How shocking is this? I'm actually writing Batman Beyond fanfiction. And it's for a challenge, no less. Nuts, right?
Okay, anyway, this is for 20songs, this little community I found on LiveJournal while I was searching for inspiration. I had already signed up for the X-men: Evolution fandom on 30romances, I find music so inspiring, plus BB is where I first put my inane writings to paper. So, why not make twenty song-shots for Bats? If I don't get to twenty, so be it. At least I can say I tried.
So, here I go.
#3#
Title:
Rating: T.
Couple: Max/Terry
Song and Band: "Heroes" by Shinedown
Disclaimer: I don't own the song/band, and I most definitely don't own Batman Beyond.
$4$
"Remind me again why I do this?"
Maxine Gibson smirked down at her laptop, taking a bite of the cookie ice cream sandwich she had in one hand. Into her wireless headset, she informed her best friend, Terry McGinnis, "Uh, 'cause you want to save the day while simultaneously placating your monstrosity of a hero complex?"
On the other line, she could hear his deep chuckle. "Hey, now," he chastised. "One insult coupled with big words at a time, please."
Max laughed, bringing up her iSongs 12.6 program to listen to some music on her computer. She needed music, now and again, when she talked with Terry. While he was getting plenty of entertainment beating up the baddies, she got bored sometimes. Finding old music on the Net was her only source of amusement.
Deciding on a particularly ironic song, given the situation, Max replied, "Hey, it's not like I'm wrong. Playing Bats is your only way of relieving that complex of yours."
"Stare in wonder, who's here to bring you down?
Find your martyr, I'm sure you've made the crown
So light a fire under my bones, so when
I die for you at least I'll die alone."
She could hear scraping and the sounds of crashes in the background. Terry's job as the one and only Batman wasn't a clean one; more than one time, she had spent her nights wrapping bandages for wounds no one else saw. But Ter was good at his job, if he wasn't then he probably would be doing a whole lot worse.
"Y'know, a hero complex-" he broke off with a grunt, wheezing a little, and continued, "-a hero complex isn't that bad to have, nowadays."
"Ain't nothin' for me to end up like this
There's no comparing me this time."
Max rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah?" she questioned. "And black eyes and bruises, are they good to have 'nowadays', too?" She sneered down at her computer, annoyed. Somehow, the conversation always came back to this one.
"Hey, hey, hey-" Terry was interrupted again, and she could hear more shuffling and possibly a few curses. He continued on as if nothing had happened, saying, "I haven't gotten a black eye in a while. It's usually the worse injuries I gotta worry about."
"All my heroes have now become ghosts
Sold their sorrow to the ones that pay the most
All my heroes are dead and gone
But down inside of me, they still live on."
"Yeah, how's that dislocated shoulder of your doing?" Max asked, arching an eyebrow. She opened her laptop's Solitaire program, looking for some kind of distraction. She only stared at it for a few seconds before loosing interest and closing the program.
There was more crashes and an obvious scuffle in progress. Finally, Terry responded, in between coughs. "Trust me, the dislocated shoulder-" he had to pause for a few seconds, hacking. "-the shoulder's nothing. I've got more'ta worry 'bout."
"Dark devotion in a vacant paradise
Shows no emotion to a willing sacrifice
You can put a man on trial, but you can't make the guilty pay
You cage an animal, but you can't take away the rage."
"Oh, really?" She queried, taking a big bite of her ice cream sandwich. Through the cold goodness, she added, "Is Wayne there? I gotta talk t'him about this. Ter, it's'not good for you."
She could hear him snort derisively, which was quickly followed by someone shouting, "Hey! Hands off! I'm leavin', I'm leavin'!" Max rolled her eyes, easily guessing what kind of sleaze ball Terry might be getting rid.
"Ain't nothin' for me to end up like this
There's no comparin' me this time."
"Yeah, Bruce can hear you," Terry admitted, "But leave 'im alone. He's old, and easily slagged. Having to listen t'some angry seventeen-year-old geek will put stress on his heart that he doesn't need."
Max's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Oh, yeah, Ter. But I forget- wasn't he the same old man that put on that stupid Batsuit and saved your ass? I'm pretty sure he could handle the ravings of one seventeen-year-old geek."
"All my heroes have now become ghosts
Sold their sorrow to the ones who paid the most
All my heroes are dead and gone
But down inside of me, they still live on."
He laughed, a deep rumble reverberating through her headset. She enjoyed hearing him laugh; he didn't do it as often, since taking over the mantle as the Bat.
"Calm down, now," Terry replied, conversationally. He really was phenomenal at making it sound like he wasn't endangering his life while talking to someone else on the other line. "I meant 'geek' in the best possible way. After all, I'm your best friend. I know you're schway- you're also just a- whadid'they use'ta call it? Oh, yeah- a computer nerd."
Max took a last bite of her sandwich, glaring down at her ice cream-covered fingers. "You're a jackass, ya know that, McGinnis?" she snapped, leaning over to grab a napkin and wiped her fingers clean.
"All my heroes have now become ghosts
Sold their sorrows to the ones that paid the most
All my heroes are dead and gone
But down inside of me, they still live on."
She could hear him chuckle, as well as some new crashes. Standing up, she informed him, "Well, this computer nerd is gonna go now. Pop by if ya'need anything wrapped up, 'kay?"
He agreed, and she turned off the phone line. Max picked up the plate she had rested her cookie ice cream sandwich. Before she did, she paused her iSongs 12.6 as the song ended. Quietly, she sang the last line of the song to herself and walked into the kitchen.
"They're all dead and gone."
$4$
So, how'd I do? Badly? Even if I did, leave a comment. It helps- trust me.