A/N: The poll is done and votes tallyed. I give you Batman 2116 a new series in the Ultimate All-Star Universe. At the time of this posting it is my Birthday 01/09/2016 so I decided to give my fans this gift. Ultimate Superman is coming soon still working through my writer's block on it but I haven't forgotten nor have I forgotten about my other series. I hope you enjoy this I am currently writing episode 2 of this series. Thank you for your continued support. ~Scratimus
Earned not Given
Batcave, Julio had just finished his training for the night, today was his self-imposed day off. He could not figure out how Bruce Wayne did this for all those years. "The man had to be a mutant. I can barely stay up 3 days!" Julio stated as he hit the sonic showers. "Tres dias no mas guey."
"Oyes Carbron, Senor Wayne was no mutant." Deadpool said mockingly. "Trust me we made sure; Professor X confirmed it with Cerebro."
"Que es Cerbro?"
"It was a way for Professor X to contact and locate other mutants, Bub." Wolverine drop some towels off on the locker room bench. "Bruce Wayne was a man among men and I had fought with the best."
"Was he un, como se dece, Asgardian?"
"Nope, man you really need a butler, or maid, or some droid, Julio." Deadpool commented.
"I didn't tell you to do this stuff carbon." Julio fires back, "Besides, do I look filthy rich to you?"
"Yes!" Deadpool and Wolverine replied with shouts.
"Pendejos I am patience supervisor at Faygo!" Julio shouted back, "And I will not use my wife's insurance for selfish needs." Deadpool face palms and falls back. "Que tenes Deadpool, what gives?" Wolverine leans face forward shaking his head side to side on the adjacent wall.
"Aye this pendejo doesn't know Logan." Deadpool laughs holding his gut.
"Here I thought he was just being cheap bub." Wolverine chuckled; frustration was building up within Julio.
""Mensos que diablos qué estás hablando!" Julio growls, "Tell me bub." Julio's accent got thicker with his building frustration. Wolverine called up another hand scanner linked to an offshore bank.
"Hand here pendejo bub." Wolverine states as Julio complies, the scan finishes.
"Dois mio!" Julio faints; Deadpool and Wolverine smile and share a chuckle.
"I'm not picking his naked ass up." Deadpool states flatly.
"Heh he'll get up on his own, poor bastard didn't know he was rich." Wolverine walks upstairs with Deadpool.
Few weeks later, officially resigning from his job and taking care of a few legal fees, Julio Ortega, had in a single bond, became part of the upper echelon of the 1.0%. His first order of business was to increase his stock in the company he loved so much. He was offered a board member position but politely declined; he may have been now part of the upper 1.0% but he was not one of them.
The second phase was to restore his home he had been for the better part of the year living in the Batcave. He liked it but it was now a new day and new threats abound. Word began to spread like the plague that Cornerstone was taking over. He was going to reform Neo Gotham in his image and nothing was going to stand in his way.
Julio was out there every night to reclaim what Cornerstone sought to take. Crime was on the rise and it seemed like dark days where ahead. Julio knew he needed help but did not know where to get it. There were not any more Great Wonders, as history called them. Superman, Wonder Woman, Iron Man, Thor, they were no more. How could he blame them? Earth was becoming a utopia in on itself. What he would give for another Avenging Justice League? For now, he was on his own, Wolverine and Deadpool respectfully declined to aid him any further than training and being the Batcave's guardians. Wolverine told them that their time had pass and it was time for a new legend to start.
Southside borough of Neo Gotham, Cornerstone had finally crushed the final hold out and now the borough was his. NGPD had cleared out, abandoning the Southside Police HQ. The monster laughed as he crushed the station captain's head like an egg. He then threw the captain's body out a window into the cool night street. Batman could only be in so many places at once, Neo Gotham was four times as big as it was during any of the past Batmen's time. Julio roared as he saw the heinous act unfold on his holoscreen that projected from his gauntlet. "Aye Dois, por que mi Dois?" Batman screamed repeatedly.
"Stay focused, Julio." Wolverine told him over the commlink. Julio clenched his fists in rage cause both of them to pop. Julio ignored him as he prepped his fists with the acid rain compound; Cornerstone was going to pay. He was going to have to make his way past the guards and then up the stairs to where Cornerstone was and take him down. The other option was to touch down onto the roof and fight his way down.
This takedown needed to mean something a symbol. To do that and for it to have a lasting effect he was going to have to make it public. He had made it a point to stay out of the media bots range of vision, fearing discovery. Cornerstone had to be defeated in full view of the public eye, and use the media bots as a catalyst to show Neo Gotham's citizens not to be afraid. Lost in his planning he did not notice another figure jumping from rooftop to rooftop.
The figure was dressed in black body armor; it was tech-weave. A flexible compound that acted like regular clothing but could cancel laser fire via the reflective mirrors sewn into it. Projectiles were outdated and inaccurate by present standards. The armor could take a punch and distribute the kinetic energy evenly throughout the wearer's body softening the blow. However, in prolonged hand-to-hand combat its effectiveness would wear down. This was due to the mirrors hitting their breaking point and shredding the weave. This figure was not planning on a prolonged battle; landing on a building the figure started assembling a long ranged weapon and took position. "Murderous bastards!" the figures voice was female as she took aim. Her eyes fought back tears as she remembered what led her to this.
South Dini Street, 72 hours earlier, Justina McCarthy had just finished her shift and closed the deal on an exclusive contract for her house keeping business. It was one she was trying to nail down for the longest, a new money multibillionaire was in the process of restoring his land and building what she could only describe as an Old Spanish Castle. Several of her competitors had bided on the deal but after a one-on-one interview with the owner, she won. The only condition was that she would be the one personally cleaning it and live on property when he completed his home. From the 3-D rendering on the holo-screen device in his hand the room she was to occupy was bigger than her whole condo combined it was a room with several rooms with in it. Her new employer had given her permission to design it however she saw fit. She choked back her emotions, she didn't care that she was going to be pretty much the maid, but the fact that she could design her own place in the house was almost too much to bare.
Julio Ortega was the most mysterious man she had ever met. He had come out of nowhere and suddenly he was the richest eligible new bachelor. She had done some research on him and found out he was a young widow. His wife was the first person to be murdered in Neo Gotham in over fifty years. How he acquired his vast wealth was the muilti-billion-dollar question, he wasn't a drug lord. For now, it was not important as she returned to what she recovered from her research. It happened right in front of him, she could not even begin to imagine what that was like. From what she gathered the murder was the same one who had her parents killed the year before. Cornerstone, it was a common bond they both shared, this monster had taken everything from them, and she was going to repay him by taking his life from him.
As she left the meeting with Mr. Ortega her cell pinged. Cornerstone was making a move on the south side of the city. She cleared the notification as she got in her car and sped off. She was going to make him pay and do it tonight. She put on her armor and armor in what seemed like seconds. Her father had taught her well and being a military brat, the added protection seemed like a second skin to her, one she was very familiar and comfortable with. Her car would be to oblivious and there was no way she was going to walk there. From the floor boards of her condo she retrieved two discs that lit up and hovered silently. Her mother had acquired them when A.R.G.U.S disbanded and was auctioned off. They were from a place called New Genesis. She didn't know where it was nor did she care, the discs were silent and that's what she needed.
Now. She swallowed hard as she saw Cornerstone dispose of the captain. She fought back tears, "Not now Justina. Focus." She swore vengeance for the officer as she calmed her nerves and steadied her hand. The rifle was an S-class sniper laser she had inherited via black auction. She set her sight and suddenly her vision was overtaken. "Its him!" Batman had arrived. "Will you look at that?" She saw him land on the roof and cut through the ranks of guards. It wasn't precise but damn it was a show. She spotted a man coming up his blind spot. With a silent poof the man exploded. Batman paused and looked around.
"Que diablos!" Batman said over the commlink, "Deadpool, Wolverine."
"We're searching Batman." Deadpool said over the commlink, "Not good."
"Its stealth armor we cannot pick it up!" Wolverine snarled. Four more poofs and four more bodies exploded. "They're not after you."
"But they are killing." Batman growled, "They are no better than Cornerstone." Two more poofs followed by exploding bodies.
"We cannot worry about that now. Get to Cornerstone." Deadpool stated trying to refocus Batman's attention. "Batman you'll handle it later use this now! Cornerstone is the objective." Batman growled, he knew Deadpool was right as he made his way inside. The poofs continued and cleared the path, then stopped.
Back on the roof, Justina was in tears, "You bastard you took them!" she repeated this as she took out each and every Cornerstone thug clearing the path for the Neo Dark Knight. She heard of the legend. She knew by her actions she was going to be considered no better than her objective. "Mom, Dad." She cried as she dropped the rifle, "I'm sorry." She wept as she drew the rifle near and cuddle it like a bear. "That bastard took you from me, left me all alone." She remembered her dad telling her stories of the original Batman. He had made the Caped Crusader out to be a god, a wonder that came once in a lifetime. He never killed, he stuck to a code of honor that was immovable and a will that was indomitable. She just failed that several times over. She clicked the rifle to stun.
Batman could not stop or pause, to search for his deadly assist, but they, whoever they were, had got him this far. Fear gripped him as he breathed slowly and his gloves filled with the concentrated acid rain-like liquid. He popped his fists once, then twice. "El que habita al abrigo del Altísimo morará bajo la sombra del Omnipotente. Yo le digo al Señor: " Tú eres mi refugio y mi fortaleza, mi Dios, en quien confío." His body steadied, "Seguro que te salvará de la trampa del cazador y de la pestilencia mortal. Él te cubrirá con sus plumas y bajo sus alas estarás seguro ; su fidelidad será tu escudo y baluarte "His eyes focused as his head raised, "Aunque caigan mil a tu lado y diez mil a tu derecha, pero a ti no llegará. Sólo se podrá observar con los ojos y ver el castigo de los impíos." His muscles tighten ready to face his enemy, "Si al Altísimo por su vivienda- incluso el Señor, que es mi refugio- entonces no te sobrevendrá mal, ni plaga tocará tu morada. Pues a sus ángeles mandará acerca de ti, que te guarden en todos tus caminos; que te llevarán en sus manos, para que no tropieces con tu pie en piedra. Va a andar sobre el león y la cobra; usted pisoteará el gran león y la serpiente." He was ice cold and ready, "Por que él me ama ", dice el Señor: "Voy a rescatarlo; Lo protegeré , por que reconoce mi nombre. Él me invocará, y yo le responderé; Yo estaré con él en la angustia , lo libraré y le glorificaré . De larga vida que le satisfacer y le mostraré mi salvación " He kick down the door, "Amén"
"Amen" was the response over the commlink from his trainers back in the Batcave. Before him grinning from ear to ear was Cornerstone.
"'Well, well, well if it isn't Bat to motha…" a batarang hits him in the mouth sparking off his marble skin before returning to Batman's hand. "Man…" Cornerstone paused "RAAGH!" Batman steps in and grabs Cornerstone by the arm flipping him over and twisting his arm locking it in place. Cornerstone smiles "I see you learn some tricks Bats." Cornerstone pulls down as his giving him leeway to back flip unlocking his arm. He then with a mighty kick sends Batman through a wall and into a conference room. Batman hits the marble table set and growls at the irony. "I heard yo lil' prayer Bat Man" Batman slugs him across the face the liquid discharging, Cornerstone growls but ignores the pain. "Haven't you heard?" Cornerstone nails Batman in the solar plexus flipping him up, over and down to the ground. "God's dead" he smiles and pounds his fists into Batman, "And I took his place." With that The floor gave way and they fell to the one below them. Lights go off around them and in his suit. He catches one of Cornerstone's fists but his other nails him in the throat. Batman chokes but ignores the suits request to use emergency strength enhancers. He was going to defeat Cornerstone on his own merit, for his enemy was just a man, a man like him. Cornerstone was laying into him now; he may have been a man but now that man was made of solid marble. Each blow was made of that same marble. The suit was screaming at him but Batman was not going to give in. He kicked out Cornerstone's knee, the action wasn't prepared but it was felt.
New Data was streaming in, "He has to think to make his attacks solid!" His suit scans pressure points and found the marble almost palatable, "He still has to be flexible enough to move." He knees him in the stomach proving his hypothesis! "Still hurts me like hell but at least I know he can be effected!" Batman plants his feet on Cornerstone's chest hits the strength enhancers for his legs and launches him into the above floor. As if by instinct he launches his grapple it nails its target.
Being pulled at a great force Batman nails Cornerstone with a right cross knocking him back into the former captain's office. His hand breaks from the impact but it soon goes numb. Cornerstone staggers trying to get his barring. Taking advantage of this Batman runs after him Cornerstone sees him and welds back a punch. It misses as Batman does a forward split nailing both of Cornerstone's inner thighs and slams his fist into his groin before passing safely in between his legs. From behind Batman grabs an arm and slams his fist into his enemy's armpit dislocating it at the shoulder. Cornerstone roars in pain as Batman goes for the other arm. As he grabs it he feels it go solid, "Oh shh."
"That's right muthphuka!" Cornerstone hooks Batman in and brings him around and headbutts him breaking a corner of his mask revealing flesh. "You?!" Cornerstone laughs, "Should did what I told you to bitch!" and backhands him sending him spinning onto the floor. Cornerstone then slams his foot into the center of Batman's back. Batman cries out in pain.
Cornerstone pauses as an evil smile creeps its way into the corner of his mouth. He stomps again and leans in at Batman's ear. "I'm not gonna kill you Batman." He pulls him up, "I'm gonna use you." He slams Batman's face on the ground multiple times the outer shell of his helmet gives revealing a second circuit like mask with the corner of it exposing Julio's head and eye. "Don't worry about your identity, Batman. I won't expose that." He swiftly picks him up and slams him through glass and beams. "Consider that a gift from me to you." Cornerstone then proceeds to beat Batman within an inch of his life. "For you have given me the greatest gift of all."
He drags Batman across the halls into a stairway. Each step is like an emotional blow breaking him from within. He mutters his wife's name apologizing for failing her. The last step gives in to daylight and news cameras on drones along with news helicopters. Justina see them and is horrified, "NO!"
In the Batcave Deadpool is about to leave but Wolverine stops him, "Wade, there's nothing we can do for him right now."
On the roof Cornerstone laughs as he lifts Batman by the scruff of his neck, he taped a cloth to the exposed part of Batman's helmet. "Look Batman you gave me Neo Gotham!" With roaring laughter from Cornerstone the news captures Batman's defeat on film. Neo Gotham falls to him that day both physically and spiritually. He defeated its greatest wonder, though the original died over a century ago his legacy has fallen. Justina watches from her post she fires her sniper rifle set to kill but the blast ricochets off as Cornerstone simply laughs. He didn't care where the shot originated from, he'd have plenty of time for that later.
Batman was out and possibly dying as Cornerstone finished his address to the city. He then tossed Batman like garbage over the roof. Justina puts on a mask she had and zooms in to catch him. Julio's impact is heard but ignored as Justina carried him off unsure what to do next. The Multi-Bat comes out of hiding and zeroes in on them. It opens and she places Batman inside. It closes suddenly and drives off taking a set emergency route back to the cave. Justina sends up a prayer of protection for him as she flies off.
Batcave, several days later. Julio remains in a coma as Deadpool and Wolverine watch over him. "He took a helluva beating." Wolverine sighs.
"Shit I don't know he survived it." Deapool watches as medical drones tend to him. "Least the brain swelling went down." Deadpool looks at Wolverine, "I am his blood type."
"For the last time Wade no." Wolverine barks, "He wouldn't want that, we don't even know if he'd would get your cancer or if it would even take."
"He's dying Logan!" Deadpool points out, "This world needs him."
"He's a fighter and survived the curse, this ain't shit for him." Wolverine states, he was concern for him and grown fond of Julio. "He has to, he's Batman." Deadpool dropped the subject, Wade didn't care if he showed his emotions, he liked Julio and couldn't see a better Batman other than Bruce Wayne of course.
Wade exited the cave and went up to check on the construction of the new Ortega Castle for the lack of a better term. The workers flipped when Wolverine and Deadpool greeted them in full regalia. They swore them to secrecy of their existence that and Wolverine's claws were still sharp. Wade found the ordeal amusing and heckled the workers and taunting them to work fast or he'd sick Wolverine on them.
Justina's Condo. She paced back and forth as the news played in the background, Batman defeated was the headline that continued to play on all stations. "He's gone." She had lost her will to fight like most of Neo Gotham. The impact was felt throughout the city. Hope was lost as if overnight Cornerstone turned Neo Gotham into a unofficial city state. Ex-mercenary's, military, and thugs who wanted a better life or simply wanted to give into dark desires came out of the wood work. Justina looked out her window as patrols sporting Cornerstone's symbol of a marble fist with lightning bolts on either side braised on tanks and uniform regalia marched throughout varying hours of the day and night.
Neo Gotham was cut off from the rest of the Lone Star Republic. Guardsmen were sent but were forced to withdraw. Neo Gotham was Cornerstone's and the rest of the republic had to accept it. Justina looked at the patrols then at the news, she slammed her fist on the wall in frustration. She shot him and the rifle did nothing! Never had she felt like such a failure.
Cornerstone's HQ. He was now the boss of all, everything that he ever wanted was his. Nobody was going to tell him no. He looked out at his empire as Batman's defeat was on repeat. He'd won everything was his, the Bat was broken and was never going to return. He then turns to what was now going to be Ortega Castle, he was going to take it. However, every time he got close to it he would never reach it. It was like he was frozen in place by some unknown force. He could see his men and troops moving but never achieving. He would then brush it off saying to his army that he'd get to it later he had the time. No one questioned him, for they were just as confused as Cornerstone was but never spoke of it. He tried to fly over it, but the plane would never seem to make or utterly by pass it. What hell was the deal! He saw the construction teams make it no problem. He even disguised his army like them but still they would never achieve the goal.
He wanted Ortega Castle, all of Neo Gotham was his event he outskirts belong to him. No new money bastard was going to have a piece of what he rightfully earned. The thought made him crush his desk to splinters. Rage filled his senses as he continued to want that which he could not have.
"If you survive the curse you will be forever be protected, no one, or thing, or ideal will befall you or your house." That was the second part of the curse Enchantress placed.
Batcave, Julio opened his eyes and shot up! Deadpool and Wolverine awoke to his screams. They were shocked to awe, he was awake. His eyes focused and he rose from his bed. "I'm not done!" was the last thing his said as he collapsed in chair in front of the batcomputer. Deadpool swore he didn't do anything.
Wolverine sniffed the air, "Enchantress." He spoke but she did not respond. She wasn't even there it was only the curse reacting. She had loved Bruce, despite his rejection. He cursed him yes but she was not going to let him be dispatched by anyone. Bruce was gone now. He chose to go to Valhalla, for it was befitting him. Despite this the curse still remained Enchantress wasn't going to let his legacy fall into unworthy hands. "He truly is worthy." Wolverine said under his breath.
Julio recovered after month, he was a broken but determined man. He had lost Neo Gotham… for now. But like Hell if he was going to leave it in Cornerstone's hands. Deadpool and Wolverine continued to train him but something was missing. Cornerstone had broken him mentally; the body was wiling but the mind still needed healing. He would awaken from night terrors of his defeat at Cornerstone's hands. He would push his body to its limits but his spirit was shattered. No amount of physical exercise would heal his spirit.
"I need a change." Julio said aloud and new screen popped up. Beside him Deadpool had hit a button. It was an island near China.
"Lian Yu" Deadpool answered before he was even asked. "It's where heroes are forged." Deadpool looked into Julio's eyes, "Being Batman is earned not given." Deadpool set the coordinates into the Multi-Bat. "Go, we got it here Julio." Julio nodded, "What you need is already in the Multi-Bat." Deadpool walked off not even giving him a farewell.
The Multi-Bat fired up as Julio jumped in and was off without another word.
"Lian Yu." Wolverine stated, "Good choice bub."
"Dibs on the Master suite!" Deadpool shouted took off.
"SON OF A!" Wolverine was mad he wanted it.
Lian Yu. The Multi-Bat ejected Julio and a package of bare essentials. Screaming as a parachute opened he made his way to the island. As he touched down the Multi-Bat rocketed out into the unknown. "Where heroes are forged huh." Julio looked around at a place he could only describe as hell.
END.