Chapter IX: Susanoo

It's been one month since the tragedy that has wiped out Metropolis, since then no one has stepped foot in there, nor has a sound been made, until now. "I'm alive."

Up in the watchtower Cyborg was talking to Superman, "I'm telling you, it's definitely being broadcast out of Metropolis. It's Just the same two words over and over again. I'd say it's a recording."

"I'll go and take a look."

"A look? You can see radio waves? Of course you can..."

Wonderwoman walked over, "You shouldn't go."

Green Lantern stepped in, "Wonderwoman is right. We've been upsetting a lot of powerful people. Now we get a lone message of impossible hope being broadcast from your destroyed home..?"

Wonderwoman leaned in, "It's the perfect lure."

Cyborg said, "And Metropolis is uninhabited for miles in every direction, there's no better place to attack you. They could hit you with whatever they wanted without worrying about collateral damage."

Superman stated, "If a citizen of Metropolis has survived, I'm not ignoring them."

Green Lantern and Wonderwoman came to Metropolis with Superman. The sky was gray and there was rusted metal and scorched shadows everywhere, along with skeletons laying in piles absent of any flesh they may have had on them before. "This is where the signal is coming from. That transmitter attached to the door. It must have been damaged by the blast. It is a miracle it's working at all." 

Wonderwoman walked over, "Or someone wants us to think that," Her head darted in another direction. 

"What Is it?"

"I'm not sure... I feel like we're being watched. Are you sure we're alone?"

Superman used his x-ray vision, "I'm not seeing anything else alive down here."

Green Lantern called over comms, "Superman, can I suggest we leave this one alone? We'll find another way. Maybe via a remote or something. You know that bit in the horror movie where you're screaming at the cheerleader not to investigate the strange sound in the woods? This is that moment. You're the cheerleader."

Superman ignored him and grabbed the large door before tearing it off its hinges. His expression lit up, "Lex!" Lex looked back in surprise, "Lex? I thought..."

They both smile and Superman lifts him up with a hug, "I thought you were gone. It's a miracle."

"Not a miracle, just a well executed contingency plan. It's good to see you too, but I'd hate to survive a nuclear explosion only to be crushed by an over-exuberant hug," He's released and he continues, "Tell me. What has happened?"

"Later. There's still a lot of radiation present. We need to get you out of here."

Later at Batman's hideout he was talking to someone who stood in the dark. "You were right. It's Luthor. He's alive."

"If anyone could survive that. It would be him. How?"

"He had a speedster on the payroll. Not someone on Flash's level, but still very fast. This speedster had one job. To get Luthor to his bunker in an event like this."

"What happened to this speedster?"

"After she got Lex to safety, she went back out. Lex believes she tried to save people-- she wasn't fast enough. I didn't get much else. Wonderwoman sensed me somehow."

"Be careful of Diana, she doesn't seem like herself. Where's Lex Luthor now?"

"He asked to meet with the Justice League."

All the current heros that still consider themselves the Justice League including Itachi gathered at the Watchtower as Lex talked to them, "I can't see what you're attempting. I can see why. You're doing it all for the right reasons, but it is too heavy handed. You want to save lives. I understand. However there aren't enough of you. Even with your incredible abilities, you can't keep the peace. You can't cover the whole plant," he looked out the window down at earth, "If you truly want to bring about a better, you need to stop reacting and start planning, I'd like to help."

Wonderwoman pointed at him, "I know you and Superman are friends, but how do we know we can trust you?"

Lex turned around and pointed at each of them, "Diana Prince, Hal Jordan, Billy Batson, Barry Allen, Clark Kent, and Itachi Uchiha who massacred his whole family. I'm a very intelligent man. Your secret identities are no secret to me. However, I have protected your identities, and I've protected your loved ones without your knowing. You've had to trust me for a long time. You just didn't know it. Now. I'd like to join you."

'Huh, that must have been how Dick and Huntress felt when I did it to them. Lex is dangerous though, if I give him too much time he might find out my plan. I'll need to turn him to our side, or do something else.'

After some days Wonderwoman came to the Watchtower after having her comms disabled for a while. "Where have you been? Your communicator was deactivated."

"What's happened?"

Flash responded, "Hawkgirl was taken."

"What? Who?"

"It was a team. Captain Atom, Black Lightning, and Huntress. Working together."

"Captain Atom suggests a U.S. military involvement..... But Huntress?"

Lex stated, "It's Batman."

Green Lantern waved a hand, "Batman wasn't seen at the location."

"Yes. That's how you know he was there," Lex put his hands behind his back, "This is just the start. You're spread too thin. You can't police the whole world alone. You'll be picked off one at a time."

Superman peered at him, "What are you suggesting?"

"You need more people. I think I know how to get them for you."

Batman and Catwoman stood at the hideout staring at Hawkgirl who was in a cell. Catwoman put her hands on her hips, "Seems like your intelligence was right."

"So it seems."

She looks back at him, "How did you know she was going to be there? How did you know she was going to try to take the leader?"

Batman looked away, "I can't say."

"Yes, you can. You may not want to tell the others. But you can sure as hell tell me," Batman starts walking away, "Are you going to keep her locked here forever? That's not very heroic."

"No. I just need her to be here for a week. One week."

She stared back at Hawkgirl in the cell, "They'll come for her. They will scour the globe for her."

"No. They won't be looking for her. They don't know she's missing."

Back in the watchtower an argument broke out and Flash glared and pointed at Lex, "Why are we talking about other people when we've lost one of our own? We need to find Hawkgirl!"

"You don't need to find Hawkgirl. I'm right here."

Everyone's head turned towards Hawkgirl who stood right in front of them.

'I doubt that Batman would have just released her, his other spy must be Martian Manhunter then. Alright then, now we have two spies. They'll only think that there is one mole, so if one of us is caught then the other will be in the clear.'

Lex raised a brow, "Batman simply let you go?"

She put her hands on her hips, "No, Lex. He gave me a message. He said he doesn't want to have to fight us, but we have to stop what we're doing. He wants us to stop working for the world and start working with it. Maybe we should consider what Batman is saying?"

Itachi stepped in, "I think so. I don't have a problem with what we've been doing with villians, but we've been committing injustices in multiple countries."

Flash put a hand on his hip, "I agree. It feels like, ever since Metropolis, we've been reacting. I'd like to slow down and talk about what we're doing here."

Wonderwoman stated, "What we're doing is finally bringing real peace to our world."

Flash waved a hand at Superman, "What about that kid you crippled in Australia? Is he at peace? No. The poor kid tried to stand up for something and now he's eating through a straw!"

Superman looked away with a tensed jaw, "Unpleasant things have taken place, but more lives have been saved in these last weeks than ever before."

"At what price?"

Wonderwoman glared and pointed at Flash, "If you have that much doubt about what we're doing, you can leave at any time, Flash."

Shazam retorted, "What he's asking is far from unreasonable. We could have killed Black Atom last week."

"Yes, after he butchered a village!"

"I want to fight for the world as much as you do, Wonderwoman, but I do not want to bully it into submission!"

Superman looked over his shoulder, "This is not about"--Shazam stood diagonal to Superman and pointed at him with a firm expression, "We've been following your lead without question. Ask yourself, what sort of leader doesn't want to hear questions?"

They both glared at each other for a while until Damian interrupted, "I can practically see the strings. Seriously, just like that, you all become Batman's puppets. Tactically, it made more sense for Batman to lock Hawkgirl away somewhere. Take his opponents off the board one at a time. Instead he sent her back. You think he did this as an act of kindness or mercy? Trust me, I know how my father works," he pointed at Hawkgirl, "He sent Hawkgirl back as a weapon. She's his little doubt bomb."

Hawkgirl snarled and walked towards Damian with clenched fist, "I am nobody's weapon. I"-Lex interrupted, "Yes, you are. Robin's right. We're being played. Also, when you people get angry, it tends to lead to property damage. Before you lose your tempers any further, can I remind you all that we're on a satellite? Some of us aren't comfortable with a sudden lack of oxygen and the cold vacuum of space.. Superman, all of this comes down to communication. If your friends are feeling this uneasy, consider how the people of the world may feel. Let me help you to start shaping your message. Then if you're agreeable, I'll ask my people to set up a public address."

Shazam asked, "So the message comes solely from Superman?"

"No. Lex is right. We need to communicate better. All of you should be part of this."

"Thank you Superman, I just don't want to see us turned into something we despise.

Far far away on the planet Apokolips Kalibak was trying to find his father, "Father! Father, I would speak with you. Darkseid. 

Darkseid looked over his shoulder, "What is it, Kalibak?"

"News from Earth, the Kryptonian has called for an end to fighting. He is dismantling armies in favor of peace."

"You think Superman has softened?"

"I would like to lead a war party to Earth. I would like to test this "peace."

"Then go. Kill the Kryptonian and take the Earth."

On stage Superman was dressed in a suit with his costume underneath. Lex started the speech, "Ladies and gentlemen, just over a month ago. The world was rocked by a terrible event. A city, my city, was torn apart in the blink of an eye. Since this day, the heroes of Earth have been working tirelessly to ensure this never happens again," Lex turns and his hand points towards Superman, "This man began a crusade to fight for you all, to fight for truth, justice, and peace. People of Earth, I give you-- SUPERMAN!"

Superman took the stage, "I'm sorry if we frightened you. We should have spoken sooner. We have been acting against some of the greatest evils on Earth--Men and women's governments and regimes that have killed and tortured and oppressed without consequence for too long. Some of you may see me as an alien, but I came to this world as a child. And I was raised by two of the greatest. Most compassionate people on Earth. I believe in this world. I am one of you. I know there are some who disagree with our actions. But I could no longer stand by and allow the people of Earth to suffer. Not when I had the power to prevent it," Superman's head lowered and he diverted his eyes, "I know some of our actions may have seemed... extreme, but the result is less people are dying from needless war. Less people are grieving loved ones. Sons and daughters, and mothers and fathers who may have been lost are returning home. My friend, Lex Luthor, reminded me that we hadn't told you all why we're doing this. He wanted us to shape a message," he smiles at the crowd, "We just want you to be safe."

Out of nowhere a boom tube opens and parademons fly through and start killing people. Superman grabs one by the neck and tells the other heros, "Protect the people," before getting shot down by Kalibak.

"I've heard you don't believe in fighting fighting anymore, Kryptonian."

Superman gritted his teeth and glared at Kalibak who stepped back in response, "You look... What is wrong with you? After receiving no response he pointed his weapon at him, "Say something!" Superman punched him through the sky in response. 

Up in the Watchtower the League saw Boomtubes opening all over the world in Shanghai, Mumbai, Moscow, Istanbul, Tokyo, etc.

Itachi rushed towards the Teleporter, "I'll take Tokyo."

Cyborg nodded and sent him down. When he arrived many buildings were already on fire, and there were skeletons everywhere. Itachi glared, 'I've never seen anything like this since I've been here. Is this the doing of that Darkseid I've heard about?"

He jumps on top of a building and Parademons start flying towards him. 'These things aren't even human, so I'm not gonna hold back on them, I doubt Batman would complain about killing these things,' He raises one hand and takes a deep breath before releasing a huge flame that covers the sky and incinerates them all. He does this a couple more times but their numbers are endless and he's eventually overwhelmed. 

That is until he activates his Susanoo and his sword sweeps through the sky. Wiping them all out. More start coming after him, but the sword is enough to deal with them. 

Eventually less are coming after him and they begin attacking the city again. Itachi grits his teeth, 'Damn, my Susanoo isn't mobile enough to protect this entire city in its current state.'

He looks down at the street at the many families being incinerated by parademons. Some of them even notice Itachi, and smile at him in hope before being killed themselves. Itachi shuts his eyes closed. 'In my current state, I can't protect this whole city alone!"

The emotions started to fuel his Uchiha blood with power, and that on top of all the battles he's been in in the past 2 years, his Susanoo starts to transform. It gains two angel wings along with a pair of legs and Itachi's mouth hangs open for a second before paying attention to the battle again as he stands inside the tall red Susanoo warrior. 'With the ability to fly I should be able to save any survivors.'

He quickly darts around the city blocks and sweeps his sword, taking out every Parademon in sight, 'Sasuke's susanoo has more than likely reached its final evolution by this point too, if time flows the same back home as it does here....'

At some point. He noticed there were no parademons left and he caught his breath. 'I got lucky here, heros like Wonderwoman that like area of effect attacks might not have the same luck."

People finally started walking outside of the buildings as they looked around at the clear sky until they saw Itachi's susanoo, and cheered.