Life Ore Death - DC Feruchemy [Young Justice]

[OakHazel760]

"Even Talia shall have learned to obey me. She shall be my queen when she recovers from her lesson,

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Anyone else worried that this "lesson" will cause her to lose the baby?

 

[TonedMite]

Anyone else worried that this "lesson" will cause her to lose the baby?

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That may be his intent. He may not want Talia to have a child by Bruce.

If that is the case, though... shudders

 

[Stripes]

@Obloquy

A world-building question for you, Good Writer (yes, I am currently quite deep in obsessing over Bloodborne :3): How, by your wager, close to canon YJ timeline LOD would have turned out without Renka Tindwysra poking in and making a mess?

 

[Obloquy]

@Obloquy

A world-building question for you, Good Writer (yes, I am currently quite deep in obsessing over Bloodborne :3): How, by your wager, close to canon YJ timeline LOD would have turned out without Renka Tindwysra poking in and making a mess?

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Well, she arguably ended up in this particular Earth in part because a few things had already changed/been made different -- Wonder Woman and Donna Troy, arguably (due to my not being incredibly in-touch with how they were in YJ canon), as well as L8 arriving before Renka did, and then there's Vandal Savage's whole different thing with Darkseid than canon YJ -- so it would've been different.

What would those differences be, exactly? Even with Ferris running around, Season 1 was relatively similar to canon YJ, but there probably would've been bigger divergences in the time skip (though not as big as are happening with Ferris,) leading to a probably recognizable-but-different Season 2.

It's pretty much Author's Fiat to say whether the differences would've been mostly cosmetic, or whether there would've been a BIG divergence point that made everything change, or even maybe if some butterflies would've flapped and knocked things back towards how YJ canon went.

Season 3 would be unrecognizable unless things went so crazy they looped back around, but Season 2 is a judgment call.

 

[Stripes]

What would those differences be, exactly? Even with Ferris running around, Season 1 was relatively similar to canon YJ, but there probably would've been bigger divergences in the time skip (though not as big as are happening with Ferris,) leading to a probably recognizable-but-different Season 2.

It's pretty much Author's Fiat to say whether the differences would've been mostly cosmetic, or whether there would've been a BIG divergence point that made everything change, or even maybe if some butterflies would've flapped and knocked things back towards how YJ canon went.

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To put it simply, first I realized that ongoing Fuster Cluck is Most Definitely Ferris Fault... But than I realized that events happen in Expanded universe.

Still, on the surface? Ferris radical methodology result in Sportsmaster receiving notable dosage of Venom, which in turn prompts him to search for Antidote... Which, in turn, results in Bane Intelligence restored.

And so, Lighthouse of Alexandria shine on!

 

[Obloquy]

While you're waiting for the coming update, (it'll be posted tomorrow unless some IRL issue pops up,) here's a draft of an in-universe document Ferris hasn't got to around to writing just yet, but eventually she'll do it, because reasons.

++++++++++++++

PROPOSED GUIDELINES FOR DECIDING THE INHERITANCE OF A HERO'S MANTLE​

Rationale: As a result of naturally occurring growth and development, there has begun tradition—or at least (for lack of a better word,) a habit—among apprentice heroes to assume a new name when they "graduate" into a journeyman position, especially if the individual's original name included youth-specific descriptors (such as Kid Flash, Aqualad, and Batgirl).

There is also a (currently) short history of passing on a heroic name/mantle to a chosen successor upon retirement, and of taking up a name/mantle to honor a fallen hero and continue their legacy.

While no such disagreements have yet erupted, as time progresses and certain legacies grow larger, it may be inevitable that there eventually will be disagreement between people over 1) whether a certain individual is fit to carry on a certain mantle/legacy, 2) which of multiple possible successors is most suitable to take over a specific legacy, and 3) which members of said legacy should have the final say when making such decisions.

While I hope that all involved would be mature and responsible enough to settle the matter with reason and debate, (rather than, say, the split-lip-inducing tussle among my teammates used to claim that last slice of REDACTED's cake,) I recognize that heritage and worthiness are passion-inducing subjects prone to making tempers fray. As such, I have authored a (non-binding) set of proposed guidelines in advance of such troubles, in the hopes that they may prevent impassioned arguments and be used as a neutral and unbiased method of deciding such decisions.

Ultimately, this guide is no more valid than any other method of making such decisions, but I have done my best to word them as neutrally as possible, in the hopes that the unlucky individuals who lose a debate of mantle inheritance may at least know that {to be filled in as soon as I think of something appropriate}


Rules of thumb to use as tiebreakers:

1) The creator of a Mantle should have the largest say, followed by the current (or most recent) user of the name. Please note that the creator may not necessarily be the first person to use the name.

For instance, Green Arrow I originally gave Red Arrow I the name/mantle "Speedy" upon taking him as an apprentice, and thus Green Arrow I would have priority in deciding whether Individual A should become Speedy II if he and Red Arrow I should disagree.​

​

Conversely, Flash I (Jay Garrick of the JSA) gave the name "Flash" to Flash II (designation 04 of the Justice League) because he approved of Flash II's desire to carry on the Flash legacy. Whether or not Flash I could or should be able to revoke the Mantle "Flash" is a matter to be debated elsewhere, but according to these proposed rules, Flash I would have priority over Flash II were they to disagree about a candidate's worthiness of becoming Flash III.​

2) In the (currently hypothetical) event of a disagreement between multiple members of a legacy—this is intended for a mantle that has had 4 or more bearers—as to the inheritance of a name or mantle, these rules propose the matter be decided as follows:

First, draw up a list of everyone who is/has been a recognized member of the legacy, dead or alive (or otherwise).

When in doubt, I advocate for inclusion over exclusion of candidates unless a given candidate has notably disgraced their connection to the name through misdeeds, but do not be afraid to make multiple lists and repeat these exercises, should the list-makers disagree over candidates.​

Second, order the list as follows. At the top, place the name of the individual who created the name/mantle. Beneath the creator, place the name of the individual who is currently (or was mostly recently) using the mantle. List the other names below the first two in decreasing order (from most to least) based on the amount of time each individual has spent as the bearer of the mantle.

I would not count hours when calculating this, but I might count days if weeks or months result in a tie, or one might simply allot them equivalent point-values​

Third, write the number 1 beside the bottommost name, write the number 2 beside the name immediately above it, and continue to increase the count in increments of 1 as you go up the list until all names have numbers.

The numbers represent the point value of each individual's vote.​

Finally, consult each individual for their informed vote; members of the legacy who cannot be reached are considered to ABSTAIN.

Majority rules—and it should be a majority, rather than a plurality.



Addendums:

When deciding between three or more candidates with the result of a tie or a plurality, have each individual on the list vote YES, NO, or ABSTAIN for whether each individual candidate would be—in the absence of other candidates who may or may not be comparatively better than the individual in question—an acceptable successor to the mantle and legacy. Remove from candidacy all candidates who do not receive a majority YES in their individual assessment and repeat the vote between them.

If a deceased or unavailable member of the mantle in question's legacy was known to have expressed opinions or to have left written testimony (or instructions with a proxy) regarding desirable characteristics to look for in a future successor, then that should be taken into account toward deciding the allotment of their points. If multiple candidates meet the requirements, then calculate two totals, one with the unavailable member's points divided evenly between the suitable candidates, and one with the unavailable member's point-value allotted in total to each applicable candidate (in which case all present members of the legacy might also vote the same way).

The next of kin (or appropriately close teammates) of deceased member of the legacy can be consulted to decide their vote in absentia, but if there is more than one such person remaining then I advise consulting as many as can be reached for a consensus.

If a vote is inconclusive, then the list with accompanying point values may be rewritten to list the name of the current/most recent user of the name twice – once in second-from-the-top position, and again in accordance to the amount of time spent in the mantle; this may also be applied to the creator of the name/mantle, if applicable.

If there is doubt regarding which of the possible candidates should inherit a mantle, then no one should get it until a decisive vote.

If there is doubt regarding whether an individual is fit to inherit a mantle, then those opposed might be persuaded to name a condition under which they could be persuaded to give their approval to the candidate.

These rules are not intended to be binding, nor should anyone use them to play politics with a legacy. Adhering to the letter (as written) rather than to the spirit (of deciding difficult things fairly) is improper and should be discouraged. They are merely an available method I provide as an alternative to emotional conflict, and I thank you for any consideration you give them.

 

[Daecl]

Ah, the Batman mantle.

Fun times, determining who'll be the Bat. Especially since Dick hasn't even become Nightwing yet.

 

[ccstat]

an in-universe document Ferris hasn't got to around to writing just yet, but eventually she'll do it, because reasons.

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Ah. It's because all those magical girls they meet during the crisis are going to fight over the name "Magelet" when Zatanna finally settles on a new name. No other possibility, really.

in the hopes that the unlucky individuals who lose a debate of mantle inheritance may at least know that {to be filled in as soon as I think of something appropriate}

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I am not sure if I want the document to be distributed in this draft form or not, but this is very convincing. "Here's what I'm doing, and I promise there is a good reason for it. I'll explain my justification once I think of it."

If there is doubt regarding which of the possible candidates should inherit a mantle, then no one should get it until a decisive vote.

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Aww, too bad. So much for the comedic mistaken identity episode when all of the Wally Wannabe club claim the Kid Flash title, and everyone thinks he's just fast enough to be in multiple places at once.

 

[Obloquy]

Life Ore Death​

* Final Stage

*THWOOM!*

{Piercing One To Another}​

Ferris dropped through the Boom Tube and immediately flung a handful of containment foam capsules at the two League of Shadows officers. Kyle Abbott had already begun moving, and Whisper Sr. spat acid at the capsules, melting them to sludge before they got to her. Ferris was followed almost immediately by Superboy and Robin, who tossed their own projectiles as Motherbox began humming.

Kyle Abbott, aware that he would be no match for a Kryptonian, shifted to wolf form and went for Robin, only for Wolf to drop out of the Boom Tube and tackle him, which quickly led to Superboy dogpiling on and getting his hands over Abbott's jaws.

<bleen! > Motherbox chirped, and Ferris tapped her steel-mind for speed.

Robin blocked Whisper's spray of acid with his cape, and with the distraction caused by Ferris hitting the snake woman no one present noticed the five-pointed star between two check marks Ferris had drawn on the floor in chalk.

Batgirl, watching the scene from afar through the Globe of Transportation, definitely noticed: the left check mark confirmed that the Watchtower's defenses were down, the star confirmed Robin's suspicion that Snapper was under the effects of Starro-tech, and the right check mark confirmed that Motherbox had prevented the Shadows from sending any type of detectable distress signal.

Sphere would remain behind with Miss Martian for this mission, just in case, though Kinos and Sephol were also on hand if needed.

Waist-deep in the ocean outside of Mount Justice, Bumblebee and Kid Flash each had a hand on one of Batgirl's shoulders, while Batgirl held the Globe in one hand and a large, sopping sponge in the other. She focused, slid into the Blue-

{It Flows Throughout the World, Where One Drop is as Another}​

-and a moment later they reappeared beside Snapper Carr, who had begun playing solitaire after interpreting Bane's instructions to mean that he should shut down Watchtower communications and not monitor the various take-down operations as they progressed.

Bumblebee immediately tackled him, pressing the dose of Cure-tech to his skin, and it sank in as he went unconscious.

Kid Flash took a second to make sure Batgirl wasn't about to collapse before he ran to free Mother of Champions.

Batgirl stumbled a bit and quickly squeezed the Surface Sponge she'd been given by Kinos and Sephol, hoping she wouldn't pass out: the cost in water for using the Globe of Transportation scaled most steeply with the size of what was being transported, but larger distances also played a part. Ferris had not used the Globe to traverse through space before—she'd Zeta'd to the surface before visiting Artemis—but geosynchronous orbit was over 22,000 miles above sea level, meaning it was most of Earth's circumference in distance.

Thankfully, the mystic device worked as advertised, and she could feel her headache and dizziness decrease instantly.

Batgirl realized she'd wrung the sponge dry as Bumblebee made the unconscious Snapper Carr comfortable and set to accessing the systems.

She did a few mental calculations and shivered: she weighed about 110 lbs/50 kg, meaning there were 36 kg of water in her body.

The Surface Sponge had held 9 kg of water and she'd drained it completely, even though the Globe had probably taken from the ocean they'd been wading in as well, since their uniforms were dry.

If she hadn't taken those precautions, transporting to the Watchtower from Earth's surface would have killed her.

"Uh, BG?" Bumblebee questioned when she saw her teammate hadn't moved. "You okay?"

Slamming the overly dramatic images of a dried-out Barbara Gordon mummy into the same mental box where she kept her feelings about half her family and other unpleasant things, Batgirl forced herself back to lucidity.

"I'm fine," she asserted. "I just think… I might give the Globe back to Ferris for this next part. I'm a little dizzy." She set to work.

… … …

Aqualad had passed out from the heat pretty quickly, and Rocket was just barely conscious—she wasn't sure if the robot just hadn't been instructed to take her head off, or if the foam/sticky/something capsule she'd grabbed from a surviving pocket and slapped on had successfully gummed up its systems—when it happened.

*Vrooooooom!*

*Beep-beep!*

*Crash!*

There was a… something like an impact, and she either went flying or tumbling across the ground, and the next not-sure-how-long was a bit of a blur, but she suddenly sprang awake and shot up sitting, only barely keeping from smacking the two EMTs treating her.

"Whoa there! Easy, easy," the guy warned. "You're overheated, and you've got a bruised collarbone, ma'am."

"Drink this please," the woman said, handing over a chilled water bottle with one hand and pressing a cold pack to Rocket's head with the other, "and if there's anything we should know about Aqualad's treatment, now's the time. Rocket, right?"

"Yeah," Rocket said blearily. She blinked, took a drink, and glanced around. "Ka- Aqualad really needs to be hydrated and cooled down, but you can even immerse him in water if, uh, he can breathe it." She focused on where two more EMTs were bustling around the Team's leader and his stretcher. "Dumping some ice cubes should work too. Fu- dgemuffins, what happened to the robot?"

"Someone rammed it with a police cruiser, I think, and then everyone present piled on to pull you both off of it."

"It was before we showed up," the guy added, gesturing over to the far end of the block, where there were some dozen uniformed officers massed around something and a lot of shouting. "They used the jaws of to get you free, if you know what those are."

"They used it on the robots head, too, but it looks like the control whatever in is the torso area," the woman EMT finished.

"Da-ang. Well, thanks." Rocket felt that this was insufficient, no matter her experiences with Dakota City's authorities, and added, "Ah'll give bigger thank-you stuff once the world stops… you know. Can we reach anyone on the- the Justice League?"

The EMTs' reassuring smiles—lit up largely by streetlights and the spotlight from a helicopter above them—dropped.

"It looks like the League is under attack," the female EMT said, fiddling with her braids as the guy went off to help treat Aqualad.

"The huh?"

"Superman's bleeding out from a bullet wound in Metropolis, Martian Manhunter was last seen on fire or something, Wonder Woman has been missing in action for hours, rumors have it that someone got killed in a military base, and half the Justice League is just gone," she listed soberly, Rocket's stomach plummeting by the second.

"Icon? Any word of him?"

"Last seen in Dakota City? I don't know, I'm sorry."

"Ohhhh… this is bad," Rocket groaned. "Ah am… Ah am not whelmed at all, as Robin- Robin!"

"Hasn't been seen anywhere in Gotham."

"Maybe I can raise him-! Where's my earbud?" Rocket asked quickly. "Hey!"

"Don't touch your ear, please; the earbud overheated and we had to put a topical anesthetic on your burns. We're assuming they're superficial second-degree burns until we can check more thoroughly, so you might have scarring."

"Sca- My ear's not melted or anything, is it?" She struggled to touch it for a moment before she got her head together. "Sorry, Ah… Can you get it back? Or Aqualad's? Or just give me a cell phone and Ah'll call the Justice League."

"Phone lines are probably as swamped as the hospitals," the EMT warned, but she handed her cell over. "That's why we're still out here, by the way; the local hospitals are pretty full because the robot threw cars at the two biggest ones in the area. We're on loan from Cranston to help out with everything."

"Pick up… pick up… Worst comes to worst, think Ah can commandeer a car or get a ride to Mount Justice?" Rocket asked as-

<Who is this? >

"Robin! Man, Ah am glad to grab you," Rocket sighed, and both began to explain what they knew.

… … …

<Recognized: Ferris, B06. >

<Recognized: Kid Flash, B03. >

<Recognized: Robin, B01. >

"We're off to Aqualad and Rocket. Good luck," KF wished her before racing off to Providence (where the Zeta Tube had been damaged,) to check their two rescued teammates in person (it could be a Light trick, after all,) before moving on to the next names in need of rescue.

Ferris hummed, closed her eyes, and focused on the coordinates of Aquaman's comm link.

{It Flows Throughout the World, Where One Drop is as Another}​

"King Orin," Ferris greeted, now perched beside him on the boulder.

"F-Ferris…? Be careful," he wheezed, "the blasted sea is all around us. I can't… keep my son s-safe much longer," he sobbed.

"Motherbox, can you clear his system, please?" she requested. The Sapient Computer had previously cleared out whatever chemicals had blocked off use of her Feruchemy, and Motherbox had interacted with nanites as well, so she expected it to be possible.

<Affirmation! Unit is commencing with liberation. Process complete in 48… 47… 46… >

Ferris mentally counted down as well, still quivering minutely, and at the end of it, King Orin sighed. He shook himself lightly.

"What…?"

"Light ambush," Ferris simplified. "Transport with me?" Despite still looking bleary, he took her hand.

{It Flows Throughout the World, Where One Drop is as Another}​

They reappeared by a Zeta Tube – Ferris mentally tapped her liquid stores to pay the transport price – and she pushed him in.

<Recognized: Aquaman, 06. >

<Recognized: Ferris, B06. >

Batgirl had volunteered to handle medical treatment until they could get Beautia Sivana or someone trustworthy on the line, and Ferris pushed King Orin into the redhead's capable care as she got back to Bumblebee. Motherbox reactivated the translation program.

"Situation, please?" Ferris requested, tapping trickles of investiture from her bronze-mind and electrum-mind.

<Unit transmitting directly for simplicity & clarity, > Motherbox chirped before Bumblebee could open her mouth.

What followed was a slightly mind-bending summary as Motherbox pulled the pertinent information directly from the systems and downloaded it into her human companions' nervous systems (Bumblebee and Ferris both).

People currently free & able to operate: Robin, Kid Flash, Superboy, Ferris, Batgirl, Bumblebee

People who were safe but incapacitated/in need of medical attention: Miss Martian, Artemis, Aquaman, Mother of Champions

People in danger, but on the comm channels to talk to: GL Jordan, Flash, GL Stewart, Atom, Jericho, Rocket (with Aqualad), Tempest & Cerulean together

People with solidly known locations who weren't responding: Superman, Martian Manhunter, Green Arrow, Hawkman, Hawkwoman, Captain Marvel & Magelet together, Red Arrow

People who had only a last known location to search from: Batman, Captain Atom, Wonder Woman, Dr. Fate, Black Canary, Icon, Plastic Man

Ferris tapped a +100% draw of acuity (but no more, in case she needed it later,) and spent ten seconds strategizing.

"Uh, Ferris?" Bumblebee pressed as several people tried to talk over the channels.

"We will leave the Superman for later, because he is on TV and the Light will realize we are stopping their plans," Ferris declared grimly. "Who on the channels needs immediate assistance?"

<Leave me, I don't deserve to be saved, > GL Stewart assured her sadly.

<I… can keep running for maybe an hour before I stop, > Flash guessed, though he sounded ragged. <If I push it. >

<Re- argh! Really need some help fighting these punks, guh, but I'll hold out until the others are safe, > insisted GL Jordan.

<I'm stuck in a case and they're taking me somewhere, but I'm still healthy, > Atom reported.

<Robin an' Kid Flash are just taking out the robot now, > Rocket informed them. <Ah'm wiped, so get someone fresh first ta help. >

<Sick, but we live, > Tempest said. <More help is good. >

Jericho indicated that he was with Bela, which was the decisive factor.

"Superboy, we will rescue Jericho first, then the Atom," Ferris declared, and they departed quickly.

<Recognized: Ferris, B06. >

<Recognized: Superboy, B04. >

They emerged from the Zeta Tube, Ferris took Superboy's hand, and she cast her mind to Jericho and Bela's coordinates.

"Robot with the Red Robots' fire and earth abilities," she reported, checking that she had her Box-Cutter handy.

"Time to find out if it was the tech or the Kryptonite," Superboy answered darkly, putting on his Valorium knuckle-duster.

"Get ready. I will try to drop us literally behind the robot in four, three, two, one."

{It Flows Throughout the World, Where One Drop is as Another}​

Superboy lashed out at moment they reappeared, driving a full force uppercut into the enemy's back.

Metal shrieked under the stress as it distorted, something flashed with an energy discharge, and the figure went flying up and off.

The flames around them began to die down immediately, and Superboy began digging Jericho out as Ferris drew her Box-Cutter and ran.

It didn't take much steel-mind speed for her to reach the figure where it fell, and she set to carefully dissecting the metal parts.

Upon realizing that Superboy's blow had killed the League of Shadows agent in the power armor, Ferris became less careful, and resolved that Superboy would not need to know said fact until later (much later).

<Jericho is out, and I'm freeing Bela, > Superboy reported.

<Ferris, remember what I said, be very careful if you try teleporting, > Batgirl warned.

"I will. I intend to be underwater when I use the Globe with Bela," Ferris assured her. "Who next?"

<Both Green Lanterns can fly under their own power, so you should probably get one of them before me, > Atom suggested.

<I- oof! Can. Manage! > GL Jordan insisted. As she paced back to Superboy, Bela, and Jericho, Ferris used the Globe to check his location.

<I've got Kaldur getting treatment and Rocket will be on the comms once she's ready, > Kid Flash reported.

<Great. You can run get Cerulean and Tempest, > Bumblebee declared, <while Robin and Sphere go for Captain Marvel and Magelet. >

"Is Bela can fly?" Ferris asked. Jericho, after pressing a dirty hand to her hull, signaled a yes. "Into the ocean, please."

They got into the cockpit and Jericho opened the floor door as Bela sank under the water, flooding the chamber.

Ferris tapped connection while touching everyone, mystically linking them all up, and they slipped into the Blue once more.

{It Flows Throughout the World, Where One Drop is as Another}​

"You free the Atom, I will get the Lantern Jordan," Ferris instructed as they reappeared directly above Atom and his captor.

{It Flows Throughout the World, Where One Drop is as Another}​

She reappeared outside of arm's reach of GL Hal Jordan, who wasn't flailing, but was fighting and losing against several opponents.

Ferris tapped +300% strength and +500% speed.

First, she went for the two who weren't actively attacking the GL corpsman; one was fumbling for a gun that had been kicked under a crate while the other tried to staunch a bloody nose.

Ferris drove the forehead of the first man into the concrete floor, picked him up bodily, and dragged him over to fling him legs first into the other man. They didn't fall as fast as she moved, so she tossed a capsule of containment foam where they would land and turned her attention to the other three.

A woman with brass knuckles was swinging her right fist into Jordan's face, but only her right fist, as her left arm hung broken. The other two gangsters were trying to hold Jordan back and keep him vulnerable, but one had noticed Ferris in the seconds since she'd arrived.

He flinched, and Jordan twisted his arm free, slapping the brass-knuckle woman's fist out of the way as the other woman still holding his arm tried to twist-

Ferris moved in to catch the unbroken arm of the woman with the brass knuckles.

That arm did not remain unbroken, and Ferris kicked the woman's knee with a sickening crack as well, letting her collapse with a cry.

"This is Ferris," she introduced out loud, because she could see that GL Jordan had noticed something, but he had his eyes closed.

"I had it. But, thanks," he said as they each handled one of the remaining two gang-bangers who remained upright.

"Mm. 'Well begun is half done,' I think. Is your ring out of power?" Ferris questioned quickly. The Green Lantern's eyes opened.

"No, but I'm blind. Leave me, you need to rescue Carol and my brother, they've been kidnapped," he urged, blinking sightlessly.

"Motherbox, scan him please," Ferris requested, as she condensed roughly 5 minutes of stored acuity into 10 seconds of thought.

<Unit detects subliminal instructions enforcing will-empowered sight detriment feedback loop. Correcting… Complete! >

"Thank God," Lantern Jordan sighed as his sight returned. "We need-,"

"If the hostages are still alive, I expect them to stay that way," Ferris snapped back. Jordan grimaced. After moment, she huffed and allowed, "Mm, brother? Star Sapphire? Motherbox, will you please scan…? If you find them, send him the locations, please."

<Violet Emotional Electromagnetic Spectrum energy concentrations located and confirmed! Transmission sent. >

<Location data received, > chimed Lantern Jordan's ring.

"Go to Detroit and rescue the Lantern Stewart from under the rubble after they are safe, please," she insisted.

Lantern Jordan squared his shoulders. "I heard how bad he sounded; I won't keep him waiting."

{It Flows Throughout the World, Where One Drop is as Another}​

"Atom," Ferris greeted as the freed hero grew to his full size. She reactivated her comm as well. "The Lantern Jordan is safe, and he will go to rescue the Lantern Stewart from rubble soon."

<You should save the others, > John Stewart complained feebly. <I'll just drag you down. I deserve this. >

Everyone else duly ignored this.

<Ferris, the news is saying Superman might be getting worse; Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen are both on the scene-, >

{It Flows Throughout the World, Where One Drop is as Another}​

<-and they're really panicking, > Bumblebee finished.

"Clear the area now!" Ferris shouted, sweeping her arms around to gesture the crowd back before she dropped down to kneel beside her friend and patron. "What is the situation?" she asked, examining the Last Son of Krypton's sickly pallor and unresponsiveness in the light of the streetlamps.

His shirt and cape had been removed; the blood weeping from the hole in his stomach had been swabbed up but it had not clotted.

She had been speaking to Motherbox or the EMTs present, but Lois Lane, stroking Superman's hair as she barely kept from crying, answered: "It has to be Kryptonite, but he's still too invulnerable for anyone to get the bullet out, and his healing kept up long enough to partly close the bullet hole. We can't dig it out, he might not be breathing if we didn't have him on pure oxygen now-," Her fingers lingered on the breathing mask over his nose and mouth. "-and I've never seen him get this bad for this long. I'm amazed-," Lois choked. "-he's still alive."

"Hey, he's Superman, and Ferris is badass," Jimmy reassured her, sparing a wan smile for his girlfriend. "You can save him, right?"

<Unit has concluded medical scanning, > Motherbox announced, followed by a long, complex stream of biological data.

"Yes," Ferris declared, and then she handed over her ear bud to Jimmy, because every mind on this was a benefit to them.

{It Flows Throughout the World, Where One Drop is as Another}​

She left the crowd in Metropolis behind and reappeared with Superman in a desert, the noonday sun high overhead.

She drew her Box-Cutter, having not wanted to advertise the weapon's ability to injure Superman, and made her first incision to fully reopen the bullet wound beside his belly button. Blood welled out as the yellow sunlight beat down, and she started storing heat in her brass-mind to stay focused and keep from sweating as she set to cutting out the shattered fragments of the kryptonite bullet.

"Motherbox, anything you can do to sterilize any infections or promote the Superman's healing would be greatly appreciated," she said as she tried not to dip her dirty fingers too deeply into the blood welling up.

The light beating down on them intensified as the area around them dimmed slightly.

<Unit is regulating bodily processes and using atmospheric lensing to assist in situation, > Motherbox chimed.

"Thank you. If you are able to warn me when I cut close to something significant…?"

<Unit is accounting for the situation, > Motherbox repeated reassuringly. <Unit expresses pride and positivity in your work. >

"Thank you?"

Ferris shook off her bemusement, deftly retrieved all the large shards she could locate-

{It Flows Throughout the World, Where One Drop is as Another}​

-teleported to Bela, dropped the fragments into Kid Flash's hand, took a spare comm link-

{It Flows Throughout the World, Where One Drop is as Another}​

-and teleported back to Superman's side. The remaining bits in his body were smaller than her fingers could grab, according to Motherbox.

"Are they small enough, and whatever other requirements, for you to leech them out?" she asked, inserting her new ear bud.

<Unit will require 60-180 seconds to remove fragments and trace substances, > Motherbox replied, and set to humming.

"This is Ferris," she said, reasoning that Jimmy would have introduced himself via her former comm by now. "The Superman is safe and will be stable in two minutes," she reported. "What situation should we handle next?"

<If you have any zinc-mind stores left, we could really use your help with Flash; I'll transfer you to him, > Bumblebee answered.

Ferris kept her breathing easy as Bumblebee put her on a private channel with Flash. "Flash, this is Ferris."

<Yeah, Bumblebee mentioned. Look, I've got a bomb stapled literally through my right arm, and I think I've only got 10 minutes more before I drop below Mach 3 and it blows up everything in at least a several block radius. Any advice other than me making my will? >

Ferris inhaled sharply, tapped her cadmium-mind instead, tapped electrum-mind determination to stay focused, stored warmth into her brass-mind for similar reasons, and tapped her zinc-mind.

The problem, she mentally rued, was that she had no idea about the bomb's level or style of technology and no reasonable way to find out. Her best idea… it would have to do, if it would even apply here.

"Where and how is the bomb 'literally stapled' through your arm?" she asked grimly.

<Uh… Imagine one of those metal spikes, about as long as the middle finger we want to flip those super-villains, and twice as thick. It's stabbed through the middle of my arm and out the other side, like, right between the radius and ulna, with bigger things like your earring's catch or… you know the capital letter D? The straight line is through my right arm, then the curve is bigger with the bomb on it. >

"Rusts. Lose the arm," Ferris advised him bitterly. "I am sorry."

<What! You think…? >

"If you can give me a location to meet you at in a minute or two, then Motherbox can try to scan you as she runs past, but her specialty is subtle and thorough, not high-speed activity. I can toss my Box-Cutter for you to catch and you can try to cut the bomb's bar, or I can try and I will teleport before it explodes, but I expect the Light has trapped the bomb to explode if disrupted or by- by energy signal.

"The Light is launching a world-wide counter-offensive, and if they have seen the news that I have saved the Superman, they may begin killing the other Team and Justice League members. We have at least sixteen people to save," Ferris relayed flatly, "and maybe six people in the field to save them. Lose the arm, or we lose everyone we can't get to quickly enough. If you are willing to give your li-,"

Flash's voice cut her off.

Specifically, several seconds of Flash almost screaming as he hissed and wheezed and grunted cut her off. Then it stopped.

<H-how do I stop the bleeding? > Flash gasped. <I'm l-losing blood fast. >

Her esteem for him drastically shot up once Ferris realized he'd already done the deed. "Where are you? Coordinates? Comm?"

<Sending 'em now. >

<Received, > Motherbox chimed. <Unit has stabilized the Superman; he will awaken in roughly three minutes. >

Ferris checked that her friend/mentor/patron's ear bud was still in for use when he awoke, then she slid into the Blue.

{It Flows Throughout the World, Where One Drop is as Another}​

"Motherbox, can you heal his arm?" Ferris requested as she reappeared beside Flash, who was himself leaning – growing paler as he kept bleeding, and the smoking crater in the distance plus the stain pattern suggested something ugly – against a rocky cliff face.

<Unit is able to heal, but metabolic processes and lack of viable base material may be troublesome. For best results, please touch a bleeding wound to the stump to mingle blood for biological material transference. Unit will ensure sanitation issues are handled. >

"Arm please," Ferris requested of Flash, stripping off her own armored glove without hesitation. Flash held the bleeding stump of his right elbow out weakly; he wasn't even strong enough to complain or question when Ferris slashed open her own left palm and pressed the two wounds together. Motherbox hummed as she began to work.

<Unit recommends you to tap liquids, nutrition, warmth, density, oxygen, and strength for better results, please. Store identity? >

Ferris tapped all the requested traits, stored her sense of identity into an aluminum-mind, and felt Motherbox drain away the energy she had tapped from her metal-minds almost as soon she had drawn it out. She tapped a little deeper again, and the drain continued.

After burning through about 2 Rush of stores or some equivalent amount over the course of 16 seconds, Ferris was told to stop.

She pulled her hand away, and Flash – his color looking much better and no longer sweating or panting – examined his stump.

"Wow, it looks like this is years old. …You think I'll ever get a good prosthetic with super-speed?" he tried to joke.

Ferris flipped through her mental list of appropriate responses that wouldn't make him bitter at her, failed to find one, and ended up hugging him instead.

Flash twitched, and didn't quite return it before she stepped back, but he didn't look angry from her perspective.

"This is Ferris," she reported, returning to the main comm channel. "I have stabilized the Flash. Where do you need us?"

<Kid Flash brought back Tempest and Cerulean, but they're drugged or really sick and he sounds weird too. If you could come-, >

{It Flows Throughout the World, Where One Drop is as Another}​

<-have Motherbox take a look, that'd rock, > Bumblebee requested.

<She gone, > Flash reported as Ferris stepped into the Metropolis Zeta Tube.

<Recognized: Ferris, B06. >

"Where are they?" Ferris asked.

"This way," Batgirl called, leading to the improvised medical bay.

<Flash, our priority missing people… Martian Manhunter's biometrics say he's in bad shape and he's not responding. Can you get there? >

<Fawcett? Be there in a flash, > he promised. <Hey, is Kid okay? >

"Jus' fiiine, 'ncle Berry," KF slurred as Ferris approached. Ferris held out Motherbox to scan all three of them.

Approximately twenty seconds later, Motherbox had identified it as a variant of the molecular records the Justice League had for Poison Ivy's preferred toxin that would have made most people begin rutting, but it hadn't been altered enough to do more than make Kid Flash, Tempest, or Cerulean both high and horribly nauseous in varying amounts.

Motherbox purged their systems in under a minute, and while Kid Flash would need a few minutes to refuel, Tempest and Cerulean attempted to insist that they were well.

Ferris had none of it, assigned them to handle the comm channel and planning, and took Bumblebee through the Zeta Tubes to Chicago, where she quickly let Bumblebee into the Tower of Fate to consult the Tower's Genus Loci about the location of Nabu.

{It Flows Throughout the World, Where One Drop is as Another}​

Ferris didn't bother to go inside after unlocking the Tower for Bumblebee, she just teleported to Hawkman's last known location in Midway City and found him trapped in a mass of writhing metal. Uncertain of how to approach, she asked Motherbox to scan him again while she called in to report and hear how the others were faring.

 

[Krazyfan1]

Great as always!

Poor Flash...


Good thing Batgirl had that surface sponge

And yeah, i wonder what kind of Prosthetic Flash will get?

 

[TonedMite]

Yay!!! Also Ouch, Flash, that had to hurt. Reminds me of that movie where a guy got his hand(?) stuck under a rock and had to cut it off himself. Also, is rutting a typo of rotting, or is Ivy's plan to take them out just to make them horny?

 

[Stripes]

...but geosynchronous orbit was over 22,000 miles above sea level...

Click to shrink...

Neat point of divergences (I assume it is one), since in the show Watchtower is on a relatively standard orbit:

Click to shrink...

P.S. "Prelude to War" and "Black Market" of nuBSG OST. At this point I am just tempted to recommend whole OST as the soundtrack for "Life Ore Death" - for these who cannot read without music playing, at least

 

[TonedMite]

Yeah, I remembered that in YJ the Watchtower was is somewhere probably around LEO from eyeballing it. Which raises the question of how the hell did nobody see it!

 

[ccstat]

Wow, the Light will really not be happy with the Team. I don't expect Bane to indulge in the classic line, but he would be fully justified if he lapsed and said, "I'd have gotten away with it, too, if it hadn't been for you meddling kids!"

She drew her Box-Cutter, [...and] set to cutting out the shattered fragments of the kryptonite bullet.

Click to shrink...

I love that this weapon was almost immediately turned into a lifesaving tool. A great subversion of expectations, and a case of characters using what's available to them.

<Unit expresses pride and positivity in your work. >

"Thank you?"

Click to shrink...

Despite spending so much time together, Ferris and Motherbox still have a bit of culture clash. She just doesn't expect it understand the Encouragement that Motherbox learned on New Genesis.

 

[Polarion]

Also, is rutting a typo of rotting, or is Ivy's plan to take them out just to make them horny?

Click to shrink...

Ivy's normal pheromones revolve around sexuality and control so along with Renka's vernacular rutting is probably correct.

 

[Prodigal Knight]

I wonder if the Light will panic when the world takes their advice and uses lethal force/death penalties for them.

 

[TonedMite]

I, for one, want to see at least one of the Light pay the ultimate price for their foul deeds.

 

[Luma]

Lately I've been waiting with bated breath for every chapter in a way that I've pretty much never done for anything else, other than one fic that updates every other month or so.

Also, I guess Bane's job interview has rapidly gone downhill. His CV was mediocre at best and he's vastly overstated his aptitude for the role.

 

[TonedMite]

TBF, most of it just snowballed from when Jade let Artemis and KF go. Not that he isn't at least partially to blame.

 

[Obloquy]

Damn. Obloquy, you continue to impress.

Click to shrink...

Thank you!

To put it simply, first I realized that ongoing Fuster Cluck is Most Definitely Ferris Fault... But than I realized that events happen in Expanded universe.

Still, on the surface? Ferris radical methodology result in Sportsmaster receiving notable dosage of Venom, which in turn prompts him to search for Antidote... Which, in turn, results in Bane Intelligence restored.

Click to shrink...

Ferris: "I am not responsible for Sportsmaster's action, nor Bane, nor any member of the Light. I am responsible for my actions. Villains will commit crimes regardless of whether we oppose them, no matter what excuses they offer to defer blame."

Aww, too bad. So much for the comedic mistaken identity episode when all of the Wally Wannabe club claim the Kid Flash title, and everyone thinks he's just fast enough to be in multiple places at once.

Click to shrink...

"We are all Kid Flash!" declared Duke Thomas, who'd moved to Central with his parents after Gotham got too dangerous for them.​

Yay!!! Also Ouch, Flash, that had to hurt. Reminds me of that movie where a guy got his hand(?) stuck under a rock and had to cut it off himself. Also, is rutting a typo of rotting, or is Ivy's plan to take them out just to make them horny?

Click to shrink...

That image is what I was going for, and Ivy didn't particularly care how it got them incapacitated so long as they were out of it. Most of her plant stuff involves the sex drive, but it doesn't have to, and this was a bit of a rush job, on top of Atlantean physiology being weird.

Neat point of divergences (I assume it is one), since in the show Watchtower is on a relatively standard orbit:



P.S. "Prelude to War" and "Black Market" of nuBSG OST. At this point I am just tempted to recommend whole OST as the soundtrack for "Life Ore Death" - for these who cannot read without music playing, at least

Click to shrink...

I honestly haven't done much research into different types of orbits, "geosynchronous" just fit my need for the scene when I looked up the distance involved.

"Prelude to War" is pretty good, and... "Black Market" is perfectly fine, though Prelude is better. I approve.

Also, I'm casually putting together a playlist for Ferris, if anyone wants to make suggestions. (Or suggestions for other characters, though that's less a thing.)

I love that this weapon was almost immediately turned into a lifesaving tool. A great subversion of expectations, and a case of characters using what's available to them.

Despite spending so much time together, Ferris and Motherbox still have a bit of culture clash. She just doesn't expect it understand the Encouragement that Motherbox learned on New Genesis.

Click to shrink...

I hadn't even planned on the Box-Cutter being used for surgery, it just turned out that way when I assessed what everyone had to hand, but I'm glad it worked out like that too.

Part of the wiki description for Motherboxes says "They provide their owner with unconditional love and self-destruct when their owner dies." It's a bit more complicated than that in LOD, but I wanted to show it a bit more of Motherbox supporting Ferris (instead of just watching and warning her,) than I have, since most of Ferris and Motherbox having the occasional bored conversation isn't seen on-screen.

I wonder if the Light will panic when the world takes their advice and uses lethal force/death penalties for them.

Click to shrink...

I, for one, want to see at least one of the Light pay the ultimate price for their foul deeds.

Click to shrink...

Other than Klarion? Not all of them are going out of play that easily, but... well, RAFO.

Lately I've been waiting with bated breath for every chapter in a way that I've pretty much never done for anything else, other than one fic that updates every other month or so.

Click to shrink...

Thank you! I'm glad to have such an eager fan.

 

[Transreal Cloud]

This whole arc has been a masterpiece. I'm really enjoying it and the story as a whole.

 

[Obloquy]

Life Ore Death​

* Final Stage

"Um, hello? Tower of Fate?" Bumblebee fidgeted, wishing Ferris had stuck around after letting her in.

<W-we-, >

Bumblebee spun toward the flicker of something that had briefly flickered in and out of existence, grabbing a bomb from her belt.

"What should I…?" The flickering continued, and it might have been her imagination, but Bumblebee thought she saw flashes of a hand pointing to the door that led further inside from the entry room. "Well, I did enter with a key," she reasoned.

That first door led to a hallway.

The next door—the third on the left, as indicated by the flicking figure—led to an herb garden.

The door on the far side of the garden led to a small mud room, and then a sitting room with squishy armchairs.

<We appear to be suffering some mystical difficulties, > the fuzzy golden figure said as it coalesced into near stability. <Please stand by. An apparition will be with you shortly.> Sixteen seconds (she counted) of the most hauntingly beautiful harp music Bumblebee had ever heard followed as the figure fuzzed again, before snapping back in sharp relief as the music cut mid-chord. <Thank you for coming to render aid. >

"Ferris?" Bumblebee squawked, caught off-guard by the appearance of her teammate in Terris robes as a golden hologram.

<Dr. Fate has been injured in an unfamiliar manner, and it is taking a significant amount of the Tower's attention to stabilize them, > the genus loci continued, and though the image of Renka wasn't moving, it also seemed like it was, behind itself.

"Where is he? What can I do?" Karen said immediately.

<This way please, > the robed figure indicated with a sweep of one arm.

After passing through a confusing mix of hallways, doorways, and Escher stairways, Karen ended up in-

"Whoa," she said, looking around the large stone room, like an Indiana Jones temple's inner chamber. Then, "Holy shit!"

"Indeed," rumbled Dr. Fate from where he floated lotus-style above a stone bier. Clean white strips of cotton had been animated like snakes to hold and handle the ointments and tools, but Fate himself….

"Fuck, you're bleeding," Bumblebee hissed, stumbling closer.

The Helmet still sat on Giovanni Zatara's head, an arc from Fate's left shoulder to his right hip showed where the frayed raiment had dissolved and dissipated, leaving the body's right arm and upper torso clad only in Giovanni Zatara's blood-soaked tuxedo.

Fate's gold-clad left hand hovered over the injured area, spitting golden sparks, but if they were doing anything, Bumblebee couldn't see it. Fate's bare right hand- Giovanni's bare right hand flexed and gestured her closer.

"What do I do?" Bumblebee asked anxiously as she stepped in.

"One bullet has struck Fate's collarbone, a second partially penetrated the right bicep after impacting the armored enchantments in Giovanni Zatara's underclothes, and the impact of an Nth Metal mace may have broken some ribs."

"Shhhhoot. I've taken first aid, the Team has lessons on that, but this is a bit beyond me."

"The bullets are Hemalurgic iron, interfering with Fate's sorcery, and inhibiting Fate's ability to self-assess. If you can remove them…."

"I can try." Bumblebee tried not to chew her lip. "Uh, forceps?"

"There." A white strip of cloth offered her a tool that- Well, she had never seen forceps that she knew of, so maybe that was it?

The bullet that had half-penetrated in his arm was easy, or it should have been, but half-penetrating still broke the skin and it had shattered sort of so there were several bits of it, and it started bleeding faster after she tore or twisted something getting the second-to-last piece out.

"Shit, shit, shit," Karen hissed frantically as she tried to apply pressure or wrap on a bandage or staunch the bleeding somehow.

"There is still a remnant inside the wound," Fate intoned, and she felt his eyes watching her as she worked.

"Yeah, and I think it'll have to stay there or else you might bleed to death!"

"If you can remove-,"

"I'd need to remove both of them for you to magic it shut, right?" Bumblebee snapped.

"…Indeed."

"Yeah, that's a problem. Then your ribs… this feels like a Catch 22," she complained.

"If things remain static, then Fate will be of no service to the world," the Lord of Order half-agreed. "If you remove the spikes without magic, you fear Giovanni Zatara may bleed to death before Fate can bind the wounds."

"Yeah, I…" A thought occurred to Bumblebee, and while Zee might have forgiven her for not trying, Bumblebee wouldn't forgive herself for it. "Aqualad could still use sorcery when he had a spike back in June, right? Could Zatara use his magic to get them out?"

"You wish Fate to remove the Helmet."

"You got a better idea?" Karen asked. And then, because she was a little desperate and pretty sure nothing bad would happen, she added, "I could put it on and you could treat him then, right? If Mr. Zatara doesn't want to put it back on, I just keep it on and you use me instead?"

Fate's eyes- Zatara's eyes narrowed behind the Helmet as Fate looked her over.

"…You are ill-suited as a host, and the world needs Fate at his utmost. There is no guarantee-,"

"Look," Bumblebee interrupted. "Just- I don't agree with what I've heard happened with you and Zee and her dad, but we're all good people, right? And like Ferris has said, when things go wrong, we need to do only the best we can, because trying to do everything might get next to nothing done.

"However good or bad it'd be for Magelet's dad to get free," she continued, "him dying is the worst of both worlds, 'kay? I didn't have anything to do with the Team until way after November, really, but you saw me and Wendy that one time when you showed up in the gym to grab people while Ferris was wearing you. I won't make Zatara put you back on, but if you teach me some magic, I'll wear you whether or not he's willing! Please?" She didn't look at his face, focusing instead on spreading wet red patches she'd thought she'd wiped up already.

There was a moment when she wondered if Dr. Fate needed to breathe, even, and then the gold-robed arm moved.

"Oh thank-," was as far as Bumblebee got before Zatara gave a pained whine/wheeze.

She pulled the Helmet onto her head immediately.

"…I thought this was supposed to be a big black void or something," Bumblebee said, having quietly heard the story behind Zee's crying jags from Kaldur and Wally a while ago. "Not a…."

"Not a sitting room with armchairs and a chessboard?" an old man said. "Kent Nelson. Nice to meet you, kid."

"Karen Beecher. Bumblebee while I'm in-costume." They shook hands. "So, uh, do I just wait?"

"Until Fate decides to take you off again."

He acted like that should've worried her, but honestly, "Is there some way I can see how he's doing magic?"

Mr. Nelson smiled. "I'm not sure if you're single-minded, very brave-,"

"You don't need to talk around calling me stupid or headstrong," Bumblebee deadpanned as she peered through the new 'window'. "I've heard it all."

"Now, I wouldn't go that far."

Bumblebee shrugged as she watched her gold-gloved hands work on Mr. Zatara.

"Calculated risk, y'know? Even if we aren't super-close, I figure the stuff Ferris will let Fate pull on a grown man in the Justice League is way looser than what she'll let him do to me when I have parents waiting back at home, and hey, the fate of the world is at stake."

"That seems to be happening so much more often than in my day," the old man sighed.

The bullets were quickly removed, the clotting ointments were smoothed onto Zatara's skin, Mr. Zatara's pale cheeks got some color back, and Bumblebee failed to understand anything about the magic that was happening.

"Hey, any advice for learning some magic?" Bumblebee wondered when it became clear the treatment was almost complete.

"Unless you make a deal—and be very, very careful with making deals, because they always cost more than it sounds like—then those little rituals with the ointments and the candles honestly are the best way for someone without much natural talent to build up some magical muscles. Zatanna has much more magic naturally, and Giovanni had her doing those little things as early as age three, that's all."

"Got it, thanks," said Bumblebee, and then she was standing in the stone room with the Helmet in her hands.

Giovanni Zatara, looking tired and a little dazed, held out his hands for the Helmet.

Bumblebee hesitated.

"Really," she said, "I'm happy to keep wearing this for a while, give you some time with Zatanna."

Giovanni smiled weakly and sighed.

"In a few years, when we are not in emergency times, that might be feasible," he semi-wheezed. "As it is… Within my first two months of wearing the Helmet, I believe Dr. Fate saved more people than I had in my entire life, many of whom I would never have known were in danger. Tell my daughter that she remains the light of my life, and I love her dearly, and I am tremendously proud of the young woman I see her becoming; I dearly wish to see her, yes, but I would not be worthy of her if I placed that desire above the lives of so many in need."

"Yeah, but later-," Bumblebee attempted, though she didn't fight when Zatara took the Helmet from her.

"Later things may indeed be different," he agreed. "I believe that I will see her again, in due time, but I know that I will not if I leave the fate of the world unattended and she comes to harm as a result." He grimaced. "Fate would not be able to act as he needs to, were you his host, and the raiment Fate wears will ease my injuries, even if healing them perfectly is beyond his sorcery. But thank you for your offer."

He put the-

"Wait!" Bumblebee yelped quickly. "Just, before you- Is there anything else you need me to say?"

Zatara thought it over for a moment. He nodded briskly and rattled off, "Ask J'onn to take Zatanna to a meeting with my account, so that she at least has the information available to her, and have Batman ensure that all the bills are being paid, but try to keep him from paying them out of his own pocket? Inform my stage manager that he should look for new performers rather than hold out hope for me returning, and that I recommend either the Webster siblings or Richard Carter. If you can hand Fate the occasional milkshake—I prefer vanilla malts—or granola bar, I don't go hungry, but I miss the taste. He won't smoke or accept a nicotine patch… ah, but if someone could be persuaded to play piano music over a speaker around him, I would enjoy it, though Kent Nelson has no taste for Bach. And tell Zatanna that I love her, of course; it bears repeating," he finished. Then he put the Helmet on again, and Dr. Fate appeared before her in a golden glow.

… … …​

"I have found the Hawkman, and Motherbox is assisting him," Ferris reported as the computer worked.

Flash wasn't delivering much in the way of details, because he was heading quickly to Wonder Woman's last known location, but Martian Manhunter had been saved, was still conscious, and would be leaving to begin making his own rescues within a few minutes.

Robin and Sphere didn't share many details because they had just reached Captain Atom's last known location, but Zatanna Zatara, Billy Batson, his Uncle Dudley, and Billy's two friends had all been checked in Fawcett City's least occupied hospital and were alive.

Lantern Jordan had rescued his co-worker (and several others) from the rubble of a destroyed stadium in Detroit, but he had no clue how to treat GL Stewart's belief in his own failure and he was needed to move on, so Stewart had been dropped at the Watchtower.

Kid Flash was running to Icon's last known location, but Rocket had no suggestions on what could have brought him down.

<Unit is overriding the programming of "Amazing Android T" and will begin purging Hawkman's system in 7 seconds. >

"Thank you once more," Ferris reiterated, running her fingers along Motherbox's side. She reported over the comm channels, "The Hawkman will be free in under a minute. Mm. I do not see his mace, but I cannot worry about it now."

<Batgirl says the Globe of Transportation can be used in scrying, and Motherbox has a range of scanning abilities, > Tempest checked. <Black Canary's last location has her entering an underground… mine? A mine, which would be dark and difficult to search. >

Ferris requested the coordinates, waited until Hawkman had stirred and been helped to his feet, and then she-

{It Flows Throughout the World, Where One Drop is as Another}​

-transported him to a Zeta Tube port to get his assignment and interact with the others before she-

{It Flows Throughout the World, Where One Drop is as Another}​

-slipped into the Blue once more and emerged at the mouth of an old mine.

<Unit is scanning for Black Canary's life signature. Unit will also be able to provide light and directions. >

Ferris tried to huff a laugh, and wished she wasn't amused at how messy this was or so impressed by the Light's many plans.

"Thank you. Your help has been invaluable," Ferris said, tapping a bit of sight and hearing from her tin-mind, but only +20% each.

She stepped into the mine and, under Motherbox's directions, she quickly found herself in the path of the two figures in power armor who were dragging black Canary, bound and unconscious, back to the surface. Ferris recognized the style of armor.

The two were not looking for any enemies, so Ferris fell back to hide. "Motherbox, what are the armors' abilities?"

<Unit is scanning the subjects. …The woman carrying Black Canary has photokinetic abilities, mild radiation and laser generation, hologram projection, and geokinetic earth manipulation abilities. The other woman's armor possesses audiokinetic sound wave manipulation abilities and air manipulation abilities similar to those of Red Tornado, suggesting a similar source. >

Ferris closed her eyes, hissed at the realization that someone had turned the Red Robots' and Blue Bots' designs into power armor for baseline humans – and it was criminals at that, rather than governments who could put it to sane use in construction or landscaping as well as combat – and tried to remember what she had last heard about T. O. Morrow's situation.

She could remember that he had not been taken to Venus, but she could not remember hearing about him after that.

"Rusts," she hissed, sliding into a side tunnel as the two figures approached on their way to the surface. "…Motherbox, can you scan them and provide me with a list of locations to target with my Box-Cutter? Otherwise, I might need to murder them."

She wasn't going to pretend that it would be killing in combat; her best plan to Preserve Black Canary's life against retaliation would be to target the captors' necks and tap enough steel-mind speed that they couldn't be expected to react in time.

<Scanning… Unit approves of non-lethal alternatives. Providing list of locations in 4, 3, 2, 1. >

Ferris tapped her cadmium-mind again, resisting the urge to breathe deeply for fear of being heard, and she stored her warmth in a brass-mind when Motherbox's flowed of information included the armors' ability to scan for infrared and body heat.

Not needing secrecy, the two women in the armor were illuminating their way as they walked, so Ferris let them pass while concealed in the side tunnel's shadows, and she examined the list of visible targets on their backs.

Needing no particular countdown, she tapped enough speed to expend 3 Rush (the equivalent +100% speed for 3 hours straight) from steel-mind stores over the course of five seconds, and then she moved.

Her first target was the woman carrying Black Canary; Ferris slashed along the shoulder blades and down each side of the armor's rib area to the hips, which were the locations of the major power distribution centers, and then rapidly scraped three slashes along each arm and leg to cut off weapon control areas, uncaring if she broke skin. It took about a second

She repeated the process on the second woman, grabbed Black Canary, and was ten steps uphill as she headed toward the mine entrance when she remembered that there were no wards or thresholds to hold her.

{It Flows Throughout the World, Where One Drop is as Another}​

"Rusts," she hissed, tapping more liquid from her Bendalloy-mind as she reappeared on the surface. "Motherbox, please do not be afraid to remind me that the priority should be Preserving lives, not Ruining criminals' plans, please. I did not need to attack, I could have grabbed the Black Canary and transported us away without fighting. The attack was good, but it may become a bad habit."

<Warning is noted. Unit is scanning Black Canary for injuries and medical status. >

"Thank you." Ferris found a Zeta Tube with the Globe and transported there.

{It Flows Throughout the World, Where One Drop is as Another}​

<Recognized: Ferris, B06. >

<Recognized: Black Canary, 13. >

"The Black Canary is safe," she reported.

… … …​

Cheetah was just confident enough to risk tempting fate-

"She's going down. We might actually do this," the woman breathed, watching one of the two intact androids get Wonder Woman in a hold as the other began a punishing series of blows. Psimon grunted, and Cheetah shifted to her battle form, flexing her claws eagerly.

-when it happened.

*FWOOSH!*

The warehouse doors shattered into a spray splinters, and a blur of color-

"No. No," Psimon whispered as his telepathy caught thoughts moving at super-speed.

-that could only be Flash raced through the room, throwing to the side bits of broken android in the wake of his feet as he tore the robots off Wonder Woman. Psimon desperately did his best to mentally convince the demigoddess that the speedster was a new enemy, but the incongruency of someone pulling her free from the other opponents made the image skid off her sense of disbelief.

Then Flash hit Psimon about half-a-dozen times in half a second and the psychic lost his hold.

"This-? What is-? Psimon," Wonder Woman declared, her eyes clearing despite the bruises across half her face. "Cheetah."

"Shit, shit, shit!" Cheetah yelped. Flash had tied her up, but not quite securely enough, and she slipped out of the slapdash knots.

Wonder Woman lunged, and a pile of crates exploded as Cheetah dodged frantically, only for Flash to swipe her feet out with a kick.

"Whoa, Diana!" the Scarlet Speedster said, waving. "I get wanting to bang their heads together, but I sort of… I kind of need a hand here?"

He held out his stump helplessly. The Amazon's eyes widened.

"B- Flash, what happened?" she demanded, rushing over beside him.

Cheetah, sensing a distraction, tried to slowly creep away towards an exit.

Wonder Woman, without turning her head, made a swivel motion with one ankle and kicked.

The emergency dagger she'd concealed in her boot buried itself three inches deep in the concrete between Cheetah's fingers.

Cheetah stopped creeping.

[Remain calm,] Psimon hissed into her mind. [I have two emergency teleporters on my person, and I already bribed a few members of the local police. Just as soon as they leave to handle everything else, we can begin working toward escape again.]

[Right,] Cheetah responded, and she made no move to fight as Wonder Woman strode over fiercely.

The knockout blow still hurt like a bitch even two days later, though.

… … …​

"Ferris, you need to talk to Robin now," Batgirl urged. "How quickly can you get to Gotham? The Zetas there are still locked."

"Motherbox, can you unlock the Zeta Tube locks?" Ferris asked in the spirit of helping the others act.

<Confirmation! >

<Thanks, but quick! If you can teleport down to- there are TV cameras, we need-! > Robin managed.

<It's Batman! > Jason shouted in a bigger panic. <No one at the Manor is answering and we just saw Batman get tossed down into the street by Bane on live TV! People are rioting, we need to get there! >

"Rioting and live TV," Ferris confirmed, racing to the Zeta Tube again. "Crowds? Helicopters? Buildings?"

<Recognized: Ferris, B06. >

Ferris pulled up the image of Gotham from overhead in her mind's eye as soon as she was off the Watchtower.

It was a large city and there was chaos everywhere… There were people filling many streets, fighting and screaming….

There were five helicopters around various areas, and her third mental sweep showed her the form of the Batman on the ground.

{It Flows Throughout the World, Where One Drop is as Another}​

Ferris reappeared beside him, tapped strength, and grabbed the nearest person in the melee. She swung them in a wide circle and flung the man off in a random direction. The cleared area would last only for a second of shock, but it was enough.

Ferris knelt beside the Batman and found an empty rooftop in her mind's eye.

{It Flows Throughout the World, Where One Drop is as Another}​

"I have the Batman. Should I take him to the Zeta Tubes and the Watchtower? Motherbox, what are his injuries?" she asked.

<Unit is scanning. >

"Fate is at hand!" boomed the Lord of Order's twinned voice as he appeared with Bumblebee from a glowing ankh. His golden raiment was bloodstained, with two ragged holes, but Bumblebee had pulled out the bullets made from spikes and he was functional again. "Lady Sliver, Giovanni Zatara knows of The Dark Knight's preferences and facilities, but more importantly, with your leave, Fate {That Which Should Be} will convey all present to the Watchtower."

"Yes, please, if it is safe." Fate washed them all away in a flood of golden light.

They reappeared in the Watchtower's infirmary, and Jason nearly tackled her in tears. "Please, ya gotta come quick! Alfred and T and Hairy Nuts and 'em all might be dying," he begged, "we need ta get ta the Manor, come on!"

"Thank you," Ferris said to Fate. She scooped up Jason and rushed with him to the Zeta Tubes.

… … …​

The situation in Wayne Manor was bad, as Ferris could immediately see when she arrived in the Bat-cave.

A number of things had been wrecked, most especially the computer, and Robin had left his glove plugged in with a display of the security systems projected before he ran upstairs to check everyone the systems detected.

Ferris – having a hunch of 'what is the worst thing that could reasonably go wrong with this' that she would not ignore – asked Motherbox to scan as she shooed Jason up the cavern steps, and she tapped the rest of her own hearing-based tin-mind just in case.

Two people remained in the cave other than her, according to Motherbox and her own ears.

The first person Ferris found was Talia, not quite unconscious from a head wound; she had been stuffed in the changing room where several suits and exchangeable spare parts for the belt and armor were stored. Talia had a hard time talking coherently for the time being, but she made her feelings known on certain things, and she relaxed somewhat once she was assured that Batman still lived.

Ferris delicately did not mention Batman's injuries as she tended to Talia's, and Talia did not seem to expect his presence, at least.

The second person was Harold Allnut, the genius and mute blond hunchback, whose dexterous fingers had been deliberately broken and his unconscious body shoved into the corner of the Bat-mobile maintenance area where he did most of his work.

Motherbox assessed them for Ferris, determined that neither one's condition would worsen much more than they were, and with the Bat-cave's defense down-

{It Flows Throughout the World, Where One Drop is as Another}​

-Ferris transported them upstairs without issue, to consult with Robin about where to put them.

Medical centers in Gotham and nearly everywhere else were swamped with cases from the chaos of the past few days, and Talia bitterly knew that the Wayne family's associates (Ferris learned the Batman's name to be Bruce Wayne, which struck her as vaguely familiar,) would be sitting ducks for more Shadows as well as the source of suspicion-raising media activities if they were treated publicly.

Ferris tapped her zinc-mind, asked a few quick questions, asked Motherbox to hack a few files, and-

{It Flows Throughout the World, Where One Drop is as Another}​

-in less than five minutes she had Alfred, Harold Allnut, and Alice Tesla checked into Mile End Hospital in London, which had Alfred's medical records on file from some time back.

No one (except for Ken Ondaate, who was responsible for it,) knew quite why London had been spared so much of the madness suffered all over the rest of the world, but the city's hospitals were excellent and not overworked in the crisis situation, while no paparazzi would know to look for Wayne family associates in England, and Alfred's veteran status would have its own benefits in his home country.

Talia had feebly refused to be hospitalized when the situation was so grim—and the other maid, Marilyn Nichols, was sadly beyond needing medical attention—so Ferris left Jason by Alfred's bedside with one comm link, left Robin to monitor Gotham, sent Batgirl to work out the situation with Commissioner Gordon, and took Talia al Ghul back down to the Bat-cave in person for what treatment was possible.

As she worked, Ferris kept her ears on the various channels as Icon, Green Arrow, Hawkwoman, Wonder Woman, and were each eventually located and rescued as needed. It took Dr. Fate to personally conduct a search spell before they finally located Plastic Man, (who had been frozen, smashed, and dumped into several separate containers, which not even he had known he could survive,) but hearing that Captain Atom was presumed dead—he was mostly vaporized by the energy discharge—threw cold water on any relief at the news.

Talia, for reasons of her own, also had a vague, bleary interest in knowing the outcome, and Ferris kept her updated.

The series of attacks had finally died down, and it was largely all over but the shouting and more formalities as everyone tried to recover. No one knew quite what had happened, but the possibilities were terrifying and the public was duly frightened.

More than 10,000 convicted criminals had been broken from prison worldwide.

Over an Exabyte of data files had been accessed, erased, and/or corrupted, including arrest and evidence records for countless crimes committed by the newly released criminals, which would inhibit attempts to identify, pursue, and imprison them again.

The total death toll was still rising as the count continued.

Total property damage would have to be measured in the billions of dollars.

No one knew much of anything about anything, and people wanted answers.

...There were, however, a few faint silver linings:

The Justice League and the Team were alive (barring the murder of Captain Atom,) and would recover, even if some were gravely wounded.

Many heroes had appeared and stepped up during the fighting – from the Great Ten running some relief efforts, to a few magic users or tech specialists entering the public eye to pacify situations, to the debut of almost a dozen hero teams around the world – so it seemed the defenders of justice and the innocent would have allies in the coming months and years.

Ra's al Ghul was still in prison, despite this supposedly being the work of the Shadows.

Despite many of the prison breaks being high-security institutions, several important prisons had remained unbroken, including Belle Reve.

A number of contributing criminals, not least of whom was the much-loathed Captain Nazi, had been captured and could be processed without further issues.

As the news of the world churned on, Ferris sat in the Bat-cave by Talia's medical bed and checked the records of Gotham's mystic history for ideas regarding what she was planning. Rather than there being not much, there were too many myths, many of which were contradictory.

Talia's energy was fading fast, and she finally slipped off to sleep after being assured that her Beloved was alive.

Tapping her bronze-mind, Ferris stayed up into the night and researched the current state of the city; she had heard Robin speak with pride about the Batman's crusade, and how Gotham had recently dropped from #1 to #3 in the USA for the worst amounts of crime. Now, however… it was bad, and she briefly transported out to bring back Robin and Batgirl and order them to bed rather than let them fighting crime.

Then Ferris slipped through the Zeta Tubes and delivered the Globe to Aqualad, as she would be largely busy-but-immobile for much of the next few hours. She worked through the night, gathering details and imposing on Motherbox to hack certain secrets or records.

The largest source of the trouble was obvious enough: the presence of Bane combined with the absence of the Batman. Rumors were flying online and (doubtlessly) in person, and the breakout of criminals had sent the city into chaos that Klarion would be proud of.

That last observation set a spark of something smoldering in Renka's stomach: Talia had dazedly expressed some guilt for what had occurred, and it was no great stretch for the Sliver of Entropy to extrapolate the involvement of mind-control once she had acquired some (damaged and incomplete) footage from the cave's interior; Batman, after his great success in civilizing the worst of the city, would be forced to witness his home fall apart from the confines of a wheelchair; Robin, Batgirl, Artemis, Jason, and even Zatanna would be unsafe in their homes for as long as this continued to occur; and in the end, after months of relatively uselessness, Ferris finally felt able to do something.

Being the only adult present able to walk under her own power, Ferris began breakfast when dawn broke, arranged for Aqualad to direct Jason to the nearest Zeta Tube, and had Motherbox assist her with assembling a list of tasks, large and small, while cooking the food.

She stuffed Jason's face once he arrived, sent him off to bed, and when the other did not wake with the daylight she let them sleep.

As soon as business hours were open, she had Motherbox patch her through by phone to a grim business, the first task of many.

Do the small things when you can, she believed, and do them early if possible, to build up a momentum of getting things done.

"Hello," Ferris said into the phone as she checked the Manor's food stores and security systems. "Yes. Yes, Alfred Pennyworth is unfortunately in the hospital; I am prepared to make these orders with my own account information, as it seems cruel to force any of the Wayne family to do it. The first tombstone should be engraved Marilyn Nichols, M-A-R-I-…"

 

[TonedMite]

It's over... Thank Harmony it's over... And now, once again, to rebuild and restore that which has been lost ore damaged.
Also, R.I.P. Marilyn Nichols.

 

[Hestia&theCourt]

lost ore damaged

Click to shrink...

...pun intended?

 

[TonedMite]

...pun intended?

Click to shrink...

Not originally, but sure. I'll leave it in because of that.