Hey guys
Don't own anything from Gotham, Batman verse or just anything related to DC in general
The cave beneath Wayne Manor
Bruce groans with opening his eyes and getting to his feet to look around wondering what he is doing in this cave then looks over to see Jerome and Jeremiah both frozen in place.
Near them is a person who is completely bald, dressed in a suit and tie with his skin color being grey, and their face is kind of burly. Glancing back at Jerome and Jeremiah who despite his earlier exposer to a specialized form of laughing gas which drove him insane Jeremiah seems to be back to his normal self.
Looking around "What is going on here?" the suited person asked.
"I'm not sure" Bruce said uncertain "Who are you?"
"That would be the showrunner which is me just combining of the various people who run Gotham from behind the scenes. And because I wanted to address pretty much all of them" a disembodied voice explains.
"Right the show, I'm just fictional but alive at the same time" Bruce replied suddenly having knowledge about that when never did before "Who are you?"
"Let's just say I'm an author, you can call me Phillipe363" the voice said, "And yes I gave you certain fourth wall knowledge for the time being."
"When can we leave?" the showrunner asked.
"You can leave when I say you can" Phillipe363 said.
"Why are the Valeska brothers held like that and unable to move?" Bruce asked.
"I've frozen them for the time being and since I don't need either of them talking at the moment" Phillipe363 said.
"Why are we here?" the showrunner asked.
"You are here since it's time you answer for some stuff and fix your mistakes. Now I understand I have zero power over the actual show which airs on TV or online. But I do have power over the alternate realities I write in, so you will fix your mistakes that way" Phillipe363 said.
"We are in one of those now" Bruce said in realization.
"What mistakes? The people love us" the showrunner replied.
"Um, where would you like me to start? Now mind you no story, not even mine are perfect and I never expect anything to be perfect. Your show is not as bad as the ones from the Arrowverse, I think for the time being. However, don't fool yourself into thinking you have made no mistakes" Phillipe363 said.
"What mistakes?" the showrunner asked.
"Ok, I could go into keeping Fish and Barbara Kean around longer than even needed or the constant changes of actresses with Ivy. However, I have bigger fish to fry" Phillipe363 said.
"Involving me how?" Bruce asked.
"Let's see and fair warning I have a habit of going on rants. Now you started off the season great as a vigilante learning things there and developing your dual persona thing. Only where it went off the rails is after you killed Ras al Ghul to and began your descent episodes" Phillipe363 said.
"How was that bad? People enjoyed that arc" the showrunner said.
"Ok fine it was only around four episodes or so, but in that time, you made Bruce into a jerk who kicked Alfred out and I lost a great deal of sympathy when he was acting like a total dirtbag. Really not all that enjoyable, and I want you to tell me some exact quotes from you guys involving Bruce as a vigilante and Jim Gordon's role in that" Phillipe363 said.
"Bruce Wayne is gonna go out there and start operating as a vigilante wearing a mask and everything, and we'll see him learning the skills that will one day be used as Batman. And then moving forward after that, Jim Gordon will realize that this vigilante's operating out there in Gotham somewhere and he goes, 'I'm going to hunt that guy down.' We have Jim Gordon and a masked Bruce Wayne going head to head" the showrunner said.
"Good. Now, what did David Mazouz who plays Bruce say about after the events involving Ras al Ghul?" Phillipe363 said.
"Right now, he's having fun dressing up. He's doing it because it makes him feel alive because he loves it. When he comes back, he's doing it because he needs to and because Gotham needs him to. It's a much more serious version of the character. It's much closer to the Batman version of the vigilante character" the showrunner said.
"Now that would imply Bruce would be operating as a vigilante for wearing a mask and actively running around as a vigilante, correct? Then answer me this Bruce, have you done any of that since those events?" Phillipe363 asked.
"I have not. I was a masked vigilante for only less than seven episodes in the first half of this year and wore a mask when taking down Ivy's goons once. Other than that, when I have done any work against Gotham's underworld it has been as myself with my face exposed. I've not had much focus as a vigilante either" Bruce said.
"Rather stupid don't you think?" Phillipe363 asked, "Especially given how easy it is for that to lead to bigger problems like criminals easily finding out who you are, or the problem when Jim Gordon threatened to press charges if you interfered with any more police investigations in 4x17."
"Yes. It's as stupid as when I called Gordon as myself to report what Jerome was doing in episode 16 after I saved his life at his uncle's restaurant and told him I was going to keep following Jerome" Bruce said.
"Yes, and yet you wore a mask in the 3x22 episode against that mugger. Tell me, Bruce, it seems like you have been made stupid for some unknown reason and who do you think that person is?" Phillipe363 asked.
Glancing at the showrunner "Them" Bruce said.
"Correct the showrunners have made you dumber to not wear a mask and have hoped no one would notice" Phillipe363 said.
The showrunner goes to speak but decides against it, not having a defense.
"The way you've written me currently I would not be smart enough to have put on that mask in 3x22 and would have taken down that mugger as myself with my face exposed" Bruce said, some anger for being made dumber at the cost of live threatening stakes.
"There has been no back half of Gordon and a vigilante Bruce being at odds with each other at all. Just one small scene at that school building and Bruce in one of the suits belonging to Ivy's goons running from Gordon after getting shot by him but that's it" Phillipe363 said, pausing for a second before continuing.
"Despite all the interviews and everything else saying Bruce would be this vigilante we have gotten really none of it. We've gotten not a lot of Bruce as a main part of the show stopping villains either like he could have been the one to stop Scarecrow in the 4x02 episode. Also, Bruce acting like a total moron running around as himself based on leaked script info, and upcoming promos it is going to continue" Phillipe363 said.
"I'm sorry but this was never going to be a Batman show. And besides, we've changed our mind on Bruce's storylines" the showrunner said.
"Clearly for changing your mind" Phillipe363 said, "Now let's address you thinking I thought Gotham would be a Batman show?"
The showrunner nods.
"No, I never figured it would be Bruce operating as Batman. However, the closest I figured we were going to get was Bruce as a vigilante especially once you had Bruce put on a mask in 3x22. I get the feeling at times you keep Bruce Wayne around solely to be viewer bait in a side role and nothing else" Phillipe363 said.
"Can we get onto them?" Bruce said pointing towards Jerome and Jeremiah.
"This is one of their biggest screw-ups of the season. Despite some fans trying to come up with varying excuses to have it work including ridiculous ones like Jerome was never as smart or acted like The Joker. However, a very few are wise to what you're doing" Phillipe363 said.
"The fans wanted The Joker, so we are giving them The Joker in Jeremiah with his classic form and all" the showrunner protests.
"You had the Joker called Jerome Valeska who you spent four seasons building up to. You had Bruce and Jerome have very Batman and Joker-like interactions for building their relationship in 3x14. The whole 3x14 episode had various Joker homages and such pulled from classic comic book storylines, Jerome's features and style of dress changed over the years to be more Joker-like. In season 4 Jerome invented the laughing gas as well" Phillipe363 said, "So care to explain why as some people have said The Joker is now a second-rate copycat in your show?"
"He's not a second-rate copycat and we've said all along Jerome was never meant to be The Joker" the showrunner replied.
"And you guys have clearly changed your mind at various times so that's no excuse" Phillipe363 said.
"We brought Jerome back due to fan demand and we have found a way to keep the actor who does an amazing job playing The Joker through Jeremiah to keep all the fans happy but still doing what we want" the showrunner said.
"And Cameron Monaghan playing Jeremiah as The Joker is the only good factor in this whole storyline. I can find no reason to do this other than to prove fans wrong like your petty children or because you think you're being smart with this twin from nowhere storyline when you're not" Phillipe363 said.
The showrunner remains silent.
"If Jerome wasn't going to be The Joker than he should have stayed dead after Theo Galavan killed him in season 2 and you bring in Jeremiah following that. Maybe there is a good idea buried somewhere in this whole Jeremiah plot but so far, I don't see it" Phillipe363 said.
The showrunner remains quiet.
"If by some chance this storyline does end up somehow working I'll stand corrected and I apologize for this in advance" Phillipe363 said.
"Would you want Jerome back alive after the events of 4x18?" the showrunner asked.
"In comics, you can kind of get away with bringing people back from the dead easier but for stuff like TV shows and films not so much. Jerome has already been killed once, you've put this time and effort into Jeremiah so let him stay the Joker. If you bring Jerome back following this, it will be an even worse mess" Phillipe363 said.
"What's going to happen to us when you send us back?" Bruce asked.
"For one your memories of this encounter and the fourth wall knowledge I have given you Bruce will be removed. Secondly when you do get returned there will be certain events that you will carry out or shall be changed to fix these mistakes" Phillipe363 said.
Glancing over at the Valeska brothers "What is going to happen to them?" Bruce asked.
"There can only be one Joker. Goodbye for now" Phillipe363 said.
Suddenly Bruce, the showrunner along Jerome and Jeremiah vanish.
The main study at Wayne Manor during the morning
Bruce is standing near his desk thinking over the past week for how Gotham City has quickly descended into chaos especially since the breakout at Arkham Asylum of Jerome, Jonathan Crane and Jervis Tech now being lose in the city.
Also, Penguin is gathering together various gangs to regain his power and that has led to small gang wars with innocent people like always getting caught in the crossfire.
Various banks have been robed with riddles left behind which he doesn't have to think very hard of the only criminal Gotham doing that is the Riddler or, a possible copycat. Only given the security tapes he secretly acquired shows it clearly being Edward Nygma.
A very devastating attack led by Jerome onto a public music event with this new laughing gas that killed near a hundred people but not before driving them mad with bleaching their skin white, and lips red. The victims literally laughed themselves to death and by doing so caused their eyes to bleed.
For Captain Gordon and the GCPD, Bruce knows they simply cannot keep up with all these crimes going on, and the public opinion of the GCPD is failing, especially due to being unable to stop any of this madness.
And what was caused any positive views of GCPD or Gordon to plummet with an extremely zero chance of ever recovering is information that was sent to the press.
It contained solid proof that James Gordon got to be captain by sleeping with Sofia Falcone. Which Gordon has remained in his role of captain so far because of the criminal rampage but Bruce wonders how long that will last.
Pulling out his cell phone Bruce dials a number with putting it up to his ear and waiting a few seconds.
"Hello?" Lucius Fox answers.
"Not sure how easy it is, and I'll be willing to provide whatever help I can, but I need you to make me a new suit" Bruce said.
"I already have some spares and got a few upgrades I think you'll be interested in along with certain gadgets" Lucius replied.
"I'll be by later today. Oh, be sure to have a cowl with the suit as well to protect my identity" Bruce said before hanging up.
Given how the citizens see the entire government of Gotham to be ineffective and corrupt to its highest levels, with the GCPD being useless for stopping this new crime wave well Bruce knows it's time to return fully as a vigilante. Because he just might the only one able to save Gotham.
Elsewhere in a small, room in a ran down apartment
Jerome is sitting on the floor with various maps and papers spread about while planning his next move.
Of course, last night had a dream of sorts that he had a twin brother named Jeremiah who ran off when they still children and he died, while Jeremiah lived on with later getting exposed to some specialized chemicals from a gift he sent his brother. The chemicals made Jeremiah's skin completely white, lips red and his hair green while driving Jeremiah completely mad.
Letting out a crackle Jerome does find it to be hilarious for leaving behind one hell of a legacy to burn Gotham to the ground and being sure his brother has a grand old time doing it.
However, shoving those thoughts aside Jerome decides to never think on the dream again and well he has no brother and never will.
Now Jerome manically grinning decides it's time to return to the usual joy of bringing the city to its knees.
I hope you all enjoyed this