance as Vader's master called them.
"My Master, I believe that it isn't safe for you to come to Lothal." Vader argued. "If there is a rebel presence and these new interlopers, then there is a chance you could be targeted. Allow me to head the hunt for them before your arrival."
"Nonsense, Lord Vader. Our weapon is almost complete and I will see it completed." Emperor Palpatine spoke. "Send your dog to find them and destroy them once and for all before I get tired of her. Afterall, the Inquisitors have all but gone since you allowed such a mongrel to join them."
Blackfire wanted to laugh. The old emperor forgot, cleverly forgot, that she had brought in more fugitive Jedi than any of the other inquisitors and they had all fallen by her hand. Then again, what could she expect from him? She was an unknown variable to his plans. And unknown variables tended to come back to bite someone in the ass. Which worked fine for her.
"Prepare Lothal for my arrival, Lord Vader, and make sure your mongrel doesn't fail us again." The Emperor cut off the transmission, leaving her alone with her master.
"So, what is thy bidding, my master?" Blackfire asked in her usual rebellious tone.
Vader glared at her through his helmet, clearly unamused by Blackfire's comment. All these years of planning and preparing to strike down the Emperor were now in jeopardy because of her actions. But it was too late to stop now.
"You will be head of security while I search for the rebels." Vader ordered.
"What? That's grunt work. I'm the inquisitor here, I-" Blackfire's words were cut short by the Force holding her throat.
"You might be the last Inquisitor, Blackfire. But I am still your master." Vader held her firmly with the Force. "You would do well to remember that. I can easily finish what you started years ago." He released her, telling her to leave him.
Blackfire huffed, leaving the half-man half-machine Sith Lord to his own musings.
Vader made sure to watch her leave the room before looking down in thought. He looked at his prosthetic hand and how much strength he had used on Blackfire. Narrowing his eyes behind his mask, he realized something he'd suspected for a long time. Blackfire was getting much stronger and was now only playing the part of the loyal hunting dog for her own agenda. But the more he tried to look into it, the more he understood that the strange alien girl wanted power, respect and a throne to sit on. She might not have had the Force in her but she was as power thirsty as any Sith. And it reminded him of an old Tatooine legend his mother had once told him.
That there was a race of beings called the Tamaranians that had come from the Unknown Sector. They were called the Star People and capable of many great things, including the power to fly without the Force, boundless strength, and glowing light from their hands and eyes. Blackfire matched almost all of these boxes, but they were known as pacifists with smiles that shined like the stars. But if it was the case, he would have to take her out as best as he could before she made her move.
Also, there was something that he wanted to check up on. There were a few presences that he hadn't felt since… he'd been reborn.
Blackfire walked into her room wanting to break something or someone apart. Her master was a fool taking orders from that decrepit old fool Palpatine. They should've killed him a long time ago. One blast of her starbolts and he'd be gone. But no, they were playing the loyal dogs. Maybe if she did it when no one was expecting-?
"This room is pitiful for a queen."
Blackfire turned around to see Nite Owl and Punchline standing behind her.
"Then again, I suppose it is meant to remind you that you're supposed to be a loyal dog instead of the one that should be bossing them around." Punchline jumped back on the bed. "It is hard to put a leash on a dog once you've put a crown on their head. I personally think the dogs should bite back if the masters are so weak." Punchline twirled with one of her knives.
"You two have five seconds to explain yourselves before I turn you to ashes." Blackfire's eyes glowed bright purple, blasting Punchline's knife out of her hand.
"You keep surprising me, Blackfire. Though, I should not expect anything less from the crowned princess of Tamaran," Nite Owl said.
"Tamaran?" Blackfire asked.
"Yes, a world in the Unknown Sector of the galaxy, filled with warriors like you." Nite Owl pulled out a holographic projector that showed a small planet to Blackfire. "The people there have great powers and a long history of being warriors. They can fly, have super strength starbolts and can withstand almost any kind of environment. Even space. Of course, they are also quite superstitious. Such as when a girl is born with purple light instead of green, like it's common."
Blackfire watched the images that Nite Owl showed her. They triggered long buried memories of a world unlike any other. Everyone had green eyes and powers like her own… except her bolts were purple. She remembered being put on a ship and fired away. Gritting her teeth, she tried to find any form of lie in his words but she found none.
"...Who are you?" Blackfire asked.
"My name is Nite Owl and this is Punchline, we're here to ask for your assistance in a certain endeavor." Nite Owl put away the projector. "In exchange, I can promise you your crown and everything that was denied to you."
Blackfire's fist glowed brightly.
"Don't bother, I want a special throne for myself." Blackfire walked out of her room.
"Smoother than I thought it would go." Punchline jumped out of the bed.
"Yes, but now she'll go in the direction that I want." Nite Owl turned to his communicator. "Time to get ready with the others."
Back with the rest of the Outsiders…
"Wait, this thing does all that and more?" Ezra, Luke and Zeb looked at Sideways' phone.
"I've seen many communicators before, but none like this. Must come from a very advanced world." Luke played with the screen.
"I'm actually surprised that you guys don't have these in spades." Sideways took his phone back before taking a picture of them. "Everyone has one back home."
"You're not stealing our souls with that thing, right?" Zeb asked.
Cain, Metamorpho, Kanan, Hera, Obi-wan and Ahsoka all gathered around a table with the holographic blueprints of their target.
"We were planning on going in through the sewers and working our way into the landing platform where we'd plant explosives for the Emperor," Kanan explained. "Given the extra security, that won't be an option."
"Sideways could rift us into the landing bay and plant the explosives if not drop you all in amidst the chaos." Cain pointed out. "Drop a few of your little smoke bombs with Metamorpho as backup and you should be golden."
"I could just turn into knockout gas if you want." Metamorpho offered.
"Thanks, Metamorpho." Hera nodded.
"Once their army is incapacitated, we'll take on the Emperor." Ahsoka added.
"You help us get in and we'll keep everyone busy for you to find your man," Kanan said.
"Do you know where he could be hiding?" Obi-Wan asked.
"He's probably heading to the armaments room where the super weapon is being held." Nite Owl and Punchline walked into the light, with everyone aiming their blasters at them. "I see you've made friends, gentlemen."
"I take it that you know these two, Cain?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Yes, though sometimes it feels like they're on their own thing." Cain pointed out.
"Oh now you show up," Metamorpho groaned. "Where were you two when me and Sideways were getting our butts handed to us?"
"Buying slave bikinis for later on." Punchline smirked.
As soon as the Jedi rebels spotted the two new arrivals, all their senses told them that they were not to be trusted. Some would've called it paranoia but the fact remained that they had learned to trust their instincts and see who was a threat and who wasn't. And those two were indeed threats.
"Ha ha, very funny. I just heard from the communications team." Bronze Tiger made his presence known along with Sabine. "They just got word that Blackfire was seen shooting off into space. Apparently the Emperor's ship will be here shortly."
"Shooting off? The Emperor's ship?" Kanan asked.
"Yep, flying straight out of the planet." Sabine confirmed. "No ship or anything."
"I thought we still had time," Hera added.
"Well, this means that our biggest hurdle won't be there, we can move freely and take them by surprise." Nite Owl argued. "And I believe I know where Dr. Destiny might be. There." He pointed to the laboratory section of the blueprints.
"What better place to make changes to your fancy rock than where they are making the super weapon?" Punchline added. "All we gotta do is sneak in and take him by surprise. Easy peasy."
"I'm afraid you're ignoring something. There is still Vader to factor," Ahsoka said, making Luke tense up. "He will be there."
"All the more reason not to hold any punches." Nite Owl pointed out. "We should be ready to move in five."
"Risky, but it could be our best chance to sneak in." Obi-Wan stroke his beard.
"Then we shall strike swiftly and with caution." Nite Owl agreed. "I've already got an attack plan in mind."
Obi-Wan gave Ahsoka a look and she went off to speak to Luke.
"This Nite Owl, you trust him?" Obi-Wan asked Cain.
"Only to a mission's end." Cain whispered.
"Then I advise caution. There is no greater threat than the one we think best fits our ends." Obi-Wan explained carefully.
Cain took a second to think about the old Jedi's words. Nite Owl had been his first pick for the team and had been with him since the beginning. His strategies were always sound, but it seemed like every time they needed him, he was doing his own thing. His agenda clearly had priority. Was it possible that he'd gotten a wolf in sheep's clothing in his midst? A closer eye would be needed from now on.
The Emperor sat on his throne, feeling the great power of the galaxy around him. His eyes landed on Lothal as he reclined on his throne. After so long, he was the one that brought the ancient plan of the Sith to culmination and yet, there was still rebellion. Not more so annoying than his apprentice's pet project, Blackfire. He'd been against her joining the Inquisitors, but the results that she brought more than compensated for her strangeness and rebellious nature. According to the information he'd received, she was hard to control but her power was nothing compared to the power he possessed. If she ever looked at him in a strange manner or spoke in a defiant tone, he would end her pitiful existence with the snap of his-
"My Emperor," The captain of his ship spoke, snapping him out of his thoughts. "We're picking up something heading towards us."
"Another ship sent to shadow us?" Palpatine asked.
"No, my lord. The object is so small that we almost didn't detect it. It isn't a ship," the captain explained. "It'll be up on the screen soon."
Palpatine looked at the screen, showing a bright purple light coming towards them. His old eyes narrowed at the small light. It then started to grow brighter and brighter before his eyes.
"What sorcery is-?" Palpatine began.
A powerful purple blast cut through the Imperial ship like an arrow through a person's eyeball. All that everyone aboard the chip could do was watch as the blast tore through their unprotected ship and stuck down the Emperor of the galaxy. The blast ran through Palpatine's chest and throne with such power and intensity that the old Sith Lord watched his life of schemes and manipulations pass before his eyes as nothing more than a blur.
Blackfire watched as the spaceship exploded outside the atmosphere of Lothal. Even in the coldness of space, she felt at home with all her power coursing through her. It felt good to cut loose. Her only regret was not being able to look at the old bastard as she put him down.
"One down." Blackfire turned to face Lothal. "One to go." She shot down to the planet to destroy the last remnant of the old Empire.
Vader stomped to the control center in rage.
"What happened?" He demanded.
"We don't know, Lord Vader. The Emperor's ship was just attacked out of nowhere and was destroyed." The officer explained. "There wasn't even another ship near them when they were attacked."
"Was the weapon fired?" Vader asked.
"No, my lord." The officer shook his head. "Whatever destroyed the ship, it was powerful and fast, we barely detected it. It fired just outside the atmosphere of the planet."
Darth Vader narrowed his eyes behind his mask as an idea popped in his mind. There was only one person that was powerful to pull off something like this.
"So, she's making her move," Vader said.
"Lord Vader, something is coming down from space!" Another officer rushed to the dark lord's side.
The entire building shook as Blackfire smashed through the roof and ceiling, landing with a mighty boom. Her fist had sent a destructive shockwave that knocked everyone but Vader off their feet. She looked up with glowing purple eyes.
"Hey Master, ready for round two?" Blackfire got back to her feet.
"I expected you to make a move against us soon, Blackfire. But this isn't what I expected." Vader drew out his lightsaber.
"I figured the old fart would be too comfortable in his own throne to see me coming." Blackfire's hands glowed brightly. "Besides, we both know you're more powerful than him in a straight up fight."
"Then I will not disappoint you." Vader ignited his lightsaber before sending a powerful Force push at Blackfire.
Blackfire dug her feet on the ground, leaving a cracked trail under her strength. She looked up to see Vader swinging his red lightsaber down on her. Firing a starbolt at the red blade, she blocked the attack, pushing him back. Shooting at top speed at him, she swung a punch at Vader's face. The Sith Lord used the Force to block the punch, but it was still strong enough to send him back.
Vader landed on one of the walls with a loud crack of everything around him. Summoning the power of his hatred, he shot out his hand, commanding all the debris at Blackfire. She was forced to fly around and punch her way through all the large pieces of machinery and the building to reach her former master. But as she punched through a TIE fighter, she was met with Vader himself. He swung his red saber at the Tamaranian, sending her back with a slash across her armor. But he wasn't done. He thrusted his hand forward, sending her back with a mighty Force push.
Blackfire gritted her teeth, stopping herself before sending a volley of starbolts at Vader. Her attacks were fast and dangerously powerful, forcing the Sith Lord to use both the Force and his Lightsaber skills to block and divert all the incoming attacks. His red saber swung quickly and brightly, leaving a red trail as he pushed through the rain of power coming down on him. But like any force standing against a mighty torrent, he was eventually struck by the sheer amount of force behind his attacker's power. He was struck on the shoulder, losing a part of his armor. Another shot burnt through his cape. And another shot hit him on the thigh. Gritting his teeth in pain, he stood his ground. But he was then met by Blackfire's fist punching him in an uppercut.
Vader was sent flying with half of his helmet broken by the sheer force of the punch and power of Blackfire's starbolt. He skidded back, holding his face as he got back to his feet.
"Surrender, Vader. You can't match me." Blackfire straightened her hand, creating a starbolt blade. "Though thanks to your training, I got a few new tricks. Care to test them?"
"You will find them… lacking." Vader assumed his fighting stance as Blackfire charged at him.
The rebels jumped in, sending Blackfire back in surprise by a combined Force push from all the remaining Jedi.
"You look like you could use a hand, old friend." Obi-Wan looked at Vader.
"Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Luke," Vader breathed. "I expected a visit from you sooner or later."
"I take it your new student is more of a handful than your last one, huh?" Ahsoka drew out her lightsabers.
"That would be putting it lightly, Master." Luke took out his own lightsaber along with Kanan and Ezra.
"Surrender, Blackfire. It is over," Obi-Wan said.
"One or a hundred means nothing to me." Blackfire flared, making another star blade from her other hand. "I'll win this one way or another."
"That's yet to be seen." Kanan said.
The Jedi and the Sith Lord charged at Blackfire, who met their blades with her own. Her strength matching theirs with ease as she countered them.
Dr. Destiny smiled in sick glee as the modifications to the Dream Stone finished.
"At last." He picked up the stone. "Now all I need is the extra power to make my perfect world." Destiny looked at his reflection in the red stone.
"Assuming you'll live to use it." Cain shattered Dr. Destiny's look into his own reflection.
Dr. Destiny turned around to see all the members of the Outsiders surrounding him. He snarled at his enemies while they all prepared to strike him down.
"You've got nowhere to run, Destiny." Nite Owl pulled out his boomerang.
"Drop the stone and I promise you we'll go easy on you." Cain prepared his shovel.
"I was hoping to test this new power against someone else, but you'll do!" Dr. Destiny called forth the powers of the Dream Stone, warping reality around him.
A bright red light engulfed the laboratory, changing everything, giving it a nightmarish look to it. The Outsiders soon found themselves standing in what could've easily been described as a funhouse mirror world. The floor underneath them had missing bits and pieces, like a checkered floor where all the blacks had hidden traps inside them. The walls were curved and misshapen like the trees of some haunted forest from a fairy tale. The ceiling was now the eye of a red storm looking down upon them. And right in the middle was Dr. Destiny riding a large metallic snake with glowing green fangs as lightning crackled around it with metal slabs hovering next to it.
"A tad dramatic ain't it?" Bronze Tiger asked, pulling his knuckle dusters.
"Sideways, get us up there!" Cain instructed.
"One way ticket coming right up!" Sideways created a large rift for everyone to jump into.
The Outsiders jumped down with each of them attacking the large snake. Cain struck the top of the snake's head, going after Dr. Destiny. Metamorpho transformed himself into a large version of himself, punching the snake in the face. Sideways created rifts for the others to hop into, landing on different parts of the snake while others aided Cain in the chase. Bronze Tiger punched at the snake's bright green eyes, leaving it blind as it thrashed against Metamorpho's hold.
The snake roared in pain, firing a bright green laser at the heroes, pushing them back. The beast's thrashing almost knocked the heroes off of it, but they stayed strong as they battled the beast to a standstill. But every time the heroes pushed it back, the snake fired its green laser breath at them and the world around them.
On top of the large metallic snake, Cain, Nite Owl and Punchline ran after Dr. Destiny. They surrounded him as he summoned bright red weapons from the Dream Stone to attack them. Parrying and blocking the strikes of the dream weapons, they managed to hit their quarry once. And that one was Punchline stabbing the rogue nightmare in the leg.
Dr. Destiny fell to the ground, groaning in pain. He focused the power of the Dream Stone into his body. The wound quickly healed up but the pain was still there. He threw the knife back at Punchline, only to be saved by Nite Owl and his grappling hook. The hero blocked the knife with his cape before trying the villain's feet with his grappling hook.
"End of the line, Destiny!" Cain jumped to finish him off.
"Yes, it is. For everyone in this city!" Dr. Destiny held up the Dream Stone.
The mechanical snake transformed back into a large unstable canon. Inside it, a large green crystal crackled with power and unstable energy. It sent a pulse of energy, knocking back the Outsiders.
"Good luck being heroes." Dr. Destiny slipped into the shadows.
"This thing is gonna blow!" Metamorpho screamed.
"We gotta get the others!" They ran back.
Back with the fight against Blackfire, she was still holding her own against her opponents. She punched Kanan and Ezra away with ease before firing a starbolt at Luke. Ahsoka tried to cut off her head, but she caught the Togruta Jedi, breaking her hand with ease. Vader and Obi-Wan pulled Blackfire away from Ahsoke. Blackfire was unable to resist as they brought down their red and blue blades against her purple hand blades.
"Surrender, Blackfire, this battle is over!" Obi-Wan called out.
Blackfire looked at the downed Ahsoka as Luke went to help her. She wasn't sure what her master's relationship was with them, but she would at least take them down.
"Maybe, but I'll take some of you with me!" Blackfire's eyes glowed brightly, firing two beams of purple lasers at Luke and Ahsoka.
"NO!" Vader called out.
Luke heard Vader, pushing Ahsoka out of the way. But he wasn't so lucky.
Blackfire's eyebeams struck his right hand, cutting it.
Luke fell down in pain, holding his hand.
Blackfire used this moment of worry from the two masters to blast them off of her. She was about to finish the fight, when three green capsules bursted underneath her.
"Y-You think… this will stop me?" Blackfire inhaled a good chunk of the green smoke before falling to the ground.
"Anesthetic gas, not smoke," Nite Owl said.
"We need to leave, now!" Sideways said as the room and the building started collapsing as the energy from the weapon and Destiny's manipulation started to destroy everything.
Sideways created a rift as the wounded were carried in. But as they were about to go in, a wave of green energy went towards them. The weapon was exploding and it was going to take everyone and everything in its path. They all braced for the impact, but it never came. They slowly opened their eyes to see Vader and Obi-Wan holding back the power of the explosion.
"Go, while there's still time!" Vader said.
"That won't hold, go!" Obi-Wan added.
"I'm not leaving you, two!" Ahsoka tried to push them, only for the two masters to send her and everyone else through the rift.
"It is good to see you again, Anakin." Obi-Wan said.
"You too, Master." Anakin said as the explosion took them both.
After sharing goodbyes and wishing the rest of the rebels luck in the future in Dagobah, the mood at the House of Mystery was somber.
"You brought her here?!" Cain snapped.
Blackfire laid on a table, bound by magic but no less dangerous.
"What possessed you to do such a thing?" Cain asked.
"She would serve better under our supervision than in the hands of a rebel cell," Nite Owl explained. "That is, if there was anywhere in that world that could hold her."
"And what is she supposed to be, another consultant?" Cain asked.
"Extra muscle. Dr. Destiny is more powerful and not one to be easily bested with the modifications that he's implemented." Nite Owl argued. "She has nothing and nowhere to go. The offer of a place to belong should be sufficient."
"And if it isn't?" Cain asked.
"Survival is always an option, if not magical hypnosis." Nite Owl replied coldly.
Cain hated to admit it, but he was right. Dr. Destiny was getting too powerful for them to handle alone. Perhaps more allies would be useful. Allies of his choosing. If Nite Owl was planning something dastardly, Cain needed to be ready, quickly.
Chapter 8: Raven
Summary:
Earth -5002:
What if the American Dragon met a Raven?
Chapter Text
The multiverse is more than just a prism…
It is ever expanding and ever growing…
A place where one choice, one fork on the road can lead to many opportunities…
But every spark of brilliance there is a spark of madness…
These are the stories of both…
Cain could not trust Nite Owl nor the small entourage that he'd been putting together. The addition of Punchline had been somewhat sound thanks to her inside look into Dr. Destiny's mind. But adding Blackfire to their ranks was a step too dangerous and somewhat mad in his opinion, and he usually loved those steps. The inquisitor princess clearly was out for power and respect, and yet Nite Owl had seemingly made her one of their little band without any alteration or magical influence that he could see. Whatever he'd done to change her mind had worked all too well and now there was a danger in his home and to their mission.
"So, Cain, why are we meeting in this dingy room?" Bronze Tiger asked, looking at what was simply a broom closet.
"All in due time, my friend," Cain replied softly.
Metamorpho and Sideways stepped into the closet through one of Sideways' rifts.
"Okay, we just checked, Nite Owl, Punchline and Blackfire are in his study looking up information about Dr. Destiny's next move." Metamorpho explained. "We have at least another twenty or so minutes before he's done monologuing."
Cain hardly liked acting in secret in his own home but he did need to keep a safe distance between those he trusted and the snakes under his roof. He knew he could count on Metamorpho and Sideways as they were not only far too good for their own good, but were against many of Nite Owl's actions and choices. As for Bronze Tiger, he was always by their side. He was a fighter and all of Nite Owl's smoke and mirrors clashed with his style. There was something to say about his warrior code of honor.
"Good, then let's make the most of it," Cain said. "The reason I gathered you here in this room is because Nite Owl's latest actions have been brought into question and have raised some concerns."
"Yeah, I've been saying that Punchline and Blackfire are kinda scary in the not-so-subtle way." Sideways shivered. "Those two give me the willies. Can't see how they are not trying to stab us in the back."
"Either he has them on a very short leash or something else is going on," Metamorpho added.
"Precisely, I feel that there is an agenda on his mind that he wants to follow aside from our own. He has those two as his own killer angels of death and he's certainly going to use them. And as much as I hate having to skulk in the shadows like a mouse in my own home, secrecy is paramount." Cain walked side to side like a drill sergeant preparing his platoon for the mission. "Our mission is now a two-fold one. Our primary objective is to stop Dr. Destiny from creating his own realm at the cost of all the rest. But our secondary objective is to stop and prevent whatever plan Nite Owl has in mind."
"We're gonna need some extra muscle to beat them," Sideways said. "I like our chances against Nite Owl and Punchline, but Blackfire is a different beast altogether."
"Which is why we'll need to add up to our ranks." Cain smiled.
Bronze Tiger narrowed his eyes at Cain's words. He was well aware that the things Nite Owl was planning were not good for anyone. That man had something twisted in mind but he couldn't tell what it was. And now with Blackfire seemingly on his side, taking him down would be difficult. He couldn't even make a move against him as long as he had his ace up his sleeve. Best he could do was play the proper soldier that worked to stop Nite Owl before anything could happen.
"We can't just add any random goon or hero to take them on," Bronze Tiger pointed out. "We need someone that can go face-to-face with Blackfire and win."
Blackfire was easily one of the most powerful members they had on the team, and that was clearly loyal to Nite Owl. Metamorpho could try to outsmart her with a special gas to knock her out. But with Nite Owl's mind being so sharp and crafty, they needed something he would not expect. But they couldn't just rely on one sole source, they needed something strong and diverse.
"Well, if comic books have taught me anything, magic should be our way to go." Sideways pointed out.
Cain scratched his beard, knowing firsthand how powerful magic was and how it could topple the strongest heroes and fiends of many stories. He didn't have to look far for an example. The story of the forgotten Mewni Princess Jinx and Green Arrow's enchanted arrows and how they bested many warriors and threats. But for this challenge, they would need something darker. A strong magic that could tap into the darkness but also serve the light. And he knew where to call it.
He summoned a particular cloak to his side. The cloak was white with a hood that would cover the wearer's head, making it look like the beak of a bird. It didn't look particularly impressive or regal, but at the neck area there was a broche. A golden brooch with a red dragon on it.
"What do you have there, boss man?" Metamorpho asked. "Looks like an old cloak. No judging your sense of style but your current look looks much better."
"This, Metamorpho, is the cloak of one of the monks of the lost city of Azarath. They were keepers of ancient knowledge and magic that coursed through all manner of realms," Cain explained. "I got this little souvenir along with a story to go with it a few years ago. And it might be the answer to our problems. A story I like to call…"
Earth -5002:
What if the American Dragon met a Raven?
"The Jewel of the Magic City"
Cain walked through the magical streets of the city of Azarath for a lovely stroll. The parallel dimension was always bustling and full of colorful magical creatures that went about their business. But the monks of Azarath were a little different than the rest of the spider-legged women, trolls, gnomes, gargoyles, elves and fairies that had their own jobs and goals in life. The Azarath Monks were some of the most high strung keepers of magic from all corners of the realms. Cain often wondered if they were more like secluded monks or more like a cult that liked to keep to the shadows.
Cain spotted the white robed monks walking through the streets while some of the magical creatures turned away to ignore them. His eyes landed on a particular small robed figure. It was a little girl. She had pale to gray skin, short blue hair that cupped the sides of her head like the feathers of a bird. She looked around the crowd, picking up on their emotions. He could see it in her eyes. The little girl was an empath.
"It's okay, Raven. Just breathe and walk with me." A woman that looked like the little girl's mother. "You can hold my hand if you want." She offered the young girl her hand, letting the little girl grab it.
"I can feel them. All their emotions. Many of them are scared or weirded out by us," Raven said. "Why is that?"
"Because some magical creatures, like normal humans, don't understand our role in the world and find it easier to fear or ignore things they don't understand." Raven's mother explained as they walked.
"Is that why we're going to talk to the dragons?" Raven asked.
The monks soon arrived at a tall building with dragons carved on the entrance. It had golden doors, a blue tiled roof and red banners floating with the wind. It was three stories tall and straight out of the medieval times of a high fantasy novel. There were windows on the upper two floors looking out onto the streets of the magical realm where dragons and other magical creatures could be seen moving about. The doors opened up, revealing a short man wearing a blue Chinese robe with a long white mustache, small white beard and long white hair.
"Welcome, monks of Azarath, I am Luong Lao Shi and I am here to meet you and take you to the Dragon Council." Lao Shi bowed to the monks.
Raven hid behind her mother's leg before she patted her head to calm her down.
"We're honored to be met by the wise dragon master Luong Lao Shi in this matter." Raven's mother bowed to the short old dragon, prompting her daughter to do the same.
Raven bowed to the dragon master, but was still a little uneasy around him. This was the first time before a dragon and his strict demeanor made her a little nervous. The stories of dragons breathing fire upon their enemies did not help one bit.
"Sorry, sorry, sorry! Just had to stop by and pick up my winnings." Fu Dog popped out counting his money. "Ha ha, never bet against me in baseball."
Fu Dog was a magical guardian companion animal. A talking, walking Chinese Shar Pei with a red collar around his neck. He quickly looked at Lao Shi who gave him the stink eye.
"What?"
Lao Shi muttered something in Chinese as he rubbed his face.
Raven didn't understand the words the old dragon master had muttered but his emotions were all too easy to read. Irritation. Annoyance. Slight anger at the guardian dog's lack of decorum and punctuality. It was all in the old man's emotions. Oddly enough, this made the little girl feel more at ease with the meeting that was about to take place.
"Well, let us go inside and meet with the Dragon Council members." Lao Shi gestured to the rest of the monks inside. "If you want anything to drink or are hungry all you need to do is ask."
"Sadly, that doesn't mean that there is an open buffet." Fu Dog followed behind the old dragon.
Raven and the rest of the monks continued walking until they came across a large door with two red dragons facing each other. On the side of one of the doors stood a tall young man with rockstar green hair, a long sleeved red jacket and a pair of jeans. He leaned against the side of the door waiting for his grandfather and the monks to arrive. His eyes landed on Raven and she could feel his emotions.
She sensed his aloofness turn to slight surprise as he looked at her. It was the same kind of feeling that would be manifested when one finds out that their gift is actually a pair of socks. She kept looking at the young man as though he was trying to figure her out before Lao Shi stepped up to him.
"Jake, quit leaning on the doors. And greet our honorable guests." Lao Shi scolded his grandson.
"Sorry, gramps," Jake said. "Jake Long, American Dragon and all over awesome dude from the Big Apple at your service." Jake bowed his head in a dramatic fashion, giving Raven a smile.
Raven gave a little laugh.
However, the laughter didn't last long. The doors opened up and an elderly woman with a sour face and purple robes walked out. She looked at the monks before narrowing her gaze at Raven.
"Good, you're here. Come inside, now." Councilwoman Chang gestured.
"Hey, don't worry. You'll only turn to stone if you her in the eyes." Jake knelt next to Raven, whispering.
Raven smiled before she followed her mother and the monks inside.
Jake's smile dropped when the door closed up.
"Man, of all the people to be stuck with, Councilwoman Chang has got to stink," Jake said.
"I'll bet. I've met vipers that were more cuddly," Fu Dog said. "No offense, gramps."
"You two may have your own opinions on Councilwoman Chang but the truth of the matter is that she knows this meeting is very important," Lao Shi said. "If the claims of that child are true then she must be carefully watched."
Jake didn't know if he should agree with his grandpa. All he saw was a little girl that was scared. Hopefully everything would turn out alright for her and the other monks.
"Despite the seclusion of the monks of Azarath and their appreciation for cloaks with hoods, they were often looking for knowledge of magic many believed lost. And sadly, some of those things should remain lost. Such as what led to the birth of the little birdie that was now being judged."
Raven stood before the Dragon Council members, noting all their emotions and how they were looking over her. She sensed conflict, concern, curiosity and contempt from each of the members. They were observing her as her mother and the other monks spoke to them. It was like they were focused on figuring out who or what she was, like a puzzle being held inside a black box. The one known as Chang was particularly giving her a look of disdain that made her wonder if the old woman had a toothache. She hated it. She whispered the enchantment her mother had taught her, trying to calm down.
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos. Azarath Metrion Zinthos." Raven whispered, taking in deep breaths.
"The child is indeed a powerful empath for her age. You said she was born with this gift?" One of the Councilmemebers asked.
"Yes, Raven was always gifted in magic. But it is her ability to connect and understand the emotions of others, both magical and normal beings, that makes her so much more than a simple empath." Raven's mother explained. "Through the training with the monks and myself, Raven will become a powerful sorceress and a strong ally of the Dragons and the Council."
Most of the council members shared looks of curiosity and wonder. Though Chang wasn't exactly looking at the good the child could do. Dragons had been the guardians of the magical world for many generations and they had long held back from their greatness and true destiny. But now a child that could tap into magic without a staff or any object to focus it was a threat to her and the plans of her master. Normally, the best course of action would be to get rid of the sorceress before she unlocked the full extent of her powers. But the thought of having her become loyal to her and the council was much more enticing.
"And you believe you're the best to teach this child, Arella?" Chang asked, giving Raven's mother a quizzical look. "From what I remember, few of you could properly use magic.
"There isn't a large number of magic users at Raven's level, that's true. But the vast amounts of knowledge we've collected over the centuries will more than make up for that." Arella stood her ground.
"And yet there are far too many probabilities that need to be considered." Chang looked at her fellow council members.
"What do you suggest, councilwoman?" her fellow councilman asked.
"I suggest the child be taken to a secure location under the control and observation of the council." Raven's eyes widened as she heard this. "I volunteer to ensure the child will receive proper education."
"What?!" Arella snapped. "You can't do that. She's only a child. My child!"
"And that burst of emotion is exactly why she must be looked after with discipline and self control." Chang looked at Raven, making her imagine the worst.
"There is an argument to be said about taking her to a safer location to learn about her powers." A councilman explained.
"If her magic is influenced by emotions then there are some locations around the world that are cut off from the rest of the world. It would be the best place for the child to grow and become stronger and disciplined in her magic." The councilman pointed out.
Raven couldn't believe what she was hearing. She stood confounded, her young mind not understanding what was going on, but her empathic powers told her what was going on. They were going to take her away, away from her mother, her home, and everything she knew. A storm of emotions stirred and spiraled inside of her. Anger, sadness and fear brewed like a tempestuous storm as she looked at the council.
"No! I don't want to go with you!" Raven snapped. "I don't want to!"
"Hold your tongue child. This is for the better future of the magical world." Chang glared at Raven. "You do not understand the honor that's being offered to you."
They didn't care about her, only about how her power could work for them. She gritted her teeth at them as black energy coursed through her body and into her hands. Her mantra barely held her back. Objects around her were encased in a black aura and began levitating around her. Everyone looked at what she was doing, but Raven's glare didn't lessen.
"Raven, stop!" Arella reached out but the wind pushed her back.
"I'm not going anywhere!" Raven thrusted her hands forward, sending a powerful shockwave of black magic at the entire council room.
Everyone was pushed back from the blast, knocking the doors off their hinges. The ground cracked and the shelves full of books fell to the ground. The windows cracked as everyone fell down to the ground.
Raven's eyes glowed brightly before she snapped out of it. She looked at what she had done before running away. She ran past Jake, Lao Shi and Fu Dog.
"What just happened?" Jake asked.
"Looks like the meeting didn't go as planned," Fu Dog groaned.
"You okay, gramps?" Jake helped his grandpa to his feet.
"I'm alright, Jake." Lao Shi dusted himself. "Go after her, Jake. In her condition she could hurt someone!"
"You got it, gramps." Jake's fists lit up with bright flames. "Dragon UP!" Jake transformed into a large red dragon with wings, quickly flying after Raven.
As Jake flew up into the air looking for any signs of Raven, Cain watched everything from the top of the buildings. The surge of power and energy that he'd felt was unlike anything he could've expected. He smiled as he turned to see Raven running through the backstreets of the magical city.
"Empaths and magic are a very dangerous combination. Not only can they sense and understand the emotions of others but their magic is affected by their emotions and those of others. And nothing is more powerful than the strong emotions of a little girl being told that she would be taken away from all she'd ever known."
Raven ran through the streets, sensing every emotion that was around her. She looked back, hearing a flapping of large wings above her. Jake spotted her, flying towards her. Raven turned around just in time to crash into a couple of goblins playing poker at a table. She knocked the table over, spilling all their cards and winnings. They turned to face her with growls and draggers in hand.
"Yo, get away from her!" Jake called out.
But the damage had been done. Raven blasted them with a black energy beam, sending the pack of goblins into Jake. She didn't stop. Her attack struck a couple more buildings, scattering the people around.
Jake knocked the goblins away before flying down to the group goblins. He watched the chaos and flew to save the creatures around. As a large chunk of a building fell over a woman with spider legs, he swept in, picking her up before the debris could crush her. He snatched a small family of gnomes from a collapsing building using his tongue as he held up the debris with his arms. He flew to a pair of shopping elves, smacking the debris away with his tail. He flew and zipped as fast as he could from one corner of the street to the other, saving and stopping everything that was happening around him. Part of him made a mental note to apologize to his parents for all the trouble and messes that he made while growing up, and was still making.
"Okay, where are you?" Jake muttered, using his dragon eyes to look for the little girl.
His eyes helped him scan the crowd of people screaming and fleeing the area for the little girl. The panic on the street wasn't helping him, but it also reminded him that it was that very reason that he had to hurry. His eyes landed on the cloak of the little girl. With a quick flap of his wings, he flew down to meet it. But the cloak had been dropped by the entrance of an alley. His ears picked up the sound of sobbing coming from behind a couple of crates. He slowly walked towards the crates as the sobbing grew louder.
"Hello?" He poked his head to see the little girl with only a white dress on.
She was crying her eyes out, surrounded by an orb of black energy. At the sound of his voice, the orb pushed him back.
Jake transformed back as he hit the wall.
"Go away. I don't wanna go!" Raven sobbed.
"Ouch, that hurt." Jake rubbed his head. "Could you chill for a sec?" He tried walking up to her but got shocked by the black energy.
Jake shook his hand, feeling the sting of her power. He looked at her and how she was scared and crying. He couldn't blame her for being like that. At best, he would have to treat her like a scared kid.
"Hey there, what's wrong?" Jake knelt before Raven, keeping his distance. "My name is Jake, remember me?" Jake smiled, getting her attention.
Raven looked at him, noticing that he was afraid but also… worried. He was worried about her?
"I didn't get your name. Could you tell me your name?" Jake asked.
"R… Raven. But my mom… she calls me Rachel." Raven sobbed.
"That's a pretty name. And a cool one to boot," Jake said. "Can I ask you why you're here crying your eyes out? Doesn't look very friendly."
"They… they… they wanted to take me away." Raven wiped the tears from her eyes. "Away from my mom."
Jake narrowed his eyes at her words. Now some things made sense for him. And only one person came to mind about that kind of action.
"Let me guess, a mean old lady said that it was a good idea?" Jake asked with Raven nodding. "Figures. That old lady was born cranky." Jake jumped back as the energy of her shield kept him back. "Hey, I know that you're scared and angry. But you need to calm down. Let's be ch-ch-ch-ch-chill." Jake boomboxed.
Raven looked at him with confusion.
"Not a rap or beat fan huh? Okay, I get it," Jake said. "Say, you have something you like to do to relax?"
"I… I like to meditate…" Raven sniffed.
"Really? I can't pull that off myself," Jake said. "Could you show me how to do it? I could use some help." Jake held up his hands.
"...Okay." Raven turned to him. "Repeat after me. Azarath Metrion Zinthos."
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos?" Jake repeated.
The two of them repeated the mantra as they meditated. And little by little, Raven started to calm down and get used to Jake's presence. The orb of energy that surrounded her dissipated as she calmed down. She felt at ease as Jake slowly approached her. She looked up as he held up his hand to her.
"Let's get you to your mom." Jake smiled.
Raven grabbed his hand and followed Jake out of the alley.
As they walked out, Cain picked up the cloak that Raven had worn. He dusted it off before noting the broch that tied the cloak together.
"So, the American Dragon and the daughter of Trigon have found each other?" Cain asked himself.
Jake and Raven walked down the street until they came upon the consulate with Arella, Lao Shi, Fu Dog and the Dragon Council waiting for them.
"Rachel!" Arella ran to hug her daughter. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, mom." Raven looked at Jake smiling kindly. "Jake calmed me down and meditated with me."
"Thank you." Arella picked up Raven into her arms as she thanked the young dragon.
"Just doing my job, ma'am," Jake replied. "Can't have little girls sad when I'm around."
Raven smiled at the young dragon as he calmed her down. However, she quickly picked up the emotions of someone she didn't like. The sight of Councilwoman Chang always made her stomach turn and wanted to send her away like she'd done before.
"You see? This is the kind of power that needs to be controlled," Chang argued, making Jake glare at her. "She could've hurt someone with that childish tantrum of hers. With these uncontrolled emotions she could be a danger to both realms." Chang pointed to Raven like she was some kind of monster.
Raven buried her face in her mother's arms as Jake got between them and Councilwoman Chang.
"Yeah, it's easy to point and blame others after you made Raven upset." Jake pointed back at Chang. "She told me that you wanted to take her away from her mom and everything she knew and leave her locked away in some remote outpost in the middle of nowhere. Of course she got upset and threw a tantrum."
"Wait, what?" Fu Dog asked. "That's messed up. Gramps, you really dodged a bullet with this one." He whispered the last bit to Lao Shi.
"This is none of your concern, young dragon," Chang said.
"When there's a scared kid on my turf, it is my concern. You have no idea how to deal with kids and you assume that they'll just obey blindly, of course something bad was going to happen." Jake didn't budge. "Raven is not a bad kid, she's scared and doesn't want to leave her mom's side. It's plain to see."
"Yeah, that's a good recipe to get bitten in the back." Fu Dog added.
Chang narrowed her eyes at Lao Shi's grandson's defiance. His rebellious streak was prone to cause trouble for her and her master. Her best hope to gather support would be her old flame.
"Lao Shi, are you going to allow your grandson to speak to a council member like that?" Chang asked, looking at her old flame.
"Under normal circumstances, I would tell him. But I must agree with him in this decision," Lao Shi said. "Children need to grow with their family and develop skills for the future. Uprooting them from everything they know, they are bound to lash out. I suggest keeping track of the young one while allowing her to stay with her mother."
"Perhaps this is for the best," The other council members agreed with Lao Shi's suggestion. "She seems to have developed a bond with Jake Long, perhaps they should be our representatives in this matter."
Chang grumbled as she sent one more glance at Jake and Raven. She didn't like to be foiled, much less give the rebellious boy a win. But she didn't have a leg to stand on. She walked away as Raven blew a raspberry at her.
"So, guess we'll be seeing more of each other huh?" Jake smiled. "Don't worry, girl. With the American Dragon by your side, your life will never be boring." Jake puffed his chest, making Raven giggle.
Cain watched from the rooftop as the two heroes met up and struck a friendship. Usually, sappy happy endings weren't his cup of tea, but he could appreciate the happy friendship that was brewing between the dragon and the daughter of Trigon. A sneaky smile crossed his face as he imagined the outcomes of this friendship.
"And that was how the young sorceress of Azarath gained a young dragon as her protector. The fears of the Councilwoman were well founded to some extent but the emotional understanding of a child required someone that matched her mind as well as her needs. The powers of a powerful sorceress and empath were now under the care of the only other guardian that she ever met…"
"...a young man that protected two realms and lived to a legacy of his own. But would his teachings and guidance be enough to give the little raven the fate she needed? Only time will tell."
Back in the room, the members of the Outsiders finished listening to the story with intrigue. To think that a little girl had that kind of power and that she was under the protection of a dragon of all things. She had caused a lot of destruction and chaos at such a young age but she still had a long road ahead of her. The way that Cain explained the story, it seemed like the little girl was more powerful than anyone could have assumed. And knowing magic was something they could use.
"Now that's an origin story!" Sideways said. "You should tell more stories like that, Cain."
"Okay, so magic should be in our best interest, but there's no way that little girl will do the trick." Metamorpho raised a good point. "We need someone much older and more experienced than her in order to beat both Dr. Destiny and you-know-who if Nite Owl sicks her on us."
"Well, there's an easy fix to that. This cloak was acquired around ten years ago," Cain said. "Which means that little Raven should be around her mid teens like young Sideways here. And something tells me that she didn't just sit there being babied."
"So we got ourselves a magic user," Bronze Tiger said. "But how will you get it through Nite Owl and his killer women? They'll wonder why we are taking a detour when Dr. Destiny is still out there and causing a mess."
Cain scratched his beard. It was true that they needed to catch up to Dr. Destiny but they also needed to get more allies to face whatever Nite Owl was plotting. A random jump to a different world would be seen as something fishy. Someone as analytical as Nite Owl was already thinking that there was something odd going on. His suspicions could easily make him move against them before they were ready. Cain just needed something to make it look legitimate.
"Hey, boss man. Does that cloak usually glow like that?" Sideways asked.
"Glow?" Cain looked at the cloak, noticing it glow with a familiar red hue. "I don't believe it. He's grown powerful enough to do this? Or at the very least, his control over the Dream Stone is allowing him to do this."
The cloak was glowing with a bright redness, like a piece of metal coming straight out of a furnace. But it also resembled the brightness and energy of Dr. Destiny's Dream Stone.
"What is that?" Metamorpho asked.
"Dr. Destiny's control over the Dream Stone has gotten to the degree that even objects of the world are affected by him. And it would seem that he's after the same person we are." Cain narrowed his eyes, but couldn't help but smirk if only a little bit. "It would seem fate is on our side, gentlemen. Prepare to go immediately."
"What about Nite Owl, Punchline and Blackfire? We're not just leaving them, are we?" Bronze Tiger asked.
"Sadly, no. They must think this is all still part of the plan. Just act normal." Cain summoned Nite Owl, Punchline and Blackfire to the main room.
The Outsiders met up in the main room and some were more happy about it than others.
"So, you are the rest of this so-called new team I've been drafted to, huh?" Blackfire pulled on an enchanted choker wrapped around her neck. "You look like the biggest gathering of freaks I've ever seen. And trust me, I've seen some freaks out there." She looked at them like she was looking at animals in a zoo exhibit.
"Well screw you too." Sideways muttered.
"What's that thing around your neck, my dear?" Cain asked, pointing to the choker. "It looks awfully a lot like the containment collar that I keep in my collection." He was twitching in slight anger.
"Is that what it's called? Nite Owl just said that it would blow off my head if I made any moves he didn't like." Blackfire pointed to Nite Owl with a lazy thumb. "Basically, it's no different than a shock collar for a slave."
"As I already explained to you, Blackfire. This is just to make sure you won't try to murder us when we're not looking," Nite Owl replied with his same cold calculating voice.
Blackfire scoffed at him. She hated playing the loyal dog. She had had enough of that after the last three years and now wanted to call her own shots. But there was no other way around this mess. They didn't trust her and after the messy introduction that was her fight with her former master, it would be a long time before any of them gave her a fraction of that trust. But she could tell that every single one of them were stronger than they looked. She would go a couple of rounds against a few of them before taking them out. Maybe one of them could be a proper playmate if she felt like it.
"We've found where Dr. Destiny is. He's after someone in that world," Cain explained. "Our objective is to find them before Dr. Destiny or anyone that's under his control and apprehend him."
"Can't we just kill him and anyone that gets in our way?" Punchline asked.
"Dr. Destiny, yes. But only as a last resort," Cain said. "Anyone that's being manipulated by him or influenced, no."
Punchline pouted before hugging Blackfire in a surprise hug. She wanted to use her knives on someone. Not being able to use them like they were meant to be used, made her feel anxious. There was no way that she wouldn't have stabbed someone if she had the chance. But all she could do was let out her frustrations on Blackfire's shoulder.
"Get her off of me." Blackfire's eyes glowed purple.
"Let's go before they try to kill each other." Bronze Tiger turned to Cain, who was just as eager to leave as he was.
"Very well." Cain called forth the door to the world they were heading into.
The door appeared before the team right in the middle of the room. The door was colored bright red like the scales of a dragon, a large silhouette of a dragon wrapped around a large black raven bird in the middle. It looked like the dragon was spiraling around the bird to protect it while the black bird emanated a powerful magic. But there was a glaring flaw, there was a bright red handprint on the side of the door. The door oozed magic and power, just like one of those fairy tale stories. But it wasn't like the bright kind of magic one would expect. It had as much light as it had darkness. There was no doubt that Dr. Destiny was after something inside that world.
"Let us go and find Dr. Destiny before he gets his hands in whatever he's after." Cain opened the door. "Ladies first."
"Chivalry is dead, you know?" Blackfire raised an eyebrow at Cain.
"I know, I've seen many try to kill it," Cain replied. "But there are some of us that keep the bastard alive and kicking."
The Outsiders arrived in New York City not far from Chinatown. They were on top of a building where they could see everything going on.
"What a plain looking planet." Blackfire looked around the city.
"Well, you do come from a world with advanced alien technology," Sideways said. "But it is one of the coolest cities on any earth. I am so taking Erine here one day."
"Okay boss, where do we go from here?" Metamorpho asked.
"Well, since it seems Dr. Destiny is after someone, we need to find them," he said. "Thankfully, we got this." Cain pulled out the cloak as it glowed.
"It looks like a raggedy old thing," Punchline said. "Are we gonna burn it?" She pulled out a lighter.
"No." Cain would snap Punchline's neck if she even dared. "We'll use it to make a magical trail for us to follow." Cain dusted off the cloak, creating a trail for them to follow.
"Good, but we must still find out what's after the target. Dr. Destiny is known for using others to get what he wants," Nite Owl pointed out. "Do we know of any enemies in this realm?"
Cain handed Nite Owl a list. With the knowledge of where to go, the team split up once more to accomplish their respective goals. However, what Nite Owl and his team didn't know was that Cain had given them a particularly long list.
"You sure that'll be enough to keep them occupied?" Bronze Tiger asked.
"I purposefully handed him a long list to ensure he would be busy. Now, we will have to face whatever Dr. Destiny has under his control while recruiting our next member." Cain, Metamorpho, Sideways and Bronze Tiger followed the trail.
"Won't be easy." Sideways jumped from one rift into another.
"It'll have to be a calculated risk. Nite Owl must not know that we're plotting against him, and young Raven would be the perfect way to counteract his latest heavy." Cain followed the trail until they came face to face with a high school building. "We'll need to be as delicate as the kiss of a blooming flower. And remember, no ill willed thoughts or emotions, she'll never trust us with those."
"So, we're going to get a teenage sorceress that can grow stronger and more powerful the more in touch she is with her emotions?" Metamorpho asked. "You know how teenage girls are like, right?"
"Why do you think I brought the teenager, the man that can turn into any form of sedative known to anyone, and a man that has more experience with younger kids than all of us?" Cain smirked devilishly.
The three members of the Outsiders couldn't help but look at each other in worry. This would be a tricky situation at the very least.
Raven sighed, looking out the window as the English lesson droned on in the back of her head. She'd grown up quite a lot since she had met the American Dragon. Now a teenager with a jewel on her forehead and short black hair that barely reached down to her shoulders. With every breath she could feel the emotions of everyone around her, ranging from boredom to anxiety from the upcoming essay analysis of the book they had just read, from the lustful impulses aimed at the pretty girls to the frustration at not being able to understand the poem that was being read in class.
She let out a tired sigh, feeling like she was wasting her time. The normal girl routine was not the most exciting for her, but when all the teenagers practically spelled out their emotions to her… Well, the dedication to go to school got tiresome after the last year of Middle School.
"Miss Roth," The teacher called to her. "Would you be so kind as to explain the meaning behind the passage I just read?"
Raven sighed, sparing a glance to the rest of the class before looking at her teacher.
"Dylan Thomas wrote his poem when his father was on death's door. The passage you just read depicts wild ancient humans praising the light of the sun, an allegory to how older human societies praised the sun as a god, bringer of light, prosperity and life," Raven quickly explained. "However, they also learn that the light goes and then comes the darkness. A natural process. Just how we value and praise life,we also mourn it when it goes. The author depicts the wisdom of the 'wild men' as a form of coping and explaining that even at its most primitive and unsophisticated, man still has to face the darkness. Even though some cling to it with teeth and nails."
"That's correct, Miss Roth," the teacher replied as the bell rang. "Now remember, you need to pick a topic for your essays for next week. All topics need to be checked with me before you start writing. And no, it cannot be is the author's hotness affect the popularity of their work, Mr. Cooper."
Raven started packing her notebook and reading book when someone approached her.
"You know you could've worded it a little nicer, Rachel." Hailey told her friend as she got up from her seat.
Hailey Long, Jake's younger sister and the closest she had to a friend in high school. She wore a pink sweater over a white short sleeved shirt with a dark blue skirt. Her hair was tied in a ponytail and she reeked of popularity and straight A+'s. In many ways, the opposite of Jake yet still as friendly.
"He wanted an answer and I gave him one," Raven replied. "So, any word from Jake?"
"He said that he'll be at grandpa's after his shift at the dojo." Hailey replied. "You know he's worried about you, right? You say you keep having nightmares about the Huntsclan, but they're gone. I was there." Hailey placed her hand on Raven's shoulder.
Raven knew what Hailey was saying was true. But she had had nightmares about the dragon skull-wearing maniacs hunting her like an animal. The dreams were so vivid that she could still feel their red-eyed gaze on her even when she was awake. She didn't like being afraid or hunted in her dreams. Dreaming about an enemy long gone wasn't something someone just did. Especially since she wasn't involved with it.
"I know, you two have told me the story before. But it's not just the Huntsclan," Raven said, looking out the window. "There's something going on. I can feel it." Raven's hands glowed briefly with glowing black energy.
Hailey didn't like being the one to keep her friend from expressing herself. But if she was right, then something else was going on. And the last thing she wanted was her friend to jump headfirst into a situation without a plan. Raven had picked up that bad habit from her brother of all things.
They walked out of the classroom and headed to the exit. There wasn't much they could do other than go to Jake and see if he'd learned anything along with Lao Shi and Fu Dog. However, something caught Raven's attention.
She stopped as she sensed strange feelings behind them. She looked over her shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse at whoever was tailing them was clearly a good one. She didn't notice anyone out of the regular, but she knew they were there. But if she wanted to make them show themselves, then she would have to be alone.
"Hey, I'll catch up with you at Lao Shi's," Raven said. "I gotta grab something from my locker."
"You sure? I can wait for you," Hailey replied.
"Don't you have to help plan the Fall Formal?" Raven asked.
"Oh no, I totally forgot. I gotta go and plan the theme and the decorations with the rest of the committee." Hailey ran, leaving Raven to deal with the stalkers on her own.
Raven walked to one of the isolated corridors of the school. With a slick flick of her finger, all the lights went out, leaving only the sunlight from the window to illuminate where she stood. She waited patiently as the emotions slowly encroached around her. It was like a pack of scavengers surrounded a lonesome little bird just to pounce on it. But she was no easy prey to be snatched up for a quick meal.
"Show yourselves. I know you're there." Raven turned around, facing the darkness.
Everything went quiet. Just then one of the lockers opened up before her. Narrowing her eyes she slowly approached it. She looked inside, only to find it empty. Another locker opened up behind her. The air grew cold as more and more lockers opened up, slamming open and shut like a marching band of metal slamming against metal. But Raven didn't so much as blink at the noise.
"You'll have to do better than that to scare me." Raven caught one of the locker doors, stopping it.
The lockers closed up.
Raven could still sense the negative emotions around her. She just needed to see who would blink first. Her free hand tightened into a fist as clear glowing fog poured out of the lockers and into the floor. Her eyes were set on the floor, ready for something to pop out from the mist. But her nerves weren't shaking. Whatever ghost was haunting her would regret it.
A black arm shot out of the open locker, grabbing her arm. She pulled back only to see a member of the Hunstsclan glaring at her.
"Burn the witch!" The Huntsclans member cried out with his glowing red eyes.
Raven felt the strong hand on her wrist pulling her into the locker. She pulled back over and over, trying to break his hold on her. But as she did this, from the mist emerged more members of the Huntsclan. They all had glowing red eyes and moved like puppets on strings. Their hands held deadly weapons meant to strike down any and all magical creatures. Something that Raven knew all too well and hated all the same.
Her eyes were clouded by the sight of a memory. The monastery where she'd grown up was covered in fire. The monks were fleeing for their lives as the Hunstclan attacked them. They turned to her and aimed weapons at them with one goal in mind: To kill.
"NO!" Raven snapped free from the path down memory lane, her power crackling around her. "You wanna play like that, two can play that game!" She broke free from the hold on her arm.
Raven's clothes transformed as her magic overtook her body. Her black hoodie transformed into a dark blue cloak that covered the upper part of her face in shadows. Her shirt and pants became a black leotard with long black sleeves and pants with a golden bead belt with red jewels on it. Her sneakers turned into black heeled boots. She turned to the members of the Huntsclan with cold angry eyes.
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" She swung her hand at them, sending a powerful blast of black energy at them.
The members of the huntsclan were sent flying back into the shadows or crashing into the lockers. They pulled themselves up like lifeless puppets, looking at Raven with anger while growling like beasts. They fired at her with their weapons, but the young empath knew how to defend herself. Raising her hand, she brought up a black forcefield, blocking the green blasts. She stretched out her hand, focusing her power. Raven's magic overtook the lockers, ripping them off the walls before slamming them against the Huntsclan members with enough strength to shatter bones and crush bodies.
She would've normally had held back her attack, but she knew this wasn't the time. She flew up, hovering over the mists as more and more members of the Huntsclan popped up from below. She could sense emotions with ease, but it wasn't anger or hatred that she felt, it was hunger. Hunger coming from one individual.
"I said, come out of the shadows. Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Raven spread her arms before clapping them together like the wings of a mighty raven.
The dark magic wave blew away all the Huntsclan members and the mists that covered the floor. But it also revealed a dark and notorious figure, Dr. Destiny.
"Good, very good, child," Dr. Destiny laughed.
"Who are you?" Raven demanded with magic coating her hands.
"I am Dr. Destiny, and you have something I want." Dr. Destiny held up the Dream Stone high.
Raven's eyes widened at the sight of the Dream Stone. Screams and cries filled her ears, making her grab her head in pain. Her sight became clouded by figures of pain and suffering, of the Huntsclan terrorizing those she loved, of her being overtaken by the darkness inside of her. She fell to the ground in pain, trying to calm herself.
"So many nightmares to fuel my quest. I should've come here sooner." Dr. Destiny laughed. "Your story and your empathic powers are just what I need." He approached Raven with the stone.
"Hey, jerk!" Dr. Destiny turned around only to get a blast of fire to the face.
Hailey landed next to Raven in her dragon form. Covered head to toe in pink scales, with large bat-like wings, sharp claws and nails and a long tail, she had grown into a proper dragon. She blasted fire at Dr. Destiny once more before he got up with a few burn marks.
"Stay down, bozo." Hailey helped Raven to her feet. "You okay, Raven?"
"Th-The stone… We have to get rid of the stone." Raven calmed herself as Dr. Destiny used the Dream Stone to heal himself. "That's the source of his power."
"Easier said than done, my dear-" Dr. Destiny was punched on the side of the head by Metamorpho's large stone fist.
Raven and Hailey watched as Cain, Metamorpho, Sideways and Bronze Tiger stepped out of a rift.
"Caught red-handed picking on two little girls, Dr. Destiny." Cain pulled out his shovel. "Have you no shame?"
Dr. Destiny jumped back to his feet and attacked the Outsiders, using the Dream Stone to bring back the Huntsclan members to attack. His hunger for Raven's power would not be denied so easily and he would see his enemies die by his hand. He commanded his puppets to attack the heroes but they were ready to fight.
Sideways began by forming a rift for the team to jump through. They jumped down, taking the puppets by surprise.
Cain swiftly disarmed the puppets with his shovel. With the deadly precision that only the first nightmare could have, he shattered the weapons by striking their weak points before decapitating three of them.
"They aren't real, hit them hard and fast!" Cain instructed.
Metamorpho transformed his arms into sharp blades that sliced through the puppets with ease. He transformed into a cloud of smoke, surrounding the puppets before wrapping them in tight steel binds, crushing them.
"Gotta thank Sabine for telling me about this metal," Metamorpho said. "It's really awesome!" He formed a shield, blocking an attack from another puppet.
Sideways jumped from rift to rift, moving his allies from one location to the other. He found it fun to move and outsmart all the puppets. He jumped over the green blasts of the puppets before punching through them with his brute strength.
"We're just punching through them." Sideways kicked through another puppet. "But it is still graphic."
"Just keep it cool, Sideways!" Bronze Tiger unleashed a barrage of punches on the puppets.
Bronze Tiger didn't even pretend to hold back. His punches and kicks were aimed at the most sensitive spots of the human body, shattering and breaking the puppets into splinters. It was like watching a tiger ripping through the toys of a five-year-old.
As the brutal battle continued, Raven and Hailey made their way out of the school, leaving the Outsiders to clean up the mess. However, their absence was noticed by Dr. Destiny. He growled as they escaped before getting a kick to the back.
"It's over, Dr. Destiny." Cain threatened, holding his shovel at his throat.
"Nightmares are only just beginning, Cain." Dr. Destiny sunk into the shadows, blinding everyone with the power of the Dream Stone.
The Outsiders covered their eyes before they realized their enemy had given them the slip once more.
"I'm starting to hate his disappearing acts." Bronze Tiger smashed the head of the remaining puppets.
"Don't worry, he still hasn't gotten what he wants from this world. Which means he'll still be here." Cain dusted himself. "And we know where he's going."
"And hopefully we'll be able to put an end to this once and for all." Metamorpho cracked his knuckles.
"And just like that we're jinxed," Sideways groaned. "At least we can save that cute girl from being stuck with that skull-faced creep." Sideways opened a rift for everyone to step through.
Raven took a sip of the tea Lao Shi served her as Hailey explained what had happened to Jake. Her mind needed to clear for her to understand what her enemy had done. She looked at the tea, trying to calm herself by looking at her reflection.
"Thank you, Master Lao Shi, your tea is always calming," Raven said.
"I'm glad you like it, young one. Tell me, is there any wound you need treated?" Lao Shi asked. "That sorcerer did not hurt you, did he?" Lao Shi looked over Raven for any signs of wounds.
"His puppets didn't lay a finger on me, but that thing, he managed to overwhelm me with fear and paranoia." Raven frowned, remembering her battle with the strange being. "It wasn't so much a sorcerer as some kind of living nightmare creature. Called himself Dr. Destiny and had a strange red stone that made me see visions. It was like that night all over again." Raven shook slightly before Lao Shi held her hands.
"You're safe here. Take a moment to rest and then we'll go looking for this Dr. Destiny." Lao Shi left the room as Raven nodded in understanding.
Raven took another sip of her tea as she sensed the emotions of the three dragons and their guardian magical dog. Though, she didn't need to be an empath to know that they were worried about her. Closing her eyes, she tried to listen to their conversation.
"So she tricked you because she sensed something coming after her and decided to fight it on her own?" Jake asked his sister. "Hailey, we're closer to Spring Break than Fall." Jake groaned.
"What do you think got me to come back so fast? Honestly, being class president is way too much work." Hailey rubbed her temples.
"Raven claims the one that attacked her was a being by the name of Dr. Destiny," Lao Shi said. "Do you recognize the name, Fu Dog?"
"No idea, gramps. Trust me, from their description, he sounds more like a Halloween decoration than a wicked sorcerer." Fu Dog looked over the rough sketch. "But his freaky rock does look familiar. It may be a Dream Stone."
"What's a Dream Stone?" Jake asked. "Is it like the Dream Bracelets?"
"Not exactly. According to legend, a being older than the universe and magic itself ruled over the dream realm." Lao Shi opened a book that depicted a rough sketch of the Sandman. "He used to have an item called the Dream Stone that allowed him to traverse all the dreams of everyone in any realm. If this Dr. Destiny has gotten his hands on something similar then he is very dangerous." Lao Shi flipped the pages, showing a sketch of the Dream Stone.
Jake turned to see Raven, still hunched over looking at her tea. He walked over to her and knelt before her.
"Hey, Rae, how you doing, girl?" Jake asked.
"Been better, Jake." Raven replied. "I want to find that jerk and make him swallow that little rock of his."
"And we will, but first we need to find out who we're fighting." Jake ruffled her head with a playful smile. "Besides, I've got first dibs on roasting his ugly butt."
"True, but maybe we can ask someone directly." Raven lifted her hand as it was coated in black magic.
In one swift move, she pulled Cain, Metamorpho, Sideways and Bronze Tiger into the shop. She slammed them to the ground, pinning them with her magic.
"If you were hoping to sneak up on us, you should've tried better to cover your emotions." Raven's eyes glowed as Jake, Hailey and Lao Shi transformed into their dragon forms. "Who are you and why were you attacking the one that was after me?"
"Better make it quick, we're feeling like setting someone on fire," Jake added.
"Well, if you'd be so kind as to let us breathe," Cain said. "Not that I need it but my companions might need to."
Raven's hand stopped glowing, letting them get up and take a good breath of air.
"Okay, that was worse than when I accidentally broke Ernie's model of Monsterverse King Kong." Sideways cracked his back.
"Okay, um, some introductions first, I'm Metamorpho, this is Sideways, Cain is the creepy looking guy and Bronze Tiger is the guy that looks like he needs a drink." Metamorpho pointed to.
"Nice to meet you. Now, answers, please," Jake said.
"Alright, it started a little like this," Cain said.
Cain explained the whole thing to Raven and the dragons. Normally it would've taken a little bit of help to show that they were being sincere, but Raven was able to verify everything they had said. It was a good change of pace to have someone hear them out and trust them so easily.
"So, Dr. Destiny is the enemy that you're hunting," Jake said. "But why is he after Raven?"
"We believe that he's after her because her empathic powers can grant him better control over the Dream Stone." Cain explained. "Empaths can sometimes tap into the fears and hopes of those around them as well as use those emotions to empower their magic."
"Basically, he wants that kind of power to become even more powerful." Jake crossed his arms. "So, how do we beat him? A spell? Or we just stick to kicking his butt like a soccer ball?"
"He is a threat as long as he has the Dream Stone in hand," Cain said. "Separate them and he'll be easy pickings."
"Good to know." Raven stepped forth. "How do we find him?"
"Raven, you sure?" Jake asked.
"I'm not going to hide like a little kid. This nightmare wants me, then he'll learn what's it like to face your fears." Raven turned to Cain. "How do we find him?"
Before Cain could answer her question, the floorboards underneath their feet. A bright light seeped through the boards as they began to clack and creak under their weight. Pieces started falling into a bright colored pit. The electronic store began to shake as though the subway was passing right over their heads.
"In our experience, he'll find us." Sideways said as the floor collapsed underneath them.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Everyone screamed as they fell into the swirling red abyss unable to fly or stop themselves from falling.
It was like being sucked in by a whirlpool while it was on fire. Everything felt like it was burning as they made their way deeper and deeper into the strange portal. Their screams echoed in the strange abyss before they landed on the hard stone carved floor surrounded by nothing but darkness.
"Everyone okay?" Metamorpho asked.
"Well, I landed on you, big guy, so yeah." Fu Dog hopped down as everyone got up to their feet.
"Where are we?" Cain asked. "It looks like a monastery of some kind." Cain pointed out as Jake helped Raven to her feet.
She recognized the monastery easily.
"Azarath," she whispered. "My home."
"Oh no," Lao Shi said.
"What's wrong?" Sideways asked.
Flames sprung from the walls, spreading through the cracks and the corridor where the Outsiders stood. Screams of terror and horror echoed as shadows crawled toward them. From the darkness came the Huntsclan members, looking like zombies that had crawled out of a furnace. Parts of their flesh were melted, their armor cracked, and bones snarled and pointed to them like vengeful ghosts of past sins. They carried their weapons as they moved closer and closer to the heroes.
"Witch!"
"Burn the demon spawn!"
"Vengeance!"
"Destroy this heathen temple!"
The zombie Huntsclan members stepped to the sides, allowing Dr. Destiny to step forth with the Dream Stone in his hands
"Get the spawn of Trigon!" Dr. Destiny commanded as the Huntsclansmen charged at the Outsiders and the Long Clan. "Bring her to me!"
"Well, there's that, I suppose." Cain summoned his shovel. "Keep them away from the girl and aim for the stone!"
"You got it! Dragon UP!" Jake transformed into his dragon form along with Hailey and Lao Shi.
The battle began between the Outsiders and the Dragons against the horde of undead Hunstclan members. The Outsiders quickly dispatched the puppets and illusions with their wrath. Jumping in and out through Sideways' rifts to land decisive blows against them. They cut through the warrior zombies with precision and fury. Metamorpho transformed into a living wave of water, drowning the zombies as Cain surfed over him with his shovel, striking any zombie that crossed his path. Bronze Tiger covered Sideways as they took away the zombies' weapons through his rifts and the quick strikes of Bronze Tiger. Raven flew forward, casting her magic upon the stones around the monastery, taking them out to slam them against the zombies. The dragons flew over the battle striking down the zombies that climbed up the walls of the monastery like possessed cockroaches. With swift claw strikes and tail swipes they tore through them with ease, and a little bit of a cathartic feeling after dealing with the Huntsclan for so long. Their methods and actions made their way through the horde but it wasn't enough.
For every ten zombies they defeated, ten more rose to battle them. Dr. Destiny's Dream Stone was focused on Raven's fear and she could sense it. She looked at the skull-faced man, smirking at her fear and the nightmares she had had. Something had to change or they would be overwhelmed.
"This isn't working!" Raven blasted another zombie with her magic. "As long as he feeds on my fears, he will keep sending this horde after us!" Raven dodged an attack only for Jake to swat the zombie away.
"Then we go and hit him hard enough to make his skull face roll." Jake glared at Dr. Destiny. "Sideways, make it a far one!" Jake and raven flew down.
"One longshot coming up!" Sideways created a rift for the two to fly through.
Jake and Raven flew through the rift, crossing the battlefield until they reached where Dr. Destiny was. As soon as the nightmare saw them coming, it was too late. Jake swung his tail at Dr. Destiny, smacking him across the chest. The nightmare got up to his feet, summoning a living statue of the monks to protect him.
Jake and Raven flew around the large statue, dodging the swings of its stone limbs like a pair of flies avoiding the flyswatter. Jake breathed fire on the statue, blinding it as Raven flew up into the air with her hands up.
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Raven brought down her hands, blasting the statue's head clean off.
"Nice shot, Raven!" Jake congratulated, only for the statue to grab hold of him.
"Jake!" Raven went after Jake, but she was then caught by the other hand of the statue.
Dr. Destiny appeared on the hand of the statue as it held Raven.
"Good, my creation. Now, it is time to get my prize." Dr. Destiny brought the Dream Stone close to Raven.
Raven growled, zapping Dr. Destiny's hand with a blast of her magic. He recoiled in pain before commanding the statue to slam Raven against the wall.
"Raven!" Jake struggled to break free from the statue's hold.
"For that, I shall give you waking nightmares for the rest of your life, little bird!" Dr. Destiny fired the Dream Stone at Raven's head.
She screamed as her mind was flooded with images of her past. The Huntsclan attacking her home and her mother's sacrifice made her cry out in sadness and fear. She felt like nails were digging into her brain as more and more of her past was flashed before her eyes. It was a nightmare that she couldn't wake up from.
Dr. Destiny laughed as he felt her pain and nightmares spreading.
Jake gritted his teeth in rage as his mouth and throat filled with fire. He aimed and fired a large torrent of flames at Dr. Destiny's back. The mad nightmare screamed in pain but he continued firing, making him lose his focus.
"Raven, it's a nightmare. You need to face it!" Jake called out. "You got this, girl!"
Raven opened her eyes, black as night. She used the fear and the pain the nightmare was causing her to fight back. It was fuel for what she needed to do. And what she wanted to do was make him pay.
"You dare feed on the fear of others?! To use what scares them just to make yourself a bigger thing other than a mere thought?!" Raven's magic spread through the statue and the rest of the monastery, cracking everything. "Then allow me to show you what being scared is all about! Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" A massive black raven broke through the statue's hold.
Raven commanded her magic to strike Dr. Destiny, who barely got time to hold up the Dream Stone to defend himself. With an astral cry of power, the attack sent the nightmare back into the real world.
Dr. Destiny fell to the ground, battered and beaten, barely clinging onto the Dream Stone. All he could do was look at Raven in fear.
Raven floated down to the ground before panting from exhaustion. Jake caught her before she fell.
"You did good, kid." Jake helped her.
"She did more than good, she bested Dr. Destiny." Cain congratulated. "Now, to strike down this nightmare."
However, just as Cain and the others approached Dr. Destiny, a busted car nearly ran them over.
"Hey guys, what did we miss?!" Punchline jumped out, freaking everyone out.
"Damn it, Punchline!" Cain cursed, giving Dr. Destiny the chance to slip away from them. "NO! Not again!"
"Oops," Punchline said with a mischievous smirk.
"That's the last time we let you drive." Blackfire voiced from the air, followed by Nite Owl.
"Another near miss it would seem," Nite Owl said.
Cain gritted his teeth at the audacity of it all. There was no doubt in his mind. Nite Owl was allowing Dr. Destiny to escape at the last second. Whatever happened next, they needed to stop whatever his agenda was.
Raven finished packing her bag when she heard the door opening.
"All ready, girl?" Jake asked.
"I know what you're gonna say, Jake." Raven slugged her bag over her shoulder. "But that demon isn't done. I need to go and face him."
"Yeah, and we wish we could go with you. But someone needs to keep New York safe." Jake pointed to the rest of the gang.
"Thank you, Jake. For everything." Raven hugged Jake, before being joined by the rest of the Long Clan. "I promise to come back as soon as I can."
"Just don't forget to do your homework," Hailey said.
"And stay away from interdimensional dating ads. Believe me, that was one weekend in Mexico City I do not wanna repeat." Fu Dog shivered.
Raven smiled, knowing that this was her family as much as the one she lost. And she would see them soon. She walked out of the store and through the door into the House of Mystery where Cain waited for her.
"Are you ready to save the multiverse, my dear?" Cain asked.
"I am," Raven replied. "But I also want to know what's really going on." She looked at him, reading his emotions.
"My dear Miss Roth, that certainly makes two of us." Cain gestured her to the other Outsiders.
Chapter 9: Wildcat II
Summary:
Earth -7591:
What if El Zorro had a young protégé?
Chapter Text
The multiverse is more than just a prism…
It is ever expanding and ever growing…
A place where one choice, one fork on the road can lead to many opportunities…
But every spark of brilliance there is a spark of madness…
These are the stories of both…
Ever since Raven had joined the Outsiders, it was clear to her that there was more to the team than what she had first been shown. Cain hadn't lied about how important it was to stop the nightmare demon, Dr. Destiny, but it was clear he hadn't told her everything about the second part. She sat on the couch as Sideways and Metamorpho sat side by side with her, trying to show her everything she needed to know about the House of Mystery. They were nice and good people, and they had a good understanding of who was her teammate and who was a wolf in sheep's clothing.
With closed eyes, she focused on the three members that were hiding their true intentions. Her astral energy form slipped through the corridors of the House of Mystery in search of the room where they were packed in. She poked into the room, keeping in the shadows as Nite Owl worked on some sort of device in his workshop, Punchline sharpened her knives before throwing them at pictures of other people, and Blackfire tugged at the collar around her neck.
"Why must I wear this stupid thing?" Blackfire growled at Nite Owl. "You know this thing is so uncomfortable to sleep with, right?"
"Awe, but you look so adorable like that? Why don't you just put on the bikini I got?" Punchline threw a knife at a picture of Kim Possible.
"That thing is for a slave. And I'm done being on someone else's leash," Blackfire growled. "And before you point out my current predicament, let me remind you that I can kill you with a glare." Blackfire's eyes glowed bright purple, flaring with power.
Punchline giggled at the threat. There was nothing more she liked more than to taunt the people that had power to try their luck. Of course, she had no doubt that Blackfire would burn her to a crisp even if it did cost her her head. She would love nothing more than to see her try it even if she did die in the process. They were both eager for action and to cut loose on anyone that deserved it.
"Cut it out, the two of you." Nite Owl continued working. "If we're to achieve our objective, then we must continue to play nicely. Remember what is at stake."
Punchline and Blackfire looked at each other before the latter one scoffed.
"Fine, I won't kill the dressed up street walker and you will get me what you promised." Blackfire crossed her arms. "My own kingdom."
"You'll get it and more once this is all over." Nite Owl continued working. "Soon."
"You keep saying that, but all I've seen us do is run around like idiots in a clear wild goose chase." Blackfire countered. "They clearly don't trust us and I don't see why they should. Even with the new addition, we're not getting anything done. Are we gonna do something useful or just stay here and do nothing?"
Nite Owl put down his tools before turning to look at Blackfire with a cold calculating stare. It was just like the stare of a strict disapproving father after their child spoke out of turn. He made his way to Blackfire, keeping his eyes on her at all times. She did her best to keep up the staring contest, but even she could tell that there was something dark and cold and empty behind his mask. Nite Owl was not like her former master, he was calculating yet would not suffer fools or simple rules to rise up the ranks. He was a real threat to her and he knew it.
"Doing nothing, as you put it, is the best course of action at the moment. We must wait for the perfect chance to strike." Nite Owl crossed his arms behind his back. "And until then, you'll do exactly what I tell you to do."
"And if I say-!" Blackfire dropped down as a powerful shock coursed through her whole body from her collar. "AAHH! You son of a-!" Blackfire dug her nails into the floor, gritting her teeth glared at Nite Owl.
"Your universe's slave collars are quite simple, it was easy to augment it with some junk Cain had littered around." Cain looked down at Blackfire. "The output that's coursing through your nervous system would kill a Wookie in five minutes, and that's the new lowest setting. Do you want me to show you how far it'll take a Tamaranian to be electrocuted to death?"
Blackfire tried to argue but she couldn't make any words come out. She'd been electrocuted before during training, but this was a different thing altogether. All her nerves were on fire and she could barely look up at the man she was starting to hate more than anything.
"P-P-Please, s-s-stop it!" Blackfire groaned out with all her strength.
Nite Owl looked at her for a second longer before pressing a button on one of his devices. The shocks stopped, leaving Blackfire panting for air. She'd never felt like that before, not even when her former master had held her by the throat with the Force itself. It was a nasty feeling that she swore never to feel again. She looked up at the man wanting to give him a piece of her mind.
"I understand that your hunger for power is strong, Blackfire. Your upbringing and understanding of your original destiny has ensured that you take whatever it is that you desired." Nite Owl knelt before Blackfire. "But it is time you learn one more thing, patience. Our goal will soon be in reach. Just take a breather and prepare to strike at my command."
Punchline just loved the sight of Blackfire on the floor. Bringing powerful people to their knees was always a favorite of hers. But she had to admit that having someone like Nite Owl making her go down to her knees made her pur.
"I understand, Nite Owl." Blackfire groaned. "Can you at least tell me how soon our move will take place?"
"Better to keep it under wraps, Dr. Destiny is still out there." Nite Owl turned back to his workshop and his own project. "We need to keep working together and stop him first."
Raven's astral form flew away from the room, returning to her body. She opened her eyes to see the rest of the team. All the information that she'd witnessed seemed pretty straight forward, but there was something odd about it. Nite Owl didn't seem to mind that she'd joined the team. And that was something that she took notice of.
"Well, did you find something, Ms. Roth?" Cain asked.
"You were right," Raven replied. "Nite Owl is working on something. He must've offered something to both Punchline and Blackfire to get them to aid him. However, he did seem to prioritize stopping Dr. Destiny's rampage."
"Which means that whatever he has cooking is meant to take us out or knock us out," Sideways said. "Classic supervillain stuff. I say we kick them out of the house and hope to never see them again."
"I could turn into a special knock out gas to put them down and then dump them back in their respective worlds." Metamorpho suggested. "I bet there are plenty of unhappy faces that want to have a word or two with them."
"Nothing would bring me greater pleasure than to kick that snake in the grass out of my home, but there's still a manner of what his plan might be." Cain stroked his beard. "Ms. Roth mentioned an invention of some kind. And knowing Nite Owl, he probably has some dastardly ace up his sleeve."
"So, we don't hit him in the face, right?" Bronze Tiger asked.
Cain wasn't one to like extending a story if there wasn't any particular good reason. But the threat of Dr. Destiny was what took precedence. Once he was taken care of, they would spring a trap of their own against Nite Owl and his allies. A simple enchantment casted by Raven mixed with Metamorpho's knockout gas form should give them the best way to knock out their secret adversaries. However, this time could also be spent coming up with more allies to their cause and more muscle to use against Nite Owl and his forces. Two more should suffice.
Raven's magic was indeed powerful and they weren't anything to sneeze at, but Nite Owl had a nasty habit of being two steps ahead of everyone. Which meant they needed to act like normal and then make their move when he'd be at his most vulnerable. And that was when they were apparently at their weakest. Knowing that their enemies had a trick up their sleeve meant they knew of the danger and could strike at any moment without Nite Owl knowing they knew. The best they could do was take him by surprise.
"We need to stack up the deck in our favor before taking any action," Cain said. "And for that, we need at least two more assets for our cause. Someone that can use stealth to their advantage and another powerhouse to have three to Nite Owl's one."
"Great, where do we get those two?" Raven asked. "They're not just gonna jump out of nowhere and ask to join our crew."
Cain stroked his beard. Secrecy was necessary as well as speed for their victory to be assured. They had to get their reinforcements and catch up to Dr. Destiny once and for all. For now, they would have to take a page from the Son of Oberon's playbook: Find a trail using the power Dr. Destiny had left over from his visits to other worlds. The fresher the better.
Cain opened his collection and called upon some of the items that represented their previously visited worlds. Only the freshest ones. Each of the pieces had been marked by Dr. Destiny's visit, a nasty red mark that made them glow like a Christmas tree. Like a blood trail from a wounded animal leading them to their den, or better yet, their next target and who it might be.
"Time to see where the trail leads us and who shall be our next ally," Cain said.
"You sure that'll work?" Sideways asked.
"Sideways, have you ever known me to make a mistake or an ill-fated slip?" Cain asked.
"Well, I've known you for…" Sideways stopped to think for a second. "I think it's been a couple of weeks?"
"I think that's about right," Metamorpho said.
Cain dusted all the pieces he'd gathered, creating a trail of the next item on their list. He followed the trail until he was face to face with the target of Dr. Destiny. He stood before an old cowled mask that resembled a wild cat. It was usually black with white whiskers with two holes for the eyes, but it was currently covered in a black sickening aura like the other pieces in his collection. It was positioned on top of a special stand right next to a wanted poster that read 'Se Busca Vivo o Muerto Wildcat, recompensa de 500 Pesos'.
"Is that a luchador mask?" Raven asked. "Boy, evil beware, we've got sweaty clothes."
"I didn't take you for a masked lucha libre fan, Cain." Sideways poked from above Cain, looking at the mask. "Though it looks pretty badass."
"This isn't a mask from any old fake wrestling match, my boy. This is the mask of the legendary Wildcat." Cain gestured to the mask. "I acquired it back when I was traversing an old favorite stomping ground of mine. And I got a nice story to go along with it. That just so might be the answer to our needs. This story I like to call…"
Earth -7591:
What if El Zorro had a young protégé?
"The Scary Night of the Wildcat."
Cain walked through the busy streets of the colonial city of early Los Angeles. The town was the jewel of New Spain and easily a place where the glamor and hopes of the new world could be grabbed by anyone. Rich landowners with lots of cattle and influence often helped or ensured there was law and order with the aid of the local government. But this was also the land that would one day become the Wild West. And with only a small army garrison to keep the peace amongst the different classes, there was always one or two people that wanted to take advantage of the lawlessness.
"One of the things that people often seem to forget is that before the border crossed California, it was one of the jewels of New Spain. And as such, many sought to get their hands on such a priceless location. It was primed and ready for anyone with a desire for power to take it, squashing the common folk and more under their heel."
Crime and corruption often festered in lands untouched or isolated from the rest of society. And Cain could see it, from some soldiers abusing their power and running some of the local Native Americans out of their shops or lands, to some of the corrupt officials instating draconian laws and bending the rules to fit their own interests. Then again, when the cat's away the mice will play as some would say. But that wasn't to say that there was no semblance of justice in this little slice of heaven. Cain could see one of them now, walking towards the bar.
"Hello my lovelies, could I trouble you for a glass of wine?" The uniformed man asked.
"Only when you put some coins first, Sergeant Garcia," the barmaid replied with a flat tone. "You do know that you owe from the last time you were here, right?"
"Oh, right," Garcia sheepishly admitted.
Sergeant Garcia was a big man with a big belly that seemed to stretch out his militia uniform, a blue long sleeved shirt with a red neck, golden buttons, a red sash around his pronounced stomach, white pants and black boots. He had a sheathed sword held by a white belt that went up to his shoulder. Garcia had a big round face with a large black mustache that covered his upper lip, and his head was usually covered with a black hat, but now held it in his hand. Despite his rank, and military training, everyone knew Garcia as a man of the people. An overall good guy who was content with keeping the peace and getting a bottle of wine after a long day.
"Good afternoon, Sergeant," a young man called to the sergeant, making him smile.
"A Don Diego, buenas tardes!" Sergeant Garcia greeted the young man.
Diego De La Vega was a handsome young man who always sported a smile on his face. He was dressed in a colorful reddish brown suit with a white shirt and black boots. He had black combed hair and a short black mustache. Almost everyone in town knew who Diego was, often referred to as the most eligible bachelor of Los Angeles and probably one of the few landowners that cared for everyone.
Next to Diego stood his faithful servant Bernardo. A deaf mute man with a bald head and a few years on him. He dressed humbly with a beige colored suit similar to the one Diego wore. But there was a secret that no one else knew. Bernardo was not as deaf as he let everyone else know.
"We'll have some wine and some food, Maria," Diego said, getting the barmaid's attention. "And some wine for the sergeant too."
"Of course, Don Diego." Maria bowed cordially to the young man as Cain walked in for a drink of his own.
"So, tell me Don Diego, what brings you here today?" Garcia asked as they were served some wine. "Come here for a pretty lady?"
"I'm afraid not, we've come to meet an old friend of mine." Diego explained. "He's looking to see his godson and his family. I met him when I was in Spain for my education. I must ask, have you seen him?"
"Well, I don't know, what does he look like?" Garcia asked.
"He's an older man, tall, scruffy, and made his life fighting." Diego described. "His name is-
"Ted Grant. And the day some soldier finds me so easily, it'll be the day that I retire."
Diego, Bernardo and Garcia turned around to see a tall older man wearing a black suit and coat. He had short black hair and looked like he'd just been fighting his way through all of the Atlantic and New Spain. His hands were wrapped up in bandages, worn and beaten bandages. He had a large bag slung over his shoulder as he smiled at Diego. He walked up to the young man before giving him a hug.
"How are you Diego?" Ted asked.
"Doing great that you're here, you old man." Diego replied before turning to Bernardo and Garcia. "This is Bernardo, my servant, and this is Sergeant Garcia, a representative of the militia in this fine city."
"How do you do?" Ted shook Bernardo's hand before doing the same with Garcia's.
"Nice to meet you, señor." Garcia winced at the strength of the man's grip over his hand. "How-How can I help you? Any friend of Don Diego's is a friend of mine."
"I'm looking for my godson and his family. I decided to come and visit them after all this time," Ted explained as Maria handed him a glass of wine. "Thanks, love. His name is Montez, Juan Montez."
Garcia recognized the name.
"The Montez's?"
"Yeah, you know them?" Ted asked. "I heard that they got some land working for some fella named Crone–no, Crane. You know where they are?"
Garcia's face took a somber look before drinking his wine in a quick motion. He'd heard some scary things about the Crane terrain and of what had happened to people that worked there. Most of the stuff sounded like stuff from a ghost story. Him and his assistant, Dr. Love were some people he never wanted to meet on a dark night. It shamed him to be so scared of those two men.
"Yes, but it is probably best not to go there at night, señor," Garcia said. "There are rumors about the land that Dr. Crane and Dr. Love own. A lot of the peones have come to me and other soldiers about noises that they've been hearing at night. Some claim that they see their worst fears popping up in the middle of the night or even during the day. But every time we go to look at what's going on, there's nothing. The magistrate keeps telling us that they are good people and that we should just let them keep on working."
"And what do they work on, exactly?" Diego asked.
"The magistrate claims the herbs and plants they grow are meant for medicine, but I've never seen any of the local doctors use any of them." Garcia drank some wine.
"And what does this have to do with my godson?" Ted asked. "Is he in danger?"
"He claims that there have been some mysterious dark people roaming around his farm, in the land he got from Dr. Crane." Garcia admitted. "We looked around but we found nothing. Many claim that it is just that the land is cursed or full of ghosts. Montez and his family have worried about some robbers or bandits targeting them or even worse, that Dr. Crane and Dr. Love were spying on them."
"Well, I'm going there and finding out what's going on. If my godson and his family are in danger, they'll need my help." Ted chugged the wine. "Take me to the farm, and we'll see what's going on. Diego, you coming?"
"It seems to be the chivalrous thing to do. Sergeant Garcia, would you be so kind as to come with us?" Diego asked.
"My shift has ended, Don Diego. But I wouldn't be able to sleep soundly if I didn't go with you." Garcia rubbed his stomach. "Besides, I need to get the exercise." They walked out of the cantina and off to the Montez farm.
Unbeknownst to the quarter of men, Cain heard everything and his curiosity was aroused at the mention of ghosts and strange occurrences. He watched the men leave as he took a sip of his own wine. The idea that two supposedly secretive doctors were running a strange plantation where the workers all spoke of strange occurrences was too good for him to miss out on. It was a classic ghost story and he was a sucker for classic ghost stories with lots of drama and unexpected twists. He got up and followed after them. One look at the setting sun told him that he would not be disappointed.
"Showtime," Cain said.
"This is where the pivotal member of our cast enters the story, for you see, Dr. Crane and Dr. Love did more than just make medicine. They were old school mad scientists that liked to push the boundaries of what the human mind and body could be capable of. And unknown to them, the fruit of their combined labor came in the form they least expected… A young lady."
A young woman with long auburn hair took water from the well and went on to help her father spray the water to the fields. She had tanned caramel skin wearing a light blue dress and brown sandals. Her appearance didn't stand out much. There wasn't anything out of the ordinary with her, however, there were signs that she was more than met the eye. She was carrying the large bucket of water with ease and could walk around without anyone noticing her steps. She sprayed the water on the fields without a care in the world. Her ears perked up like those of a cat, hearing the movement of something approaching.
She turned around, looking far into the distance at the sight of four horses riding towards the far.
"Papá! There's four men coming!" She called her dad.
Her father, Juan Montez was a tall man with short black hair, a black mustache and tanned caramel skin. He was a man that had long worked with his hands and was proud of it. Many said that with his physique and strength then he could've easily been a high ranking member of the Spanish army. But Juan was humble enough to choose a career that would let him continue working with his hands.
He turned to look in the direction her daughter was pointing. Narrowing his eyes, he could briefly make up the four riders.
"Yolanda, go inside and get everything ready. We may have visitors soon." Juan placed his hand on his daughter's shoulder, getting her to nod.
As Yolanda ran into the house as her father picked up a rifle he'd been carrying. Juan got behind the well and aimed the weapon, expecting something else to appear on the horizon.
"Whoa! Easy there, Juan!" Ted called out, stopping his horse along with the others. "What would your mother say about you aiming guns at people?"
"Ted? Is that you?" Juan asked before recognizing the rest of the group. "Don Diego? Sergeant Garcia? What are you doing here?"
"We came here to check up on you, kid." Ted jumped down from his horse.
Juan let out a sigh of relief at the sight of his godfather. They embraced in a quick hug while Diego, Garcia and Bernardo dismounted their own horses as well.
"It is good to have you here, uncle. But why have you brought Don Diego and the sergeant here?" Juan asked.
"Diego is an old friend of mine I made while I was in Spain a couple years back," Ted explained. "I've also heard that you've been having trouble lately, right?"
"Inside." Juan gestured to the arrived men.
He opened the door before giving one final look at the terrain. There was something in his soul that kept him on his toes. Juan didn't scare easily but he knew better than to not be a little on his toes around the land they were farming. Even when he worked under Dr. Crane and Dr. Love, he could tell there was something wrong in the air.
Outside, hidden amongst the hills and the trees, seven men gathered before two skinny men from British descent. These were Dr. Crane and Dr. Love. They both dressed like doctors but they had somewhat sinister expressions on their faces.
"Are you sure the family is alone?" Dr. Crane asked.
"Si señor. They just went inside." One of the men replied.
"Good, remember the plan. You seven are Indians, raiding the farm and burning anything that gets in your way." Dr. Love explained. "But above all else, you are to bring the woman alive with you. Understood?"
The men all looked at each other with some confusion.
"Um, Dr. Love, if you want a woman so badly, I'm sure that there are a few señoritas back in town that would be very happy to have some fun with you for the right price," The man said.
Dr. Love looked at the goon with a look that could only be described as telling someone that they were an idiot. Do not misunderstand, Dr. Love was as much an admirer of the female body as much as the next hot blooded male, but he was more interested in something else.
"We do not seek something as basic as a bride like a couple of animals, my dear friend." Dr. Crane stepped up. "That girl is more important than you realize. And we'd like her back in our care in one piece." Despite being smaller than the man on the horse, Crane easily intimidated the man.
"Un-Understood, patron." The man tipped his hat.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Go!" Dr. Love commanded as the men rode down the hills.
Back inside the farm, Juan had just explained everything that had happened to his guests.
"It all started back when we worked for Dr. Crane. The plants we were asked to pick up and work on were strange, those that got hit with their petals or their scent would see their greatest fear taking root." Juan explained. "Then there was Dr. Love and his examinations, he would watch over all the workers. Many got sick afterwards and some of the women had to be taken to the doctors. When Yolanda was born, I asked for the land that had been promised to me. I had finished my contract, so Dr. Crane nor Dr. Love could deny my request."
"I sense that there's something else going on." Diego added.
"They kept eyeing Maria, my wife, when she was pregnant, I feared that something would happen to Yolanda." Juan explained. "And then strange visits started to happen. At first it was once every few months, but they've gotten more constant."
"Sounds like someone has been stalking the place." Ted turned to Diego.
"More than that. Many of the friends we made have gone missing," Yolanda added. "They say that they just moved to Monterey or somewhere else South, but I don't believe it. A lot of their farms have either been left abandoned with some of their stuff still lying around, forgotten. Those two are doing something crooked, father. We have to leave before they do the same to us."
"Ms. Yolanda, please, calm down. We've looked into this and none of the soldiers nor the Commander nor the magistrate have come up with any funny-" Yolanda growled at Garcia shutting him up.
Diego, Bernardo and Ted all noticed Yolanda's nails had grown longer, scratching the wooden table. She looked more feral and stronger as she continued to glare down at Garcia like a cat would a mouse. It didn't take long for them to concur that she was not a normal young girl.
"Don't try to lie, sergeant. The commander and your magistrate are in the pocket of those two doctores." Yolanda gritted her teeth. "I've lost friends because of those two. They're not normal. You're supposed to protect us and you leave them with a slap on the wrist at most?!"
"Ms. Montez, you can't go about making such accusations without proof-" Garcia began arguing.
She huffed, picking Garcia up from the helm of his uniform, making him stand on his feet. It was impressive for anyone to lift Garcia to his feet after he'd sat down, but to see a young lady doing so… It made a few of the guests have a few questions of their own. She noticed their looks before dropping Garcia back down to the chair.
"I'll be in my room." Yolanda left the dining room.
"I apologize for my daughter's words and acts, Sergeant Garcia," Juan said. "Yolanda is a… very passionate young lady. Sometimes I fear for the man that tries to make her his wife."
"Think nothing of it, Juan. My mama was just as tough when I was growing up," Ted said, calming down his godson. "And look at me, all man." He flexed his arms, showing off his muscles.
Garcia laughed it up, figuring it was best to save some face. But he was more concerned with doing something to help the poor family. He hated admitting it but the terrains were spooky and the two doctors always gave him the creeps. It was the issue of being a soldier, sometimes he had to follow orders he didn't like.
"Mr. Montez, would you mind telling me more about some of the things you've seen and these medical check ups?" Garcia asked. "I'm no expert but if I can give it to my superiors and help them open an investigation. If there's something wrong, then I will make sure that they are brought to justice."
Juan and his wife smiled at the sergeant's words. It wasn't much but at the very least it could help them find out the truth about what was going on in their land.
Diego and Bernardo took this chance to slip out of the dining room, hoping to compare notes on what they'd learned. However, their exit had been noticed by not just Ted but also Yolanda.
"Alright, so what do we know?" Diego asked Bernardo. "We know that the doctors have been receiving protection from the commander and the magistrate because the plants they claim to cultivate are medicinal. But everyone claims that there's something fishy going on. Hallucinations and medical examinations are not something just anyone does for their workers. When that happens they send for a doctor to check up on them."
Bernardo signed Diego to consider that there might've been something that the two doctors were looking into. Perhaps they knew of the reactions and they were treating them?
"It is possible. But the problems haven't stopped," Diego pointed out. "What do Dr. Crane and Dr. Love specialize in? Dr. Crane isn't a medical doctor from what I've heard."
"They focus on psychology and chemical biology."
Diego and Bernardo jumped at the sound of Yolanda's voice. They didn't know what was more impressive, that she'd managed to sneak up on them or that she had openly answered their questions.
"It's rude to eavesdrop on a private conversation, señorita." Diego tried to play it cool.
"So is claiming your servant is deaf when he can hear very well." Yolanda pointed to Bernardo.
Bernardo shrugged, feeling like he had to give her that much at least.
"I take it that you want to know what those two doctors are doing, right?" Yolanda asked. "I'm in, we need to stop them. They're doing something evil, I know it."
"Calm down, Yolanda, calm down. We cannot just accuse them of any foul play on your word alone," Diego said. "Yes, we think that we should get involved. But we'll need proof about their actions. If we could get a sample of the plants and flowers they're cultivating and find out what they do, then we can get somewhere."
"But that could take-You hear that?" Yolanda stopped herself.
Diego and Bernardo looked around, not hearing anything. They were about to ask Yolanda about what they were supposed to hear, when suddenly her eyes widened. She jumped towards them, tackling them to the ground as two arrows struck the wall where they had just been standing.
The three of them looked up to see two burning arrows embedded on the wall. They turned to see where they had come from and immediately saw a raiding party with flaming arrows and torches running towards them on horseback.
"Indians?" Diego asked. "No, these aren't natives. They never attack like this."
"They're the men!" Yolanda growled as they ran towards the farm.
"Yolanda, go inside and get everyone ready." Diego instructed. "Bernardo, go home and get my father and his men! Quickly!"
Bernardo did as Diego instructed, riding quickly out of the farm and deep into the darkness.
Diego was given a rifle as he, Juan and Garcia fired to defend the farm. They fired at the lanterns, but that didn't ensure a hit. Bullets flew through the night air, hoping to hit one of the attackers. One and then another fell, from the bullet shots. But they were not enough.
The raiders rode around them, circling them like a pack of wolves. They swung their torches at Diego, Juan and Garcia, forcing them back. They drew their swords, doing their best to block their attacks as best as they could.
Diego cursed his luck. He wished he could suit up and fight them all as best as he could, but with the odds and the lack of coverage, he was stuck as himself. But at least he would make it hard for his enemies. He swung his blade quickly, striking at the raiders, disarming them as best as he could. He knew these weren't natives, they were pretending to be natives to attack this farm.
Yolanda wanted to fight but she had run out of bullets. Her home was burning and her father was barely holding his own with the aid of Diego and Garcia. She grabbed one of the shovels they had on the farm. With a strong swing, she brought one of the men down from their horse, revealing them to be normal men, not natives. She joined the circle, fighting off the threats that they were bringing to them.
"You will pay for this!" Yolanda raised her farming tool only for a shot to make her jump back.
"Give us the woman and you will live!" One of the men demanded.
"How about you try that with me sonny!"
From the shadows sprung Ted, now covered in a black suit and wearing a cat-like mask that covered his upper face. He punched the man holding the gun in the face, bringing him down. Grabbing this chance, he pounced on another one of the raiders, kneeing him in the stomach and off his horse. He ducked under the swing of a sword before landing an uppercut on the one swinging it.
Using this chance, Diego jumped in, engaging two of the raiders in a sword fight. His moves were fast as lightning, keeping them away from Yolanda. But Yolanda didn't stand still, she punched one of the raiders in the face before kicking another one in the stomach. They quickly got behind each other and covered each other, with Diego blocking the blades and Yolanda hitting the raiders with her shovel. They fought together as Ted got the attention of the raiders, fighting like a wildcat.
His punches were as fast as their attacks. Like an experienced fighter facing a crowd of amateurs, he punched and knocked out the raiders with his expert hits. He jumped up, kicking another raider in the face with a roundhouse kick. Ducking under another blow, he reached his friends as they continued pushing back the raiders.
However, as they seemed to be gaining the upper hand, the fire spread through the farmhouse burning it down. Juan and Yolanda rushed to try to put out the fire and save their home. But the flames were too strong and the dry wood quickly became nothing more than kindle for the fire.
The sound of galloping caught the ears of Garcia. He looked at the origin and saw lanterns heading their way. He quickly recognized two of the men that were coming to their rescue.
"Don Diego, it's Bernardo and your father, Don Alejandro!" Garcia called out. "They're here!"
"Garcia, help us put out the fire!" Juan called out, throwing water at the burning house.
Amongst the flames and the shadows of the night, one of the raiders pulled out a pistol, aiming it at Yolanda. The sound of the gun clicking, alerted Juan.
"Yolanda!" Juan jumped in front of the bullet, taking the shot.
Garcia saw this and shot at the raider, hitting him in the shoulder.
"Papá!" Yolanda and Ted rushed to Juan's side, holding him tightly.
"Stay with me, kid!" Ted took off his mask, looking into his godson's eyes. "We need a doctor here, now!"
Don Alejandro and his men circled around the far, catching and stopping any of the raiders from getting away into the night. Don Alejandro and Bernardo dismounted, going to Diego's side as he kept one of the raider's pinned with his sword to his throat.
"Diego, are you alright?" Don Alejandro asked.
"Scratched and a little dirty, father. But I'll live," Diego said. "What's the state of Juan?" He sheathed his sword before turning to his friend and the wounded man.
"It's not good." Ted looked at him as everyone watched as Yolanda held her dying father in her arms.
"Dad, please. I'm sorry. I'm sorry!" Yolanda cried as she held his hand. "Please, you'll be okay! You'll be okay!"
"Yolanda, mi flor, take care of yourself." Juan coughed.
"Save your strength, Juan. We'll get you to a doctor in a second." Ted tried to comfort his godson. "Just a scratch, kid." He pressed his hand on the exit hole of the wound as blood spread.
"T-The bullet went through my lung, Ted. I don't think I'll make it," Juan gasped. "I'll get to see my wife in Heaven. Please, take care of Yolanda. She needs someone to help her control that fire."
Yolanda and Ted watched in sadness as Juan Montez passed onto the next life while the farm burned to the ground.
Cain watched from the shadows, with the mask of the wrestler in hand as his souvenir from this tale.
"Life is hardly fair to those that pick the humble path. But from the ashes of one life, another will rise to take its place."
Diego, Bernardo and Ted were all gathered in the hidden lair of El Zorro, talking about the recent events that had happened in their lives. They'd seen that Yolanda was given a proper room to rest and take solace in some time to grieve. The funeral of her father had been a small but meaningful one for those that attended it. The raiders had been jailed and were set to prison for their acts, but they never spoke of who or what they hoped to gain from the endeavor. Such questions left the men puzzled and they needed answers, not just for their friend, not just for justice, but for themselves.
"Thanks again for letting Yolanda and myself stay here for the time being," Ted said. "I know it must be a pain to ask your old man such things, Diego."
"Think nothing of it, Ted. My father was good friends with Juan, and failing to come to his aid is plenty of incentive to have you and Yolanda here with us." Diego looked over a map of the terrain the two doctors owned. "Those raiders weren't there by sheer coincidence, they were sent there to find something. Or to get rid of someone."
"What are you thinking? Those two quacks sent those men to kill Juan and Yolanda for some reason?" Ted asked.
"Probably," Diego replied. " But we need to know what it might be. Bernardo, did you get the books I asked you?"
Bernardo handed Diego the books he'd requested. The subject of those books focused on botany and the use of plants in the form of medicine for treatment. Diego wasted no time and scoured the books for the plants and flowers that he was looking for. He flipped through page after page in search of the plants that could cause hallucinations in the workers.
"What are you looking for, Diego?" Ted asked.
"I don't know why Juan and Yolanda were targeted, but I believe it has something to do with some of these plants." Diego pointed to the plants. "There must be a connection between the hallucinations and the plants. Maybe they were creating a hallucinogen agent."
"Why do that?"
The three men turned around to see Yolanda approaching them. Her eyes were red from crying. Her hands were balled into fists. And every step she took was more akin to the stride of a wild beast in the hunt for something important. The thought of hiding anything from her quickly lost all voice and they were left with only the truth as their ally.
"I take it that you have questions, Ms. Montez," Diego tried to play it cool.
"You want to bring the doctors to justice, we all know they sent those men to destroy the farm. I want them to pay for what they've done." Yolanda growled. "And you're going to help me."
"Kid, this isn't a game. You could get hurt," Ted said.
Yolanda didn't care. She picked up the table they were looking at with ease. Lifting it over her head with one hand while giving them all a glare of determination. She dropped the table before splitting it in half with one punch, scattering the papers. There wasn't a drop of exhaustion on her. She looked about as ready to run against a horse and win.
"Does it look like I'm not ready to go into this mission?" Yolanda asked. "They killed my father. They took my friends. I want them to pay for what they've done. And I'll do it with or without your help." Yolanda walked up to Ted's face, making sure to emphasize the point she made.
Diego saw that fire and understood it. Ted and Bernardo saw it as well. Yolanda would not back down from the path that she had chosen to tread. But to ensure her survival, they would need to help her control her emotions and her great strength with lots of training and practice.
"Alright, Yolanda," Diego said. "But for this you'll need to learn a few things before setting off on the crusade. Can you do that?" He reached out his hand.
Yolanda looked at Diego's hand. She wanted justice for her father, for her friends. But knew that she needed help to get it.
"I accept your terms, Don Diego, Uncle Ted." Yolanda shook their hands. "Now, where do we start?"
"And so another soul chose the path of the hero in a land full of opportunity. Not knowing the many secrets she would uncover from the men that took her father and home from her. For this was the birth of another legend…"
"The legend of the new Wildcat."
The Outsiders looked at Cain with some wonder and a smile on their faces. Well, most of them anyway.
"So, I take it you liked this story?" Cain asked.
"She could be a good pick for the team," Metamorpho said. "Super strength, agility and stealth are things that we could use. But let's see how far her training has come in order to master those powers."
"There's no better time than the present." Cain summoned the door. "We'll have to get those three on another wild goose chase to work under the cover of deception."
"This world won't be as dense as New York was. It'll be hard to get them to leave the small town without a good reason," Raven said. "And before you ask, I don't have a stunt spell." She looked at Sideways who snapped his fingers in disappointment.
"Maybe we can get them to stay here and mind their own business." Bronze Tiger suggested.
"I'm not sure leaving them alone would be the best idea, BT." Sideways scratched the back of his head.
It was a hard choice, but they did have other alternatives. Cain spotted one of the items in his collection. Sighing, he figured that he'd have to use that piece in order to save them some time. He picked up a flask filled with a potion.
"I was saving this for an emergency." Cain looked at the glowing green ooze inside the flask. "And I suppose that emergency is today."
"I take it that it isn't some fancy glowing alcohol, is it?" Bronze Tiger asked.
"Let's just say that as soon as we portal in, Sideways will open up a rift far out into the city and it will cause enough of a distraction to keep our bird problem far out of our true targets. I just hope the imp can keep it in his pants." Cain peered into the flask, spotting the silhouette of a devilish smirk.
"Classy." Raven retorted in a deadpan tone.
Nite Owl, Punchline and Blackfire arrived at the room, with the latter looking ready to punch anything that got in her way.
"We got a clue as to where Dr. Destiny will strike next. I've already summoned the door," Cain said. "But, word of warning, there might be something else prowling about."
"Such as?" Nite Owl asked.
"Dr. Destiny's unchecked power could twist and manifest creatures from the Dreaming into the world we're about to head into." Cain explained.
"Good, I feel like punching something." Blackfire's eyes glowed bright purple.
"It's a good thing she's on our side, right?" Raven asked.
"Don't worry, birdie, we'll take good care of you." Punchline got in Raven's face, giving her a crazy grin.
Raven in turn encased her in a black sphere of magic, before dropping her back into Blackfire's arms. Normally, she would've avoided the crazy clown girl like the plague. But knowing that she was helping something wicked, it crossed her mind that she had to be taken down. Sadly, she could not just use her magic to slam her against the far walls of the House of Mystery until Cain gave her the green light.
"I suppose we should focus on taking care of those things as well as tracking down Dr. Destiny," Nite Owl said. "Very well, I'm good at multitasking."
"Perfect, shall we?" Cain gestured to the door that appeared before them.
The door looked like an Old World Spanish door with a small window covered by metal bars, with adorned metal nails that looked like flowers from the Day of the Dead, and two large latches on the top and the bottom of the door. But there was a painting on the hardwood, like a fresco. It depicted a woman with long red brownish hair surrounded by Day of the Dead decorations. She was wearing a tight black suit with razor sharp claws at the end of her black gloves. The upper part of her face was covered by a black and white mask that resembled a wildcat's skull. And in front of her, the mark of a 'Z' was carved onto the door.
"Wow, now that's a cool looking door." Sideways pointed out. "Was my door as cool-looking?"
"It was a little more humble." Metamorpho shrugged.
"Let's head inside," Nite Owl said. "The faster we catch up to Dr. Destiny the better for all."
"Indeed." Cain replied, looking at the Judas in their midst while holding back the urge to stab him repeatedly.
The team stepped through the door and into the old town of Los Angeles. As soon as they set foot there, they all stood out like sore thumbs, with the people looking at them pointing it out. Amidst the old timey clothes and people, they were a call from a new millennium, a new time, and a new way of life so alien that many didn't know if they were even human. Metamorpho, Sideways and Raven all did their best to cover their faces, but Nite Owl, Punchline, Bronze Tiger and Blackfire all remained unbothered or uncaring to the looks of the humble people around them.
"Wow, and here I thought I'd seen the most backwater planets in the galaxy. This place is almost a zero in terms of technology," Blackfire said.
"Well, this is a colonial town in the 19th century on Earth," Cain said. "Everything less than space travel between planets would be seen as underdeveloped for you, Blackfire."
"I like it. Reminds me of an old cowboy movie." Sideways took pictures of the old Los Angeles town like he was on the set of an old movie or TV series. "I wonder if my moms ever watched a series like this one."
"A question for another time, Sideways," Cain said. "Now, we'll have to look around for anyone that stands out and to keep our eyes peeled for any anomalies." Cain scratched his beard, giving Sideways the signal.
Sideways opened a small rift on the side of Cain's jacket. Cain used this chance to open up the flask and poured the contents of it into the rift. He hated doing that but it was a necessary distraction for the greater good. He just had to make sure to collect him afterwards.
The liquid agent fell to the ground and quickly started to bubble and boil against the sand. The puddle grew larger and larger until a red clawed hand sprung out from the bubbling green liquid, followed by a yellow arm.
"Oh it feels so good to be out on parole!" A maniacal laugh echoed before the being fully pulled himself together. "Wait a minute? This isn't my home. Oh no! I'm lost! Someone, help! But not me!"
The strange imp-like creature had wild green spiky hair, yellow skin, a crazed smile full of razor sharp teeth and glowing green eyes. He dressed in moderation with only a green and black striped leotard, red clawed gloves which went up to his elbows, red cloth boots and a red fur-like cape clinging to his back. This was the man, the monster, the myth of Hazelnut…
"The Creeper is here!" Creeper struck a dramatic pose.
"Halt!"
Creeper turned around to see Commander Monasterio and several of his men aiming a sword at his back. He raised an eyebrow wondering many things about the men. But above all else, he was wondering…
"Ooh, am I in the Count of Montecristo?" Creeper asked. "'It was not my sword, Mondego, but your past that disarms you'. It goes like that, right?" Creeper swung his arm as though he had a sword in hand.
"Enough of your babbling, identify yourself," Monasterio threatened. "Least you will get chopped to pieces by me and my men.
Creeper smirked.
"As a ghost once said, don't threaten me with a good time!" Creeper kicked Monasterio in the stomach, sending him back into his men. "Showtime!" Creeper jumped on the soldiers like a rabid animal, casting a shadow as they screamed in terror of him.
"Now, split up and look for anything that looks out of place." Cain noticed Punchline lifting her hand. "Apart from each other, Punchline."
"The town is a good choice, but the asciendas are also home to many people, we should look out for those too." Nite Owl pointed out. "Punchline, Blackfire, with me." He turned to leave as Punchline barked at Blackfire, making the alien conqueror growl.
Cain and the others spread out, making sure that Nite Owl and his accomplices saw them split up. they waited by the cantina as the three got far away enough before meeting up. Metamorpho and Sideways popped out of a rift while Bronze Tiger dropped down from the roof and Raven appeared from the shadows.
"I believe we gave them the slip," Cain said.
"Perfect, but now we gotta find the girl and Dr. Destiny." Bronze Tiger argued. "How are we gonna do that?"
Cain pointed behind him with his thumb. Bronze Tiger followed his line before his eyes landed on Yolanda, Diego and Bernardo sharing a drink. He just knew that Cain would smile smugly at him.
"Now, we sit back and follow." Cain ordered a drink. "Knowing Dr. Destiny, he'll go after the doctors. And since Ms. Montez is after them, they'll be caught by the same trap."
"Just hope we have enough time to do both things before Nite Owl gets wise." Metamorpho ate a tortilla.
Cain smiled a dark impish smirk. He didn't expect his distraction to last long or to defeat the trio. But he knew that it would be fun nonetheless.
Monasterio screamed as he felt his family jewels being punched up to his throat by the yellow and green chupacabras. The creature grabbed him by the collar of his uniform before slamming him against one of his soldiers and then another and another, like a common club. The humiliation alone was painful enough without the creature mocking him every single second.
"Uno, dos, tres! You're out, Monty!" Creeper threw Monasterio like a rag doll. "Thank you for the stretch, boys. Being trapped in a liquid prison really crams your muscles, you know?" Creeper cracked his neck as the soldiers all laid down on the ground, beaten.
Monasterio growled in pain and humiliation. His eyes landed on a pistol, snatching it. He shot Creeper in the back.
Creeper reached back, plucking the bullet with ease.
"Rude." Creeper tossed the bullet away.
"This is the reason we're here? What a joke."
Creeper looked at Punchline standing under a tree. His eyes zeroed in on her. A feeling sprung in his chest.
"I don't know why, but, lady, I… don't like you." Creeper hissed. "You're trouble. My mama Creeper warned me about girls like you."
Punchline wanted to laugh. This gullible idiot didn't know what was gonna hit him.
Nite Owl silently approached Creeper from behind, with his boomerang in hand.
"Am I really?" Punchline asked.
"Oh yeah." Creeper uppercutted Nite Owl without even looking back. "You are."
Nite Owl didn't know what had happened. For the first time in a long time, he'd been taken by surprise. The strength behind that uppercut sent him flying into the air before landing on some dried up bushes. This creature was dangerous and he had to take it out with no mercy. Even if this was just a trick from Cain's part, he would not play this safely.
Punchline was astounded at the action of the yellow skinned freak. She pulled out her knives, slashing at Creeper's throat. But the freak moved back and dodged her with ease. He caught her hand, twisting it. With a damn smile, he headbutted her in the face, sending her back before jumping up. With a swift movement, he landed two kicks on her chest, leaving prints of his stinky feet on her. As she crashed against a tree, he just kept grinning at her before ducking under the blast from Blackfire's starbolts.
"Wow, seeing you two look like idiots was really the highlight of my day." Blackfire floated down while looking at Creeper. "You look like someone who's had far too many Deathsticks and then caught some kriffing case of rabies."
"Joke's on you, my lady, rabies wished it had me!" Creeper took a bow before jumping over another stabolt. "And I see trouble doesn't like to come alone. Time to be a superhero, get ready to face wacky justice!" Creeper jumped at the trio with a maniacal smile on his face.
Meanwhile in a dark room, Dr. Crane and Dr. Love were talking to the magistrate. And the man looked like he was out of patience with the air itself.
"It's been a year since the death of that man and you still haven't yielded any results." The magistrate slammed his hand on his desk. "Do you two know how hard it is to keep investigations quiet into that asylum you call land? Garcia and more of his men have started asking questions."
"We trust that you'll settle this mess if you want a cut from our research." Dr. Love narrowed his eyes at the official.
"So far, I have more of a mind to shut your operation down. You have yet to show me any results," the magistrate said. "I have my hands full with Zorro and this new rogue calling themselves Wildcat."
"That is actually what we wanted to talk to you about. We believe Wildcat is the one we're looking for." Dr. Crane cackled. "If the rumors are true then the experiments have yielded a magnificent specimen. Stronger than any man, faster than any feline, stealthy as a shadow and a mind so determined it could strike fear in the hearts of our enemies."
The magistrate was a greedy man in search of power. But even he needed solid proof of what they were saying.
"And how did this 'specimen' slip through your fingers?" The magistrate asked. "You two seem better at making a mess than actually accomplishing results. I will no longer protect you."
Dr. Crane and Dr. Love glared at the man. He could not see the truth or the potential that they were in cusp of obtaining. They were the ones that were bringing about the next step of human evolution. And all this man could see was what was worth in money or power. Perhaps a demonstration would do the trick.
Dr. Crane pulled out a small bottle of perfume. He sprayed it at the magistrate's face, causing him to recoil in disgust.
"What is that?! You dare mock me!" The magistrate snapped. "I'll have your heads for-for…" His words died out in his mouth as he watched his hands wither and turn to bones.
He screamed as he saw himself turning into a skeleton and then into a pile of bones.
"It seems our friend here has an acute case of Thanatophobia, wouldn't you agree, Dr. Love?" Crane chuckled.
"Yes. Glad to see the newly branded Fear Toxin is living up to its name." Dr. Love smiled. "My input into making it out of the plants we grow was certainly a step up of what it could've taken by regular work."
Dr. Crane put the bottle in his pocket before they headed to the door, not noticing Dr. Destiny waiting for them in the shadows.
"Be sure to scream a little more, that should bring the Wildcat and Zorro to our doorstep." Dr. Crane and Dr. Love left the screaming man alone.
Back at the Cantina, the Outsiders watched as Yolanda and Diego finished having dinner with Diego's father and Ted.
"I must say, Ted, it is a sad day that you have to return home," Alejandro said. "We will miss you dearly."
"I'm an old man, Don Alejandro, and old men need to stay home more often." Ted took a sip from the wine. "And I can't thank you enough for letting me and Yolanda stay at your home this past year."
"She's a lovely young girl, and her presence has done Diego some good." Alejandro noted Diego and Yolanda talking about some matter he was unaware of. "She's taken to everything at the estate. It wouldn't surprise me if she would become the woman that Diego needs in his life."
Diego and Yolanda coughed at Alejandro's words. It wasn't uncommon for them to hear such comments and jokes from Don Alejandro. He always said that if Yolanda had a little more education and more diversity in her clothing, she could easily pass for a noble woman. And it wasn't like Diego would disagree. As he looked at Yolanda, he couldn't help but feel tempted by the idea of them together. Yolanda also blushed at the idea but would never admit it.
"You flatter me, Don Alejandro. But I don't see myself marrying anyone anytime soon." Yolanda respectfully bowed. "Though, if Diego were to try to court me, I won't make it easy for him." She smirked at Diego.
Don Alejandro laughed before a soldier came running.
"Sergeant Garcia!" He called out, getting Garcia's attention.
"Private Torres, what's the matter?" Garcia asked.
"The magistrate has just been attacked and we can't find the commander," Torres explained.
"What?!" Garcia dropped his drink. "What happened? Who attacked his excellency?"
"The men that worked at the office said that Dr. Crane and Dr. Love were seen leaving the room as the magistrate screamed," Torres explained.
"What has happened?" Diego and Yolanda approached.
"Don Diego, it seems that the two doctors attacked the magistrate." Garcia turned to Torres. "Did they use any weapons?"
"No sir, he was found screaming about not wanting to die. Like, like-" Torres was at a loss for words.
"Like he was seeing his greatest nightmare come to life?" Yolanda added.
Torres nodded, and it was all that Garcia needed to hear. He was given a golden opportunity and he was going to use it.
"Private, Gather the men," Garcia commanded. "We're going to their estate to arrest those two."
"Si señor!" Torres nodded, saluting his commanding officer.
"Con su permiso Don Diego, Don Alejandro, Señorita Montez." Garcia followed after the private to prepare their forces.
With the night over, Diego and Yolanda's party decided to call it a night, unaware that they were being followed by the Outsiders.
Inside the hidden cave of El Zorro, Diego put on his costume as Bernardo and Ted spoke to him.
"This is a trap." Ted spoke. "They stay quiet for a year and now they start picking fights with one of the big honchos, I smell a rat."
"Maybe, but it would be rude not to accept their invitation." Diego put on his mask. "Besides, we've looked over that home top to bottom, so we know what to expect. They wanted our attention, so we'll give it to them on our terms."
"And if there's any traps or hidden switches you missed?" Ted asked.
"That's why I'm going too." Yolanda stepped out, holding her mask in her hand. "It's time the doctors pay." She was dressed in a tight black catsuit that covered her body completely. Her gloves had razor sharp claws.
"We're there for justice, Yolanda. They will face the consequences of their actions, but we won't kill them if we don't have to." Diego put on his hat as Tornado met his side.
Yolanda looked at her mask. Modeled after her mentor Ted's own mask but added skull features to make it even scarier to any who saw her. She wanted revenge, but she also knew that her father wanted justice. Not wanting to argue, she put on her mask, covering her face.
"Then let's bring justice to those they've hurt." Yolanda got on the horse with Diego following suit.
The ride to the estate of the two doctors was accompanied by a moonless sky and silence. Neither Diego nor Yolanda spoke as they reached the large house where the nightmares were made. They spotted the soldiers being led by Garcia going in through the front door.
"You think they'll be alright?" Yolanda asked.
"We just need to get to the doctors before they try to escape." Diego replied. "You remember the back entrance?"
"I do. This way." Yolanda led Diego through the darkness.
They reached the back door, with Yolanda using her claws to open the lock. The door opened slowly and quietly, letting them go through. They were about to take a step in, only for Diego to stop Yolanda. He gestured down to the cord next to their feet. Yolanda narrowed her eyes, spotting many invisible wires around the corridor. Like cobwebs covering the dark corners, each one were connected to a trap meant to kill.
"They are being extra careful." She whispered.
Yolanda jumped in, passing under the first two wires with feline skill. She spun in the air, avoiding the wires under her feet and her mid-section. Using her claws, she stopped herself from falling. Giving Diego a wink behind her mask, she dropped down, rolling underneath the cords before arriving at the other end of the corridor. And to give herself a little bit of an extra breath of confidence, she took a bow.
"Show off." Diego whispered.
Diego spotted a lever next to the end of the corridor. He pulled out his whip, cracking it. He swung it at the lever before pulling it down with one swift move. The cords dropped down to the ground, no longer being a threat to them.
"And you call me a show off." Yolanda muttered as Diego walked up to her with a tip of his hat. "Nice job."
As they walked deeper into the estate, they heard screams coming down from the corridor. They recognized them as the soldiers. They ran to them, watching them all screaming in terror. Above them they saw a strange green mist covering the soldiers. The brave soldiers all looked to be facing down their greatest fears. Some screamed about the horrible wild dogs that chased them. Others swung their swords wildly, fighting off dangerous cannibals. And others like Garcia tried to calm themselves while also trying to keep a part of their sanity from being corrupted. It was a horror show for Yolanda and Diego, who kept their distance.
"What is this?" Yolanda asked.
"It must be what they were experimenting with." Zorro looked at the windows. "We must open the windows, let the air clear this away!"
They rushed to the windows, trying to open them but they were bolted down. They cursed before they noticed the soldiers charging at them with manic swings and deranged actions. The attacks were wild but they were much stronger. One of the soldiers sliced one of the tables, leaving their sword stuck but the soldier still rearing to go. The fight would have to be quick or else they would find themselves in a tough spot.
"I'll distract them. You take them out from behind." Diego unsheathed his sword.
"Of course, give the woman the tough job." Yolanda dodged the swings of the swords, jumping over the soldier's heads.
Diego swung his sword, parrying and blocking the attacks. They were strong with adrenaline pumping through their veins, but he was faster and knew how to properly fight. His sword moved like lightning disarming the men with swift cuts to their hands and their arms, forcing them to drop their blades. The gas had given them greater strength but they had no coordination or technique to speak of. He had that edge as he moved from one soldier to the next one. But that did not stop the wounded soldiers, they charged at him like wild beasts, which was perfect for Yolanda to step in.
She punched on the soldiers like a wild animal, knocking them back with her surprising strength. She jumped in the air before punching them across the face or kicking them as hard as she could without killing them. She ducked under the punches, landing blows to their stomachs and jaws with everything she had. She caught a swing before flipping the solder. Yolanda's senses told her everything that was happening around her. Jumping onto the last soldier, she kicked him through the window, letting the wind come.
The wind blew in, spreading and taking out the strange mist from the house. The soldiers dropped down, coughing as their lungs filled with pure fresh air. Garcia was the first one to get up from the floor, coughing his lungs out.
"What-What happened?" Garcia asked. "I-I thought I saw my father, saying that he was disappointed in me and everyone blamed me for the ills of the city."
"It was your worst fear, Sergeant Garcia." Diego helped him to his feet.
"I can still hear him," Garcia rubbed his head. "It was horrible."
"Take a breath, the monsters responsible are still here." Yolanda helped him sit on a chair as she looked up at the stairs.
"No, I must- I must bring them to justice." Garcia tried to get up but his head was spinning something fierce.
"Rest up sergeant, we'll take care of this." Diego turned around, expecting to see Wildcat there but she was gone. "Damn it, I hate it when she does that." Diego took off after her up the stairs.
Yolanda had taken off through the stairs before Diego could hear her move. She was not going to allow the men that took her family to get away scott free. She reached the second floor just in time to hear something: A blade coming towards her. Dropping down, she bent backwards, watching the horizontal blade pass over her head. Pulling herself up, she ran forwards before the floor under her feet opened up. Sharp spikes awaited her in the small tiger trap, but she used her claws to stop her fall. She pulled herself up using the strength of her claws, jumping over the tiger trap. As soon as she landed, she heard something big and heavy coming her way.
It wasn't another trap, it was a guard. She looked up to see a large man, or what was once a man. His eyes bulging, his veins were popping and his body was riddled with scars. His skin was almost pale white and he looked halfway dead.
"Dios, what have they done to you?" Yolanda whispered.
"Solomon Grundy, born on a Monday!" The zombie swung its large arms at Yolanda, trying to snatch her.
She ducked and weaved through the attacks, using her smaller frame to her advantage. She punched him in the stomach, the thigh, the liver and the neck with the boxing lessons Ted had drilled into her. But all she got was pain in her hands. It felt like punching rocks that formed a mountain.
The zombie swung at her once more, landing a punch on the wall instead of her head.
Yolanda saw the tiger trap in the corridor and got an idea. She slipped underneath the zombie, taunting it to chase after her. She ducked and weaved under his massive arms as they destroyed everything else. She jumped using a backwards flip before looking at the tiger trap behind her.
"One more step grandote!" Yolanda jumped, kicking the zombie in the face.
But the zombie grabbed her leg, holding her up with his massive strength. She struggled against his hold, kicking his face with her other leg before scratching it's stitched parts. But none of it worked. The zombie reeled back his large hunkering fist ready to crush her head. Yolanda closed her eyes, preparing for the worst.
"That's no way to treat a lady."
Yolanda and the zombie turned to see Cain standing there with the rest of the Outsiders.
"Drop the lady and no one gets hurt!" Sideways ordered.
"Just not in the tiger trap," Metamorpho added.
Yolanda didn't know what was going on, but it was all the distraction she needed. She caught on to Diego's scent as the sound of a whip cracked the air. Her claws sliced the zombie's wrist and tendon, releasing her.
Diego's whip wrapped around the zombie's arm, pulling him into the tiger trap.
"Always fashionably late, I see." Yolanda got back up as Diego joined her.
"I like to keep the ladies waiting," Diego replied before aiming his sword at the Outsiders. "And who might you be?"
"People who'd like to speak with the men you're after. They're working with a certain someone that we'd like to see stopped." Cain explained. "The name is Cain, by the way."
"We're not your enemies, in short," Raven added.
Diego and Yolanda looked at each other with curiosity. Neither of them sensed any ill intent coming from them, but they were still going to be cautious.
"Okay, lead the way," Yolanda said.
"Sideways, if you would." Cain turned to Sideways.
"Everyone please step into the glowing rift and keep all your arms and legs inside at all times." Sideways created a rift for them to step inside.
Dr. Crane and Dr. Love were burning and packing everything that they could get their hands on. The sounds of fighting and conflict told them that they were about to get visits sooner than they expected. The loud boom they had heard told them that their experiment had been taken out and now they were on their own. Their minds were racing with the possibility of some angry soldiers coming in after them. It was as though all their worst fears and anxiety were popping up in their twisted minds.
"Quickly, you fool. The toxin won't last long!" Dr. Crane snapped.
"The horses are ready and whatever fool comes through that door will die by my hand." Dr. Love pulled out a gun. "We should've never hired those raiders to get the girl. She was the key for the new transforming world and now we'll never get her out of De La Vega's hands."
"Well, at least we have our minds and fortune to start anew up north." Crane closed his case. "I heard the colonial city of Gotham is lovely this time of year." His mind already riled up with dark thoughts.
What neither knew was that Dr. Destiny was there, holding up his Dream Stone, letting it feed on their deranged fear-fueled minds. He just loved how twisted these two doctors were. Using workers as both guinea pigs as well as test subjects was just deliciously evil. Their dreams and nightmares would be enough for him to be a single step away from his goal.
Just then, a rift opened up before the two doctors, causing them to turn their heads. However, as soon as they turned their heads, they were surprised to see Zorro and Wildcat jumping out of the rift followed by the Outsiders.
Diego quickly disarmed Dr. Crane with his sword before punching him across the face.
Yolanda dodged the shot from Dr. Love's gun before scratching him across the face, leaving a nasty scar.
The rest of the Outsiders stepped out of the rift as Dr. Destiny spotted them.
"I take it that's the one you're after?" Diego aimed his sword at him.
"Indeed." Cain drew out his shovel.
"Sorry to cut and run, Cain. But I've got what I wanted." Dr. Destiny disappeared in a bright flash of red light. "See you soon."
"Aw man, no fight?" Sideways groaned.
"Perhaps next time." Cain said. "I suppose you'd want an explanation?"
"Please," Yolanda said.
Dr. Crane and Dr. Love were tossed into a prison cell where they would await trial for their crimes.
Garcia went to give the news to Yolanda and to Diego. He knocked on the door, only to be greeted by Don Alejandro and Bernardo.
"Good evening, Don Alejandro. I've come to tell Ms. Montez some news," Garcia said. "Dr. Crane and Dr. Love have both been arrested. And they've confessed to their crimes."
"At last it seems that Juan's spirit can rest in peace. But I'm afraid that you're a little late, Sergeant Garcia." Don Alejandro said. "Yolanda has decided to go and spend time away, to become a proper lady."
"I see. Well, please, be sure to tell her what's happened." Garcia saluted the older man.
Yolanda finished packing her stuff as Diego went up to her.
"You don't need to tell me, Diego. You don't want me to go," Yolanda said.
"Forgive me if I'm so easy to read, Yolanda." Diego approached her with shyness. "I just hoped that you'd stay after everything that has happened."
"You heard Cain's story. They need help, I must go and stop this great evil." Yolanda brought Diego close to her, giving him a kiss. "Besides, you're needed here and you give me a reason to come back."
They hugged, holding each other close for what felt like an eternity.
Outside, Yolanda met with Cain and the other Outsiders only to then see Nite Owl, Punchline and Blackfire all battered and covered in chicken feathers.
"Do we want to know?" Cain asked.
"No." Nite Owl growled, plotting vengeance for the humiliation he'd suffered by the imp's hands.
Chapter 10: Alan Scott Green Lantern
Summary:
Earth -7102: Tangled The Series
What if Corona was protected by an emerald lantern?
Chapter Text
The multiverse is more than just a prism…
It is ever expanding and ever growing…
A place where one choice, one fork on the road can lead to many opportunities…
But every spark of brilliance there is a spark of madness…
These are the stories of both…
"So, what's the plan again?" Yolanda asked. "I understand that you guys don't trust the other three, but if they're a danger, why not just take them out now?"
Cain had filled Yolanda in on the situation that they were facing. Not just the actions of Dr. Destiny but also the sinister intent that Nite Owl, Punchline and Blackfire were all harboring. She wasn't exactly thrilled to be in a position to fight someone that could turn people to ash with just a glare. But she was also not one to walk away from a fight or allow corruption to go unpunished. If she could do something to help, she'd do it.
"Because, right now they are still useful to our primary goal; Stopping Dr. Destiny." Cain looked over his collection of potions and grimoires for something. "I believe they'll make their move once he is taken care of and we're too tired to fight them. Which is why we'll need something to seal them."
"You mean like a capturing tool?" Sideways asked, showing him some of the books. "This it?"
"More a spell than a tool, but not that one." Cain pulled out a grimoire. "I've deduced that Nite Owl's suit and weaponry come from a magical source, his world had no shortage of magic tools those fools known as the Guardians treated like mere trinkets."
"So I can't just cast a spell and put Blackfire out of commission." Raven shifted through the pages of a book. "We need to depower Nite Owl and contain Punchline, all in one single move."
"I could turn into knockout gas. It worked before," Metamorpho suggested.
"A good fighter always prepares for the next round, and not all tricks will work the same way," Bronze Tiger said. "We could use someone to better pin them down though."
"Another member?" Cain stroke his beard, before flipping the page before seeing something that caught his attention. "Found it. A sealing spell that once bounded old gods. It will bound any entity to another as long as they are within a designated location. It just requires three things. The same number of beings to bind, a powerful energy source to power up the spell and a magic circle to hold it all together."
"So, three of them, three of us, someone super powerful to act as a battery and a magic circle? Sounds easy enough," Bronze Tiger said. "Counting Wildcat we're all set."
"Yes, but I'd still like to have some more power on our side, if not for the spell then for an insurance against Dr. Destiny." Cain noticed that one of his pieces started glowing. "And fate answers my call once more." He reached up and picked up a black rock spike that looked to be made of pure obsidian, only now it was affected by a sickly red glow.
"Is that obsidian?" Yolanda asked.
"It looks more like a thorne," Sideways commented.
"I sense magic coming from it," Raven added. "What is it, Cain?"
"This, ladies and gentlemen, is a black rock created from the power of the Moon Opal. One of the three powers that came down from the heavens a long time ago. It is a story of a demon hungry for power and the champion chosen to wield the power to vanquish fear itself. This story I like to call…"
Earth -7102: Tangled The Series
What if Corona was protected by an emerald lantern?
"The Emerald Light."
Far in the reaches of the black space, three forces fell down to the earth.
"This story begins as many old tales do: A long time ago in a land far away, there was the kingdom of Corona. Many years ago, a drop of sunlight fell to the Earth and created a magical flower."
One bright and sunny, gently dropping down like a hew drop in the morning. As soon as it touched the Earth, a bright yellow flower sprouted from the ground, like a light in the darkness.
"But this story you have already heard. But what most don't know was that something else fell to Earth at the same time."
A green rock covered in green flames, cut through the sky like a shooting star. People looked up in awe, wonder, fear and astonishment before it fell down to the earth. Those that saw the green rock, coated in flames of a bright emerald color. Among those was an old man, blind by age but wiser than many kings.
The old man gently pressed his hand on the green rock. His eyes widened as he then turned to the sky and all who could hear him.
"A meteorite containing a green flame landed in a village just outside the kingdom. With its arrival there came a prophecy: "Three times shall this flame burn green. First, to bring death. Second, to bring life. And third, to bring power.""
The old man took the green rock to his home. With his tools and a determination few men could muster, he set out to work. He broke down the rock, reforging it and changing it. His hands moved calmly as though the rock itself wished to take on a new shape. The old man understood his purpose, nodding as he forged the rock into the next shape it desired. As he finished, the green flame brought light to the land around them.
"Found by a local soothsayer, the green flame was fashioned into a lamp."
People watched the bright green light as they remembered the words of the soothsayer. They got their weapons out and kicked down the door of the old man. Their weapons struck fast and deadly, killing the old man, all before the lantern's flames.
And the flames were displeased.
"However, some locals feared that the prophecy might be true and attempted to destroy the lamp and the soothsayer along with it. However, with the death of an innocent old man, so too was the death of those that partook in the senseless violence. The flames burned green that night."
A sea of green flames consumed the killers, reducing them to ash. But the flames did not stop there, they continued spreading through the village and the nearby forest. The emerald glow was seen as far as Corona and the Dark Kingdom, a bright and grim reminder that there were powers far beyond their borders. Even some of the black rocks from the Dark Kingdom were pushed back by the power.
And just as brightly as it flared and unleashed its power, it vanished. All that remained from the burst of the lantern and the village was the lantern itself. It remained there, hidden from sight amongst the rubble and the overgrowth. Nature had taken over what man had once claimed.
One night, the rubble was moved out of the way. An old man pulled out the lantern, battered and harmed by the fire and age. He'd been a soldier that had seen many things in his time. Conflict and death plagued his mind. Yet he felt drawn to the green flame and its power.
"The lamp fell into obscurity until it fell into the hands of a mad old man that reshaped the lamp into a hooded lantern."
The man took the lantern away and fixed it as best he could. The material bent to his will, following the path the green flame allowed him. As he worked and finished putting the lantern together, his mind became clearer and at peace. The light of the flame spread through the old man's land, bringing new life to the nature all around him.
"With this act of imagination and craftsmanship, the lantern ignited with a green flame, bringing with it new sanity to the old man."
The old man lived long with the lantern by his side. His family grew happy and became a lush land that would reconnect with Corona.
Until one day, a hooded alchemist came looking for the fabled lantern. He was a tall man with a metal plate covering his left eye and was covered with a dark brown hood with a red brooch on his left breast.
"Years passed and the hooded lantern was found by an ancient alchemist by the name of Demanitus."
Demanitus examined the lantern with great detail, making notes on what it could do and what the prophecy entailed. His journal was filled with theories and ideas to make the green flame open up and reveal its secrets to him. He tried to open it, but the material easily repelled his tools. He sighed in exasperation. Despite figuring much about the Sun Drop and the Moon Opal, he was drawing a blank on the green flame.
He turned around to see his four apprentices wanting to try their luck.
They all tried through different methods to make the flames work, but none of them worked. It seemed the flame would forever be stuck inside the hooded lantern. But then came the fourth apprentice and it was his turn to try his luck with it.
"He tried to unlock the powers of the lantern but he could not. His apprentices all tried to make it work, but they were met with the same result. Until it came down to the last apprentice of Demanitus, a man by the name of Alan Scott. A gifted engineer and builder with a strong will."
Alan Scott was a young man with bright green eyes and short blond hair. He was dressed in a long sleeved red shirt, a black vest, black pants, a brown belt and dark brown boots. A humble man by trade but with a will many would deem beyond human.
He picked up the lantern, examining it. The flame flared brightly inside and it seemed unwilling to move from inside it. His eyes narrowed, knowing what would happen should the power be unleashed. It was scary but he would not be deterred. He gazed deeply into the lantern, at the green flames that had spread into legend and myth. So much power contained in such a small itty bitty space.
Alan's eyes widened as an idea lit up inside his mind. He took his tools and started reforging the lantern. The flame continued to burn as he turned the lantern into something smaller, into the shape that he and it wanted. Alan lifted his hammer and struck the lantern unleashing its power.
Waves of green fire swirled and spun around him. But he kept on reforging the lantern. His eyes glowed bright green as the flames coursed through his body. He gazed upon his work before putting it on. The lamp had transformed into a bright green ring that fitted in Alan's left hand like a glove. His vest became a long cape with a green inside. His eyes were covered with a bright green mask. And on his chest appeared a bright green symbol of a lantern.
"In Brightest Day, in Blackest Night, no evil shall escape my sight!" Alan swore. "Let those that worship evil's might, beware my power, GREEN LANTERN'S LIGHT!"
"His will resonated with the lantern, he reforged the lantern into a ring. This brought forth the third part of the prophecy, 'to bring power'. Alan Scott was transformed into a carrier of the power of will itself. He became the hero, the legend, the Green Lantern."
Cain walked through the border of the Dark Kingdom as the black rocks pointed towards him. He looked up, spotting the Green Lantern.
Alan Scott flew through the air in the middle of a blizzard, coated in a bright green aura before descending down to meet his master.
"Master Demanitus." Alan bowed. "It's as you said."
"Zhan Tiri is trying to get her hands on the Moon Opal, isn't she?" Demanitus asked. "There is no other choice, I must stop her for good. Is the portal in position?"
"Yes, master. We'll be able to defeat Zhan Tiri once and for all, with the power of the green flame-" Alan began.
"No." Demanitus cut him off, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I need you to perform a more important duty, Alan. I fear that one of your fellow apprentices is a traitor, seduced by the promises of power. Whoever they are, they're on their way to reach the Sundrop. You must go and find out who it could be and stop them." Demanitus explained.
"But-"
"No buts, the Green Flame is powerful, probably even more so than the Sundrop or the Moon Opal separately. If Zhan Tiri bests me and the traitor gets the Sundrop, you must be sure to be there to stop them. This is my last command as your master, Alan."
Alan didn't like it, but it was what his master commanded him. He nodded in understanding before taking off. Biting down on the desire to stand and fight alongside his master, he set off to where his allies awaited them. He flew through the blizzard like a light cutting through the darkness in search of his allies. The war against the demon woman Zhan Tiri had taken a toll on everyone and he had to admit that each of them had made him question their allegiances once or twice. Tromus had been very intrigued by the idea of collecting magical artifacts and keeping them for his own amusement, like a child with a toy chest. Sugracha loved to use spiritual spells to control people for her own amusement and ambitions. And then there was Gothel, she was far too obsessed with her own beauty to take anything seriously but that also made her delve into ways to retain her looks and youth. All three of them had a thirst for power and an ego to match. But the problem was figuring out which one of them was the traitor.
Alan spotted all three of his fellow disciples walking towards the border towards Corona. It wasn't where they had agreed to meet up. His suspicions grew as he saw the three of them walking without even so much as talking. Floating down, he met up with them. The black rocks sprouted behind them as he touched the ground, cutting back their retreat.
"Tromus, Sugracha, Gothel, where are you going?" Alan asked. "Our master requires you to assist in the battle against Zhan Tiri."
"Oh yes, see, Alan, Master Demanitus asked us to start searching for the Sundrop," Gothel said. "According to his research it could yield the victory over his archenemy."
"Funny, he didn't mention that to me," Alan replied.
"Just because you're the teacher's pet doesn't mean that you have to know everything, little one." Sugracha giggled.
"Sounds like you're getting a little paranoid, my friend. Here's something to help you ease those nerves." Tromus tossed a spinning top at Alan.
Alan acted on instinct, constructing a net over the enchanted spinning top, stopping it from moving. He looked up to see Sugracha wave her skull tipped scepter, spewing a large blot of black ink that turned into a fist. Alan summoned a glowing green construct of his own, punching through the inky fist.
"Master Demanitus was right, there was a traitor," Alan glared at his companions as Gothel pulled out an enchanted mirror. "But in truth, you're all traitors! You sold our master's secrets to Zhan Tiri and for what? Trinkets? Dark magic? Vanity?"
"Oh don't act so high and mighty, Alan." Gothel's mirror blasted at Alan, pushing him back. "The straggler finally caught a break and thinks he can boss us around! Ha! What a laugh!"
"Our new master has promised us all we could ever hope to want." Tromu pulled out his staff, firing lightning at Alan.
Alan took to the air, using his ring to block the lightning coming down on him. He turned to see a large black whale coming down on him. Propping a green shield, he took on the full weight of the beast, landing on the ground, pinned. The whale was large and heavy enough that it would've crushed ten men twice the size of Alan. But he wouldn't budge. He could still hear the fallen disciples talking, taunting him.
"Imagine what Master Zhan Tiri will reward us with once we bring him not only the Sun drop but also the Emerald Flame." Sugracha cackled. "I must say, I won't miss you that much, Alan. This world now belongs to Zhan Tiri."
Rage could not describe what he was feeling. No, the best description he could feel was fury. A fury that empowered his will and the green flame burn bright. He thrusted his fist upwards, blasting through the whale made out of ink. The bright flash of power was followed by Alan punching Sugracha in the face with a green fist construct. He turned as Tromu slammed his staff on the ground, sending a rock wave at him. But Alan wasn't faced by it. He unleashed another construct, a bright battering ram that tore through the rocks like they were made out of paper. Tromu was frightened, and quickly got smashed by the battering ram.
Gothel looked at the angry and empowered by the Emerald Flame Alan Scott. His power was easily fighting back the powers of the three of them with little to no difficulty. His constructs were as strong as his will. Blocking and slicing with ease at their magic. Heblastd Tromu to the ground before smacking Sugracha with a shield construct. There was no way that he would go down without a serious fight. She could be killed if she wasn't careful or worse, end up looking like a beat up doll. She pulled out a yellow stone as Sugracha got back up.
"We must use the spell!" Gothel told her.
"But Zhan Tiri said-"
"Screw what that old crone yammered about! Alan is the bigger threat!"
Sugracha nodded, summoning a large snake that coiled around Alan's body.
Alan struggled to get free from the hold of the beast. His green aura shone brightly, shattering the black rocks around him with his strength. If he didn't stop them then the world would be in jeopardy. His will burned through the snake as he unleashed a powerful shock wave, destroying more of the black rocks. The burst of energy took a lot from him but he could still fight. But his ears were soon filled with the sound of a strange chanting.
He looked up and saw all three of his former fellow disciples chanting before a glowing yellow crystal. The crystal spun in the air, growing larger and larger until it was bigger than him. The wind started to pull him in. His eyes widened as he realized what he was being drawn into: A time portal. He dug his feet on the ground, stopping his dragging only slightly. Adding to it, he created enhancing constructs around his legs and arms, giving himself gloves and heavy boots to anchor himself. He didn't know where they were planning on sending him but wherever it was, it was not where he needed to be.
His eyes landed on something sticking out of the corner of Gothel's cloak. It was a copy of the scroll his master had been working on. Win or lose, he had to destroy it. They were focused on him and their chanting was getting stronger. The ground below him was breaking, if he didn't stop them then everything else would fall apart. He didn't know what would happen to him, but he knew that where there was a will there was a way.
Alan released his grip on the ground, aiming his left hand at Gothel's cloak. He fired a green blast of fire, hitting the copy of the scroll.
"No!" Gothel screamed. "What have you done?!"
"Protected the Sundrop." Alan felt the ground break off as he was sucked into the portal.
The three fallen disciples growled at the destruction of their only clue.
"What do we do now?!" Tromu asked. "Don't we have a spare?"
"No we don't! Gothel here was probably too busy checking herself on the mirror to make a second one." Sugracha snapped.
"At least I did something useful, you old crone!" Gothel growled.
"Careful, Gothel, you're getting some wrinkles." Sugracha mocked.
"Enough, we must split up and find the Sundrop," Tromu said. "At least this way one of us will achieve something for our master."
The three disciples nodded in agreement before walking off in their separate ways. They walked away, unaware that Cain had watched everything from the shadows.
He walked up to where the portal once stood, picking up one of the broken black rocks from the ground.
"Ah, the story of a loyal green knight fighting against the darkness and following his master's command at a moment's notice." Cain watched his reflection on the black rock. "Take comfort in knowing that your master will best his foe and your sacrifice will not be in vain. Quite the tale, but I feel like your story is only just beginning, Alan Scott, the Green Lantern. I shall see you in a few thousand years, give or take a hundred." Cain looked at his pocket watch before leaving.
"The tales of knights and warriors are sometimes so legendary that they outlive many of us. Their stories are all that remain. But sometimes, those very legends return for another round…"
"That is the tale of the Green Lantern we must seek." Cain finished his tale.
The rest of the Outsiders were all for the idea of having such a powerful ally on their side. The tale had done the deed and shown their next and hopefully last ally against Dr. Destiny and whatever Nite Owl had been planning. With his strength and power of will, Green Lantern would tip the scales in their favor and put an end to this nightmare.
"Sounds like an awesome guy, I'm in," Sideways said.
"Another colorful fellow Outsider will fit right in," Metamorpho joined.
"He does sound strong if he could take on three practitioners of magic." Raven hummed.
"There's just one problem. Isn't he trapped in a time portal cosa?" Yolanda asked.
"Portals take you places, my dear," Cain smirked. "They pull you in and spit you right out. All we have to do is find out where he'll pop up. Besides, time is up." Cain pulled up his pocket watch before summoning the door.
The door appeared before them in its full glory. The door looked as bright as it did dark, with the light of the sun and the darkness of the moon balancing each other like two opposing sides of power. The paints on the door told a story that showed two forces on a collision course with a third power standing between them. On the left was a young woman with long flowing hair as bright as the sun, with lanterns and flowers surrounding her. One the right was a woman with short blue hair wielding a black sword as black spikes sprouted around her. And in the middle was Alan Scott, holding up his left arm with a powerful green flame surrounding him.
"Well, I'm guessing the story has gotten some additions to." Bronze Tiger commented. "Who are those ladies?"
"A fine question, Bronze Tiger."
Everyone turned to see Nite Owl, Punchline and Blackfire all walking towards them.
"Nite Owl, I take it that you're done shedding the old feathers?" Cain asked as Sideways and Metamorpho held back a snicker.
"I see that you've found another door," Nite Owl said. "Are we going in there?"
"Finally, I wanted to hit something for a while." Blackfire cracked her knuckles with great glee.
Blackfire's eagerness to fight aside, the Outsiders needed to find the Green Lantern and then Dr. Destiny before he managed to get what he was seeking. This could be the last chance they would have to stop him before he made his final move. And to make sure Nite Owl and his allies were distracted, Cain had an idea that could send them on another wild goose chase. But if they started to get suspicious, then it would tip them off to their plans. For now they had to keep them with someone that he trusted to keep them in line. Or at least lead them away from where they needed to go.
"Metamorpho, make sure to get them to stay on task," Cain whispered to Metamorpho.
"You got it boss." Metamorpho nodded.
"I'll go with him just in case," Bronze Tiger glared at Punchline as she passed her thumb over her throat.
The group entered the world through the door, leaving the House of Mystery behind. They soon found themselves in a green field with flowers, not far from where they stood, there was a town that resembled a medieval fair for all to enjoy. It all looked peaceful. The buildings were made out of wood and the streets were made out of cobble stones with kids playing with their toys. The adults were going about their business, forging tools, baking goods and keeping the homes in one piece.
"What a wretched place," Punchline said. "All those happy faces are so fake."
"I can assure you, Punchline, they are genuine." Raven gave the woman some side eye. "They're all happy for the Pie eating contest."
"What kind of person gets happy about that?" Blackfire asked.
"Pie eating contest?! Sign me up!" Metamorpho licked his lips as everyone turned to him. "I mean, um, I think I see Dr Destiny stealing some of them! No forty of them! Let's go!" Metamorpho snatched Blackfire and Punchline under his arms before taking off to the town.
"Hey! Knock it off, damn it!"
"Do I look like a damn sack of produce?"
"We better take care of that," Bronze Tiger said.
"Agreed." Nite Owl sighed. "Signal us when you've spotted Dr. Destiny."
"Will do." Cain waved them all adieu. "Now, to track our time-displaced friend. This way." Cain west before heading in that direction.
"Is he always like this?" Yolanda asked.
"80 to 90% of the time." Sideways took a picture of a colorful caravan approaching the town. "Whoa, check the hair on that girl. It's really long." Raven took Sideways' phone away.
"Come on." She dragged him as they went after Cain with Yolanda following close behind.
Cain and his group went around the town before finding themselves in a plain covered with black rocks. They all seemed to point North, almost like a path or a trail someone was meant to follow. But there was a spot that cut through the path. The marks of where the time portal had once been many summers ago.
"Wow, look at these rocks." Sideways touched the rocks. "They look like spikes. And they're pretty solid." Sideways tapped on one of the rocks.
"They are also charged with magic." Raven passed a hand over them. "They're connected to something heading into the lands to the north."
"Well, they certainly aren't natural." Yolanda tapped one of her claws on the rocks. "No normal rock formations look like this or are as durable. Even diamonds can break. Is this the power of this Moon Opal."
"Makes you wonder what the Sundrop is supposed to do," Sideways said.
Cain dropped down, feeling the soil with his hand.
"There we go, just in the nick of time." Cain felt the magic slowly forming. "Time for the Emerald Knight to come out of his exile." Cain took a step back as the portal formed before their eyes.
The swirling yellow portal opened up, allowing a scream to come through it. Then out came Alan Scott, shooting off like a bat out of Hell. Landing with a loud boom, coated in a green fiery aura, the Green Lantern took a second to catch his breath. He looked around for signs of where he had been sent. His body was still strong and his will made the green flame burn brightly. His hand traced his face, feeling the beard he'd grown while in the time portal. So time had passed in there. He still had plenty of power to fight. Not much looked like it had been changed. But he couldn't take any chances. If this was the past then he could stop his former fellow disciples and help his master. But first he had to answer one question above all others.
"Where am I?" Alan asked, looking around before his eyes landed on Cain, Sideways, Raven and Wildcat.
"To answer that question, you're in the future, about a few thousand years from the last moment you remember, on the same spot you vanished," Cain said. "The border with the Dark Kingdom, not far from where your master defeated the demon sorceress Zhan Tiri, Green Lantern Alan Scott."
Alan didn't like the look of that man or that he knew of him all too well. His company was not giving him any good vibes either, if only given their strange appearance. It was best to stay on guard against them in case they were allies of Zhan Tiri or his former fellow disciples.
"You have me at a disadvantage, sir." Alan prepared himself to create a construct to send them all flying. "I don't even know your name or how you know about me."
"My apologies, Mr. Scott. I am Cain, and these are my companions, Sideways, Raven and Wildcat." Cain bowed before pointing to his allies. "We've come to ask for your services in an important mission we have."
"You still haven't told me how you know of me, Mr. Cain." Alan's patience was running thin as his ring glowed brightly.
"Oh, yes, I'm what you'd call a collector of stories and your story is one of those that I've collected over the course of my time," Cain explained. "But if you have reason to doubt my word, all you must do is go ask your Master. I'm pretty sure he's found a way to stay alive in a monkey's body or something along those lines."
Alan's eyes widened. Was his master alive after all this time? It was too good to be true, but also too good of a chance at answers to pass up. Though he did have his concerns regarding the whole monkey body part Cain spoke of. But he didn't have time to second guess himself. He took off to the skies, leaving Cain and the Outsiders on their own.
"Maybe I should've held back some stuff to get him to trust us," Cain stroke his beard in thought.
"Let's get up there before he leaves us behind!" Wildcat said.
"One way up, coming up!" Sideways created a rift for the four of them to walk through.
Alan soared through the air, looking for signs of his master. But it seemed that Cain's words were ringing true. He spotted towns where he had once only seen forest trees, or a small village. It seemed that he was indeed far into the future and the past had been saved by his master all those years ago. But if that was the case, then what was left for him to do. Maybe he could find something of his master and a way back to his time. If there was a way forward in time then there had to be one to go back. Yet, everything seemed so peaceful and at peace. Zhan Tiri's ambition was stopped and the world was all the better for it, if what he had heard from Cain continued to be true. Maybe this time didn't need an Emerald Knight.
"AAAHHH! Stop them! Thieves!"
Alan's eyes shot wide as he followed the screaming. He looked down and saw two men running away with a large bag of stolen gold each.
"I guess they do need a hero at the very least." Alan flew down, landing on the street before the two men. "Halt! Return what you've stolen and I may be lenient with you."
Alan got a good chance to look at the two men. They were both big and looked exactly like the barbarian thugs he'd met in his time. With short red hair and the only difference being one having an eyepatch, the two men looked as intimidating as they did alike. However, their response to his threat was to laugh.
"You're gonna do what?" One of them asked. "You even know who we are?"
"I don't believe I've had the displeasure of meeting you two before." Alan pulled back his left arm.
"We're the Stabbington Brothers." They pulled out their swords. "And you're about to find out how we earned that name."
Alan didn't show any fear towards the two men. He'd dealt with plenty of men like them before, even before getting the Green Lantern ring. A bare knuckle fight would've been all that he'd needed to put them in their place. But they had pulled out their weapons first, it only seemed fair that he did the same.
"In that case, en garde!" Two green swords appeared in his hands.
The Stabbington brothers looked at each other before charging at him together. They swung their blades at Alan, but his will constructs were stronger than what they'd expected. The green blades parried their attacks, drawing them to the ground before them with him slipping past them. He kicked them in their asses, taking them down. Growling in rage, they turned around only to meet two green blades aimed at their throats.
"A bit dull, I know, but I believe I've made my point." Alan dissipated the swords before grabbing the two bags of gold with another construct. "Can I trust you to get yourselves to prison, or would you like a lift?"
The Stabbington brothers growled. They jumped at Alan like a pair of beasts, determined to get the ring and beat the man apart.
Alan didn't give them a chance. He swung his left fist at them, creating a large green construct. A construct of a large green glowing fist that hit like a runaway cart. And just like that, the two criminals were sent flying into the nearby jail cart.
"I told you things would not end well for you two." Alan handed the bags of gold to the proper authorities before he tried to get back to searching.
"Just our luck, if it isn't Rider and his magic girlfriend with the glowing healing hair, it's some freak with a magic ring." One of the brothers moaned, feeling his teeth all loosened up.
Alan stopped himself from flying away. Turning towards the brother, he pulled him towards him with a large green shackle construct. Glaring into the man's very soul, he made sure that the man knew what he was all about.
"What is this about glowing healing hair?" Alan asked.
"J-J-Just Corona's princess, Rapunzel. Her hair glows, heals and it's now indestructible like the black rocks." The brother spilled.
"Does she have to say a kind of incantation?"
"Um, I-I-um." Alan tightened the shackle's hold on the criminal. "Yes, yes! Some weird song!"
"Where is this Princess Rapunzel?" Alan's eyes burnt bright green.
The Stabbington brother didn't know what was scarier, the man or the power he wielded with such ease.
"T-They went into the maze, I think. They were accompanied by a monkey. That's all I know!"
Alan dropped the brother back in the cell before taking off into the air. It wasn't much but if he could see the princess, then he could get answers from her. The description of her hair's properties reminded him of the powers of the Sundrop. Was she like him? Had she found a way to harness the powers of the Sundrop? If that was the case, then he needed to find her and the monkey the two men had mentioned.
"What a weirdo." The brothers agreed.
"Excuse me, gentlemen," Yolanda popped out from behind them. "Have either of you seen a man wearing red, a cape, and a fancy glowing green ring? My friends and I are looking for him."
The Stabbington brothers looked at each other as they gazed at Yolanda's beauty. Even with the mask on, they could tell that she was a beauty that could turn heads wherever she went. If they were going to prison then they might as well try their luck.
"That depends."
"What's in it for us?"
"Maybe you could give us a goodbye kiss to loosen our lips?"
Yolanda smirked, having heard talk like this before from other men. But she had a good way of putting them in their place.
"Let me make you a better offer." Yolanda's sharp claws grabbed hold of their necks, pulling them against the bars. "Tell me now or I'll use your faces as my personal scratching posts. Or perhaps you want me to go lower?" She dug her claws into their skin, making them see she was serious.
"The labyrinth!" They both screamed for their lives. "He went to the labyrinth after Princess Rapunzel and Rider!"
Yolanda released her hold on their throats, letting them tumble down to their knees.
"Let's go." Yolanda turned to Cain and the rest.
"One trip to the nearby labyrinth, coming right up." Sideways created a rift.
"Hopefully, Green Lantern hasn't caught the eye of Dr. Destiny." Cain walked through the rift.
The Outsiders found themselves in the middle of a large stone maze with plants sprouting on the crevices and nothing but their own steps as company. They began walking through the maze, hoping to find any signs of their final member. But it seemed a glowing man was hard to spot amidst the passages of rocks and strange writing on the walls. Their steps echoed through the labyrinth as they searched for Alan, yet they knew they weren't alone.
They could hear steps and faint talks coming from the corner of one of the passages. Raven, using her magic, peaked over to see who was also there. The first was a woman with long blonde hair that reached all the way down to the ground, yet it was braided and tied up. She wore a pink and purple dress. And carried a radiance that Raven could only compare to the sun. The second person was a tall man with brown hair and a small beard to match. He was dressed in a dark blue jacket, light blue pants, black shoes and brown gloves. He seemed to carry himself with an air of arrogance and roguish charm. The last one was a monkey with a turban wrapped around his head. They were discussing how to proceed through the labyrinth.
"I think we should've gone back and taken the turn on the right. That one had less traps."
"A path with fewer traps often leads to where you don't want to go. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about, Blondie."
"Your companion is right, princess," The monkey spoke. "The way to the center of the labyrinth is through the paths with more traps and tricks."
"Not that I trust you, monkey, but glad to see that someone listens to me." The man took a step, pressing down on a tile.
The sound of traps preparing to fire on anyone that triggered them, caught the trio by surprise.
"And now I regret not paying more attention to my surroundings." Eugene winced.
Five spears shot out from the nearby wall, threatening to skewer Eugene like a kebab. He braced himself for the worst, but the five spears didn't even touch his body. Eugene hesitantly opened his eyes, only to see the spears hovering in mid-air as a black energy held them there.
"Wow, nice save there, Demanitus." Eugene let out a sigh of relief.
"This is not my doing." Demanitus looked around. "We're not alone."
"Cool, talking monkey." Sideways poked his head out from one of his rifts, taking a picture of the monkey.
Rapunzel, Eugene and Demanitus turned to see Cain, Sideways, Raven and Wildcat all looking at them. Rapunzel and Eugene drew their weapons, a frying pan and a sword. It wasn't that they were concerned or violent by nature, they were more just surprised that a group of oddly dressed people got the jump on them. However, this didn't make the Outsiders the least bit preoccupied. If anything, they were all the more interested in their selection of weapons.
"Is that a frying pan?" Yolanda asked. "Are you planning on making lunch after this, señorita?"
"Trust me, that is a weapon you don't wanna mess with," Eugene replied before the five spears dropped to the ground next to them.
"And you should learn to read the room," Raven said.
"Who are you? Are you after the scroll as well?" Rapunzel asked.
"Nothing of the sort, your majesty. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Cain and these are my allies." Cain bowed. "We mean you no harm but there is someone amongst you that knows of whom we seek. Master Demanitus, was it?"
"That is indeed my name, and I know of you as well, being from the Dreaming Dimension." Demanitus narrowed his eyes as he climbed up Eugene's shoulder. "Legends speak of your dangerous temper."
"What can I say, I'm made of the stuff nightmares are fabricated." Cain smirked. "But my allies and I do not have any ill will against you. We merely seek the assistance of one of your former pupils."
Rapunzel narrowed her eyes on Cain. She just couldn't help but feel there was something odd about him. The way he spoke and acted reminded her of Tromu and Sugracha, the followers of Zhan Tiri that had been dogging her and her friends for a good while. But despite his strange and dapper persona, she didn't think he was evil. She looked at Pascal, hoping to get some other view on the situation. Sadly, the small chameleon only gave the strangers a quick glance over to just shrug. She would have to get to know them better before agreeing to anything. After all, a queen needed to take cautious steps before making any decisions that could put her people in danger.
"I'm sorry to tell you this but, his apprentices are not the kind of people you want to associate with," Rapunzel said. "Plus, they are all a little too ghostly and evil and in servitude to an evil demon that wants to destroy everything and everyone."
"Wow, that story rings true now, Cain." Sideways looked at him with a thumbs up. "A+ for sticking to the characters."
"Thank you, Sideways, you're too kind." Cain gave him a small bow. "But I'm talking more about your fourth disciple, Demanitus."
Rapunzel and Eugene looked at the alchemist trapped in the monkey's body, wondering what Cain's words meant. But the alchemist knew what he meant, yet he could scarcely believe it.
A bright wall of green light descended upon the labyrinth, separating the Outsiders from Rapunzel, Eugene and Demanitus.
They looked up to see Alan Scott the Green Lantern floating down with his green aura around him.
"No, is it really you, Alan?" Demanitus asked, unable to believe what he was seeing with his own monkey eyes.
Alan turned around, recognizing the voice of his master.
"Master Demanitus? What happened to you?" Alan asked, dropping down the construct.
"I was just about to ask you the same, old friend." Demanitus hugged his friend. "The others told me you were dead."
"Not dead. Just displaced it seems. Has it really been a million years?" Alan asked.
"I'm afraid it has," Demanitus said.
"See? I wasn't lying." Cain pointed out.
"Okay, um, hi, Eugene Fitzherbert here. Slight thing," Eugene said. "What is going on?! Who are you guys?! Who is this guy?!"
Everyone stayed quiet as Rapunzel patted her boyfriend to calm him down. They waited for him to calm down enough for them to talk. It was not surprising that someone had freaked out after all. The Outsiders just thought that it would take the appearance of someone like Metamorpho to make someone freak out. But it at least happened fast and without any major problems they had to fix.
"Some water man?" Sideways offered Eugene a water.
"Thanks. I'm good now." Eugene held up his hand. "So, you were saying?"
"We are on the same side. We don't mean any harm to you, your master or your allies, Alan Scott." Raven added. "We were hoping to ask you for aid against an enemy called Dr. Destiny and to stop three members of our team we believe are planning to go rogue." She calmly explained.
"Rogue partners, yeah, I got some experience with that subject." Eugene scratched his beard. "Though, I was usually the rogue. The trick was to always have a trick up your sleeve from the very beginning."
Alan looked at Cain and his Outsides, taking in the information that he had just been given. It was honestly too much for the Emerald Knight. He'd just now been spatted out from the time portal and arrived many generations into the future and now he was told that they needed his help. Part of him wished that this was all a dream he was suffering from. But deep in his heart, he could tell that this was all real. And he was unable to answer the strange people before him or the people around him. He was up a creek with a fork on the road and not a paddle or damn idea on which way to head towards.
Rapunzel picked up on that and decided to step in. She knew the man needed to get his mind straight.
"Hey, would you like to talk while we walk to the center of the labyrinth?" Rapunzel suggested. "I mean, it beats standing still under the sun for who knows how long."
"Y-Yes, thank you, um," Alan started.
"Rapunzel. Princess Rapunzel, or just Rapunzel," Rapunzel said. "This is Eugene and well, you already know Demanitus."
"Alan Scott, the Green Lantern." Alan gave her a small bow. "I must confess, that I came here looking for you. I was informed that you hold magic hair that shines like the sun."
"Oh yeah, that's a long story we can talk about as we walk." Rapunzel gestured him to go.
Cain, the Outsiders, Eugene and Demanitus had to admit that she had done a very good job at helping the Green Lantern.
The group continued walking through the labyrinth as they made it deeper and deeper towards the center of it. However, they were unaware that in the shadows, something sinister watched them. Dr. Destiny had followed them to get something dark and hidden inside this maze. He kept his distance, listening as the group made their way deeper and deeper, sharing stories and information to help them better understand the situation. His hand grabbed his mouth to stop himself from laughing.
"And that's how I met Eugene and went back to my real parents." Rapunzel explained as they hoped over another trap.
"Well, it seems Gothel got what she wanted: Eternal beauty at the cost of others." Alan sighed.
"I hoped that her interest in magic would open new doors for her instead of feeding her vanity," Demanitus said sadly.
"And on that sad note, we're here." Cain pointed to a stone fountain carved to look like a dragon holding a scroll in one of its paws.
Inside that scroll was the piece of Demanitus's work, and a dark spell that hid inside it.
"Let's grab it and get going. There's much to do," Alan said. "And decide."
As soon as they took another step, the ground began to shake underneath their feet. It was a violent shake that forced several of them to drop down, grabbing the stone floor. They looked around for whatever trap they had triggered but they couldn't find any.
"What trap did you put here, monkey man?" Eugene asked.
"This is not one of my doing!" Demanitus clung to the stones beneath his feet.
"I can take a guess," Cain said before a ring of black fire surrounded the heroes.
"Don't bother presenting me, Cain." Dr. Destiny stepped into the light. "I'll do my own introductions from now on." He cackled madly as he held the Dream Stone in his hand.
"Oh my gosh, is that a talking skeleton?" Eugene asked. "Yeah, that's going to need a lot of coconut oil to fix up. And maybe a few masks to keep that nightmare fuel you call a face from seeing the light of day."
"You think seeing it once is bad? This is like the tenth time we've seen his ugly mug," Sideways said. "Time to put this guy down." He got up with his hands glowing with energy.
"And it does not get prettier each time." Raven and Yolanda joined him as did Rapunzel and Eugene.
"A Dream Stone?!" Demanitus exclaimed. "I thought they were a myth."
"Oh, there is more than a few myths coming to life, old man." Dr. Destiny turned to the sculpted dragon statue, making its eyes glow a bright red.
The statue release its grip on the scroll as it grew larger and larger. Its stone scales turned black like ash as it sprung large bat-like wings from its back. Its teeth turned pure white as saliva and meat coated them, transforming the jaws into fully functioning instruments of death. Its eyes blinked awake before looking down at the heroes, flaring its nostrils as it climbed down from the fountain. The dragon was now alive and hungry to serve its master. It let out a loud roar of destruction so hot that the stones started to melt around the heroes.
But Dr. Destiny wasn't done. Using the power of the Dream Stone, he altered the labyrinth and the area around them. The scene looked straight out of a fevered nightmare, with black stone floors and walls curving in was no structure should take shape, pools of glowing green poison pouring around the heroes, keeping them in place. Large gargoyle statues came to life, leering and snarling at the heroes as the dragon stomped towards them with a hungry growl coming from the deepest part of its throat.
"Alright, I see why you'd want me to help you fight this man." Green Lantern raised his arm, glowing with bright green energy.
"Glad to see you understand, Green Lantern." Cain summoned his shovel.
"Blondie, this might be a little above our pay grade." Eugene held up his sword.
"You've fought this man-thing before, right?" Rapunzel untied her hair.
"Yes." Cain replied. "He's using the Dream Stone to change reality. We must get it away from him before he can leave some permanent damage to this world." The gargoyles descended upon the team of heroes.
Alan summoned a spiked shield above their heads, blocking the attacks of the stone gargoyles. He thrusted his fist upwards, pushing them back with his burning will ready to fight. The dragon's roar caught his attention, making him turn to face the large beast. Narrowing his eyes, he created a water hose construct to meet the beast's fire breath. He pushed the beast back, but the dragon's intense flames sent him back. Just then a black aura caught him before he could slam down on the ground.
"Need a hand?" Raven asked. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Raven swung her hand, commanding the chains and iron spikes to attack the dragon.
"I'm not used to being saved by a young lady, but thank you." Alan got back on his feet. "What of your friends?"
She wrapped the chains around the beast while using the spears to pin down the beast to the floor. The dragon fought and struggled against the bonds that tied him down, releasing a torrent of flames at Raven. She thrusted her other hand, creating a dark shield to block the attack. The intensity of the flames made her sweat, but she kept calm, knowing that cooler heads would prevail against this illusion.
"Don't worry, this isn't their first rodeo against Dr. Destiny." She pushed back the flames as Green Lantern looked down at their own battle.
Sideways created rifts around the area, jumping and moving their allies to take down the gargoyles. He jumped out of a rift, punching one of the gargoyles, shattering it into pieces. The toughness of the stone was nothing compared to all the training he'd been doing with Metamorpho and Bronze Tiger. Ducking under a swing from a gargoyle, he opened another rift for Cain's shovel to pierce through the gargoyle's stoney hide.
Cain pulled out his shovel before decapitating another statue. Spinning around the shovel, he landed two more gargoyles. He picked up the head of one of them, admiring the macabre look on its face.
"Shame I can't keep it." Cain tossed the head into the air, before using his shovel like a baseball bat.
The head of the gargoyle crashed against another gargoyle, breaking its wings.
Wildcat moved behind the gargoyles, using her speed and cat-like reflexes to her fullest. She kicked a gargoyle through the chest before slashing another one across the face. All her senses were flaring, helping her dodge, bobbing and weaving through their clumsy punches and attacks. It was like dodging large sacks of flour. She sliced the wings of the gargoyles, letting them fall to the ground before jumping into one of Sideways' rifts.
"You picking this up real fast, girl!" Sideways cheered.
"What can I say? It feels like I can cut loose for once." Wildcat ducked as a long strand of golden hair wrapped around one of the gargoyles. "Speaking of cutting loose."
Rapunzel cracked and whipped her hair around, slamming the gargoyles into each other. She spun around, swinging her hair like a dancer before bringing down the gargoyle to the ground. Spotting an incoming gargoyle, she wrapped her hair around the beast's claw, flipping it over her shoulder and into the ground. She pulled out her frying pan and slammed it into the gargoyle's face.
"Wow, I gotta get me one of those," Sideways said.
"Yeah, I like it too." Rapunzel flipped the frying pan.
"Rapunzel, a little hand!" Eugene swung his sword against one of the gargoyles, only to get it stuck. "Seriously?" He ducked under the swing of the gargoyle.
Eugene kicked the gargoyle in the back before jumping into one of the rifts. He appeared over one of the gargoyles, pulling it down with him. He saw two gargoyles coming at him. Swinging his legs back, he let loose, hitting them in the face. But it wasn't enough for the gargoyles to crack. They came back, forcing him to dodge the attacks. He pulled himself up, narrowly missing the swings.
"Eugene!" Rapunzel tossed him her frying pan.
Eugene caught it with his right hand just in time. He swung the frying pan at the gargoyle's face, breaking it into pieces. He did the same to the other gargoyle before spotting another rift. With one final swing he nailed the last gargoyle before falling into the rift. Using the momentum of the fall, he shot out of another rift, spotting the gargoyle with his sword stuck to it. Catching the handle of the sword, he cracked the gargoyle in its face.
"Thanks, blondie." Eugene landed gracefully on the ground.
"Seriously, what's that thing made out of?" Sideways asked. "Mithriel?"
Back with Alan and Raven, they flew around the dragon, blasting it with their respective powers. But despite their combined effort the black blasts of magic and the green flames were doing little to stop the dragon as it breathed fire upon them. Their shields were barely holding on, but it wasn't because of the mighty dragon's breath.
Raven looked at the Green Lantern, her empathic powers working their magic. The grief, the uncertainty, the realization that his world was gone and that he no longer knew what his purpose was. All those fears clouded the strength and powers of the Green Lantern. She only needed to look him in the eye to understand that he was afraid of what he was meant to do. The guilt was crippling his power. But she could also feel something else, the dragon was getting stronger the more he was afraid. The flames grew larger and nearly engulfed them completely. She encased them both in a protective black sphere, blocking the dragon flames.
"You need to get a grip." Raven struggled against the flames.
"What?" Alan asked.
"I know things look bad, and you're unsure of where you belong in this world." Raven grunted. "Letting that fear consume you is what's making the dragon stronger. You need to make your will burn brighter and fight back."
"How can I fight what's unknown to me? The people I saw as friends betrayed me and my master. But still, they were defeated and Zhan Tiri stopped," Alan said. "The world doesn't need a knight like me any longer."
"Why do you think we came here?" Raven asked. "We need you. If you really believed that you have no place in this world then your ring would not be giving you any power. What made you become one of Demanitus' disciples?"
Alan looked at the ring in his left hand. The memories of wonders and help that he had been a part of glowed like embers coming together. All those laughs, all those moments of happiness, of making something. It gave him purpose and a place to strive towards. He might've not been gifted in magic like his former friends, but he'd stuck to his values. The power hadn't corrupted him. The Green Lantern hadn't made him, he had made the Green Lantern. And it was time for the world to remember it.
Raven's shield broke as the flames engulfed them both. But Alan stepped up, with the power of his will burning brightly. He punched the flames with a massive fist construct, pushing them back. His aura blazed as his will grew stronger.
"In Brightest Day, in Blackest Night, no evil shall escape my sight!" Alan chanted as he flew towards the dragon's fiery mouth. "Let those who worship evil's might beware my power, Green Lantern's Light!" Alan unleashed the full power of his ring against the dragon's face, engulfing the area in a bright green light.
Alan kept on going, spotting Dr. Destiny in the shadows. He blasted the nightmare, burning away his left arm. Dr. Destiny cried out in pain as he dropped the scroll at Alan's feet.
Everyone covered their eyes before the light subsided. They then saw Alan looking down at Dr. Destiny with pure power in his eyes.
"You'll pay for this!" Dr Destiny sunk back into the shadows.
"Don't worry, I'll come to you soon enough." Alan picked up the scroll piece. "That spot on your team, is it still open?"
Cain smiled. His team was ready.
Alan bowed saying farewell to his master and Rapunzel, handing them the scroll piece.
"I promise to return soon, princess. Should you need me, I'm at your services." Alan got up.
"You're needed elsewhere, my friend," Demanitus said. "Your destiny is still being written.
Metamorpho finished eating the last of the pie as they regrouped with the rest of the Outsiders.
"So, what did we miss?" Metamorpho asked.
"We got a hit on Dr. Destiny and we got a new ally." Cain gestured to Green Lantern. "We now know where he is hiding. Time to end this hunt. Once and for all, everyone."
"Perfect." Nite Owl smiled.
Chapter 11: Dr. Destiny
Summary:
Earth -3991:
What if Dr. Destiny unlocked his perfect dream?
Chapter Text
The multiverse is more than just a prism…
It is ever expanding and ever growing…
A place where one choice, one fork on the road can lead to many opportunities…
But every spark of brilliance there is a spark of madness…
These are the stories of both…
Nite Owl knew that all his planning and preparations had brought him to this point. He believed that his mission had ended when he broke the wheel of his world and left the consequences to be felt by everyone. A part of him felt sad at that end. His family's purpose was extinguished before his very eyes and by his own hands. It left him a bit empty inside as though the flame that had been pushing him had been snuffed. But then something miraculous happened. He met Cain, and as though the universe was telling him that he still had one last hurrah in him.
"Thanks to our latest ally, Green Lantern, Dr. Destiny is weakened and hurt," Cain explained. "Which means that he'll be desperate and head to a world where he'll enact his plan."
"And where is that? There's many, many, many worlds out there." Punchline blew a bubble gum balloon. "Kinda like looking for meaning in a void of phoneys and posers that go by their day to day not caring they are part of a machine that won't stop until they're dead or I burn the machine."
"...Is she always full of sunshine and rainbows? Or is her world just morally flipped?" Alan asked.
"Nope, she's just crazy evil, brother." Bronze Tiger crossed his arms. "Just keep away from her and don't turn your back on her."
"As I was saying, Dr. Destiny could be anywhere amidst the books of the Great Library. But thanks to Green Lantern, his trail is now impossible to miss." Cain snapped his fingers, causing Dr. Destiny's arm's burnt remains appear before the group.
Everyone winced at the sight of the severed limb. Well, at least a good chunk of everyone did. Some were used to the sight of a body part in such a state and thus didn't react to it.
"Always with the theatrics, Cain? I take it that these remnants will be used as a compass to find the rest of the body." Nite Owl observed the arm like a doctor performing an autopsy. "It appears to be suffering from some kind of decomposition at a slowed down rate. It is more of a greenish tone of it's skin, the burnt marks have done quite some damage, otherwise this shows that Dr. Destiny's body is quite similar to that of a normal human."
Everyone just looked at him like they were waiting for the full analysis of the man's life and diet. The coldness of his voice didn't sit well with others.
"Speaking of those I shouldn't turn my back on," Alan muttered, getting a nod from Metamorpho and Sideways.
"We'll be using this piece to track him to his lair. Not only is the trail fresher thanks to the wound, but we can also track him because the body has a connection to all its pieces." Cain waved his hand, causing the arm remains to glow a bright red. "Now, to find where this leads to." He blew on the glow, creating a trail that looked like blood hovering in water.
The trail flowed out of the House of Mystery and into the Isles of the Great Library. Like a firefly leaving a trail of light, the spell left a trail for the team of Outsiders to watch and follow. It passed through many doors and many worlds speeding towards its destination with a vengeance. The light passed by the worlds it had already been before growing brighter as it zeroed in on the world the rest of the body was in. It stopped at a door before going into it, like a rabbit returning to the burrow where it would be safe.
"There we go." Cain snapped his fingers, having the House of Mystery summon the door to them. "Now we know where the slippery bastard is hiding."
"So, what's the plan, Cain? We go in and hope that Dr. Destiny doesn't see us coming?" Sideways asked.
"If stealth is all it takes then most of us aren't as useful as they think," Yolanda said. "Me, Raven, Metamorpho and Bronze Tiger could take him by surprise as the others engage."
"Leaving your strongest out of the fight is a bad move, kitty." Blackfire cracked her knuckles. "I say we go in through the front door and hit him with a blitz. He'll be too scared to have a clear thought and then we end him. Assuming you aren't scared to fight face to face."
"For your information, cabrona, I've been fighting face to face for quite a lot of time." Yolanda got up in Blackfire's face, ready to knock her teeth loose. "Unlike you, I actually care for the lives of people around me. I know what you are. And I see the inquisition is not too different regardless of the world they're from." Sideways and Raven stopped Yolanda before throwing down with the black haired inquisitor.
"Okay, as much as I wanna see two girls fighting as a teenage hormone dream of mine, save that for Dr. Destiny." Sideways and Raven held Yolanda before she threw a punch.
"Eso es algo en el futuro?" Yolanda asked.
"Yes," Raven sighed, not wanting to get into the conversation about the dangers and mysteries of a young teenager's mind.
Cain couldn't help but worry that a fight would occur before it was time to enact his plan against Nite Owl. There was no way around it now. He had to strike him before he got a chance to put his plan into motion. Though he was tempted to strike him now and put an end to it all. But patience was a virtue he wasn't going to forsake at that moment. For now, they would focus on their main objective.
Striking down Dr. Destiny had to be dealt with quickly and as efficiently as possible. The best course would be to have him concentrate on their strongest fighters while a stealth group made their way through the shadows. Perhaps starting with a bright entrance with Sideways dropping him, Blackfire, Metamorpho and Green Lantern in front of Dr. Destiny as Raven, Wildcat, Bronze Tiger, Punchline and Nite Owl snuck up from behind. The first team would face against whatever the wounded Dr. Destiny threw at them with all the strength he had while the second team dodged and kept to the shadows. They didn't have to win, just exhaust the nightmare before the second team could make their move. Maybe have Metamorpho create a thick fog for the rest of the team to pin down Dr. Destiny. It was a simple plan but Cain couldn't deny that it was perfect for them to use against their adversary.
"Alright, we must go in and take down our foe once and for all." Cain opened the door. "We'll split into two teams, and strike when the time is right. Metamorpho, Sideways, Green Lantern and Blackfire with me. The rest will be our stealth group and will stick to the shadows to attack when our target least expects it. Stick to your groups and do whatever it takes to get the Dream Stone away from Dr. Destiny. Understood?"
"Crystal clear," Nite Owl said.
The door before the group had a large painted skull with bright red eyes that looked like it was laughing at them. It had red scar-like spider webs splattered around the laughing skull as the pictures of monsters and cheerful creatures danced around it. It looked like a Halloween decoration that had long been twisted into a thing that would induce nightmares upon all that gazed upon it. The doorknob itself looked like it had been scratched and gripped so tightly that it was a faint breeze away from falling off. Almost as if someone had tried to pry the door open to get in, or away from something chasing them.
"Let us put an end to this nightmare." Cain opened the door as they all stepped inside.
This was where they'd make their last stand.
Earth -3991:
What if Dr. Destiny unlocked his perfect dream?
As soon as the Outsiders stepped out of the door, they expected to be met with a harrowing realm of nightmares. Twisted trees that looked like they'd been burnt alive, monstrous creatures roaming the wild lawless lands or maybe some ghosts that flew through the sky as they wailed in constant agony. Instead, the team was met with the sight of snow.
"Curious." Nite Owl looked at the snow that fell on his palm. "Are you sure we're in the right realm?"
"Sure as the snow is white, Nite Owl," Cain replied.
The Outsiders looked ahead at what could've been called Santa's Workshop, Christmas Village. Down at the bottom of a snow covered mountain there was a small village made out of wood, colorful lights adorned the rooftops and the entrance, the air was sweeter than cookies right out of the oven and the faint sound of music could be heard. It was like looking at the real village that inspired all those postcards people saw in the supermarket aisles during Christmas time.
"Dr. Destiny is here?" Sideways asked.
"Yes, that would appear to be the case." Cain watched the trail go down to the village. "Let's go, but don't underestimate what you see or what you hear. This world was chosen by him for a reason."
The Outsiders made their way down to the village, slowly coming to realize that this place was not all songs and dance.
As they walked down, Yolanda stopped Sideways. She pointed down to his foot, just in the middle of lifting. There was a wire above his foot. He slowly pulled back his foot as she gestured everyone to be careful. She pulled on the cord, triggering the trap.
Before their eyes sprouted five spikes, shooting out of the ground like flowers blooming.
"Okay, that's not very Christmassy of this place." Sideways gulped.
"Keep your eyes open, there's bound to be more." Yolanda urged.
"Yikes." Metamorpho helped Sideways up to his feet. "Move slowly and step where I step." Sideways nodded as they made their way down.
The group continued down, avoiding other similar traps until reaching the entrance of the village. It was bolted shut… from the inside. It took Raven a second to look inside with her astral projection. But all she could see was a seemingly abandoned village.
"There's no one inside." Raven whispered.
"Yet those traps looked too brand new," Bronze Tiger pointed out.
"Then let us see what is behind the first door." Cain knocked on the door.
The echo of the knocking was answered by lots of feet charging towards them in a furious stampede. The door was knocked open, revealing the inhabitants of the village. Every single one of them was armed with pitchforks, torches, swords, axes and all manner of scary weapons not at all of the Christmas spirit. Which made sense when the Outsiders saw that it wasn't elves or reindeer holding such weapons. Instead they were surrounded by monsters and creatures from the dark stories of the night.
"Well, this was unexpected." Green Lantern got ready for a fight. "Since when do elves and toymakers come in monstrous sizes?
"Wait!"
Everyone turned to see a walking skeleton as tall as easily seven feet in height. He wore a red Santa Suit with a matching hat and long white beard. He was accompanied by a young woman made with stitched up parts and a man wearing a black suit with a sash that read Mayor.
"They aren't the dark army. And they bring an old friend," he said.
"Jack Skellinton, what have you done to yourself?!" Cain asked shocked.
"Cain, my friend, a lot has happened since you last were here," Jack said. "Come inside. I shall tell you the story."
The Outsiders followed behind Jack as the other creatures closed and bolted the door behind them. Despite the cheerful Christmas spirit the village had, it was armed to the teeth with barbed wire, spikes, and one or two guard towers. The new residents had indeed something to fear. The air was tense before they arrived at Santa's Workshop, where Jack had made the new town hall/castle.
"It happened a couple months ago, several of Halloween Town's residents had been complaining about nightmares. It wasn't out of the ordinary but they weren't the same kind of night terrors they had. And they all spoke about the same being: A man with a skull face holding a shiny red jewel saying the same thing over and over. 'I want my dream.'" Jack sat down, explaining the situation. "One night about a month ago, that same apparition showed up at the edge of town with an army of demonized elves. He claimed that Halloween Town would be the crown jewel of his perfect dream. We were forced to fight for our home, but he was able to expel us." Sally comforted Jack, patting him on the back.
"Dr. Destiny has been busy." Cain tapped his fingers together.
"We found this village on the other side of the mountain and took up residence here," Sally continued. "But the elves still come by and attack with no reason. It's almost like they just have the need to attack us."
"How often do they attack?" Nite Owl asked.
"Well, they usually do so every five to seven days," Jack said. "The last one came about two days ago."
"That matches whenever we have faced Dr. Destiny in other worlds. Without him the elves will either remain feral or they will return to normal without his presence influencing them." Nite Owl made a note of such an influence.
"Which means that Dr. Destiny must be in Halloween Town. And has a little army of killer toymaker elves," Metamorpho said. "Which is a sentence I never thought I'd say."
"I'm still reeling from us being in Santa Clause's actual workshop." Sideways took a selfie of himself with a werewolf making a stuffed teddy bear. "Raven, you liking this or what?"
"Not really." Raven sighed.
"Time is of the essence then." Cain said. "In his state, he'll try to pull in as much as he can to make his dream a reality. Can you take us as close to the town as you can, Jack?"
"If it gets my people their homes back, yes." Jack got up from his makeshift throne.
The Outsiders followed Jack and his ghostly dog Zero until they reached the edge of Halloween Town. The town still kept its macabre fashion and gothic architecture, but it had a more somber and deadly feel to it. The same feeling one would get when entering a ghost town after a massacre had taken place. There were no lights and no sounds coming from any of the buildings. The only thing that they saw as a sign of life was a bright red light coming from Jack's old tower.
"That's where you'll find your enemy, Cain." Jack pointed to the shining black beacon cutting through the mist and the fog.
"Thank you, Jack. Soon you'll have your town back." Cain bowed to his friend before he was forced to take his leave.
"We'll move in quietly and make for the tower without alerting the enemy of our presence." Nite Owl pulled up his communicator and started scanning the area, getting several blips on his radar. "It would appear that the elves are gathered around the tower, like guard dogs for their master. We'll need to draw them away or eliminate them before moving to the next step of the plan."
"Hold on, eliminate? We're not going to kill them if they're under mind control." Metamorpho glared at Nite Owl. "I get we're on the clock here, but I can easily put them to sleep with knockout gas."
"I'm with Metamorpho, we do not kill the innocent." Yolanda stepped up.
"Enough, we are here to do a mission and we are going to follow the plan." Cain stepped into the bickering. "We will not attack or engage an enemy we don't have to. Sideways, rift us into the tower."
"You got it, boss." Sideways created a rift with ease. "Wow, I'm getting real good at making these on the fly."
Nite Owl looked at Punchline as she nodded. She quickly tossed several explosives at different buildings as everyone was going into the rift. She didn't mind being an errand girl for her master, but she did enjoy causing chaos at every chance she got. And in a town that was full of cute elves turned monsters and monsters that were all fluffy on the inside, it made her puke. They were all phonies and fakes in her mind, so she would be Nite Owl's demo girl and she'd do it with a smile on her face. She had a lot of fun making those explosives for her master. Too bad she couldn't use them on the House of Mystery like she wanted to.
"Come on, don't stay dilly dallying too long," Cain said as the last one went through.
"Don't worry, Cain, I wouldn't miss this for the world." Punchline smirked, getting a raised eyebrow from Raven.
Raven kept her eyes on Nite Owl, Punchline and Blackfire as they went through the rift and out the other side. Ever since meeting them she had known they were trouble, but to feel so much happiness and disdain at the same time over the situation made her all the more worried. She knew what the plan was and would do what she needed to stop whatever plan they had.
Cain opened the door, allowing everyone inside the tower. Once everyone was inside, they looked up at the tall spiraling stairs that climbed up to the tallest part of the former home of Jack Skellinton. They had thankfully been able to arrive there without setting any of the possible traps that could have been left by Dr. Destiny and his evil plans.
"Alright, we'll climb the stairs up to the top floor and then we shall strike him down." Cain instructed.
"Why go all the way up there when we can bring him down here?" Punchline asked, with everyone looking at her as though she'd done something bad.
"What did you do?" Metamorpho asked.
Punchline didn't reply. She just smiled at the rest of the team as explosions echoed behind them. The elves woke up to see their new home burning and crumbling before their eyes. They let out a demented angry screech of hatred and death at the destruction. One of them turned around to see Punchline and the rest of the Outsiders in the tower of their master. Anger and a desire for revenge fueled them as they screamed at the tower.
"You blew up the town?!" Everyone but Nite Owl and Blackfire snapped at Punchline for her actions.
The door at the top of the tower slammed open, revealing Dr. Destiny with the Dream Stone in his hand. A spark of surprise crossed his skeletal face at the sight of his enemies in his new home. But that was quickly replaced by an even stronger emotion. He looked down at the Outsiders with a deranged look in his eyes. The pain and madness that filled his soul as he tightly gripped the Dream Stone. Even missing an arm and looking half mad, he still had the ferocity of a monster.
"So, you've finally caught up with me, Cain?" Dr. Destiny snarled. "And I see you've brought your rabble with you."
"Rabble?" Alan scoffed. "I did tell you that we'd be hunting you down, did I not?" Alan got ready for a fight as did the rest of the Outsiders.
"Your days are numbered, Dr. Destiny. Your mad dream ends today!" Cain summoned his shovel.
"My dream…? My dream?" Dr. Destiny asked as though the word meant something completely different to him. "I do not have a dream. All I've had are nightmares. Dark thoughts that have burnt away the dreams I once had." Dr. Destiny rambled as the tower started to shake and break apart from the inside.
The cracks started to take shape as the bricks fell down, creating an image. The silhouette of a mad Lord of Chaos with a mindscape demon coming out of his chest. It was a dark sight that sent shivers down the spine of those that saw it and recognized it.
"So, you were truly affected by their madness," Cain said. "I almost pity you."
"What is-Who is that?" Metamorpho asked.
"It looks like a Dorito flake?" Sideways commented.
"That is the being known as Klarion Cipher, an unholy fusion of a Lord of Chaos and a Mindscape demon. They were a threat once to the multiverse, but they were stopped." Cain explained. "As you will be, Dr. Destiny."
"Then you'll have to answer to my pets first!" Dr. Destiny held up the Dream Stone, causing the doors and walls of the tower to burst open.
The world changed around them, creating a nightmarish final battle level. The tower became a floating arena where all the monstrous elves awaited them to bite into their flesh. Their bodies had been twisted and tarnished to the point they resembled goblins from some dark and unknown fantasy novel or anime. Large stone gargoyles stomped towards them while armed with large battle axes, glowing green eyes and flames coming out of their muzzles. And at the top of everything was Dr. Destiny, looking down at them like a crazed Dungeon Master looking at the players trying to survive his machinations.
"I will make you all suffer for getting in my way!" Dr. Destiny growled, foaming at the mouth with his rage. "You'll wish for death after I put you through my never ending nightmares! Attack my minions, eliminate them!"
"How do you plan on torturing us if we're already dead?" Sideways asked. "It just sounds like a contradiction." His hands glowed with power
"It might be because he's losing his mind and his grip on reality is so loose you could break it with a feather." Metamorpho morphed his arms into Beskar hammers. "Remind me to thank Sabine for telling me about Mandalorian steel."
"You got it, pal." Bronze Tiger got into a combat stance. "Assuming we survive, that is."
"I don't care if any of you make it. I finally get to cut loose." Blackfire cracked her knuckles as her eyes glowed a bright purple. "I'll take the big ones and you can handle the minions."
"Don't hurt them, I can sense they're still in there and they need our help to break free." Raven hovered with Green Lantern and Blackfire. "Stick to the plan and don't forget who the real target is."
"That goes for you, Punchline." Yolanda unsheathed her claws.
"It sounds like you're blaming me for this, pussy cat. I can't help but wonder why," Punchline giggled.
"When this is over, we're going to have words maldita loca." Yolanda growled at Punchline.
"Ladies, please don't kill each other before the bad guys," Alan said. "It makes us look bad in front of them. What will they say when this is over? Well, ladies and gentlemen, even if it was short, it's been an honor." Alan's ring shined brightly.
"Indeed it has, Green Lantern. Let's give them a story to really remember." Cain smirked, feeling the excitement of the hunt. "You all know your part, be sure to play it good."
"Don't worry, Cain, I know exactly what to do." Nite Owl pulled out his boomerang, not letting anyone know he'd brought something else to the party.
"Charge!" Cain comanded.
Cain went in first smacking the rabid elves away with his shovel like they were dirt. He was tempted to put them out of their misery and just decapitate them or beat them to death. But the fact that they weren't truly evil and that they were only doing this because of the Dream Stone's influence, made him hold back. Instead he would focus on beating them up. It was the lesser of two evils in his mind, so he felt less guilty for giving them bruises and concussions than actually killing them.
"Have at thee!" Cain struck one of the little goblins in the face.
He spun his shovel over his head, getting the momentum to strike. Hitting three derange elves in a single swoop, he jumped over three more before stepping on a fourth. He sharply swung his shovel down, scooping the elves before throwing them at the incoming elves. It was like a dance to him and he was loving it. He ducked, bobbed and weaved through the attacks, striking at the elves with his shovel like if it were a bo staff. They tried to pounce on him but he easily dodged the attacks, ducking under them before striking them with a swift spinning kick.
"Now, I see why people kick so much. Quite the leg training," Cain said. "I should feel guilty about hurting them, but they're not feeling any remorse on their side. So sorry for this." He swung his shovel like a golf club, sending the elf flying away.
Metamorpho ducked under the flying elf before lifting his arms to black the large gargoyle's axe coming for his head. As much as he would've preferred the other plan, this one wasn't so bad. At least he wasn't taking on the bulk of everything on his own. He sliced off the gargoyle's weapon in half with his blades before shooting up towards the stone creature's face. His arm grew large as he reeled back for a punch, hitting it so hard that it stepped back against his mighty attack. He caught on to one of the beast's hands as it tried to swat him into the ground. But then an idea struck Metamorpho.
"Sideways! Fastball special!" Metamorpho jumped off of the hand of the beast, going into a rift.
Metamorpho popped out of the rift above the head of the gargoyle he'd been fighting. Reeling back his arms over his head as they turned into hammers, he brought them down at the back of the gargoyle's head, smashing through it. He saw Sideways and Raven getting overwhelmed as he fell. Using the momentum, he rolled himself into a ball coming down on the sea of crazed elves. However, instead of crushing them, he transformed himself into a massive tidal wave that washed up all the enemies around them, giving the two young heroes a chance to breathe.
"Sideways, get ready to send them packing." Metamorpho picked all elves into his hands and dropped them into a large rift.
"And those are some elves that should have stayed on the shelves." Sideways closed the rift, throwing the elves away from them and the tower. "Now let's do some much needed clean up." Sideways jumped over one of the elves before sending it through another rift.
Sideways jumped in and out of rifts, going through the hordes of elves just as large black and white striped snakes sprouted from the ground. He punched the first snake in the mouth before spinning in the air and kicking the second one in the jaws like a soccer ball. Delving into one of the rifts, he popped up behind the large snakes. With a cheeky taunt, they lunged at him, only for his rifts to block their attacks. His training and all the worlds he'd been on all had led to this. And he was not going to slack off.
"Nice try worms, but things aren't gonna go your way!" Sideways ran on top of the snake's back, punching any and all the elves that came his way. "Some would say that things are going more our way! The Sideways way!" He jumped into several rifts moving faster and faster.
The speed he gained from each jump into the rifts was greater with each one he passed. It was almost like he was going at super speed, leaving a bright orange trail behind him. The feeling was intense and unlike anything he'd ever felt before. His punches grew more powerful as he teleported himself from one place to the other in the blink of an eye. He dodged the large fangs of another snake before kicking it so hard that it broke the fangs off. Flipping back, he landed on his feet, catching his breath as he saw the many enemies that he'd bested.
"Oof, remind me never to do that all the time." Sideways stumbled, feeling lightheaded from all the rift jumping. "Though, it did make for one epic final move, huh?"
"Aw, is the internet troll feeling tired already? I would've guessed that someone with the power of gods would have more fun splitting things apart." Punchline snapped the neck of one of the elves with a smile on her face. "And here I thought you were one of the more enlightened members of our team. Guess I was wrong." She shrugged, pulling out a knife from her sleeve.
Punchline sliced the throat of the elves that attacked her. To her they were pawns no one would miss if she cut them down to size. They were parts of a machine she despised no matter what the world, so she danced. She danced around the dead creatures she left behind. Swirling in place as her knives spun around her like a ballet of madness and death. She snatched a blade from the air before slitting the throat of one of the snakes as she smiled. Jumping over the corpses she left behind, she dropped a small beaker filled with poison into the mouths of a large stone minotaur.
"I cooked that one to melt any one of my troubles away," Punchline said as the Minotaur held its throat. "I hoped that it would cause a lot of hallucinations or slowly turn them into mindless monsters to do my bidding, but I guess a strong acid also gets rid of problems." The minotaur melted away before Punchline's eyes and much to her deadly grin.
She turned around, blocking a blade from getting inside her. Parrying the blade with her own, she slashed at the elf's hand, cutting it. She spun around and kicked three elves with her high heels, digging them into their stomachs. Part of her felt like she was dreaming and reliving one of her old dreams. Oh how she loved to see the look on the elves when they found out that she'd taken them all out. It almost made her lose her balance as she turned to give the elves a mad glance. It was deadly and she just loved the fear in their faces. If only she could fight with her man by her side, she'd be in paradise.
"Oh well, more to kill." Punchline twirled her knives.
"Punchline, that's enough!" Bronze Tiger stopped her. "You're dropping bodies like flies, you crazy broad!" He punched an elf in the face, knocking them out.
"They're trying to kill us, isn't that all just self-defense?" Punchline smiled like she hadn't murdered many beings and broken war crimes.
Bronze Tiger was about to snap her neck. The way she smiled and acted reminded him all too much of the fools that didn't care who they crushed under their heels. A souring reminder that she was no different than the people he wanted gone from his life and that of many others. However, before he could give her the beating that she deserved, she kicked him away, flipping over a second minotaur coming straight for him. Bronze Tiger grabbed onto the large horns of the beast, using them for leverage to knee the monster in the snout over and over again. Spinning over to the beast's head, he steered it towards the largest patches of monsters gathering. Ramming the beast against them like a bowling ball against a bunch of pins was the easiest win he could've ever had. But he still had to help bring down the rest of the stragglers. He jumped off of the minotaur, landing on his feet and hand.
"Sorry about this. But I gotta make this look good." Bronze Tiger tightened his fists as the elves charged at him.
Pouncing on them like a tiger, he punched the elves with one strong right before spinning into a roundhouse kick. He ran through the downed enemies as two nightmarish-looking knights popped up to face him. Gritting his teeth, he charged at his strong opponents. He needed to let off some steam and anger. Ducking under the sword swings, his fists struck at their exposed armpits before landing a barrage of punches on the chest of the first knight. Spinning down, he tripped the second knight, putting him in the perfect position to land a devastating punch to the helmet, crushing it.
"There's no end to these bastards!" Bronze Tiger backflipped, dodging the s giant steps of the remaining gargoyle.
"Good, I finally get to cut loose for once!" Blackfire unleashed a barrage of purple blasts at the gargoyle, leaving cracks along its massive stone leg. "Time to show you all that I'm the strongest!" She shot down, punching through the gargoyle's leg, shattering it.
Blackfire found herself surrounded by large snakes and shackles wrapping around her body. But all she did was scoff at their attempt to pin her down. She slowly got up, cracking and breaking the ground beneath her feet as a smile crossed her face. Purple lasers shot out of her eyes, cutting through the snakes and shackles that wrapped around her. With her hands freed, she lifted them over her head, concentrating her power between them. Her energy quickly expanded into a large orb of doom. In a quick movement, she slammed her attack onto the ground, erasing all the remnants of the shackles and snakes that were surrounding her.
"That'll teach you for getting in my way." Blackfire was covered by a large shadow. "Oh right, you." She looked up to see the giant gargoyle's fist coming down on her like the hammer of judgment.
The gargoyle laughed as it grounded its fist against her, only to feel something burning through its fist. It looked down, only for a bright flash of purple light to shatter its fist. Blackfire shot out of the rubble and into the throat of the gargoyle. She dug her arms into the beast's neck, cracking it with her sheer strength before ripping it off! Lifting the head over her own, she fired her eye blasts, destroying the head with one final warrior cry.
"She's enjoying this a little too much." Raven watched as Blackfire continued smashing the gargoyle. "But at least she's giving me plenty of ammo. Azarath Metrion Zinthos." Raven's magic caught all the broken parts of the gargoyles.
She turned around as a horde of flying bats flew at her with violent screeches. Swinging her arms, she sent the pieces at the bats, smashing and crushing them against the ground below. Her eyes landed on her team and who was being more overwhelmed. With one flick of her wrist, she sent the remaining large parts down to the ground, creating barriers between her allies and the monsters.
"Time to put these little nightmares in a time out!" Raven flared with magic as she slammed her hands together. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"
Raven commanded her powers to contain the elves in special cages. Bringing together the rubble and the floor together, she kept them in check. She flew down blasting the last snake before it could hurt anyone.
"Everyone alright?" Raven asked.
"We'll be better once we get the Dream Stone, amiga." Yolanda looked at all the other armors and started to pick themselves up, transforming into multi-armed menaces. "This fight is getting far too out of hand. Think you could teleport me all the way up there or at least close to Sideways?"
"Keep me covered for a sec before I cast a spell to give you some cover to do your thing." Raven sat down cross legged as she started to focus her magic. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos. Azarath Metrion Zinthos. Azarath Metrion Zinthos." She chanted as her magic enveloped her.
The Second Wildcat looked around at the armors as they surrounded the two of them. Normally, these were outside the kind of enemies she fought on the regular. But there was always a good to fight the good fight for those that couldn't defend themselves. She wasn't one to allow any injustice to befall the innocent. Even if that meant fighting against the supernatural or beings straight out of nightmares.
Unsheathing her claws, she pounced on the armor closest to them, taking out its head. She ducked and weaved, evading the large metallic hands that tried to catch her. Instead she kicked them to hit the other armors. Spinning in place, she pulled on the straps keeping the armor in one piece, guiding it to strike at the other parts of the enemy armors. She pulled on one strap, making one arm to punch the head off of one armor. She pulled another strap swinging the other arm, knocking back another armor.
Wildcat heard the armors jumping towards her. And with the skill and agility of a wild cat, she jumped off the armor she had been riding before pouncing on the other armors one by one. With a swift swipe of her claws, shredding the armor straps, she landed behind Raven with the grace of a wild jungle cat.
"Anything?" Yolanda asked.
"Just about!" Raven coated herself and Yolanda in darkness.
They traveled through the dark shadows of the battlefield, going towards Dr. Destiny's podium. There was so much chaos that almost no one saw them go to finish the fight. The only one that saw them make their move was ready to cover them and make himself the target of a distraction.
"Alright, monster, let's see how strong you are without your puppets!" Alan flared with his ring.
Alan charged through the masses, using a large battering ram construct to do it. He cut his path through the hordes of enemies before shooting up to Dr. Destiny's spot. His eyes landed on a large pack of flying bats coming his way. Summoning a lance and shield constructs, the Green Lantern swatted away the beasts before skewering them with his weapons. He lifted his shield, blocking a pair of fangs from biting down on him before stabbing another bat through the heart. Spinning in the air, he cut down the other giant bats, while keeping them off of him.
His will burned brightly as he brought both of his constructs together, creating a large cannon aimed at the remaining bats. Bang! The construct fired upon his enemies, burning a good chunk of them to ash. He smirked as he brought forth a few more constructs based on the new trinkets and inventions he'd witnessed. He created a rapid firing crossbow, taking down the bats as they screeched in pain from the swift arrows. As a large vampire bat lunged at him from behind, he brought up a large mechanical arm to block the attack. His large construct grabbed the bat by the throat before slamming it against the remaining bats. And finally, he formed a sharp sickle with a long chain coming out from the handle of the sharp weapon and a heavy spiked morning star at the other end.
"Come and join in the fun, spooky skeleton!" Alan swung his morning star at Dr. Destiny, making him block it with the Dream Stone. "Or are you too scared to fight your own battles?! Either step into the light or disappear in the shadows like you should!" His eyes narrowed as his kusarigama wrapped around the nightmare tightly.
Dr. Destiny struggled against his restraints. But he was far from being an easy target for his enemies. He channeled the power of the Dream Stone into his body, breaking free from Green Lantern's hold. With the light of the stone, he brought forth a large clawed hand from midair. He swung his manifested arm at Green Lantern, forcing him to pull up a shield.
"I won't let you get the better of me, wretch!" Dr. Destiny swung the ghostly arm against the incoming force of the Green Lantern and his constructs. "I will achieve my dream world where I am king!" He punched Green Lantern in the face, breaking his shield construct.
"Then it'll be a short reign!"
Dr. Destiny's arm was caught by Raven's dark magic as Wildcat easily struck his face. He was dazed and panting for breath as he tried to break free from the magic that held him. But it wasn't just the magical strength that he was wrestling against. Wildcat grappled with him, trying to pry the Dream Stone free from the grip of the mad nightmare. Her claws touched the Dream Stone, something that Dr. Destiny found unforgivable.
"No!" Dr. Destiny snapped, feeling his mind unwind at the mere action.
His body became coated in bright red energy, like a repelling barrier that surrounded him. Even if the world burnt around him, he'd never relinquish his dream. The power coursing through him was so strong that he could almost taste it. But it was fouled by the Outsiders and their meddling. He pushed back Wildcat and Raven off of him. They fell away from him, only for Green Lantern to catch them with a large baseball catcher's mitt, much to Dr. Destiny's displeasure.
"You will never take away my dream!" Dr. Destiny bellowed as the energy resided back into the Dream Stone. "I will make my dream a reality even if I have to destroy all other worlds to make it happen! Prepare to witness the end of all you've ever known and all you've ever dreamed of. This world will now be the perfect world for me to live in! I will reforge it into my own image-" A hand grabbed hold of the Dr. Destiny's face.
"Not this time." Nite Owl appeared from the shadows.
He wrapped his arms around Dr. Destiny's neck, tightly holding onto him like a deadly dastardly vice. And just as quickly as it came, it snapped.
The sound of bones being snapped out of place by a swift and cold move echoed through the entire realm. It was a swift and heartless move none of the heroes had considered as a possibility. It never had even occurred to them to use such a method to end the fight. But it had been done. The fight was over because the one choice none of the heroes could make was made for them by one of their own.
The body of Dr. Destiny fell to the cold ground as his eyes turned bloody red and his neck was forever broken. His grip on the Dream Stone loosened as it simply rolled out of his hand and to the feet of Nite Owl, who barely gave the fallen nightmare a second look. It was all just so cold and forgotten.
The world around the Outsiders crumbled away as reality reestablished itself. It was a silent process as the echo of the snap still lingered in their minds as though time had stopped for them. They all soon found themselves back in the middle of town with the world seemingly restored.
"Now it's over," Nite Owl said.
"Wohoo!" Punchline hugged Nite Owl. "That was amazing, boss! I can't believe you just did that and to someone so close to godhood! I am so jealous that I couldn't take a picture of it. How did it feel? Was it tough?"
"Not at all, Punchline." Nite Owl replied.
"Oh so humble~." Punchline purred in excitement.
The bloodshed and violence were her triggers, but the coldness of Nite Owl's actions were what really got her engine running.
"That kill was mine!" Blackfire growled as she stomped towards Nite Owl. "I'm owed blood!"
"You killed him…" Metamorpho muttered. "You just up and killed him!"
"Thank you for stating the obvious Metamorpho," Nite Owl said.
"Dude, we're heroes! We don't kill!" Sideways snapped.
"Correction. You don't kill. I simply made the choice no one was willing to make," Nite Owl replied with a cold analytical tone. "He didn't plan on stopping. I stopped him."
"That was a choice you didn't have the right to make, Nite Owl." Cain stepped up. "His punishment was to be dispensed by the Lord of Dreams. Not you."
"Don't bother talking to him, Cain. He's done hiding what he is." Raven floated down with Alan and Yolanda by her side.
"And what am I, Raven? Someone who just sees that everything we've done is meaningless," Nite Owl replied.
"Meaningless? We fought to save the multiverse, all those people, our worlds, our homes," Alan stepped forth. "Because of us they have a future. And you're saying that it doesn't mean anything?"
"Exactly." Nite Owl pulled up his communicator, bringing up a holographic projection of countless worlds. "Each action we take has an equal and opposite reaction throughout the multiverse. One world in which we made the choice and another in which we didn't. We create another world with every choice we make, making everything a mute point."
"Well in this world we chose to be heroes." Yolanda pulled out her claws. "And we made a difference."
"And in this one we didn't. In this other one, none of our parents ever met thus we were never born. In this one, the world was consumed by a dark army sprung from a dark cauldron. Here the Earth blew up and the remnants of humanity live amongst the stars surrounded by aliens. In this one, the fate of a legend rests in the hands of a silly old man and a boy that doesn't know better. Here a princess from the past was flung into the future, forever altering the timeline. Here a man that flies around in a kite has access to the most powerful weapon in the universe and just screams 'Hell yeah!' like an idiot." Nite Owl listed off the several worlds he had found. "All these are a handful of possibilities that exist out there. There are an infinity of those. Nothing matters. We're insignificant in the large scheme of things."
"A man over my own heart." Punchline purred, licking her lips.
"I assume that you have a reason behind this speech?" Cain wanted to smash Nite Owl's face in.
"Amongst the multiverse, there is a world I call Earth Prime. The world from which all worlds sprung from. I'll find it and I will destroy it." Nite Owl crushed one of the holographic worlds, making the others disappear.
The rest of the Outsiders stood in awe at the declaration of utter destruction that Nite Owl had made. The amount of hubris and coldness with which he spoke of doing such a thing was downright horrifying. And yet, Punchline and Blackfire stood with him.
"And you two, you're siding with him after all that?" Metamorpho asked.
"Are you two crazy?!" Sideways asked.
"Worse, I'm cured. What better way to break and burn the system than to do so to where it all began," Punchline smiled.
"Nite Owl promised me my own universe to rule and govern. Plus, there is a chance to kill him if he is lying." Blackfire glared at him.
"So you see, I'm making the one true choice that can be made," Nite Owl said.
"...Yes, I see it clearly," Cain said. "You're absolutely insane, Nite Owl."
Nite Owl didn't react to the clear insult he'd received. It was almost as if he had come to expect the jab at his mental stability. Though that didn't mean that he cared. He'd already seen how the confrontation would go.
"I don't care what you call me, Cain. Your own shortsightedness allowed this to happen. But I am not without mercy to my allies," Nite Owl said. "My Miraculous allows me to see all possible outcomes and pathways throughout my actions and options. All I need to do is call out my power and use it freely to the goal I seek to accomplish."
"Talk about a major cheat code," Sideways muttered.
"So you're doing this because you can see all the spoilers of the entire multiverse? That's kinda sad and pathetic," Metamorpho said.
"I've seen how everything is futile and this is the one true option. Join me and I promise your last moments will be worth an eternity of anything you could ever hope for." Nite Owl reached out his hand. "You need not be stuck in a world that never evolves or changes. Be free to fully embrace your goals."
"Face it, it's the offer of a lifetime." Punchline gave them a sick grin.
The rest of the Outsiders looked at the trio with flabbergasted expressions. The mere audacity to make such an offering was beyond anything they had expected. It was an insult to them as heroes and it was a clear bait he would never fulfill. If anything, it felt like he was extending pity to them before wiping out all of existence because he was bored of having everything planned out.
Green Lantern stepped forward.
"Nite Owl, I don't know what led you down this path and frankly, I don't care. You speak of destroying the multiverse as the one thing that makes sense. But all you're doing is destroying uncountable lives all because you believe that everyone deep down is like you," Alan said. "You're not some mastermind making a hard choice. You're not doing anything revolutionary going against the current. All you are is a cynical madman who is bored with knowing everything and thinks nothing matters. It may not matter to you what happens to the worlds but they matter to the people living in them. You think everyone deep down is like you, well, you couldn't be more wrong."
Nite Owl glared at the Green Lantern behind his mask as Punchline got ready to murder the old knight.
"Does he speak for all of you?" Blackfire asked.
"In one word, yes." Cain aimed his shovel at the traitors.
"You got to ask?" Metamorpho morphed his arms.
"Sorry folks, but it's time for you to go to a nice padded cell." Sideways prepared his rifts.
"You're no better than Dr. Destiny or the Hunstclan. I would never serve you." Raven's eyes glowed bright.
"We're going to stop you." Yolanda brandished her claws.
Bronze Tiger remained silent, keeping the act of the tough silent type. He knew what he had to do.
"Of course you'd choose this futile battle." Nite Owl sighed. "Girls, as you were."
Punchline and Blackfire shot forward trying to kill the heroes. They'd be lying if they hadn't played this exact moment in their minds over and over again. The thrill was just too much to ignore.
Punchline went after Wildcat, Raven and Sideways swinging her knives after them like a maniacal serial killer. Her swings went for the places they'd do the most damage, the throats, the eyes, the kidneys and the lungs. The demented look in her face made the heroes jump back and dodge all the attacks. She cut Sideway's cheek and Raven's arm before trying to stab Yolanda, who put herself between Punchline and the two teens. But as deadly and crazy as Punchline was, she was also human. Her moves had a pattern and that gave the heroes the openings that they needed.
Yolanda engaged with Punchline first, keeping her hands up as a boxing stance, she landed a punch across Punchline's face. Her legs bent, dodging another swing from another knife. Wildcat landed three blows on Punchline's stomach, pushing her back before landing slash across Punchline's cheek.
"You want blood, be ready to get bloody as well!" Yolanda landed a roundhouse kick on Punchline, breaking her arm.
"Oh yeah! Try these!" Punchline tossed four canisters filled with poisonous gas at them. "My own special brew!"
Sideways jumped in, creating a rift to swallow the cannisters.
"Sorry, no spray cans or stink bombs allowed in this building missy!" Sideways punched Punchline in the face. "Man, I wanted to do that for so long. Does that make me a misogynist?"
"You get a pass with these two." Raven enveloped Punchline in a dark cloak, pinning her against the floor.
Blackfire clashed with Green Lantern and Metamorpho as they pushed her back. Her fists clashed with a burning will locomotive, forcing her to dig her heels against the ground. With a blast from her eye beams, she chut through it, only for Metamorpho to drop down on her. His arms and legs had morphed into Beskar iron and gave her a couple good hits that she sent back. But Metamorpho's changing body was hard for Blackfire to hit but she loved a challenge. Her starbolts and punches passed through him, as he turned into an evaporated mist.
"This ends here!" Alan flew in with his left arm coated in bright fiery emerald flames.
Blackfire saw this and answered back with a large starbolted charged punch.
They clashed, sending ripples of power through the entire field. It became a battle of wills as they each sought to defeat the other with their full might. Blackfire was strong, but Alan's will hadn't been dampened in centuries. He pushed her back with a powerful blast of green fire.
Cain and Bronze Tiger fought against Nite Owl as he kept the Dream Stone in his hand. but he quickly found himself pinned against his two allies.
"Now!" Cain pulled out a potion, slamming it against the ground.
"Azarath metrion Zinthos!" Raven chanted as Yolanda, Alan and Cain stood face to face against Punchline, Blackfire and Nite Owl.
A magic circle engulfed the three traitors in a strong binding. They tried to break free only for Metamorpho, and Sideways to pull them down. Shackles of magic wrapped around the three of them, they were now bound to the three people standing before them. They couldn't move or do anything that the ones holding their chains wouldn't allow.
"You didn't think I'd allow a wolf in sheep's clothing into my house without a means to skin them," Cain smirked as the spell neared it's completion.
"As a matter of fact. I knew that." Nite Owl replied calmly. "Which is why I had insurance against it."
Bronze Tiger appeared behind Raven, casting a shadow. She barely had time to sense his conflicting emotions.
"Sorry kid." Bronze Tiger struck Raven in the back of the neck, knocking her out.
Raven collapsed, stopping the spell from being completed.
"Raven!" Sideways called out.
Yolanda and Bronze Tiger got into a fight, clawing and punching at each other. She slashed at his costume, but he managed to block several of the attacks. He pulled out a smoke bomb, blowing it up in her face. She coughed and tried to find Bronze Tiger, only for him to come up from behind, putting her in a choke hold. She tried to break free, slipping one of her arms between his elbow and her neck. She flipped him over her just in time to get tackled by Punchline trying to stab her once more.
Nite Owl used this chance to attack. He kicked Cain hard in the stomach sending him flying into the ground. As Sideways jumped on him, he flipped him over, stomping on his chest with all his strength. Metamorpho charged at Nite Owl, but the evil mastermind saw it coming, throwing an explosive as the shifting hero became gas. But Nite Owls explosives blew up, making Metamorpho rippling in pain.
"You're not the only ones that saw this fight coming." Nite Owl kicked Sideways into Metamorpho. "I was always a step ahead of all of you."
Alan tried to blast Nite Owl but he was smashed against the ground. He tried to get up only for Blackfire to punch him in the face over and over again, burying him deeper into the ground. He groaned, trying to get up with the flames coming from his ring. But just as he was about to get a firm holding, Blackfire stomped on his hand, breaking it and damaging the ring. Alan let out a painful scream as he felt everything, including the flames of his ring coming out.
"It's over. Time to start the real work." Nite Owl picked up the Dream Stone before putting it inside a box. "Come, we have much to do."
Bronze Tiger pulled Punchline away as Blackfire flew up to her.
"It is good to have a Trojan horse, isn't it?" Blackfire commented.
"Shut up girl, I've got enough with crazy here." Bronze Tiger was tempted to snap Punchline's neck.
"Nite Owl!" Cain got up to his feet. "You'll not get away with this!"
"You know, I picked that name because it made things easier for me," Nite Owl said. "But I think it is time for a new one. Call me Owlman. And yes, I will get away with it." The now named Owlman aimed the box at Cain. "It is time for all dreams and nightmares to end."
Alan looked up as Raven started to regain consciousness.
"Hang on, you said you'd leave them alone!" Bronze Tiger argued. "We had a deal."
Alan focused his will, fighting through the pain. The power of the green flame enveloped his hand, making a cast for him to move. He only had one shot, but he would use it. He muttered his oath, focusing its power into his body.
"We did, yes. But I'm changing the terms of the deal." Owlman aimed his weapon at Cain. "Goodbye, first nightmare."
Alan fired a green flare at Owlman's weapon, making it miss its mark.
Owlman and his group were blinded by the bright flash of green fire. When their eyes worked, they saw their former allies missing.
"It seems they get to live to fight another day." Owlman grumbled. "It doesn't matter. We have work to do." Owlman looked at the damaged box as he knew that there would still be some kinks to work out.
His plans would come to fruition. His choice was right. The only right choice.
Chapter 12: To be concluded
Summary:
Stay tuned for Phase 3...
Chapter Text
Epilogue
The door to the realm of Halloween Town's worlds burst open as a large black raven emerged from the other side. As the door closed up behind the raven, it opened its wings, releasing all the surviving members of the Outsiders in the House of Mystery's living room. It was a sobering sight that would've left all of the most hardened warriors and adventurers with a moment to regain their breath. They were all battered and bruised, some worse than others. Those that were better than others looked up, breathing a sigh of relief at being back in the House of Mystery.
The large black raven that had brought them all into the house reverted back into Raven's normal form. Bronze Tiger's attack had knocked her for a loop and the strain of being cut off mid-spell had made her feel bloated and in need of release. All the emotions of terror, hatred, anger and Punchline's sadistic glee had been enough to overload any other empath, but she was at the forefront of it all. She looked at her allies as they each tried their best to get back up. They all groaned and moaned in pain from their injuries while trying to gather enough strength to speak a coherent sentence.
"Okay, whoever has anything broken, wounded or in some pain, sound off." Sideways flipped himself over to breathe better.
"Here."
"Ouch."
"I'm in constant pain."
"Ditto."
"That appears to be everyone." Cain groaned, getting back to his feet. "Thank you, Ms. Roth and Mr. Scott for getting us out of there."
"Don't mention it. Whoever needs the most help, come to me, I'll see what I can do." Raven took off her cloak revealing her face.
Metamorpho held his chest, trying to pull himself together as best he could. The pain wasn't anything new for him, but the explosives that Nite Owl-Owlman has used on him burnt him good. Some relief would be nice if Raven could muster it. But a quick look at Green Lantern told him that he wasn't the most needy patient.
"Check up on Alan first, I think his arm and hand are broken." Metamorpho nodded to the downed lantern.
"I'm… alright…" Alan struggled with the pain and his will fighting for domination. "Check on the young and women first."
"Don't worry, I'm bruised and may have a concussion but I'll live." Sideways pulled out his now cracked phone. "But that bastard broke my phone, now it's personal."
Cain turned to look at Sideways, clearly not in the mood for jokes. But other than giving the young hero a slight glare, he didn't act in any violent fashion. It wasn't his fault that the now named Owlman had betrayed them. Or that he'd planted a traitor amongst their own ranks along with his two furies to aid his mad endeavor. If anything, Cain blamed himself for picking Owlman as his first recruit. He had been around the longest and his analytical mind always carried that cynical tone to it. He could've stopped this madness from spreading if he'd known about it coming.
"If anyone should hunt that man like a dog, it should be me," Cain said. "I've collected all manner of stories about betrayals no one sees coming and I fell for one hook line and sinker. I should've crushed his head when I first met him."
"Hey, you weren't the only one that was fooled," Yolanda helped Alan to Raven's side as she looked over his wounded arm in a green cast. "I was with you guys only a fraction of the time and I couldn't tell what he was planning. I've met all kinds of evil men and women in Los Angeles, but what he's planning… Es más que una locura."
"I do not understand the language she speaks but I fully agree with her." Alan winced as Raven examined his arm. "His plan is madness itself. And I've met my share of crazy. AAHH!" Alan screamed as Raven's magic snapped one of his bones back in place.
"Sorry."
"We all knew that Owlman, as he calls himself, was trouble when he wanted to add Punchline and Blackfire to the team. But the one I'm really angry at is Bronze Tiger." Metamorpho punched his palm. "How could he actually buy that total destruction of the multiverse was a good thing?!"
Yes, the betrayal of Bronze Tiger had struck the team hard. They had expected it but to receive it from someone that they saw as an ally was a tough pill to swallow. Which made no sense, as Bronze Tiger was against many of Owlman's actions and decisions. What better way to keep tabs on the people you'd be betraying than by putting a Toyan horse amongst them. A Judas would be more appropriate.
"I sensed his emotions before he knocked me out. He felt conflicted, he didn't want to do what he was doing." Raven used her magic to help fix Alan's arm. "Owlman must be forcing him to do all he's done."
"That means there's still a chance to stop them." Sideways got up with a jump. "Ow, still a little sore. But the sentiment is still there."
Cain wasn't one for blind optimism, but he at the very least did see what Sideways was saying. They were still there and Owlman's plan needed to be stopped. There was still time to end this madness. But where to start would be the better question. They were hurt and their enemies had squandered off to god knows where.
"If you choose to continue this hunt, know that it'll end with either the end of the multiverse or Owlman's." Cain stood up. "We have much work to do and we'll need allies."
"Where are we gonna get more allies while looking for Owlman and his Legion of Doom?" Metamorpho asked. "Should we put up posters or something?"
"Before we came together, another team fought to save the multiverse," Cain said. "We need to find them. Or call them to us and explain the situation to them."
"You know that would sound crazy right?" Yolanda questioned. "Not to mention that we'd need allies to outpace Owlman's madness."
"There's always a method to madness, Miss Montez."
The Outsiders turned around to the source of the new voice. They all turned to see a man with red hair, fair skin a white shirt, black pants and a color-shifting coat over his shoulders. He looked all too at home amongst the strange and weirdness of the House of Mystery. With a sure stride, he reached the living room as everyone but Cain got ready to fight.
"Alright, my fashion statement friend, who are you and what are you doing here?" Sideways asked.
"Stand down, Sideways." Cain got between the youth and the new guest. "I didn't expect you to be here waiting for us, Rac Shade. This is not a simple visit now is it?"
"I'm afraid not. Allow me to introduce myself to your allies, Cain. I am Rac Shade, The Changing Man. Son of Lord Oberon and Lady Titania." Cain gave them a bow. "As for what led me here, Dr. Destiny's actions have been brought to the attention of other realms. So, we've come to lend you a hand."
"We?" Yolanda asked.
"He's talking about us, my fair cat lady." Oliver Queen, the Glyph Archer Green Arrow walked out of the shadows followed by Barry Allen, the Star Racer Flash.
"You guys didn't think we'd miss a chance to get the gang back together, did you?" Barry smirked.
"Though we could've gone with a less spooky local." Deadman phased through the ceiling. "This place gives me the heebie-jeebies. And it ain't even October."
"AH! ¡Un fantasma! ¡Un fantasma de verdad!" Yolanda screamed, pointing at Boston.
"Yeah, yeah, we know." Deadman shrugged. "The rest should be here in a sec."
Everyone followed a scream as six people jumped out of a room with large green tentacles and lobster claws reaching out for them.
"Get back!" Blue Beetle of Star Command fired a plasma cannon at the creature.
"I've watched enough on the internet to know to roast things like you!" Kara the Ninja Woman fired her heat vision, cutting through the tentacles.
"And stay there!" Static Part-Time Hero added his own electric blast to the mix, pushing the beast back inside. "Creepy tentacles are bad enough without the lobster claws."
Harley Quinn the Space Mallet kicked the door shut, letting out a breath.
"Phew, man, what a rush. Jerry was so much fun." She smiled at the rest. "We should invite them for lunch."
"Harley, that thing tried to eat us. Let it starve." Jinx the Fury of Magic placed a seal on the door with her wand. "This place is a damn maze of dangers."
"I couldn't agree more, Jinx. Which is why I told you to stick together," Shade said. "Now that we're all together, shall we?"
"With pleasure, Shade." Cain shook Shade's hand. "Let's save this story."
"Hello!"
Everyone turned to see the Creeper all battered and bruised, bleeding some green blood with a smile on his face.
"I've got two questions for you all," Jack said. "1. Where is Owlman? 2. Does anyone have a bandaid?" He asked before passing out.
To be concluded…
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