Chapter IV: The Gathering Storm II
Mount Justice - Deployment Bay
The massive hangar doors of Mount Justice slid open with mechanical precision, revealing the darkening sky above. Teams were assembling around their respective aircraft, the atmosphere thick with tension and determination.
Eleryc stood beside the bio-ship designated for diplomatic contact, his enhanced senses picking up the subtle electromagnetic signatures of the approaching Amazon fleet. The whispers of Zamasu that had once filled such moments with violent urges were notably absent-replaced instead by a quiet focus he was still learning to trust.
"You're different," M'gann M'orzz observed as she performed pre-flight checks on the bio-ship's systems. The Martian's telepathic abilities made her particularly sensitive to the changes in his mental state. "Calmer. More... centered."
"Someone helped me remember who I choose to be," Eleryc replied, glancing toward where Supergirl was briefing her own team. Even across the busy hangar, Kara seemed to sense his gaze and offered him an encouraging smile.
"That's beautiful," M'gann said warmly. "Love has a way of quieting the voices that tell us we're not good enough."
Before Eleryc could respond, his sister approached with Blue Beetle at her side. The difference in Cassa was equally striking-where once she had moved with the rigid control of someone constantly fighting internal battles, now there was a fluidity to her steps, a sense of shared burden rather than solitary struggle.
"Final team assignments are posted," Cassa reported, though her eyes kept drifting to Jaime with something approaching wonder. "We're on diplomatic approach with Wonder Girl's team."
"Good," Eleryc nodded. "If anyone can help us prove we're not threats, it's-"
The proximity alarms suddenly screamed through the facility. Robin's voice crackled over the intercom: "Contact! Amazon vessels have accelerated their approach-ETA now ninety minutes!"
Batman's authoritative voice cut through the chaos: "All teams, immediate deployment. Diplomatic protocols remain in effect, but be prepared for hostile engagement."
As heroes rushed to their assigned positions, Eleryc felt a familiar hand touch his shoulder. Supergirl stood beside him, her cape already billowing in the wind from the open hangar doors.
"Ready to prove her right about you?" Kara asked, referencing his earlier words about making the right choices.
"We both are," Cassa answered for him, moving to stand beside her brother. For the first time since arriving in this timeline, the siblings presented a united front-not as barely contained weapons, but as heroes choosing to protect others.
Jaime activated his scarab armor, the alien technology responding to his emotional state with gentle blue energy rather than aggressive weapons systems. "Khaji Da says the probability of peaceful resolution has increased by thirty-seven percent since yesterday."
"Your scarab can calculate diplomatic odds?" Wonder Girl asked as she joined their group.
"Among other things," Jaime grinned. "Apparently having emotionally stable teammates affects tactical projections."
En Route to Amazon Fleet - Bio-ship Gamma
The diplomatic team's bio-ship cut silently through the ocean air, its organic hull perfectly adapted for stealth approach. Inside, the atmosphere was tense but controlled as they reviewed their approach strategy.
"Remember," Wonder Girl addressed the team, "we're here to communicate, not intimidate. The Amazons respect strength, but they value honor above all else."
Eleryc studied the tactical displays showing the Amazon fleet's formation. "They're maintaining defensive positions. Whoever's commanding that fleet is experienced but not looking for a fight."
"That would be General Philippus," Wonder Girl noted. "My mother's most trusted military advisor. She's strategic, not reckless."
"Can we reach her directly?" Cassa asked, her divine energy crackling softly around her hands as she unconsciously responded to stress.
Jaime placed a gentle hand on her arm. "Remember what we talked about-grounding techniques when the tension builds."
Cassa took a deliberate breath, focusing on his touch rather than the voice whispering about weak mortals deserving judgment. The energy stabilized, shifting from harsh divine light to a warm, protective glow.
"Better?" he asked.
"Much," she replied, surprised by how much easier it was becoming to find her center with support.
M'gann's voice came through the bio-ship's communication system: "We're approaching the fleet perimeter. They're hailing us."
The main display activated, showing the stern face of an Amazon warrior in golden armor. General Philippus looked exactly as Wonder Girl had described-experienced, formidable, and utterly uncompromising.
"Unidentified aircraft, you will halt your approach immediately," Philippus commanded. "By order of Queen Hippolyta, no divine beings may approach inhabited areas of Man's World."
Wonder Girl stepped forward, ensuring she was visible on the transmission. "General Philippus, I am Cassandra Sandsmark, daughter of Zeus and champion of justice. I request parley under the ancient codes."
Philippus's expression didn't soften, but she inclined her head slightly in acknowledgment. "Wonder Girl. Your presence here is... unexpected. Are you aligned with these divine threats we have detected?"
"I'm aligned with justice," Cassie replied firmly. "These warriors are refugees from a destroyed timeline, seeking to protect this world, not conquer it."
"So they claim," Philippus said coldly. "Yet our seers detect the presence of corrupted divine energy. Energy that whispers of judgment and purification."
Eleryc felt his blood run cold. Somehow, the Amazons had detected Zamasu's influence even when he couldn't hear the voice himself.
Cassa stepped forward, her chin raised with quiet dignity. "General, my brother and I carry a burden we never chose. But we choose daily what to do with it. Judge us by our actions, not our inheritance."
"Your actions?" Philippus's laugh was bitter. "Child, you radiate the same energy that has corrupted gods throughout history. The very air around you whispers of mortal judgment."
"Then let us prove that we judge ourselves more harshly than we would judge others," Eleryc said, moving beside his sister. "Allow us to approach your flagship. Alone, if necessary. Let your seers examine us directly."
The silence stretched for long moments as Philippus considered. Finally, she spoke: "You would willingly submit to Amazon judgment?"
"To prove our intentions, yes."
"Eleryc, no," Wonder Girl protested. "Amazon judgment rituals can be fatal to divine beings carrying corruption."
"Then it's a risk worth taking," Cassa added, standing with her brother. "We won't let fear of our own nature prevent us from doing what's right."
Jaime stepped forward, his scarab armor active but non-threatening. "If they're going, they're not going alone. We're a team."
"As am I," Wonder Girl declared. "General, I invoke the Right of Advocacy under Amazon law. If you would judge my allies, you must judge me as well."
M'gann's telepathic voice touched their minds: The fleet is responding to your courage. I can sense their emotions shifting from suspicion to curiosity.
General Philippus studied them for a long moment before nodding grimly. "Very well. You may approach the flagship. But know this-if our seers detect true corruption, divine law demands immediate containment."
"Understood," Eleryc replied. "We accept those terms."
Amazon Flagship - Throne of Justice
The bio-ship settled onto the deck of the massive Amazon vessel with careful precision. As the team disembarked, they were immediately surrounded by elite Amazon warriors, their weapons drawn but not actively threatening.
The ship itself was a marvel of ancient craftsmanship merged with divine technology. Magical crystals provided soft illumination while enchanted sails propelled the vessel faster than any mortal craft could achieve.
General Philippus awaited them at the ship's center, flanked by two figures that made even the experienced heroes pause. On her right stood an elderly Amazon whose eyes glowed with prophetic sight-clearly one of the seers who had detected their corruption. On her left was a younger warrior whose armor bore the insignia of a champion, her hand resting casually on a sword that hummed with divine energy.
"I am General Philippus," she announced formally. "To my right, High Seer Menalippe, who will examine your spiritual essence. To my left, Champion Artemis, who will serve as our guardian should corruption prove stronger than will."
Eleryc felt Zamasu's presence stir for the first time in hours, responding to the divine energies surrounding them. The voice whispered: These mortals dare to judge gods? They should kneel before our power.
But instead of the usual struggle to suppress the corruption, Eleryc found himself thinking of Kara's words: Your choices define you. He chose to step forward with open hands rather than clenched fists.
"We submit to your examination freely," he said clearly. "But we ask that you judge the whole of who we are, not just what we carry."
High Seer Menalippe approached slowly, her ancient eyes studying them with intensity that seemed to pierce through layers of reality. When she reached them, she extended weathered hands toward their foreheads.
"This may be... uncomfortable," she warned. "I must look deeper than surface thoughts to see the true nature of your spirits."
"We understand," Cassa replied, though her hand found Jaime's for support.
The moment Menalippe's fingers touched their skin, both siblings gasped as divine energy flooded their consciousness. But this wasn't the harsh judgment they had expected-it was a thorough, almost gentle examination that touched every aspect of their beings.
I see, the Seer's voice echoed in their minds. The corruption of Zamasu, yes. Divine supremacist ideology merged with righteous fury. But...
The examination continued, touching on every choice they had made since inheriting their burden. Every moment of restraint, every decision to protect rather than destroy, every time they had chosen compassion over judgment.
Fascinating, Menalippe continued. The corruption remains, but it has been... contained. Not suppressed through force, but balanced by genuine growth. You have not overcome your darkness-you have learned to shine brighter than it.
When the connection ended, both Eleryc and Cassa staggered but remained standing. The High Seer turned to General Philippus with an expression of wonder.
"General, these beings carry corruption, this is true. But they also carry something far more powerful-the active choice to be better than what they inherited. Their darkness serves not to corrupt them, but to make their light more precious."
Champion Artemis stepped forward, her divine senses having monitored the entire process. "The Seer speaks truth. I sense no desire for conquest or judgment in them. Only the desire to prove worthy of the trust others have placed in them."
General Philippus studied the displaced siblings with new understanding. "You fight your corruption daily?"
"Every moment," Cassa admitted. "But we're learning it gets easier when you're not fighting alone."
The General's expression softened almost imperceptibly. "Amazons understand the burden of inherited purpose. We were created to be warriors, but we choose what to fight for." She paused, seeming to come to a decision. "High Seer, what is your recommendation?"
Menalippe smiled-the first warm expression any of them had seen from the Amazons. "These young ones pose no threat to mortals, General. If anything, they may serve as examples of how divine power can be channeled toward protection rather than domination."
"Then we have misjudged," Philippus admitted with the dignity of a true leader. "The fleet will stand down. But," she continued, her voice growing stern again, "we will maintain watch. Should the corruption prove stronger than your will..."
"You'll do what you must," Eleryc finished. "We wouldn't expect anything less."
Wonder Girl stepped forward with obvious relief. "General, with respect, these warriors and their companions are facing a threat that endangers not just this world, but all of reality. They could use Amazon wisdom in the coming battle."
"Explain," Philippus commanded.
As they briefed the Amazon leadership on the Observer's plans and the destruction of their home timeline, Eleryc felt something he hadn't experienced since childhood: acceptance. Not just tolerance of his existence, but actual acknowledgment that he belonged among heroes.
Cassa squeezed Jaime's hand gently, marveling at how natural it felt to have someone beside her who understood the daily struggle of living with dangerous power. For the first time, she began to believe that she might have a future beyond simply containing her corruption.
Mount Justice - Communications Center
Back at headquarters, the successful diplomatic contact had lifted spirits considerably. Batman monitored multiple data streams while Superman coordinated with governments around the world to prevent panic about the Amazon fleet.
"The Amazons are withdrawing to international waters," Diana reported, her relief evident even over the secure channel. "My mother has agreed to meet with the displaced warriors personally."
"Good," Batman replied. "But this was too easy. The Observer wanted us to focus on this threat. The question is what we're not seeing while our attention is elsewhere."
His instincts proved correct as alarms suddenly blazed throughout the facility. Robin's voice cut through the chaos: "Massive temporal distortion detected! Something big is coming through!"
On the main display, reality seemed to tear open above the Atlantic Ocean. Through the dimensional rift, shapes began to emerge-but these weren't the Observer's minions they had been expecting.
"Are those..." Superman began.
"More refugees," Wonder Woman confirmed grimly. "The Observer isn't just manipulating our timeline-he's pulling survivors from other destroyed realities."
As dozens of figures fell through the dimensional tear toward the ocean below, one thing became clear: their small group of displaced warriors had just become an army of refugees with nowhere left to run.
And somewhere in the chaos, the Observer smiled. His true plan was finally beginning to unfold.
The Reunion
Atlantic Ocean - Emergency Response
The proximity alarms screamed through Mount Justice as Robin's panicked voice crackled over every communicator: "Massive dimensional rift opening over the Atlantic! Multiple contacts falling through—this is not a drill!"
Eleryc and Cassa were still processing their successful diplomatic mission with the Amazons when M'gann's bio-ship suddenly changed course, racing toward coordinates where dozens of figures were plummeting from a tear in reality itself.
"What are we looking at?" Wonder Girl demanded as they approached the chaos.
Through the bio-ship's organic hull, they could see beings scattered across miles of ocean—some managing to fly or control their descent, others clearly in distress as they hit the water.
"M'gann, can you get telepathic readings?" Eleryc asked, his enhanced senses picking up energy signatures that felt almost... familiar.
"There are so many minds," M'gann replied, strain evident in her voice. "But some of these signatures... Eleryc, Cassa, I'm detecting thoughts that specifically recognize you two!"
Both siblings went rigid. "That's impossible," Cassa whispered. "Everyone from our timeline was—"
"There!" Eleryc pointed toward a cluster of figures about two miles out. "That energy signature... Saiyan, but different from the others here. It's..."
His words died as they got close enough to see details. A figure with distinctive red hair was pulling someone from the churning waters, moving with practiced efficiency. Battle scars were visible across her face and arms—the proud marks of someone who'd fought across multiple timelines. Her Saiyan tail moved with barely contained energy as she looked up at their approaching ship.
When recognition hit, the scarred warrior's face transformed completely.
"ELERYC! CASSA!" The scream carried across the water, raw with disbelief and overwhelming joy. "HOLY GREAT ZENO, YOU'RE ALIVE!"
The bio-ship hadn't even touched the water before both siblings threw themselves over the side, their divine energy allowing them to run across the ocean's surface.
"SCARLETT!" Cassa's voice shattered as she crashed into the red-haired Saiyan with enough force to send both of them tumbling into the waves. They surfaced immediately, but neither cared about being soaked—they were too busy sobbing and holding each other like they'd never let go again.
"We watched everything collapse!" Cassa was crying so hard she could barely speak. "The timeline just... gone! We thought you were dead! We thought EVERYONE was dead!"
Scarlett was sobbing just as hard, her warrior composure completely destroyed. "I've been jumping through dead realities for weeks! Following any dimensional trace, any energy echo, hoping maybe just maybe..." Her voice broke entirely. "Gods, I thought I'd lost my little sister!"
Eleryc hit the water a second later, diving into their embrace without any regard for dignity. "We're here," he kept repeating through his own tears. "We made it. We all made it somehow."
"Look at you both," Scarlett managed, pulling back to cup their faces with scarred hands. "You look... different. Better. Eleryc, those shadows in your eyes are gone. Cassa, you're not wound up like a spring about to snap. What happened?"
"We found family," Cassa whispered. "People who saw past what we carry to who we really are."
A weak voice interrupted them: "Statistical probability... of this reunion... utterly impossible..."
They turned to see the blue-skinned figure Scarlett had been rescuing—a member of Frieza's race with red eyes and silver bio-armor, though he looked terrible from dimensional travel.
"ZERO!" both siblings screamed.
The Frost Demon's usually perfect appearance was battered, his armor cracked and posture weakened. But his crimson eyes blazed with joy.
"My calculations suggested less than 0.1% chance of locating you in infinite dimensional space," Zero continued, his refined accent thick with exhaustion and emotion. "I have never been more pleased to have my mathematics proven wrong."
Eleryc immediately moved to support his friend. "Still calculating odds while dimension-hopping, you beautiful blue genius?"
"It... maintains sanity during chaos," Zero managed his ghost of a smile. "Though seeing you alive... worth any computational errors."
A splash above announced another arrival. "Did someone say FAMILY REUNION?!"
They looked up to see a pink-skinned figure with fox ears descending, supporting another person. Even exhausted, there was no mistaking Flare's boundless energy.
"FLARE!" Cassa shrieked.
"CASSA! ELERYC!" Flare was openly weeping as she landed on the water. "I thought I'd never see you again! I kept asking Lazuli to calculate survival odds and crying when she told me the numbers!"
The person she'd been carrying stepped gracefully onto the water's surface—a young woman who looked remarkably like Android 21 but more human.
"Sisters," Lazuli said simply, but her normally emotionless voice carried warmth that made hearts clench. "My probability models indicated 97.8% chance of your termination. I am... experiencing what I believe is called relief... that statistics proved inadequate."
Cassa pulled the android into a crushing hug. "Lazuli! God, I missed your terrifying honesty and logical observations!"
"I fail to understand why accurate data analysis causes emotional distress," Lazuli replied, but her arms tightened around her friend. "Though I observe that hope frequently defies mathematical reality."
"GROUP HUG!" Flare bounced into their circle with characteristic enthusiasm, somehow managing to include the weakened Zero.
"Hope I'm not late to the reunion," came another voice.
Swimming toward them was another Saiyan—Note, with the bearing of someone who'd fought across timelines.
"NOTE!" Scarlett called joyfully.
"I activated emergency dimensional anchor protocols when our timeline started collapsing," Note explained as Eleryc helped her up. "Grabbed everyone in range, but the scatter pattern was worse than calculated." Her voice grew thick. "When we couldn't locate you in initial sweeps..."
"We're here now," Eleryc said firmly, pulling her into their growing embrace. "We're all here."
"Wait," Cassa suddenly looked around. "Scarlett, where's Aiko? Your sister—"
"INCOMING PACK LEADER!"
The shout came seconds before a figure with wolf ears and tail came bounding across the water with impossible grace. Aiko moved with fluid speed that showcased her wolf-Saiyan hybrid nature, her face absolutely radiant.
"PACK REUNION!" she literally howled, the sound carrying like a victory cry.
She crashed into their group with enough force to send everyone tumbling, but nobody cared. Her wolf tail was wagging so hard it created waves, and she was making happy whimpering sounds as she nuzzled both siblings in distinctly canine behavior.
"Aiko!" They laughed through tears as she bowled them over.
"I've been tracking dimensional scent trails for weeks!" she exclaimed, voice breaking. "Following energy traces across dead realities, hoping my pack survived!"
"Your pack never left you," Cassa whispered, holding tight. "We just got scattered."
For long minutes they stayed like that—seven warriors who'd thought they'd lost everything, holding each other in an alien ocean, crying and laughing and refusing to let go. Even the watching Earth heroes gave them space, understanding some moments were sacred.
Finally, Scarlett pulled back enough to look at them all. "We stick together this time. No more separations, no more scattering. We're family, and family doesn't abandon family."
"Agreed," Zero managed, his voice stronger as healing kicked in. "Survival probability increases exponentially as a functioning unit."
"Plus," Flare giggled through tears, "we've got some cosmic bastard to make pay for destroying our home."
Eleryc looked around at his chosen family and felt something broken finally heal in his chest. "The Observer has no idea what he's unleashed by bringing us together."
"Pack protects the territory," Aiko growled, wolf nature showing. "This world is our territory now."
As they organized for transport, none noticed the Observer's surveillance intensifying. He'd expected tactical strengthening from their reunion, but hadn't anticipated the emotional resonance that would make them exponentially more dangerous.
For the first time in eons, the Observer felt something that might have been concern.
The pack was back together. And they were hunting.
The Missing Pieces
As the initial joy of reunion began to settle, Eleryc's enhanced senses swept the area one more time. His expression grew troubled as he mentally catalogued who was present versus who should be.
"Wait," he said suddenly, his voice cutting through their relief. "Where are the others?"
The group fell silent, understanding immediately dawning on their faces.
"Houjin," Cassa whispered, naming the orange-haired Saiyan who had become like a big brother to them all. "Where's Houjin?"
Scarlett's expression darkened. "The dimensional scatter was worse than we initially calculated. When the timeline collapse accelerated, Note's anchor protocol grabbed everyone it could, but..."
"We were pulled in different directions," Note continued grimly. "I detected at least six other signatures being dragged to different dimensional coordinates before the rift closed."
"Six?" Eleryc's heart sank. "Houjin, Winter, Daikon, Roh..." He looked at Zero with concern. "Your brother was with us when it started."
Zero's red eyes flashed with pain. "Roh was... attempting to calculate escape vectors when the reality tears began spreading. His mathematical processing speed exceeded mine—he may have found alternative evacuation routes."
"Shallot and Giblet were together," Aiko added, her wolf ears flattening against her head in distress. "The twin brothers were coordinating defense protocols on the outer perimeter. If they got caught in a different dimensional stream..."
"They could be anywhere," Flare said quietly, her usual bubbly demeanor subdued. "Scattered across this world, or worse—thrown into entirely different realities."
Lazuli's analytical mind was already processing possibilities. "If they arrived in this dimension as we did, the probability of landing in water is approximately 71% given this planet's surface composition. However, survival rates for non-flight capable individuals would be significantly reduced."
"Winter," Cassa said with growing panic. "Houjin's adoptive sister can't fly. If she landed in the middle of the ocean..."
"Hey." Scarlett grabbed her shoulders firmly. "Winter's tougher than she looks, and Houjin would never let anything happen to her. If they're together, they're alive."
"And if they're not together?" Eleryc asked quietly.
The silence that followed was heavy with unspoken fears.
"Then we find them," Zero declared, his voice gaining strength as his healing factor continued working. "All of them. The mathematical probability of survival increases dramatically if we can locate them within the first 48 hours of dimensional displacement."
Mount Justice - Global Search Coordination
Three hours later, the main hall of Mount Justice had been transformed into a command center that would have impressed even the Time Patrol's most advanced facilities. Holographic displays showed real-time scanning data from across the globe, while heroes coordinated search efforts from multiple continents.
Batman stood at the central console, his tactical mind processing incoming data streams with mechanical precision. "Satellite networks have detected seven distinct energy signatures consistent with your missing personnel," he reported to the assembled Time Patrollers and Earth heroes.
"Seven?" Scarlett counted on her fingers. "That's one more than we expected."
"The additional signatures appear to be from the other dimensional refugees we detected earlier," Robin explained, pulling up detailed energy readings. "Four specifically match Saiyan bio-signatures, but from different timeline variants than your group."
Note stepped forward to examine the data. "Show me the readings."
The main display shifted to show four distinct energy patterns, each tagged with location coordinates and power level estimates.
"This one," Note pointed to a signature over the Pacific Northwest, "that's definitely Legendary Super Saiyan energy, but the harmonic frequency is different from Houjin's pattern. And this..." She indicated a reading from somewhere in the Midwest, "that's pure Saiyan, but ancient bloodline. Pre-modern era genetic markers."
"How can you tell all that from energy readings?" Cyborg asked, impressed despite himself.
"Time Patrol training," Lazuli replied matter-of-factly. "Dimensional refugees often carry genetic echoes from their origin timelines. These four appear to be from the same reality cluster but a different dimensional branch than ours."
"Great," Flash muttered. "More time travel complications."
"Actually," Wonder Woman interjected, studying the tactical display, "more allies. If they're refugees from destroyed timelines like you, they'll understand what we're fighting against."
Superman nodded in agreement. "The question is coordination. We need to locate everyone before the Observer realizes how many displaced warriors are now on Earth."
Batman's fingers flew across the console, updating search parameters. "I'm dispatching teams to each location. Priority is confirmation of identity and immediate extraction to secure facilities."
"I want to go after Houjin," Eleryc declared. "His signature is showing up in the Rocky Mountains, and if Winter's with him..."
"I'm going with you," Cassa added immediately.
"Actually," Scarlett interrupted, pointing to another display, "Zero and I should handle the Colorado reading. That energy pattern matches Roh's mathematical processing signature—he's probably building calculation matrices to locate the rest of us."
Zero straightened, his healing now complete enough for him to look properly dignified. "My brother's survival instincts are... adequate. He will have found secure shelter and begun systematic analysis of local conditions."
"The Pacific Northwest signature," Aqualad observed, "is over water. My abilities would be most useful there."
"I'll take that one," Note volunteered. "If it's another Time Patroller, they'll respond better to someone they recognize."
Wonder Girl studied the remaining locations. "Two signatures in populated areas—one near Chicago, one outside Atlanta. We'll need subtle approaches to avoid civilian casualties."
"I can handle subtlety," Nightwing grinned. "Tim, you want Chicago or Atlanta?"
"Chicago," Robin replied. "That energy reading has some unusual fluctuations I'd like to investigate up close."
As teams began forming and departure plans took shape, M'gann's voice cut through the coordination chatter: "I'm detecting something else. Telepathic signatures from two of the unknown contacts."
Everyone turned to her with renewed attention.
"One of them is... young," she continued, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Early twenties, but with combat experience far beyond their apparent age. There's sadness there, like someone who's lost everything but refuses to give up hope."
"And the other?" Batman prompted.
"Older, more disciplined. But there's a protective instinct that's almost overwhelming. Like someone who would die before letting harm come to their family." M'gann's eyes widened slightly. "They're looking for someone too. Multiple someones."
Eleryc and Cassa exchanged glances. "Sounds like more scattered families," Cassa murmured.
"Then we find them all," Superman declared with the absolute conviction that had made him Earth's greatest hero. "No one gets left behind, and no one faces this threat alone."
Search and Rescue - Multiple Locations
Colorado Rockies - Team Alpha Eleryc and Cassa streaked through mountain air, their divine energy leaving barely visible trails as they homed in on the Legendary Super Saiyan signature. Below them, snow-capped peaks stretched endlessly, broken by deep valleys where someone could easily remain hidden.
"There," Cassa pointed toward a thermal reading their enhanced senses had detected. "Cave system, about two clicks north."
They descended rapidly, landing silently outside a cave entrance that showed signs of recent habitation—carefully arranged stones forming a wind barrier, evidence of a controlled fire inside.
"Houjin?" Eleryc called out carefully. "It's us. It's Eleryc and Cassa."
The response was immediate—a rush of movement from deep within the cave, followed by a familiar voice thick with relief: "Thank the Kais! I was beginning to think I'd never—"
The orange-haired Saiyan emerged from the shadows, his powerful frame looking somewhat battered but intact. More importantly, he had a protective arm around a young woman with dark hair who moved with careful, measured steps.
"Winter!" Cassa rushed forward, embracing Houjin's adoptive sister with fierce relief. "Are you hurt?"
"Nothing serious," Winter replied, though her voice carried the exhaustion of someone who'd been pushing through pain. "The dimensional transit was... rough. My human physiology doesn't handle reality tears as well as Saiyan genetics."
Houjin's expression was grim as he looked at his fellow Time Patrollers. "How many others made it? When the anchor protocol activated, I saw at least a dozen different dimensional streams..."
"We've found seven so far," Eleryc reported. "Still looking for Daikon, Roh, Shallot, and Giblet. Plus apparently some other dimensional refugees from similar timeline clusters."
Pacific Northwest - Team Beta Note's approach to the water-based signature was more cautious. Aqualad had provided aquatic support, but as they closed in on the coordinates, it became clear their target wasn't actually in the water anymore.
"Energy trail leads to that island," Aqualad observed, pointing toward a small landmass about a mile offshore. "Whoever it is made it to dry ground."
They found him sitting cross-legged on the beach, meditation pose perfect despite the obvious exhaustion in his posture. Purple hair caught the morning light as he opened familiar eyes and smiled with genuine warmth.
"Hey there," he said with characteristic casualness that completely belied the relief in his voice. "Goten. And you'd be Note, right? Scarlett showed me pictures from Time Patrol missions."
Note blinked in surprise. "You're... from a different timeline cluster, aren't you?"
"Yeah," Goten confirmed, standing and dusting sand from his gi. "Son of Goku from Universe 7, Timeline Designation... well, it doesn't matter anymore since it got erased." His casual tone didn't quite hide the pain of that loss. "Been dimension-hopping for weeks looking for my friends. Trunks, Bulla, Pan... they got scattered when our reality collapsed."
"We're looking for missing people too," Aqualad said gently. "Perhaps we can help each other."
Chicago Suburbs - Team Gamma Robin's investigation of the urban signature had led him to an abandoned warehouse district where someone had clearly been trying to stay hidden. Scorch marks on concrete walls suggested power control issues, while the tactical positioning of makeshift barriers indicated combat training.
"Hello?" he called out carefully. "I'm with a rescue operation. We're looking for dimensional refugees."
The response came from above—a figure dropping from the warehouse rafters with practiced stealth. Blue hair, Capsule Corp jacket, and a sword across his back immediately identified him even before he spoke.
"Trunks Briefs," he said with the crisp efficiency of someone used to crisis management. "Son of Vegeta and Bulma, Timeline..." He paused, pain flickering across his features. "Former Timeline 7-A. And you're definitely not from any reality I know."
"Robin, Earth designation... uh, this one," Tim replied with a slight smile. "We're coordinating rescue operations for displaced warriors. Your friends—are you looking for them too?"
Trunks's composed facade cracked slightly. "Three others scattered during dimensional collapse. My sister Bulla, my friend Goten, and Pan—she's like a little sister to all of us." His hand tightened on his sword hilt. "I've been tracking energy signatures, but the dimensional interference..."
"We found Goten," Robin said immediately. "He's safe, and he's looking for you too."
The relief that flooded Trunks's face was almost painful to witness.
Atlanta Outskirts - Team Delta Nightwing's approach to the final urban signature had been complicated by the fact that his target appeared to be mobile. Energy readings kept shifting through the city's industrial district, suggesting someone who was actively avoiding detection.
He finally cornered the signature in an abandoned aircraft hangar, though "cornered" proved to be the wrong term when his target turned out to be a young woman with black hair who moved with the fluid grace of a master martial artist.
"Pan," she introduced herself before he could speak, her voice carrying a maturity that seemed at odds with her apparent age. "Granddaughter of Goku, daughter of Gohan. Timeline 7-A before the Observer decided our reality was inconvenient."
Her casual mention of the Observer made Nightwing's blood run cold. "You know about him?"
"Know about him?" Pan laughed bitterly. "He's the reason I watched my entire universe get 'purified' out of existence. Everyone I ever loved, every world I ever protected, gone because some cosmic entity decided we were too 'chaotic' for his master's vision."
She turned to face him fully, and Nightwing saw the same determination he'd witnessed in the other displaced warriors—the absolute refusal to let such a loss break them.
"But you're here looking for others like me, which means some of us survived. Which means," her ki began to glow around her with controlled power, "we finally have enough pieces to make that bastard pay."
Mount Justice - Reunion Phase Two
Six hours after the initial search began, the main hall was filled with both familiar faces and new ones. The original Time Patrollers had been joined by Houjin and Winter, while the newcomers from Timeline 7-A were experiencing their own emotional reunions.
"TRUNKS!" Goten's voice carried across the room as he tackled his best friend in an embrace that would have hospitalized a normal person.
"Goten, you idiot," Trunks replied, though his voice was thick with emotion as he returned the hug. "I thought you were dead."
"Takes more than universal erasure to kill me," Goten grinned, though his eyes were suspiciously bright.
Pan joined their reunion with characteristic directness, simply walking up and wrapping both of them in a three-way hug. "The gang's mostly back together."
"Mostly?" Bulla's voice came from behind them as Cyborg helped her walk—her left leg was clearly injured from whatever landing she'd endured.
"BULLA!" all three shouted simultaneously, and suddenly there were four figures in what had become a very emotional group embrace.
Meanwhile, the Time Patrollers were conducting their own accounting. "Still missing Daikon, Roh, Shallot, and Giblet," Scarlett reported to Batman. "But power levels this strong should be detectable from orbit."
"Unless they're deliberately suppressing their energy," Zero observed, his reunion with his brother having gone exactly as expected—a brief nod and immediate return to tactical analysis. "Roh has calculated that dimensional refugees would be safer maintaining minimal power signatures until extraction."
"Or," Houjin added grimly, "something's preventing them from powering up."
The implications of that statement settled over the room like a heavy blanket. The Observer had shown he could manipulate local conflicts—if he'd gotten to their missing friends first...
"We keep looking," Superman declared firmly. "No one gets left behind."
As teams prepared for expanded search operations, none of them noticed the dimensional observer who watched from between realities. The ancient entity was beginning to realize that his plan to use scattered refugees as leverage had backfired spectacularly.
Instead of desperate individuals he could manipulate, he now faced two coordinated groups of warriors who had found something worth fighting for again: each other.
The Observer's next phase would need to account for this unexpected variable.
But for now, the pack continued to grow.
Bonds Forged in Crisis - Day Three of Search Operations
The search for the final four missing warriors had expanded into a global operation, with teams systematically covering every continent and major island chain. What had begun as desperate rescue missions had evolved into something deeper—partnerships formed in crisis, trust built through shared purpose, and connections that transcended dimensional boundaries.
Mount Justice - Strategic Planning Center
Batman reviewed the latest scan results with growing concern. "Seventy-two hours of continuous searching with no trace of the remaining four. Either they're completely suppressing their energy signatures, or..."
"They're not on this planet," Note finished grimly, her Time Patrol experience providing unwelcome possibilities. "Dimensional scatter can sometimes create secondary displacement events."
"Or someone intercepted them during transit," Eleryc added, his enhanced senses having detected no trace of his missing friends despite multiple flyovers of every landmass on Earth.
Supergirl moved to stand beside him, her presence immediately calming the divine energy that had begun crackling around his hands with frustration. "We'll find them," she said quietly, her hand finding his with natural ease. "However long it takes, wherever they are."
The simple touch and unwavering faith in her voice settled something in Eleryc's chest. Over the past three days of coordinated search efforts, their partnership had evolved from tentative attraction to something deeper. She saw past the corruption he carried to the person he chose to be, while he found in her the kind of hope he'd thought lost with his timeline.
"Together?" he asked softly, the word carrying meaning beyond their current mission.
"Always together," she replied with that radiant smile that could light up a room.
Colorado Base Camp - Mountain Search Operations
Houjin adjusted the portable scanner Cyborg had provided, his Legendary Super Saiyan energy carefully controlled to avoid interference with the delicate instruments. Beside him, Wonder Girl cross-referenced topographical maps with energy residue patterns they'd detected over the past day.
"Nothing in sectors seven through twelve," Cassie reported, though her voice held no hint of giving up. "But there's something about this mountain range that feels... familiar. Like an echo of power that's been suppressed."
"Your divine heritage?" Houjin asked, genuinely curious. The daughter of Zeus had proven to be an unexpectedly insightful partner, her tactical mind complementing his raw power in ways that made their team devastatingly effective.
"Maybe. Or maybe it's spending time with someone whose power is so vast it's reshaping my perception of what's possible." She glanced at him with a smile that made his heart do things that had nothing to do with Saiyan physiology. "You're not what I expected when Batman first briefed us on displaced warriors."
"What did you expect?"
"Someone more..." she gestured vaguely, "destroyer of worlds, less protective big brother who makes sure Winter eats enough and gets proper rest."
Houjin chuckled, the sound carrying warmth that had been absent from his voice for months. "Power without purpose is just destruction. Purpose without care is just cruelty."
"And with both?"
"With both, you get someone worth fighting alongside," he replied, meeting her eyes with an intensity that had nothing to do with combat and everything to do with the way she laughed at his dry observations and trusted him with tactical decisions that could affect millions.
Pacific Coast - Aerial Search Pattern
Trunks and Stargirl flew in perfect formation above the ocean, her cosmic staff providing scanning capabilities while his enhanced vision searched for any signs of disturbance in the water below. Three days of working together had created a partnership that felt as natural as breathing.
"Your staff's energy readings are incredible," Trunks observed, watching Courtney manipulate stellar force with casual precision. "In my timeline, we had technology that could do similar things, but nothing that responded to willpower the way yours does."
"It helps that I've got a stubborn streak a mile wide," Stargirl grinned, executing a complex flight maneuver that would have been impossible for most humans. "My mentor used to say that the staff chose me because I'm too pigheaded to quit when things get difficult."
"Sounds like someone I know," Trunks replied, thinking of his father's legendary stubbornness. "Though I'd call it determination rather than pigheadedness."
"Is that your way of calling me determined, future boy?"
"Maybe," he said with a rare smile. "Among other things."
The easy banter had developed over hours of shared flight time, but beneath it was something deeper—mutual respect that had grown into genuine affection. Courtney's optimism balanced his tendency toward grim pragmatism, while his tactical experience grounded her sometimes impulsive heroics.
Mount Justice - Medical Bay
Blue Beetle carefully monitored Cassa's vitals as she underwent another session with Martian Manhunter, learning to strengthen her mental barriers against Zamasu's whispers. The corruption that had once threatened to consume her was now barely detectable, suppressed by techniques she'd learned and, more importantly, by the support system she'd found.
"Heart rate is stable," Jaime reported to J'onn. "Neural activity shows none of the spikes we were seeing in the first few days."
"The improvement is remarkable," the Martian observed. "The corrupting influence has not been eliminated, but it has been... contained. Rendered manageable through emotional stability and external support structures."
When the session ended, Cassa opened her eyes to find Jaime waiting with that patient smile she'd grown to treasure. "How do you feel?"
"Like myself," she replied, accepting his help to sit up. "For the first time in years, I feel like just... me."
The scarab on his back pulsed gently, and Jaime grinned. "Khaji Da says your bio-readings show significant improvement in stress responses and emotional regulation."
"Your alien partner approves of my mental health?"
"My alien partner approves of the person who makes its host smile like an idiot every time she walks into the room," Jaime replied with characteristic honesty that made her laugh.
"Just smile?"
"Well," he said, moving closer with growing confidence, "that's just the beginning."
Mount Justice - Technical Labs
Bulla looked up from the dimensional scanning equipment she'd been modifying with Robin's help, her injured leg propped up on a makeshift rest. Despite the forced inactivity, she'd thrown herself into improving their search capabilities with the kind of focused intensity she'd inherited from both parents.
"Try it now," she instructed Tim, who activated the enhanced scanner array.
"Resolution increased by forty percent," he reported with obvious admiration. "Detection range expanded to cover sub-dimensional frequency variants. This is incredible work."
"Mom always said the best way to solve a problem is to build a better tool," Bulla replied, though she was watching Tim's face rather than the readouts. Three days of working together had shown her a mind that could match her own for technical innovation while adding strategic thinking she found fascinating.
"Your mother sounds brilliant."
"She was. Is. Will be again, once we stop the Observer from erasing timelines." The casual mention of family lost to cosmic manipulation carried pain that Tim recognized from his own experiences with loss.
"We'll get them back," he said with quiet certainty. "All of them."
"You sound so sure."
"I am sure. Because I've seen what this team can do when they're properly motivated, and I've never met anyone more properly motivated than you."
The smile she gave him in return was worth every hour they'd spent hunched over technical specifications and dimensional mathematics.
Abandoned Warehouse - Unofficial Meeting
Goten's approach to searching had been characteristically unconventional—instead of systematic grid patterns, he'd been following instincts and energy traces that led him to the strangest places. Today's instinct had brought him to an abandoned warehouse where he'd encountered Power Girl conducting her own investigation.
"Find anything interesting?" he asked, landing beside her with his usual casual grace.
"Define interesting," Karen replied, though she was smiling. "I've got trace energy readings that don't match any known power sources, dimensional residue that shouldn't exist, and a Saiyan who keeps showing up wherever I'm investigating."
"Maybe the universe is trying to tell us something."
"Like what?"
"Like maybe the best searches happen in pairs," Goten suggested with that easy grin that had been charming people across multiple timelines. "Two perspectives, twice the chance of spotting something important."
"Is that your way of asking to be search partners?"
"That's my way of saying I work better with someone who can keep up," he replied, his casual tone not quite hiding the way his eyes lit up when she laughed.
"Challenge accepted, flyboy."
Classified Detention Facility - Continued Visits
Tarro's visits to Blackfire had become a routine that confused everyone except the Saiyan himself. Where others saw a dangerous prisoner who'd tried to conquer her homeworld, he saw someone whose anger and pain reminded him of his own struggles with purpose and belonging.
"You came back," Komand'r observed as he settled into the chair across from her cell.
"I said I would."
"Most people say things they don't mean."
"I'm not most people," Tarro replied simply. "Besides, someone once told me that everyone deserves a chance to choose who they become, regardless of what they've done before."
"And you think I'm capable of choosing something different?"
"I think you're capable of choosing," he corrected. "What you choose is up to you. But choice requires options, and isolation doesn't provide many of those."
For the first time since his visits began, Blackfire looked genuinely puzzled by his persistence. "Why do you care what happens to me?"
"Because I've been where you are—angry at everything, convinced that power was the only thing that mattered, sure that everyone else was weak for caring about others." He met her violet eyes directly. "And because someone cared enough to show me there was another way."
"And if I choose to remain what I am?"
"Then at least you'll have made an informed choice instead of reacting to pain and isolation."
The silence that followed was thoughtful rather than hostile, and for the first time, Tarro saw something other than rage in her expression.
Green Lantern Sector House - Unexpected Partnership
Zero's analytical approach to the search had led him to request access to Green Lantern scanning capabilities, which had resulted in his partnership with Arisia. The Graxosian Lantern's systematic methodology complemented his mathematical precision perfectly.
"Sector 2814 shows no traces of the energy signatures we're tracking," Arisia reported, her ring's constructs mapping dimensional disturbances across the local star system.
"Expected outcome," Zero replied, though his tone carried appreciation for her thoroughness. "However, your ring's ability to detect emotional resonance may provide alternatives to purely energy-based tracking."
"Emotional resonance?"
"My brother Roh's greatest weakness has always been his tendency to suppress fear through mathematical calculation. If he is attempting to remain hidden, his emotional state would be highly controlled—possibly detectable to your ring as an anomaly."
Arisia's ring flared briefly as she expanded her search parameters. "That's... actually brilliant. Most beings in crisis show elevated fear, anger, or desperation. Someone maintaining perfect emotional control would stand out like a beacon."
"Precisely. Though I should note that working with Green Lantern technology has been... illuminating."
"In what way?"
"Your ring responds to will, correct? Pure determination made manifest?"
"That's right."
"Then you might understand why I find your approach to power fascinating," Zero said with the closest thing to warmth his species typically displayed. "Frost Demons are taught that power comes from superiority over others. But your ring suggests that true power comes from the will to protect others."
The look Arisia gave him was filled with understanding and something warmer. "Maybe we can teach each other a few things about power."
Atlantis - Underwater Search Operations
Pan's partnership with Aqualad had developed naturally through their shared leadership experience and tactical compatibility. While other teams searched land and air, they had taken responsibility for the ocean depths where dimensional refugees might have been deposited.
"Your underwater combat techniques are impressive," Kaldur observed as Pan demonstrated how to adapt Saiyan martial arts for aquatic environments. "Most surface dwellers struggle with three-dimensional thinking in water."
"Grandpa Goku always said that a true martial artist adapts to any environment," Pan replied, her movements flowing like water itself as she practiced underwater katas. "Though I admit, your guidance has made the learning curve much shorter."
"You are a natural student. And teacher—your insights into energy manipulation have enhanced my own abilities considerably."
Their partnership had evolved from tactical necessity to genuine mutual respect. Pan's directness complemented Kaldur's diplomatic nature, while his strategic thinking helped focus her sometimes impulsive heroics.
"When we find our missing friends," Pan said quietly, "and stop the Observer, what happens then?"
"Then we build something better," Aqualad replied with the conviction of someone who had seen leadership from multiple perspectives. "Your team, mine, everyone we've worked with—we've proven that cooperation across dimensional boundaries is possible."
"A multiversal alliance?"
"Why not? The Observer's master sees diversity as chaos to be eliminated. Perhaps the answer is to show them that diversity is actually our greatest strength."
Dakota City - Urban Search Pattern
Winter's partnership with Static had been born from necessity—her human limitations in a team of superpowered beings meant she worked best with someone who understood what it was like to be the "normal" one in extraordinary circumstances. Virgil's down-to-earth personality had provided exactly the grounding she needed.
"Electromagnetic anomalies in sector twelve," Static reported, his powers creating a detailed map of electrical disturbances across the city. "Could be dimensional residue, could be faulty power lines."
"Let's check it out," Winter replied, adjusting the modified energy scanner Bulla had built for her. "Though I have to admit, I never expected to be doing superhero work when I was adopted into a family of interdimensional warriors."
"Tell me about it," Virgil grinned. "Last year my biggest worry was passing chemistry. Now I'm helping search for missing time travelers while trying not to fry every electronic device in a six-block radius."
"Do you ever regret it? Getting powers, I mean?"
"Sometimes," he admitted honestly. "But then I remember that with great power comes great electricity bills, and somehow that makes it all worthwhile."
Winter's laughter was exactly the kind of normal, human reaction that reminded him why protecting people mattered in the first place.
Mount Justice - Recreation Areas
The developing romance between Beast Boy and Scarlett had surprised everyone, including themselves. The shape-shifter's humor had somehow gotten past the Time Patroller's battle-hardened exterior, while her warrior's discipline had helped him focus his abilities in ways he'd never managed before.
"So you're telling me," Garfield said, transformed into a tiger to better demonstrate his point, "that in your timeline, there were entire planets of shape-shifters?"
"Several," Scarlett confirmed, her scarred face actually showing amusement. "Though none of them had your particular talent for making serious warriors laugh at inappropriate moments."
"Hey, tension relief is a vital combat skill!"
"Is that what you call it when you turned into a rubber duck during yesterday's briefing?"
"That was tactical assessment of team morale!"
Despite herself, Scarlett found herself smiling more often than she had in years. Garfield's refusal to let anyone stay serious for long had begun to heal wounds she'd thought were permanent.
Mount Justice - Meditation Chambers
The most unexpected partnership had formed between Raven and Damian Wayne. Both carried darkness within themselves—hers inherited from her demonic father, his learned through brutal training—but both had chosen to fight for something better.
"Your meditation techniques are helping," Damian admitted as they concluded another session working on emotional control. "The anger is still present, but more... manageable."
"Control comes from acceptance, not suppression," Raven replied, her voice carrying the wisdom of someone who had learned to balance light and dark within herself. "You cannot eliminate the darkness, but you can choose how it serves you."
"And if the darkness is stronger than the light?"
"Then you find others whose light complements your own," she said, opening her eyes to meet his directly. "Darkness shared is half as threatening. Light shared is twice as bright."
The insight resonated with someone who had spent most of his life believing he had to carry his burdens alone.
Mount Justice - Communications Center
Flare's bubbly personality had found an unexpected match in Roy Harper's dry wit. The former Speedy's cynicism balanced her optimism in ways that created surprisingly effective partnership dynamics.
"Any luck with dimensional frequency scanning?" Roy asked, settling beside her at the communications console.
"Lots of noise, but no clear signals," Flare replied, though her usual cheerfulness was subdued by days of unsuccessful searching. "It's like they're not just hidden—they're completely cut off from dimensional space."
"Or someone's actively blocking them from sending signals."
"That's what I'm afraid of," she admitted quietly. "What if the Observer got to them first? What if they're being used as leverage against us?"
Roy's hand found hers with surprising gentleness. "Then we get them back. Whatever it takes, however long it takes, we get them back."
"You sound pretty sure for someone who barely knows them."
"I know you," he replied simply. "And I know that anyone worth this much worry from someone like you is worth fighting for."
The Revelation
As the third day of searching drew to a close, the assembled heroes and displaced warriors had formed bonds that transcended their original team structures. What had begun as tactical partnerships had evolved into genuine connections—friendship, respect, and in many cases, the beginnings of love.
But as they prepared for another night of unsuccessful searches, none of them realized that their missing friends' disappearance was about to provide the key to understanding the Observer's true plan.
In a hidden dimension adjacent to Earth's reality, four warriors sat in crystalline cells designed to contain beings of vast power. Shallot and Giblet, the ancient Saiyan brothers whose strength had been legendary even in their original timeline. Daikon, whose tactical brilliance had made him invaluable to the Time Patrol. And Roh, whose mathematical genius had calculated possibilities that others couldn't even comprehend.
They had not been captured by accident. They had been specifically chosen, their unique abilities needed for the Observer's final gambit.
And as their friends searched desperately across a world that would never contain them, the Observer prepared to use their bonds of loyalty and love as the ultimate weapon against them.
The pack was growing stronger, but so was the trap being prepared for them.
To be continued... in Chapter 5: Battle against the Observer part 1