in DC with a summoning system

The night was alive with chaos. Sirens blared across Gotham, their eerie wails bouncing off the high walls of Arkham Asylum. The infamous prison, home to some of the most deranged criminals the world had ever seen, had been breached. Lights flickered erratically, alarms screamed into the night, and the city braced for yet another round of nightmares.

And that's where the Defenders came in.

From above, cutting through the darkness, the X-Jet soared toward Arkham like a silent predator. Inside the cockpit, Marceline—Dawnstar—gripped the controls with ease, eyes scanning the prison layout from the holographic display built into the jet.

"Alright," she muttered, adjusting her flight path. "Looks like Arkham's been hit hard. We've got multiple containment breaches, at least a dozen big names loose, and the cops are stretched too thin to contain it."

In the co-pilot seat, Sonic—Blue Bolt—grinned. "So, what you're saying is, this is our big entrance? Perfect."

Behind them, Fasha—Power Girl—leaned against the bulkhead, arms crossed. "I just want to hit something."

Marceline smirked. "Oh, don't worry. You'll get your chance."

She tilted the jet forward, diving toward the chaos. Below, Gotham's worst criminals were pouring out of Arkham, the guards struggling to hold the line. The Defenders had no intention of letting the night belong to the villains.

"Alright," Marceline said, activating the ship's auto-hover mode as she unbuckled her seatbelt. "Time to make an entrance."

Dropping into Chaos

The X-Jet's ramp lowered, and the trio leaped into action.

Sonic was the first to hit the ground—literally. He landed, skidding forward at high speed, a blur of blue lightning as he crashed into a wave of escaped convicts. Guns were ripped from hands, prisoners knocked flat, and the thugs barely had time to process what hit them before Sonic was already behind them.

"Whoa, hey, guys! Running away from a cozy cell? Not cool!" Sonic quipped, zipping between two inmates before sending them flying into a nearby police barricade.

Meanwhile, Fasha took a different approach—brute force. She landed like a meteor, sending cracks through the pavement beneath her boots. Two Arkham escapees rushed her, clearly thinking they could overwhelm her with sheer numbers.

They were wrong.

One threw a punch. Fasha caught his fist mid-air and squeezed. He screamed as the bones in his hand snapped. The second guy tried to flee, but she grabbed him by the collar and hurled him into a dumpster with a casual flick of her wrist.

"That's two down," she muttered, cracking her knuckles. "Who's next?"

Marceline hovered above them, her light energy swirling around her hands. She spotted a group of prisoners making a break for the outer wall—probably thinking they had a chance at freedom.

With a flick of her wrist, a solid wave of light energy erupted from her palm, slamming into the ground ahead of them, creating a glowing barrier that cut off their escape.

"Going somewhere?" she asked, landing in front of them.

They turned, ready to fight—only for Dawnstar to rush forward, weaving between them like a dancer, knocking each thug unconscious in rapid succession.

One prisoner, a burly brute covered in scars, tried to attack her from behind. Marceline's light blade materialized in her palm in an instant. She spun and slashed through the air, stopping just inches from his throat.

He froze.

"You really don't want to test me," Marceline said coolly.

The man gulped. "O-okay, okay, I surrender."

She smirked. "Smart choice."

With a swift punch, she knocked him out cold.

The Heavy Hitters Join the Fight

But the real trouble had just begun.

From across the yard, a loud, eerie cackle echoed through the night.

"Oh, fantastic," Sonic groaned. "I know that laugh."

From the ruined front gate of Arkham, a group of notorious villains emerged.

Scarecrow stepped forward first, his ragged trench coat billowing. "Fear is in the air, my friends," he drawled, a twisted grin behind his mask. "Do you feel it?"

Beside him, Killer Croc cracked his massive claws, yellow eyes glowing in the darkness. "I feel hungry, that's what I feel."

And then, the Riddler stepped forward, adjusting his green bowler hat. "Well, well, well. New faces in Gotham. Now that's a riddle worth solving."

Marceline narrowed her eyes. "I'd love to chat, but we're kind of on the clock here. So, how about you all go back to your cells, and we don't have to embarrass you?"

Scarecrow chuckled. "You have no idea what you're up against."

Killer Croc roared and lunged.

Fasha stepped up, fists clenched. "I got the big one."

Marceline and Sonic didn't argue.

The battle erupted—a blur of fists, speed, and energy.

Sonic weaved between Riddler's goons, tripping them, disarming them, and knocking them out cold before they even knew what hit them.

Fasha went head-to-head with Killer Croc, meeting his monstrous strength with sheer power. He tried to crush her, but she caught his fist, grinning as she planted her feet and lifted him off the ground.

"I thought you'd be stronger," she taunted, slamming him into the pavement.

Meanwhile, Marceline faced off against Scarecrow, dodging his attempts to spray his fear toxin.

"You can't escape fear," he whispered.

Marceline smirked. "Oh, trust me—I've seen worse than you."

She blasted him with a surge of light energy, sending him sprawling.

Enter the Bat

Just as the dust was settling, the shadows shifted—and suddenly, they weren't alone.

A low, gravelly voice spoke from the darkness.

"You shouldn't be here."

The Defenders turned—and there he was.

Batman.

Cloaked in darkness, his white eyes narrowed as he stepped forward, his presence alone commanding the battlefield.

Sonic crossed his arms. "Took you long enough."

Fasha smirked. "We handled it."

Batman's gaze hardened. "You're reckless."

Marceline stepped forward, unphased. "We got results."

Batman's eyes flicked toward the unconscious villains. "You're not ready for Gotham."

Marceline met his gaze head-on. "Then you should have done your job faster."

For a moment, there was silence.

Then, Batman simply turned, disappearing into the night.

Sonic huffed. "Dramatic much?"

Fasha smirked. "He's probably going to start watching us now."

Marceline crossed her arms, her voice unwavering. "Good. Let him watch. The Defenders are here to stay."

And with that, the Defenders of Gotham vanished back into the sky, leaving nothing but whispers behind.

Gotham had new protectors.

And their legend was just beginning.

Chapter 8: Part 2 – Rising Notoriety & The Deep Trouble

It didn't take long for The Defenders to make waves in Gotham.

News outlets were already buzzing with headlines about the mysterious new vigilantes operating in the city. Footage of their Arkham intervention had leaked, and now, every criminal and corrupt official was scrambling to figure out who they were and what they wanted.

Rising Notoriety in Gotham

Some saw them as heroes, others as reckless kids trying to play saviors in a city that already had a Dark Knight.

Talk radio was flooded with debate.

"We already have Batman! What do we need them for?"

"Are they working with Batman? Or are they another batch of masked criminals taking matters into their own hands?"

"They took down a full-blown Arkham breakout! That's more than most cops can handle!"

"Batman doesn't trust them. That should say everything."

Even the criminal underworld was whispering about them.

Penguin, in his Iceberg Lounge, was already scheming.

Black Mask saw them as a nuisance that needed elimination.

Even the Joker—wherever he was—was said to be watching and waiting, already cooking up something fun to test these "newbies."

But The Defenders?

They weren't interested in Gotham's politics.

They had work to do.

Mission Beyond Gotham – Shipwreck Rescue

The Defenders had barely gotten a chance to breathe before the system flagged an urgent distress call coming from the Atlantic Ocean—a shipwrecked vessel stranded in international waters.

Marceline, scanning the mission details from the X-Jet's holographic display, frowned. "A civilian cruise ship went off course and hit something big—no response from their crew. Whatever took them down wasn't natural."

Sonic leaned over her shoulder, reading the same data. "So… you're saying this is either a big-ass sea monster or something worse?"

"Most likely," Marceline replied. "Which is why we're answering this call. If Gotham wants to judge us, fine—but we're not just staying here. We protect everyone."

Fasha, arms crossed, raised an eyebrow. "If we're dealing with something in the ocean, does that mean we're stepping on Aquaman's toes?"

Marceline smirked. "If he shows up, we'll just tell him we're doing his job for him."

With that, the X-Jet roared to life, shooting across the night sky, heading for the Atlantic.

Shipwrecked & Surrounded

By the time they reached the wreck site, the scene was grim.

The cruise ship was half-submerged, its lights flickering as passengers huddled on lifeboats, desperately waving for help. Smoke billowed from the damaged hull, and the eerie sound of twisting metal echoed across the ocean.

But that wasn't the problem.

The problem was what surrounded the ship.

A fleet of Atlantean warriors, clad in shimmering blue-black armor, hovered just above the water, their tridents glowing with an otherworldly energy. They moved like shadows, watching, waiting.

"They don't look friendly," Sonic muttered.

Marceline narrowed her eyes. "No, they don't."

Fasha cracked her knuckles. "So, do we talk or throw hands?"

Marceline activated the X-Jet's loudspeaker. "This is Dawnstar of the Defenders. We're here to rescue the civilians. Step aside, or we'll have a problem."

The Atlantean leader, a tall, armored figure with glowing eyes, raised his trident. His voice was deep, ancient.

"This ship violated Atlantean waters. The people aboard are trespassers. They are now under the domain of Atlantis."

Sonic blinked. "Uh… I thought Atlantis was all about keeping a low profile?"

"Yeah, well," Marceline muttered, "looks like they're making exceptions tonight."

She flipped a switch, opening the jet's side doors. "We're getting those people out—one way or another."

The Atlanteans didn't take kindly to that.

They attacked.

Battle at Sea

The first blast of Atlantean energy spears slammed into the X-Jet's shields, shaking the ship violently.

"Alright," Marceline growled, gripping the controls, "now we fight."

Sonic was already gone, zipping across the ocean's surface at impossible speeds, knocking Atlantean soldiers off their feet before they could even react.

"Hey, water boys!" Sonic taunted. "You ever hear of land rights? No? Cool, neither have I!"

Fasha, meanwhile, took a more direct approach—flying straight through a cluster of Atlantean warriors, smashing one into the ocean with a devastating punch before slamming another into the half-sunken ship.

Marceline hovered above them, her energy blade igniting, blocking a trident strike from one of the Atlantean captains. Their weapons clashed, sending out a bright pulse of energy that illuminated the wreckage below.

"You're making a mistake," Marceline warned, her blade crackling.

"The only mistake was yours, surfacer," the Atlantean growled, swinging again.

Marceline sidestepped, dodging easily before countering with a blinding pulse of light energy, knocking the captain back into the sea.

With the battle raging, Sonic zipped through the battlefield, grabbing civilians from lifeboats and depositing them safely aboard the X-Jet at inhuman speed.

"One rescue trip, no charge!" he quipped.

But just as it seemed like they were getting the upper hand, the water below them shifted—a massive shadow forming beneath the waves.

A colossal sea beast—a kraken-like monstrosity with glowing green eyes—rose from the depths, letting out a roar that sent waves crashing across the battlefield.

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me," Fasha groaned.

"New plan," Marceline shouted. "Get the people out—I'll handle the big guy."

Fasha and Sonic didn't argue.

As the Atlanteans fell back, their commander smirked.

"You think you can challenge the depths? Let's see if you can survive them."

The kraken lunged, its massive tentacles whipping toward Marceline—but she met it head-on, her light energy expanding, forming a shield around her as she dove straight into its path.

The Aftermath

By the time the battle ended, the civilians were safe, the Atlanteans had retreated, and the kraken had been forced back into the deep—but not before Marceline left a clear warning to its masters:

"Don't mess with us again."

As the X-Jet lifted off, carrying the rescued passengers back to safety, Sonic let out a long breath.

"Okay, so… that was not the chill beach trip I was hoping for."

Fasha smirked, wiping seawater from her face. "You're just mad you got thrown into the ocean."

Sonic groaned. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. But next time, I'm bringing a boat."

Marceline, piloting the ship, allowed herself a small smile.

Gotham had been their starting point—but the world was starting to take notice.

The Defenders weren't just a local problem anymore.

And something told Marceline this was just the beginning.

Chapter 8: Part 3 – The Grind, The Garden, and the Unwilling Super Soldier

The X-Mansion's War Room was filled with an eerie silence, aside from the occasional beep of the holographic interface as Marceline scrolled through available dungeons.

They had been making waves—Arkham, Atlanteans, a literal Kraken fight—but Marceline knew that they were still just getting started.

They needed more power, better skills, and a bigger team.

And the best way to do that?

Grind.

Preparing for the Dungeon Run

Marceline sat at the control panel, flipping through the system's dungeon options while Sonic was lounging upside-down on a chair, flipping a gold ring between his fingers. Fasha stood nearby, stretching her arms.

Sonic yawned dramatically. "Alright, boss, what's the move? Another run through Gotham? Punch some mobsters? Or are we finally fighting actual dragons?"

Marceline smirked, pulling up a new option on the display.

Titan's Garden – Trial Dungeon Key Acquired ➤ Dungeon Type: Combat Trial ➤ Difficulty: Medium-High ➤ Rewards: Summoning Tokens, Skill Upgrades, System Points

She spun her chair, facing the others. "We're going into the Titan's Garden. It's a combat dungeon, full of monsters, warriors, and a mid-tier boss at the end. If we win, we get loot, points, and summon tokens."

Fasha cracked her knuckles. "Now that's more like it."

Sonic sat up. "Wait, wait, Garden? That sounds like… plants. Are we fighting evil lettuce or something?"

Marceline rolled her eyes, standing up and holding out a glowing key—the Titan Garden Key. The moment she activated it, a circular portal of swirling gold energy opened in the middle of the room, rippling like liquid light.

Sonic leaned forward, eyes wide. "Ooooh. Fancy."

Marceline smirked. "It's showtime."

The trio stepped through the portal—and in a flash of golden light, they disappeared.

Entering the Titan's Garden

They emerged into an ancient battlefield, floating ruins and massive broken colosseums stretching out in all directions. The air was dense with magic, the sky glowing with purple and gold energy streaks as if the realm itself was alive.

Sonic whistled. "Not gonna lie… this place is kinda badass."

Fasha looked around, rolling her shoulders. "Where's the warm-up?"

The dungeon didn't make them wait.

From the forest ruins, stone creatures with glowing green eyes began emerging, their massive arms crackling with enchanted energy. Some were golem-like, made of twisting vines and roots, while others had obsidian armor plating.

Marceline summoned her light blade, its golden energy humming as she spun it in her palm.

"Alright," she said, cracking her neck. "Let's see what we're dealing with."

The First Wave – Golem Horde

The first five golems charged forward, massive and brutal, shaking the ground with every step.

Fasha grinned. "Dibs on the big ones."

She rushed forward, leaping off a crumbling pillar and delivering a brutal flying kick to the closest golem. The impact sent it crashing through three trees, splintering them into dust.

"Yeah, okay, that was kinda awesome," Sonic admitted, blurring past her and delivering rapid strikes to another golem's legs, tripping it before he launched into a spinning kick that shattered its core.

Marceline went straight for the leader, dodging a stone fist the size of a car before twisting mid-air, slashing across its chest with a blinding streak of light energy.

The golem shuddered, cracks forming along its body before it exploded into shards.

The battle was chaotic, fast, and brutal—but in the end, they won.

[Enemy Wave Defeated.]

Sonic exhaled, shaking out his arms. "Okay, that was fun."

Marceline smirked. "And that was just the first wave."

The Mid-Tier Boss – Centaur Warlord

The ground rumbled.

A new portal opened, and from within, a massive armored centaur emerged, wielding a greatsword taller than Sonic.

Its glowing red eyes locked onto them, and with a snarl, it charged.

"FIGHT ME, MORTALS!"

Marceline didn't hesitate. She met the charge head-on, sliding underneath its first swing before countering with a light-powered upward slash, sending a shockwave of golden energy into its chest.

Sonic zipped around it, launching rapid hits to its legs, trying to trip it.

Fasha caught its sword mid-swing, her feet skidding back from the force before she twisted, ripping it from its grasp and slamming the entire weapon across its face.

With a final combined strike, the three of them unleashed a synchronized attack, obliterating the centaur into dust.

[Dungeon Cleared!]

Marceline pulled up the rewards list.

System Points

Bronze Summoning Token (x1)

Silver Item Summoning Token (x1)

"Nice," she muttered. "Time for a summon."

Summoning Jasper & The Unwilling Super Soldier

Summoning Jasper Dunlop

The War Room of the X-Mansion was quiet—too quiet—as Marceline, Sonic, and Fasha gathered around, ready to use their freshly earned Bronze Summoning Token.

They had grinded through dungeons, killed a centaur warlord, earned a ridiculous amount of system points, and now?

It was time to roll the dice on fate.

Sonic leaned forward. "Okay, let's be real here. Last time we did this, we got Fasha. So, you know, decent pull—solid warrior, doesn't talk too much but punches things real good. This time, I'm praying for something useful."

Fasha cracked her knuckles. "I don't care who it is. As long as they can fight."

Marceline smirked, flipping the Bronze Token into the air. "Let's see what we get."

She activated the summon—a swirl of golden light erupted in the center of the room, energy crackling around them as a figure materialized.

Then, the light faded.

Standing in the middle of the room, blinking in confusion, was…

Jasper Dunlop from Henry Danger.

Reality Crashes Down

Jasper blinked.

Looked around.

Then blinked again.

"…Where the hell am I?"

Marceline stepped forward, smiling way too warmly. "Hey there, Jasper! You've been summoned into a different universe, meaning you are no longer in your old world, and you are now a resident of a chaotic superhero dystopia where survival depends on your power level."

Jasper's soul visibly left his body.

"…I'm sorry, what?"

Marceline patted his shoulder. "I know this is a lot to process, but let's speed things up, okay? You're in a new world. You belong to me now. Welcome to your new life!"

Jasper's brain short-circuited. "I—I belong to—WHAT?!"

Sonic, who was casually eating popcorn, grinned. "Ohhh, this is already going great."

Jasper took a shaky breath, pointing wildly at Marceline. "WAIT A MINUTE—does that mean I have superpowers now?! Do I get to be the cool hero?!"

Marceline tilted her head, pretending to consider it. "Mmmm. You will have superpowers. Eventually. But first—hold still for a sec."

Jasper blinked. "What do you me—OW, WHAT THE HELL?!?"

The Unwilling Super Soldier

Without any warning, Marceline casually pulled out a syringe, grabbed Jasper's wrist, rolled up his sleeve, and stabbed him with the Super Soldier Serum.

Jasper yelped and immediately hit the floor, convulsing.

Sonic stared. "Damn, Marcy. No hesitation?"

Marceline shrugged. "He didn't need to know it was coming."

Fasha smirked. "You just assaulted our new recruit."

Jasper, still twitching violently on the ground, wheezed, "WHY DO I FEEL LIKE MY BLOOD IS LAVA?!"

Marceline crouched beside him, smiling. "Oh, don't worry. Your entire body is just undergoing rapid cellular reconstruction at a molecular level. Nothing major."

Jasper's response was an unintelligible scream.

Sonic was on the floor laughing. "Bro, he didn't even get a chance to run!"

Fasha smirked. "Not like he could have. You do know he's compelled to listen to Marceline, right?"

Sonic froze. "…Wait. What?"

Marceline stood up, dusting off her hands. "Oh yeah, forgot to mention that. He doesn't have a choice."

Jasper, still twitching on the ground, managed to choke out, "I'M SORRY, WHAT?!?!"

A Few Hours Later…

Jasper groaned, waking up on the couch.

His entire body felt weird. His muscles were heavy, but not in a bad way—more like he could effortlessly flip a car if he wanted to.

"…Did I die?"

Sonic, still eating popcorn, grinned. "Nope! But you definitely leveled up."

Jasper sat up—and immediately panicked.

Because the moment he moved, he realized something was off.

He looked down at his arms.

They were jacked.

He flexed.

The entire couch creaked ominously.

"…WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO ME?!"

Marceline strolled into the room, way too relaxed about this. "Oh, yeah. You're a Super Soldier now. No big deal."

Jasper stared at her in horror.

"…DID YOU DRUG ME?!?!"

Marceline sighed dramatically. "Drug is such a strong word. I'd prefer "enhanced without consent.""

Jasper's screams of horror could be heard across the mansion.

The Reality of the System's Hold

After calming down from his initial existential crisis, Jasper took a deep breath, then pointed at Marceline.

"Alright. No. I refuse. I'm not doing this. I'm going home. I quit."

Marceline tilted her head. "Aww, that's adorable."

Jasper squinted. "What?"

Marceline pulled up the System Interface, her voice sickeningly sweet. "Jasper, sweetheart. You're compelled to listen to me by the system. You literally cannot say no."

Jasper froze.

"…What?"

"You belong to me now."

Jasper felt his entire world crumble. "You—you're joking."

Marceline gestured to the glowing interface. "The system doesn't joke."

Jasper stared in abject horror.

"…I—I CAN'T QUIT?!?!?!"

Sonic, now absolutely dying of laughter, slapped the table. "DUDE, YOU'RE LITERALLY A SUMMONED NPC."

Jasper stood up, hands on his head. "I—I can't believe this. I'M A SIDE CHARACTER?!"

Fasha crossed her arms. "Well, technically, you're just a Bronze-tier summon. You're not even a main side character yet."

Jasper looked physically pained. "I WANT TO DIE."

Marceline patted his shoulder. "Too bad. You're stuck with us now."

Jasper slumped onto the couch, accepting his fate. "I hate this. I hate this so much."

Marceline grinned. "Welcome to The Defenders, Jasper!"

Jasper groaned. "DO I AT LEAST GET A COOL CODE NAME?!"

Sonic smirked. "I dunno, man. Jacked Jasper has a nice ring to it."

Jasper screamed into a pillow.

Marceline smirked, satisfied.

Oh, this was going to be fun.