The "World of Heroes" DC RPG Season IX

[Catman_prb]

Arkham Asylum is burning to the ground. The bombing seems to have caused a fire somehow in the parts of the building that are still standing up. The smoke stings at my eyes, though luckily I've got one of Bruce's patented 'Bat-breathers' in my utility belt, so I'm not choking. Cash and the security guards have got to be in here somewhere, but it's not going to be long before the building itself falls down.

"Cash!" I shout, taking my breather off.

No answer. My voice echoes oddly in the ruined asylum. I've been here so many times before that I can probably navigate this building with my eyes closed, which is fortunate seeing as the lighting seems to have gone down. I finally reach the guard room, but it's empty. To my alarm the gun locker is completely empty. I don't know if regular asylums have weapons on stand by, but regular Arkham is anything but regular. I hear shouting and gunfire a small distance ahead, so I head into the cells.

"Cash!" I shout again.

"Over here!" my reply comes.

I must admit, I'm surprised. Not that the security guards of Arkham have armed themselves and taken custody of the inmates. They're around them in a circle, riot guns aimed at those likely to cause a disturbance. No, I'm surprised that Cash is staring down Waylon Jones, Killer Croc, all by himself. There are only 6 or 7 guards, and they're focused on the other inmates. Cash has his pistol aimed at the head of the man who ate his hand. He doesn't shake a bit.

"Croc, back off!"

The reptilian man mountain growls. I stare him down.

"Either you calm down, or I leave you here to burn," I say. I wont, of course, but I will knock him out and drag him out of this godforsaken place if I have to. Croc growls again, then the cords in his neck slacken, and the situation defuses.

"Call your boy off," he says, nodding at Cash.

"Easy man," I say, putting a reassuring hand on the head of security's shoulder. He lowers his gun.

"Lets get out of here,"

***
​

It doesn't take as long as I would have thought to get the inmates out of the Asylum. Perhaps its my presense, perhaps its the fact that the guards all had guns and itchy trigger fingers, or perhaps they all had a better survival instinct that I thought. Either way they all got out into the open air of the rubble in record time, and with no ecape attempts. I'm impressed. I presume that most of the inmates will be transferred to Blackstone for the interim. We'll see.

"Oracle, what's going on. Do we have an ID for that bomber yet?"​

 

[J'adore]

Oracle

I take a moment of peace, looking around, my eyes drafting from one screen to another. What are these things? Creatures...beasts...animals...men? Something that has never been seen on this realm before, I can assure myself that. If I remember correctly...Men who turn in to animals seem to often pop up in Mythology books. Men who turn in to animals...

The Island of Aeaea. And only one female ever reigned on that island. And that was Circe. And there really is only one villain who is capable of such feats. And that would be Circe.

I run back to my computer, contacting Wonder Woman in an instant. "Wonder Woman, it's Oracle. Is Circe with you?"

I swiftly move on to Zatanna. "Zatanna, it's Oracle. See if you can find Madame Xanadu. The two of need to find a way to reverse all this magic, as soon as possible!"

Then...nothing. My thoughts drift off in to the corner of my mind and I no longer hear my own thoughts. I hear the powerful words of someone else...A familiar voice...

~Oracle, this is Aquaman. My apologies for messaging you inside your mind but my JLA comm-link was disabled. We had a quick run-in with Despero but that has been handled and I understand we have another alert at hand. I trust your judgment. Where do you need me?~

Aquaman's voice...

I take a deep breath. I really should get Zatanna to check in on that mental block business.

~I'm currently in the process of enabling your comm-link, but in the meant time, I hope thoughts are okay~

I wonder if he can actually hear me?
~First, I'll need you to patrol the waters around Arkham, make sure no prisoners are making a getaway in the water. Then, you can move to Metropolis. There's serious chaos going down there. Be quick and try not to get eaten by one those beasts~

And it wasn't goo long before I hear my husband-to-be's voice sail from the computer speakers.

"Oracle, what's going on. Do we have an ID for that bomber yet?"

"Sadly, no. But, I think we have a lead on this beasts. Circe. But she couldn't of been working alone, even she's not that powerful. I'm scanning the cameras to see if any footage picked up incoming bombs. Other than that, it's a blank."

"Keep doing what your doing and please...Come home for dinner,"
​

 

[Byrd Man]

Damian and I make it back to America as quickly as the batwing gets us there. I spend the next few hours in the cave, working with the Moly herb and creating an antidote. Damian and I are the first ones to take it, while I pass a copy on the Alfred to use just in case. The situation outside seems to grow worse, with the chaos across the country being replaced by quasi-human beasts. The antidote should work, but there's a big problem...
"I can't create enough for everyone."

At this rate, it'll take five years to produce enough antidote to help those already affected by Grodd's bombs. I need help. I tap my earpiece and connect to the network.

"Oracle, patch me through to Firestorm. I think I may have found a cure."

"10-4."

The line stays silent for a few seconds before clicking over to another frequency. "Batman. Where do you need me?"

"Here, in the cave with me. I need your help. Get here as soon as you can."

It takes Firestorm almost ten minutes, but he streaks through the cave in a ball of fire. "Sorry about that. Mapquest took me on a crazy route. What do you need?"

I hold the last two vials of antidote up at Firestorm. "We're going to use your powers to turn two of these into a few hundred million."
​

 

[Watchman]

"Hmmm, that sideways evolved charlatan seems to be up to something." Lex's focus went back to the monitor.

"Lex, your drifting again. Didn't you want to tell me something?"

"Right then." The monitors switched back to the previous screen." Fireworks lit up the area surrounding LexCorp Tower. A stage had been erected and a group of dancers surrounded a man in a white suit.
*******
"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to the new CEO and owner of LexCorp, Dr. Leonardo Godfrey Happenstance." Godfrey held out his arms as more fireworks went off. He blew kisses to the crowd and dance around up to a podium.

Dr. Leonardo Godfrey Happenstance was of course an alias forged by Luthor. All papers, information, past uploaded to all necessary databases. In a few minutes Luthor had created a new person. What the world would learn tomorrow that Dr. Happenstance was a recluse for most of his life. A genuine eccentric mad scientist who after returning from a long space mission has returned and developed a fortune off amazing patents. The reality was that Glorious Godfrey was patenting ancient Apokolips weaponry. He already had a number of countries that were interested.

"My people, we stand on the edge of a new age. After the next few weeks I will bring you the wonders of the things beyond of the stars. Technolgy that is impossible to dream will be made affordable to you. Cars that will never run out of fuel, batteries that will never die, food, medicine, everything in your life will be better and I will provide it for you. Since the dawn of the last century you have looked up in the sky. You have felt them brush pass you, particles in the wind. The uberpeople of the world. Why are things only available to the lucky few? Why can't we all bask in godliness? LexCorp will lead you into the golden age. This company will invent a new way of living. Soon there won't be one Superman in this city. We all will be one." There was applause and he waved toward the crowd.
*****
"What was that about?"

"I had an epiphany. It all happened when I met myself."
******
"Luthor opened your eyes." Luthor did so. He had followed Godfrey into an Intergang hideout and into the White Room. The room was pure white, spherical in nature so it look like in went out forever.

"Where are we Godfrey? You told me you were going to show me the weapons of the gods. Perhaps, I could end that insufferable Superman over dinner."

"Heh. We are in the White Room. It;s much larger than you think..."

"I assumed so. Dimensions and pocket realities folded on to themselves. Well, how do we move from each?"

"We don't do move. You'll see. The nightmare makers were experimenting with narrative sciences. Looking to corrupt story itself. Imagine the Bible transformed into Darkseid's image?"

"So make it wo..." They were in a hanger now. Filled with weapons, vehicles, ships, everything.

"It follows the narrative you create. I see that you're impressive."

"Never." He studied the items in the room. "Yes, some of these can be useful."

"Do you know what they can do?"

"Always." They was sudden laugh then coughing and wheezing. It came from behind some odd looking tank.

"Have we always been this arrogant?" Luthor and Godfrey made their way over. It was a short old man. He wore green and purple rags and had a number of peculiar items around his body. He wore Batman's cowl, Superman's cape, and Flash's boots. A giant hour glass was hung around his neck and weird devices poking around his body.

"Sensors are showing that...ha! That's you! I knew this could happen, future selves trying to warn past selves."


"Look where our quest has gotten you. I killed Superman and then it doesn't stop. We martyred him you fool! They never stop coming! I've been through all over time. They never stop worshiping him. They forget Luthor! They forget us! They..." A blast ripped though him. Lex lowered his arm.

"Ha! Isn't this going to be fun in a few years. You just murdered yourself! Wonderful! Wonderful! You're stuck in a cycle....master would have been proud."

"Quiet you cosmic huckster." He ripped off the cowl. Look at his head. He was bald of but it was recently shaved. "He was me but a different me."

"Hehehe."

"What is it you senile old fool. Believe me I will never become what you become. Pathetic."

"In all the infinite we were mathematical the closest. He created us...he created everything."

"Who did?!" Luthor gripped him in his steel hands.

"A god with all reality in his hands. I've found out....we can't escape the box he put us in..."


"LIAR!" He died. It looked like something leaped over his grave.

"Luthor...something is happening, please concentrate." Reality broke down behind him. He saw a younger version of himself walking out of a fire completely bald waving a fist at...Superboy? A fatter version of himself, a Fascist scientist from a country he had never heard of fighting a Superman. He was falling through nothing and then he was sitting at a large wooden table. The room was lavish decorated filled with massive fireplace. He was surrouned by himselfs. Female versions, mini versions, large versions, fat versions, skinny versions, haired versions...Jimmy Olson...

"Finally, we're here to discuss your future." This Luthor was sitting on a throne at the head of the table, Luthor was on the other end. He had a long white beard and wore long white robes. At his side was what looked like Bizarro but in in a Captain Marvel outfit.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Sector 2814
Earth
Metropolis

"Ain't you got nothin' better to do!?"

The makeshift meth lab had been destroyed, and the scumbag that had been toiling away in there now hung upside down about 100 feet in the air, dangling from a green lasso wrapped around his foot.

"You're the Green Lantern, man! Y-you fight aliens! Why bother with me!?!!"

Good question.

"I'm assigned to protect this sector of space from all threats. Be it alien invasion, or two-bit dopefiend meth-cooks like you."

"Puh-puh-please don't drop me!"

"What's your name?"

"Jesse!"

"Okay, Jesse, I'm not going to drop you. You should know that. I don't kill people. But I am going to take you to the nearest police station, and you'll then be locked up and sent to jail for a decade or two. How would you like that?"

"I can't h-handle prison, man!"

Hovering in the air, I look down at the terrified Jesse. In spite of myself, I feel a smile playing on my lips.

"Or I could let you walk away and screw up your life in your own time."

Jesse looks up, confused.

"...Really?"

"Sure. There's just something I need you to do for me first..."

 

[Keyser Soze]

Commissioner Gordon strode into the coroner's office, a grim expression on his face.

"Commissioner Gordon!" sputtered the surprised coroner, "It's the middle of the ngiht! I didn't expect to see you until the morning..."

"Where is he?"

"He's through here, sir. We haven't started the autopsy yet, he..."

But Gordon didn't even slow down. He kept on walking, past the coroner, marching ahead straight through to the autopsy room. And lying there on the slab, his naked body lying under a white sheet, was him. The white skin, the green hair... who else could it be? He lay there, a large bullet hole in his forehead.

"It's him," gasped Gordon, "It's The Joker alright."

And The Joker is dead.

The coroner and a few police officers stood in the room with Gordon and the corpse. Without even turning to address them, he spoke.

"Men... I'd like you all to wait outside. I'd like to be alone for a minute."

The response was one of shuffling confusion.

"Leave us, please."

Accepting the order without understanding the reasons for it, the coroner and the police officers filtered out of the room, leaving Gordon alone. Alone with The Joker.

Gordon paced around the autopsy room, hands on his hips. After a few silent seconds, he turned to face the body on the slab, his shoulders slumping as he let out a sigh.

"You.... prick."

Though there was no life behind it, The Joker still seemed to have a malevolent glint in his eye. Even in death, he was laughing at him.

"Batman and The Joker. That's what we all read about. That's all that really mattered to you, wasn't it? Batman and The Joker. The only two people in the world, as far as you were concerned. But what I don't get then, is where that special hatred you had for me came from. If I was just another pawn, if I didn't really matter... why did you keep on coming back again and again, to dream up new ways of making me suffer?"

Taking a deep breath, Gordon sat himself down on the chair next to the slab, looking up hatefully at The Joker.

"People have told me how great it is, how all the awful things you've put me through have been undone. Barbara's walking again, and I've remarried. That doesn't undo anything. I still remember all those years of pain and anguish my daughter had to go through after what you did to her, and Sarah is still dead. I might have remarried my first wife, and I love her dearly, but I'll always love Sarah Essen too, and not a day goes by where I don't miss her. Sometimes it seems like death doesn't matter anymore with all its undone, but your actions had consequences. Every death, every act of cruelty, it destroyed a life, destroyed many lives. It's not funny. It was never funny."

Barbara. Gordon would never forget those photographs...

"But through it all, everything you did to me, to Batman... we never stooped to your level. We were better than you, we showed you that our way was right. As much as you dared us to, we never killed you. I still believe in the law, in justice..."

Gordon stood up, fists clenched. Lunging forward, he hissed right into The Joker's dead face, that mocking eye of his.

"But I'm glad you're dead, you sick piece of filth! I'm glad somebody else did the world a favor and took you out of it. And now you can go ROT IN HELL!!!!"

And still that eye was laughing at him. With an angry yell, The Joker started punching The Joker in the face. Again and again he pounded on it, feeling the skin on his knuckles splitting. He didn't care. All these years of restraint, of doing the right thing.... he wouldn't be ashamed at feeling good about this.

"ARE YOU LAUGHING NOW? HA HA? ARE YOU LAUGHING NOW!!?!?"

He grabbed the bloody pulp of The Joker's head and, gripping his hands around his throat, he began shaking the body violently, frothing at the mouth with fury. An old man throttling a corpse. The Joker probably would laugh at the sight of that.

Gordon let the body slump back down onto the slab. Panting for breath, he walked towards the door. But he stopped, and turned to face The Joker one last time.

"And now you'll be forgotten. How's that for a punchline?"

Stone-faced, Gordon exited the autopsy room. The others were waiting for him outside, concerned expressions on their faces. Gordon turned to the coroner.

"When you're doing the autopsy, note how the killer must have bludgeoned him after he died. Whoever the killer is... they must have really hated that son-of-a-b***h."

 

[wiegeabo]

"Stewart. Grant. This is a...surprise."

"Oh really? You think you can just come back from the dead, leading a corps of murderers, and you can just hang out on Earth without someone confronting you?"

"I had hoped that after all I had done for this world-"

"All you've done?!"

"-that I'd at least be able to enjoy a brief respite."

"Yeah? Well, you thought wrong, didn't you? Why are you here? Who the hell did you have to kill to take this house?"

"Sinestro...?" a sleepy voice says from behind me.

Mary scratches the back of her head and steps up to the door. The second she noticed our 'guests' she's suddenly wide awake and tightens up her robe. "Oh! Um, hi. Are you...friends of Sinestro's?"

"Uh..."

"Ummm...."

"They are. We worked together in our fight against the undead hordes."

"Oh. Well, I'm glad you watched his back while he was out there." She wraps her arm around mine. "We wouldn't want to lose him again."

"Uh..."

"Ummm...."

"Mary. If you could excuse us for a moment. Lanterns Stewart and Grant need to talk with me about the aftermath of the battle."

"That's fine. I saw you started breakfast. I'll finish it and wake Samantha up." She gives me a kiss on the cheek. "You keep watching his back," she says before walking off. I step outside and close the door behind me.

"Uh..."

"Ummm..."

"I suspect you need an explanation..."

"Ya think?"

"I'm surprised Stewart's fellows in the League hadn't already discussed this with him. I met Mary and her daughter during the viral attack on Metropolis. I was impressed with her strength and found myself attracted to her..."

"I think we get the idea."

"Oh, I'm more than willing to continue and lay out every detail of my personal life for you," I say with heavy sarcasm.

"The only detail we want to know is why you're still on this planet after betraying the Corps, the League, and throwing in with Parallax."

"My brief time as Parallax didn't provide explanation enough?"

"Enough lip. Get off Earth."

"You're not even going to ask nicely?"

"This is me being nice."

"...Indeed."

We stand and stare at each other for several seconds.

"Oh, you mean now?"

"You smug sonuva-" Stewart puts his hand in front of Wildcat, keeping him at bay."

"Civilians," Stewart says.

"I would not have fought you here and risk their lives. And I was already planning on leaving this world. After breakfast."

The two look at each other. "Seriously?"

"Yes. I was going to travel to Oa."

They look at each other again.

"Going to turn yourself in as the criminal you really are, by any chance?"

"...hardly. I plan on meeting with the Guardians and discussing a truce..."

 

[SuperFerret]

The Circe Interlude: Part Four​

"Remember sisters," I call to my fellow Amazons as we close the gap between us and Circe's army of bestiamorphs, "the beasts are still innocents in Circe's thrall! Do as little harm as possible!"

The sorceress laughs derisively at my concern. "You've always been weak like that, Diana. Your compassion will one day get the better of y-!" The impact of my shield across her jaw silences her.

"Your propensity for monologues have consistently gotten the better of you, Circe." I respond, staring the witch in the eye as our respective forces clash below us. "Shut up and fight."

"Very well." Circe states coldly, whipping her hands forward, sending a bolt of red energy at me. I deflect the attack with by bracelet, flinging my lasso at her.

As the loop tightens around the witch's waist, pinning her arms to her sides, a transmission comes in on my JLA communicator.

I run back to my computer, contacting Wonder Woman in an instant. "Wonder Woman, it's Oracle. Is Circe with you?"

"You could say that." I reply, spinning in mid-air, both hands gripping the lasso as I twirl, pulling Circe in a wide arc as I go. I dexterous twist of my wrists and a slight tug at just the right moment causes the lasso to undo and release my screaming captive. I gather the lasso again and Circe strikes the surface of the ocean hard, disappearing in a splash.

 

[Andy C.]

[BLACKOUT]
"Alright, looks like it's just the three of us. I can help Supes getting Despero into custody, J'onn. See if you can help out with whatever the hell is going on out there."
[/BLACKOUT]

"Very well."

Martian Manhunter flies up into the air and away to help out with the latest crisis. I turn towards Superman and create a giant box out of white energy. [BLACKOUT]"This should contain Despero until we get him under lock and key at the Hall of Justice. Care to do the honors and place that son of a ***** in here?" [/BLACKOUT]

"Fine by me," I say, placing the unconscious Despero into Gardner's energy cell, then putting his severed arm in the box with him. "Let's get him to the infirmary and patch him up, then we'll deal with it from there."

The transcontinental flight takes a little under a minute, as Guy and I try not to shake up our wounded captive too much.

Once we reach the Hall of Justice, we strap him down with Nth-metal restraints and place him under one of the Amazonian Purple Rays to mend his wounds. The treatment will take time, but it's the least I could do after that bit of overkill.

"So Guy," I say as we wait for our prisoner's condition to stabilize. "The last time I saw you, you were still using a green ring, back when you helped me escape from Ranx the Sentient Slum. I've never seen a white one before. Some new developments with the Corps?"

 

[Byrd Man]

​

"Fine by me," I say, placing the unconscious Despero into Gardner's energy cell, then putting his severed arm in the box with him. "Let's get him to the infirmary and patch him up, then we'll deal with it from there."

The transcontinental flight takes a little under a minute, as Guy and I try not to shake up our wounded captive too much.

Once we reach the Hall of Justice, we strap him down with Nth-metal restraints and place him under one of the Amazonian Purple Rays to mend his wounds. The treatment will take time, but it's the least I could do after that bit of overkill.

"So Guy," I say as we wait for our prisoner's condition to stabilize. "The last time I saw you, you were still using a green ring, back when you helped me escape from Ranx the Sentient Slum. I've never seen a white one before. Some new developments with the Corps?"

[BLACKOUT]"Well, I'm not actually part of the GLC anymore. I finally got pissed at the pricks and they kicked me out. I hooked up with the Star Sapphires. Gotta tell you, I was the only guy in a group of thousands of scantly clad women...I was in paradise. But then when we beat those Black Lanterns, something calling itself the Entity latched on to me and apparently I'm the living embodiment of Life now. Ain't that some ****?"[/BLACKOUT]

Despero's wounds mend and heal and Supes goes to pick him back up.

[BLACKOUT]"So what's up with you? That fight, if you can call it that, with Despero was pretty one-sided. You're like you on steroids."[/BLACKOUT]

 

[trustyside-kick]

~Oracle, this is Aquaman. My apologies for messaging you inside your mind but my JLA comm-link was disabled. We had a quick run-in with Despero but that has been handled and I understand we have another alert at hand. I trust your judgment. Where do you need me?~

Aquaman's voice...

I take a deep breath. I really should get Zatanna to check in on that mental block business.

~I'm currently in the process of enabling your comm-link, but in the meant time, I hope thoughts are okay~

I wonder if he can actually hear me?
~First, I'll need you to patrol the waters around Arkham, make sure no prisoners are making a getaway in the water. Then, you can move to Metropolis. There's serious chaos going down there. Be quick and try not to get eaten by one those beasts~
​

Prisoners from Arkham? Beasts in Metropolis? Just a large wave of chaos it seems. However Oracle fails to mention any sort of pattern or villain behind it. Then again, chaos is not something that is or can be contained and controlled. Such is its nature. When one tries to confine and tame chaos, it only brings them to its level as they succumb to madness and shadow. For chaos is not order.

Unless that is what we are meant to believe.

As the Aquatic Ace swims to Gotham Bay, a quick journey from Massachusetts, his mind starts to think more on the matter as he quickly and easily apprehends the madmen and former patients of Arkham. There must be a villain behind all of this, but they have yet to show their faces. Have yet to bask in their glory and reveal themselves.

So it would mean that they have yet to execute the entirety of their plan.

"Guys, take a look at this!"

One of the GCPD officers at the scene, is staring at one of the TVs displayed in an electronics store further inland in the city streets. As Orin is taking another escaped inmate who thought he would swim faster through the water were he...naked...he notices the swarm of officers who for some reason are heading away from their top priority in their duties.

Placing the inmate into the car himself, he sighs and scoffs at the site of Gotham's Best and Brightest in law enforcement drawn away in such a manner with more maniacs trying to escape. Though, the Marine Marvel will quickly catch them so is not worried. Just the fact annoys him.

And then he makes way to the group of officers, and sees what they have been watching the entire time on the Gotham City News Station.

"...with the lawn of the White House guarded by a battalion of beastmen and talking gorillas, declaring their victory to be in the name of Grodd, this news reporter only has one thing on his mind: Where is the Justice League?"

It all makes sense as what seemed to be random attacks of chaos, was nothing more than orchestrated attacks. Meant to keep the heroes at bay while the mastermind behind it all seizes the power of the President of the United States. A mastermind known to the world as Gorilla Grodd.

Coughing loudly to get the attention of the GCPD officers, as they turn around Aquaman speaks.

"There's a few left that have made it into the water, but I believe you can handle it. I need to head to Washington to appease this news reporter as well as the rest of the United States."

 

[Bounce]

Mount Olympus had been beautiful, but at least there were things around the Batcave which could actually entertain Damian's need to be doing something. He hung around his father's machinations for a small part, watching as the great detective played with his flowers in working up the supposed world-saving miracle concoction, but after awhile the boy had given a yawn and gone off to exercise on the Batcave's training equipment.

It felt good to stretch and test himself. Plus he was still close enough that it would be easy to pop back by his father's side should something interesting happen.

And then it was here. The blessed miracle. The moly of molies. Bruce Wayne, the world's greatest detective, the god damn Batman, stepped down from his lab with the vaulted cure.

Damian took the offered vial like a good test subject and waited for the world altering, save the cheerleader-type stuff to happen. Which was to say, that it tasted terrible and Damian didn't feel any different. "Well, that will certainly save the planet," the boy cracked with a shrug. Planting his hands behind his head, the young Wayne began making his way for the stairs. "I'll go take Alfred his miracle cure and see if there's some lunch," the boy offered casually.

As usual, Alfred had anticipated the needs of the two and prepared a more than adequate meal for them. One which, left to himself, father would no doubt ignore completely.

Making up a plate to take down to the Batman, a menial task which Damian surprisingly didn't mind undertaking, the boy made his way back down into the Batcave when he heard voices.

They had company.

Damian hadn't been gone that long.

"Sorry about that. Mapquest took me on a crazy route. What do you need?"

I hold the last two vials of antidote up at Firestorm. "We're going to use your powers to turn two of these into a few hundred million."​

​

"Hopefully your powers can do something about the taste," Damian joked, announcing himself as he emerged with the food.

"Alfred cooked, so I brought you down something to eat," the boy stated, looking first at his father and then over to their guest. "I didn't know we were having guests over though."

Damian was probably going to get asked to get a plate for their visitor as well. He was the son of the Batman, not a waiter.

 

[MST3K 4ever]

Marvel sees the bizzare news reports coming out and hears the name Grodd.

Grodd! Holy Moley! This sounds like a mission for the Justice League.

He sees the situation at Arkham is winding down.

Looks like the local authorities can handle it from here. Need to start making my way to DC.

Just then his Solomon wisdom wars him against blindly charging forward. Marvel climbs higher in altitude.

Need to wait here for the moment and see if there is co-ordinated attack plan being formed.

 

[Byrd Man]

"Hopefully your powers can do something about the taste," Damian joked, announcing himself as he emerged with the food.

"Alfred cooked, so I brought you down something to eat," the boy stated, looking first at his father and then over to their guest. "I didn't know we were having guests over though."

Damian was probably going to get asked to get a plate for their visitor as well. He was the son of the Batman, not a waiter.

"I don't have time to eat, but I appreciate the gesture. Are you ready, Firestorm?"

"Ready as I'll ever be. Let's do it."

Firestorm and I work fast, using his matter-changing powers to create copies of the antidote. Before long, we have plenty of antidote to help cure the people affected by Grodd's bombs. Rows and rows of glass vials fill the table next to my lab equipment, and Firestorm keeps adding more.

Now comes the problem of distribution, a problem that shouldn't be a problem at all. I reach into my belt and pull out my old Justice League communicator.

"Hello," the voice on the end of the line says. "You've reached the Flash, if I sound busy, it's because I'm dealing with a major crisis in Central City. If you'd like to leave your name and number, do so and I-"

"It's me."

The playfulness leaves Barry's voice suddenly. Neither of us have had a chance to speak since he came back.

"Bruce, what do you-"

"I know you're dealing with problems in your city, but I need your help. Central City has two more Flashes, I'm sure they'll be fine."

Air rushes through the cave and Barry comes to a skidding stop.

"What do you need from me?"

"I've created a repellent for Grodd and Circe's magic. Firestorm is in the process of creating copies. I need you to distribute it to the places his bombs have hit. Do what you do best, Barry. Go fast."

"That shouldn't be a problem. I'm on my way."

The vials start disappearing from the table as Barry begins his race. I reach over and grab and handful before turning around. Damian, remaining silent so far, has been mostly watching.

"I have a job for you to do, not so much a job as a favor."

I pull a spare earpiece from my belt and hand my son the earpiece and the vials. "I need you to help out and distribute the antidote to people in Gotham. People who the Flash might not have time to get to. People like Red Robin, Commissioner Gordon, Batwoman, and Nightwing. The earpiece has an uplink to Oracle's network. I understand this might not be what you want to do, but it's still important. I have to go to Washington DC to face Grodd and end all this."

 

[Blacklight]

WAR OF THE SPEEDSTERS
Part 1: The Declaration.
​

The Earth is in peril. And there's nothing I want more than to do something about it...

...But my wife and kids are in danger. And I won't stop until I've found them and made sure their captor has paid.

For the fifth time in about an hour, I place my finger on my earpiece, still zipping through every nook and cranny of Keystone and Central looking for my family.

"Zoom. Jay. Anything?"

"Not yet, Wally. But we're still looking."

"Don't worry, Wally. We'll find them."

"Thanks for the update. Flash out."

As I continue my search, I'm gritting my teeth in frustration. Scowling at the fact that I was too busy looking for Savitar that now he has kidnapped people I care about YET AGAIN.

I wish I could call Uncle Barry for help. But the Justice League needs him more. So I guess I'm on my own here.

But If you''re listening God... Please give me something. Lead me in the right direction...

"Citizens of Keystone City..."

"That voice..."

I stop dead in my tracks, finding myself skidding to a halt in Keystone Square. And as I looked up at the monitor, I see his face plastered upon it, as well as every other TV in Keystone. What worried more was that behind him stood Inertia, Lady Flash and her Blue Trinity, standing besides my family as the sat on the ground, bound by rope.

"Do not be alarmed. I simply come to you all live from the WKEY-TV station to give your precious hero, the Flash, a message."

Oh no...

"As you more than likely are already aware of, I have your family, Flash. And harm will come to them if you do not meet me here, so that I may challenge you face to face and finally defeat you once and for all. Then I can finally claim my pace as THE GREATEST SPEEDSTER WHO EVER LIVED! You have two minutes. And if you do not meet my demands, I'll reduce their natural metabolisms to the point that when I kill them, they'll be in pain for years before they finally die!"

Then the broadcast ends, and I'm already halfway there...

 

[Andy C.]

[BLACKOUT]"Well, I'm not actually part of the GLC anymore. I finally got pissed at the pricks and they kicked me out. I hooked up with the Star Sapphires. Gotta tell you, I was the only guy in a group of thousands of scantly clad women...I was in paradise. But then when we beat those Black Lanterns, something calling itself the Entity latched on to me and apparently I'm the living embodiment of Life now. Ain't that some ****?"[/BLACKOUT]

Despero's wounds mend and heal and Supes goes to pick him back up.

[BLACKOUT]"So what's up with you? That fight, if you can call it that, with Despero was pretty one-sided. You're like you on steroids."[/BLACKOUT]

"Fifty thousand years at the heart of the sun will do that," I say, picking up Despero like he weighs nothing at all. "It's a long story, but when I went looking for the Source Wall, I ended up spending some time going from one parallel multiverse to another, then was transported several millennia into the past so I could gather enough solar energy to fight Darkseid on my own, and eventually bonded with the Source itself to bore a hole in reality itself and throw Darkseid out of existence......you know how it is."

Saying it all out loud, it does sound a little ridiculous.

"I thought I'd reverted everything back to normal when I let go of the Source's power, but apparently all of the solar energy I stored in me stayed there. I've had some....difficulty controlling my powers now that they've reached this level, like with Despero here. Earlier today Intergang tried to ambush me with Kryptonite, and it didn't even give me a headache."

I float down the corridors of the Hall until we reach the holding cells, then I place Despero inside of the strongest we've got--an extradimensional tesseract with a million layers of foot-thick titanium all packed into a ten-by-ten cell, designed for us by Mister Miracle before Darkseid's final push.

"I know this is something I should have told the League, but I wasn't sure until now just what kind of implications this could have," I say to Guy with a little bit of guilt. "That, and there's....other news I need to tell everyone. But that's something that can wait until we've gotten everyone together."

Once we make sure Despero is secure, we head to the central hub of the Hall, and see news alerts that require our attention. Apparently Grodd is on the march, taking over DC and turning millions of people into animal-hybrids.

"Looks like we're needed in Washington," I say, heading for the door. "Try to keep up."

With that, I take to the skies and head for DC, scorching the air in my wake.

 

[Byrd Man]

Once we make sure Despero is secure, we head to the central hub of the Hall, and see news alerts that require our attention. Apparently Grodd is on the march, taking over DC and turning millions of people into animal-hybrids.

"Looks like we're needed in Washington," I say, heading for the door. "Try to keep up."

With that, I take to the skies and head for DC, scorching the air in my wake.

[BLACKOUT]"Hot damn."[/BLACKOUT]

I take off after Superman. He wasn't lying, I have to push to nearly trans-luminal speed to even keep Superman in my eyesight. The snowy Arctic landscape soon gives way to the oceans and coast of the eastern seaboard.

 

[Bounce]

"I don't have time to eat, but I appreciate the gesture."

It was a simple 'thank you', but the words seemed to catch the boy somewhat unprepared. It wasn't like Damian had a lot of positive interaction with his parents - either of them. Shuffling his feet for a moment, the young Wayne awkwardly debated how to respond before finally muttering his typical tt and setting the plate aside to observe.

Of course, while he was observing he'd also eat part of the sandwich that had been made for his father. No sense letting it go to waste. And he was a growing boy.

Plus, Alfred made really good food. Not that Damian would admit it.

If watching someone like Firestorm work wasn't impressive enough, seeing the Flash move or, rather, not being able to see the Flash move was even more so.

"I have a job for you to do, not so much a job as a favor."

I pull a spare earpiece from my belt and hand my son the earpiece and the vials. "I need you to help out and distribute the antidote to people in Gotham. People who the Flash might not have time to get to. People like Red Robin, Commissioner Gordon, Batwoman, and Nightwing. The earpiece has an uplink to Oracle's network. I understand this might not be what you want to do, but it's still important. I have to go to Washington DC to face Grodd and end all this."

A courier job? Hardly worthy of a League trained assassin. If anything he should have been skinning the ape for a nice fur rug on the Batcave floor. But it was an assignment. Which meant his father trusted him to do it. "And here I thought you had a challenge for me," the boy joked lightly, reaching up to take the offered items. "No problem," he added, to make clear he meant he would do it.

Old people sometimes didn't understand things like sarcasm after all.

Pressing the earpiece into his ear, the boy walked off toward the row of Batcycles in the cave. With a loud roar, Damian listened in to the chatter over Oracle's net and flew out of the cave like a bat out of hell.

 

[Carnage27]

Wondergirl
​

Another wave of animal people comes stampeding down the street, and I look exhaustively over at Megan, "Ugh...how many of them are there? I'm seriously about to pass out here."

A tiger-man rambles towards me, and I barely dive out of the way of his jaws. I scramble back to my feet, obviously not as graceful as I normally would. Fighting without powers is hard. I'll need to commend Tim next time I see him.

The tiger lunges at me again, only to be caught be Megan in midair, who proceeds to toss him through a glass window. She looks back at me, "Even I'm tired of this."

I look back at Superboy, "Hey! You think we can clean this up sometime soon?"

 

[Byrd Man]

A courier job? Hardly worthy of a League trained assassin. If anything he should have been skinning the ape for a nice fur rug on the Batcave floor. But it was an assignment. Which meant his father trusted him to do it. "And here I thought you had a challenge for me," the boy joked lightly, reaching up to take the offered items. "No problem," he added, to make clear he meant he would do it.

Old people sometimes didn't understand things like sarcasm after all.

Pressing the earpiece into his ear, the boy walked off toward the row of Batcycles in the cave. With a loud roar, Damian listened in to the chatter over Oracle's net and flew out of the cave like a bat out of hell.

I watch Damian peel out of the cave and disappear out into the night. Am I really doing the right thing with him? Taking him under my wing, grooming him for something he might not want to do.

No. It has to be done. Damian isn't like Dick, or Tim, or Jason. With him, there's not the option to lead an average life. He's a child of two worlds. There's my world and his mother's. If it's not the legacy of the Robin mantle, it's the legacy of the League of Assassins. It can't be any other way with Damian. His past, personality, and upbringing shows that he's too proud or stubborn for an "ordinary life." He's destined for one of two paths. There's the path of the Bat, or the path of the Demon's Head. He'll either follow in my footsteps or the footsteps of his grandfather.

I shake my head and try to push those thoughts aside. I can deal with them later, right now there's a job to do. I pluck a few more vials of antidote from the table and cross the cave towards the Batwing. I slide into the cockpit and set a course for Washington DC. The jet blasts out of the cave and tears through the sky.

 

[sumowrestler]

Wondergirl​

Another wave of animal people comes stampeding down the street, and I look exhaustively over at Megan, "Ugh...how many of them are there? I'm seriously about to pass out here."

A tiger-man rambles towards me, and I barely dive out of the way of his jaws. I scramble back to my feet, obviously not as graceful as I normally would. Fighting without powers is hard. I'll need to commend Tim next time I see him.

The tiger lunges at me again, only to be caught be Megan in midair, who proceeds to toss him through a glass window. She looks back at me, "Even I'm tired of this."

I look back at Superboy, "Hey! You think we can clean this up sometime soon?"

Outer Atmosphere-Earth

This is such a beautiful planet. It was hard to see with all of the Black Lanterns.

Love is in danger.

Teather and take me to it

In a matter of few seconds, Miri finds herself over a group of young superpowered teens being attacked by a mob of animal like creatures. She sees a woman in a red t-shirt with a yellow W on the front of it being attacked by tiger looking creature. Miri uses her ring to grab the creature and fling it into the mob knocking over half dozen. Then she realizes that there are dozens of these creatures attacking this small group of teens. Miri then constructs a eight foot crystal wall blocking most of the group but left the far sides open not seeing the far ends.

Where are we? What is going on here? I'm not overly sure how long that wall will last so we better decide what we are going to do and do it soon.

 

[Eddie Brock]

SUPERBOY

I open my mouth to respond to Cassie when...
​

Outer Atmosphere-Earth

This is such a beautiful planet. It was hard to see with all of the Black Lanterns.

Love is in danger.

Teather and take me to it

In a matter of few seconds, Miri finds herself over a group of young superpowered teens being attacked by a mob of animal like creatures. She sees a woman in a red t-shirt with a yellow W on the front of it being attacked by tiger looking creature. Miri uses her ring to grab the creature and fling it into the mob knocking over half dozen. Then she realizes that there are dozens of these creatures attacking this small group of teens. Miri then constructs a eight foot crystal wall blocking most of the group but left the far sides open not seeing the far ends.

Where are we? What is going on here? I'm not overly sure how long that wall will last so we better decide what we are going to do and do it soon.

The blue-skinned girl is wearing some kind of pink power ring. After the events of Darkseid's invasion, I've come to learn that the Green Lanterns aren't the only ring-wearers in the universe, but I've had little exposure to that world. Now, one of them literally drops out of the sky and saves us. I can tell by the look on Zach's face that he's somewhere between utter confusion and heaven.

"Um...to address your points," I begin, "We're on Earth - more specifically, Star City. As for what's going on, well, you know about as much as we do." I rub the back of my neck awkwardly, really unsure of how to proceed. I turn to Zach. "Think between your magic spheres and her constructs you can contain these people until a cure arrives?"

 

[SenseiofCheese]

SUPERBOY

​

"Um...to address your points," I begin, "We're on Earth - more specifically, Star City. As for what's going on, well, you know about as much as we do." I rub the back of my neck awkwardly, really unsure of how to proceed. I turn to Zach. "Think between your magic spheres and her constructs you can contain these people until a cure arrives?"

Zachary Zatara

"Uh...buh...I...uuh...I don't...wha..."

Smooth, Zach.

"Uhm, well." I shake my head, trying to not look too hard at the half-naked alien chick. "If.....our new Lantern friend here can encase all of them in a construct, I should be able to cast a fortification spell on it so that it won't break any time soon."

"Oh, and lady?" I address the pink-clad Lantern before she creates the construct. "These are people, so be sure to remember the air-holes."
​

 

[MST3K 4ever]

"Looks like we're needed in Washington," I say, heading for the door. "Try to keep up."

With that, I take to the skies and head for DC, scorching the air in my wake.

Marvel notices a streak across the sky.

Only one man I know makes that kind of pattern in the sky and if he's on his way then it must be time to get down to business.

He launches himself at the streak and catches up to Superman

Marvel says, "This sounds like a serious situation Superman. Could you use another hand?"

 

[Andy C.]

Marvel notices a streak across the sky.

Only one man I know makes that kind of pattern in the sky and if he's on his way then it must be time to get down to business.

He launches himself at the streak and catches up to Superman

Marvel says, "This sounds like a serious situation Superman. Could you use another hand?"

"If Grodd's invasion is as big as it's looking, then I'd say we could use all the muscle we can get in taking him down," I say to Captain Marvel. He's one of the heaviest hitters in either the Justice League or the JSA, so having him on board gives us an even better edge over Grodd.

It isn't long before we reach the Eastern Seaboard and have to slow down to subsonic speed; even with all the chaos and turmoil going on across the country, I don't want to add to it with a swath of shattered glass and bleeding eardrums.

We reach Washington DC, and touch down in front of the White House. To think, this isn't even the first time we've had to deal with a supervillain in the Oval Office; at least Luthor got there by getting himself elected, though God only knows how.

Between Billy, Guy, and myself, the animal-people whose uniforms suggest they were once the Secret Service are taken down with little effort. We make our way to the Oval Office, where Grodd is waiting.

"We've already stopped one attempted world conquest today, Grodd," I say to him. "Stand down before we have to take you down as well."