What Now

The League(s)

Jason sat in his chair, chains still draped heavily around him as he thought about the plan he was almost done formulating in his head. He was just putting the finishing touches on the plan when the door to the chamber he was being held in burst open and in strode Ra's looking more pissed off than ever.

Jason smirked. "Things aren't going according to your plan, are they?"

Ra's turned to glare at the teen. "No, they aren't. The detective had one job and he messed it up!"

"That's Bats for ya, never all that reliable." Jason shrugged as best he could. "I mean, what did you expect, honestly? He let fifteen year old me get beaten to death by a crowbar wielding maniac because he couldn't be bothered to show up on time."

"The references to your untimely demise are beginning to be beaten to death themselves, Jason." Ra's deadpanned. "Enough, we need to discuss a new plan for the Batman has-"

"Brought reinforcements?" Jason finished his sentence with a sly grin. "Yeah, kind of deduced they wouldn't let him come on his own. Kori would have had a conniption before she let that happen."

Ra's stared long and hard at Jason, his brain going a million miles an hour. "You have something up your sleeve, don't you?" Jason just shrugged and smirked in response. Ra's glared. "Nevertheless, I will persevere. I will bring the Batman down and you will honor your deal with me."

Jason yawned. "Of course, of course. Now, what do you say you let me out of these chains?" Ra's scoffed. "Well? You said so yourself, I am no threat to you. I mean, what can one mere teenager do against Ra's al Ghul and the entire League of Assassins, hmm?"

Ra's, not wanting to seem weak or incompetent, relented. He undid the chains that bound Jason to the chair, releasing him and allowing him to stand up and stretch. Jason turned to Ra's with a grin as commotion was heard outside in the hallway. He summoned the All Blades, holding one under Ra's chin. "I, Jason Todd, challenge you Ra's al Ghul, to a death match."

Just then the doors to the room broke down and in stormed the Outlaws, the team, and the Justice League members that part took on the mission. Arsenal saw the position Jason and Ra's were in and groaned. "You've got to be shitting me, Jay! A death match? Really?"

Jason shrugged. "The terms can be negotiated. With my victory, he hands over the device that will allow us back to our universe before I cease in exchange for his life. With his victory, he gets to watch me cease while the rest of you go free and alive." Jason looked over at Ra's with a raised brow. "How does that sound. Make up for my betrayal?"

While Ra's seemed to be pondering his answer, Dick turned to Kori and Arsenal with a confused expression. "'Cease'? What does he mean by 'cease'?" Kori and Arsenal exchanged an uneasy look and Dick growled. "Answer me."

"Well...you see..." Arsenal coughed awkwardly. "The effects of interdimensional travel are not easy on the body, which explains why we aged down when we entered your universe, but they are especially rough on the body and soul of someone brought back from the dead. The longer Jason is away from our universe, the more he risks dying again. Or, to put it more accurately, the more he risks the chance of ceasing to exist. Hence the references to 'ceasing'."

The heroes stared at the Outlaws in a mixture of bewilderment and pain, knowing that the pair were just putting on a brave face despite the fact that their friend and teammate could very well stop existing at any point.

"That is...awful." Kaldur half whispered. "I am so sorry."

"Yeah, well, such is life for an Outlaw." Arsenal tried to play it nonchalantly but everyone could see right through it. He was worried about Jason.

Speaking of, Jason still had one of his blades under Ra's throat. Ra's looked over at the heroes and smirked. "I will not accept your terms. A simple death match will suffice, and when I have finished killing you, I will kill all of these heroes as well."

Jason shrugged, taking a step back. "Suit yourself."

Batman went to take a step forward to intervene but was stopped by Kori. "You cannot interfere with a death match, you can only observe. Besides, have a little faith in our Jason, will you?"

Jason let Ra's draw his sword before he began to circle the older assassin, motioning for the heroes to back up. The heroes did as they were asked, watching with fascination as the two highly skilled assassins dove at each other with their weapons drawn back to strike, clashing in the middle of the room. Jason managed to slice Ra's on the leg, making the Demon's Head hiss in pain.

The two circled each other again before clashing, swords swinging so fast it was almost impossible to see where they were striking. Jason gained a gash on his cheek, Ra's another to his other leg.

Back to circling. They clashed again, Jason slicing his blade across Ra's stomach before the older man could block him. Jason dove out of the way of Ra's blade, kicking the man in his fresh stomach wound and sending him tumbling to the ground. Ra's recovered quickly, rolling back to his feet and diving back at Jason with a vengeance. He struck, landing a kick to Jason's side. Jason stumbled slightly but did not fall, whirling around to swing his blade at Ra's torso.

He missed.

Ra's smirked, seeing an opening towards Jason's stomach. He dove with his blade in front, about to land the hit.

But Jason was quicker, dodging the strike and landing one of his own by striking Al Ghul on the back of the head with the hilt of his sword.

Ra's went to the ground, slightly disoriented for a moment before recovering right before Jason landed a kick to his back. Ra's rolled out of the way of the kick but not the blade that entered his stomach, piercing him and sticking him to the ground.

Ra's let out a surprised gasp, looking up at Jason in shock. The heroes, too, looked surprised at the outcome. All but the Outlaws, who stood there smirking.

Ra's nodded in submission. "It seems you have me pinned. Very well, finish the job."

Jason nodded solemnly. "I'm sure this universe version of me will be sorry I did this, but oh well." He raised his blade, halting when he heard Batman's voice.

"Jason, stop!" Jason turned with an arched brow to see Batman at the front of the heroes with a frown. "We don't kill. Even in death matches."

Jason shrugged, swinging his blade down and decapitating Ra's al Ghul. Everyone but the Outlaws gaped in shock. "You Bats may not kill, but I stopped being a Bat a long time ago, Batman. I'm an Outlaw, baby, and damn proud of it." He smirked, looking over at his friends. "Now, what do you say we find this machine that will return us home before I cease to exist, eh?"