Kyle has just returned from Oa.
"How'd it go?" Green Arrow asked, perched on a building that was still standing. His eyes fixated on the battle below. His hands held a very special arrow steady in his bow.
"Wasn't easy getting through to the Guardians, but they finally agreed," he grinned.
As expected, the World's Mightiest Mortal and the Man of Steel fought in tandem with their backs facing each other.
Then in a blink of an eye, in the place of the Captain, stood a cute little floppy eared bunny, dressed in Captain Marvel's outfit.
Kyle's jaw fell open.
The bunny's fighting style was exactly like Cap's - pure brute strength and blinding speed.
Steppenwolf's famed axe shattered against its paw, proving that was The Captain.
"Did you see that?" Ollie exclaimed as he lowered his bow.
Kyle blinked. Once. Twice.
The little pink bunny fought valiantly, covering Superman's back.
"Captain Marvel is really Superman's pet bunny?"
A deafening boom.
A portal opened.
The forces of Apokolips sped into the portal, as if fleeing for their very lives.
A familiar deep growl greeted them as the colossal god of evil appeared.
"Darkseid," gulped Kyle.
Both Captain Marvel Bunny and Superman vanished in red and blue blurs. Their superspeed made it impossible to follow them.
--------
Waves of darkness, loneliness, isolation and despair emanated from the Colossal dark god of evil, Darkseid.
"Millie!"
Hoppy's eyes flew wide open.
Millie was Captain Marvel Bunny's Lois Lane. The love of his life.
He just knew she was in trouble.
A portal that looked like a rabbit hole opened in front of the pink bunny. He jumped into it.
-------
Captain Marvel could barely breathe. Technically, he didn't need air, but the loneliness, isolation and despair was suffocating.
He wasn't Cap. He was six year old Billy Batson.
"Billy, honey." The kindly lady knelt down, looking into his eyes. "Your Momma and Papa are not coming back."
Tears ran down his cheeks as he watched their coffins lowered into their graves.
He just turned six.
Darkness. Despair.
His broken ribs throbbed in pain even as hunger pangs stabbed through his stomach.
Uncle Eben threw him out on the streets after stealing his inheritance. He had just turned seven.
Bullies took whatever money he had to buy food, beat him up and left him by the trash can to die. Alone.
He was so alone. Papa, Momma and Mary.. all gone.
Darkness. Despair. Loneliness. There was no hope.
Sweet Courtney, his sunshine. Her light was gone. Her heart stopped. The doctors could not bring her back.
His sobs wracked his body...
"Billy?" A soft small hand held his large clenched fist. Golden light shone through the darkness.
Through that light he saw her soft blue eyes, so filled with love.
"Courtney?"
"Billy, Cap, we need you. I need you," her sweet voice called out to him.
He felt himself pulled into her warm embrace. Her love. Their love dispelled the darkness.
His vision cleared. He, Cap, was in her embrace, engulfed in the golden light of her cosmic rod, her power freeing him from dark shackles.
Green Arrow. The antidote. Now! He called out through the mind link.
"Ollie's down," he realised.
Flying to the designated spot, he found the archer curled up, paralyzed with despair. The arrow was still in his hand.
Marvel snatched the arrow and hurled it.
It exploded into fireworks, releasing the antidote.
Heroes stirred as the darkness lifted.
Darkseid towered over them all. They were but ants in comparison.
Green Lanterns, Flashes, Flyers, Now! The Captain gave the order.
They had to hit the cosmic giant simultaneously with everything they had.
Flying just below the speed of light in tandem with Superman, he struck Darkseid's unprotected face while the speedsters struck his feet.
"Insects!" Darkseid swatted them away while Wonder Woman threw her lasso around him and the Green Lanterns blasted him with their rings.
Darkseid swayed momentarily, then took a step backwards to steady himself.
His eyes glowed red, preparing to destroy them with his Omega beams.
This was it. All or nothing.
Captain Marvel took a deep breath and dived down towards Darkseid.
Bracing himself, he shouted
"Shazam!"
White hot power hit him instantly as he hurled himself, feet first onto Darkseid's forehead.
Unlimited power surged through him striking Darkseid as the Captain's power drained out of him.
The dark god of evil fell backwards with Billy clinging on for the ride.
-------
The Captain struck Darkseid with a massive bolt of lightning.
The colossal god of evil swayed and toppled over. Unconscious.
Standing in triumphant with both feet on Darkseid's head was a skinny raven haired boy with brilliant blue eyes and a dimpled smile.
The world stood still as the heroes gaped.
"Mogo, imprison him before he wakes up," the child directed the living planet green lantern who Kyle had brought.
"Kyle, are the guards from Oa ready?" The boy spoke confidently with authority.
Kyle's gaping jaw flatly refused to shut as he stared at the boy.
"Who are you?"
"Billy Batson. But you all know me as Captain Marvel," he grinned.