REVERSED DC
Trials and Tribulations
====
Curious. You've noticed me, have you? Are you…the same as me? …well. It doesn't matter. Since you're here, take a seat. Kick back. Relax. After all… The gates of hell will soon open. Welcome to the worldwide premiere, friend. Enjoy the show.
"Rhody"
I've mentioned this before, but I'm not familiar with everything about DC. I know the mainstays like Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Flash, and some of their associates. I'm not a huge comic nerd, and any stuff I do know that's of any relevance comes from the animated series and movies, like the DCAU. Some heroes I knew of only because of them.
Case in point, Jaime Reyes AKA Blue Beetle. A character I knew jack all about and only knew because of the Young Justice cartoon.
Meeting him was a surprise, almost as much as my first meeting with Kara weeks ago. It was one thing to run into Supergirl, but a kid with advanced alien tech stuck to his spine? Definitely weird.
And yet, still not in the top ten. Getting punted into an RSM DC universe and getting stuck in a nerfed Astolfo's body has yet to be topped.
If Raven was offended whatsoever by me inviting Kara into our "date", she didn't show it. In fact, she seemed pretty chill about it. She and Kara were the ones keeping things going, talking animatedly about their experiences in Jump City so far when the blonde learned Raven was the same as her and came to the city only recently. She was also very eager to learn how she came to share an apartment with a boy, completely unsupervised.
By contrast, me and Jaime were just quietly enjoying each other's company, occasionally chiming in. To be frank, it felt like we were third wheels. It'd been a while since I remembered what it was like. Last time I ended up like this was back when I tried unsuccessfully to play wingman and help one of my high school friends score a date with the popular girl at our school. Turned out it was unnecessary since she was into him from the get-go, though she did thank me privately for "setting things up".
"I think they forgot we exist," I said blandly to Jaime, who silently nodded in agreement.
I took a sip of my soda, relishing the memorable taste of Dr. Pepper. Once more, I was thankful for things like universal constants. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Jaime staring…oddly, at Kara and Raven. Not like a lovestruck buffoon, thankfully. He looked at them like they were something foreign and incomprehensible, his brow knit as he seemingly dissected the sight before him.
I couldn't help but tease him a little. "So, which one is your type?"
If Jaime had been drinking his soda, he would've spat it out then and there. Instead, he choked on his own spit and looked at me incredulously. "W-what?"
"You've been staring at them for the last couple of minutes," I pointed out to him. "So unless you just like to stare at people for no reason…"
"N-no!" Jaime half-yelled half-whispered, words strangled in his throat. He threw a cautious glance at the two girls, as if fearing they would overhear him. "I-I'm just…surprised, is all? I'm not used to girls being, well, like that."
I raised an eyebrow, about to ask what he meant. Then I remembered what kind of world we were in, and Jaime was Latino, an ethnicity that had an unfortunate tendency to be sexualized too often. While I wasn't inclined toward men, I could willingly admit that Jaime was handsome, and if I was a woman or remotely attracted to dudes, I would happily ask him out.
And unfortunately, in a reversed world like this, Jaime's looks meant he received attention. Too much, and likely of the wrong kind.
"Well, don't get used to it," I told him. "Girls like them are rare, and make the best sorts of friends."
My fellow male managed to smile. "I can believe that. Kara's been a big help, actually. She's been helping me around campus, even though she's new here."
"Fending off unwarranted admirers with a stick?" I asked. "Or does she use a brick?"
"Hey!" Crap, she heard me. "What's that supposed to mean? I'm not that violent!"
"Kara," Jaime said exasperatedly. "You broke Kitten's nose."
"And she totally frickin' deserved it!" Kara huffed.
I blinked. That name sounded very familiar.
Wasn't there a character named Kitten in Teen Titans? Crap, who was she again? A villain who had a crush on Robin? No, wait. I remember now. She was Killer Moth's daughter and had a dude with a spider head for a boyfriend.
A shudder crawled down my back. I really hope it was just a coincidence, because I did not want to find out what Kitten was like in this universe. She was already crazy in the show, and chances are, she'd probably be worse in this universe.
Again, what the fuck, god/author me.
"While I wouldn't advocate using violence to solve all your problems," I said while biting into my chicken sandwich. "Looking out for your friend is always a good thing. Still, was this girl really that bad?"
"Rhody, you don't even know the half of it," Kara groaned. "If it was just her being flirty, I'd just tell her to back off, but she has a boyfriend and she treats him like crap! He won't even defend himself when she starts calling him her 'little slut'." Kara scowled deeply. "That is not how relationships work."
I'm guessing the dating scene is different on Krypton, I couldn't help but think, remembering some of the difficult customers I've had to deal with. Some were forward, and others were just downright vulgar. Casey wasted no time banning them from the café and blacklisting them altogether. Or she could be thinking about Lois and Clark's relationship. Actually, are they married in this universe?
Food for thought, I guess.
Tirade about Kitten and her bitchiness aside, the conversation turned away to more pleasant things.
"What brought you to Jump City?" Kara asked curiously. "I remember you saying you're originally from Gotham?"
I chuckled nervously. "Kind of a long story, there. Short version is that I was in a rough spot and wound up with the Troubled Youths Program."
Jaime frowned. "Isn't that for kids with rough childhoods?"
"It's Gotham," Raven deadpanned. "Even I don't want anything to do with that place, and I've been to Australia."
"Ooh, really?" Kara leaned in with a curious glint. "Are the bugs as big as they say?"
"Let me put it this way. I am never staying at a roach motel." The goth girl shuddered. "I swear, there's something in the dirt. Maybe magic. Bugs should not be that big."
"At least it wasn't spiders," I said, repressing a shudder of my own. "I hate spiders."
…I really hope Spidermonkey isn't part of the initial lineup on the Omnitrix. On the one hand, monkey. On the other hand, a monkey that is also a spider… Gross.
"Jokes aside, how about you, Jaime? What brought you to Jump City?"
The Mexican-American teen smiled wryly. "Ah, it's nothing special. My family and I had some disagreements, and my parents disagreed about where I should take my life. A lot of stuff happened, so I decided to try and get a fresh start. Make decisions for myself for once."
I got the feeling there was a lot he wasn't telling us, but none of us pressed him for more. It was obvious they were personal. Ugh, I wished I had read more DC comics, if only so I knew what his deal was. The only concrete thing I knew about the eponymous Blue Beetle was that he had advanced alien tech stuck to his spine, and that was it.
"So far, it's been a nice change of pace. I'm still getting used to things here, especially how pushy girls are. Uh, no offence to you two, of course."
Kara giggled. "None taken, man. Just be glad you aren't like my cousin. He's married, but he's super popular at his workplace. Only reason nobody tries their luck is because they know his wife will come down on them like the reaper herself."
Ah, so Superman is married, I thought with mild interest. Now that I get to thinking about it, doesn't Superman have a son in the comics? I wonder if he'll show up at some point…
Alas, all good things must end eventually. It was getting late, so we went our separate ways, leaving McDonalds and going back to our respective homes. Unfortunately, we didn't make it very far. We just reached the intersection when I saw Raven stiffen, her eyes momentarily glowing dark red and her shadow rippling. Her expression grew severe and troubled.
I recognized the look, having seen it several times over the last few weeks. "A demon?"
"Yeah. It's close by, too." She nudged her head at the alley next to us. "Over there."
My eyes widened in surprise. Talk about lucky. And yet… I couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen.
I swore, there was someone watching us. Somewhere, hidden from prying eyes. I could feel it.
Jaime
The walk back to the college dorms felt stifling. Each step he took, Jaime found himself looking back to the time he lost, all because of that loudmouth in gold who told him he could help save the world.
What a joke. Not just the fact he could supposedly save the world, but that he could do anything at all. Him, a boy of all things! Some days, he wondered if things would have gotten better if it'd been his sister who found the scarab instead of him. Maybe if she had—
[Jaime, baby… You have to stop thinking like that.]
Before, he would have jumped at the sound of his mother's voice echoing in his ears. Having spent months with the voice in his head, though, Jaime came to appreciate it. Admittedly, he did find it a little weird that Khaji Da chose his mom of all people to emulate. As if his mom needed more of a presence in his life than she did already.
I know, he "spoke". But I can't help it.
Ever since the Scarab attached itself to him, Jaime's life had been one crazy turn after another. So much happened that he could barely keep up with everything. Everyone had limits, and he nearly reached his breaking point. His friends agreed the best thing for him to do was to take a step back, get away from the madness.
Jaime felt conflicted over the decision. It was the best thing to do in his situation, he knew that, but at the same time, it felt like he was just running away. That didn't sit right with him at all.
A tired sigh escaped him. He would have thought that unexpected hangout with Kara and those two at McDonalds would have helped clear his head, and it had…but now he had new problems.
Namely, Kara's friend. The barista from Café Costa.
You're sure that watch was alien tech?
[Positive. It was too advanced to be anything else. Not even the Reach have access to that kind of technology.]
Jaime grimaced. So, he's not one of them?
[I detected no external camouflage, and my scans show he's baseline human. No sign of the meta-gene anywhere.]
Jaime didn't want to feel paranoid, but his experience with extraterrestrial life left a sour impression. Khaji Da was an exception, having been one of the core pillars in his life ever since it came into the picture. The same couldn't be said about its creators, though.
[Should we keep an eye on him?]
Maybe, he replied, uncertain. He hasn't done anything, and Kara seems to like him, so…
His thoughts were interrupted when an explosion erupted behind him, shaking the ground. He stumbled, nearly falling face first to the concrete. He whirled around and saw smoke in the distance, followed by what he recognized were the sounds of battle. He stared, emotions flashing wildly across his face.
[Jaime.]
Khaji Da's voice was solemn, yet firm.
[You don't have to do this.]
A man's face flashed through Jaime's mind. A warm smile, wrinkled eyes filled with pride.
I know…but I gotta try.
Try as he might, Jaime Reyes was beholden to the same curse as a certain web-slinger from another universe.
Away from prying eyes, Jaime ducked into the nearest alley and hid behind a garbage container. He slid his backpack off. Almost immediately after, he felt his skin tingle and his nerves burn. His eyes glowed bright orange as a black liquid engulfed him, slithering across his skin before enveloping his clothes. It was hot, scalding, so much he nearly screamed. He was accustomed to the sensation, however, and managed to steel himself as the transformation continued. The liquid cooled, solidifying into armor. A helmet covered his face.
Spoiler: Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle rose to his feet, insectoid-like wings unfolding from the Scarab.
"Okay, Jump City," he said quietly. "Hope you're ready for me…because I sure as hell aren't."
A few minutes earlier…
"Rhody"
Raven led us into the alley, creating a dual-layered silence and warding barrier to ensure no one would hear what was happening and, hopefully, keep innocent bystanders away.
It hadn't taken us long to find the demon. We had just turned the corner when it stumbled into view.
The sight of it took both of us off guard.
"What the hell?" Raven stared in disbelief and horror. While I couldn't voice similar thoughts, my stomach twisted into ugly knots, bile rising to greet me.
A homeless woman shambled toward us, skin bulging and warping. Her body was disproportionate, parts of it twisting, expanding, and shrinking almost violently. Her clothes were tearing away, unable to contain the rapid increase of flesh. Her face was mired in horror and confusion. She didn't understand what was happening. Black tears spilled down her eyes.
She reached for us. "H-help me!" she screamed, voice distorted. She didn't sound human.
The homeless woman took a step forward, only for her leg to suddenly bend sideways, followed by the disgustingly loud sound of bone snapping. She screamed in pain, falling to the ground. The distortion of flesh increased rapidly, and her skin grew discolored. Pale pink became dark blue. Scales sprouted along her neck and face. Her screams increased in pitch as her mouth started to widen…
"I think I'm gonna be sick," I managed to say, struggling to keep my lunch down.
Raven said nothing, equally as horrified.
With one final scream, the homeless woman ceased to exist as a human being. In her place was a monster, spindly and tall with elongated limbs and a stick-thin body. Mangled horns sprouted from the back of its head, creating a mockery of hair. Several mouths lined with sharp teeth opened along its body.
The demon let out a gurgling birth cry, roaring loudly up to the sky before—
"MOVE!"
Raven's magic threw me to the side just as the demon charged, faster than any we've dealt with before. Its claws missed me, only barely. I rolled onto my back and back on my feet, my hand already reaching for the Omnitrix. Black tendrils held the demon at bay, long enough for me to find an alien. The first one that popped up was…well, it wasn't ideal, but beggars aren't choosers. You don't have time to second-guess or wait in a fight. Every second counts.
I pressed my finger down on the plate. In moments, the Omnitrix worked its magic. I felt the change overtaking me, my mind rewired to fit my new physiology and being. Muscles expanded and tightened. Skin hardened and grew fur.
Spoiler: Rath
The instant the transformation is completed, I felt enraged. Just who the hell did this punk think it was, attacking me?!
"LEMME TELL YA SOMETHIN', HOBO CHICK TURNED MONSTER!" Spit flew from my mouth as I got up close and personal with the demon, grabbing one of its claws as it was in motion while seizing the thing by the throat. "NOBDOY, AND I MEAN NOBODY, TAKES A SWIPE AT ME AND GETS AWAY WITH IT! PREPARE FOR A RIGHTEOUS ASSKICKING!"
I barely heard Raven's groan from behind it. "Oh, god, not this lunatic…"
"I HEARD THAT!"
"Just shut up and fight, moron!"
I snarled, about to lay into the girl for ordering me around, when the demon screeched. Loudly. I could feel my head rattling from the intensity. It sounded like a thousand nails on a chalkboard. I kicked the demon away and into Raven, who proceeded to ensnare it in black tendrils and smash it into the wall. The demon didn't stop screaming. Actually, it started screaming even louder. The air itself was starting to vibrate.
It was unbearable. It was intolerable.
It was annoying!
"WOULD YOU JUST SHUT UP ALREADY?!" I roared, leaping at the demon and bodyslamming it back into the wall. The bricks gave way and crumbled. We tumbled inside.
To my annoyance, the building was occupied. It looked like a laundromat, what with all the washing machines scattered about. People screamed when they saw me and the demon and took off running. Rude! I wasn't ugly looking, not like that ugly—
"ACK!"
The demon grabbed me by the throat and threw me across the laundromat, right into a wall. It gave way much easier than the brick wall from earlier. I quickly got back up on my feet, snarling in annoyance as the demon's limbs stretched, lashing toward me like whips. I dodged them easily, Appoplexian reflexes allowing me to maneuver and jump around them with ease. I jumped over one of the arm whips, landing atop a washing machine. When the other arm whip came at me, I flip-jumped over it, hoisting the washing machine over my head.
"CATCH!" I shouted, throwing the washing machine at full force. It struck the demon head-on, sending it back out into the alley.
Raven was upon it immediately, ensnaring it with black tendrils and bombarding it with magic blast after magic blast. The black magic pummeled down on the demon, pushing it into the ground to the point it was starting to form a small crater. The demon broke free and responded with another ungodly high-pitched scream.
This one packed a mean punch, as it didn't just rattle our brains. It caused the world around us to explode. It felt like someone punched me in the gut and in the brain. What's more, the boom sent me flying through the air. I vaguely felt a cold feeling wrap around me, Raven's magic probably. When I regained my senses, we were on a rooftop.
Peering down, I saw smoke and fire down in the alley. In the middle of it all was the demon, unharmed but angry.
"SINCE WHEN DOES SCREAMING EQUAL EXPLOSIONS?!" I asked. "STUPID MAGIC BULLSHIT!"
To my glee, the demon seemed infuriated by my survival. It latched onto the edge of the roof with its stretchy limbs and pulled itself up. Raven struck first with the same badass chant I've known her to use, a black bird erupting behind her and diving toward the demon. It quickly jumped away, only for me to snatch it by one of its legs and slam it into the ground. I reeled the sucker it, rearing a fist back and driving both fist and claw into its stupid dumb head. The blow connected. It bounced off the ground like a ragdoll. It just managed to get up when Raven sucker-punched it, knocking it further away.
It opened its mouths, ready to scream.
"I don't think so," Raven's eyes glowed red, her fingers tracing the air and creating some sort of symbol. "Let's turn down the volume."
The demon screamed…but no sound came.
I smiled. "NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN' ABOUT!" I pound my fists together and get ready for Round 2.
Suddenly, Raven stiffened. Her eyes go wide. "Oh, you have got to be kidding," she bit out. "Rhody, we got incoming! Another one!"
"SAY WHAT?!"
"KIIIIIIIIKIKIKIKIKI!"
Something slammed down on the roof, standing between us and the gangly demon bastard. It was another demon, its skin dark as obsidian with scissors for hands and tendrils for hair. On its stomach were a pair of eyes and a mouth lined with teeth.
I scowled in annoyance. "ANOTHER ONE OF YOU?! LEMME TELL YA SOMETHIN', ASSHOLE! IF THERE IS ONE THING RATH HATES, IT'S UNINVITED GUESTS! YOU WANNA MAKE THIS A TAG TEAM?! BRING IT OOOOON!"
(Privately, I made a mental note to apologize to Raven. As much of a powerhouse as Rath is, he's…an acquired taste. And a pain in the ass.)
The two demons roared in concert. Raven's magic flared to life around her like a violent storm. I cracked my knuckles.
We—
"Hey." I blinked. Looking up, I found a somewhat familiar face hovering in the air. A guy in black and blue armor with a huge cannon for an arm flying above us. "Need any help?"
I grinned.
REVERSED DC
Trials and Tribulations
====
Jaime
Khaji Da.
[Yes, baby?]
Please tell me that tiger guy isn't buck naked.
[The tiger guy is buck naked.]
Jaime did his best not to stare. It was rude for starters, but mostly because he found it distracting. When he first saw the alien, he did a double take. It looked like something you'd see in one of those raunchy fanart sites. Looking at the alien reminded him of a site his sister frequented, DeviantArtworks or something. He browsed it once and quickly regretted that decision when he saw some of the more… racier posts.
If the world at large saw the alien, completely nude with cock and balls freely exposed, Kevins around the world would have a field day.
[May I suggest stop looking at the alien and focus on the creatures in front of us?]
The Mexican-American teen shook his head. Khaji Da was right, he could focus on the alien later. For now, he had to deal with…whatever these things were.
His boosters worked overtime to avoid Erica Scissorhands' monstrous counterpart, the damn thing sprouting bat-like wings from its back and chasing after him with dogged determination. The girl in the cloak backed him up, throwing black energy from her hands and speaking ominous chants. He recognized it as magic, but it was different than what he'd seen before. For some reason, it gave him a bad feeling.
What are we dealing with, Khaji Da?
[I am uncertain. It is not alien, but its DNA has been severely corrupted. I suspect this creature to be a former homo sapien, but I do not know if it's the result of the meta-gene within heavily altering the human's genetic composition or the result of some horrific experiment. Also, incoming.]
His thrusters tilted, forcing his body to an angle, barely avoiding sharp claws. While they weren't strong enough to pierce the suit, the Scarab wasn't fully functional even at the best of times. The suit's durability fluctuated too much for his liking, and when it came to magic, it got more wonky. His previous adventures taught him not to be arrogant. When the monster screeched and came at him again, he ducked and grabbed it by the tail. The suit's fibers grew taught, enhancing his strength. He threw it toward Raven. She struck it in the face with a magic-enhanced haymaker, knocking it down to the rooftop where the tiger alien was fighting.
Matter of fact, the monster almost hit the alien, hitting the ground next to it. The distraction gave the tiger alien's opponent an opportunity to stretch its arms, snatching the alien by the head, and quickly pulling itself toward him, driving its knee into the alien's face. It clearly wasn't enough to faze him because the alien snarled, roared in anger, and headbutted the monster, disorienting it and leaving it open to a lariat.
"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE THROWING SHIT!" the alien shouted at him. "YOU WANT ME TO COME UP THERE AND KICK YOUR ASS, PRETTY BOY?!"
Jaime blinked. How does he know—oh, crap! "Hey, watch out!"
The scissors monster leaped at the tiger alien's back, slashing away at its back. He let out a pained yelp, scowled, and seized the monster by the arm, throwing it back into the air before getting back into the thick of it with the gangly one. Jaime aimed his cannons and opened fire, landing three shots and blasting the scissors monster in the back. The monster cried in pain and—
"Mierda!"
Spikes erupted from its back, exploding in a violent shower of needles. Jaime flew higher to avoid the spikes while Raven protected herself with a shield. The spikes dug into it, but failed to break through.
[Jaime, this thing is evolving at a rapid pace. I'm also detecting a build-up of energy.]
What kind?
[Unknown, but it's volatile. I advise containing it as soon as possible.]
Easier said than done, chica!
"Rhody"
"LEMME TELL YA SOMETHING, DEMON BASTARD! I'M REALLY SICK AND TIRED OF DEALING WITH YOUR CRAP! HURRY AND GO KABLOOEY SO WE CAN GET THIS DAY OVER WITH!"
The rational part of my mind knew that was definitely not the ideal outcome, not after seeing the horror show from a short while ago. Unfortunately, Rath was anything but rational. Frankly, I was lucky to even have a barely functioning brain while in this form. No wonder Ben only brought out Rath when he needed something smashed.
The demon's ability to stretch was annoying, especially when it started getting smarter. Thankfully, Raven's spell was holding out and the only thing coming out of its many mouths was silent gibberish. Not that I could understand whatever it was saying, anyway. Whatever language these bastards spoke was something only Raven could understand, and according to her, what they had to say was nothing useful. All they spouted was the generic Sunday villain speeches and grandiose speeches, taunting us how we'd fail and they'd win, or something along those lines.
Thinking about it…that only made me more annoyed. No, seriously. What made these bastards so arrogant to think they could beat me?! Especially when all this thing could do was be a knockoff Mr. Fantastic?! If anything, I felt insulted! At least Raven and Jaime's opponent could fly and shoot spikes from its body on top of having scissors for claws!
As though sensing my irritation, the demon let out some kind of silent noise and swung its arms at me. I grabbed them both mid-air and decided enough was enough. I was ending this here and now. Before the demon could do anything, I twisted and twirled its stretchy limbs around my wrists, still keeping a firm grip on its wrists, then yanked it toward me. Once it was within range, I slammed my head down into the useless lump of flesh mimicking a head. The force my headbutt shook the air, and the demon recoiled, hitting the ground.
I didn't let up. I pulled on it again, this time punching it clean across the "face". A jagged scar cut deep into its flesh, courtesy of my claws. I yanked and pulled on it again, uppercutting it and knocking it up in the air. A prime opportunity to yank it back down to Earth and slam it down on the ground. I didn't let up, pouncing atop it and proceeding to deliver the mother of all righteous beatdowns.
Fists smash into flesh. Bone broke. The ground cracked, slowly giving way. Purplish blood splattered across my body. All of this was ignored in favor of turning the demon into mulch. With its arms wrapped around my hands, it could do nothing but take it.
I punched it. Again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again.
I brought my fight to a close, bringing both hands together and lifting them over my head. With a mighty below, I slammed them straight down on the demon's chest. I felt the chest cave in, bones snap, and organs explode from within. The mouths opened, screaming a silent death knell. The ground beneath us finally gave way. The roof collapsed, sending us both careening down below. We smashed through at least two floors before landing in what I assumed was an apartment, right on top of a coffee table. I shrugged off the dust and debris, surprisingly less affected by the fall than I thought.
"Ugh, gross. Monster guts!" I complained at the sight of purple blood and fleshy giblets on my hands. "This is gonna take forever to clean!"
It was at that moment I realized I had an audience, hearing something clatter to the ground. I looked to my left, seeing a girl around nine or ten years old sitting on the sofa, her hands positioned as if she was holding a bowl. Said bowl lay discarded and forgotten on the ground, its contents spilled across the carpet. The girl stared at me wide-eyed, doing her best impression of a fish. I couldn't blame her reaction, though. How would you react if a tiger man came crashing through your roof, covered in blood and with a dead corpse beneath him?
I saw her eyes trail downward. Her face turned bright red.
Something in me shriveled and died, realizing I just may have corrupted a young sweet summer child.
…and she was still staring. For fuck's sake.
"What the hell are you looking at, you pervert?!" I shouted at her. The girl yelped in fright, suddenly remembering what was in front of her was not human.
Predictably, she started screaming bloody murder.
Raven
"Azarath metrion zinthos!"
A fist made of pure magic ensnared the demon(?), seizing it and holding it in place long enough for the strange blue-armored man to get up close and start blasting it point-blank. The demon's hide was durable, but even it couldn't hope to withstand the firepower on display. Despite the chaos happening in front of her and still unsettled by what transpired a few moments ago, Raven kept herself focused on the task at hand. Her thoughts were coherent and sharp enough to multi-task, keeping up the pressure and dealing with the demon while observing the new arrival closely.
She didn't recognize him, but Rhody calling him "pretty boy" earlier implied he was someone he knew from his world. Something to inquire later when this was over. She also noticed that while the suit appeared mechanical in nature, she detected magical enchantments laced into it, most of the concentrated around the scarab-shaped apparatus on his back. That was interesting. While magic could work well with machinery, in most cases mixing the arcane with technology had…varied results. Sometimes explosive. Despite that, it was obvious the young man didn't know any magic, suggesting he was not so much a novice or apprentice as he was ignorant. He likely didn't even know the suit was enchanted to begin with.
Still, she wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. Much like it was with Supergirl, she appreciated having back-up, especially since they had superior numbers and firepower.
Speaking of which!
"Get back!" Raven shouted, sensing that the demon had enough and was about to explode. Its internal energies were skyrocketing in response to the suddenly one-sided beatdown. The blue man did more damage to it than she previously thought. The hand holding it formed into a dome, trapping the demon and confining it.
"Damn you, daughter of Trigon!" the demon screeched, fruitlessly trying to claw its way out. "How dare you betray your blood! You waste the gifts the great one has bestowed upon you!"
"Oh, just shut up and die already."
As if on cue, the demon's internal energies reached a critical point. Its body brimmed with infernal light, and with one final pained cry, it exploded in a violent burst of hellfire. The dome contained the blast. That detail wasn't lost to Raven, as it simply gave her more evidence to a disturbing theory growing in her head.
She glanced at the rooftop where Rhody fought the other demon, only to find it partially collapsed and sporting a roof. Before she could worry about her friend, though, she saw the door to the rooftop open. Stepping out onto the roof was Rhody, now back in human form, struggling to pull a now very-much-dead demon behind him. She blinked in surprise, not expecting him to have succeeded in killing it before it could explode like the others, but it was a pleasant and much-needed surprise nonetheless.
If the demon's heart was intact, her theory may be correct. She sincerely hoped she was wrong, though.
"Did that thing just try to kamikaze us?" the blue man questioned in surprise.
Raven shrugged. "They all do that. Don't ask me why." Though I get the feeling I'm about to find out, she added privately before descending down to the roof.
The blue man followed after her. When he saw Rhody, she saw him stiffen in surprise. Not because he was surprised to find a civilian hauling up a demon's corpse, but because he knew Rhody, recognized him even. She even heard him mutter Rhody's name under his breath in shock before he rapidly shook his head, trying (and failing) to calm his emotions. It gave her some idea as to who the blue man was under that armor. Chances are he was probably one of Rhody's regulars at the coffee house he worked at.
"How'd everything go?" Raven asked with little preamble, looking at the demon's half-brutalized corpse and then up at the pained grimace her roommate was sporting.
"Well, all things considered. Though I may have turned some poor kid into a pervert," he said, making her raise an eyebrow. "It's a long story." He looked at the blue man and offered a wave. "Yo. Blue Beetle, I presume?"
Ah, so he was someone Rhody knew from his world. At least now she had a name to call him by.
Blue Beetle was surprised. "Wait, you know me?!"
"Eh, not much admittedly," Rhody admitted sheepishly. "I'm not that big of a cape geek, though I appreciate the assist."
"Assist? …hold on. Were you that tiger guy from earlier?"
"That'd be the one." Rhody smiled apologetically. "And, uh, sorry if I grated on your nerves. Whenever I turn into Rath, I, uh, lose a couple brain cells."
"A couple?" Raven quipped. "Try a boxfull." She ignored Rhody's indignant squawk in favor of the corpse at his feet. She stared at it in scrutiny.
Not too long ago, it used to be human. A poor woman who had no idea what was happening to her. Raven vividly remembered the motions pouring out of her as the transformation took hold. Fear, confusion, horror, pain. It happened so suddenly.
And unless Raven missed her guess…she wasn't the only victim.
What if…?
She took a deep breath. She couldn't be sure of that. Not until she—
A familiar presence approached them rapidly. Raven tensed for a moment, almost thinking it was yet another demon, only to relent when she recognized them.
"Ah, crap. Did I miss the action?" Supergirl complained, hovering above them and looking quite put off for having missed the fun. She stopped, nearly jerking mid-air in a flustered panic when she saw Rhody, who was rather nonplussed as he waved in greeting. "Rhody?! Uh, I mean, g-greetings, citizen!"
Raven cringed. Hard. Smooth, Supergirl. And that makes two people who know Rhody.
For some reason, she felt left out. Did every superhero know Rhody because they frequented his workplace? She would have to check out Café Costa at some point. Maybe once this craziness was over and done with.
"Holy crap," Blue Beetle gaped. "Supergirl?!"
The blonde heroine finally took notice of the armored man. "Oh, hey. You're new. I don't think I recognize you. New hero?"
"Um, sort of? B-Blue Beetle, at your service, ma'am!"
"None of that ma'am stuff, please. I'm not that old," she laughed. "Nice to meet you!" She turned her attention back to the goth girl. "And…Raven, right?" She nodded. "Sorry I didn't get here in time. Got held up, dealing with some…personal issues." Raven felt a tinge of annoyance from Supergirl, implying there was more to it than that, but she didn't pry.
"It's fine," Raven assured her fellow superhero. "These two were weaker than the last one." She turned her attention back to the corpse. "And I think I know why."
"What do you mean?"
Raven ignored her for the moment. She knelt beside the demon's corpse and pressed her hand against its cold flesh. She whispered old words of power, an incantation meant to study and analyze the composition of an object. Information filled her mind as she studied the corpse. As it did, her blood turned to ice.
Her fears were proven correct.
"Raven?" Rhody called out. "What's wrong? You look pale as a ghost."
"…the demons. I know how they're showing up now."
She stood up, wiping the blood off her hands with her cloak. She ignored Rhody's confusion in favor of turning to Blue Beetle and Supergirl. She didn't want to involve them, but she didn't have much of a choice. Not when something horrible was happening in Jump City. Something that she wouldn't be able to solve on her own. It galled her how she was forced into this position, being made to trust others when she was content with being able on her own.
Rhody was becoming a bad influence on her.
"I'm going to need your help."
"Rhody"
It was surprising to see Raven ask for help. She made it clear early on that she would rather handle things on her own, and only begrudgingly accepted my help because the Omnitrix was too valuable an asset to refuse. The fact she asked Kara and Jaime for help only proved that whatever was going on, it was serious. Enough so that she revealed her identity to the two. I followed up shortly after, explaining how I'd been helping Raven in her demon hunting with a watch that let me shapeshift into aliens.
Of course, I didn't explain the fact I was technically in someone else's body, or that I was from another world. That conversation was a can of worms I wasn't ready to open. I took a gamble on it with Raven because she'd learn the truth sooner or later when she peaked in my head, but these two were another story. They were naturally surprised to learn that a humble barista at a coffee shop doubled as an alien shapeshifting asskicker, but they took it in stride. After all, it wasn't like they had any room to talk.
"So, it lets you turn into aliens?" Jaime asked curiously as Raven performed some magic ritual. We relocated to someplace else, right on the outskirts of Jump City where people were far less likely to stumble upon us. "Does that mean there's an actual race of tiger people out there somewhere?"
"Yep," I said, popping the 'p'. "Also included are humanoid lava people who are literal walking suns, tiny gray men who make the greatest scientists look like idiots, and blue lizards who'd make the Flash green with envy. And those are just the ones I remember off the top of my head!"
Sadly, XLR8 was not included in the initial lineup, much to my annoyance. I was oh so very tempted to unlock Master Control just so I had an excuse to use my own speedster.
Kara leaned in, curious. "Do you have Kryptonians in there too?"
And there was the elephant in the room I was hoping to ignore. Before I could answer her question, Raven came in clutch as she finished whatever she was doing. "Done." She stood up and stepped away. Despite the simple design, the magic circle she traced into the asphalt was intricate, thrice-layered and marked with runes.
"So, what does this do exactly?" I asked. "You haven't exactly explained what we're doing."
"It's a teleportation spell," she explained. "Nobody knows more about demons than my teacher. If anyone has a good idea on what's happening here in Jump City, it's him. Unfortunately, as much as I'd like to drag him here myself, he's probably dealing with his own shit."
So we finally get to meet her mystery teacher, I thought with some excitement.
Beside me, I heard Jaime grumble under his breath. "Still can't believe demons are actually a thing…"
Raven closed her eyes as she began working her magic. Her eyes turned pitch black, the air thrumming with ancient power. Dark energy swirled around her fingertips, flickering and dancing at her command. Slowly, but surely, a rift formed above the magic circle. It wasn't so much an oval of light or even a doorway as it was an actual distortion. It was like a mirage in the desert, a wavy image overlayed with reality. A shimmering doorway leading to what looked to be…a trailer park?
That…didn't inspire confidence.
"Here's hoping he's sober," I heard Raven mutter before bravely stepping into the portal.
The three of us looked at each other, uncertain and hesitant. Much as I trusted Raven…well, it was teleportation magic. There was always going to be some kind of weird side-effect.
"After you?" I said, looking at Kara.
The blonde didn't budge. "Gentlemen first."
I sighed, once again lamenting the logic of this reversed world before stepping into the portal.
To my immediate dismay, my worries about potential side-effects were proven. I made it to my destination in barely a second, but my mind was in two places at once, and my stomach was doing backflips that'd make Dick Grayson jealous, to the detriment of my lunch once again threatening to come up and greet me. I swayed on the spot, light-headed and nearly kissing dirt until I righted myself.
"I think I get why Geralt and Samos hate teleporting," I said to myself. "This shit sucks!"
Jaime appeared a second later. He looked dizzy, eyes flickering and his feet unsteady. "Why is everything spinning…?" he asked woozily.
It took a minute before Kara appeared after us. Her face turned slightly green. "I think I'm gonna be sick…" she groaned.
As we recovered from our teleportation sickness, I took stock of our current whereabouts. Sure enough, we were in some kind of trailer park. RVs littered the place, its own urban cul-de-sac with clotheslines and trash scattered about, all neatly organized and kept within their respective zones. The one in front of us, though, looked like a damned pigstie and the sight of a crime scene. Beer bottles littered the area around the door, magic runes all but seared onto the RV with sloppy and hazhardous writing that it barely looked like sophisticated magic work, resembling weird-ass graffiti more than anything.
"Your teacher lives here?" I asked.
"Not quite," Raven shook her head. "Think of it more like a safehouse. He only goes here whenever he's working." She paused, taking note of the runes etched onto the RV with some skepticism. "Though something tells me work isn't going well. This is sloppy work, even for him. This does not inspire confidence…" She sighed and shook her head, resigning herself that we needed her teacher's help for whatever spooked her.
She twirled her finger. With but a flick, her magic pounded against the RV, striking it with the force of a raging bull. It nearly tipped over, barely managing to right itself and landed back on the ground on all four wheels with a thud. I did a double-take, confused and shocked by the unexpected move.
"Fucking hell!" I heard the RV's occupant scream. "What the shit!" We heard noises from inside, stuff being thrown around while the occupant muttered profanities that'd make a sailor blush.
The door opened.
My jaw kissed the floor.
Jaime choked. "Ay dios mio," he whispered in utter mortification.
Kara's face turned beet red. "Oh my."
Raven's teacher was an older man. Late thirties, maybe younger. His blonde hair was disheveled as he looked like he hadn't had a decent night's sleep in days, not at all helped by the beginnings of a beard along the bottom half of his face. He was also naked, torso covered in claw marks and lipstick, though he was thankfully wearing underwear.
Unfortunately, I was yet again reminded that in this reverse world, men were expected to wear what would otherwise be women's clothing. That included underwear. So instead of boxers or briefs, I was treated to the sight of a grown-ass man wearing panties. And not just regular panties, but the raunchy kind.
I do believe I may have puked a little in my mouth. This was an image that wasn't going to go away anytime soon.
"What the fuck's the matter with you?!" the man shouted, his eyes glassy and unfocused. Chances are he was probably working off a hangover. "Who the hell goes and blasts a man's RV in the fucking afternoon?!"
This is Raven's teacher?
Needless to say, this was not at all what I was expecting. Raven told me he was an asshole, but she neglected to tell me he was also a raging drunk.
Raven was also suitably unimpressed. She barely bat an eye at his appearance, implying this was hardly the first time this happened. "Someone who's tired of your crap. And needs your help."
The man's rant died on his lips, stuttering and trailing off as he stared at Raven. Recognition settled over his features, his eyes growing clearer and focused. He blinked rapidly, now seeing her for the first time. He rubbed his eyes, as if to make sure she really was in front of him. I saw several emotions flashing across his face. Surprise at first, then indignation, followed by something I thought might have been joy before he settled on a look I've known to be the "resting bitch face".
Rather than address Raven, he instead turned his gaze to us. He looked at Kara, an eyebrow quirked while the Kryptonian girl hastily looked away, trying very hard to look anywhere other than his general viscinity. He looked at Jaime, who waved back shyly when the man looked at him questioningly, no doubt sensing there was something magical about the Scarab.
Finally, he looked at me. And I really didn't like how dismissive he seemed.
"Well, ain't this just great? Not sure whether to feel happy my wayward apprentice finally found herself a cute little boytoy, or question her tastes." He gave her a skeptical look. "I mean, really, Rachel? A fucking twink? You couldn't have gone for somebody else? Like, I dunno, the kid over there with the magic gizmo stuck in his spine?"
It clicked in my head who this man was.
Oh, you gotta be fucking kidding me.
I looked at Raven incredulously. "Seriously?" I hissed. "Your teacher is John Constantine? The biggest fucking asshole on the planet?!"
To her credit, Raven didn't look insulted. If anything, she was more annoyed by her teacher's antics. "Don't make his head any bigger than it already is. Don't ask me why, but he enjoys getting on people's nerves."
"I can tell." I paused for a moment, then leveled a glare at the magician. "Also, fuck you. At least I don't look like I just walked out of a gangbang while drunk off my ass. Secondly, really? A tiger-print thong? If that doesn't scream slut, I dunno what does."
I heard Jaime and Kara making choking noises behind me. Constatine blinked, surprised by my vitriolic response. It quickly morphed into a wide grin. He looked at Raven.
"I like this one."
The air felt several degrees colder as Raven's eyes turned dark red. "Don't even think about it. Try anything, and I tell Etrigon you want to go drinking with him."
"Relax, kid. He's too young for me, anyway."
"And you are so not my type!"
This was not going to be a fun meeting.
REVERSED DC:
Trials and Tribulations
====
Raven
It didn't surprise Raven to see her teacher in such a state. If anything, she half-expected to find him like this.
It usually meant his current job was the kind he wanted nothing to do with, but took it on anyway either because he owed someone a favor or it was extremely personal. The kind where he didn't have a choice.
Taking her on as an apprentice had been one of those times.
John Constantine was in no way someone she considered a father figure. Maybe when she first met him, she considered him as such, and while he was certainly leagues better than Trigon, the interdimensional demonic conqueror set a low bar for potential father figures. No, John was someone she thought of as a teacher and close friend. A confidant she could confess her secrets to. It was the least she could do since he taught her pretty much everything he knew.
…she still liked Giovanna better.
The inside of the RV was a mess, worse than usual. She counted at least six piles of discarded clothes and twice as many piles of garbage. The air reeked of sex, booze, and vomit. While John wasn't a paragon of cleanliness, he wasn't a slob, which meant the job he took on was probably severe enough that he'd been forgoing hygiene in favor of getting it done as quickly as possible, to his own detriment.
Raven sighed. She had a feeling she would be doing a lot of that today. With practiced ease and nearly three years worth of routine, she weaved a spell of her own creation, designed for the singular purpose of cleaning up after her teacher. The garbage disappeared into nothingness, quite literally erased while the piles of clothes were cleansed of filth and summarily folded into organized and neat piles, separated by article and type. Her eyebrow twitched when she saw more boxers and briefs than panties.
"You really should stop doing that. You'll freeze your face if you keep frowning."
"I'll stop doing it when you stop being a hedonistic pig," she shot back, glaring at John as he exited the bathroom, his hair tended and slightly less messy and fully clothed.
Spoiler: Constantine
"Alright," John said as he rolled his neck. "What brings you here, kid? Much as I like having you around, something tells me this isn't a social visit."
"It's not."
Raven took a seat on one of the nearby sofas. Supergirl and Blue Beetle followed her lead while Rhody preferred to stand, leaning against the counter behind him. John sat across from them, about to reach for a nearby bottle. Raven glared, her eyes momentarily flashing red. Seeing that, her mentor lowered his hand, chastised but amused.
"I need your help." There was no point beating around the bush. They were both clearly busy, so she didn't waste any time. "Jump City has a demon infestation. A bad one. I've scoured the city at least twice, but there's nothing. No traces, no signs of portals, nothing. None of the local magicians seem to know anything, either, and they've been in Jump City since they were born. The demons are also acting unusual. They show themselves openly, wreaking havoc and exploding when they feel like they're about to lose."
John hummed thoughtfully. "If there's no sign of any doors to Hell, it's more likely they're being smuggled in. Could be one of the local mages is dabbling in something they really shouldn't be. Unlikely, but not impossible. The suicide bombers is also curious. Never heard of them doing something like that before, not unless they felt like being extra petty."
"So did I, until an hour ago." She reached under her cloak, pulling out a small glass jar she had stowed away on her person and setting it down on the table between them. "I found this inside the corpse of a demon Rhody here managed to kill before it could pull a kamikaze."
Inside the jar was what had been the cause behind the homeless woman's transformation into a hellion. A centipede-like creature with tendrils for legs and a fanged mouth stretching as far as to the midsection of its belly. It wriggled and writhed, clearly alive, but severely weakened and damaged. Black ooze leaked from the tendrils, a festering corruption that would otherwise prove fatal for any human not protected by magic. A single drop of the stuff could send them into cardiac arrest. The stuff being pumped into their veins, into their very soul, would mark them for death in totality, in both mind and soul.
She'd seen it once before. It was a year ago when she visited Texas, having briefly worked alongside a local superhero named Vigilante. It was the first time she encountered such a thing, and while it shook her to the core, the encounter had been long forgotten. It never happened again afterward, so she put it out of her mind, remembering only the circumstances that led her to work with Vigilante in the first place.
John narrowed his eyes, recognizing the infernal worm for what it was. He reached over the table, grabbing the jar and holding it in front of his face. The creature inside seemingly reacted to his presence, rearing its head and opening its maw. A threatening gesture, but meaningless and ineffectual.
"What even is that thing?" Supergirl asked, ill just from looking at the thing. "It looks disgusting."
A bitter laugh escaped him. "Oh, honey, you have no idea." He set the jar down, sliding it back over to Raven.
"The demons aren't blowing themselves up because they want to make our victory meaningless by causing collateral damage. They're blowing themselves up to stop us from finding these things."
That was the conclusion she reached after finding the infernal worm-like creature. It explained the demons' behavior, why they acted so differently than the ones she encountered previously throughout her travels across the U.S. The question plaguing her mind was why they wanted to hide the parasites, not how they found human hosts.
"Which means somebody is pulling the strings," John surmised, reaching the same conclusion she did. "There probably is a portal open somewhere in Jump City, but it's small. Just big enough to attract these things."
"What are they, exactly?" Rhody asked. "And who's summoning them?"
"Could be anyone," John shrugged. "Might be a bunch of satanic cultists looking to cause mayhem. Maybe a sorcerer with delusions of grandeur. Or maybe its someone with an endgame in mind. As to what that is, it's called a hellheart. Normally, they're just bottom feeders. Think of them like school fish, hanging around the biggest predator or something they can use to protect themselves. With non-humans, though? The hellhearts latch onto them, burrowing their way down to their hearts, turning the hosts into their personal meat suits. The host becomes a demon in all but name, as you've seen for yourself."
Rhody's face turned green, no doubt remembering the horrific sight he and Raven had witnessed when the homeless woman turned into a monster in nightmarish fashion.
"The worst part?" John chuckled darkly. "When a hellheart takes over, it kills you in totality. The physical trauma of transforming into something inhuman alone would kill you, but your mind? It breaks apart into millions of pieces. The soul's worse off. Tainted pitch black, subsumed and eaten like a piece of candy. Fuel in the tank for a greedy little parasite."
Blue Beetle gulped. "So… T-there's no way to save them? To turn them back?"
"Even if you did, all you'd bring back is a lifeless, soulless husk. Calling them a vegetable would be generous."
A dreadful silence filled the RV. No one said anything. The others were too disturbed by what they learned. Raven wasn't surprised.
When it came to matters involving the demonic, happy endings were rare. She should know. Tragedy was an old friend.
The pieces were starting to fit together in her head. Someone created a portal to Hell, dredging up hellhearts to run amok. A portal so small, she couldn't detect it with normal means. But the portal existed, and it was somewhere in Jump City. The only questions left to answer were "who's responsible?" and "what do they gain from this?".
"…I don't suppose you have any good suspects who have something to gain from this?" Raven dared to hope her teacher would have answers.
And for once, he did.
"Nothing concrete. Like I said, it could be anyone… But, I have been hearing things up in the grapevine. Ever heard of the Church of Blood?" She shook her head. The name sounded familiar, but she remembered nothing about them. "They're a bunch of demon worshippers, no different than any other shmuck… But whereas those idiots like screwing around with things they don't understand, the Church of Blood are genuine worshippers. They worship a demon like it was a god. One specific demon."
A familiar, haunting chuckle echoed in the back of her head, a faint breeze caressing her ear. Dread filled her being. John didn't need to tell her who the Church of Blood worshipped. His expression was enough. The answer echoed deep within her breast. There was a name on the tip of her tongue, a name she wanted nothing more than to forget.
A name spoken by Rhody, of all people. "Trigon." She looked over her shoulder. His face was a rictus of simmering anger. "They worship Trigon."
John was surprised by her friend's familiarity. She was almost tempted to tell him about Rhody, but that was not her secret to tell.
"That'd be the one. They want to usher him into this world, watch him burn it all down and turn the seas red with blood. Goes without saying, but they're fucking cracked." He leaned forward, his expression severe and eyes steely. "You want this nightmare to end? Deal with them. Kill them, cart them off to prison, or toss them into the portal they opened and let the demons have at 'em. Because unless I miss my guess? Them letting hellhearts run amok in Jump City? It's not for kicks. It's for a purpose. And I don't think you want to know what it's for."
"Rhody"
The sun had already set by the time we returned to Jump City. The tension between us was thick, Constantine's words hanging over us like a damned guillotine. The visit had been informative, and not for the better. On the one hand, we now had names and a likely culprit behind the appearance of demons. On the other hand…
I was angry.
I had been content to just be someone normal. I wasn't happy about my circumstances or that I was living in a world people wrote sexual power fantasies about, but I could make something out of it. Find a silver lining, go about a normal life, and leave the heroics to people who actually wanted to do heroic things. Meeting Raven was a surprise; an annoying one, but not unwelcome. I hadn't even wanted to get involved, wanting to stay the course and live normally. Then things happened, and suddenly I found myself here, right beside her, and dealing with things she'd been fighting for almost her whole damn life.
I told myself it was just helping her, that I could live normally once things quieted down. I should have known better. I should have known it would never be something so simple. Even if Raven skipped town and went back to doing her own thing, I wouldn't be able to go back to being normal.
For better or worse, the life of superheroics? I was involved. The fact that we found ourselves involved in what may very well be a fight to determine the fate of Jump City? This was the sort of shit the Titans could handle. Not me.
I didn't want this life.
"Hey." Raven's voice was quiet, barely above a whisper. I hadn't even heard her coming, not even the flapping of her cloak. She looked at me in concern, probably sensing how my emotions were all over the place. "Are you okay?"
I took a moment to think about my response. Lying wouldn't do me any good around an empath. "…no, I'm not." Honesty was the best policy when dealing with someone like Raven. "I'm…" I struggled to find the right words to say. I was angry, but there was more to it than that. What was it? Frustration? Sadness? I couldn't find an answer. I settled on a tired sigh. "I guess I'm just tired, is all. This… This really wasn't what I was hoping would happen."
"…oh." There was a brief, awkward silence between us, lasting a few seconds before Raven spoke again, her words tinged with regret. "I'm sorry. This is my fault. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have gotten mixed up in all this."
I sighed. "The hell are you apologizing for? I was the one who kept pushing."
It had been a spur of the moment on my part. I couldn't help but offer my support. Raven was a survivor, tough as nails who could give as good as she got, but when I saw her that day in my apartment, surprised and off-kilter by even the slightest show of genuine kindness, something she shied away from… Something in me couldn't help but react. It was a lapse of judgment. A mistake, some might say.
But I couldn't bring myself to see it like that. Raven looked like she needed a friend. A pillar. A shoulder to lean on.
"I could have walked away at any time," I told her. "Hell, remember when we first got started? You tried to warn me away. I brought this on myself, Rae. There's no need to bash yourself in the head about this."
"…you can still do it, you know."
"What?"
"Walk away from all this, I mean." I stared at her, blinking. I must have looked like an idiot right then. "Supergirl could trade blows with her cousin, and from what I've seen, blue boy packs a mean punch. The three of us can handle the Church of Blood. You can… You can still go back to it. Go back to being normal."
"Maybe," I nodded my head in agreement. "Except for one problem." Raven tilted her head. "If the three of you lose, Jump City gets infested with demons. Worse case scenario, I lose my apartment and my job." Despite my inner conflict, I mustered a smile. "The least I can do is see things through. So I guess you're stuck with me for now."
Raven was taken aback. She opened her mouth and closed it again, lost for words. Eventually, a weary smile touched her face. "…I guess I am, huh? Sorry again, for dragging you into this."
"Eh, it's fine," I said, shrugging my shoulders. "It could be worse, I suppose. On the plus side, I got a cute girl for a roommate, so I suppose I can't really complain." A sigh escaped my lips. "If only I were a few years younger and I actually matched how I looked…"
"You're fine as is."
"Hm? You say something?"
For some reason, Raven's cheeks turned red. "N-nothing. Nothing at all." I raised an eyebrow, about to ask her what was wrong when Kara came up behind us.
"Hey," she said. "Our new buddy thinks he found something." Before Rhody could say anything, Raven made a hasty retreat over to Jaime, all but flying over to him as if Trigon himself were at her heels. Kara watched her go with a raised eyebrow, confused by her sudden haste, and looked to me for answers. "Did I miss something?"
"Honestly? I have no idea." I was just as confused as she was.
Did I say something?
Food for thought.
For now, we had a city to save.
We quickly joined Raven where Jaime was. He was standing over a wooden crate, his eyes glowing and the Scarab on his back emitting a low whine. A holographic image of Jump City hovered over the box, showing the city in surprising detail.
"Okay, so I did a quick scan of the city and had Raven show me every spot she looked for signs of that doorway to Hell the hellhearts are crawling out of," he started, making little hand motions and interacting with the map. Parts of the city were overlayed with red circles, highlighting the places Raven searched previously. "Obviously, I didn't find anything, so I widened the net. Started looking where she didn't."
He spread his hands, and the map widened. As the hologram expanded in size, I saw Jaime hadn't just mapped the city. He mapped its underground. The sewer system, unused tunnels back during the city's infancy, etc.
"The sewer system was a bust, but I managed to find traces of magical energy identical to the one emitted by the hellheart in one of the abandoned tunnels near the city's eastern sector. Turns out it's part of an old mining system, way back in the 1800's. Turns out that Jump City started off as a boom town, started dropping off economically until the gold rush. Miners found huge gold deposits for months and carved out their own little underground railroad. If my guess is right, the Church of Blood is holed up in one of the depots somewhere in the tunnels."
Kara whistled. "You managed to map all this out by yourself? That's some fancy tech your running." Jaime smiled bashfully under the praise. The blonde heroine turned to Raven. "You got experience dealing with creeps like these. Got any idea what we can expect?"
"Hellions, without a doubt," she answered with all due seriousness. "As far as the hierarchy is concerned, they're on the bottom of the totem pole, but that doesn't make them any less dangerous. They won't hesitate to try and kill us, so don't hold back. They sure as hell won't. I also wouldn't put it past them to try and summon a named demon. If they have, we'll have to be careful."
I thinned my lips. "When you say named, are we talking about Ars Goetia demons like Eligos, Paimon, and Asmodeus, or…?" She nodded. I sighed. "Well, that's just great. In that case, we go in fast, and we hit hard."
The four of us looked at each other. Resolution. Resolve. Uncertain camaraderie.
Four unlikely allies, brought together by coincidence, fate, or luck.