Apokolips.
Steppenwolf walked through a boom tube into one of the many hallways leading to the throne room inside the labrynth that was his fathers tower. He hated dealing with humans, very feeble minded creatures whose sole purpose according to him was to serve and he couldn't wait the day his nephew came to his senses. On that day he would lead apokolips forces and take that pitiful planet, starting with killing every justice league member available.
On this day though he had just met their contact who gave him a report of what happened the last two months. He had compiled everything into his mother box and intended to report his findings to Darkseid.
"Steppenwolf!" Kalibaks hoarse voice was loud and commanding as it resonated throughout the hallway forcing him to slow down his stride.
Screw the rankings. Screw him. Steppenwolf knew Kalibak got his position because of his bloodline and heritage, being Darkseids son. This gave him an advantage over everyone in Apokolips excluding Granny Goodness.
He made sure to intercept any important intel meant for his father to cement his place in the heirarchy but Steppenwolf wasn't just anyone.
"What do you want!?" the tone in his base voice indicating he wasn't in the mood for any of his games.
Kalibak merely smirked towering over his fathers supposed uncle. He wasn't intimidated at all. When it came to raw physical strength he was far superior to him but that Electro-axe of his was what usually leveled the playing field. More powerful than his beta club. His father had personally handed Steppenwolf the electeo axe when he returned from a mission some thousand years back.
No one ever knew what the mission entailed and whether or not granny goodness was in the know. None dared to ask her.
What he knew was that his uncle was no match for him.
"Is that how to speak to your commander!" He sneered falling instep with him.
"I'm busy." Steppenwolf kept on walking. Darkseid knew he had returned and delaying would only make his presentation gruesome.
"What have you to report about the humans!?" Kalibak used a commanding tone clearly pulling rank on him. He hoped the news was worthy to warrant an invasion.
Ever since battling the confused invaders nothing of importance had happened.
Their ultimate weapon was also being dissected, studied and probably decommissioned in OA .
He needed to vent. To hit something and that kryptonian could do just fine. With him he could have a challenge. An evil smile formed on his face.
"I have nothing to report to you. Follow me if you want to be briefed unless you deem yourself worthy of receiving this urgent news ahead of our Lord Darkseid." Steppenwolf challenged knowing the parademons walking about heard it, no doubt waiting for his response. Anyone challenging their masters rule was an enemy and would be brought down regardless of their rank.
Kalibak knew he couldn't outright demand for the information after that challenge as it could show he deemed himself superior to their ruler who was always watching and these parademons.
They didn't know how he did it but Darkseid was omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent on Apokolips more so in his tower. He had hoped to combine his presentation with Steppenwolfs but the idiot proved to be a pain in his butt. He's lucky I didn't inherit the omega beams
Any news pertaining to earth was always dreaded as it ended with one of them suffering from serve omega beam burns because in all apokolips, only they could withstand it.
He fell in step with Steppenwolf and headed for the throne room.
The huge heavy door swung open to reveal the enormous dark room with the furies standing guard at strategic points who merely glanced at them as they moved to kneel infront of their masters throne.
Kalibak glanced at the patches of molten larva flowing and falling like waterfalls along the huge black rocky walls of the room. They simply dissappeared into the crevices at the bottom of the wall. No one knew how the lava made its way up here but the source was probably Apokolips very core.
His fathers huge throne was made up of the toughest rocks redesigned to allow small rivers of lava to flow between the rocks crevices. The backrest had lines of lava flowing down like a rivers tributaries before joining the various ones on the seat and continuing to flow till it disappears beneath the floor through the cracks.
That would explain the extreme temperature.
Steppenwolf on the other hand always wondered whether or not sitting on that throne was comfortable. Their physiology allowed them to be nearly invulnerable but constant exposure to that lava while sitting on that throne would surely be uncomfortable.
His nephew on the other hand always seemed to enjoy sitting on it for long periods.
Darkseid was standing, facing what was supposed to be a wall but was now a space overlooking almost half of Apokolips. The space proved useful during his regular flights around Apokolips or outer space. Darkseid could simply fly in and sit in his throne directly.
The huge muscles flexing beneath the invulnerable rock like skin attached to the arm currenly folded on his heavily armored chest. His blood shot red fiery eyes no doubt following every movement on Apokolips due to his advanced senses only rivaled by the kryptonians.
Darkseid had always been interested in Krypton's database before its demise.
Any attempt at invading their outposts when they were still conquering space was met with heavy resistance followed by immediate support due to their unique physiology especially flight.
Fighting a large number of yellow sun powered kryptonians proved to be annoying even to a being such as him and they serverly overwhelmed his forces.
All the research they had done regarding genetic perfection could have been useful to his mission of perfecting his parademon army.
He also wanted to capture one kryptonian so that desaad could study them. However, his plan halted when the kryptonians retreated and isolated themselves on their planet away from any other civilization who were equally scared of them and left them alone till their planet exploded with all their research gone.
He brought it up again when he spoke to Desaad about it after learning of Superman, a kryptonian wearing the symbol of the house of EL and an alleged protector of Earth.
He suspected superman must have escaped before the explosion and had therefore has access to some of Krypton's database. Especially their knowledge of the Anti Life Equation and use of the crystal technology.
His encounter with the kryptonian during earths invasion piqued his interest in acquiring that database.
Under a yellow sun the superman was a formidable foe, a lesser being would think him a Demi god. During the fight he noticed the kryptonian was holding back no doubt afraid of the damage that would be occur to the humans and property that got caught in the crossfire.
Getting blinded during the fight was a factor that facilitated his defeat and eventual expulsion from that earth.
He was actually impressed with the Amazon and the speedster and knew they would make a great addition to his furies. No one had ever managed to take out both his eyes because of the painful fiery end they met leading to a discovery that when injured he couldn't produce his omega beams.
His eyes had since healed with the omega effect adapting them to be able to fire the beams even when injured.
The omega beam was powerful enough to destroy planets, harm kryptonians and was able to catch speedsters. He recalled how the kryptonian was able to counter it for short periods of time with a form of heat vision powerful enough for him to feel it's heat through his hard rocky skin. It wasn't as powerful as his omega beam but still a good ability to add to his furies.
He needed to get his hands on him and the database he was sure to possess, an assignment he had tasked to his uncle. Judging by both their presence he knew Kalibak hadn't managed to intimidate Steppenwolf.
Steppenwolf looked up from his kneeling position, "Lord Darkseid, I have the information you requested." He spoke producing his mother box and tapping, connecting it to the throne rooma mother box.
Holograms were projected all over the room of the what their informant managedto dig up. It was still fascinating how the huge room that had the appearance of a cave founs inside an active volcano was so technologically advanced.
His father turned and scanned through them.
"Shazam is merely a child" Darkseid stated surprised the wizard would entrust such power to a human child no less. That would explain why he did not fight like an experienced warrior like the Amazon.
"Yes Sire." Steppenwolf agreed. "Our informant is trying to uncover the other heroes identities as well."
"Is this all you could find about the others!?" Thanos voice grew cold and his tone dissappointed. These couldn't be the only things they did since they arrived.
"They heroes are spending most of their time in that watchtower" a picture of it was projected. "The ones that leave are too fast for our contact to follow. He needs to be discreet." His father knew how useful spies were so he let it go
His gaze turned to Kalibak.
"The invasion was not successful and the guardians have one ship while the other is heavily secured with the Almeracan army.
The two commanders caught by the queen are also heavily secured in her palace." He reported what he found out on his own mission.
His father had known it was the invaders and wanted the other ship that crashed onto their planet. possibly the hostages too.
Kalibak sensed Steppenwolf stiffen beside him and that only happened when omega beams came out to play. Growing weary, he thought back to what he might have said.
"So where are they?" Darkseid asked.
It dawned on him. Whatever his father decreed came to pass and he wanted that ship with all the prisoners and didn't care the means he used to achieve it. His will be done.
"They had 26 green lanterns lending a hand... more like rings in rebuilding their planet. Had we attacked it would've started a war with the guardians." Kalibak explained what his second in command had advised him when he was ready to take the planet with surprise. The absence of omega beams means he was in the clear.
"The human with the lantern is still an unknown. He is not an Almeracian because their queen is also searching for any information on him. He may be another Kryptonian." He suggested everyproof pointing towarsit; looked human, could survive in space
"He is not a Kryptonian. Keep searching" Darkseid commanded as the presence he felt had vanished some hours ago.
"Steppenwolf will join you. The attack on Almerac was widely broadcasted and someone out there knows something."
Darkseid as the most powerful New god in their universe could sense the other gods and was sure some of them could also sense him.
Before the attack on Almerac he felt a new presence join their ranks but didn't know who as the mother box was also clueless. Focusing on the other human during the invasion, he knew what he sensed came from him. Did it mean he was a god? Just like the other one on earth whom he now knew as the fabled god of Thunder. The said Thor still too young to get his attention. He had instructed his son to investigate and the human with the lantern will have to be put down.
They stood, bowed and walked out when his father returned to his original position watching over apokolips while looking into the vast space.
"You sure it was this one?" Tony asked looking around the building that was currently under renovation.
"I'm sure. This is the bank. More like was the bank." They walked around at what seemed to be an abandoned construction site.
THey were very quick and thorough to scrub a place this big to perfection. It had to be team.
"I don't think this building will be completed anytime soon." Tony remarked in his ironman suit scanning around. "And I doubt we will find anything here. It's too clean" Jarvis couldn't scan fingerprints on anything around.
"I'll have to ask batman for it. Something tells me it's the only other way taking into account how paranoid he is." He also knew such information batman would keep in his batcave which no one had ever scene.
Tony had been bored when he got Clints request for back up and decided to see what he was upto thus decided to ignore the follow up information indicating the back up request was cancelled.
Clint explained to him what happened and they decided to look into it together while Steve went back to the watchtower.
That's how they tracked down the building and according to the police reports he could access, this was a scene of a small bank robbery that was swiftly handled by the police apprehending everyone.
The prisoners were abducted during transportation and their whereabouts currently unknown. Clint knew they were dead.
"Let's head up. I got an alert for an emergency meeting some hours ago." Tony suggested since they hit a dead end. He contacted the watched and they teleported out.
Themyscira
Outside the throne room was a queue of sisters who were waiting to seek counsel from their queen. Hippolyta had been sitting on the throne for 3 hours listening and giving out advice she had given for over a thousand years. Most problems tended to circulate among her sisters in that a different sister would ask it every other time.
The current sister was confiding in her about her desire to visit mans world even though she knew it was highly frowned upon.
Her movements started slowing down to a standstill as all others inside the room. Hippolyta was on alert having seen such occurrences before.
"That's an interesting desire." The voice prompted Hippolyta to stand up from her throne and kneel before the Queen of Olympus, the goddess Hera whose arrival lit up the room with a bright white light for some seconds.
"Queen Mother!" she bowed. The Queen of Olympus has graced them with her presence.
It was an honour.
"You may rise, Hippolyta." She instructed the queen then gestured to the woman who was frozen in time as well as her question. "How will you advice her?"
Hyppolyta looked to the woman in question. She was roughly the same age as Diana but too young to be in the same bracket as Phylipus and her. By the looks of it she was a warrior and was getting curious of the challenge that lay beyond the barrier.
"I will tell her what I think of mans world." was her bold reply. Nothing good ever came from mans world despite all the efforts her daughter was putting to help them.
She was hoping the next two months to be done and over with so that her youngest daughter could return home, where she belonged and was wanted.
"I know you will" Hera smiled at the woman who not too long ago stepped up to the mantle. "Zeus inquires about the new justice league members." She informed her what brought her to the island. Her husband had ordered her to make contact after him being startled. Thor couldn't be the reason for this because he was still too young.
"Whatever I know I heard from my daughter and have seen on their news channels" Hippolyta didn't know enough about them to develop an opinion of her own but trusted Diana's. She had no doubt Cate would return with more news of them.
"And what does your daughter think?" Hera asked. The princess should be the one to have the most accurate information given how close to them she was.
"She trusts them. They helped stop that monster" her tone was that of a proud mother after learning that the god killing monster was stopped.
"I see." Hera began walking to the entrance and Hyppolyta following close behind.
The sudden arrival of these heroes was gaining the attention of every god and it was only a matter of time before they found their way to earth in search of the powers responsible for that. The multiverse theory and existence was something every god knew about but none had the power to actually cross all the dimensions necessary to reach other universes. Only celestials had that power and no one had ever seen one. They were mere myths.
The two stood overlooking Themyscira.
The sun was shining providing the necessary nutrients to the plants in the vast lands her sisters were tilling and preparing for the harvest season. They could see her sisters conducting their daily activities ranging from trading in the market to sparring in the training grounds. The distant sound of metal swords clashing could be heard. Sentinels could be seen flying over the magical forest bordering their farmlands.
The waves crashed onto the sandy shores while the cool breeze from the ocean maintained a cool temperature on the mainland despite the hot sun shining over head. Themyscira was a very beautiful place.
"Zeus has ordered an audience with the princess." Hera informed Hyppolyta. "As soon as possible." This confused the other queen.
"I shall send word to the embassy for her return." Hyppolyta received and acknowledged the order. Zeus never got involved in earths matters even when Darkseid had invaded the first time so this must be important.
"No! My husband requires information which can be easily collected. You will be the one to enter mans world then report back to Olympus with your findings." Hyppolytas eyebrow furrowed and looked at the queen.
"It seems fitting to provide advice on something you have experienced, is it not?" Hera answered sensing her hesitation.
"Yes it is." Hyppolyta conceded looking back at frozen the woman who had been confiding in her.
"Very well. We shall be waiting for you." Hera vanished in a blinding white light and the sisters around them became mobile again. The one next to the throne wondering where the queen vanished to.
Themyscira embassy (The Island and Mans world had different time zones)
"I loved it." Cate smiled over her slice of pizza. They were on the couch in their nightdresses talking and the watchtower happened to be mentioned.
Diana smiled at her sisters enthusiasm, "They are great friends and team mates." Every hero in the watchtower had gained her respect. She has been on a mission with almost every hero there.
"What did you guys discuss in the meeting?" Cate asked what she wanted to find out ever since they got home. In her group of friends and amongst the other members of the league, she noted how everyone kept asking each other if they knew what the meeting was about and Kara of course refused to eaves drop for them using her hearing.
"It must have been important to take that much time" cate added trying to coax her sister.
"We were taking about doomsday and what the guardians have found out about it" Diana answered her. It was true so it counted as an answer.
"So what will they do?" She asked.
"They are studying it to identify its weakness before it wakes up. They guardians have access to technology needed to do that." Another advantage was they are able to contain it if it regains consciousness before they were through.
"Don't worry about it. You should be focused on exploring mans world before you run out of time." Diana intended to divert her attention from league matters.
"Okaaay." she answered forgetting the whole thing. Diana wasnt going to tell her anything and she didn't know how to lie either. Her sisters thought her contact with the laso had a hand in that.
"So do you think mother will allow Kara to visit me?" Cate asked taking a bite of her pizza. Having met Kara and becoming friends, she didn't want to lose contact with her.
Diana knew that her sister had become fast friends with Clarks cousin after they met up when volunteering. She hoped that her mother would consider allowing that since Kara was a woman and there was no law against women stepping foot. Though they will have to ask her and the senate.
"Maybe. I'm sure that men are the not allowed but can't say for certain about women." She answered and her sister seemed to consider it.
"I know that I can convince her and maybe the senate." Cate expression was that of determination. "Kara can also fly in on her own, she doesn't have to bother the sisters by using the portal every time." She reasoned. They will have to accept her on the island she vowed.
Diana smiled biting into her own pizza. Cate was addicted to these ever since she tasted them.
"So you and the batman, huh?" Diana chocked on her pizza and coughed lightly at her sisters statement and tone. Leave it to adults to gossip like a bunch of children when confined in a tight space that was their watchtower. The cafeteria was the start to 90% of the rumors circulating in the tower.
"What?" She finally coughed out
"I heard you are dating him." Cate replied. It was among the stories she had the heroines discuss in low tones. "I don't mind if it's true. I won't tell mother."
"You won't tell her because there is nothing to tell" Diana spoke up finally relaxing. "He is my friend and colleague. You should not be listening to gossip passed around the watchtower. They are very misleading." Plus they went on a date one time that happened to be witnessed by Barry and Oliver Queen who coincidentally goes to the same members only elite restaurant as Bruce Wayne. Those two couldn't keep their mouths shut for all the money in the world
"Sure" Cate agreed knowing she won't get an answer out of her sister. At Themyscira her sisters were dating so she wasn't surprised if Diana began dating out here.
She was still apprehensive to the whole idea of dating men. Given that some were more pleasing to look at than others made her understand why she chose him. At the watchtower she saw him when he was walking to the infirmary. He was in his prime and at the peak of his physical condition only surpassed by a few males in the league.
"Good. So what are your plans? You'll be here for the next month too." Diana asked intending to bring up another topic.
Cate seemed to be thinking about it.
"During the coming days I may be called in for duty anytime and..." Diana continued but was interrupted
"Kara will be my guide when i am not in the embassy. She insisted." Cate told her. As a founding member she knew her sister was busy and would not be around every time and she was okay with that. "I may even accompany her to school.
"Oh, if it's any consolation to you, I knew you two would get along fine." Diana revealed putting her arm around cate and bringing her close while the watch the movie playing.
"Yeah right" was her retort. "Have you talked to mother?"
"No, I haven't." Since they departed a couple of days ago their mother had not attempted to contact her through her sisters which was odd since she always wanted to know whatever she did. "She's probably giving you time to adapt before she checks in."
"Maybe." "Can I go to the watchtower with Kara?" She asked. If she was free to visit anytime then she hangout with Sara there and get to know the heroes.
"I'll talk to them." She promised taking to the idea. Cate would not be confined to the embassy but can spend some time getting to know the other heroes. It would also be away of making sure she practiced and tuned her battle skills.
The Batcave
"Breakfast is served, master Wayne." Alfred announced entering the batcave balancing a tray on his palm.
Bruce who was dozing off in his chair infront of the huge monitor straightened up and started scanning through what he was doing.
It had been a tiring night. He ended up staying at the infermary waiting for Dick to get out of surgery and after making sure he was okay he went to the warehouse then back to the batcave and started his investigations.
The warehouse was spotless and all evidence of the bloodshed gone. Professional cleaning up job was his thought and Only a handle full of people were capable of having the huge number of muscle that was guarding Dick.
Focusing the investigation on the warehouse itself, he discovered it was a property belonging to CADMUS. HER
He was currently attempting to track her location.
Amander Waller was a very powerful person and her location was known to a handful of people. He was currently monitoring some members of Cadmus.
"Thank you Alfred" Bruce was great full to his friend.
"How is young master Dick?" Alfred asked. He hadn't called the watchtower to speak with the Doctor.
"He's resting and still under observation. He was pretty beat up." Bruce answered getting angry at the thought of what he went through. It should have been me.
"He is a fighter just like his teacher" Alfred reassured him looking at the screen where there was a picture of Amander Waller.
"Locating her will not be easy." He stated. Alfred was aware most of the things going on with the justice league as the founding members were a frequent visitor of the batcave. He knew all about Amander Waller head of CADMUS.
"I know it will take sometime but I will find her." Bruce vowed. He won't mind asking Clark or Ben for help when he failed.
That watch of his could probably be able to bypass Cadmus firewalls. He thought. Alfred gave a nod believing to his declaration to find the woman.
"I'm going to prepare something for Miss Kyle." He announced turning and walking out.
Bruce perked up at that announcement. Selina found out his real identity when they ended up in one of his apartments in Gotham after having hunting her down most of the night to recover the precious jewel she stole. He ended up giving her a second chance and returned the jewel to the museum. That was one of a handful of thoughts that brought a smile to his face. All the adrenaline and years of casual flirting between them during his rendezvous as batman clouded his judgements and he did what anyone would do in that moment.
Alfred found out about it when Selina brought over the short he wore under his whole batman suit. Since then she would come over although rarely to the Batcave to spar and tease Bruce with the occasional make out when he succumbed to the sexual tension between them. That was one of the things that put a strain on him and his supposed relationship with Diana.
"Thank you Alfred."
Watchtower
The watchtower was buzzing with heroes whispering and walking around waiting, looking at their phones every now and then. Bens arrival meant that The arm wrestle between superman and him would happen at any time and the leaguers didn't want to miss it. That explained why the watchtower was packed as early as 8 am. This day coinciding with Supermans turn for monitor duty.
Ben was walking the hallway heading to the cafeteria tired of hearing the question what time is it? From the heroes.
He had been going over the information on multiverse travel they had access from OA when he decided to grab something to eat. He needed to find away back home. Not a day passed without him thinking about his home and wishing he had activated Trixx earlier and downloaded all the family videos he made with Gwen and Grandpa Max. He missed them and would find a way back.
He had been tempted to use Alien X but was discouraged because it could take years before its inner personalities; him, Serena and Bellicus came to an understanding. That would be his last option when all else failed.
"Yoh! Ben!" The flash appeared and started walking beside him. "Where to?" He asked. His order had been to be alerted the moment Ben was seen outside his room to organize the arm wrestling and settle the bets once and for all.
"Cafeteria." He answered startled from his sudden appearance. XLR8 couldn't compete with the flash.
Maybe they could find that out he thought. "You've got to stop doing that" though he enjoyed hanging out with him and Hal. Tony too. They weren't the overserious types like the others.
"It's my charm" flash smirked hooking an arm around his shoulders. He was taller than Ben in his normal form. "Let's go get me rich!" He announced leading now Ben to the cafeteria.
"Is this about the bet?" He turned to Hal excited. The Omnitrix had scanned 80% of their universes species making him forget the excitement of discovering a new ones.
Judging by the way he had already come across four different species was a promise that he would return home with a bunch of cool aliens. He couldn't wait to see the look on all their faces. Especially Kevin 11s face.
"I doubt superman is around." He added. As far as he knew clark got off work in the evening.
"Don't worry about big blue, let's get something to eat first." Flash dismissed his concerns. Everything was on track. The question was supposed to stand in for superman when he went on a short break meaning he would be in the cafeteria when they arrived.
As expected, he sat at a table alone taking breakfast. The younger heroes too shy and scared to join him.
As soon as he heard the flash and Bens voice heading to the cafeteria he knew what would happen. No doubt the speedster had managed to convince Ben to settle the bet right now. That explains why The Questiom was nice enough to offer to stand in while he took a break instead of ordering food to be brought to him. They had drones for that. He couldn't say he wasnt curious about how much of alien DNA that watch of his could duplicate in the specie it scanned.
"Big Blue!" Flash patted his back pulling out a chair and joined him.
"How could you not tell me Wonderwoman had a sister! I thought we were bros" flash accused him recalling his encounter with the princess.
"If every woman in Themyscira has their looks then I would so wish to visit it someday." He declared. "You're so lucky you got to see it." He pointed to superman.
"I want in on that trip." Ben added excited at the thought of it. Flash and Ben grinned each with a thoughtful look.
Superman couldn't blame them. He had been lucky when Queen Hyppolyta and the senate wanted to meet him as a representative of the justice league when they saved the earth . Themyscira was a magical place to be...not meantioning everyone on the island could qualify to be a model anytime they crossed over.
"The Queen told me it was a one time thing." He explained. The only way to get through the veil of god magic was to be guided and let through by them.
"You can't kill the dream big blue!" Flash was convinced he would visit that island someday.
". We don't have places like Themyscira back home. Plain old earth. The only difference is in our earth aliens live in underground cities but the plumbers monitor them." Ben spoke up. "They are like the green lanterns of our universe." He added by the questioning facial expression.
"I doubt our earth is ready for that kind of relationship. Every government would want to use their technology to build weapons and eventually destroy each other." Superman sighed. The governments contained different factions with different agendas.
"Good thing we'll always be here to look out for the people" Flash spoke up.
"Speaking of looking out for the people...when will you arm wrestle?" He asked the two of them.
"I had a suspicion that's why the watchtower is packed." Superman used his vision to look around. "There's no emergency right now, so whenever Ben wants to."
"Oh, anytime." Ben blurted out so fast it had Flash grinning. Finally. These universes aliens were so complex and most of the ones he's met resembled humans to a certain degree.
"We can head to the training room since we're through eating." The flash urged them standing from his seat compelling himself to walk instead of speeding ahead. The other heroes saw the trio head to the training room.
Bens slowed down and his hand went to the dial turning searching for Supreme through the alien holograms displayed on top of the watch.
Superman and the flash turned at the flash of bright green that emanated from behind them. For a second they had thought green lantern had arrived. They saw Supreme standing in place of Ben. This 28 years old kryptonian version of Ben.
"No one can get used to that" flash turned to see Supreme who now towered over him and had the same build as Superman. The only difference was he had more muscle and his costume being different.
Superman activated his vision and scanned Supreme to view his DNA structure. It was definately kryptonian, down to the extra sets of body organs they had that processed the yellow suns radiations. He had no doubt that watch topped every technology he has ever come across. Well.. Professor Ivo's Android, A.M.A.Z.O. was quite impressive too. Copying any power and technology it came across.
Kara had asked him if Bens AI was more powerful than Kelex in the fortress. He had no answer for her.
Howerver, He intended to gauge Supremes strength.
Supermans strength had increased tremendously ever since Darkseids invasion. The hulk and the pain had taken him by surprise that one time when he was holding back during their fight, something he's used to do.
He feels his strength increase with each passing day under a yellow sun. That got him thinking.
"Don't you have to recharge your muscles?" Superman asked him.
"Big Blue's right. We don't want you using your reserve energy only." Flash agreed. "Who knows how much strength comes with just turning and not recharging your cells."
"Okay." Ben agreed, powering up couldn't hurt. Hovering off the ground, superman and supreme flew to the airlock and out into space. They hovered facing the sun their body soaking in its rays.
"How did you get so good at holding back?" Superman asked after a few seconds. Supreme was able to handle himself around others something that should have taken a lot of time to adapt if he was as strong as him. Superman had his whole life to adapt accordingly to everything on earth.
"My cousin helped me to learn how to control my myself. I aliens stronger than you." Supreme answered thinking of Way Big. He could definately crack the earth with him if he lost control of himself.
"Your cousin sounds like a good person." Superman smiled at him. He only ever mentions his cousin and grandpa when thinking of his home.
"She is." He acknowledged in smile while they floated back to the watchtower.
They were standing on opposite ends of a table like structure Hal conjured up with his ring. It was a comfortable height where both contemders could rest their elbows and take their stands without any discomfort. Hal had since arrived to officiate immediately he received word from the flash. His ring offering him protection incase of anything. Thor wanted to join but was convinced otherwise when he was promised his own sparring match.
Hal spoke up, "You know the rules" Everyone including the viewers knew the rules
Superman and Supreme took their stand. Hal blew into a ring he had conjured up.
OA
The guardian's scientists had their gloved hands full ever since the vessel was dropped off by Hal. Their vast database did not contain any information about the chitauri or the design of the ship.
The onboard computer was wiped clean and the chitauri turned out to be mindless creatures following whatever their queen ordered. This meant the queen had some sort of intelligence that somebody found out how to exploit. The only information they had in them was from Ben. The vessel, doomsday and the two prisoners were under tight security.
"They are not of this universe." One guardian pointed out. "All lanterns are scanning through their sectors for any anomalies." he reported. They should be able to find any other multiversal travellers.
In the middle of the enormous room a detailed hologram of the omnitrix scanning Queen Maxima was on a loop. The guardians were in their sanctuary discussing current events.
Hals ring managed to record the encounter and was automatically backed up into their servers when he escorted the Chitauri back to OA.
"Should such a device exist and be at the possession of a teenage human?" another guardian asked the question on all their minds. One with no answer.
"It has just obtained and is now processing a DNA sample belonging to the House of the Blood Royale. A DNA sample that is a product of generations of selective breeding." Another guardian pointed out.
Almerac was known throughout the universe for perfecting their genes much like the Kryptonians. That's why they were such an advanced planet feared by others.
The Royal House made sure its unique bloodline was passed on through the union of their Queen with a mate worthy of their bloodline and so far everyone knew Maxima had her eyes on Superman. The guardians were wary of how powerful an offspring between her and the Kryptonian could turn out considering all their powers. Maxima had enacted a law in Almerac that decreed she was the only one who could sire with him after discovering they were among a handful of races capable of procreation with kryptonians.
"When the queen discovers what that watch can do she will go after it." Another guardian observed how Maxima had no doubt sensed how special Blaze was by the attention she was giving him.
"Anyone who finds out what it can do will hunt him down" this was unavoidable. "It was only a matter of time before the gods and warlords find out."
"That is why we should find a way to return everyone to their respective universes." all were in agreement with the statement.
"Before that watch scans us " another added.
"What about the apokolips ship detected in their airspace?" One green lantern helping out in rebuilding Almerac had picked up on a suspicious frequency usually generated by a boomtube. Darkseids technology.
"He must be interested in the ships technology, no doubt aware of its origin." another suggested. "If he learns of the watch he will invade earth in search of it."
"I wonder if it will be able to obtain his DNA or any other gods." their leader spoke up zooming in on the omnitrix when the face plate slid up and scanned the queen.
"Time will tell. Every god and warlord will want that technology." They were sure about it.
"We cannot declare war on apokolips without probable cause. The last time we did that we lost control of the manhunters to Darkseid." the leader reminded them why their new weapon was based on a person's will and not mere technology. To break one's will was not as easy as reprogramming machines.
"That is why we should be the ones to protect the watch. All that power will overwhelm the human. So far the species he's turned into are completely different than our own but equally powerful." A picture of Four arms, Canon bolt and Upgrade was projected.
"What will happen if he expands his collection with our universe's sentient population?"
"There's nothing we can do brother. Trying to take it away will only turn him against us. He could cripple half of our forces by simply switching between his Kryptonian, Martian and Almeracian forms. Not to mention him turning to Blaze." one guardian pointed out the obvious. The others merely agreed. "And any other alien he may have.
"We will have to trust his intentions are pure." the tracer program they had planted had been deactivated so they had no way to track its movements and functions.
The green lanterns should be able to maintain peace while they carry out their investigations within their sectors.
"It appears Almerac has requested to pay us a courtesy call to have a discussion about the invaders." the official message had just synced into their system.
"Accept it. General MC might have useful information obtained from the two prisoners." the leader ordered.
The almerac general lead their delegates to all meetings regarding security. He was the one practically running the entire planet as was destined by his bloodline which acted as the Royals most trusted advisors for generations.
Watchtower
Cyborg was transmitting live video feed of the training room to all the members of their betting site to watch and support whoever they chose.
Batman and Diana had teleported into the tower to find everyone glued to their phones. They headed to the training room where the avengers, Flash and Shazam were watching through the glass panel fixed along the wall.
Diana had to hover off the ground to see what was happening.
Superman and Supreme were currently at a stale mate, their biceps and triceps flexing from the pressure generated by them.
Hal had to apply his full concentration to the plartform he had conjured up for the two heroes. Cracks were starting to form.
Superman was impressed Supreme managed to hold his own for the last 30 minutes. He wasn't straining at all. None of them were. Supreme had also realised this could go on forever. They were almost at per in terms of strength but would never know the winner since they started holding back when Hal showed signs of strain in maintaining his construct. The training room would not contain their full strength.
The green construct shattered making the heroes loose balance and knock into each other creating a huge shock wave that the room stabilisers fought to contain. Some of them simply malfunctioned.
Hal was fast enough to envelope himself in a circular shield before being thrown against the wall.
"I'll call it a tie." He spoke looking up into the camera addressing the viewers. "We will need to find another location."
Superman and Supreme could hear the members discussing their stalemate with the flash already advocating for a change of venue and a rematch.
Hal relaxed, his exhaustion long forgoten as he looked between the two. They had just generated a force equivalent to the one Darkseid applied when the dark lord broke his arm through the rings protective aura during the invasion. That's how much force it took to break the construct he conjured up.
"Neither of you are actually sweating." Hal observed while they walked out of the room.
"You were holding back." Wonderwoman stated watching them emerge from the door. She had seen Kal display more strength than that when they sparred in his fortress. The others simply looked on amazed.
"So were you" Banner looked at Supreme. The Hulk sensed the same thing wonderwoman did.
"The watchtower is not sturdy enough to handle this. We will have to look for another location." Batman spoke up and moved towards the infirmary. This bet thing wasn't such a bad idea if they could get to test out that watches capability.
After the arm wrestle and the bet being postponed most heroes teleported back to earth to conduct their businesses. Wanda could sense Clint, Tony and Steve in one of their rooms, Thor was in the training room and Natasha was in the infirmary probably checking up on Nightwing.
None of the avengers were surprised by the bodies she had dropped during the rescue but most of the justice league members were shocked that she was a hero and had saved Nightwing. They came to think she was like some female version of the punisher, the dangerous vigilante that had made news sometime back.
The avengers knew of her past and she wasn't against killing bad guys when it meant doing the right thing. The others were still having a hard time accepting such a beautiful and innocent woman turned out to be quiet skilled. Some just assumed that was the reason she was called Black widow. Makes sense.
She was looking for J'onn so they could continue their lesson. They have been having sessions where they help each other strengthen their mental capacity since no one else understood what they went through everyday in regards to their powers. Having the ability to feel people's emotions and accidentally heir thoughts could be very overwhelming without the proper training.
"So we have to look for the anti life equation to get back home?" Ben sought a confirmation from Trixx. She had finished analyzing another piece of the data they acquired from the guardians.
According to my analysis it is powerful enough to travel through dimensions. This was one of the weapons the manhunters sought to acquire to complete their mission throughout the multiverse. Trixx projected all the data she had on the anti life equation. Most of them from the guardians database and some from the watchtower.
"Okay. Inform me when you find anything more about it." He needed to know whether his family back home was safe.
"Where's everyone?" He asked Trixx flipping through various cctv feeds trying to locate anyone to hangout with.
Most heroes teleported back to earth after your challenge with superman Trixx reported. The avengers are in their rooms.
"I thought superman was the one on monitor duty." He had heard a couple of heroes talking about it. But the feed Trixx was tapping into indicated The Question on monitor duty.
Clark is currently at the daily planet. Trixx stated pulling up the live cctv feed she's been hacking into.
Ben was thinking of turning back when she intercepted a request for back up. Something about them being overrun.
The Question had just received a transmission from Green Arrow requesting back up. He paused looking through articles and videos about their new teammates and looked at the list of active heroes.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" The Queation looked around for a moment wondering where the voice came from. "It's Ben. The shapeshifter." The voice revealed.
The Questions eyes widened in recognition and looked at the speaker. He once over heard Cyborg complain of how he is constantly hacking into their system and him earning a visit from batman every time.
"Green arrow is in central city. His team is taking heavy fire. I will teleport you to his location." The Question filled him in then activated the teleporter.
"Okay. Make that teleportation for two people." Ben spoke into his watch and cut off the link to the monitor.
"You sure it's okay?" Wanda asked in apprehension. "They barely know us. " she could sense caution from the heroes whenever any one of them was in the cafeteria. Only the founding members who knew the truth trusted them to a higher degree.
"its fine." He reassured her. "The only available hero would be superman because of his flight and he's at work." He continued. "Plus I'm bored. You can continue looking for J'onn. I'll handle this."
They had met when Ben gave up the idea of a hangout and was heading to his room. They met, got to talking and Ben insisted on helping her search for J'onn. He hadn't had the chance to turn into a Martian and wanted to know the general scope of his powers and tips on how to control them.
"Okay. Let's go. I'll talk to him later." She did a quick scan of the watchtower and realized J'onn was on earth. She didn't like invading people personal spaces by communicating telepathically.
She had not been on earth ever since they moved into the watchtower and spent her time exploring the huge structure. This was way more interesting than their avengers tower. They all knew Tony's plans the moment they returned to their universe and how every law enforcement agency will react. It will be a nightmare.
It's a wonder he has never mentioned the tower she thought. Tony took every chance to boast about the tower to anyone who was willing to listen.
Central city.
Green arrow and his team were held up inside their secret layer under his night club. Felicity made sure to set up a weekly reminder for them for the meeting. Gun men had stormed in moving through the empty club and boxed in the team underground in their layer. They had covered all their secondary exits. Trapped.
Oliver knew this was a professional team given with an unlimited budget and from the heavy drilling they could hear outside, they came prepared. They had since cut off the camera feeds and blocked all transmissions in and out. It's a good thing the watchtowers signal could still be received by their computer after superman used some kryptonian tech to strengthen it.
"Get Down!" He instructed felicity who was crouching behind a pile of metal cases a worried look on her face. The other members were armed and strategically placed around their layer ready for the confrontation.
"I don't understand how they found us!" Felicity shouted at Oliver over the sound of Drills.
"Doesn't matter! We will hold them off till the justice league get here. Stay down!" He instructed her. The reinforced door won't hold for long.
Ben and Wanda had teleported outside a nightclub they later came to associate it with green arrow when Trixx looked into it.
"I sense them in the basement." Wanda concentrated and her eyes narrowed unleashing powerful maroon wave through the wall into the club and started running inside. A confused Ben quickly followed.
Who knows why they do what they do he thought. His cousin also had a habit of abruptly running forwad during missions.
Wanda passed the mercenaries frozen in place by a maroon aura around them. Like a force field. She had felt a huge spike of fear and despair followed by loss coming from inside the underground lair.
This brought back memories of the pain she felt when she lost her brother during one of the missions they conducted before joining the avengers.
Felicity was holding onto Oliver who had been shot multiple times as he lead their defense assault. They had been pinned down in one part of the room. His team were disarming the men squirming in their maroon cocoon that hindered any movement. Felicity and Wanda were trying to stop the bleeding.
Ben was standing next to one of the mercenaries looking amazed by the maroon cocoon. More like a force field holding him in place.
"Trixx, is this mana?" He asked because it was basically the same power as an anodite.
Gwen could also restrain bad guys in the same way, though her aura was bright pink.
Ben had heard from Zatanna that Wanda was also a magician but hers looked and felt chaotic with a mind of its own compared to Zatannas warm and friendly. Her magic did not let up when she concentrated on helping the lady who held up Green arrow.
They emit different energy signatures. She appears to have the power of Flyrogenisis and Flyrokinesis. She can shape and conform force fields using her powers. Trixx explained what her scanners analysed.
It was amazing how the the force field looked like a thin layer of maroon fire burning over their body with the flames swaying to the breeze emitted by the air ducts.
"I sense fear." Wanda stood up and looked around the room. It couldn't be the mercenaries because the amount of fear she sensed could cause a heart attack ten times over.
"What!?" Felicity looked up from dressing Oliver's wound before they head out.
"This can wait." Oliver started moving forward dismissing the pain coming from his wound.
"Let's head out. We have a lot of interrogations to do" he spoke looking at the men suspended in the air.
John and Roy on the other hand started fighting each other. Literally trying to kill the other. Felicity and Oliver started panicking and had fearful expressions looking around the room. The men suspended in the air stopped fidgeting and looked at them confused by the fear in their targets gazes.
I detect an increase in the levels of an unknown gas filling the room Trixx informed Ben displaying the gas percentages as scanned by the Omnitrix.
"It's too late. It's all around us." Wanda could sense chaos and fear emerging in waves through the walls into the lair.
"There's a foreign gas in the air. It may be the cause." Ben suggested trying to trace the source.
"We should get them gas masks. I'm sure they are around here somewhere. I'll track down where that gas is coming from." he looked at all the crates around him.
"How? We don't have the equipment to do that" Wandas brow furrowed cautiously looking around after encasing team arrow in force fields to prevent self harm. They were screaming hysterically.
"I think I have the perfect guy for the job." Ben blurted excited at the thought of going hero. "He hasn't used this form for a very long time."
Wanda stopped surveying the room and watched Ben lift up his left arm and start scrolling through holograms of what appears to be the aliens he usaully spoke about.
"Got it!" He announced before his right palm pressed the Omnitrix dial and he disappeared in a bright green flash that illiuminated the room for some seconds.
The mercenaries frozen in place stopped fidgeting about and could only stare at the sight before them. In the kids place was an orange like creature resembling a human dog but was the size of a horse. It stood on all fours with various spines found around its body. The creatures bottom jaw stack out of its mouth housing very defined teeth on it. There were gill like appendages on both sides of its neck and it had no eyes!
Everyone in the room looked at the odd creature searching for its eyes on any part of its face or body.
Wanda unconsciously took a step back when the mutt turned its head in her direction and growled as if conversing to her then started smelling around the room before dispoearing in a tunnel clearly meant for an emergency exit. That was one weird dog.
Some of the missionaries had tears streaming down their faces clearly grasping the situation they were in. Bringing guns to a powers fight. The unknown gas hadn't affected them as it couldn't penetrate the force fields.
"You're not the one I was expecting."
Wanda turned to see a tall man wearing a tattered straw hat and a ridiculously long gas mask with sharp metallic claws extended from his black gloves, a dirty black jeans and layers of what looked like brown dirty sisal sheets for his upper body. She could smell the fear and chaos radiating from him.
"I was aiming higher on the food chain but I guess you will have to do. I can have lots of fun with that shapeshifting friend of yours and they wouldn't mind." His evil smirk apparent under his modified gas mask.
"What are you talking about? What did you do!?" Wanda demanded. The chaos magic flowing through her veins warning of the impending danger. The guy was powerful enough that the mercenaries started freaking out indicating the gas was now penetrating her force field.
"What anyone who was in my position would do." The guy was intentionally amplifying whatever he was doing since everyone in the force fields started screaming.
"The human mind is too feeble to handle fear and chaos at the any level. You're my first test subjects and can practically taste the breakthroughs and results I will have when I study your brains" he gleamed thinking of what combining the two would do. "I will have to find out how and why you are immune to me."
Everyone fears something and without the proper gear, his fear toxin affects everyone. He could clearly remember the batman succumb to it at one time. He was the only one immune to fear having evolved to produce his own fear toxin more powerful than his gases when he became the scare beast.
Wanda sent a wave of her magic at him sending him flying out the reinforced steel door and an angry Wildmutt in toe.
Wildmutt followed his senses to a ventilation system pumping out that unknown gas. His powerful sense of smell could clearly distinguish it from the others. After chewing down the machine he ran back to find Wanda throw someone who was stinking of that same gas out of the door. He followed to attack having identified the source.
The Scare crow was surprised by her strength but the chaos granted to him enraged him and he started transforming when the shapeshifter attacked him.
"The moment I sensed you I knew I had to see you." Ares appeared out of nowhere in the room and proceeded to examine the force field encasing the mercenaries.
"Chaos" he muttered intrigued running his hands through the magic. "It's beautiful" he declared looking at her. "Art."
"You have a rare gift." He was walking closer to her. "Not many people have the rare chance to represent chaos in the form that you do." He had seen magicians using dark magic and every other form of magic but he had never seen anyone practicing chaos magic.
Wanda's senses identified this guy as powerful judging by his aura with waves of chaos and fear energy radiating off of him. The other guy couldn't compare to him. She reinforced green arrows team force fields watching him.
Wildmut and a transformed scare crow tumbled into the room rolling around using their claws and teeth to tear at each other. The increased out put level of the toxins and the hideous creature he turned into, made the soldiers faint as it was too much for them.
"Forgive my pawn. His abilities seemed adequate enough to attract someone worthy of my time." Ares dismissed the fight happening before extending his hand and with a wave separated the two by sending them against opposite walls.
"We should get going. I'm nolonger interested in this." He gestured to all around them. "You would do just fine in serving me." He told Wanda.
"I'm not going anywhere with you. I'm here to help my friends." She took a defensive stand ready to attack.
"It wasn't a request." Ares turned to her. "You may be the wielder of chaos magic but I AM CHAOS" and to prove his point he snapped his fingers and every force field Wanda created dissipated with everyone landing on their back waking up screaming.
"It's only a matter of time before your friends lose their minds completely." The human mind was not made to perceive this much fear.
"I think she told you No." Ben had changed back to normal when he had recovered from hitting the wall and his watch turned yellow.
Wildmutt wasn't of much help so he decided to change and understood what was happening. According to trixx they had the power to project fear into anyone's mind. Good thing the omnitrix shields his mind from those kinds of telepathic attack.
Not now! he looked at the watch.
Scare crow was still a monster and was getting up.
UNKNOWN CATALOGUE ALIEN DNA DETECTED...preparing to scan... his HUD flashed.
The level of fear gas in the air is at a critical Trixx alerted him. Prolonged exposure to this environment would lead to permanent insanity
"Ah...the shapeshifter!" Ares turned towards the source of the bright green light and voice.
"I believe you're coming with me too. I'll get the rest later." He continued eyeing his watch which had changed color.
"Leave them alone." Ben ordered looking at the guy who appeared out of nowhere.
He must be an alien He thought.
The omnitrix faceplate slid up rotated and a yellow beam shot out covering the distance between him and the guy before scanning him twice in rapid succession.
Ares thought it was an attack and put his arms up in a defensive position but no attack came. The beams retracted back to the watch and he stood confused for a moment.
"What did you do!" He demanded moving forward at the same time scare crow was advancing.
Wanda watched it all unfold as she reactivated her magic and made force fields around everyone again. Most of them passed out. Others mumbled in low tones.
"Nothing. You talk a big game about fear yet you haven't seen fear!" Ben threatened looking down at his now green watch.
"I fear nothing simpleton!" Ares bellowed already tired of this encounter. The scare crow roared clearly backing up his masters statement. Them being conscious or unconcious does not matter he thought summoning his strength.
"We'll see." Ben had a knowing smirk before perusing his watch for a certain alien.
Ares stopped scare crow from attacking curious as to what the shapeshifter was going on about.
Maybe his powers lie in the watch. He watched holograms of various creatures pass slide along indicating he was looking for something.
Ben disappeared in a bright green flash that illuminated the entire underground structure but Ares and Scare crow didn't flinch.
Ares was transfixed in his spot realisation dawning on him as he stared at the creature that replaced the human. That watch was the source of it all. The massive contained energy released from him changing confirmed his theory.
They were staring at a yellow skinned ogre wearing a pair of black briefs with a metal dark green waistline with white bolts on it. It had long mis shapen arms that had spikes protruding from them, a visible belly button and claws for fingers. Glowing green eyes were visible through the bars of a green metal cage helmet worn on his head. The helmet had two horns protruding from the sides of it. The omnitrix symbol was on the helmets extension covering its chest.
"Close your eyes" Ben shouted instructing Wanda who had stopped checking over the others to staring at him in disgust no doubt revolted by Toepicks appearence. She gladly looked away.
"I believe you were holding out on me" Ares signalled scare crow to attack. He wanted that watch. If it did what he thought it did then he had to have it.
Ben had no choice but to use Toepick. An alien he swore never to use unless necessary much like alien X.
They think they know fear...I'll show them fear
There was a reason why the alien was named unknown by Trixx. No one lived to name them after encountering.
Toepicks helmet released small amount of high pressured green gas before opening.
Scare crow stopped advancing shocked at whatever the helmet housed.
He reverted back to his normal form from being a monster and his mind failing to process the creatures face. His face mask fell and his shocked expression turned to terror unable to look away no matter how much he wanted too. Scare crow's supernatural ability to be immune to fear cracked making his knees give out and collapse to the floor.
This was the first time the god of war actually took a step back in fear without his father being the cause. He was staring at the most hideous and horrifying face he had ever seen or much anything he had ever seen.
A god of war, chaos and fear getting slightly terrified and uncomfortable looking at this creature showed how powerful it was.
His brother was a model compared to this creature.
He found his back against the wall after subconsciously retreating away from the monster whose appearence tapped into his primordial fear making him to sweat in fear. Something that has never happened to him.
He sweats during combat with a worthy foe, he sweats when he has sex with Aphrodite, the goddes of love but he never sweats because of fear. He had no fear! was his thought.
He didn't even know he had primordial fears till now.
At that time he forgot about his plans, his brain struggling to comprehend anything as he stared ahead.
Scare crow on the other hand sat up on the ground trembling; hugging his knees shaking his head and murmuring to himself like a mad man.
Lex Luthor was viewing the whole thing go down via the cameras Ares managed to plant undetected inside the underground lair. He was expecting superman but was equally excited when the shapeshifter and the telepath arrived. It seemed Ares was intrigued by her too because he had vanished from his office to go appear in the layer talking to her.
I have to get to her first! she was powerful enough to gain the personal attention of the god of war.
What had him confused was the way the screen became blurred and he could only make out Ares and scare crow because the shapeshifter was green in colour and the rest had a maroon aura around them.
"Is it me or do they look scared" his eyes squinting to make out images in the distorted video feed.