#or are they too paranoid about lazarus water to see things clearly?

[kaidatheghostdragon]

Crack prompt: Danny has declared war on the curses in Gotham. He is armed with a water balloon gun, but the balloons are full of medical-grade ectoplasm. He targets any location, ghost, or liminal being tainted by curses and/or corrupted ecto - absolutely drenching them before yeeting off again.

This includes the Bats. Danny is smart about it, though. He lived in Gotham for several months before acting, so he could get the lay of the land. He also waits for patrol to be finished before hitting the Bats - he doesn't want to interrupt their Quest to Better Gotham (or be labeled an invader to their haunt).

One night, Danny happens upon Batman patrolling alone and waits for him to finish cleaning up a crime scene before hitting they guy with a half-clip of balloons. Batman gives chase, like he always does, and Danny runs, like he always does. He knows by now that, for whatever reason, Crime Alley is off limits to Batman. The whole alley just gives off "no (other) bats allowed" vibes.

Red hood is just more territorial. Whatever.

At any rate, Danny is enjoying the chase, using just enough ghost powers to stay ahead of batman, almost-but-not-quite taunting him. Crime Alley isn't too far, so instead of turning invisible around a corner like he usually does, he makes his way to the Alley to see if the no-trasspassing rule is enough to stop Batman mid-chase. He leaps across rooftops and weaves through fire escapes, ecto-balloon-gun bouncing by its strap against his back, until finally he's at the border, slightly tapping into flight to make the jump across a slightly wider road into the alley proper.

He turns around immediately, spotting Batman skulking on the rooftop on the other side of the road, stopping the chase and suit half-covered in healing ectoplasm.

"Sanctuary!" Danny yells, pumping his fists in the air from getting caught up in the exciting rush of adrenaline, "I claim sanctuary!"

"Who the fuck is claiming sanctuary in my territory?" Red Hood booms from almost directly behind Danny. He would have yeeted out of his own skin from surprise if he hadn't spent years honing his ghost-fighting instincts. As it was, Danny instead whirled around and emptied the clip of balloons into Hood, purely out of reflex.

Hood stood there, drenched in ecto like his fellow Bat one rooftop over, glaring murder at Danny with glowing eyes. But his haunt betrayed Hood's true emotions.

Surprise, concern, impressed, you-little-brat.

Danny booked it to the fire escape and turned invisible the second he was out of sight.

#is danny a runaway? orphaned? in hiding? college? immortal transdimensional being? #you decide #has he already hit up hood who knows whats going on? #or is this his first encounter and hood is running on ghost instinct? #did batman stop because his relationship with hood is strained? #or did they coordinate to get the drop on danny? #do they consider danny a rogue? #or a teen/young adult with very cencerning and questionable hobbies? #have the bats noticed the effects that the ecto has? #or are they too paranoid about lazarus water to see things clearly? #dp x dc #dpxdc

[wellthatjusthappend]

Hi! If you're still taking prompts, please could you write a Ra'sJay, with Ra's courting an oblivious Jason. Jason thinks Ra's is threatening him or sending him some kind of warning. Everyone around him is constantly face-palming because how can someone be so oblivious?

Yeah sure! 

This turned out a little angsty, but Ra’s is a creep so what else is new?

****

“You’re not Tim,” Jason frowned when he opened the door to see Dick standing on his doorstep holding the piece of equipment he’d asked Tim for earlier that day.

“He was pretty busy, so I volunteered,” Dick said scratching the back of his head and smiling ruefully.

“Whatever, just bring it in,” Jason gestured him inside.

Dick hauled the box inside and immediately began chattering about whatever fight Tim and the Demon Brat had gotten into lately as he unpacked it on Jason’s living room floor. He was obviously a little uncomfortable, but seemed determined to act like everything was normal.

Jason squinted at him suspiciously. Were they really going to pretend the last two times they’d seen each other they hadn’t ended up making out like teenagers?

“So, what’d you need this for?” Dick finally asked as he finished setting up the scanner.

Jason debated telling him to fuck off, but he had brought him the equipment.

“Special delivery,” Jason shrugged, gesturing toward the package on his windowsill, “Looks like something from the League, but Talia usually calls if she’s sending something to me. Seeing as Ra’s threw a fit when Talia dumped me in the pit… I figured better safe than sorry.”

“You think it might be something dangerous?” Dick said, instantly becoming serious.

“I already scanned it for explosives and listening devices,” Jason said, “but Tim reckoned it was a good idea to go over it with some of his tech before I started handling it.”

“Probably a good idea,” Dick agreed.

Being careful not to disturb the box, Dick x-rayed the package, checking for more detailed contaminates, while Jason went over it with a magic sniffer Jason Blood had gifted Bruce years back.

“It’s a knife,” Dick said after a moment.

“Nothing too fucked up about it, other then having been in a Lazarus Pit at some point in history,” Jason agreed, setting down the device and kneeling to open up the box. Dick hovered next to him tensely, but Jason ignored him in favor of pulling out a velvet-lined case for the most ornate dagger Jason had ever seen.

“Looks ceremonial,” mused Jason unsheathing the thing gingerly, “Jesus, this thing has got to be old as fuck.”

Dick made a weird strangled sound next to him.

“That’s a courting dagger,” Dick said in shock, “Talia gave Bruce one, ages ago.”

“Huh,” Jason hummed, tilting the mirror like blade in the light, “Kinda romantic. Better than ring or flowers, I’ll give you that.”

“Jason-” Dick began sharply.

“Relax,” Jason rolled his eyes, “It's probably Ra's being a dramatic asshole and warning me off Talia or something.”

“But what if it’s exactly what it looks like?” Dick looked far from convinced.

“What? As a courting gift?” Jason snorted.

“Yeah,” Dick said seriously.

Jason laughed outright at that. How utterly absurd could Dick get?

“Oh, please,” Jason snickered, “Ra’s doesn’t even like me, remember? Besides, isn’t it Timmy who he has the hard on for?”

“Maybe…” Dick frowned, “But still, I remember Bruce talking about how serious that kind of gesture was in the league… Those daggers are precious; they’re not something you just hand out.”

“Yeah, that is weird…” Jason shook his head as he looked at the jewel encrusted hilt. He’d bet his savings that this thing was worth a fortune, “I’ll call Talia and see if she knows anything.”

“I don’t like this,” Dick grumbled.

“Noted,” Jason rolled his eyes as he gathered up the tools he’d borrowed and packed them back the box. Except the magic detectors. He was hoping Dick was distracted enough that he wouldn’t notice Jason had stuffed those under the couch. Those things were fucking useful.

“I think you should come stay at the Manor until we know what Ra’s is planning,” Dick said stubbornly.

“Ha, that sounds like a bloodbath waiting to happen,” Jason snorted.

“At least come stay with me,” Dick pleaded.

That sounded dangerous for a whole host of other reasons.

“Goodbye Dickie,” Jason said pushing the box into his hands and trying to push him out the door.

“Jason, I’m serious,” Dick planted his feet and glowered at him.

He was too pretty to do that very well, Jason mused.

“So am I,” Jason rolled his eyes, “Seriously, it’s fine. If I was worried about it I would have chucked it in the trash.”

“If something happens-” Dick insisted.

“I know how to call for backup,” Jason said dryly. Not that he probably would.

Dick looked like he sincerely wanted to say something else, but finally he shook his head and backed off, “Just… call if you get more info.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jason waved him out and locked the door.

Dick was so paranoid sometimes. And what the fuck was with him and suddenly deciding that everyone and their dog wanted Jason’s ass all of a sudden? Jason knew he was hardly hideous, but pretty much every other member of the Bat’s were miles more attractive than he was. It was just a fact.

Jason plopped down on the couch to call Talia, when he noticed that the velvet bottom of the box the dagger had comin wasn’t laying completely flat. Curious, Jason lifted the padding to find a note hidden at the bottom.

It was in the League’s special dialect of Arabic, but Jason had plenty of practice with that.

-

Hello My Vicious One,

You may remember that although my daughter saw fit to cut corners and restore your mind with the Pit waters, it was I who took you in. I restored your body from the feeble husk it had become. I rid you of the last vestiges of death and taught your soul how to fight once more. Somehow, you walked away from death by your own power, and for that alone you earned my special attention. My daughter may have led you astray and set you on a foolish path for revenge for her own petty purposes, but you have risen above them, without the Bat, and claimed a small part of the underworld as your own.

I have a proposition for you that I think you shall find intriguing. Come to the base where I first raised you from darkness’, and show the guards the dagger I sent you and they will grant you access to my quarters. There we may speak freely.

The Demon Head

-

What the fuck?

Jason had no idea what to make of that. Talia had told him that Ra’s had thought him unworthy because of his lowly origins. Could she have been lying?

As soon as he thought it, Jason snorted. Talia lied all the time, that wasn’t the issue. The question was if Jason wanted to risk going to meet Ra’s. Talia’s contacts wouldn’t hold a candle to the types of resources Ra’s could give him. But of course, Ra’s was also less trustworthy.

Still, offending him was probably an even worse idea.

Dick would throw a fit if he knew Jason was planning to go on his own, but he’d never been good at seeing the bigger picture. A gesture of good faith, that he wouldn’t insult Ra’s by bringing backup to an invitation that was clearly meant for him alone. That being said, Jason wasn’t going to be stupid about it. He’d go as prepared as he could get.

Ra’s said it was the base where he’d been ‘raised from darkness’ so perhaps the place where he’d regained consciousness after wandering blindly through Gotham’s streets? His memories before he’d been pushed into the pit were a confusing mess of images and sensations that made his head ache to try and parse through.

Mostly he remembered the feel of a sword in his hand and the ache in his arms as he was trained, the cool salty smell of the air, the slide of silk cloth against his skin, staring endlessly at the intricate rafters of a ceiling, the low rumble of Ra’s voice, a window where he sometimes kept watch-

Oh. Oh, he knew where he was supposed to go.

-

Stepping foot on Infinity Island was a bit like stepping into a dream that someone else had. Everything familiar and foreign at the same time, but Jason refused to let that sway him: if he was meeting with the Demon Head, there could be no trace of uncertainty in him.

It took longer than expected for Jason to be confronted by assassins. They came at him so quickly he didn’t even have a chance to show them the dagger, instead he focused on taking them down as quickly and thoroughly as possible.

The next set were rightfully more wary.

“Look, your boss invited me here, any chance we could skip this part?” Jason asked holding up the dagger.

There was a ripple of shock through the group and Jason was suddenly being sized up in a completely different manner.

They conferred quickly amongst themselves, and Jason caught the term ‘al sirr’ being thrown around multiple times. He wasn’t familiar with that one.

“We will take you to him,” the leader of the group finally told him with a slight bow.

Interesting.

Jason was led back through the maze of buildings and vegetation that he somewhat recognized.

“We are allowed no further,” the assassin said finally, gesturing for Jason to continue on his own, “Our Master is waiting for you.”

Jason inclined his head and continued on his own. These halls were much more familiar and so was the stillness that made the hair on his neck stand on end. He caught himself switching into the silent lope that Talia had taught him just to avoid the sound of his own footsteps.

God Ra’s was such a creepy fuck.

The door at the end of the hallway could be no one but Ra’s. It was too gaudy to be anyone else's. Jason didn’t bother knocking, just stepped inside.

“Well hello, Jason,” Ra’s greeted him from where he was reclined on an enormous bed, “You’re here sooner than I expected.”

Jason felt distinctly uncomfortable. He supposed Ra’s did say that he coming to his personal quarters so they wouldn’t be overheard. Still… he didn’t expect to come to his bedroom.

“You need a new head of security,” Jason said bluntly instead, “I got way too close to the base without being braced.”

“Indeed. Perhaps you could take over that role?” Ra’s mused.

“What?” Jason frowned.

“A passing fancy,” Ra’s waved his confusion away, “you and I are not at that point yet.”

Jason bit back telling him they’d never be ‘at that point’.

“So are you going to explain what this was about?” Jason asked holding up the dagger Ra’s had given him.

“Oh, just a gesture,” Ra’s said, which Jason didn’t believe for a second. Not with the way he assassin's had reacted. Not with whatever unnamable thing was in Ra’s eyes as they swept over him.

It’s a courting dagger , he could hear Dick telling him. Jason shook it off. There was no way.

“What do you remember about your time here?” Ra’s said rising from the bed and beckoning Jason over.

“Bits and pieces, why?” Jason said suspiciously.

Jason did not like the smile Ra’s gave him.

“Pity… I do wish my daughter had seen fit to leave you in my care. It was not her place to take you for her own,” there was a dark look on Ra’s face, but it was gone just as quickly, “Ah, but it did speed things up. You have become truly magnificent.”

A possessive hand traced over Jason’s side.

Creepy.

“Cut to the chase, Ra’s,” Jason snapped.

This look Ra’s was giving him was also familiar for reason’s Jason didn’t understand. All he knew was that it made him feel small and a bit like he was shutting down. Jason ignored that feeling and tilted his chin up defiantly.

Ra’s looked pleased by the reaction.

“Mmm, very well then,” Ra’s said, “I’ll be frank then, I want access to study your blood. You know what immortality means to me, and you also know how significant it is that you came back without the use of a pit.”

“What, you didn’t get your fill when you had me here?” Jason frowned.

Ra’s had a private smile for that.

“We thought your mind was lost at the time,” Ra’s said, “I had not interest in something that would leave me an empty doll.”

“And now you know it won’t. Great,” huffed Jason, “And what do I get out of this?”

“Free access to the League’s databank and, should you need it, a small elite force of assassins that will do your bidding,” Ra’s listed off.

This deal was a little too good to be true. It made Jason instantly suspicious.

“What’s the catch?” Jason demanded, “Don’t pretend you couldn’t just get samples of my blood easily without all of this.”

Ra’s eyes lingered on the dagger for a moment like he was enjoying a private joke at Jason’s expense.

“I could have, but that would have made it apparent that there might be something interesting in your blood and I am hardly the only one in the world after immortality. I don’t tolerate competitors,” Ra’s was back in Jason’s personal space again, “I’d like you to come personally if I require blood. It’s much nicer that way, is it not?”

Jason didn’t like this, but he did want access to that databases.

“I can call it off any time I want,” Jason finally said.

“Of course.” Ra’s inclined his head.

Jason still felt wary, but he couldn’t think of a reason to say no.

“Alright, deal,” he agreed.

One vial of blood probably wouldn’t do too much harm, and like he’d pointed out before, it’s not like Ra’s couldn’t get it on his own anyway. At least this way Jason got something out of it.

“Sit here,” Ra’s gestured to the bed while he prepared a syringe.

Jason sat cautiously and watching exactly what he was doing just incase he decided to dose him or something instead.

“Remove your jacket and armor,” Ra’s ordered. Jason tipped his head back to say something snarky when he caught sight of something over Ra’s shoulder.

“Is everything alright?” Ra’s asked, watching Jason’s face carefully, “Did you, by chance, remember something?”

“No,” Jason said firmly, carefully calming himself, “It’s nothing. And I’ll just roll up my sleeve, I don’t need to take anything off.”

“...Very well,” Ra’s agreed.

Jason focused all his attention of the blood drawing rather than dwell on the fact that he had so many memories of staring at Ra’s al Ghul’s bedroom ceiling.

-

Jason knocked over a lamp when he hurriedly climbed through Dick’s bedroom window.

“Jay?” Dick said in surprise, lowering his escrima sticks from where he had been crouched in a pair of sleep pants.

“I…” Jason shook his head, trying to shake away the skin crawling memory of Ra’s eyes looking him over, “You said I could stay here for a while?”

“Of course…” Dick frowned, looking him over more closely, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Jason said curtly, shrugging off his jacket and shoes, “Just tired.”

“Ok…” Dick eyed him warily, “Let me just pull some extra blankets out for the couch-”

“Can I stay here?” Jason interrupted, “with you?”

He didn’t know why he said it, and Dick looked even more alarmed by the request.

“Never mind-” Jason started to backtrack, hand scrubbing through his hair.

“No,” Dick said a little too quickly, “It’s fine, I was just… surprised.”

“Right,” Jason said looking at the ground as he settled on the edge of the bed.

“Did… something happen?” Dick asked.

Jason thought of the possessive hand skimming down his side as Ra’s told him he was a valuable asset. He was probably just imagining things though. Telling Dick would just make him even more paranoid than he already was.

“No,” Jason decided, “Nothing happened. I’m good.”

He didn’t care if Dick didn’t believe him.

#story requests #fic: a certain type #my writing #jaydick #hinted past jayra's #Anonymous

[hysterialevi]

Lotus pt. 9 (Batjokes)

Author’s note: I wrote this chapter on a different computer, so forgive me if there are any typos as I’m not entirely used to the keyboard just yet. Hope you guys enjoy this part, and as always, thanks so much for being an amazing audience. I really appreciate the support. :)

From Waller’s POV

GCPD, COMMISSIONER’S OFFICE

“Any updates on Wayne or your agents?” Gordon asked, taking a sip of coffee. The man was finally back in his usual uniform, and the commissioner’s badge shone ever so brightly on the fabric of his coat as the steam from his mug fogged his glasses.

“They found Avesta,” I replied grimly, “but she’s been severely injured -- blinded by Wayne, apparently. As for the man himself, two of my agents are bringing him back for interrogation as we speak. I believe they just arrived, in fact.”

“Good. That bastard needs to answer for what he’s done.” the Commissioner scoffed. “Heh, bet he doesn’t feel so clever now. That’s the problem with most of these freaks. They’re too arrogant -- makes it inevitable for them to screw up eventually. Batman told me that when Riddler first attacked the Virago. I guess he was right.”

The urge to reveal the truth nearly took control of me again, and I felt terrible keeping such a secret from Gordon, but I held back and carried on the conversation, furrowing my brow in thought. 

“Perhaps, but I can’t shake the feeling that this could all be a trap. Wayne practically invited us to capture him with that video, and Riddler’s water tower isn’t exactly a secret location anymore. Why would he make such a blatant move in broad daylight? Especially with the Agency and police on his tail? The only logical explanation is that he wanted us to bring him here. Either that, or he’s really just that stupid.”

Gordon tugged at his collar, not quite used to the nicotine patch yet. “Sadly, I doubt it. I’ve done research on Wayne in the past, and trust me -- the man’s much smarter than he looks.”

A third, strangely familiar voice joined in. “You don’t know the half of it.”

Curious to see who had walked in, I had to look twice when I found Agent Harrison standing next to Bruce’s old butler, Alfred, acting as if everything was perfectly normal. I gaped at him for a moment, thrown off-guard by the sudden appearance.

“...Alfred Pennyworth?” I said, glancing at Harrison for answers.

“He showed up at the water tower during our mission,” Harrison quickly replied. “Saved Blake’s life too, in fact. He’s the only reason we managed to capture Lazarus.”

I shook hands with the butler, beaming at him. “Then I owe you my thanks. Speaking of Blake, where is he?”

The agent gestured outside. “He’s taking Bruce to the interrogation room right now.”

“Great. Then I’ll head there immediately. Gordon, I’m gonna need your help with this one. I get the feeling Wayne isn’t going to give in so easily, and I’d like to have company in case the man snaps.”

Alfred stopped me. “Err -- actually, if you don’t mind, Director, I’d like to have a word with you first. Alone.”

I halted in my tracks, eager to hear what the butler had to say. “...Very well. I can spare a few minutes. Gordon, Harrison -- give us a moment, would you?”

“Of course, ma’am.” Harrison said, promptly heading out the exit as Gordon grabbed his mug and followed him. Before shutting the door, the Commissioner turned around to say one last thing.

“I’ll meet you at the interrogation room, Waller. Just lemme know when you’re ready.”

I gave him a firm nod. “Will do.”

Taking his leave, Gordon disappeared from sight while Alfred set his hunting rifle down -- as one does -- and looked at me, clearly heartbroken over what was happening. I decided to broach the subject in a more delicate manner, softening my tone.

“Forgive me for being blunt, Mr. Pennyworth, but if I recall correctly -- didn’t you leave Gotham?”

Alfred placed his hands behind his back, straightening his posture. “I did, yes.”

“What brought you back?”

The butler took a second to answer. “Well, Bruce, mainly. But also Tiffany.”

I was a bit surprised at the response. “Tiffany? You mean Agent Fox?”

“Yes, she contacted me whilst I was away, you see. Kept me updated on everything that was occurring in Gotham, including Bruce’s battle with Lotus. She informed me of every single step: Bruce’s infection, his death...” Alfred’s voice faltered slightly on that word, “and now, his resurrection. At first, I intended to stay far away from this city, but after hearing about all the heinous things Bruce has done...”

He took a calming breath, subtly clenching his fist. “...I just couldn’t ignore it. As much as it pains me to be back, Bruce is my son, Director. And I’m not a coward -- at least, I don’t want to be. Not anymore. It’s my job, as a father and a friend, to stop Bruce’s reign of terror. If you’ll allow me to help, I would gladly lend a hand.”

“I appreciate the assistance,” I told him, “but you don’t have to do this. I imagine it’s hard enough to watch Bruce lose his mind. I won’t force you to fight your own family as well.”

Alfred persisted. “No one’s forcing anybody. Consider accepting my help as repayment for saving your agent’s life.”

“About that,” I pointed out, “how did you find my agents?”

He walked me through the process like it was nothing. “To be frank, I was actually searching for Bruce originally. I pinpointed his location at the water tower using the Batcomputer, and once I heard that one of your agents had gone missing -- I put two and two together. Something was clearly wrong, so I jumped in to help.”

I chuckled. “I can certainly see where Bruce gets his skills from. I kind of wish he had less. Well...all right. If you’re sure about it, both the Agency and the GCPD would happily welcome your aid.”

“I am.”

I flashed a smile. “Then it’s settled. If we ever have a problem we need solving that requires your expertise, you’ll be the first one to know.”

Alfred returned the smile. “Thank you, Director. The last thing I want for Bruce is to be locked away in a padded cell, but I can’t bear to watch anymore people get hurt, or see Bruce betray his code.”

“...You heard what he said at the address?” I asked.

“About killing Batman? I did.” Alfred’s head drooped in sorrow, staring at the floor. “...I won’t lie, Director. This war against ‘Lazarus’ is going to be a punishing one, indeed. Much like yourself, Bruce is a powerful ally, and an even more dangerous enemy. If we want to avoid anymore death, we’ll have to finish this as quickly as possible.”

Wandering over to the door, I opened it and gestured for Alfred to follow, taking him to Bruce. “Then let’s head down and speak to Lazarus himself. I imagine he has a thing or two to say.”

From Bruce’s POV

Fluttering my eyes open, I found myself sitting in what appeared to be an Agency vehicle, and I could feel handcuffs scraping at my wrists. The car was currently stopped in front of GCPD, and leading up all the way to the front door, I saw police officers patrolling the area around it, ready to detain me in case I tried to bolt. Little did they know, the only reason they managed to capture me in the first place...was because I let them.

Disturbing the silence, an agent suddenly yanked the car’s door open and ordered me to get out, their tone rough with rage. It was Agent Blake. I smirked at him, calmly stepping out of the vehicle.

“Such a gentleman.”

Blake’s expression flattened with annoyance as he firmly held onto my arm, guiding me to the police station. 

“And here I was hoping you’d invoke your right to silence.”

“No,” I said dramatically, “...I’ve been silent for far too long.”

Shoving me up the short staircase that led into the precinct, Blake dragged me through the double-doors and practically hurled me inside, grabbing the attention of all the other police officers as I was taken to the interrogation room.

All throughout the corridor, cops and agents alike both glared at me with despair in their eyes, almost as if asking me “why.” Some of them even refused to look at me, and as I was paraded through the halls, I could feel their intense gazes nailing onto my back. I glanced at Blake, whispering something in his ear.

“Well done, Blake. You’ve captured the most wanted man in Gotham on the very same day he earned that title. You must be proud.”

He grimaced. “This has nothing to do with pride, Lazarus. I’m just making sure you get the justice you deserve.”

I chuckled at that, afterwards letting out a disappointed sigh. 

“Oh...you remind me of myself, not too long ago. A little boy who was naive enough to believe the world would reward him for his good deeds. Instead though, all he got in return was betrayal.”

Blake said nothing in return, and so I continued. 

“It’s remarkable, how fast people can change, isn’t it...? Just yesterday, your beautiful Avesta was able to see all the light in the world, no matter how much the shadows threatened to consume it. Now though...she sees nothing but shadows. And her last memory of the world will forever be me, holding a knife up to her face as she begs for mercy. Tell me, how does that make you feel, Blake?”

“Just shut up!” He demanded in a hushed tone. “You’re lucky the Director wanted you alive. Otherwise, you'd be in a body bag by now.”

I gave him a warning look, refraining myself from smiling. “Careful, Blake. That fire inside you...it’s the same one I carry. Fan it too much, and you might hurt yourself.”

He shook his head. “You and I are nothing alike.”

“No?” I questioned. “Whether a flame is red or blue, it still burns, doesn’t it? I keep telling you people, that’s the universe playing with us. It manipulates you into thinking that just because you act with the law, it means everything you do is for the greater good. Why don’t you keep that in mind, the next time you kill a man who fights for the same reason. You’d be surprised how much different types of people have in common.”

INTERROGATION ROOM

Waiting in the dimly lit room, I remained handcuffed in a metal chair as distant footsteps approached from down the hall, heading in my direction. This was the same room where Montoya was interrogated after killing Falcone a year ago, and I couldn’t deny that my heart ached slightly at the thought of Harvey.

Mayor Dent was just another prime example of me giving everything to this city, and then having it thrown back in my face as a reward. I supported his campaign to reshape Gotham for the better, fought against corrupt pigs like Hill, and even helped him with his personal life, only to watch my friend lose his mind and end up in Arkham Asylum. 

I guessed the same thing was happening to me now. Except this time, I wouldn’t rot away in some dark cell. Either Gotham would burn to the ground by my hand, or I would burn with it.

Slamming the doors open, Waller suddenly marched into the room alongside Gordon while some other agents gathered behind a window on the wall, observing the interrogation. Among them, I spotted Agents Blake, Harrison, and--

...No, I thought to myself. It was impossible. Was that...was that Alfred? What was that traitor doing here? When did he even return? 

Wait a minute. During my fight with Blake, I remembered someone shooting me...but the bullet didn’t come from an Agency pistol, did it? No, it must’ve been from a rifle. 

A pang of realization hit me. 

Alfred was the one who shot me, wasn’t he? Not only did that bastard abandon me, he had come back to finish the job. Well, the old man certainly had guts -- I’d give him that -- but he was going to regret ever setting foot in Gotham again. I remembered every crime committed against me, and I certainly hadn’t forgotten his. Batman may have been dead, but that didn’t mean justice was.

Pretending not to see Alfred for the moment, I focused my attention on Waller and Gordon, giving them a lazy grin as I relaxed in the chair.

“So, a couple hundred deaths is all it took to get you two working together, huh? About damn time. What’s the mustache doing here?”

“He’s been reinstated,” Waller said sternly, crossing her arms. “In other words, We’re no longer fighting by ourselves.”

I smirked. “Good to know. I like a bit of variety when it comes to my targets. You get bored of going after the same kinds of people. That’s why Batman will always be my most memorable kill.”

The color in Gordon’s face drained a little at that, and I could’ve sworn I saw him gulp.

“I know it’s difficult to process,” I said somberly. “Batman was actually a close friend of mine too, you know? I used to look up to the vigilante, in fact. Did everything I could to become like him, growing up. But it was never enough. The crime in Gotham was relentless, and Batman looked at it all wrong.”

“What are you talking about?” Gordon barked, sounding defensive.

A more vengeful mood took hold of me, and I glared at the Commissioner.

“Look around you, Gordon. There are no such things as heroes or villains in this city. There is no good or evil. Gotham...is the evil, and I’m doing the rest of the world a favor by wiping it off the goddamn map!”

“Enough!” Waller pounded her fist on the table, causing Gordon to back off a bit. “You mentioned you had bombs hidden all over the city earlier. Where are they? Where are you keeping them?”

A light chuckle escaped me. “Oh, but that defeats the whole point of the search, Director. You can’t just expect the world to hand you things for free. Hell, it hardly hands you anything even when you pay.”

Gordon scoffed. “As if a billionaire like you would know what it means to pay.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Oh, I wasn’t talking about money, Commissioner, but nice to see you’re still involved in the interrogation. For a moment there, I thought you were actually letting Waller take the wheel. Now wouldn’t that be a twist? But I suppose that wouldn’t be the only twist today, would it?”

Springing up from my chair, the sudden movement made Waller and Gordon jump as I lurked towards the window, staring straight through the glass and directly at Alfred with a deathly gaze.

“Isn’t that right...Alfred?” I snarled, almost sounding feral. “What, have you finally come back to fix your mistake?”

The butler gave me a melancholic look. “You are anything but a mistake, Bruce. You are my son.”

Taking a step backwards, I laughed at the statement.

“Your son? Pfft. I wasn’t aware that a father was supposed to abandon his child, but...you’re right, Al. You’re right. None of this is a mistake. All of this is meant to be...”

Stealthily slipping a Phalanx Key out of my back pocket, I positioned my finger over the button and spun around to face Waller, amused at her bewildered expression.

“I gave you the chance to leave Gotham without any bloodshed, Director, but you refused to take it. Now...you’ll pay the price. By tomorrow, this entire city will be under my control...and guess what? There’s shit you can do to stop it.”

Activating the key, an alarm instantly began to wail throughout the station as red lights flashed on the walls, alerting the officers of a security breach. Blake cursed from behind the window, obviously noticing what I had just done.

“Oh, shit!” 

Waller’s eyes practically bulged out their sockets.

“What is it?!” She yelled. “What just happened?”

“This was a trap!” Blake exclaimed. “He just unlocked Bane’s cell! He’s broken free!”

Listening closely through the door’s thick material, I could already hear Bane’s signature roar rumbling not too far away from me as the beast made a beeline for the interrogation room, ripping apart everything in his path. Panicked shrieks and agonized gurgles filled the corridors, and the havoc made my heart race with excitement.

“You know Bane’s favorite saying, Director,” I recited as the colossal man approached. “A man cannot win a war alone.”

Smashing the room’s doors down as if they were paper, Bane barged through the wall and sent debris flying everywhere, shattering the observation window with a sharp crack.

Gordon and Waller tried to put the monstrosity down on their own, but before they could even fire a shot, Bane had already flung them to the side like rag-dolls, hurling them against the walls just as he did to Batman.

“Perfect timing, Bane.” I praised him, remaining seated. He stomped over and tore my handcuffs apart with a single tug, setting me free. 

Stretching my arms and neck for a second, I reached down and snatched Gordon’s gun from his belt before sauntering towards the room’s exit with Bane, the two of us prowling outside to raise some hell as the alarms continued to blare.

“Let’s get to work.”

From John’s POV

GCPD

“What’s that noise?” Willy asked me, peering through the car’s windshield. I shushed him, observing the police station.

“It’s an alarm, you idiot! It means something’s gone wrong. ...Wait, you don’t think it could be because of Bruce, do you? What if he already escaped on his own? I wouldn’t be surprised. That guy’s always two steps ahead.”

“Uhh, I think he did, boss,” Frank suggested, pointing at a peculiar man who was hijacking a car. “Either that, or that guy looks identical to Bruce.”

Following Frank’s line of sight, I squinted my eyes and examined the escapee’s face, instantly recognizing his marred skin and sleek, black hair. It looked like Bane was in his company, and the two of them were working together, but he didn’t join Bruce in the car. Instead, Bane fled in his own direction -- probably to divert the cops -- and his partner started the vehicle.

“IT’S HIM!” I shouted ecstatically, taking hold of the steering wheel and gearshift. “Hold on, fellas! This is about to be one heck of a ride! AHAHA!”

Flooring my foot on the gas, I sent the car soaring as Bruce took off like a bat out of hell, leaving skid marks behind him while a number of policemen attempted to keep up with his speed. There was no way I’d be able to catch Bruce for myself at this rate, and the cops were only going to be a hinderance for both of us.

Reaching behind me, I grabbed my machine gun and shoved it into Willy’s hands, pointing at the police cars.

“Goddamn cops...shoot them, Willy! Get ‘em off of Bruce’s tail! I’ll focus on catching up to him!”

Nearly levitating off the road, I avidly chased after Bruce like a homing missile and gradually gained on him, trying my best to corner him somehow as Willy fired at the cops. To help out a bit, I occasionally rammed the side of the vehicle against theirs, causing them to swerve into streetlights and buildings as civilians threw themselves out of the way.

“This better be worth it!” I groaned. “That was a beautiful paint job!”

Speeding up a little, I sent the car blazing over the street’s surface and mentally targeted Bruce with crosshairs, sliding opening the sun roof in advance.

“Whoa--” Frank blurted out, “--what’re you doin’, boss?!”

“Doing your job for you,” I retorted, taking out my grapple gun. “But don’t worry about me, kids. I learned from the best!”

Continuing to race after Bruce, I kept him in my sights while Willy finished off the last of the police, clearing the road for me. There were explosions blowing up left and right around us, and it looked like something you’d see in a movie. Despite all the damage we were dealing to my car though, I couldn’t help but be exhilarated by the pandemonium. It was the perfect type of mayhem, and the commotion only motivated me further.

“...Almost there...” I mumbled through bared teeth. With the cops gone, it was just me and Bruce now, zooming through Gotham’s streets like a pair of madmen as the distance closed between us. Though, I guessed that’s exactly what we were. 

“...Almost gotcha...”

Driving as fast as I could, the outside view flashed into a blur while I bolted by, closing in on Bruce. Our bumpers were nearly touching at this point, and up ahead, I saw a secluded alleyway coming into view. This was the perfect spot to confront him. I aimed the grapple gun upwards.

“...NOW!”

Slamming down on the brakes, I came to a screeching halt and ejected myself through the top like Batman, landing right onto the top of Bruce’s car. 

For a moment, the man swerved in confusion and poked his head out the window before noticing me, causing him to try and shake me off. I managed to latch on even with all the erratic movement for quite a while, and when Bruce realized I wasn’t going away, he drifted into a complete stop, slingshotting me forwards.

Crashing to the ground like an injured pigeon, I fell with a clumsy “oof!” and squashed face-down into the pavement directly next to a dumpster, letting out a pained groan.

“...Eeuugghh...” I moaned, struggling to get up, “...who the hell taught you to drive...?”

After taking a second to catch my breath, I weakly rolled over and found an extremely pissed-off Bruce towering above me, his sharp eyes almost sizzling with anger.

“Hey,” I said defensively, “I tried my best, okay?”

The other man wasted no time in hauling me into the air by the neck, gripping furiously tight.

“Why are you following me?” He questioned austerely. 

“What d’you mean? Why wouldn’t I? You’re my best enemy, Bruce, and I’m the villain of your dreams! We were meant to be! You can’t keep arch-enemies like us apart...! It just...wouldn’t make any sense. After all, the caped vigilante needs someone to fight, even if you’ve declared him dead.”

“I didn’t declare Batman dead,” he corrected. “People like you murdered him!”

He rammed me into the ground, pinning me down with his own weight. “You infected me! You put this...poison inside me! Everything I’ve ever fought for, everyone I’ve ever loved -- it’s all lost because of you!”

I held up my hands protectively. 

“In my defense, I never meant for this to happen, Bruce. It’s just -- you hurt me real bad on the bridge with your betrayal, y’know. I only wanted you to feel my pain. I wanted to...to be loved by you. Harley putting a ding in your gas mask was never part of the plan! The last thing I wanted was to infect my best buddy, and I...I was heartbroken when they said you died, Bruce. Really.”

Bruce released his grip on my neck, throwing my head down. “I don’t care what you meant. I would’ve given you everything, John. Anything you wanted -- I would’ve done whatever it took to make you happy. But instead, you took my love and twisted it into something ugly and wrong...!”

I blinked away some tears, desperately looking up at him.

“...Ugly? Wrong? B-But I thought -- I thought I was your light outside of Arkham.”

Bruce froze at that statement, and for the first time in forever, a spark of warmth ignited within his dead stare. He stumbled over his words, completely thrown off-guard.

“...w-what? How do you...how do you know about...”

I gave him a genuine smile, my heart floating with contentment. “The music box, Bruce. I saw it. Read the inscription, listened to the melody...the whole shebang. I keep it in a very special place in my office now -- right next to your doll -- and I play the music all day long. It truly is...beautiful. It calms me down when things get too stressful, and it also gives me company when...when I get lonely.”

Bruce seemed puzzled. “...Lonely? Don’t you have Harley?”

My lips sank into a frown. “Well...yeah, but she doesn’t care about me the same way you do. She only cares if there’s something in it for her. You though...you stood up to the Director of the Agency herself when she tried to shoot me. No one’s ever stuck their neck out like that for me before. No one. It’s why I can’t let you go. It’s why...I love you, Bruce.”

He appeared entirely paralyzed at the confession and remained motionless, unsure of how to react. There was distress written all over his face, and for just a split-second, I saw the old Bruce come out as he gazed at me longingly, acting as if he were about to say he loved me in return. 

Did he still feel the same way about me as he did before Lotus came along? I mean, if the Riddler could remember his past after all those years, surely there had to be something of the old Bruce left in there, right? It had only been what, a few days? It would be impossible for a bond as strong as ours to just...vanish that quickly. I mindlessly held my breath, anxiously waiting for a response.

Before Bruce could utter a word however, police sirens cried in the distance and interrupted our talk, leading Bruce to shift back into Lazarus as he took one last look at me, preparing to flee.

“...Don’t follow me again,” he demanded, “or I will kill you the next time we meet.”

Bolting out of sight, Lazarus disappeared in the dark alleyways as I stayed on the pavement, trying to wrap my head around what just happened.

What was that? Was Bruce about to say he loved me too? For a while there, it actually looked like he had gone back to his old self, and I could almost see the same, compassionate Bruce I met at Lucius’ funeral...up until the police showed up. 

I just wished we could’ve had more time to talk. These days, it felt like Bruce was always running away from me, and I couldn’t deny that I was annoyed by it.

He couldn’t just get a music box like that, and then pretend not to love me! The man had been dropping hints ever since we met that he wanted to take our relationship further, for god’s sake. Why was he avoiding me like the plague now? As much as I enjoyed Bruce’s complex nature, this isn’t how I wanted things to play out.

I guessed the best way to find Bruce now was to go after Bane. I didn’t know what the two of them had in common, and frankly, it was kind of insulting that they had a more stable friendship than we did. But if tracking down that beast meant getting to be around the love of my life, I was ready to do anything.

Death itself couldn’t keep Bruce away from me, and Waller certainly wasn’t going to succeed. That woman had screwed this city over for long enough. If anyone was going to take her down, it was going to be me.

Hurriedly pulling up to my side, Willy stepped out of the scraped car and called for me to get back in, his voice pumped with adrenaline.

“Boss! The cops are coming. We need to go!”

Slowly rising from the rough ground, I patted myself clean and sulked towards the vehicle, hanging my head low out of heartbreak. 

“Is everything okay, Mr. Johnny?” Willy checked. “Where’s Bruce?”

I glanced back at the police car Bruce used to escape and clenched my jaw, my nose crinkling in anger as my face heated up.

“That’s exactly what I’m about to find out...whether he likes it or not. He’s doing everything he can to break the stitch, but I’m not letting him go. Not after all we’ve been through. Not without a fight.”

#telltale games #telltale batman #the enemy within #bruce wayne #john doe #joker #batjokes #fanfic #story #lotus