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mithenTitle: Me All Along
Relationship: Bruce Wayne/Clark Kent
Characters: Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent, Lex Luthor, Heat Wave, Captain Cold, Dick Grayson
Continuity: Heroes of the Squared Circle, a DC/pro wrestling fusion.
Warnings/Spoilers: None
Rating: PG
Word Count 3300
Summary: Superman and Batman are making a run at the tag titles--but the Mysterious Hooded Figure has a stipulation to add.
Brian Pillman came up to me and said, “Hey, man, you’re a babyface now.”
I’d say, “No, I’m not.”
He grinned and said, “Yeah, you are a babyface,” with a smart-ass delivery, as only Brian could deliver. He said, “Steve’s a babyface! Steve’s a babyface!”
I said, “Screw you. No, I’m not, I’m a damn heel.” I was starting to get hot!
And he said, “Listen to the fans, you are a freaking babyface. A damn white-meat babyface!” --Steve Austin
“You saved my son.” The Jumbotron showed Lex Luthor in his office addressing Superman and Batman. He had one arm around Superboy, who looked embarrassed and pleased. “Is there any way I can ever repay the two of you?”
Batman glanced at Superman, then back at Lex. “We’d like another shot at the tag team titles.”
“You’re one of the best teams I’ve got,” said Luthor, “I’d be giving you another shot soon anyway. Shall I throw in a pay raise? A nice vacation?”
“All we want right now is the tag titles. We’d have them right now if the Mysterious Hooded Figure hadn’t interfered,” said Superman.
“Of course,” said Lex. “Curse that sinister figure! If you had any idea the hell I’ve been going through, the suffering I’ve endured, the sleepless nights…” He passed a hand over his eyes and Conner patted him on the back, awkward but earnest. “If only we knew who he was!” He blinked tears from his eyes and managed a smile at Superman and Batman. “I’m just so glad I have you two to help. I owe you the world.”
The three wrestlers left Lex’s room and went out into the hall, where they paused thoughtfully for the cameras. “I think he’s really changed since realizing he has a son,” Superman said.
“I’ve got the two best dads in the world,” Superboy beamed.
“I wonder,” said Batman.
Wally West finished dumping the last of his things into his gym bag. “Well,” he said, rubbing the back of his head, “I guess this is goodbye.”
Everyone in the locker room shook his hand except for Dick, who threw his arms around him. “Promise you’ll text when you get to San Francisco.”
“What are you, my mom?” Wally complained, but he was smiling as he rested his head on Dick’s shoulder. “Diana made Donna promise to text the minute our plane lands.”
“I’m not that crazy. You can wait until you’re in baggage claim.” Dick’s laugh got somewhat choked at the end. “Seriously, man, take care of yourself. We’ll miss you here.”
“Well,” said Wally, “If you miss us too much, you know where we are.” He shot Roy a meaningful look as he clapped Dick on the back.
"And thanks to these two heroes, my son was rescued safe and sound." Lex Luthor stood in the middle of the ring, throwing his arms wide as he thanked Superman and Batman, who stood in the ring looking bashful and stoic (respectively). "As a result, I believe they deserve another chance at the tag team championships! What do you think, DCW fans?"
The arena-rattling applause left no doubt what the fans felt.
"What the hell!" The cheers died off into grumbling as Captain Cold and Heat Wave appeared at the top of the ramp. Captain Cold pointed an accusing finger at Lex and went on: "That ain't fair, Luthor, and you know it! They lost to us fair and square and they don't deserve another shot!"
Luthor frowned. "Much as I hate to admit it, you have a point, Cold." He paced back and forth across the ring, pondering, and then his eyebrows went up as an idea hit him. "How about this?" he said, swiveling to address the four wrestlers. "The World's Finest gets a title shot--but only," he went on quickly as the crowd started to rejoice, "If they run a gauntlet of matches next week, defeating three other teams in one night for the right to face you." He threw out his arms again. "What do you think?"
The audience was very in favor of seeing three matches with the World's Finest in one night and let him know it.
Luthor held out the mic to Superman and Batman. Batman shrugged, and Superman said "We'll beat anyone and everyone for the chance to prove to those bullies that they have to answer to someone for all they've done."
They all looked at Captain Cold and Heat Wave, who looked at each other. Then they nodded slowly. "I don't think we've got much to worry about, Leonard," said Heat Wave. "They'll never make it through to face us."
"Very well, then," said Luthor. The camera got a closeup of us his face just as his eyes narrowed. "And by the way...if I ever find out that the two of you are in cahoots with that Mysterious Figure who kidnapped Superboy, I'll--"
As if on cue, electronically-distorted cold laughter filled the arena, and the Jumbotron flickered to reveal the Mysterious Figure itself, its distinctive deep hood hiding its face. "You'll do what, Luthor? You'll do nothing. In fact, if you value the safety of your employees--and your son--if the World's Finest do survive their gauntlet, I'll be allowed to add a stipulation of my choosing to that title match."
Luthor's jaw was set. "Very well," he said. "I'll do anything to keep my son safe." The crowd murmured. "But in addition, I reserve the right to add my own stipulation," he added with a smirk."
The Mysterious Figure seemed to consider this for a moment. Then it slowly inclined its head, and the screen went blank.
"Don't you worry," Luthor said, clapping Superman and Batman on the shoulders. "I’ll make my stipulation that he’s required to unmask if you win the championship match.”
“You will?” Superman beamed at Luthor. “That’s very sporting of you, Mr. Luthor.”
Luthor smiled back at him. “All you have to do is beat that gauntlet, and everyone will know who the bastard is that’s been running the Injustice League."
"Oh, we will," said Superman. "And--thank you."
"Hrm," said Batman.
“Easier done than said,” grinned Superman after the first match, cracking his knuckles backstage as the cameras rolled. “I knew Mad Hatter and the Penguin were no match for us. I’m just worried about Luthor.”
Batman looked up from whatever reverie he was in. “Why?”
“That Mysterious Figure seems to really have him worried,” Superman said. “We’ll all sleep better at night when we finally unmask him and reveal his identity to the world.”
“We still have to finish this gauntlet, and then win the actual championship match,” noted Batman.
“No problem at all,” said Superman with a grin.
“Okay,” said Superman backstage as the cameras caught him wiping sweat from his brow, “That was harder. Flash and Green Lantern work really well together--I’m glad they’re usually on our side instead of against us.”
“Are you guys going to be okay in your last match?” Superboy said, a worried look on his face. “Why’d Luthor pick such hard opponents for it? Joker and Mongul aren’t going to make it easy for you.”
“He wants to make sure he isn’t playing favorites, I’m sure,” said Superman. “Don’t worry, Kon. We’ll be fine.”
He patted Superboy on the back and the former Metropolis Kid beamed in delight. “You guys are the best,” he said, and exited stage left.
“Are you ready?” Superman asked Batman. “All we have to do is win this last one, and Luthor will help us spring our trap. Then if we beat Captain Cold and Heat Wave next week, we’ll finally find out who the Mysterious Figure is.”
Batman nodded. “We’ll also be tag team champions,” he said.
“That’s right!” Superman looked surprised. “Gosh, I’d almost forgotten about that. I’ve been too focused on stopping the Figure’s reign of terror. I’m sorry.”
Batman looked at Superman and his mouth softened into something that was almost a smile. “No apology necessary, Kal.” He held out his fist, and Superman bumped his own against it. “Let’s mete out some justice.”
As Superboy had feared, the match against Joker and Mongul was a hard one. By the time Superman delivered his signature punch to the Joker’s narrow jaw and left him reeling, both he and Batman were winded and soaked with sweat, breathing heavily.
Clark was actually truly tired--three matches in a night was no mean feat even if the first two were easy--but he was happy to play it up even more for the crowd, staggering over to tag Batman as Joker lay in front of the turnbuckle.
“Ready?” Bruce murmured.
“I’ve waited my whole life for this,” Clark whispered back. And then he turned back to the Joker.
All great tag teams have some kind of combo finishing move, delivered in the seconds after a tag in which both members of the team were allowed to be in the ring at the same time. The World’s Finest, despite finally clicking as a team, hadn’t produced a combo finisher yet, and the message boards and Reddit had been buzzing about what they might eventually come up with. Bruce and Clark had made them wait, and now at last they were ready.
As Mongul bellowed futilely and the audience craned their heads, Superman scooped up the Joker and slung him over his shoulders in a fireman’s carry, then rolled forward toward the turnbuckle and slammed him onto the mat. As he continued the roll forward, Batman leaped over him from the turnbuckle into a 450 splash, spinning in the air to land across Joker’s body. He threw himself aside and Superman jumped from his roll onto the turnbuckle and into a beautiful moonsault onto Joker. It was an incredibly complex move, requiring both athleticism and perfect timing, and both of them had spent a lot of time gloating over it, looking forward to the crowd’s reaction.
But all of Clark’s imaginings didn’t match up to the shrieking roar that went up as the moonsault finished, the jubilant sound of a crowd that knows it’s seen history made. Memphis had just become the first city to witness the combo that would soon be known as “Bright Lights, Dark Nights,” and it was giddy with joy.
Superman pinned Joker, and Clark could feel Napier giggling gently underneath him. “Okay,” Napier whispered as the ref counted, “That’s crazy. I like it.”
The bell rang and they had successfully run the gauntlet and won the right to another title shot--and to Luthor’s stipulation.
Lex Luthor came down to the ring with Superboy at his side, grinning at Superman and Batman, thumping them on the back. “Well, Mysterious Figure!” he called out. “I think you’ve probably figured out my stipulation by now--if my two champions win the tag team titles next week, you have to reveal your true identity to the world! And if you’re one of my employees,” he crowed, “I will fire you and you will never bother me and my beloved family again.” He threw an arm around Superboy, who blushed bright red.
There was a long, tense silence. Superman and Batman looked at each other uneasily; the crowd murmured. Then the Jumbotron came to life, filling with the image of a figure in a purple robe, his face hidden in the shadows of its deep hood.
“So,” said the Mysterious Figure, its voice as always deep and distorted. “I am to unmask if they win? Well, it is traditional to have a mask versus career match, is it not?” As Luthor blustered something about being too important to fire, the figure chuckled ominously. “Don’t worry. The careers I am interested in ending are not yours, little Luthor, but those of Superman and Batman!” He pointed a dramatic draped hand out at the ring as the audience gasped. “My stipulation is that, if they lose next week, they are terminated from the DCW.” The figure crossed its arm and looked out at them. “I await your answer.”
The screen went dark.
“Why, that bastard,” snarled Lex. “If he thinks he can run my business--he’s in this building! Security! Security!” He leaped from the ring, ran up the ramp and disappeared, leaving Superman, Batman, and Superboy behind.
The three of them shrugged at each other and had an animated conversation about whether they should accept the stipulations. “I don’t see how we can refuse,” said Superman. “It’s our only real opportunity to unmask this monster and find out who’s behind these attacks.”
“But if you lose!” cried Superboy. “You’ll both be fired!”
“It’s a chance we’ve got to take,” said Superman. “Who knows when we’ll get another opportunity! Don’t you agree, Batman?”
Below the cowl, Batman’s lips were pursed and his jaw clenched, but after a moment he nodded, and the crowd cheered their decision.
“All right then!” cried Superman, addressing the black screen. “We accept your stipulation! If we win the titles next week, you will unmask and we’ll all see your true face. But if we lose…” He swallowed hard and went on, “If we lose, Batman and I will be fired from the DCW.”
The screen came to life and the Mysterious Hooded Figure filled it once more. A low chortle filled the arena, and the crowd lapsed into uneasy murmurs. “Very well,” said the leader of the Injustice League. “But you know, now that we have these stipulations in place, I don’t feel the need to hide my identity anymore. Now that I finally have you where I want you, World’s Finest.” The contempt was clear in the filtered voice, as the figure lifted his hands and grasped the edges of his hood, throwing it back to reveal--
Lex Luthor, his eyes gleaming, laughing maniacally.
The audience shrieked in shock and the heroes in the ring staggered backwards. “Luthor!” cried Superman.
“It was me, Superman!” Luthor exulted. “It was me all along!”
There were aghast double-takes from Superman and Superboy, while Batman crossed his arms and looked annoyed.
“But--but--” Superboy stammered and sputtered for a while before he could go on, “Are you saying you had me--your own son--kidnapped?”
“Son?” Luthor’s lip curled. “You’re nothing but an experiment, a tool. And I used you to get I wanted, which was to manipulate these two fools into signing their own death warrant!” He laughed again as the audience brayed for his blood and Superman put his arm around a pale Superboy. “It’s been hard smiling and chumming it up with you simpletons, but it’s all been worth it. Oh, victory is sweet! I suckered you all, I made you all look like fools! I had you dancing to my tune, feeling sorry for me, so eager to help. I taught you a lesson--Superman, Batman, all of you idiots in the audience--no one controls the DCW but Luthor! Next week at last I’ll be rid of you meddling do-gooders and the Injustice League will be free at last to help me rule this promotion with an iron fist!” He brandished said fist at the camera; if he had a mustache he would have twirled it.
“But we haven’t lost yet,” Batman said, and his calm voice cut through the pandemonium in the arena. “And we won’t lose. Because we’re not abandoning the DCW to a monster like you, Luthor.” He stepped forward and put his shoulder against Superman’s glaring up at the gigantic face of Luthor looming over them. “At the end of next week, I swear to you--we’ll be tag team champions, and your Injustice League will be scurrying for shelter. You’ll see.”
Backstage after the show, Luthor and Conner were laughing so hard they had to lean on each other. “Did you hear the announcers when you pulled the hood back?” Conner choked. “I thought Gorilla was going to eat his mic, he was so mad. ‘That misbegotten dog!’” he quoted. “It was perfect.”
“One of my better lines,” Gorilla said as he wandered by, saluting them with a cup of coffee.
“Oh, your face,” Luthor said to Conner, wiping tears from his eyes. “‘Your own son!’”
“Daddy, no!” gasped Conner, and collapsed onto a couch.
“I was more impressed with that closing combo of yours,” Leonard Snart said in an undertone to Clark. “Hate to drop the titles, but we sure couldn’t lose them to a prettier move.”
Clark was about to thank him when the door banged open and Dick Grayson stormed in. “They’re gone,” he announced angrily. “Wally and Donna--they’re gone.”
A puzzled silence met his words. “They’ve been gone for days, Dick,” said Clark.
“I don’t mean--I mean they’ve been erased,” Dick snarled. “From the DCW web pages, from all their promotional material. Videos with them have been pulled from Youtube. Roy’s been told he’s not to mention Wally in his promos anymore. You’re erasing them,” he said, pointing at Luthor.
Luthor’s laughter was gone as if it had been erased as well; he straightened up and gave Dick a cold look. “You can hardly expect me to keep giving free publicity to people who don’t work for me,” he said.
“But they have a history here, and you can’t just wipe it out,” Dick said.
Luthor raised an eyebrow. “Can’t I? We created that history, and we can make it whatever we want it to be.”
Dick stared at him. “It’s not fair.”
“You should know by now--life isn’t fair, kid,” Luthor said, and with that he turned and left the room.
A long silence reigned once he was gone. Clark saw Dick lock eyes with Starfire, Garth, and Roy, saw his jaw tighten as he nodded at them. “It’s like he said--no one controls the DCW but Luthor,” he muttered, and left as well.
“I don’t get it,” said Conner mournfully to Clark. “So Luthor is basically a bad person pretending to be a good person, who’s playing a bad man pretending to be a good man? That’s way too complex for me.”
“He’s a person,” Bruce said. “And that means he’s a mixed-up mess of good and bad, like all of us, no matter what roles we play in the ring.”
“Except for Clark,” Conner said. “Clark’s a babyface wherever he is.”
“Hey,” Clark said, unsure whether he should feel complimented or insulted. Bruce was hiding a smile behind his hand.
“It’s okay,” said Conner, “We love you anyway.”
“Anyone who can hit such a pretty moonsault is okay in my book,” said Leonard Snart, “even if you are a goddamn babyface.” He grinned at Clark. “We hitting the ring to practice tomorrow? I’d hate to lose the titles to a botched move.”
“Clark doesn’t botch,” Bruce bristled, and Snart and Rory cracked up and high-fived each other, giving Clark the distinct impression they’d predicted that response.
(But they never did botch Bright Lights, Dark Nights, not in all the hundreds of times they did it. Not once.)
---
End Note: If you want to see what “Bright Lights, Dark Nights” looks like, I shamelessly stole it from the Young Bucks’ finishing combo, “More Bang for Your Buck,” maybe the prettiest finishing combo in the business. You can see a version of it here.
Relationship: Bruce Wayne/Clark Kent
Characters: Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent, Lex Luthor, Heat Wave, Captain Cold, Dick Grayson
Continuity: Heroes of the Squared Circle, a DC/pro wrestling fusion.
Warnings/Spoilers: None
Rating: PG
Word Count 3300
Summary: Superman and Batman are making a run at the tag titles--but the Mysterious Hooded Figure has a stipulation to add.
Brian Pillman came up to me and said, “Hey, man, you’re a babyface now.”
I’d say, “No, I’m not.”
He grinned and said, “Yeah, you are a babyface,” with a smart-ass delivery, as only Brian could deliver. He said, “Steve’s a babyface! Steve’s a babyface!”
I said, “Screw you. No, I’m not, I’m a damn heel.” I was starting to get hot!
And he said, “Listen to the fans, you are a freaking babyface. A damn white-meat babyface!” --Steve Austin
“You saved my son.” The Jumbotron showed Lex Luthor in his office addressing Superman and Batman. He had one arm around Superboy, who looked embarrassed and pleased. “Is there any way I can ever repay the two of you?”
Batman glanced at Superman, then back at Lex. “We’d like another shot at the tag team titles.”
“You’re one of the best teams I’ve got,” said Luthor, “I’d be giving you another shot soon anyway. Shall I throw in a pay raise? A nice vacation?”
“All we want right now is the tag titles. We’d have them right now if the Mysterious Hooded Figure hadn’t interfered,” said Superman.
“Of course,” said Lex. “Curse that sinister figure! If you had any idea the hell I’ve been going through, the suffering I’ve endured, the sleepless nights…” He passed a hand over his eyes and Conner patted him on the back, awkward but earnest. “If only we knew who he was!” He blinked tears from his eyes and managed a smile at Superman and Batman. “I’m just so glad I have you two to help. I owe you the world.”
The three wrestlers left Lex’s room and went out into the hall, where they paused thoughtfully for the cameras. “I think he’s really changed since realizing he has a son,” Superman said.
“I’ve got the two best dads in the world,” Superboy beamed.
“I wonder,” said Batman.
Wally West finished dumping the last of his things into his gym bag. “Well,” he said, rubbing the back of his head, “I guess this is goodbye.”
Everyone in the locker room shook his hand except for Dick, who threw his arms around him. “Promise you’ll text when you get to San Francisco.”
“What are you, my mom?” Wally complained, but he was smiling as he rested his head on Dick’s shoulder. “Diana made Donna promise to text the minute our plane lands.”
“I’m not that crazy. You can wait until you’re in baggage claim.” Dick’s laugh got somewhat choked at the end. “Seriously, man, take care of yourself. We’ll miss you here.”
“Well,” said Wally, “If you miss us too much, you know where we are.” He shot Roy a meaningful look as he clapped Dick on the back.
"And thanks to these two heroes, my son was rescued safe and sound." Lex Luthor stood in the middle of the ring, throwing his arms wide as he thanked Superman and Batman, who stood in the ring looking bashful and stoic (respectively). "As a result, I believe they deserve another chance at the tag team championships! What do you think, DCW fans?"
The arena-rattling applause left no doubt what the fans felt.
"What the hell!" The cheers died off into grumbling as Captain Cold and Heat Wave appeared at the top of the ramp. Captain Cold pointed an accusing finger at Lex and went on: "That ain't fair, Luthor, and you know it! They lost to us fair and square and they don't deserve another shot!"
Luthor frowned. "Much as I hate to admit it, you have a point, Cold." He paced back and forth across the ring, pondering, and then his eyebrows went up as an idea hit him. "How about this?" he said, swiveling to address the four wrestlers. "The World's Finest gets a title shot--but only," he went on quickly as the crowd started to rejoice, "If they run a gauntlet of matches next week, defeating three other teams in one night for the right to face you." He threw out his arms again. "What do you think?"
The audience was very in favor of seeing three matches with the World's Finest in one night and let him know it.
Luthor held out the mic to Superman and Batman. Batman shrugged, and Superman said "We'll beat anyone and everyone for the chance to prove to those bullies that they have to answer to someone for all they've done."
They all looked at Captain Cold and Heat Wave, who looked at each other. Then they nodded slowly. "I don't think we've got much to worry about, Leonard," said Heat Wave. "They'll never make it through to face us."
"Very well, then," said Luthor. The camera got a closeup of us his face just as his eyes narrowed. "And by the way...if I ever find out that the two of you are in cahoots with that Mysterious Figure who kidnapped Superboy, I'll--"
As if on cue, electronically-distorted cold laughter filled the arena, and the Jumbotron flickered to reveal the Mysterious Figure itself, its distinctive deep hood hiding its face. "You'll do what, Luthor? You'll do nothing. In fact, if you value the safety of your employees--and your son--if the World's Finest do survive their gauntlet, I'll be allowed to add a stipulation of my choosing to that title match."
Luthor's jaw was set. "Very well," he said. "I'll do anything to keep my son safe." The crowd murmured. "But in addition, I reserve the right to add my own stipulation," he added with a smirk."
The Mysterious Figure seemed to consider this for a moment. Then it slowly inclined its head, and the screen went blank.
"Don't you worry," Luthor said, clapping Superman and Batman on the shoulders. "I’ll make my stipulation that he’s required to unmask if you win the championship match.”
“You will?” Superman beamed at Luthor. “That’s very sporting of you, Mr. Luthor.”
Luthor smiled back at him. “All you have to do is beat that gauntlet, and everyone will know who the bastard is that’s been running the Injustice League."
"Oh, we will," said Superman. "And--thank you."
"Hrm," said Batman.
“Easier done than said,” grinned Superman after the first match, cracking his knuckles backstage as the cameras rolled. “I knew Mad Hatter and the Penguin were no match for us. I’m just worried about Luthor.”
Batman looked up from whatever reverie he was in. “Why?”
“That Mysterious Figure seems to really have him worried,” Superman said. “We’ll all sleep better at night when we finally unmask him and reveal his identity to the world.”
“We still have to finish this gauntlet, and then win the actual championship match,” noted Batman.
“No problem at all,” said Superman with a grin.
“Okay,” said Superman backstage as the cameras caught him wiping sweat from his brow, “That was harder. Flash and Green Lantern work really well together--I’m glad they’re usually on our side instead of against us.”
“Are you guys going to be okay in your last match?” Superboy said, a worried look on his face. “Why’d Luthor pick such hard opponents for it? Joker and Mongul aren’t going to make it easy for you.”
“He wants to make sure he isn’t playing favorites, I’m sure,” said Superman. “Don’t worry, Kon. We’ll be fine.”
He patted Superboy on the back and the former Metropolis Kid beamed in delight. “You guys are the best,” he said, and exited stage left.
“Are you ready?” Superman asked Batman. “All we have to do is win this last one, and Luthor will help us spring our trap. Then if we beat Captain Cold and Heat Wave next week, we’ll finally find out who the Mysterious Figure is.”
Batman nodded. “We’ll also be tag team champions,” he said.
“That’s right!” Superman looked surprised. “Gosh, I’d almost forgotten about that. I’ve been too focused on stopping the Figure’s reign of terror. I’m sorry.”
Batman looked at Superman and his mouth softened into something that was almost a smile. “No apology necessary, Kal.” He held out his fist, and Superman bumped his own against it. “Let’s mete out some justice.”
As Superboy had feared, the match against Joker and Mongul was a hard one. By the time Superman delivered his signature punch to the Joker’s narrow jaw and left him reeling, both he and Batman were winded and soaked with sweat, breathing heavily.
Clark was actually truly tired--three matches in a night was no mean feat even if the first two were easy--but he was happy to play it up even more for the crowd, staggering over to tag Batman as Joker lay in front of the turnbuckle.
“Ready?” Bruce murmured.
“I’ve waited my whole life for this,” Clark whispered back. And then he turned back to the Joker.
All great tag teams have some kind of combo finishing move, delivered in the seconds after a tag in which both members of the team were allowed to be in the ring at the same time. The World’s Finest, despite finally clicking as a team, hadn’t produced a combo finisher yet, and the message boards and Reddit had been buzzing about what they might eventually come up with. Bruce and Clark had made them wait, and now at last they were ready.
As Mongul bellowed futilely and the audience craned their heads, Superman scooped up the Joker and slung him over his shoulders in a fireman’s carry, then rolled forward toward the turnbuckle and slammed him onto the mat. As he continued the roll forward, Batman leaped over him from the turnbuckle into a 450 splash, spinning in the air to land across Joker’s body. He threw himself aside and Superman jumped from his roll onto the turnbuckle and into a beautiful moonsault onto Joker. It was an incredibly complex move, requiring both athleticism and perfect timing, and both of them had spent a lot of time gloating over it, looking forward to the crowd’s reaction.
But all of Clark’s imaginings didn’t match up to the shrieking roar that went up as the moonsault finished, the jubilant sound of a crowd that knows it’s seen history made. Memphis had just become the first city to witness the combo that would soon be known as “Bright Lights, Dark Nights,” and it was giddy with joy.
Superman pinned Joker, and Clark could feel Napier giggling gently underneath him. “Okay,” Napier whispered as the ref counted, “That’s crazy. I like it.”
The bell rang and they had successfully run the gauntlet and won the right to another title shot--and to Luthor’s stipulation.
Lex Luthor came down to the ring with Superboy at his side, grinning at Superman and Batman, thumping them on the back. “Well, Mysterious Figure!” he called out. “I think you’ve probably figured out my stipulation by now--if my two champions win the tag team titles next week, you have to reveal your true identity to the world! And if you’re one of my employees,” he crowed, “I will fire you and you will never bother me and my beloved family again.” He threw an arm around Superboy, who blushed bright red.
There was a long, tense silence. Superman and Batman looked at each other uneasily; the crowd murmured. Then the Jumbotron came to life, filling with the image of a figure in a purple robe, his face hidden in the shadows of its deep hood.
“So,” said the Mysterious Figure, its voice as always deep and distorted. “I am to unmask if they win? Well, it is traditional to have a mask versus career match, is it not?” As Luthor blustered something about being too important to fire, the figure chuckled ominously. “Don’t worry. The careers I am interested in ending are not yours, little Luthor, but those of Superman and Batman!” He pointed a dramatic draped hand out at the ring as the audience gasped. “My stipulation is that, if they lose next week, they are terminated from the DCW.” The figure crossed its arm and looked out at them. “I await your answer.”
The screen went dark.
“Why, that bastard,” snarled Lex. “If he thinks he can run my business--he’s in this building! Security! Security!” He leaped from the ring, ran up the ramp and disappeared, leaving Superman, Batman, and Superboy behind.
The three of them shrugged at each other and had an animated conversation about whether they should accept the stipulations. “I don’t see how we can refuse,” said Superman. “It’s our only real opportunity to unmask this monster and find out who’s behind these attacks.”
“But if you lose!” cried Superboy. “You’ll both be fired!”
“It’s a chance we’ve got to take,” said Superman. “Who knows when we’ll get another opportunity! Don’t you agree, Batman?”
Below the cowl, Batman’s lips were pursed and his jaw clenched, but after a moment he nodded, and the crowd cheered their decision.
“All right then!” cried Superman, addressing the black screen. “We accept your stipulation! If we win the titles next week, you will unmask and we’ll all see your true face. But if we lose…” He swallowed hard and went on, “If we lose, Batman and I will be fired from the DCW.”
The screen came to life and the Mysterious Hooded Figure filled it once more. A low chortle filled the arena, and the crowd lapsed into uneasy murmurs. “Very well,” said the leader of the Injustice League. “But you know, now that we have these stipulations in place, I don’t feel the need to hide my identity anymore. Now that I finally have you where I want you, World’s Finest.” The contempt was clear in the filtered voice, as the figure lifted his hands and grasped the edges of his hood, throwing it back to reveal--
Lex Luthor, his eyes gleaming, laughing maniacally.
The audience shrieked in shock and the heroes in the ring staggered backwards. “Luthor!” cried Superman.
“It was me, Superman!” Luthor exulted. “It was me all along!”
There were aghast double-takes from Superman and Superboy, while Batman crossed his arms and looked annoyed.
“But--but--” Superboy stammered and sputtered for a while before he could go on, “Are you saying you had me--your own son--kidnapped?”
“Son?” Luthor’s lip curled. “You’re nothing but an experiment, a tool. And I used you to get I wanted, which was to manipulate these two fools into signing their own death warrant!” He laughed again as the audience brayed for his blood and Superman put his arm around a pale Superboy. “It’s been hard smiling and chumming it up with you simpletons, but it’s all been worth it. Oh, victory is sweet! I suckered you all, I made you all look like fools! I had you dancing to my tune, feeling sorry for me, so eager to help. I taught you a lesson--Superman, Batman, all of you idiots in the audience--no one controls the DCW but Luthor! Next week at last I’ll be rid of you meddling do-gooders and the Injustice League will be free at last to help me rule this promotion with an iron fist!” He brandished said fist at the camera; if he had a mustache he would have twirled it.
“But we haven’t lost yet,” Batman said, and his calm voice cut through the pandemonium in the arena. “And we won’t lose. Because we’re not abandoning the DCW to a monster like you, Luthor.” He stepped forward and put his shoulder against Superman’s glaring up at the gigantic face of Luthor looming over them. “At the end of next week, I swear to you--we’ll be tag team champions, and your Injustice League will be scurrying for shelter. You’ll see.”
Backstage after the show, Luthor and Conner were laughing so hard they had to lean on each other. “Did you hear the announcers when you pulled the hood back?” Conner choked. “I thought Gorilla was going to eat his mic, he was so mad. ‘That misbegotten dog!’” he quoted. “It was perfect.”
“One of my better lines,” Gorilla said as he wandered by, saluting them with a cup of coffee.
“Oh, your face,” Luthor said to Conner, wiping tears from his eyes. “‘Your own son!’”
“Daddy, no!” gasped Conner, and collapsed onto a couch.
“I was more impressed with that closing combo of yours,” Leonard Snart said in an undertone to Clark. “Hate to drop the titles, but we sure couldn’t lose them to a prettier move.”
Clark was about to thank him when the door banged open and Dick Grayson stormed in. “They’re gone,” he announced angrily. “Wally and Donna--they’re gone.”
A puzzled silence met his words. “They’ve been gone for days, Dick,” said Clark.
“I don’t mean--I mean they’ve been erased,” Dick snarled. “From the DCW web pages, from all their promotional material. Videos with them have been pulled from Youtube. Roy’s been told he’s not to mention Wally in his promos anymore. You’re erasing them,” he said, pointing at Luthor.
Luthor’s laughter was gone as if it had been erased as well; he straightened up and gave Dick a cold look. “You can hardly expect me to keep giving free publicity to people who don’t work for me,” he said.
“But they have a history here, and you can’t just wipe it out,” Dick said.
Luthor raised an eyebrow. “Can’t I? We created that history, and we can make it whatever we want it to be.”
Dick stared at him. “It’s not fair.”
“You should know by now--life isn’t fair, kid,” Luthor said, and with that he turned and left the room.
A long silence reigned once he was gone. Clark saw Dick lock eyes with Starfire, Garth, and Roy, saw his jaw tighten as he nodded at them. “It’s like he said--no one controls the DCW but Luthor,” he muttered, and left as well.
“I don’t get it,” said Conner mournfully to Clark. “So Luthor is basically a bad person pretending to be a good person, who’s playing a bad man pretending to be a good man? That’s way too complex for me.”
“He’s a person,” Bruce said. “And that means he’s a mixed-up mess of good and bad, like all of us, no matter what roles we play in the ring.”
“Except for Clark,” Conner said. “Clark’s a babyface wherever he is.”
“Hey,” Clark said, unsure whether he should feel complimented or insulted. Bruce was hiding a smile behind his hand.
“It’s okay,” said Conner, “We love you anyway.”
“Anyone who can hit such a pretty moonsault is okay in my book,” said Leonard Snart, “even if you are a goddamn babyface.” He grinned at Clark. “We hitting the ring to practice tomorrow? I’d hate to lose the titles to a botched move.”
“Clark doesn’t botch,” Bruce bristled, and Snart and Rory cracked up and high-fived each other, giving Clark the distinct impression they’d predicted that response.
(But they never did botch Bright Lights, Dark Nights, not in all the hundreds of times they did it. Not once.)
---
End Note: If you want to see what “Bright Lights, Dark Nights” looks like, I shamelessly stole it from the Young Bucks’ finishing combo, “More Bang for Your Buck,” maybe the prettiest finishing combo in the business. You can see a version of it here.
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Date: 2015-09-15 02:35 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2015-09-15 06:56 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2015-09-15 06:58 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2015-09-15 07:20 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2015-09-15 09:16 pm (UTC)This didn't happen the way I was expecting it to at all! I figured the hooded figure reveal would happen after the Screwjob, like in real life. That it would be a plot they didn't have a resolution for and that they'd use the heat of that event to turn screen Lex evil. 'cause I'm fairly certain on-screen Luthor hadn't been a heel yet? Or am I misremembering?
(no subject)
Date: 2015-09-16 06:24 am (UTC)Lex was a commentator for his father as a young man, so it's a skill he can go back to, too! (Now I'm imagining Vince becoming a commentator and it's roiling my stomach. No, please!)