Injustice 3: The Might of Magic (Book 3)

The Man:

"Why did you bring us here," Kara asks as she and everyone else walk up the hill behind me.

"Yeah," Todd says from somewhere in the group. "Why did you bring all of us here to Gotham City? Or what's left of Gotham."

"To pay our respect to some people," I answer, "And say farewell to another."

"Pay our respect," Slade repeats.

"Pay our respect to who exactly," Cold asks.

I'm about to answer Cold but we arrive at our destination before I can. Instead, I take a hard look around at the scene in front of me.

The orange sun is setting, with more than half of it beneath the horizon. The air is cold and refreshing. As more of us reach the top of the hill, the lush green grass moves to the side.

"Wait," Harleen says when she reaches the top. "Are we at a--"

Before Harleen can finish, a loud boom cuts her off. Everyone except me jumps as a large portal opens up beside us.

"A boom tube," Barry says. He lowers himself and spreads out his feet. Others copy him when they see who it is stepping through the boom tube.

"Cyborg," Cheetah growls. She shoots out both her hands and claws. Cold, Todd, Slade, and even Beetle raise their arms. Barry is already charging himself up. When Cyborg steps through the boom tube and sees us, he raises his arm cannon.

"Enough," I yell, everyone stopping to look at me. Grabbing everyone's attention, I look at all and every single one of them. "There will be no fighting. Here of all places!"

"What is this place," Cyborg asks, still holding his charged arm cannon. "Why did you tell me to come here alone?"

"So that you can say farewell."

Looking at the ground, I get on one of my knees and place my hand on it. Giving it a few seconds, I quickly but carefully raise my hand. As I do, a green steam glows out from the grass. It follows my hand before blooming into a single rose.

"You can do that," Ivy asks.

Ignoring Ivy, I pick up the rose and hand it to Cyborg. Cyborg, clearly still hesitating, deactivates his arm cannon to take the rose.

"Behind you," I say, nudging my head. Turning around, I see Cyborg's jaw drop.

"This is a...cemetery," Cyborg says, his eyes stuck on the tombstone with Raven's name engraved.

"Yeah," I say, walking up to Cyborg's side. Placing my hand on his shoulder, I nudge my head again. This time, toward Raven.

Cyborg doesn't move. He closes his mouth but instead, just stares at the tombstone. Shaking my head, I make the first move and walk to Raven. Stopping a few feet in front of Raven, I start.

"Hey Raven. You and I were never really the best of friends, and quite frankly, I was more than okay was that. We kept our distance. Never really talk with each other. I once threw a rock at you. You once called me a rat bastard."

Even without turning around, I can sense the confusion coming from everyone. I brush both it and my shoulder off.

"Nevertheless, we were both Titans. We were teammates, friends, and most importantly, family. I'm sorry I couldn't save you in time."

I reach into my jacket pocket and pull out a single kunai. Kneeling, I place the kunai on Raven's final resting place.

"Your journey here is over. Sleep well, and when you wake, I hope to see you."

With that said, I nod my head and step back. Turning to the others, I see tears flowing out of Cyborg's eyes. He's fighting to keep them in but he's losing.

"Your turn," I say, tapping his shoulder as I step by his side. It takes a few minutes but finally, Cyborg clears his throat and walks over to Raven.

"H-h--Hey Raven," Cyborg utters. "I...I don't know what to say...Or is there even anything to say...But the man is right. We were both Titans. We were friends. We were family, and I hope we can see each other again one day."

Cyborg then places the rose on Raven's resting place.

Cyborg turns to look at me, but I'm already walking away. There are some more people I need to visit.

"Hello, Alura," I say, the first of many. "Long time no see."

As I greet Alura, I sense someone standing next to me. Turning, I see Kara standing there with watery eyes. As she stands looking at her mother's resting place, Kara holds one of her hands over her mouth. Seeing this, I take and hold Kara's other hand. Kara, her head snapping up, looks at me.

"I think you should speak first. I imagine there are a few things you want to say."

Leonard Snart:

"What am I supposed to say," I ask, looking at a tombstone with my sister's name on it. "Lisa."

"I don't know," Poison Ivy replies. "But you remember The Man's speech to Raven? I don't think you have to say something big or world-changing. Just say what comes to your head."

Poison Ivy then bumps me forward with her shoulder.

"Come on. I'm sure there are a few things you want to say."

As I stare at my sister's tombstone, I turn around and look at Ivy.

"Don't worry," she says, taking a few steps back. "I won't be listening."

Ivy then turns around and covers her ears. While Ivy isn't listening, I clear my throat and start.

"Uhhh, hey sis. I...don't really know what the hell to say. Things have been...okay. Surprisingly. I hated seeing you die again, but...I don't know. For some reason, I feel...fine. No, not fine, but not as bad as I did before. I mean, before, I had just given up. I was just moping around in my apartment, dragging my feet through layers and layers of empty take-out containers. I think I was just waiting to die. Now. Now. Now, there's something I need to do."

Dropping to a knee, I place my hand on the grass in front of my sister's stone.

"Don't worry about me. I got a lot of people looking out for me."

Nodding my head, I get up and leave. Tapping Ivy on her arm, I nudge my head.

"Let's go," I say.

"Hold on," Ivy says, dropping her hands. "There's something I want to say too."

"You too? You never met my sister before? Have you?"

"I met her once," Ivy answers quickly before leaving. I look at Ivy as she runs to my sister.

Pamela Isley:

"Hey you," I say, stopping a few feet in front of Lisa's stone. Kneeling down, I place a newly-bloom rose in front of her. "Don't worry. I haven't forgotten our promise. I'm keeping Leonard safe."

I smile, nod, and then stand up. Running back to Leonard's side, I stick by him like glue.

"Why are you so close to me," Leonard asks.

"Are you complaining," I ask.

".....No," Leonard answers. As we walk side-by-side, our hands meet and our fingers interlock.

Barry Allen:

"Hello Billy," I say, placing my hand on the top of his tombstone. "I bet you're surprised to see me here. Well, so am I. I'm not going to lie. When I first met The Man, I hated him. I hated him and wanted nothing more than just to run away from him. But now, now, I want to stay by his side. After all, not a lot of people would go to the distance to do this."

I look around and see all the surrounding tombstones. Each and every one of them had a familiar name on it: Ray Palmer, Helena Bertinelli, Oliver Queen, even Mick Rory.

"The Man honored all of us. He honored and remembered every single one of us. I don't know why he did it but he did."

Wanting to say more, I stop when I hear a train whistle.

"I think that's our cue. Later Billy."

I get up, turn around, and quickly run to The Man's train. I get there in time to see Cyborg and The Man talking.

Cyborg:

"I can't believe you did all of this," I start, looking at the man in the sunglasses.

"I still can't believe you actually came," the man in the sunglasses answers.

As I look at the man, I notice how everyone slowly surrounds me. Deathstroke and Firestrom are behind me while Red Hood, Blue Beetle, Cheetah, and Black Canary cover my right and left.

"I knew this was a trap," I tell myself, "But I don't care. I'm glad I got to say bye to Raven. I didn't get the chance when Beast Boy, Starfire, and even Robin died."

I close my eyes, lower my head, and raise my arms.

"I surrender," I say.

"Awesome," the man says. "Now leave."

"What?"

I raise my head and look at the man. As I look at him, I see the same confused looks on everyone else's face.

"This wasn't a trap. This wasn't a trick. This was an invitation. A real one. Trust me when I said this. You should say bye when you get the chance. You won't always get the chance."

Reaching forward and grabbing my arm, the man brings up my boom tube control. Somehow, he's able to summon a boom tube with my controls?

"Leave," the man says, pushing me back. "Now."

I look at the man and then at the boom tube. My head turns back to the man before I slowly step toward the boom tube.

"But remember this, 'tin can'. The next time we see each other, we are enemies."

".....Okay," I say. Looking back again, I step through the boom tube and find myself in my private room in New Metropolis.