Traitor Game L: Existential Crisis

[Chris Lang]

[Reposter's note: This note was posted after the credits sequence and became an accidental second stinger. This is where the reposting ends.]

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tangentman 07-27-2007 09:42 PM

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"I am afraid you are right." Ororo replied on the phone. "We will search for her in case there is another explanation for her disappearance."

"Of course there isn't any other reason, you halfwit! Rogue was abducted for one of those bloody Traitor Games!" Emma Frost stepped into Kitty's room wearing her revealing "X-Men" costume. Realizing her social gaffe, she drolly said, "Oh dear, how positively rude of me to eavesdrop."



Kitty's understandable shock amused Emma. "Really, Kitten, you shouldn't let your mouth hang open so. It's quite unbecoming--you look like a mongoloid!" The mutant telepath sighed and rolled her eyes. "Oh for goodness' sake, I'm not the White Queen of your world. Look at the 'X' on my belt. I'm one of the 'White Hats' back in my world."

Emma walked over toward Kitty's desk with a sinuous sway of hips. She pulled a spare chair toward herself. Taking a seat, Emma wrung out her wet umbrella. "Ghastly weather. Getting back on topic--I apologize for what must be a rather shocking apppearance, but I was separated from the other X-Men in our return trip from a veritable Hell of a dimension. Not in the literal sense, mind you, but just as appalling as the mythical one is reputed to be...anyway, your companion was most assuredly taken for one of those tedious games."

Grinning like the Cheshire Cat itself, Emma added, "I'm afraid you'll need Auntie Emma's help to find her..."

-------------------------

[Fade to black. DVD Menu appears]

[Chris Lang]

Return to the present day: Existential Crisis aftermath continues

The Monitor's satellite, a few hours after the end of the battle with the Anti-Monitor

And so the presentation concluded. The screen on which the DVD of the tenth Traitor Game had played was now displaying a DVD special features menu.

"So, yeah." Goombella said as the menu appeared. "That's, like, how a LOT of Traitor Game traditions got started. Bob and Karl. Thorpool. Ares and Grimlock, that version of Asgard. A whole lot of Traitor Game history in that one game. Kinda cool, huh?"

Linda was trying to take in what she had seen. "So what happened with the Organization?" she asked.

"Oh, that kinda petered out." Goombella replied. "They were in the next four games, but then they just kinda ... disappeared. Scourge turned up again in Game 14 ... some really gnarly stuff happened and he was no longer with the Organization by then. The Organization had that war with Mojo which forced him to leave Mojoworld and host Game 18 somewhere else, but then they totally disappeared. Guess that situation sorted itself out 'offscreen', y'know?"

"What about that part at the end you fast-forwarded through?" Mary Jane asked.

Linda had caught that part as well, and was not sure what to make of what she had seen, but she kept quiet.

"That's Limbo Legion stuff and that's totally another story." Goombella said. "It all led to a really crazy Traitor Game, but we won't go into it now. We'd be, like, here all day if we went into that story."

Mary Jane took the hint, and quickly changed the subject.

"So Roy met Dr. Strange's mentor? And fought with Apocalypse?" Mary Jane asked. "I thought he lived in Linda's world, or some variation of it."

"Nowhere and Muriel? I loved Courage the Cowardly Dog!" Linda said. "And he met them, too?"

"I think Roy's home universe is, like, a 'mashup' world, or something." Goombella said. "Or it'd seem like it to those from other worlds. It's kind of a 'point of view' thing, y'know? Anyway, his world seems to have elements from a whole bunch of different worlds. So even before he got involved in the Traitor Games and started traveling between dimensions, he was meeting lots of people you wouldn't think he'd have met."

"Did Roy turn up in any of the other Traitor Games?" Mary Jane asked.

"Yeah, he showed up in Traitor Game 14. That was, like, a big reunion of previous Traitor Game participants ... and a few new ones, too." Goombella replied. "We were all brought there by Batman to find out who was responsible for his totally embarrassing mishaps in all those Traitor Games. Roy helped out in the final battle a little. But that's, like, a long story. We can save that for another time. You've all got places to go and people to see, y'know?"

"That move he used to drain his enemies' speed..." Linda said. "He used it on us ... the speedsters. He used our speed in addition to his so that the rest of us wouldn't have to sacrifice ourselves. His command of the Speed Force was incredible."

"Yeah." Goombella said. "He kinda kept to himself a lot, but when it really counted, he totally took charge and did everything he could to save us all."

"I guess I should go." Linda said. "I want to say goodbye to Clark Sparks and the others before I leave."

Goombella nodded, noting the various other people in the area. "Well, if anyone else has any questions or anything about Traitor Game 10, they should totally free free to ask."

OOC: So yes, other players, this is your cue to do your epilogues or ask questions about the Traitor Games in-Character. For OOC discussion of the Traitor Games, check the Traitor Game Bullpen.

[Froggy]

In the vast reaches of The Bleed where The Monitor's satellite stood after the great battle, Clark Sparks addressed The Wanderers as they finished dropping off various special guests and participants in this Traitor Game.

"Mmph, off you go, big green!" Saturn Girl said to Godzilla, with Pikachu waving back. Outside, images of the reknit veins of each and every 'verse were shown as they flew by. Clark had his clones fly back into his body as he stood to face the team.

"Well everybody, crisis averted! Us Wanderers have managed to set out and accomplish our mission. Even when it looked rough, there was never any doubt in my mind we could do this. Now before we go, we have to take into account the Suicide Squad..." he said.

"The Starro Swarm is being corralled back to its home dimension via Killraven. Once it's there, Killraven will guide Kamandi to help start the Second Age of Man, and their world will be put on the right path for good when Kamandi finds the Mother Box housing Norrin Radd, the Silver Surfer along with the Apokoliptian Runaways" Saturn Girl said.

"Zoom the Conqueror was snapped out of her madness by the actions of Hummingbird and the others in this Traitor Game. She's decided to head back to the era she is from and face judgment for the crimes she and her lover committed" reported Captain Thunder.

"The horrible turn passion can take, by Hromneer!" exclaimed Princess Kori'andr.

"Henshaw's essence dispersed and has reappeared trapped in a jump drive, as you already know" Blue Skies reported.

"One that will be lost to all time in the abandoned Galaxy" Clark Sparks replied, holding the chip in a bubble of electrical energy.

"SuperPower has been confined to being split apart thanks to MD" Blue Skies said, nodding to the MetaMorphoDemon.

"I have elementally altered their mystical physiology to make their combination an impossibility. Never again will they join together. As for imprisonment, young Wonder Man currently has them captive, and was understanding of our correspondence. His heart, heavy with suffering and grief, can now be lightened with these two being brought to justice" the demon told the others in a proud growl.

"Which leaves Batmage" Clark said. He then tapped the apparatus he was leaning on, pressing buttons at superspeed. Up came an image of Batmage, walking up to the archaic city-state Gotham had become, greeted by the barbarian known as The Winter Soldier.

"He has gone to face his own judgement, after giving up his vestments of power on his own accord. Before that, he helped to fix some of the worlds his people visited . Like Zoom, he is someone seeking redemption. Now, that all of the heroes we gathered have returned to their own homes, it's time to talk about what will happen to us" Clark said.

"I propose that we return to our Earth's and continue to fight the good fight, the never ending battle there" He proposed.

"And if something bigger than one Earth can handle shows up?"

Then we come back here and, in honor of the Monitor, handle this crisis of Earths" Clark said. He then walked over to his fellow Wanderers and put his hand in the middle.

"Wanderers, looks like this is where we all get off. It's been a pleasure working with you all and if you ever make it to Earth-0929, you are welcome in my home. Just keep any cigarettes out of the house, dad hates it when mum smokes" he said as a portal formed in the ship. The other Wanderers put their hahds over Clark's, then raised them up and walked off towards the portal, each departing for their worlds:

The Gotham, Mars 0659: Kori'andr deftly landed atop the shuttle, then flipped down to greet Richard John Carter, astronaut, champion and her husband to be with ally Victor Stone, the man who can speak to machines!

"Hello, beloved" she told him. Kori then jumped down and walked towards Richard, who hugged her.

"Kori! You're back! Where did you go? Vic and I searched everywhere for you on Mars and were about to head to Earth!" he said as they embraced.

"Well, I have quite a story for you, as J'onn would say" she told him...

[Froggy]

Earth 7713: Captain Thunder landed in the skies of Fawcett City. A quick fly around made him notice that everything was as he left it, as idyllic as it always was.

"WHERE ARE YOU, BIG RED CHEESE? MISTER ATOM IS READY TO DROP A BOMB ON YOU!" The giant 50 foot robot shouted as it rushed towards Fawcett City. Captain Thunder smirked, then flew at the robot, clashing fists with a smile.

"It's a never ending battle alright Clark" he said to himself.

Earth 4592: Mr. Blue Skies found himself in a DEO office, apparently his office, then took off his mask as he looked at a picture on the table. The picture of him, the friend he was doing this all for. He then got a call over the com about red skies clearing up somehow and smiled.

Earth 1054: In the sands of Egypt, Jason Blood transformed from his demonic state and looked out at the horizon. When he left the pyramids were disappearing, nearly dissolving, but now? Now they were fully restored, his work a success. "Uncle Jason, you've returned?" was the screech of a question from Klarion, the Witchboy! Jason chose to ignore the strange musical beat that followed.

Earth 9664: Imogene Radha "Imra" Ardeen found herself sitting outside of Metropolis High's parking lot where Garth, Querl, and Rok were hanging out in front of an oddly shaped bubble of air that she knew as the Time Bubble. Garth was the first to approach, hugging her.

Ayyy, how's Metropolis High's favorite teen PI (and my gal) doin? That was a pretty wild show out there, care to break it down for us reg'lar folks?"

"I have already told you Garth that what happe-

"Yea yea I know Brainy, but Imra's much easier to listen to AND look at"

"She's also much more evolved than you but that's not my business!" Brainy retorted.

"You tryna spark summin, Brainy? Why I oughta..!" Garth said, raising his hand. Rok got in between the two, purple sweater vest and everything.

Fellas, cool it, Imra can tell us and the rest of the gang at the clubhouse, aight? And we can update her on some of the cases she missed, like Mayor Vidar's rigged election" he told them, then looked at Imra.

"You agree Saturn Girl?" he asked her.

"Yea, yea I do Cosmo Boy. All of ya can hear the story at HQ. It's good to see you though, it really is boys" she told them while they walked in step with each other.

"Aight, but Ey Imra, nothing was going on between you and that electric Supes fella yea? He's from like the 21st century he's like our grandkid!" Garth said.

"Garth you want kids?" she asked him, and Garth fumbled for a response which made Imra laugh.


Earth 0929: Clark Sparks materialized aboard The Carrier, where his father stood, mother on his father's shoulder.

"Oi! Look who's back! Right when the red skies clear up, the prodigal son returns! And with his jacket! C'mere!" she cheered, dusting off Clark's jacket as he came forward.

"Welcome back son, it's good to see you again" Superman told him.

"Thanks Pa, feels good to be back. Everything okay on the Homefront? No ancient abominations breaking through or the like?" he asked.

"Not really, other than The Unimaginable which we resealed and Promethean Giants. Homefront has been pretty stable"

"Of course it did, more importantly how did you save the day? What happened? Why does your bio aura look like it intermingled with someone else?" Jenny asked.

"You saw that too dear? I knew something was off but thought I might just be getting old" Supermab asked. Jenny playfully punched his chest.

"Right, you're the old one" she said.

"Well mum, I actually wanna tell you and dad about this. I also did kinda meet a gal, American too"

"Well tell us son! Maybe we could pay her a visit if you're a good boy" she joked.

Last but not least, as Roy ran through the cosmos restoring universes, one was restored that was lost in the beginning. Earth-L, home of the Justice Guardians' Steve and Diana embraced each other, then let go. Angel looked at his surroundings, with Ness ruining Cap and Diana's moment by broadcasting that they were back vocally instead of telepathically. Last but not least, Static and Majestic stared at each other, confused.

"Majestic, weren't we, weren't we gone?"

"Yes we were, Static, and now we are returned. Most peculiar, most peculiar indeed" he said.

"What could reverse a wave of antimatter?" Static asked him.

"Whatever it was, I am thankful, incredibly thankful for this second chance"

"Agreed. Now, let's use it to continue checking how far reaching this is"

"Agreed!" Majestic said as they took off.

[Chris Lang]

Epilogue: Green Lantern Mary Jane Watson-Parker

And so Mary Jane took her leave of the Monitor's satellite, and returned to her home world. She had not been acquainted with Linda, aka Hummingbird, for very long, but she hoped Linda would find her husband.

Mary Jane, meanwhile, knew where her husband was. Peter would be waiting for her to return, as would their 5-year old daughter May.

First, she flew all over New York City with the help of the Power Ring. The city seemed calm and peaceful ... unusually so. People were present in the streets, and there was an air of ... relief. That was it. Relief.

It's as if they know... what happened.

She saw people, in church and outside of church, of several religions, praying grateful prayers.

She saw a few drunken, hung-over persons who had clearly been having wild 'end of the world' parties. Some looked so out of it they probably didn't even know, or care, that the world was no longer on the verge of destruction. She hoped they would eventually recover. Others looked to have binged on cakes, chocolate, and other food.

She saw the police. It seemed the Avengers and Code Blue had rounded up the last of Brother Brood's cultists. It was clear now that all knew the cultists had been the least of their problems.

But nearly everywhere she went as she flew across the city, there was an air of relief and gratitude.

And these people will probably never know who they have to thank for saving them. For bringing this world back, Mary Jane thought.

Mary Jane thought of Roy, whose last run had restored life to her world and countless others. And of Arisia, her fellow Green Lantern who had given her life to save Mary Jane.

After a moment of silence, she flew off toward the Parker house, where she knew Peter and their daughter would be waiting. She settled down to the ground, and walked right in through the front door.

"Mom!" 5-year old May called out, leaping from the couch and rushing toward her.

Mary Jane hugged her daughter tightly, as Peter walked toward them.

"Mary Jane! You're safe! I thought maybe..."

"It's over." Mary Jane said. "The world's safe. The monster that was trying to destroy it is gone for good."

"Are you all right?" Peter asked.

"I'm fine." Mary Jane said. She felt glad that she had been able to relax a bit with Hummingbird and Goombella watching the DVD of the tenth Traitor Game. It had given her a much needed break after the tension of the battle. Still, however, she felt the effects of what she had seen.
"It's just that ... I've been through a lot."

"We all have." Peter said. "We thought the world was going to end. The anti-matter was consuming everything. But then ... everything reversed itself somehow. I don't know what happened, but we've all been given another chance."

"It's a long story." Mary Jane said. "Sit down. We've got a lot to talk about."

And so for the next hour, Mary Jane told her husband of the journey she had taken with Roy Lincoln, Clark Sparks, and the rest. She told of the final battle, of her meeting with the other Green Lanterns, and of Arisia's sacrifice. And she told of how she, their whole world, and so many others had been saved due to the actions of Roy Lincoln and the Monitor.

Telling the story was not easy, as she had to go into some painful details. Talking of what had happened just before Roy's actions saved her was especially difficult. She didn't want to think too much of what had happened to her, and how she had been returned from the brink of certain destruction. However, she went on to tell of how everyone, once returned, rallied together to take down the Anti-Monitor, and how Arak Magnus dealt the final blow that destroyed the omnicidal maniac for good.

"After that, things calmed down." Mary Jane said. "We all stood around and talked for a while. Hal ... the Green Lantern of another Earth ... said that I should go and meet the rest of the Green Lanterns of this Earth. But I don't know... Peter, this isn't just another superhero gig. This is a galactic police force of sorts. And sometimes, if necessary, an army. I was there in the middle of a war. I saw one of them die right in front of me. I don't know if I can do this."

"Mary Jane, I know." Peter said. "I was chosen as Captain Universe for a time, remember? I know what it's like to feel overwhelmed. But maybe this Hal Jordan is right. You shouldn't make any decisions till you meet whoever's in charge of the Green Lanterns in this universe."

"I guess there's no way out of it. I have to meet them... the Green Lanterns or the Guardians or whoever." Mary Jane said. "And I will. But right now, I just want to relax. Here, on Earth, in Forest Hills, with you and May and Aunt Anna and Betty and Flash and everyone else. I've had enough of the whole traveling to other worlds business for now."

"It's okay with me." Peter said. "Ever since the crisis ended, the world's become a lot calmer. There's been a dozen ceasefires. Crime is down right now. Even the politicians and the political candidates have put aside their differences for now. The world nearly came to an end. That's going to get a lot of people taking a step back and thinking about how unimportant so many of the things they usually bicker about are."

"I know." Mary Jane said. "I saw it on the way here. Everyone's thinking about what they ... we ... almost lost. We all need to appreciate what we have more."

Mary Jane and Peter sat there on the sofa for a while, Peter's arm around Mary Jane. For a while, they sat there watching the news reports of how the world was calm in the wake of the near-disaster.

Mary Jane knew that one day she would have to seek out the other Green Lanterns. Her days of journeying to other worlds had only just begun.

But for now, she was glad that she was home, with her family and friends. She did not know what the future would bring for her or her world, but at least she knew now that they still had one.

[Chris Lang]

Epilogue: Linda Park-West, aka Hummingbird



Though Linda was grateful for the opportunity to relax a bit after doing her part to help save the Multiverse, she knew she had to return to her own world. And she knew she had to find Wally, wherever or whenever he was in her world's space-time continuum.

So after extending well-wishes to Goombella, the Wanderers, and the others, she returned to her own world. That was the easy part. Now, the hard part was locating Wally.

She knew that Wally was alive. Zoom had spotted him somewhere, lost in time.

She recalled the previous time Wally had disappeared. Linda had been his anchor ... what brought him back to their world and time. If that was the case, then it was no wonder that Wally was lost. Linda had been away from their home universe, on a mission to save all the universes. But now she was back. This meant that there would no longer be any confusing the forces that made Wally always come back.

She wondered about her own connection with the Speed Force. Did it work the other way? Would it draw her to Wally?

She wondered if she should just stand there, near their home, or go ahead into the future to find him.

And it was then that Wally appeared. He looked tired and fatigued, but she knew it was him. Even before she looked at the quantum signature detector, she knew it was her Wally.

"Linda?" he said.

"Wally!" Linda exclaimed.

"What happened? Where were you?" Wally said. "I tried to get back ... but you were gone. I was lost in time. Drifting from one century to another. And then ... the Crisis. Red skies. It was gone just as suddenly as it arrived."

"It's over." Linda said. "Harbinger took me to the Monitor's satellite. There was another Crisis. But it's over now."

She embraced Wally and held him tight, not wanting to let him go.

----

Wally listened as Linda told him the whole story of the Crisis. After taking it in, he spoke. "So there's this whole series of 'games' where people all over the Multiverse have to find hidden 'traitors'? And Roy summoned all the people who'd been brought together by them to help bring down the Anti-Monitor?"

"It sounds crazy, but it's the truth." Linda said. "Without all of those people, Roy never could have put his final plan into motion. Heroes, villains, ordinary citizens -- all of them united. And he needed me and the rest of the speedsters to help pull off that final phase."

"Everything you've told me about Roy sounds like he knew the Speed Force very well. He knew how to command it, redirect it, everything." Wally said. "And he used his knowledge to keep you and the rest of the speedsters from having to sacrifice yourselves. It always seems to happen that way - a speedster needing to sacrifice himself in a Crisis."

"You're thinking of Barry." Linda said. "I'm sorry. This whole thing must be bringing up some painful memories."

"It's all right." Wally said. "The important thing is that the Multiverse was saved. And Linda ... it sounds like you did good there."

"I was there when they needed me." Linda said. "But I'm still new at this. I don't know how we'll cope now that we've both got super speed."

"I know it seems strange for a speedster to say, but we'll take it easy. One day at a time." Wally said.

Linda knew there was a lot that needed to be sorted out. Wally had been gone six months, so of course he'd need to be brought up to date on everything that had happened. There would be issues to settle, explanations to give to those concerned. But for now, she was content to sit back at home and relax, with Wally.

The world was saved. She had been reunited with Wally. Life was good.

[Chris Lang]

OOC: Reserved for commentary and maybe interviews with Joe Acro and Froggy about the making of Existential Crisis.

[Chris Lang]

OOC: Reserved for more commentary and such.

[Chris Lang]

OOC: Commentary, ad parodies, or something will go here, I guess.

[Chris Lang]

OOC: Reserved for commentary and such.

[Chris Lang]

OOC: Still more commentary.

[Chris Lang]

OOC: More commentary, annotations, and such.

[Chris Lang]

OOC: More extras.

[Chris Lang]

OOC: And the last of the extras.

[Chris Lang]

OOC: Next ... some final thoughts and a retrospective.