The beakers bubbled, the fumes of his constant study, hard work, and sacrifices rising to the surface. He had been labelled a quack, a madman, and a number of worse titles in his lifetime but now the fruits of his labors was before him.
To look at the creator of such a powerful family of viruses, one would see a lanky, spent man. Dark bags were the most prominent thing around his eyes, his short blond hair lifeless, the man barely caring about taking care of himself when there was the work to complete.
But now all that suffering was over and he could partake in a normal life but first, first he had to ensure that what he created was in the hands of those he trusted.
A swift call to the man who had set him up with this room, if man he truly was, because while he had seen the news reports of the many battles this man had had, the blood-stained costume; he had his doubts, minor though they were.
"This is Dr. Krist to Batman. I've completed my life's ambition. If you can spare the time, I'd appreciate you meeting me here as soon as possible. You and your colleagues in the Justice League are the only ones I trust."
At the Watchtower...
"Dr. Krist, I will be down shortly, congratulations, Batman out."
Ending the call, Bruce allowed a pleased smile to grace his lips for more than a few seconds, which was all the time it took to be noticed by one of his closest colleagues and dearest friends as she entered the room.
"What's the occasion?" Wonder Woman, aka Diana Prince, asked, an amused look on her own face at spying her closest mortal friend letting loose his usual grim mask.
"The scientist I aided in getting his life's work completed just called. He's finished the Positive Virus strains. I'm on my way to see him now."
"Then allow me to accompany you. I might even get to see you laugh before the night is done."
Batman stood up, sending a grimace Diana's way but motioned for her to follow him.
Sighing and wishing the man could just lighten up more, Diana followed Bruce to the Watchtower teleportation system.
A few presses of Batman's fingers had the pair beaming towards STAR Labs, arriving precisely in the doctor's office.
The good doctor gaped a bit as he found himself staring at Wonder Woman but managed to reign in his surprise after a few moments, shaking both the Amazon and the Dark Knight's hands before motioning towards his finished work.
"All the viruses effects were temporary in the past, as you know Batman, but I've managed to create permanent variants using the sample you gave me all those years ago."
"What are these variants, doctor?" Wonder Woman asked.
"Well there's the Sex Appeal virus, designed to aid in nations facing population decline, such as Japan. The Reverse Flu, made to combat depression. Charisma and Inspiration should be self-explanatory while I also developed two new strains I've labeled Coolness and Popularity."
"So if I were to imbibe this Sex Appeal virus I would crave nothing but intercourse with random people, willing or not?"
"No, of course not. The virus only amplifies attraction that is already there, however remote. Of course the endgame of said virus involves copulation but it will not create a craving or addiction, just a basic need that requires another similarly afflicted individual with the same sexuality. For example, if sisters were both infected, they would only seek out males or females they've had feelings for, not each other."
"What about withdrawal symptoms?" Batman asked.
"That's the beauty of my combined viruses. In the past, this strain would lead to the kind of nightmare scenario posed by your Amazonian friend here, but by combining the Sex Appeal and the Luck strains, one would be able to safely pursue the sexual lifestyle of their choosing and there would be no negative effects to either the carrier of said virus or any that get infected."
The doctor moved a bit ahead, ready to share more of his creation, when there was a sudden explosion, the various viruses lined up surged from their beakers in a burst of glass and fluid.
Diana, utilizing her speed, pushed the doctor out of the way before returning towards Bruce, who had started to shield himself with his cape. The Amazon got partly in front of him, the majority of the concoction covering her but some slipping past and hitting Batman as well, both soon succumbing to unconsciousness as their immune systems were flooded with the virus strains.
The stunned doctor stared at the pair for several seconds before he moved to action.
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