You could hear a pin drop in the city despite the fires and destruction that blanketed it. For one moment I was as if everything was silent. At least that's how it felt to Mark as he stared down Battle Beast, someone he'd entirely forgotten about and was not happy to see. The bipedal lion-like alien was one of the strongest people Mark had fought, even with the powers of Shazam he struggled to even injure him, and had to resort to throwing him into orbit. Now he was back and from the looks of it seemed to have cut a deal with his father. 'Shit...' Mark thought to himself as his muscles tensed. This wasn't good, he needed to get to help Galatea, and then get to the watchtower, he didn't have time for this.
"Battle Beast... please, I'm asking you to postpone our fight, I have importent things I must do," Mark said pleadingly, the alien had been reasonable the last time they met, Mark hoped that the same would be true now.
What came instead was a deep rumbling laughter that seemed to echo through the street. "For months I drifted around your planet waiting for you to return, waiting for so we may continue our glorious battle..." he said whilst starting to walk towards Mark, his heavy steps almost cracking the concrete beneath him.
"Yet you never came... and you left me to that dishonourable fate," he growled, a slight rumble coming from his throat.
Mark tensed more as the beast got closer. "I apologise for that, but there were reasons I could not come and get you," Mark said, attempting to reason. "I can't fight you now, my women need my help."
"Fighting, Women and Eating, those are the three things a man has in his life," Battle Beast said drawing his huge mace from the holster on his back. "It seems I must remind you of the first aspect."
"Stop can we just talk, I—" Mark tried to say.
"THE TIME FOR WORDS IS OVER!" Battle Beast roared. He then shot off his feet, cratering the ground beneath him as he launched himself towards Mark.
Mark was completely caught off guard by the aliens speed and only just got his arms up to block the mace that slammed into him. "AAAAAHGGGG!" Mark shouted as he felt his bones crack underneath the Beasts power. He was thrown across the city, rolling across the concrete streets and through buildings as he tried to stop himself, he eventually came to a stop when he flipped over and dug his hands into the ground, making two lines in the concrete.
"Fuck!" Mark shouted to himself as he looked at the dark purple welts on his arms. 'That was so much stronger than it was last time.' Mark clenched his fists checking he still had use of his arms.
"Eve, how are we doing?" Mark asked as he shot off the ground and into the air.
[Structural Intergrity at 67%]
"MARK GRAYSON!!!" Battle Beast roared as he travelled through the air leaping from building to building. Mark shot towards him with his fist drawn back. Battle Beast held his Mace up in the air, Mark tensed as he readied himself to avoid it. What the young Viltrumite didn't expect was for Battle Beast to throw it; the large projectile flew at him with a sonic boom, and due to Marks speed already he had not chance to avoid it. Mark could only adjust his position so that it glanced off his side.
*BOOM*
"AHHHHH!" Mark yelled out as he felt the left side of his ribs shatter. Yet he couldn't nurse them as just behind the Mace was Battle Beast himself who drew both hands up and clasped them before hitting them into Mark sending him smashing down into the street below creating a massive crater.
[Warning: Structural Integrity at 34%]
[Mark, you can not fight him, you need to run] Eve said. Despite her being mostly it almost sounded like there was concern in her voice.
Mark stood up blood leaking from almost every orifice *cough* a glob of blood spilled from his mouth along with a few teeth.
*BOOM*
The sound of Battle Beast landing in front of him made Mark look up. The alien monster had a wild grin on his face, as if he was having the time of his life. "Mark Grayson, where is the viciousness that I saw once before, where is that spark!" He roared as he picked up his Mace once more.
"You were a predator! Someone truly worth fighting, but the man I see before me is only prey," he said, not bothering to hide the disappointment in his voice. "FIGHT ME LIKE YOU WANT TO KILL ME! LET US BOTH BE CONSUMED WITH DEATH AND GLORIOUS BATTLE!!!"
Mark didn't respond. He moved instantly, breaking the sound barrier as he shot toward Battle Beast. The first strike connected with the flat of the mace—Mark's fist crashed into it, detonating a shockwave that shattered the glass on both sides of the street. Battle Beast grinned as he twisted, letting Mark's momentum carry him past, then pivoted and slammed the mace down. Mark darted sideways, but the head of the weapon clipped his shoulder, cratering the asphalt and sending Mark bouncing across the street like a skipping stone.
He recovered mid-roll, grit and blood in his mouth, and launched himself back with a burst of inverted gravity. He twisted midair, cocked his arm, and sent a Red Sphere streaking into the ground at Battle Beast. It detonated with a boom, sending the warlord stumbling.
"Tricks," Battle Beast growled, leaping through the dust cloud.
They collided again.
Mark ducked under a horizontal swing, rose with an uppercut, caught nothing. Battle Beast blurred past, caught Mark in a bearhug from behind, and suplexed him through the hood of a police car, the entire frame of it folding inward with a metallic scream. Mark coughed blood. Battle Beast didn't pause—he brought the mace down like a piston. Mark rolled, barely escaping as the weapon drove the car into the earth, sparks and flame erupting around them. Mark flung a Blue Sphere at the mace, ripping it from Battle Beast's grip as the gravity snapped sideways.
Battle Beast didn't hesitate. Fangs bared, he slammed a fist into Mark's ribs—two, three, four times in rapid succession, breaking something inside each time. Mark spat blood onto the warlord's chest, then parried the other punch's before he grabbed him by the throat and flew upward, dragging him into the air. The clouds parted as they rose past the rooftops. At 200 feet, Mark slammed Battle Beast into the side of a building.
Battle Beast drove his knee into Mark's spine, twisted free, and pushed off the building and tackled him through the adjacent skyscraper. They erupted from the far side like cannonballs. Both fighters tumbled in the air, grappling mid-flight, twisting and flipping end over end.
"You are still holding back!!!" Battle Beast snarled mid-fall. "YOU ARE FIGHTING FOR YOUR LIFE!!!"
They smashed into the Gotham courthouse, obliterating the front steps and sending a marble column toppling like a tree. Mark landed hard, then pulled gravity inward beneath his feet—a localized increase, pinning himself in place just in time to catch Battle Beast's flying elbow. The blow cracked the sidewalk. Mark grunted, shoved back, and overlaid a Red Sphere on his forearm, punching Battle Beast square in the chest. The gravitational compression slammed the warlord thirty feet backward, toppling a lamp post and embedding him in a buildings brick wall.
Mark coughed, one eye swelling shut. "Maybe you're not worth my best." In hindsight it was a stupid thing to say, but Mark was pissed off.
Battle Beast stepped from the rubble laughing. "Let's see if I can draw it out of you."
Then he was on him again.
Mark took a blow to the jaw—felt his neck twist dangerously—and rolled with it, ducking under a follow-up and jabbing Battle Beast in the ribs. He overlaid another Red Sphere mid-strike, the pulse blasting Battle Beast back—but the alien grabbed a car mid-flight and hurled it like a discus. Mark met it midair and split it in two with a punch, only for Battle Beast to appear and bring both fists down into his chest.
The ground cratered beneath them.
Mark lay dazed, vision blurring. Battle Beast reached for his throat. Mark shot a Red Sphere at the ground between them—it detonated, launching both into the air. In that moment of weightlessness, Mark fired three more spheres in rapid succession—Blue behind, Red to the left, Red to the right. The Blue pulled Battle Beast into the center of the formation, the twin Reds slammed inward, a gravitational pincer strike that folded space for a second and crushed him between them.
The alien roared in fury, twisting out of the blast zone midair and caught Mark by the ankle, swinging him like a weapon. Mark smashed into a building, then another, glass and brick exploding around him. He recovered mid-spin, slowed himself with inverted gravity, and kicked off the alien. They both then rushed towards each other.
Then the real barrage began.
Mark ducked under a left, drove a Blue-charged punch into Battle Beast's jaw—then fired a Red Sphere point-blank into his chest, sending the warlord backward. Mark followed, struck twice to the ribs, then kicked Battle Beast into the side of a parking structure. He formed another Blue in front of the alien, pulling him forward again into a waiting uppercut—but Battle Beast caught the punch this time and bit Mark's forearm, fangs puncturing skin. Mark screamed, twisted free, and slammed a Red into the ground to blast them apart.
They landed separately.
Mark stood, blood running down his arm. "You're insane."
Battle Beast pounded his chest, spitting flesh and blood. "No I am alive! Show me you are too!"
The pavement cracked beneath Mark's feet as he rose, both arms trembling. Blood ran in thick lines down his jaw and shoulder, his breathing ragged. He clenched his fists and raised both hands to the sky—ten Red and Blue Spheres exploded outward in a perfect ring, each one larger than a car, spinning fast enough to make the air scream.
"Alright..." he muttered through his teeth. "You wanted my best?"
He brought his arms down.
The spheres collapsed inward.
Buildings tilted. Glass shattered. The wind was ripped out of the block as gravitational vectors twisted space. Battle Beast's stance shifted—he dropped low, gripping the ground to resist the crushing forces, but the Blue Spheres pulled at his limbs and ground against his skin and muscle as if trying to spaghettify him , while the Red ones detonated in bursts of explosive force, cratering everything within 300 feet. A bus was hurled end-over-end into a nearby building. Streetlamps twisted into knots and the very ground shook as if there was an earthquake.
Mark dove through all of it. He came from below—fist rising like a piston, Blue-enhanced—and slammed it into Battle Beast's gut. Before the alien could even register the pain, a Red Sphere detonated behind his neck, rocketing his head forward and into Mark's waiting elbow. He staggered back, stunned, but still laughing.
"You learn! GOOD!"
Mark didn't reply.
Instead, he dropped back to the ground, dragged his hand through the air—and began building something massive. A swirling spiral of Blue and Red formed in his right hand, expanding outward and merging in arcs of volatile gravitational current. Sparks of unnatural purple energy flickered around it, like a star being born inside his palm.
He gritted his teeth. The ground vibrated.
"PURPLE..."
He thrust his arm forward.
A beam of impossible color erupted, a horizontal spiral of gravitational obliteration that screamed as it tore through the street—disintegrating concrete, metal, and even light itself in a single line. Battle Beast's eyes widened just enough for Mark to see the hesitation, as he shifted from blocking to dodging.
But it was too late.
The beam caught his left arm.
It didn't slice. It erased. The limb vanished from bicep down, leaving a ragged stump. Blood sprayed into the air. Battle Beast hurled himself backwards, spinning through debris and crashing into a derelict building three blocks down.
The building didn't survive.
It collapsed on top of him in a cloud of ash and flame.
Mark fell to one knee, gasping, the skin around his hand charred from the feedback. His body trembled.
[Eve: Structural Integrity 15%... warning... synaptic feedback approaching fatal limit...]
He ignored it.
The ground rumbled.
Then, from the crater of rubble, a roar.
Battle Beast exploded from the ruins—bloodied, burning, missing a limb—and smiling wider than before.
"I'VE NEVER BEEN CUT THAT DEEP!" he bellowed. "NEVER! NOT EVEN BY THE DRAGONS OF VYRHAL!"
He hit Mark before he could move.
The punch cracked ribs—sent Mark skipping across the asphalt like a rock on water. He hit the side of a garbage truck and went through it. Steel folded. Fluids spilled. Before he could even think, Battle Beast was on him again. A knee slammed into his chest, crushing more ribs. A backhand spun Mark end over end. His body bounced off the ground. Then a hand closed around his throat, lifted him into the air—and slammed him down headfirst into the pavement.
Once.
Twice.
The third time, the street split.
Mark was dazed. His eyes unfocused. Blood poured freely from his nose and ears. Battle Beast grabbed him by the collar, lifted him again, and roared in his face. "NOW YOU FIGHT LIKE A PREDATOR!"
He slammed his fist into Mark's stomach—hard enough that Mark vomited blood. Another blow—into his spine. Another—across the jaw. Mark's body sagged, arms limp, face ruined. Then Battle Beast brought his elbow down into Mark's collarbone. Something snapped. Mark screamed.
"WHERE IS YOUR FURY, VILTRUMITE? WHERE IS THE ANIMAL I SAW IN YOUR EYES MOMENTS AGO?!"
Mark flailed—tried to raise his hand. A flicker of Blue gathered at his fingertips.
Battle Beast caught it and crushed his wrist.
Bones ground together. Mark shrieked.
Then the lion-warrior twisted, spun, and hurled Mark through the side of a nearby building, sending bricks and beams flying. He followed, crashing through the opposite wall, grabbing Mark mid-air, and slamming him down again—this time through the floor.
They dropped five stories.
They landed in a parking garage, surrounded by burning cars and broken concrete. Mark barely moved.
Battle Beast stood over him, chest heaving, left arm a ragged stump, but his expression wild with ecstasy. "This... this is glory."
Mark coughed blood. "This is... insanity."
Battle Beast crouched beside him. "The only worth a man will ever know is what he creates for himself."
"Every fight, every hunt, every battle, they craft my legacy, they prove my existence!" Then he stood and dragged Mark back to his feet by the hair. Mark punched weakly—once—twice. Neither hit had any effect. His arms dropped again.
Battle Beast drove his knee into Mark's face.
The sound was wet.
Mark crumpled.
But Battle Beast didn't finish him.
Instead, he stood back, pacing slowly in a wide circle. "Get up. I know there's more in you. That wasn't it. Not really. That was desperation. I want wrath."
Mark groaned. Couldn't lift his head. He coughed again. It was wet, thick, and rattled in his chest. He couldn't see out of one eye. His arms barely moved. He lay there, broken and silent, as Battle Beast circled him like a lion around a dying animal.
"Eve," Mark rasped internally, his voice barely a whisper. "Status... report."
There was a pause.
[Thirteen ribs shattered. Two pierced the lung. Left clavicle in four fragments. Ulna and radius in the right arm both snapped. Massive internal bleeding. Skull fracture—temporal lobe. Mandible cracked. You have a partially detached retina. Structural integrity is at 9%. You're close to death.]
Mark exhaled shakily. "Strip the armor. Focus on holding me together."
[Mark—]
"Now."
There was a second's hesitation. Then the nanoweave plating over his chest, limbs, and back shimmered, pixelated, and retracted—leaving only the thin black mesh against his skin. He felt the pressure inside his body shift as Eve rerouted energy and support systems.
[Redirecting all remaining nanite control to skeletal stabilization and internal organ integrity. I'll... I'll keep the bones from grinding into your organs. I can slow the blood loss. But you still can't fight him. It's not enough.]
Mark's voice came out hoarse. "What would be enough?"
Eve was quiet again.
[There's something I could do...] she said finally. [A direct override. I can trigger synthetic stimulation to your hypothalamus and adrenal medulla. Push the glands into maximum production—force your body into hyper-adrenal activation. Channelling Nanites into that section of the brain would increase adrenaline production a hundredfold.]
Mark blinked slowly, the world still spinning.
"Do it."
[Mark... the moment I do, it could rupture pathways in your brain. Your synapses won't hold. You'll be fighting on nothing but primal instinct. You'd be alive—but not... you.]
"I'll heal."
[You will,] she said. [But between now and then... I don't know what you'll be. You won't have higher brain function. No judgment. No reasoning.]
Mark's head lolled to the side. His fingers twitched.
"Do it."
There was no more argument.
[Initializing override.]
A hum built in the back of his skull. He felt heat—then pressure—then something tear inside his head. Vision flared white. Every nerve ignited like it was on fire. Something deep inside him screamed. Not fear. Not anger.
Pure rage.
Then Mark's body jerked.
He snapped upright like a puppet yanked by invisible strings. Muscles that had failed a moment ago bulged tight beneath torn skin. His chest rose in rapid, shallow breaths. His left eye, bloodied and swollen, twitched—then locked on Battle Beast.
There was no recognition in that gaze.
Only hate.
Battle Beast stopped pacing.
His smile widened.
___________________________
Nolan burst out of the building in a streak of red and white, eyes locked on Batman like a missile. Smoke trailed off his back as he closed the gap between them.
Batman activated his suit's thrusters, darting sideways just in time to avoid Nolan's outstretched fist, which punched through a rooftop air-conditioning unit behind him, scattering shards of metal in every direction. Batman pivoted sharply, seizing the brief opening. Hydraulic joints whined as he drove a brutal uppercut directly into Nolan's ribs, followed by a heavy, armored fist to his jaw, snapping Nolan's head back sharply.
Nolan recovered instantly, snarling as he grabbed Batman by the arm and whipped him overhead, slamming him into the concrete rooftop. Batman felt the suit's impact dampeners buckle slightly, his vision briefly flickering red with warnings. Ignoring the alerts, he immediately fired a grappling cable from his wrist gauntlet around Nolan's neck, pulling tight as he activated the suit's thrusters, dragging Nolan violently across the rooftop toward the edge.
Nolan, choking momentarily, regained his balance just before the ledge and reached up, snapping the cable easily with his bare hands. Before Batman could retreat, Nolan lunged, closing the gap instantly and burying a vicious punch into Batman's abdomen. The blow bent the reinforced plating inward, cracking ribs beneath and knocking the breath from Batman's lungs. He stumbled back, barely managing to raise his arms defensively in time for Nolan's follow-up punch aimed directly at his head.
The force of the strike rattled through Batman's arms and shoulders, nearly buckling him to his knees. The suit absorbed most of the damage, but internal diagnostics flashed urgently in his peripheral vision. Batman activated a pulse emitter embedded in his gauntlet, releasing a powerful sonic burst point-blank into Nolan's face. Nolan recoiled, clutching his ears in agony, stumbling backward a step—exactly the opening Batman needed.
He lunged forward, mechanical joints roaring, striking Nolan's chin with a thunderous hook, then hammering repeated blows into his midsection, precisely aimed to maximize pain. Nolan staggered, spitting blood, but as Batman swung again, Nolan caught his armored wrist and twisted sharply, wrenching Batman's arm behind him with brutal force. Batman felt tendons pop in his shoulder, grimacing against the pain, and swiftly activated his thrusters again, pivoting violently to wrench himself free.
But Nolan was relentless, driving another savage blow into Batman's side, denting armor plates further and forcing Batman backward across the rooftop. Batman fired two smoke grenades from his shoulder-mounted dispensers. The rooftop erupted in dense, choking smoke. Batman activated thermal optics instantly, watching as Nolan momentarily hesitated.
Batman moved quickly, flanking Nolan and delivering a precise, calculated strike to his lower spine, forcing him briefly to his knees. Before Nolan could react, Batman jammed a taser gauntlet against the exposed flesh of Nolan's neck, sending millions of volts surging through him. Nolan roared, his body spasming as electricity coursed through his nerves, briefly immobilizing him. Batman didn't waste the opening, hammering a brutal knee into Nolan's temple, staggering him even further.
But Nolan's resilience was monstrous. Despite his pain, he lashed out blindly, catching Batman's shoulder plate and tearing it partially from the suit's chassis. Batman reeled, balance momentarily lost, and Nolan pressed his advantage, following up with a punch so heavy that it cracked the chest plating of Batman's armor open, exposing circuitry and leaving Batman gasping beneath.
Batman released a cluster of flash-bangs directly at Nolan's feet. The explosions disoriented Nolan again, buying Batman precious seconds to regain distance. He launched himself upwards with his thrusters, then fired a net of carbon-weave cables downward, wrapping Nolan tightly and anchoring him momentarily to the rooftop. Nolan growled, flexing his muscles to snap the restraints, but before he could free himself completely, Batman descended from above, driving both armored boots squarely into Nolan's chest with crushing force. The impact drove Nolan downward through multiple floors of the building beneath them, rubble collapsing inward as they crashed to ground level. Batman quickly rolled clear, thrusters stabilizing him on landing, scanning rapidly for Nolan's location amidst the wreckage.
Nolan erupted from beneath a collapsed girder, snarling furiously, charging with blinding speed. Batman barely managed to brace himself before Nolan collided into him like a speeding train, carrying them through several concrete walls. The suit's structural integrity plummeted dangerously as Batman's vision blurred from the repeated impacts. Batman dragged himself upright amidst the rubble, the damaged suit sparking and hissing around him. He barely had time to recalibrate before Nolan surged forward again, pure fury driving his attacks. Batman sidestepped a crushing blow, countering with a swift, hydraulically-enhanced punch to Nolan's kidneys, forcing a pained grunt from the Viltrumite. But Nolan spun quickly, delivering a vicious elbow to Batman's helmet that cracked the reinforced visor, sending Batman flying backward.
Batman rapidly activated his thrusters, regaining balance as Nolan closed in. He fired miniature rockets from his gauntlets directly into Nolan's chest, the concussive blasts staggering him momentarily. Seizing the brief opening, Batman lunged forward, landing blow after brutal blow, each strike targeted precisely to joints, nerves, and vulnerable points. Nolan roared, blood streaming from his mouth, his face twisted in rage.
Batman grabbed two specialized sonic emitters from hidden compartments on his armor, slamming them onto Nolan's back. They activated instantly, releasing a piercing high-frequency shriek that drove Nolan to his knees, gripping his head and screaming in agony. Batman didn't hesitate, hammering relentless punches into Nolan's face and torso, mechanical joints whining loudly with each impact. Nolan staggered further, dazed and overwhelmed by the sonic assault.
Before Batman could land another strike, a powerful blow caught him from the side, sending him crashing into nearby debris. Lucan stood, snarling viciously. "I'll squash you like the insect you are," he growled, advancing menacingly toward Batman.
A fierce shout echoed through the shattered street. "Where the hell do you think you're going?!" Galatea, bloodied and furious, barreled into Lucan, slamming her fists into his face and chest with brutal force. She lifted him off the ground, driving him back through a shattered storefront, concrete and glass exploding around them. Lucan tried to fight back, but Galatea's fury was overwhelming; she hurled him across the street into a parked vehicle that crumpled beneath his impact. Without pause, she turned her wrath onto Anissa, who had recovered and charged toward her. The two clashed fiercely, their blows echoing thunderously through the ruins.
Meanwhile, Nolan staggered to his feet, eyes blazing as he slammed his back into a nearby wall, crushing the sonic emitters. The high-pitched assault ceased instantly. Breathing heavily, Nolan flew at Batman once more, tackling him violently and driving him across the pavement, sparks flying from Batman's damaged armor.
Nolan pinned Batman down, sneering through bloodied teeth. "You put up a good fight for a human. But at the end of the day, that's all you are—a human."
Batman struggled beneath Nolan's grasp, breathing heavily. "I never planned to beat you. I just needed to distract you long enough."
Nolan's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Long enough for what?"
Batman smiled grimly beneath his cracked helmet. "For them to come."
At that instant, a sonic boom echoed overhead. Nolan turned sharply, eyes widening in realization as streaks of color and power shot through the smoky sky. Superman descended swiftly, landing beside Batman, his expression grave. Wonder Woman and Martian Manhunter followed closely, their eyes locked fiercely on Nolan. Hawkgirl flapped her wings hovering above, joined swiftly by Aquaman and the Flash, who skidded to a halt in a blur of red and gold lightning.
Nolan rose slowly, fists clenched, aware of the sheer force now arrayed against him. Batman stood alongside his allies, battered but unwavering. The Justice League had arrived.
___________________________
The Javelin pierced through Earth's atmosphere gliding silently into the void of space. Inside, Harley cradled Lucy in her arms holding her tightly as the she squirmed against her chest. Sam sat by a window, her eyes fixed on the shrinking blue planet below, while Cass sat quietly, her hands folded and her legs tucked to her chest. Kori piloted the Javelin putting in the coordinates to the watchtower now that they'd broken through the atmosphere.
Sam turned from the window and said, "Is Mark gonna be alright?"
Harley's jaw tightened, her anger at Mark still simmering. "Fuck him, I hope he gets his ass kicked," she said. Her eyes darted to Lucy, softening for a moment, betraying a flicker of worry she couldn't fully hide.
Kori glanced back flashing them with a reassuring smile. "Mark is strong, and he has faced many challenges before. He will be fine, I am certain," she said. Her own eyes, however, lingered on the stars outside, a subtle crease of concern betraying her cheerful tone.
Kori activated the comms and said, "Watchtower, this is Javelin One, requesting permission to dock."
A voice crackled through the speakers. "Javelin One, you are cleared for approach. Docking bay is open, proceed to Bay Three," it replied.
Kori guided the Javelin toward the Watchtower aligning it with the open bay. The Javelin slid into the docking bay, clamps engaging with a soft thunk as the craft settled. Kori powered down the engines, stood, and turned to the group. "Come, my friends, let us go to the common area. It is a most welcoming place!" she said, her voice brimming with enthusiasm.
Harley rolled her eyes but stood, shifting Lucy to her hip. "Whatever, let's just get this over with," she said, following Kori as they exited the Javelin. Sam and Cass trailed behind, their footsteps echoing in the corridor. Kori led them through the Watchtower's halls guiding them to a spacious common area with wide viewports showcasing the stars. Tables and chairs were scattered about, and a few heroes lounged, glancing curiously at the newcomers.
"Feel free to enjoy any of the services here or to satisfy your hunger," Kori said with a smile to the others. She then turned to Harley and said, "Would you come with me, please? There is someone you must meet!"
Harley sighed, adjusting Lucy's weight. "Fine, whatever, lead the way," she said, woth annoyance. Kori smiled brightly and gestured for Harley to follow, leading her down another corridor toward the medical wing. As they walked, Kori's eyes kept drifting to Harley and Lucy, her gaze lingering on the baby's small form.
Harley noticed and snapped, "You got a problem or somethin'?"
Kori's smile widened, undeterred. "Oh, no, absolutely not! I am just envious of the child you share with Mark. I have coupled with him, yet his seed has not taken root in my womb," she said.
Harley rolled her eyes. "Jeez is there anyone Mark hasn't slept with?" she said.
Kori opened her mouth to respond, her expression earnest. "Well, there is Diana, and Zatanna, and I believe he has not been with—" she said.
"I didn't mean literally!" Harley shouted, cutting her off.
Kori giggled and said, "My apologies, I misunderstood!" Her laughter was light, almost musical, as she continued leading the way. "You must be excited to meet your fellow sister wives and for Lucy to meet her siblings!"
Harley stopped, her brow furrowing. "Siblings? Sister wives?" she said.
Kori nodded, her eyes sparkling. "Oh, yes! There is Raven and her son, Waylon. And currently, Kara is in the process of giving birth to her child," she said.
Harley's lips pressed into a thin line. She knew about his family, but for some reason it nagged at her being called a sister wife, she hoped they were at least sexy. She rolled her eyes, her voice dripping with mock enthusiasm. "Oh, great, a big ol' family reunion. Can't wait," she said, her sarcasm biting as she adjusted Lucy and followed Kori.
As they approached the medical wing, a piercing scream echoed through the corridor. Harley's steps slowed, her grip on Lucy tightening, while Kori's expression softened with concern. They reached the medical wing, and Kori pushed open the door to the delivery room, where Kara lay on a reinforced bed, her screams filling the air. Nurses bustled around, and the Atom, stood nearby, monitoring equipment that flickered erratically.
Raven was at Kara's side but turned as Kori and Harley entered. She rushed to Kori and said, "Where's Mark?"
Kori's smile faltered, but she kept her tone gentle. "He could not come. The Viltrumites attacked, and he is fighting them now," she said.
Raven's face tightened, and she said, "I need to go help him."
Kori placed a hand on Raven's arm and said, "Kara needs you here. Mark will be victorious. A clone of Kara is there, assisting him."
Raven frowned. "A clone of Kara?" she said.
Before Kori could explain, another scream tore from Kara, and a nurse shouted, "It's almost time!"
Kori turned to Ray, moving quickly to his side. "Mark told me to inform you that Harley and Lucy are here. Lucy is his child. He said you would know what this means," she said.
Ray nodded. He turned to a nurse and said, "Continue with the birth. Get me if you need me." He gestured to Kori and Harley, leading them out of the delivery room to a nearby lab. "Harley, come with me," he said.
Harley followed, still cradling Lucy, with Kori close behind. In the lab, Ray prepared a small syringe and said, "I need to take a blood sample from her. It may cause her to cry."
Harley's eyes narrowed, but she nodded. "Fine, just make it quick," she said.
Ray carefully inserted the needle into Lucy's arm, and the baby wailed, just as expected. Harley rocked her gently, murmuring, "Shh, it's okay, pumpkin, it's over now." Ray placed the sample into an analyzer, the machine humming as it processed the blood. He turned to Harley and said, "Thank you. I have everything I need. You can go now."
Harley nodded, still comforting Lucy as she walked out of the lab, the baby's cries softening to whimpers in her arms. Kori lingered for a moment, watching Ray work at the analyzer, before she turned and headed back into the delivery room. Inside, Kara lay on the reinforced bed, her screams echoing through the medical wing, the equipment around her flickering.
A nurse leaned over, checking Kara's dilation. "You're doing so well, Kara!" the nurse said. "You're close now, the baby is coming, keep pushing!"
"I can't..." Kara said, her voice breaking as tears streamed down her face.
Raven moved to Kara's side, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Do you hear that, Kara?" she said softly. "You're close. I know it hurts now, but keep pushing. It'll be over soon."
"AAAAHHHHHHH!" Kara screamed, gripping the bedrails, the metal completely snapping off under her strength as she pushed, the room trembling with the intensity of her effort.
As she did that, Raven moved over to a small monitor and put on any news station that was covering the events of the attack. As soon as she saw the news footage coming from the helicopter she knew she couldn't stay here, entire districts in Gotham had been turned into ruins. "Kori... stay with Kara I'm going," she said resolutely before she waved her hand; forming across her body was her hero outfit as well as her dark purple cape.
"Raven, I believe Mark will be okay, but Friend Kara needs us," Kori said trying to convince her.
"He is my husband, and I am his wife, he came for me into the void to save me, I won't let him face this alone," She said as she moved past her old team mate. Though before she left she turned around and said one more thing.
"Please look after Waylon until I return."
(AN: So here we go the birth is nearly there and we have two big fights coming up next chapter. You know I've been thinking about the end of this and I think some people won't be happy with how things end. But tbh it's just the way it goes and it'll help introduce some important characters in a different capacity. But yeah it'll be good and it'll be entirely different from canon which I like, nothing turns me on more than not following canon 🫦. Anywayyyyy hope you enjoyed the chapter.)
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