Arthur's Apartment - 8:15 PM
The door slammed shut.
And then Arthur exploded.
"DAMN IT!" His fist blasted through the cheap drywall. "DAMN IT, DAMN IT, DAMN IT!"
He overturned the table. Dishes smashed on the floor. The chair flew through the window, cracking the glass.
"WHAT HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE THIS? WHO DID I SCREW OVER IN A PAST LIFE?"
His screams filled the small, empty apartment. No one would come. In Gotham, screams were as common as rain.
Arthur continued to smash everything within reach. The lamp. The drawers. Anything he could get his hands on. He was breathing heavily, his face red, tears of frustration stinging his eyes.
And then, as suddenly as it had begun, the rage vanished.
Arthur dropped to his knees among the debris.
"What an idiot I was," he whispered. "What a fucking idiot." Tears began to fall. He couldn't stop them. And then, to his horror, he began to laugh. A gasping, broken laugh, mixed with sobs.
"I thought... I thought if I got money... I'd magically know how to build a radar. Like the knowledge would just appear in my head." He grabbed his hair, tugging. "I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START."
The laughter died away. Only silence remained, and the sound of his ragged breathing.
What was he doing? What the hell was he doing?
He had no plan. No skills. Nothing but a useless sphere and despair.
Slowly, Arthur stood up. His legs trembled. He crawled to the bathroom, avoiding his reflection in the shattered mirror. He didn't want to see himself.
He showered in silence, letting the cold water wash the blood from his mangled knuckles. When he stepped out, he dressed with mechanical movements.
He needed air. He needed to get out of this damned apartment before the walls suffocated him.
Gotham Night Cafe - 9:00 PM
Arthur found a small, 24-hour cafe tucked between two larger buildings. The sign flickered: "Gotham Night."
Inside, the place was nearly empty. Just an old man reading the newspaper and a waitress who looked half asleep.
Arthur sat in a corner and ordered coffee. Black, no sugar.
The waitress brought it without asking any questions. She'd probably seen enough lost souls not to bother.
Arthur wrapped his hands around the warm cup, absorbing the heat. Outside, Gotham was still Gotham. Sirens in the distance. People running through alleyways. The endless cycle of crime and punishment.
What am I doing here? he wondered, staring at the dark liquid in his cup. What the hell am I doing?
He had no answer.
So he just sat there, drinking cheap coffee in a seedy café, while his life crumbled around him.
Unbeknownst to him, this café would become his routine. Every night, after every shift, Arthur would come here. He would sit in the same corner. He would order the same coffee.
And he would try not to think about the six spheres he would never find.
Two Weeks Later - The Watchtower
"It's finally finished," Batman announced, stepping away from the massive monitor.
Cyborg looked up at him from his workstation. "Are you sure we had to rush this? I mean, Dr. Fate said he wasn't certain that sphere was actually the source of the problem."
Batman didn't answer immediately. In his mind, he reviewed the variables. An unknown threat. An object of incalculable power. The balance of the universe potentially at risk.
"It's best to be prepared," he said finally. "And these spheres emit energy that even Diana doesn't recognize. That alone is worrying."
"Diana went to Themyscira, right? To ask her mother?"
"Yes. If anyone has knowledge of ancient divine artifacts, it would be Hippolyta." Batman typed commands rapidly. "But we can't rely solely on that. Cyborg, I need your help linking this system to the Watchtower's satellites. Once we do that, we'll be able to track the spheres' energy signature."
"It's ready. It'll just take a few seconds to connect everything."
Cyborg's fingers flew across his integrated interface. On the main screen, a world map appeared, empty for the moment.
Batman watched silently. He had a bad feeling about all of this. He'd had it ever since Dr. Fate called the emergency meeting. Something about this whole thing felt... off. Like they were missing a crucial piece of the puzzle.
"Ready," Cyborg announced. "Initiating global scan in three... two... one..."
The screen came to life.
Bright dots appeared on the map. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.
And one more on the Watchtower itself.
Seven in total.
Batman stepped closer, his eyes behind the mask narrowing as he analyzed the locations.
"Metropolis City. Gotham City. Mars. Star City. Atlantis." He paused. "And the last one's here."
"Mars?" Cyborg frowned. "Didn't J'onn mention anything strange?"
"No. But he will now." Batman was already typing, sending the coordinates to every member of the League. "Send the locations to everyone. Diana, Clark, Barry, everyone. We need to get these orbs back before someone else does."
"And you?"
Batman was already heading toward the Batwing. "I'm going to Gotham. I'll keep the communicator open in case anyone needs backup."
Gotham - Gotham Night Cafe - 10:47 PM
Arthur stirred his coffee without drinking it. It was cold. He'd probably been sitting there too long.
In these two weeks, he'd made a decision. Or rather, he'd accepted reality.
He wouldn't find the orbs. Not with his resources. Not with his knowledge. Not with his lousy luck.
Even if he got the money, so what? He had no idea how to build a tracker. And if he asked someone for help, they'd have questions. Questions he couldn't answer without revealing the orb he possessed.
And once someone knew there was something that could grant wishes...
No. It was better to let it go.
He'd decided to move. Start over somewhere else. Maybe Star City. Or Central City. Anywhere but Gotham.
His backpack was on his lap, all his belongings packed inside. It wasn't much. Clothes. The orb in its box. A few crumpled bills.
He finished his cold coffee and left a few dollars on the table. The waitress nodded sleepily.
Arthur stepped out into the Gotham night. It was raining lightly. Of course it was raining.
He hailed a taxi and gave the driver the address of a cheap hotel downtown. A place to spend the night. In the morning, he'd take a bus anywhere.
Away. That was all he wanted. Away from Gotham. Away from the memories of his failure.
Hotel Skylark - Room 308 - 11:30 PM
The room was exactly what he expected: cheap, gloomy, with stains on the walls he'd rather not identify. But it had a bed, and that was enough.
Arthur threw his backpack on the floor and flopped down on the bed. The sheets smelled of industrial detergent and despair.
He closed his eyes, trying to sleep.
Crash.
His eyes snapped open.
The sound came from the window. Arthur sat up quickly, clutching his backpack. His heart pounded.
Thunder. A flash of lightning illuminated the room for a brief second.
Just a storm.
Arthur exhaled, letting the tension drop from his shoulders. He was paranoid. Too much time in Gotham made you like that.
He lay back again, closing his eyes.
And then he felt the presence.
The air changed. It became heavier. Colder.
Arthur slowly turned.
A silhouette loomed in the corner of the room, shrouded in shadows. Dark cape. Pointed ears. White eyes glowing in the darkness.
Batman.
"How—?" Arthur glanced at the doors and windows. All closed. "How did you get in?"
Batman didn't answer. He simply began walking forward, his presence filling the room.
Arthur stood up quickly, grabbing his backpack. His mind raced. Why is he here? How did he find me? What does he want?
And then he knew. His gaze was fixed on the backpack.
"I need what you've got there," Batman said, his voice deep and unwavering. "Give it to me and I'll leave."
The sphere. He knew about the sphere.
Arthur's thoughts raced. When did he find out? How long has he known? Does he even know what he's doing?
"I don't know what—"
"Don't waste my time." Batman held out a hand. "Hand it over. No one has to get hurt."
The tone was calm. Reasonable. But Arthur could hear the implied threat beneath.
No.
Something inside him hardened. Maybe it was pride. Maybe it was desperation. Maybe he was just tired of losing.
"No."
Batman approached.
And Arthur did something incredibly stupid. He threw a punch.
It was pathetic. Clumsy. Batman blocked it effortlessly and took him down with two precise blows: one to the stomach, one to the jaw.
Arthur slammed against the wall, the air leaving his lungs. Pain exploded in his side.
But he got up.
"No," he spat blood. "You won't have it."
Batman looked surprised for a moment. Then he grabbed him and threw him toward the opposite corner.
Arthur slammed into a cheap table, which splintered under his weight. His vision filled with stars.
You can't win it, his mind screamed. Give up!
But he didn't. Something inside him refused to yield.
Batman approached the backpack, ignoring him. He started searching inside until he found the box. He opened it, revealing the golden sphere with four red stars inside.
He was about to ask a question when his communicator beeped.
"Batman, we've found the rest of the orbs," Cyborg's voice said. "But there's something strange. They started glowing when we gathered them. We don't know why, but it doesn't seem dangerous for now."
"Glowing?" Batman frowned. "I'll be there in a few minutes."
Arthur, still on the ground, managed a laugh despite the pain.
"Looks like... you've gathered... all seven orbs." He coughed, blood splattering the floor. "Congratulations."
Batman turned to him, his eyes narrowed behind his mask.
"Do you know what these orbs are?"
Arthur coughed again, wiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. For a moment, he considered staying silent. But then he thought: What's the point?
"Yes." The word came out as a hoarse whisper. "I know exactly what they are."
Batman moved closer in two quick strides, kneeling beside him. "Then speak. Now."
"Or what?" Arthur laughed bitterly. "Will you hit me more? Go ahead. It won't change anything."
For a moment, Batman simply watched him. Arthur could feel those eyes analyzing him, breaking him down into variables and probabilities.
"Dr. Fate detected an imbalance in the universe," Batman said slowly. "These spheres could be the source. If you know anything that can prevent a catastrophe, it's your duty—"
"My duty?" Arthur spat out the words. "I owe this world nothing. Nothing."
Batman's communicator crackled again. This time, Cyborg's voice sounded more urgent.
"Batman, the spheres are glowing brighter. The energy is increasing. We need you back. Diana is here too."
Batman watched Arthur for another second, his jaw clenched. Then he made a decision.
"I'll take him with me. He might have information about the impending disaster."
"Wait, what—?" Arthur barely had time to process what he felt before he felt something press against his neck. A slight prick. "Son of a—" The darkness claimed him.
The Watchtower - Main Hall - 12:45 AM
Arthur woke with a pounding head and something tight around his wrists. He blinked several times, trying to focus his blurry vision.
He wasn't in the hotel.
He was on... some kind of space station. Shining metallic walls. Technology that looked like it came straight out of science fiction. And in front of him, four figures he immediately recognized from the newspapers.
Superman. Wonder Woman. Batman. And a girl who looked too much like Superman to be a coincidence.
Supergirl, Arthur realized. I'm completely screwed.
"He's awake," Batman announced.
Wonder Woman approached, holding something golden that shimmered softly. A lasso. Arthur felt a chill of warning.
"This is the Lasso of Truth," Diana explained, her voice firm but not cruel. "It will compel you to answer honestly. Batman says you have information about these spheres."
"What if I refuse?" Arthur tugged at his restraints. Useless.
"You can't." Diana began to wrap the lasso around him. The moment her touch reached his skin, Arthur felt something warm and strange spread through his body. As if something inside him were relaxing against his will.
Shit.
"Ask whatever you want, Batman," Diana said, taking a step back.
Batman approached, his cape billowing slightly. "Do you know anything about the impending catastrophe on Earth?"
Arthur tried to keep his mouth shut. He tried to resist. But the words came out anyway.
"No. I don't know anything about any catastrophe."
Batman frowned. Superman and Wonder Woman exchanged glances.
"What do you know about these spheres?" Diana asked.
Arthur bit his lip until he tasted blood, fighting the lasso. But it was useless.
"They're called the Dragon Balls." The words gushed out like a raging river. "When you gather all seven, you can summon a wish-granting dragon."
The silence that followed was absolute.
Supergirl was the first to speak, her voice barely a whisper. "Any wish?"
Arthur looked at her. There was something in her eyes. Hunger. Desperation. Hope.
"Any wish," he confirmed, hating himself. "You can bring the dead back to life. Your loved ones. Friends, siblings, parents..." He paused, watching Supergirl's pupils dilate. "Even an entire world that was destroyed."
Supergirl took a step forward, her breath quickening. "You mean... an entire planet? With all its people?"
"Kara," Superman said gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. But she ignored him.
"Could you bring Krypton back to life?" Kara's voice trembled. "Our parents? Our people?"
Arthur saw the opportunity. It was risky. Probably stupid. But it was his only chance.
"Yes," he said, injecting as much certainty into his voice as he could. "The spheres can bring back everything you've lost."
"He's lying," Batman said. "Something with that power must come at a price."
Diana tugged lightly on the lasso. "Do the spheres ask for anything in return?"
"No." Arthur felt a small satisfaction seeing the doubt in Batman's eyes. "You summon the dragon. You make your wish. And it's granted. Simple."
"Where do they come from?" Diana asked, her voice suspicious.
"From another dimension. Another universe." Arthur closed his eyes. "They're not from here."
More questions followed, but Arthur quickly realized they had to ask the right questions to get specific answers. The Lasso of Truth compelled him to respond, but only answered what was asked directly.
Eventually, the questions stopped. The heroes walked away, talking quietly among themselves.
Arthur watched them, especially Supergirl. She stared at the seven golden spheres gathered on a nearby table, her expression a mixture of longing and determination.
There it is, Arthur thought. The seed.
Krypton was common knowledge. Everyone knew it had exploded. That Superman and Supergirl were the last of their kind. And now, Kara knew there was a way to undo it.
How long would it be before that seed sprouted into something more?
Arthur waited, aware that his fate now rested in the hands of these gods disguised as heroes.
And for the first time since arriving in this cursed universe, he felt something akin to hope.
Dark. Twisted. But hope nonetheless.
An hour later – Watchtower Conference Room
The Justice League members filled the room. Flash. Green Lantern. Aquaman. Cyborg. Hawkman. Hawkgirl. Green Arrow. And the entire Bat-family: Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl, Batwoman.
Batman stood before a holographic screen displaying images of the seven spheres.
"These are the Dragon Balls," Batman began. "According to the prisoner, when all seven are gathered, they summon a dragon that can grant any wish."
"Any wish?" Flash hissed. "That's... huge."
"And we believe him?" Green Arrow asked, crossing his arms. "It sounds too good to be true."
"The Lasso of Truth doesn't allow lies," Wonder Woman said. "He believes what he says is true."
"But that doesn't mean it's objectively true," Batman argued. "He could be wrong. Or deluded."
"So what do we do with them?" Cyborg asked. "If they truly possess that power, they're dangerous."
Superman spoke for the first time since the meeting began. "I propose we separate them. Together they can grant wishes, but separated they're harmless."
"Where would we hide them?" Aquaman asked. "If they emit energy, others can track them. Like we did."
"That's the problem," Batman said. "Now that they're all together, the energy they emit is stronger. Anyone with the right technology could detect them."
"Lex Luthor?" Green Lantern suggested.
"Or worse. Darkseid. Brainiac. The list goes on."
A heavy silence fell over the room.
"I called you all here to brief you," Batman continued. "If you notice any suspicious activity, anything that suggests someone is searching for these orbs, report it immediately. We need to keep them safe until we find a permanent hiding place."
The heroes nodded, but on some of their faces, something else was stirring. Thoughts. Questions. Possibilities.
What would you wish for if you had the chance?
Watchtower Prison - Security Cell
Arthur sat on the floor, staring at the white wall. His wrists still bore red marks where the handcuffs had been.
He heard footsteps approaching. When he looked up, he saw Supergirl standing before the energy bars.
"It's true, isn't it?" Her voice was soft, almost vulnerable. "You can grant any wish."
Arthur studied her. Young. Powerful. And desperate.
"Every word."
"What do I have to do? For my wish to come true?"
Arthur felt a smile tug at his lips. "Bring the orbs to me. And you can have your wish granted."
Boom.
Kara's fist slammed into the wall beside the cell, leaving a dent in the reinforced metal.
"You better not be lying to me. I'm risking everything by trusting you."
"The orbs can grant more than one wish," Arthur said softly. Technically true. He didn't specify if these particular orbs could. "We both win."
Kara stared at him for a long moment. Arthur could see the conflict in her eyes. Fear. Hope. Despair.
Finally, she nodded and walked away quickly.
Arthur leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes.
The bait was set. Now he just had to wait.
Watchtower Corridor - Moments Later
Kara walked quickly, her heart pounding. She knew where the spheres were. She knew this was betrayal. But the image of Krypton—alive, thriving, with her parents walking the streets of Kandor—was too powerful to ignore.
Just this once, she told herself. Just this once, she would be selfish.
"Where are you going, Kara?"
She froze. The voice came from the shadows.
Batman emerged, his cape trailing behind him.
"I just... needed to walk. Clear my head."
"Always watching from the shadows, this is getting annoying," Kara mumbled, trying to sound casual.
But Batman took a step forward, and Kara saw something in his posture. Suspicion. Preparation.
He knew.
Somehow, Batman knew exactly what she was about to do.
He didn't have time. If he hesitated now, if he waited, he would lose his chance. The spheres would be hidden where he would never find them.
Kara moved.
It was quick—a blur of red and blue—closing the distance between her and Batman in a split second. His fist flew toward her jaw.
But Batman was already moving. A smoke bomb exploded between them, green and toxic.
Kryptonite.
Kara felt her legs weaken, her strength draining away. She fell to her knees, coughing violently.
"You need to calm down, Kara," Batman said, his voice filtering through his mask. "You're being manipulated into making a mistake."
"Mistake?" Kara looked at him, tears burning in her eyes. She wasn't sure if they were from the kryptonite or something else. "I have the chance to see my family again. My world. But you say it's a mistake."
"Kara—"
"I saw your expression." His voice came out hoarse, accusing. "When Arthur said you could bring people back to life, I saw your face, Bruce. You want to use them too. You want to bring your parents back."
Batman froze. For a moment, just for a moment, his stance loosened.
And Kara struck.
Her fist connected with Batman's jaw, sending him flying backward. She staggered, still weakened by the kryptonite, but forced herself to move.
She didn't have much time before Batman recovered. Before reinforcements arrived.
She raced toward the storage room, smashing the security door open with her shoulder. The seven spheres glowed softly in their containers.
With trembling hands, Kara grabbed them all, clutching them to her chest.
And she ran.
Watchtower Prison - Arthur's Cell
Kara arrived at the cell, panting. Blood trickled from her nose—a side effect of the kryptonite. But she had the Dragon Balls.
"Free me," Arthur said, standing up. "Quickly. And I'll help you grant your wish."
Kara didn't hesitate. She smashed the cell's control panel. The energy bars flickered and vanished.
Arthur stepped out, his eyes fixed on the Dragon Balls. After two months. After all the suffering. Finally.
"How do I summon the dragon?" Kara asked urgently.
Arthur took the Dragon Balls from her hands. He held them aloft, feeling their energy pulse against his palms.
Everything depended on this. Everything.
"Come forth, Shenlong," Arthur shouted, his voice echoing in the room. "And grant my wishes."
The Dragon Balls began to glow.
Brighter and brighter.
Until a golden light exploded from them, shooting upward through the Watchtower's ceiling, piercing through space itself.
And from that light, something began to emerge.
A serpentine form. Massive. Ancient.
A golden dragon whose body stretched around the entire Earth, so vast that its end could not be seen.
Across the planet, people stopped and stared at the sky.
Heroes and villains alike watched in awe and terror.
And in the Watchtower, Arthur smiled.
Finally, things were going his way.