Ch. 9 The End of the Beginning and Aftermath

The aliens look at Jay who is flying in the sky and most begin firing at him. So he takes of towards them as he dodged shot.

But even with most of the invaders shooting at him. There were still hundreds firing at civilians.

Jay lands in the center of the aliens and begins flying through the crowd and slaughtering them all.

Jay swears that he can hear heavy metal music playing in his ears above all the screaming and death as well as the other sounds of an invasion of this scale.

He eventually makes his way to a lamp post and rips it from the ground to use it to start smashing through the aliens.

——————

Mark is still up in the sky trying to psych himself up. He looks down at his brother going to town and wonders if he can even be of any help. "Get it together Mark. Get It Together~. Get in there"

And he takes off down to the street below him. He avoids giant tank laser shots and random explosions that fly at him. "WaaaaAhhhAhhh" He narrowly avoids them.

But he lands on the street on his two feet.

He stares at the massive number of aliens. His brother is destroying them, but more and more keep coming. At least with Jay destroying them they aren't able to completely swarm the city.

Mark holds his left hand up. "Stop. Get away from those peo-"

As he was trying to make his speech lasers tear through dozens of civilians around him. Heads go flying, torsos missing their legs fall to the ground. People missing arms and legs continue to try and flee.

Then a laser shot hits Mark on his chest and knocks him back.

Mark groans on the ground as he recovers from the shot. He's covered in blood, but none of it is his. Mark's ears are ringing as he flips onto his back. "Ahhh….Urghhh" He sits up and looks around. He touches his left cheek with his right hand and pulls his hand away to see a trail of blood and guts. "Uhhhh!" He groans. He looks at his hands. "Hah! Hah!" His breath gets heavier as his heart rate increases. "Oh shit"

He sees a man run towards him on fire. Mark gets up and reaches out to him, but the man explodes into a fine red mist that splatters over Mark's already bloodied figure.

"Get it together" He tells himself as he climbs to his feet and looks around and sees an old woman crawling for safety but an alien approaches her aiming its laser rifle directly at her.

The alien chuckles villainously as it charges it's shot.

"Help me~" the woman croaks out of her strained throat.

"NO!" Mark shouts as he charges forward and grabs a piece of rebar with cement on the end of it and throws it at the aliens face.

"Dahhhh!" The alien groans as the cement breaks on its face and sends him back until he lands on his left shoulder and continues rolling.

Mark gets in front of the old lady. "It's ok. It's ok. I'm here. Are you hurt?"

The old lady looks up at her young spandex wearing savior. "Ooooohhhhh~" She groans in pain.

The alien that Mark threw the rebar at lifts its head up. It's right eye now is bloodied and has a line going down it. "Kragkr!" It shouts. "Ber Dax Muey!" He points out Mark.

Laser shots begin raining down around Mark who hugs the old woman to his chest. "Oh! Hrrrggghhh!" He takes off and begins flying close to the ground. He tries to flee but every direction he turns he only sees more alien invaders shooting at him.

Eventually he gets shot and falls into a decently sized crater. Unfortunately, he lands on his hands and knees.

"Ughhh….Oh Shit! Oh My God!" Mark pushes himself up and sees the old woman's state.

She's bleeding from a cut above her right eye. A gash across her stomach. Her right hand, which is over his lap, is twisted over 540 degrees. Her left arm is somehow worse, with it being bent in 5 different parts and her bones breaking out through her skin. Her left leg is barely holding on by a vein basically with the femur completely visibly at this point and her heel touching her upper calf. Her right ankle is only sprained at least.

Mark begins freaking out, his brain short circuiting.

"Jsbev ksipsksh!" The scar alien says as he gets to his feet. He begins walking to a new tank that emerges from a portal with hundreds more soldiers.

He climbs it, opens its hatch, throws the tank driver out, and aims at Mark. "Jdbeve kskahabw! Hahahaha" it chuckles.

*Bzzzzzt* *Zeeeewwww*

It fires its shot at Mark who barley turns to face it as it approaches.

Just as it's about to hit him a pink wall forms downwards to protect him. But a figure moves in and holds his hand out.

*BOOM!!!*

The laser explodes the figure and cracks the pink shield.

"Huh?" Mark looks up.

An orange haired girl wearing a pink heroine suit and pink frizzles of energy beneath her hands and 1 beneath her two feet.

"Ooof" She lands in the middle of the street.

"Nice of you to join us Atom Eve" The figure from the explosion says as he exits it. Only his suit is destroyed on his left arm and parts of his chest. Jay walks out without a scratch on his actual body. His hair is just slightly more wavy now. "Where's the others? They a little late?"

Atom Eve rolls her eyes and looks at Mark. "Get her out of here! We can handle the rest!" She looks at the aliens past Jay. "And you'll see them soon, Eternal"

Mark looks at her. "We? Others? Them?" He asks confusedly.

Just then a bronze robot with green eyes crashes a flying motorcycle into a tank and destroys both machines as the robot drops to the ground. This is Robot.

Robot joins Eve. Then Duplicate-Kate and Rex Splode join them. This is Teen Team, fourth most popular superhero team.

"Great and now they're posing" Jay sarcastically says and flies back into the waves of aliens.

Robot looks at the aliens and, visible in it's green eyes, begins making various complicated equations and calculations. "Eve, two and a half seconds after this sentence, three enemy tanks will align 50 degrees to you're right"

Duplicate and Rex Splode run forward and begin fighting the aliens.

Eve looks at Robot. "I got it" She turns around and through the smoke emerge three tanks. Eve forms a pink spear out of her powers and yeets it through all three causing them to explode.

Robot runs forward and blocks and energy blast from a rifle with his arm showing off its defensive capabilities. He then fired one of his own lasers from his wrist, but it's much weaker. Although, when he caves in an aliens face with his fist it proves just how physically out classed the aliens are against him. "Rex. Civilians in danger to your left"

Rex was throwing quarters that he used his powers to charge up to an unstable degree. The charged up change would then explode upon contact.

"Yeah, I got eyes too Robot" He sarcastically says and jumps up into the air. Once at the peak of his jump he is upside down and throws explosives at the aliens attacking civilians.

Robot continues punching aliens and surveying the battlefield. "Dupli-Kate…."

The teen runs forward and begins splitting into many versions of herself which confuse and disorient the enemies which gives her the upper hand. Her expertise in hand-to-hand combat and her powers is shown when she is able to take down many aliens consecutively. Many of her clones getting the finishing blows after she punched them and clones herself to move to the next target.

"…..Keep doing what you are doing" Robot says, satisfied with her performance and proficiency.

Jay is pulverizing the aliens. He hears them shout and scream but he can't understand what they are saying. But it's like the longer he listens to it the more he is able to understand it. He was always good at learning new languages like Chinese or German. But he wasn't aware that applied to alien languages as well.

"Damn Cockroaches!" Jay shouts as he picks up a tank by its barrel and slams it down in the middle of a group of alien soldiers. This causes an explosion to engulf the nearby aliens.

Atom Eve is flying through the air. She's avoiding laser shots and using her power to manipulate matter on a subatomic scale to disrupt the aliens and attempt to kill them. But she isn't able to much and resorts to making a pink shield for herself as she lands back on the ground.

Two aliens peek over the edge of the crater to look at and shoot Mark and the old lady. But Eve traps their heads in a bubble until they breathe themselves to death.

Eve looks at Mark. "Seriously. Get out of here and take her to a hospital! We can handle this" She confidently says.

Mark looks at her. "Yooour~ Atom Eve" He stammers.

"What?!" She looks at Mark like he's stupid as she points at Jay. "And that's Eternal! Just go!" She shouts.

The two aliens collapse and the bubbles around their head disappear. This gets Mark to fly out with the old woman in his arms.

He takes off into the sky as Eve watch's him. But she quickly needs to make a new barrier on the other side of the crater.

"Admirable intention Eve" A robotic voice says.

Robot backs up to Eve as he gets shot and fired back. "But I'm not positive we can handle this….. Even with Eternal's help" Robot looks at Jay as he gets hit by laser fire but keeps charging through it and swings a bus around like he's a battleblade kids toy.

Eve's shields get destroyed but she raises them back up as they crumble to pinks dust and pieces. She also includes Robot inside the shield now since he is close enough. The battle showing on his metal body as dents and scorch marks.

"Hahaha!" Rex Splode continues throwing explosives around like it's an American holiday on the streets but quickly realizes he doesn't have enough to keep his pace up against the rapidly increasing numbers of the alien invaders. "Hoooh. Ahhhh!" He screams as he climbs into a police car that gets absolutely lit up by lasers. Rex crawls through it and exits the other side just before the car explodes.

Dupli-Kate continues her attacks. But they become less and less effective as the aliens adjust to how she attacks and begin killing her clones almost as fast as she currently can make them. She only has the power to make clones after all, her bodies are still that of a slightly stronger teen.

Rex throws two handfuls at a group of aliens. "Uh guys! I'm down to pocket change here!" He says both litteraly and figuratively. He has metal pellets to charge up but can use coins as well.

Kate begins focusing on only duplicating because they are shooting and killing her clones so fast. "They're. Killing. Me. Faster. Than. I. Can keep up!" She says between her duplicates that die instantly.

Eve focuses on her shields. "We have people time to escape! That's what matters!"

Rex backs away from some aliens approaching him. "Uh, no. Me living is what matters"

Eve rolls her eyes at Rex's comments.

As Eves shield goes down Robot gets shot and gains another dent and a few more Scott his marks. "Then I have bad news…."

Eve raises another shield.

More and more aliens come through the portal.

"Fuck! Off!" Jay grabs two tanks and throws them back through one of the portal which seems to stop their advance for about a whole 2 seconds.

The scar alien aims at Eve and Robot. "Sorcatam muey" It says and charges the tanks shot.

*BBbBBbbbbbbbmmmmmm…..*

The tank suddenly powers down and the aliens begin to lose their green color. They slowly, but at a visible rate, begin turning more and more gray as their bodies begin to shrivel and wrinkle.

All the aliens have this happen. Their guns stop firing. Their tanks power down. Their bodies begin falling to the ground. Some die before they hit the ground. Others crawl for a few seconds before dying.

They begin a full and hasty tactical retreat. The alien with the scar going down his face turns to look at Jay glaring down at him.

Jay sees the alien and tosses a car at him which explodes.

But the alien had already left, and the portal closes.

Rex is slumped over, but still standing. "I don't know what just happened. But I think I speak for everyone here…" He stands up. "….when is say 'I never want it to happen EVER AGAIN!" He turns around and an alien groans so he punches its lights out permanently.

Jay lands back on the ground and calms himself down. He hadn't even worked up a sweat. Sure they were annoying. But it's mostly him having to hold back because of the civilians and fellow heros. His blood was pumping at the chance to finally vent his anger and frustration and confusion.

Robot looks at where the aliens had fled. "Indeed" He says in response to Rex saying they never want to see the aliens ever again.

Jay looks down at his tattered uniform. It's only his torso that is bad. Anything below his waist is perfectly held together. "Damn comics happening in real life" he mutters to himself.

Robot approaches Jay. "Thank you Eternal. If you were not here our chances at survival decreased significantly. I have been told to leave the specific numbers out. But I will say that it was very low chances of survival at the end"

"It's not like I was here for fun" Jay says. He exhales heavily. "Sorry, I meant you're welcome and it's not a problem. Just been a stressful day"

Robot scans Jay and his tattered suit along with the destroyed city around them. "Stressful day indeed"

——————

Jay walks into the Pentagon and goes back to his dad's room. He follows a blood trail inside.

Once inside he sees his blood covered brother holding their dad's arm. And their mom holding him. Both were on their knees. And Jay notices a coffee spilled to the side by the door.

"….my best. I tried to be like dad" Mark says. Jay didn't hear the first bit.

Debbie hugs her sons head. Mark cries and turns to his mom and hugs her back.

Jay stands by the door with his hands at his side. He feels…. weird….. looking at this scene. Like he's supposed to be a part of it. But also like he isn't. That damned detached feeling crawls up from his stomach to his chest where it then rushes to his head.

He clenched his fists at his side. He feels angry. Hateful. Sad. Happy his brother and father are alive. But seeing both of them so low and defeated…. It's indescribable. Along with so many other emotions. Like him worrying if Suzu got involved or hurt. It was so unlikely since her work wasn't near the invasion. But just the worry of what if she took her prototype and tried to help.

Jay turns down the hall and walks down it. He needs to go to work for the rest of the day. Then he can meet Suzu... if she isn't busy. But considering what just happened. He has a feeling she will be busy for a while with all that new technology the aliens just introduced to them.

——————

Jay is out of it. He's just barely going through the motions for 2 days, this is the third after the invasion. He is almost able to convince everyone. Except for one person.

"Thank you for your help Jay!" A short, blond, literature teacher says in a strained and cheerful tone.

Jay smiles at her, but it's a false smile. "It's not a problem. Not your fault Dean decided to throw a tantrum because 'aliens attacked so we don't have to learn about books!'. He should be better after writing a 4 paged essay about the attack and how it affects him and the students of the school"

Meri frowns. "What's wrong Jay?" She asks as she swivels in her chair behind her desk.

Jay looks at her. "What do you mean? I'm as good as I've ever been"

Meri's frown deepens. She jumps to her feet and slams her hands on her desk. "Then that's even worse!"

Jay raises an eyebrow as he leans against a desk in the front row. "Haaaah" he releases a sigh. He holds his hands up. "Alright, you caught me. What do you want to know?"

Meri gets flustered a bit. She didn't mean to shout and slam her desk. She puts her hands behind her back and blushes for a second before going back to normal, normal slightly embarrassed that is. "Oh, erm… I want to know what's been bothering you for the past few days. I don't think it's the attack, you can talk about that like it's nothing. Did something else happen? I noticed your brother has also been out of it. But William seems to be helping him" She quickly says.

Jay looks at Meri in her bright, light blue eyes. After a minute he closes his eyes. He puts his hands behind him on the desk. "You got me. It's my dad…. and my mom. My dad is in the hospital and my mom won't leave his side"

Meri puts her open hands over her mouth as her eyes widen in shock. "Oh m-, I'm sorry. Is he ok?"

Jay smiles sadly and looks at the corner of the room. Meri can tell that this really bothers Jay, but knows that talking will help him.

"He was hurt pretty bad. Not in the invasion. It was actually the night before that. He hasn't woken up, and my mom sticks to him day and night. Rarely even leaving his room" Jay closes his eyes. "It's hard watching her and Mark suffer through this. I know my dads tough and will make it through this, but seeing them like this….. I don't even know how to describe what I'm feeling"

Meri walks around her desk and sits against it across from Jay. "I… I think I understand a little. Not exactly, but a little. My little sister, Jasmine…"

Jay looks at the small teacher and nods. "I remember talking about her"

Meri locks her fingers together and puts her hands on her lap. "Well, a few years ago she was badly hurt in an attack. It was one of the random new villains that wanted their fifteen seconds of fame…." Meri looks at her hands as she remembers this event. "Anyway, long story short. Eternal saved her and quickly brought her to a hospital. If he hadn't, she wouldn't be here today. And even while she was recovering. He, Eternal, went to visit her and others at the hospital. Because of him, Jas was able to recover" She shakes her head. "Sorry, I'm going off track. Basically, I sorta know what that feeling is. The darkness crashing down on you. The cold shaking you. The worry eating away at you. And that indescribable dread…."

Meri looks up at Jay. "Just know that it gets better. And I pray that your family gets through this. As long as you all stay together and stay strong you'll make it through together. You don't need to hold everything in, you can rely on others Jay. I'm here to listen if you need someone"

Jay is left in his thoughts. A few years ago he would have been starting out his hero career. Especially when he was still visiting those he saved at the hospitals. He also mainly did it when a school was attacked and many young students were injured. He now remembers a girl with shorter hair that looks like Meri. He hadn't made the connection before, but now that Meri mentions this he remembers it.

He also thinks about his situation. Meri didn't exactly get it, but she wasn't wrong. He felt many more emotions, and a lot less at the same time.

Jay smiles genuinely. "Thank you, Meri"

The young teacher smiles and her cheeks turn a slight shade of pink. "Any time"

Jay thinks about how busy Suzu had been. She had been so exhausted the one time she came home. He had visited her for dinners on the other two days. But she has been extremely super omega busy.

So with this new free time he had been helping defeat villains around the world in the absence of the Guardians. Everyone's been busy apparently. And he even visited Art to get an updated suit.

Jay looks at Meri. "How is Jasmine?"

Meri blinks and then thinks. "She's doing fine. Her wounds were major, but her broken bones and bruises healed. The mental wounds have scarred pretty badly. But I think he helped her through it honestly. I mean,-"

ETERNAL