Dragon Ball: Mori's tales

Mori's eyes snapped open, wide and blazing with fury. The overwhelming grief and rage from years ago surged back with a vengeance. He could still hear Lisa's final words, her voice piercing through his consciousness, "I died because you weren't strong enough." Those words had etched themselves into his soul like a burning scar, a wound that had never healed. He clenched his fists, trembling as the memories of her death consumed him once more. His breathing grew ragged, and without thinking, his body reacted, his power instinctively flaring out in response to his agony.

In the next instant, Mori vanished from the Watchtower, teleporting across space with a crack of energy, reappearing on the barren surface of the moon. His feet dug into the dust as he landed, unleashing a seismic wave that rippled across the lunar surface. The raw, unchecked power within him surged outward uncontrollably, distorting the very fabric of space around him. 

In a fit of rage, Mori screamed into the void of space, and his voice echoed back, muffled in the vacuum. He lost control entirely, releasing an overwhelming blast of energy that cracked the moon's surface. The shockwaves spread far and wide, causing craters to form beneath him. The force of his power extended far beyond the moon, reaching Earth. The world trembled as the Watchtower itself shook violently, alarms blaring as the League scrambled to react.

Mori's grief and rage fueled his every action. He drove his fist into the surface of the moon, shattering the rock and dust beneath him. Another punch followed. Then another, each strike shaking the lunar landscape. With each blow, more craters formed, growing larger as his strength grew more destructive. The moon began to fracture under the force of his relentless onslaught. His mind, lost to memories of the Dominion and their soldiers, replayed Lisa's death over and over.

He was going to destroy the moon. He had already decided.

But then, in a flash of red and blue, Superman arrived. He sped toward Mori with all his might, landing a powerful punch against Mori's chest that sent him flying across the lunar surface. The force of the impact knocked Mori off his feet and into space, where he floated for a moment, dazed but not defeated. 

Superman hovered near the fractured moon, joined swiftly by Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter. Together, they assessed the damage, looking down at the craters beneath them. 

"Mori!" Superman's voice carried across the empty void. "Snap out of it! You almost destroyed the moon!" 

But the words never reached him. Mori's mind was far too distant, trapped in his grief, reliving his darkest moments. His gaze fixed on the heroes before him, but in his eyes, they were not Superman, Green Lantern, or Martian Manhunter. They were Dominion soldiers, the same faceless enemies responsible for Lisa's death. The rage that boiled in his chest surged once more.

Without hesitation, Mori attacked.

He hurled a massive Ki blast at Green Lantern, who quickly raised a protective barrier to block the incoming attack. But the blast tore through the emerald construct as if it were paper, sending Green Lantern hurtling into the black void of space. His body careened off course, spiraling away from the battlefield as he fought to regain control.

Mori then turned to Superman, rushing toward him with a speed that made space ripple around him. His fist collided with Superman's midsection, the impact sending shockwaves through the airless expanse. Superman gasped in pain as the force of the blow pushed him back, but he wasn't down yet. Just as Mori reached for Martian Manhunter, the telepath turned intangible, slipping through Mori's grasp. 

However, Mori was not deterred. He extended his Ki across his hand, enveloping it in an energy that vibrated through dimensions. With a swift movement, he grabbed hold of Martian Manhunter, pulling him out of his intangible state, something that should have been impossible. The Martian's eyes widened in shock, but before he could process the situation, Mori rocketed toward Earth with Martian Manhunter in his grip.

Superman quickly recovered, flying after Mori at top speed. He caught up just as they entered the Earth's atmosphere, landing a bone-shattering punch to Mori's back, attempting to free Martian Manhunter. But Mori didn't even flinch. Instead, he retaliated with a brutal backhanded strike that sent Superman crashing down through the sky like a falling star.

As he descended toward Earth, Mori spotted Green Lantern flying toward him once again, attempting to block his path. Without hesitation, Mori blasted him aside with another powerful Ki blast, knocking Green Lantern away like an insect.

Finally, Mori reached the Earth's surface, crashing down with Martian Manhunter still in his grasp. He threw the Martian into the ground with such force that the Earth quaked beneath them. The ground cratered deeply, debris flying in all directions. Mori prepared to follow up with a devastating attack, intent on finishing off his foe, but before he could strike, Martian Manhunter vanished from sight.

Mori's senses flared as he detected The Flash standing beside Martian Manhunter, vibrating at such high speeds that he was nearly invisible. As more energy signatures approached, Mori looked around. His eyes narrowed as the rest of the Justice League arrived on the battlefield. Wonder Woman, Cyborg, Batman, and Superman, now recovered, formed a line between Mori and Martian Manhunter.

To Mori, these weren't heroes. They were still the Dominion, and they stood in his way.

A smirk tugged at the corner of Mori's lips. He rushed forward, heading straight for Superman, whom he deemed the strongest among them. But just before his fist connected, Wonder Woman intervened, her sword raised high. The blade caught Mori's punch, sparks flying as metal met energy. Wonder Woman quickly spun, aiming a powerful kick at Mori's side. He caught her leg mid-air, swinging her like a battering ram straight into Cyborg, knocking both heroes to the ground.

Superman came at him again, throwing a heavy punch to Mori's face, the impact sending him skidding back. As Mori stumbled, The Flashappeared in a blur of red lightning, landing hundreds of punches in the span of seconds. Mori endured the barrage, but his fury only intensified. Lisa's voice was louder now, repeating the same painful words over and over.

"You weren't strong enough."

Mori's vision turned red. With a roar, he activated his Time-Skip. To everyone watching, he vanished for a split second, reappearing behind The Flash and delivering a single, devastating punch that sent him crashing through the rubble of a nearby building.

Superman rushed in again, throwing a punch that Mori effortlessly countered. The air boomed with the force of their exchange, sending shockwaves through the battlefield. Mori, his mind lost in grief and anger, scanned the battlefield for the next target. His eyes fell on Batman, who had been calculating his next move from a distance.

Before Mori could act, he felt something probing at his mind—Martian Manhunter was attempting to break through his mental defenses. But Mori's instincts took over, and he instantly erected a barrier around his thoughts, blocking the telepathic invasion. Enraged, he pinpointed Martian Manhunter's location, rushing toward him with brutal efficiency. He landed a punch in the Martian's gut, following it up with a knee to the face. Martian Manhunter reeled from the impact, but before he could recover, Mori grabbed his cape, slamming him into the ground. Mori raised his hand, preparing to deliver a lethal blow, intending to end the Martian's life.

But before he could strike, Cyborg intervened, unleashing a massive sonic cannon aimed directly at Mori. The soundwaves disoriented Mori, forcing him to release Martian Manhunter and cover his ears. Cyborg grinned, shouting, "Booyah!" But his victory was short-lived. Mori fired a quick Ki blast, destroying Cyborg's sonic weapon and leaving the hero defenseless.

Mori turned back to finish Martian Manhunter, but Wonder Woman appeared in his path once again, landing a powerful punch to his face. The blow sent him reeling, but something strange happened. Wonder Woman's energy—it felt like Lisa's. Mori froze, his eyes wide with confusion. For the first time, his rage faltered. He couldn't bring himself to harm her. The connection he felt to her energy threw him off completely.

Seeing his hesitation, Superman and Wonder Woman pressed their advantage. Together, they attacked Mori with coordinated strikes. Superman landed an elbow to his midsection while Wonder Woman struck his back with a kick, sending him flying into the ground. Green Lantern followed up with a massive construct in the shape of a boot, stomping Mori into the earth. Cyborg unleashed a powerful energy blast, and Batman, from a distance, threw an explosive Batarang, which detonated on contact with Mori.

Wonder Woman then ensnared Mori with her Lasso of Truth, pulling him toward her and unleashing a barrage of rapid punches. Each strike was fueled by her warrior spirit, but Mori barely reacted. His mind was still lost in confusion, the vision of Lisa overlapping with Wonder Woman.

Finally, Mori dropped to his knees, his clothes torn and tattered, revealing his scarred body. The dragon tattoo on his arm and the Time insignia on his chest glowed faintly. Mori stood there, breathing heavily, his

 body weakened but not defeated.

As the Justice League gathered around him, Mori locked eyes with Wonder Woman. In his mind, he no longer saw her as a warrior. She was Lisa. The same warmth, the same energy. He couldn't bring himself to strike her. Gently, he pushed her aside, not wanting to hurt her. His power began to rise again as he prepared for one final, devastating attack. He was ready to finish this fight once and for all.

But just as he gathered his energy, Lisa's voice broke through the chaos, clear and soft in his mind. "Mori… rest."

Her words cut through his rage like a soothing balm. Mori's eyes widened, and the power surging through him dissipated almost instantly. He stood there, frozen, as her presence enveloped him. For the first time in years, he felt peace. The weight of his grief lifted, and his body relaxed.

Mori collapsed, unconscious, his body falling limp on the battlefield.

Back at the Watchtower, Martian Manhunter, having tapped into Mori's memories during the fight, had successfully projected an image of Lisa into Mori's mind. He reverted to his original form as the rest of the League gathered around Mori's unconscious body. The battle had taken its toll on them, with nearly every member heavily injured. Superman had bruises across his body, Green Lantern's ring flickered with the last of its power, and Batman limped slightly, but they had won.

Wonder Woman knelt beside Mori, her expression softening. "He's not our enemy," she said quietly.

Martian Manhunter nodded, his voice grave. "He's been fighting a war in his mind for a long time."

Superman sighed, looking down at Mori. "We need to help him. Whatever he's been through, it's tearing him apart."

The chapter ends with Mori sealed inside a highly secured containment room in the Watchtower. The Justice League stands outside, watching over him, unsure of what will come next.

(Now it would be a shame if a big bad came right now, huh)