Ticci Toby & The Riddler

(A Batman/Ticci Toby Fanfiction- One-Shot)

While on the run from Batman I head into the woods to see if I can lose him in the forest. I had to be very quick and take sharp turns while trying to avoid tripping on any obstacles such as large branches and rocks. I turn back to see if I lost him only to bump into someone. I bump into the stranger hard that only I was the one who fallen onto the ground. I look up at the stranger who was jerking and having abrupt movements. He wears a half mask over his mouth, orange goggles, wears a brown and blue hoody with the sleeves only striped, blue jeans, black and white converse, black gloves, and he carries two hatchets in his hands.

I thought he was going to kill me at first until I saw the large wound that's bleeding out quite fast from the left side of his stomach. "H-Help... Me" said the stranger as he drops his hatchets and plop down on his knees first then fallen on his side. He's out cold on the ground. I turn to look behind me to see if Batman is still following. I hear him but he's far in the distance.

I look around to see a huge log that has a hollow opening inside large enough for both of us to hide. I quickly pick up his hatchets and scoop him up in my arms. I brought us over to the log, put him in first then climb in afterward. I controlled my breathing to stay quiet as possible. When I heard Batman coming I was surprised he ran past us.

I waited until I couldn't hear his footsteps which weren't long. I then dug into my utility belt to bring out a small pocket sized aid kit that contains stitches and a needle. I took a look at the man's stomach by lifting up his hoody shirt. It was a large stab wound but I have enough stitches to aid it. I got to work on it and made sure it was completely sealed up.

I pulled his shirt down and put the pocket aid kit back into my utility belt. I then leaned back in the wall of the log to relax and wait for a while until I was sure Batman was gone. I've waited 3 hours until the Dark Knight decided to give up. When I was sure he wasn't in the forest anymore, I scoop the stranger back into my arms while attaching the hatchets to my belt. Stood up and started walking out of the forest.

I didn't realize how far I ran into these woods. It took about a good hour to get out of it, and another 2 hours to get back to my hideout safely without being caught. The moment I entered my hideout I set the stranger onto the couch first. I'm going to have to clean that wound of his. If I don't it's going to get infected. Not to mention his whole body is dirty and so are his clothes.

The guy is out cold so there's no telling when he's going to wake up. I just hope he hasn't taken too much damage that he'll be out for a long time. I went to the bathroom to run the water until it was warm. I then walk back to the living room to get him, but he was already awake sitting up on the couch while cracking his neck and jerk again. I wonder what's the matter with him? It seems he can't control his own body. I said, "Riddle me this. What belongs to you, but others use it more than you do?"

"S-Sorry?" He said.

"It's a Riddle. Do you know the answer?"

He was quiet for a moment as he said, "I'm n-not all that good with... w-with riddles"

Oh great, don't tell me I've saved someone who's unintelligent? "I-Is it, y-y-your name?" Hold the phone maybe this boy has a brain under that hood of his. Good or else I've wasted those stitches for nothing. I smiled as I said, "Correct. So what's your name young man?"

"... Ticci Toby."

"Well, Ticci Toby, What happen to you in the woods?"

"The... The m-man, w-with no face. I- I disobeyed."

"Man with no face? You're not talking about The Question vigilante are you?"

"Sage? N-no Sage is a Revenant."

"Sage? Why do you call him Sage?"

"AAAHHHHH!" He suddenly screamed as he clutches his head like if he was in pain. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Out of nowhere he passed out again.

What's up with this kid? Does he know who The Question is, or confusing him with someone else? What did he mean that Sage is a Revenant? Isn't that a person who returned from the dead?

...

I've cleaned up the wound as much as I could. When I took off the mask and goggles from his face. I had to admit it was quite a sight. He's got a really bad scar burn around the left side of his mouth. He's got a couple of cuts here and there all over his body and face. There are also bite marks all over his fingers.

I put a blanket over him while I wash his clothes. While I waited for them to dry I took a shower myself and dress in a casual attire. A dark green shirt, black jeans, and green and black sneakers. Once the clothes were completely dry I put everything back on him except the goggles, mask, and gloves. I sat down in a chair close to him.

It took about 30 minutes later for him to wake up again. When he did though he realized he wasn't wearing his mask or goggles. He quickly covered his face as he said, "Wh-Where's my mask?!"

"Relax they're on the coffee table," I said.

"GIVE THEM TO ME!"

"Alright, calm down. I'll give them back to you."

Since the coffee table was just right next to me I pick them up and handed it to him. He sat up as he quickly put them back on. "Y-you shouldn't have f-f-fucking done that."

"I'm sorry, I'll keep that in mind next time."

"Wh-who are you?"

"Really? You don't know who I am?"

"N-No."

You have got to be kidding me. "Riddle Me This? Have you ever heard of my catchphrase? Do you even recognized my outfit I was wearing earlier?" He shook his head, "Unbelievable. Well, that's at first. I'm the Riddler."

"What kind of name is R-Riddler?"

"What kind of name is Ticci Toby?"

"F-fair enough."

This kid sure stutters a lot. Then again I think I sort of see why. I said, "So the man with no face. Why did he stab you?"

"I-I rebelled. I wanted o-out. But no one ge-get's out. He-He keeps us in the d-d-dark. Forever feeding upon our souls and mem-memories." He clutches his head again with both hands, "Th-th-they're slowly c-coming back. I just need t-to stay away from him un-until I'm f-f-finally free."

"So you lost your memories because of him? Who is he, Toby?"

"Do-don't m-m-make me s-say his n-name."

"Okay, I won't." I backed off from pressing him further. If I did it looks like he will go berserk.

He looked at me as he asked, "Y-you were running. Wh-why?"

"I'm a criminal," I said, "One of the big time villains of Gotham and Batman's greatest intelligent foe. I was running because I had to shake the Batman off my tail."

"...I... I kill people like you."

... Well, this conversation has escalated quickly. Now I have to ask, "A nightmare for some, for others a savior I come, my hands cold and bleak, it's the warm hearts they seek. What am I?"

His eyes widen as if he figured out what the answer was. His eyes darted to the hatchets and I immediately knew what he was thinking. We both tried to make a grab for the hatchets and we ended up getting one. I grab his hoody shirt and use my right leg to sweep the back of his legs. Once we were both on the ground we had the hatchets against each other's throats.

"You're not going to beat me, kid," I said, "I still have yet to beat the Dark Knight, and I'm not going to let you take that chance away from me!"

"... You're different." He suddenly said, "You've got something buried deep inside of your heart."

What happened to this kid's stuttering?

"What are you on about?" I said.

"Your heart is not consumed by the abyss like mine. At least not completely. How did you become the Riddler?"

"... If I tell you will you not kill me?"

"Yes."

"Alright, take the hatchet away from me first."

He took it away from my neck and I did the same as I help him up. We were back to sitting in the same places we were before. I then said, "I became the Riddler because I wanted to prove everyone wrong. I wanted to make everyone pay for calling me names, hurting me physically and mentally, and for pushing away my help when they needed it most. The people who have hurt me the most were always unintelligent. They think pushing anyone around who they see as a weak person would give them a sense of authority and power. They thought wrong and I proved it by challenging their limits until they can't take it anymore. I became the Riddler to eradicate the people who are nothing but a waste of skin."

"They're more to that than what you're letting on," He said, "You're a killer, but that's not all is it?"

"Of course not. Crime is an art, and to challenge these people it takes equipment and funding. I'm a professional thief as well, and I leave clues behind for the Batman to figure out when and where I will strike next."

"Isn't that just asking to be caught?"

"Heh, what a pedestrian way of thinking. Like I said crime is an art. If I'm going to commit a crime I want the credit. To have everyone fear and know what I am capable of. For I want to be Gotham's nightmare."

"... Who was the first person who hurt you?"

"Tch, that would be my father. He was the one who made my younger years a living hell. Always calling me stupid every chance he gets. When he get's drunk that's when he beats me for hours or until he gets's tired and passes out. Mother wasn't even much in my life. She barely was even there. When she does see my father beating me up she'll act like she sees nothing. I hated them both so much."

"What did you do to them?"

"What did I do?"

"Did you kill them?"

"No, I just left after high school."

"... I remember now... My father was like that too. Until I had enough and stabbed him many times with a knife. A fire broke out in the house while I was trying to escape... That's when the faceless man found me and orders me to kill specific people."

"So you're an assassin?"

"Not exactly I don't get paid or anything. There are others like me and we call ourselves proxies. What's funny is that we all have a problem. I grew up with many different mental disorders along with a disease that attacked my nervous system, making me numb to pain. I also have Tourette syndrome. Which is why you see me jerk and other abrupt movements." He suddenly cracked his neck again. No wonder why he's been jerking uncontrollably. That's explains everything.

I asked him, "What about the cuts and bite marks on your body?"

"The cuts are the battle scars I've gained over the years," He answered, "As for the bite marks on my fingers, I developed a taste for human flesh when I was in a... a car accident... Lyra." All of a sudden he started crying, "My sister... Oh God..."

"Did she die in the accident?"

"Lyra... Lyra..."

On the last crack of his neck all of a sudden the lights flickered and there was a strange static noise going on. Behind Toby appeared a tall and thin man in a black suit and was faceless with black tentacles coming out of his back. I quickly got up throw the Hatchet at him but he quickly caught it with just his hand. Toby stood up from the couch to face him. Toby shouted, "STAY AWAY FROM ME! I DON'T WANT TO BE THIS MONSTER ANYMORE! I WANT OUT!"

When the tentacles reach out for him, Toby tried cutting them to pieces with one hatchet. He cut off two but the third tentacle wraps itself around his wrist and raised him up into the air. The tentacles he lost grew back and were wrapping themselves around Toby. I quickly pick up my question mark cane and unsheathed it and was about to attack the faceless man until Toby said, "Riddler don't! You're no match for him... No one is."

"... No match for me?" I said feeling my ego insulted, "It's him who's no match for me, Toby! No one enters my domain uninvited and not expect to be challenged! I am the Riddler the man who will riddle everyone with fear!"

He stared at me for a moment and laugh but it wasn't loud or insulting. It was more like a relief laugh as he said, "If only I had your bravery, Riddler... Maybe I wouldn't have ended up like this. It's been great to meet you. I hope my memory of you doesn't fade away along with the others. Goodbye, Riddler."

"What?! WAIT A MINUTE!"

Before I cold go after him the lights turned off completely for a moment. When it came back on the faceless man and Ticci Toby are gone. No traces of them were left behind. "Toby," I said as I grip the handle of my sword tightly. Dammit, how dare he underestimated me that I'm not matched to this dark entity! I'll show him! I'll prove him wrong! Until we meet again Toby I will prove to you that no one is a match for me!

I remember when Toby told me about his father. It got me thinking... I believe a road trip is in order.

... (Far West of Gotham)

I walk upstairs to the 3rd floor of the apartment building. I stop at door 302 and knock it. Once the door was opened my father was speechless and shock to see my face. I smiled as I said, "Hello father," I hit his face with the back of my green and silver hatchet, causing him a broken bloody nose.

When he fell to the ground on his back. I entered the apartment and lock the door behind me. "You son of a-," said my father but I stomp onto his chest knocking the wind out of him.

"No, you don't get to say anything, father," I said as I unattached the other hatchet from my belt. These were well hidden underneath my black overcoat. Not to mention that they feel right in my hands. I spin and flip them around in my hands as I said, "You know when I ran away. I never thought once coming back. I never wanted to see your ugly face again. Until I've met a kid who told me about his father. Both of you were exactly the same, drunk and abusive. But there was a difference in our choices. I chose to run away from you, but he chose to kill his father. So I thought to myself, why didn't I choose to kill you? Well, that's when I've decided I don't want to run away anymore. Now here I am. 31 years old and your son is a big time villain name the Riddler. Oh, how I remember you hated my riddles. How you always called me stupid when you knew I wasn't. Beating me senseless to vent out your anger. Well, now it's my turn, dad. Riddle me this, It flows in life and pools in death. It stirs with movement, and stills in breath. Loving red with gentle heaves, it's the last thing that leaves. Do you know the answer?"

My father was silent while he just glares at me. I said with an annoyed sigh, "Oh well not like I expected you to know. Even though the answer is literally flowing out of your broken nose." When he realized what the riddle meant his anger quickly turned into fear, "Goodbye father."

I quickly cut his throat with the hatchet in my left hand. I then use both hatchets to tear into his flesh chopping him up into pieces. I savor each moment of this. Feeling a sense of bliss and relief as I rip him to shreds. Is this what Toby felt when he killed his father? I should have done this ages ago!

Even though my father is already dead I kept on going. I bash his face in until it was hard to even identify him once the GCPD does an autopsy. Once I was finally satisfied I stopped tearing into what's left of my father. I backed away a little to get a better look at my work. I smile at my results and they were beautiful.

I've made quite a mess of myself, though. There are blood stains all over my good black suit. I even got blood splatters all over my face and somehow it got into my hair as well. Oh well, no matter. I've paid the landlord of this place very well to keep this hush. I can walk out without being worried about getting caught. Besides, I have a car outside waiting for me.

I attached the hatchets back onto my belt and went into the kitchen real quick to wash off the blood on my face and hands. Once I was finished and turned off the faucet I heard a familiar static noise in the room. I turned around and my vision completely went black.