First meeting...
At the time, Clark Kent only saw an atypical Omega rich man as he stood behind his friend and then romantic interest Lois Lane that fateful day at Metropolis Airlines. And as he looked down the long stairway to see the mass gathering of reporters, Bruce Wayne likewise only saw a typical Alpha newsman as he fixed his eyes on those spectacles resting on the country man's nose. From first glances they didn't care much for each other. Especially when it turned into a fight over Lois's affections. Then when the men encountered each other yet again as Superman and Batman they really didn't care for each other. But where they failed to team up their respective enemies Lex Luthor and Joker did, and gave both heroes a hard time. And it only got harder once Lois discovered that her billionaire dream man turned out to be the Dark Knight of their sister city Gotham. While Lois had no trouble welcoming the rich and dapper gentleman with open arms, she couldn't find herself accepting the dangerous and savage vigilante that he also was. With the Beta woman no longer a primary concern Bruce and Clark were able to see past their dislike of each other and saw that both were not the kind of people they initially they thought one another to be. Clark could now see that Bruce was not the spoiled, trust fund heartbreaking playboy he often carries himself as. And Bruce finally realized that Clark wasn't some doe-eyed farmer trying to pass off as a city guy as his plain appearance made him seem to be.
Then, after dealing with Joker and Lex, the two men went their separate ways. But they knew that wouldn't be the end of it.
Running into each other...
A year after that first meeting, Clark and Bruce would continue to run into each over the next several years both in casual settings and during missions. One such mission was when Superman ventured into Gotham City after learning Bruce had vanished, then assumed his identity as Batman when he learned that Brainiac was using him to build a deluxe rocket ship and tried to kill the Omega billionaire once he was no longer needed. Then six months later Batman would return the favor and help the Alpha newsman when Ra's Al Ghul lured him into a trap to drain him of his strength when the Lazarus Pit no longer affected him. With every encounter the two had they began to respect each other more both as heroes and as people in general. Though they weren't exactly friends at the time they at least considered one another to be strong allies, whom the world dubbed as the World's Finest, and good acquaintances. By this time they were also no longer rivals over Lois, so this meant that they could open proverbial door to the possibility of an actual friendship.
However, as we all know, some relationships don't just end at the friendship level.
Forming the Justice League...
The next encounter the Alpha and Omega would have both heroes collaborating on a more regular basis. Not only with each other but with several other fine heroes as well. Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Flash and Hawkgirl were the first handful of brave partners they would work with. And even in the span of six years they all accomplished great feats of heroism. True they have had their hard times where members butted heads and loyalties were questioned, but through it all they stood by each other and had one another's backs. This could be especially said for Superman and Batman. By this time Clark and Bruce have officially become friends. They would see each other in their civilian mode, or civvies as Flash liked to say, as often as they saw one another in hero mode if not more frequently. And the closer they got the more that their friends, family and fellow heroes could see how the pair complimented each other. Clark's simple yet endearing country charm had softened up Bruce to the point where he wasn't as antisocial/standoffish as he usually is, while his Alpha nature was able to convince him to take a break when he should which was something the worried Alfred Pennyworth greatly appreciated. And Bruce's tough but fair personality would help Clark to be more stern when he needed to be without being unpleasant, then his Omega heritage would ease him whenever he was stressed over a report deadline or a mission that went wrong.
They always said that it was only two friends looking out for each other, any time someone tried to make something out of their relationship. And they were right. They were just two friends looking out for each other. At least...they were at the time.
When the Sun comforts the Night...
When Bruce called him that night, several hours after Halloween was over and Scarecrow had unveiled his identity to the world, Clark didn't have to ask to know what he wanted. It was time for the master strategist's last ace in the hole. His ultimate contingency plan dubbed Knightfall. He silently donned his red cape and with equal quietness the Man of Steel flew towards Gotham City. The reporters surrounding the manor were so focused on the front gates that they didn't think to look up above to see him. Alfred let Superman in through an open window, telling him that Bruce was standing in front of his parent's portrait waiting for him. Before he went to meet Bruce the faithful butler asked him to promise to protect him during this hard time, and as both Superman and Clark Kent he swore that he would do so. Azrael then appeared along with Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, Barbra Gordon, Bette Kane, Helena Bertinelli, Cassandra Cain, Charlie Gage-Radcliffe and Stephanie Brown. The Bat Family wanted to spend what moments they had with the aging butler they considered their grandfather before Azrael took Alfred and Ace somewhere safe. And the old Alpha was happy to oblige the ones he considered his grandchildren.
Superman let the blended family of heroes have their moment and went off to see Bruce. As he entered the main room where the portrait of the late Thomas Wayne and Martha Wayne was perched just so over the fireplace he saw the man of this sad hour standing there. He was still in his bat suit sans the mask, and he was looking up at the portrait that was all he had of his parents. After the longest four minutes of his life Superman cleared his throat to get the once Dark Knight's attention. Then ever so slowly Bruce turned to face him. And what he saw left him feeling more pain than any Kryptonite could ever inflict on him. Staring back at him wasn't the stoic and strong Batman. It wasn't even the chiseled and perfect Bruce Wayne. It was a beaten, broken down and just plain tired Omega. Bruises from the many punches and kicks he took throughout the night were starting to form clearly on his once impeccable pale skin. The shine of the full moon that peeked into the well decorated room revealed the tens of thousands of cuts along his upper torso. And his eyes...God, his eyes. Those regal orbs of bright sapphire dulled into burnt out blue coal and the white surrounding them were now dusty rose from all of his crying.
He didn't know if he was the one who walked over to the Omega, or if the Omega walked over to him. Either way they met in the middle of the room and had a tender embrace. Bruce clung onto the extraterrestrial Alpha for dear life as he sobbed into the s-like symbol of hope. He hasn't sobbed like this since he lost his parents, or when he thought he lost Jason several years back. Clark, not Superman but Clark, allowed the once Dark Knight to let out every last salty drop of water that he has held in for so long. In between his sobbing and shouts of how he's tried so hard Clark gently rubbed his back and nuzzled the top of his head, letting his Alpha scent ease him into a state of calm. After ten minutes since he started balling it finally did the trick, and Bruce gradually regained his composure and wiped his tears and snot away. It was then that Alfred and the others all walked into the room. For what would be the last time the young members of the Bat Family shared in a rare sweet moment, giving hugs and words of farewell to the man that was not only their mentor but a father figure. Ace whimpered sadly, like he knew what was going on, as he gave his ward a few parting licks. When he turned to Azrael the Omega gave the warrior his very first cowl along with a piece of paper listing the many spare Bat Cave locations, and Azrael bowed in humble gratitude. Then finally, it was time to face Alfred. Both men looked at each other silently for a long time before they hugged each other like a parent seeing his child off and said child taking in as much supportive essence as they could before leaving. Bruce was the first to speak, saying a small 'Goodbye father' while Alfred stuttered out an emotional 'Goodbye son'.
With everything said and done, the Bat Family looked upon their home one last time before they all parted ways. Superman then took Bruce into his arms and slowly flew up into the night sky. He then absorbed every bit of heat into his eyes before shooting out the most devastating beams he could muster upon Wayne Manor, blowing it up into unrecognizable ashes without hurting any of the reporters. And as they flew away, it seemed like that was the end of the Wayne family legacy...Or was it?
Seen in a new light...
For the next ten years Bruce would spend his days literally underground in the Fortress of Solitude. Clark always made sure that he had food, clothes and whatever else he needed to be comfortable. He would often apologize about what he brought not being gourmet meals or designer outfits. And Bruce would always give a tender smile, saying that there was nothing to apologize for and that he can easily adapt. He also kept himself productive by tending to the endangered otherworldly creatures in the Fortress Zoo and played with the hyper Superdog that was Krypto. And whenever he wants a change of pace from the cold temperature Diana is always happy to have him on Themyscira, as male Omegas are allowed. Clark also began to teach Bruce how to speak Kryptonese, which was by far the hardest language he's ever had to learn. Even still it was a lot of fun to immerse himself in learning about the people of Krypton, not only for the sake of gaining new knowledge but also because it brought him and Clark closer together. It was a closeness that the former vigilante found himself savoring as Clark amounted to the only family he had now that he couldn't see Dick, Alfred, Barbra or the others anymore. For so long he's lied about being able to carry on without ever acknowledging the all too human need to be surrounded by people. Now that he's what amounts to a phantom in hiding he finds that being truthful about what you want in life, and who you want in your life, is not so bad after all. And Clark made him realize that.
Now that he gets to see the Man of Steel up close Bruce is able to really see him for the kind of person he is. He discovered that Clark was so much more than the man that can do it all or the mild mannered reporter that everyone, including himself, often perceived him to be. Clark could also be very firm, stern and even ruthless when he wanted to be. It showed that while he was more tranquil and polite than most Alphas were he still had the dominant nature his secondary gender is known for. It was something that Bruce found to be very admirable...and attractive. Maybe it was because he hasn't had a date in such a long time or maybe it was his observant mind taking a more provocative turn, but Bruce was beginning to see why women swooned over the Man of Steel. His sun-kissed skin was perfectly flawless, his large hands were surprisingly soft as down feathers when they touched you, his eyes were as vibrantly blue as the day's sky, his teeth were like squared pearls, his dark hair was impeccably styled and of course his muscular chest was the hallmark of his physique.
Try as he might to ignore his growing feelings, the nagging whisper was steadily growing into a nagging shout. The fact that Clark was a man had nothing to do with it as Bruce has had four male sexual partners in the past. The reason why he tried to ignore them was because A, he didn't want to put Clark on the spot with a cliché confession. And B, it was obvious that the old fashioned country man wasn't even into men given his feelings for Lois. But soon events would unfold to prove Bruce wrong.
Heat of passion...
It has now been fifteen years since Bruce "died" in the explosion at Wayne Manor and has been living in the Fortress of Solitude. And the two decades hadn't helped with his growing feelings for Clark. And sometimes he felt that the mild mannered report in disguise was doing certain things on purpose that stoked his fire. Like how he would do projectile evasion practice shirtless, and just needed Bruce to help like Krypto isn't smart enough to know how to pull a switch when he can open the damn refrigerator to steal a sandwich not meant for him. Then he would forget to watch his six and get hit by a projectile, knowing good and well that that the RPG wouldn't leave so much as a blemish on his enviable, perfect Kryptonian hide. Sometimes Bruce wanted to be petty and throw a pencil at Clark's head even when he knew that his literal hard head wouldn't feel it anymore than someone would feel a butterfly land on their shoulder.
What really made watching Clark so hard was that he would never be able to tell him how he felt. And even though they lived in close quarters it always seemed like he was miles away from him. Then whenever Lois would call him and he put her voice on speaker so that he could say hi it took all of his inner strength to keep envy from slipping into his greetings. And the times when Clark asked him to leave so he could talk to Lois in private, a deep scowl of jealousy would form on his face as soon as he turned into another room. Lois had no idea how lucky she was to have such a great Alpha attracted to her, while the closest Bruce will ever come to a romantic interest were the toys Clark would get him during his heat. But it seemed that he thought what he did too soon for within a minute after thinking this he was hit by painful aches in his chest, hips and thighs. His heat had come and he was no where near the specially made heat-proof room that held his knot dildos and vibrators. Bruce crumbled weakly to the icy floor, then struggled towards the heat-proof room before he fell to the might of his baser instincts. He couldn't help but note the irony of how his slick was trailing down his thighs faster than he was reaching the room.
Suddenly he was picked up two strong arms and in a flash was taken to the heat-proof room, laid gently on the bed and the door was sealed shut by his rescuer. It was no surprise to Bruce that his rescuer was Clark. However it was a surprise to see the normally calm and unshakable man with a wild, crazed look in his eyes as his round pupils formed into slits with his Alpha nature kicking in. Bruce weakly protested for Clark to leave, not that his voice held much conviction as the dominant male embraced him and began kissing him. Even still he told Clark to stop and to think of his relationship with Lois. But then Clark said that he had no relationship with the Beta female, even going as far as to growl in feral possessiveness at Bruce mentioning the name of someone else while in his presence. Though this greatly shocked the former Dark Knight, he could question the Kryptonian about it later. Right now all he wanted was to do was see if Clark really as faster than a speeding bullet.
When the Night lets in the Sun...
The morning after their steamy intercourse marathon Bruce's heat had subsided considerably to where he could think clearly beyond the lustful haze making him want to be stuffed with a hard knot. And with this newfound clearer perspective, he was able to turn towards the Alpha sharing his bed...and promptly shove him out. Clark was rather shocked by the sudden movement and was at first confused until a look around the room made him remember just what he and Bruce did only six hours ago. First his inner Alpha was very delighted to have mated with such a fine Omega. But then his logical side swooped in to knock the sobering sense of reality into his inner Alpha, and make him realize that now wasn't the time to be all giddy. Now was the time to explain himself. And from the infamous glare Bruce gave, which left no room for negotiations, he should start explaining now. After they both took a shower, changed into some fresh clothes and Bruce took his suppressants the pair sat down to talk. In the beginning though they didn't do much talking at all. The atmosphere was so nerve wracking and awkward that it was only until Krypto barked as he ran around playing with his favorite indestructible ball that the two snapped out of their silence.
Clark began the conversation by carefully asking Bruce how he felt, and if he gave him a Bond Bite during their mating. To his immense relief the former vigilante told him that he had no such marking on the back of his neck. Then it was Bruce's turn, and he asked what Clark meant by his comment about having no romantic relationship with Lois. Clark didn't respond to his question as quickly as Bruce had responded a moment ago, and Bruce figured he was trying to think of a gentle way to explain that he lied. But once again he was left surprised when the Man of Steel said he meant exactly what he said and had no romantic relationship with Lois. True, he said, he has always harbored a deep affection for her and they have had their share of cozy dates but never anything greatly intimate. And as time passed Clark was starting to see that Lois was becoming more and more committed to her career than to a relationship. Clark wasn't about to make the female Beta slow down her ambitions just to be with him, and so they agreed to a close friend relationship. And for the last fifteen years, even longer than that he admitted, he has been seeing Bruce in the same way that the Omega has been seeing him.
Hearing this confession left Bruce stunned for words. For fifteen years he has harbored deep feelings for Clark that have grown with every day, yet he always thought they were a waste of time and would be unrequited. He thought he didn't have a snowball's chance in hell with someone like Clark. Especially after his incredible fall from grace. But now...it seems like he may just have a shot at gaining some happiness with someone he loves. So with all doubts now a thing of the past Bruce and Clark agreed to start over and do this right with proper courting, unaware of the grand results that this would yield down the road.
Together at last...
For the next two years Clark would court Bruce to show him that his feelings are sincere. And given this development Diana took it upon herself by literally taking Bruce away to Themyscira. As his designated "big sister" and since Bruce had no mother figure Diana felt obligated to act as the chaperon during Bruce and Clark's courtship. And as the chaperon that meant that Bruce had to remain on the isle of Amazons until he accepts the courtship or otherwise. While the brooding Omega wanted to give his two cents, and maybe even five cents, on what he thought of this well intended yet still annoying imposition Clark didn't mind his fellow Alpha's willingness to help.
Anyway the courtship between the Kryptonian and former billionaire was rather typical even though they themselves were far from it. Clark would bring gifts of things Bruce liked such as thriller and sci-fi novels to pass the time, model kits to keep his hands busy and geodes from different universes and planets to make for a rather interesting collection. With the help of his dear mother Clark also made Bruce scarves, each one a different color or pattern and softer than the last. He was thankful that his Kryptonian hide kept the needle from piercing his skin whenever he missed a stitch. And although she was glad to help Sarah wished that her son's skin wasn't so thick that it broke her needles. Then one day Bruce told Clark that he had made his decision, and wanted to meet with him on the shores of Themyscira. Never in his life had Clark felt so worried since the time he had that three day deadline to write a big article feature on the wedding of a very mean bridezilla. What would Bruce say, he wondered. Yes, no, maybe? The possibilities were almost as endless as his stress. It was times like this that he wished he brought his paper bag to ease his worried breaths but he forgot the damn thing in his haste to suit up and fly to Themyscira. But it was too late to double back and get it because he was just a few yards within the island.
Clark landed on the soft white sand of Themyscira's shores and stood only six feet apart from Bruce. Then the other man raised his hand and half curled back his index finger a few times, beckoning him over. The Kryptonian nervously walked two feet closer which left a four foot gap. Bruce then walked one foot closer and beckoned Clark over again who walked another two feet closer. With one foot of space left between them Bruce stared deeply into the Man of Steel's eyes with no clear expression. Then, for the first time since he went into hiding, he gave the biggest smile Clark has ever seen before tackling his mouth with his own and wrapping his arms around the man's neck. To the delight of Clark and the Amazons spying on them Bruce had accepted his courtship.
And from their union, not only would the pair later gain something they wanted but also give something the world needed.
Getting the news...
It has officially been two whole decades since Bruce has gone into hiding, and in the last three years of those decades he and Clark have been a couple. After two years of courtship Bruce accepted Clark's feelings and they have been enjoying many happy days in the Fortress of Solitude. And if the Omega could venture into the outside world like he used to with his Alpha their happy days would be perfect. However after the reveal of his secret identity as Batman twenty years ago that will never come to pass. At least they thought it wouldn't, until their dear friends J'onn and Wally showed up with some surprising news. And as the Martian Manhunter and Scarlet Speedster explained everything their news left the couple absolutely stunned.
For the past ten or so years something strange has occurred across the world. Almost the entire some billion population of everyone on Earth seems to have been subjected to an odd strain of amnesia. It wasn't a flat out mind wipe that erased every detail of their entire lives, though. The people could still remembers things like their names and where they live. But a few certain things they have seem to have forgotten about permanently. At first the Justice League assumed that the Legion of Doom was up to no good or maybe even Starro was plotting yet another mind control invasion. But when they investigated into both possibilities and a few others none of them panned out. Whatever the cause of this mass spread of forgetfulness was it had every hero in the business stumped. The only ones who weren't affected by this amnesia strain were heroes, their families and their allies. And when Clark asked what was forgotten by those who were affected Wally gave a smile, this one a mature form of sincerity over his usual goofy grins, and said something Bruce didn't think he would ever hear. Everyone forgot that Bruce Wayne is Batman.
When he heard those seven words the Omega could hardly believe his luck, mentally noting the irony of the phrase, as he first made a shout of joy that would normally be out of character for him. But right now he didn't care. He was so happy that he couldn't stop laughing and hugged J'onn, then Wally and finally Clark. The Man of Steel thanked their friends for delivering this relieving news and told them that he and Bruce will call the rest of the League later. The martian and speedster nodded in understanding then took their leave. Once they were gone Bruce's joyfully laughing then changed to tears. It wasn't like the ugly sobbing of sorrow he did twenty years ago, when Superman took away the fallen Dark Knight after his secret was revealed. This time it was happily relieved crying at the fact that he wouldn't have to hide anymore. Finally, after so long a time of wishing and hoping, he could finally go back home. Not just to Gotham City but to the people there that he called family, and with a new man on his arm to boot.
Homecoming...
After Wally and J'onn gave the news about the world's mass amnesia strain and how the populace forgot who was the man behind the cowl, Bruce wasted no time in returning to Gotham City the next day. He knew that he should've asked whether or not the news footage of his identity reveal still existed but after spending two decades away from those he loved he didn't give a damn. All he wanted now more than anything was to see the faces of his friends, see the faces of his family. He drove himself and Clark to the high hilltop where the mansion of Wayne Manor once stood before Superman destroyed it for the Knightfall contingency. Bruce didn't know why he would go there since the manor no longer existed but it was the only place he could think of. And once he got there he felt his heart stop, not in a painful way but in a way to make him pause and appreciate the sight before him.
As if it was never hit by the Man of Steel's heat vision Wayne Manor was there and looked almost the same as it did twenty years ago. Though the metal, stone and mortar were different from the materials used to make the original mansion when it was first built it still held the same regal air that comes so naturally with the Wayne Family. Bruce didn't even wait for Clark to say or do anything as he practically tripped from ripping off his seat belt and hurling himself out of the car. He ran up to the black metal gates which had the calligraphic initial of his family name like the old gates used to and pushed them ride open, then ran up the high path leading to the manor. His head was getting light from the Molotov cocktail mix of anxiety and adrenaline rushing through him but again, he didn't give a damn. He wanted to – no, he had to get to those mansion doors. He had to see if this was real. He had to reunite with his family. He just had to...!
Once Bruce made it to the grand doors, which were hand carved with elaborate designed like the old ones were, he shoved them open to reveal the insides of his home looking the exact same as they did so long ago. The first thing that came out of his mouth was the name of the man he considered a father, then the names of the people he considered his sons and daughters soon followed. After a while he received no answer to his shouting and feared that this may all be a terribly cruel dream turn nightmare for a moment. Then suddenly he heard walking from one pair of feet, then two pairs, then three pairs and so on until finally the people who made those walking sounds converged on the front entrance. Standing there was Alfred, Azrael, Dick, Tim, Barbra, James, Bette, Helena, Cassandra, Charlie, Stephanie and Ace and they all had smiles on their faces.
The moment he heard "Welcome home, Master Bruce" the Omega didn't need any further prompting as he ran into the waiting arms of his friends and family. And Clark was right there smiling at the while, just happy to see his beloved happy.
Same place, new changes...
Deciding that he should first catch up on what has happened in the past twenty plus years since his absence, Bruce abstained from any vigilante activity so the Bat Family and his closest friends of the Justice League could give him the 411. Over the years since Bruce went into hiding, Commissioner James Gordon became Mayor James Gordon and led Gotham to a brighter future in the course of two successive terms. Then after his time as mayor came to an end he went on to become a senator of their state. During that time Barbra had risen through the police ranks and became the second Commissioner Gordon, while Tim stayed in Gotham working as a technological engineer with Wayne Enterprises alongside Lucius Fox. Dick remained in Bludhaven City but would often come to Gotham to visit his extended family. Alfred and Ace lived in a small townhouse in Gotham and enjoyed a simple lifestyle while also dabbling in the competitive dog show circuit. And Azrael has been doing a very exceptional job as Batman with the occasional help from Bette, Helena, Cassandra, Charlie and Stephanie as well as the Justice League members. Then, in the last ten years leading up to Bruce's return, Barbra and Tim came to the realization that they were living more as roommates than husband and wife. So they decided to just have an annulment and separated on good terms. And one year after this Barbra went on to marry a new, up and coming lawyer named Sam Young while Tim married Stephanie. Barbra was even cured of her paraplegic condition thanks to the magical assistance of Kent Nelson. The four other former Batgirls went off on their own by this time but still kept it in touch. Sadly though no one has heard from Jason Todd since he disappeared after murdering Roman Sionis.
When the topic about the mass amnesia strain came up, it was then that Oliver and Kara took the floor. They explained that it began ten years ago seemingly without any cause. The League has been looking into all possible reasons behind this and have only gotten more questions than answers. The only note worthy thing about this odd event was that flower petals from newly discovered plant species flaked off and floated across the continents in which they originate from throughout the seasons. Clark then asked Kara if the video tapes of Bruce's identity being unveiled are still in the hands of the media, knowing that could still be a potentially grave problem. And the second surviving Kryptonian assured her cousin that, as soon as the mass spread of forgetfulness started, the Justice League immediately took advantage of the situation and seized every bit of photographic and video evidence then destroyed it. Then last year Alfred decided to rebuild Wayne Manor the way it used to be and the Bat Family all came together to help him. Since then the new mansion has been standing as proudly as the old one.
After he let all of the news sink in, Bruce decided to share some news of his own and reveal that he and Clark were a couple. While most of everyone was shocked they were none the less happy for the two. And the joy has only just started for them.
From the ashes, renewal...
Eight months after he returned to Gotham, Bruce decided to reclaim his role as the Dark Knight. Azrael was more than happy to give back the cowl to his mentor because it meant he could put all his efforts into dismantling the group of religious zealots who manipulated him. None of the lower tier criminals or super villains really noticed the difference from one bat themed vigilante to the other. The only thing any of them really brought up was what happened to the sword Batman used to carry, and Bruce could only hope that Azrael used it for slashing things not made of flesh and bone. At any rate he was glad to not only don the mask that he didn't know meant so much to him but to also enjoy the civilian life he missed. Of course he didn't partake in every aspect of his former life, like his old playboy habits. Despite what others think of his views on relationships Bruce is a firm believer in monogamy. So during a party held in honor of his return from a "self discovering journey" and assuming leadership of Wayne Enterprises again Bruce made it clear that he was off the market.
At this Summer Gleason asked how long he has been in a relationship with this mystery person, and Bruce replied that they have been together for three years. Then it was Vicki Vale who inquired about the identity of the person who has actually managed to snatch up Gotham's most eligible Omega bachelor. To this Bruce gave a wide grin and asked for his love to step forth onto the stage, at which point Clark Kent came out from backstage. This stunned the entire crowd and soon the large conference room erupted with shouts of jealous outrage, exclamations of supportive joy and twenty times five questions. However the couple paid little mind and only stated that they will be enjoying their years with each other for as long as they could and would do the things lovers do. Unknown to the crowd this also meant battling crime as the famous World's Finest duo.
Sure things weren't always lovey dovey, and the couple butted heads quite often be it during missions or in civilian settings. But that never stopped Clark and Bruce from loving each other. In a lot of ways the conflicts they dealt with, both inside and outside of their relationship, made them closer than they ever were before. And by extent their bond brought members from both the Super Family and Bat Family closer. Once their relationship hit the six year mark Clark had surprised Bruce by presenting him with a unisex Tanzanite engagement tennis bracelet, and asked him for his hand in marriage.
Bruce was shocked into speechlessness at first but then quickly recovered. And just as quickly he accepted Clark's proposal and let him snap the engagement bracelet onto his wrist. After a bit of celebratory kissing the Dark Knight gave a surprise of his own. One that definitely made the Alpha's marriage proposal pale in comparison; he was pregnant.
The twilight child...
For the next nine months Bruce would carry the precious weight of his and Clark's child in his stomach. Since Azrael was tending to his own matters, the protection of Gotham was given a woman's touch after Cassandra became the city's new Batwoman until Bruce was done with his maternity leave. And to his surprise it didn't make him nearly as stir crazy as he thought it would. Perhaps those years he spent in the Fortress of Solitude during his exile made him learn to appreciate staying in one place more. Of course that didn't mean he was going to sit up and let his Alpha rub his feet and hand feed him, like how most Omegas would. Bruce would go out shopping with Alfred and still attended meetings whenever it came to handling the affairs of Wayne Enterprises. While everyone would feel less worried if the rich Omega would just sit down they already knew it was a waste of time hoping. And they didn't bother asking his Alpha fiance to help, since Bruce had Clark wrapped around his finger in eight different ways.
In terms of having an official wedding Clark and Bruce agreed to wait until after the latter gave birth. This was also a blessing in disguise as it gave them time to plan the wedding. It wouldn't be a full blown royal ceremony with hundreds of thousands of people though. Just a small to mid sized event with dear friends, family and allies. To a few people's surprise it was actually Clark who suggested to Bruce that they could just sign the needed papers at court and call it a day. However it was Bruce who said that he wanted to have a more traditional wedding because of all events he could speed through a marriage ceremony wasn't going to be one of them. This made Clark very happy to hear and he acquiesced to his fiance's wishes.
Once the nine months had passed, Bruce went into labor one breezy afternoon during the fall season. Alfred was on hand and prepared everything in advance that his surrogate son would require. And when he called Clark to inform him about it the Man of Steel practically teleported to Wayne Manor he flew there so fast. Diana, Shayera and Kara also provided their assistance during the delivery while J'onn used his empathy powers to ease Clark's stress as he stood by his mate's side and held his hand. After several hours a small, pale skinned baby boy came into the world. When Kara gently handed the boy to his Omega parent he opened his eyes to reveal a shade of blue similar to his parents yet so different. Shayera made a joke of how, given the different hours they represent, that the boy was pretty much the twilight between them and they couldn't help but agree.
It was a tender moment to cherish, and everyone left the room so that Bruce and Clark could have their moment with their son. The next day every hero and members of the Super Family and Bat Family would come to see the child. Sarah and Johnathan Kent then asked Clark what the name of their grandson is. And with a smile he replied; Terrance Wayne-Kent.
One big happy family...
The moment that Bruce's scars from the C-section healed he and Clark went on to have their wedding ceremony, and Bruce Wayne became Wayne-Kent. They wore their rose gold ID wedding bracelets, the plates of which were engraved with Clark's surname and the Wayne family crest underneath it, with pride and had them on practically every waking moment. But the greatest symbol of their marriage was their sweet son Terrance, or Terry for short. Everyone absolutely adored Terry and enjoyed playing with him and babysitting him. More than once certain members of the League, who will not be named, have absconded with little Terry because they wanted to spend more time with him. And while it did peeve the parents a bit Bruce and Clark couldn't be angry at them. After all Terry was a sweet child and was growing up fast every day, which was more than what everyone could say for Bruce. While he was nearing the milestone of sixty he physically looked to be forty five and only had streaks of white to show proof of his age. When Ryan Choi gave Bruce an examination he discovered something quite fascinating.
Apparently due to constant exposure to Clark's DNA the Omega went through something of a "reverse age" effect. Only in this case it actually worked unlike the made up cosmetic gimmicks on TV. When the heroes asked how Bruce was constantly exposed to Clark's DNA the couple blushed while giving each other suggestive looks, which was answer enough for everyone. However Wally and Oliver wanted to hear the details themselves only to be chased out by Ace.
As he got older Clark and Bruce observed Terry's physiology closely to see if he would develop any Kryptonian powers. Over the next seven years Terry would show no signs of Kryptonian powers, which Bruce attributed to his human heritage. Although he did show to have some perks of his near extinct people like how he had keen hearing, though not as super as his father's, and could masterfully change his voice to mimic others. But other than that it seemed that Terry had no major Kryptonian abilities. Clark was actually grateful for this because he didn't want his son to endure the burden of near godly power. Though people may think it's easy to be an unsurpassed being that is hardly the case for Clark, who has had to deal with the drawbacks that came with being the type of person he was. Even though those drawbacks happened years ago he still deals with the haunting anguish now and again. So every day he thanked Bruce for being apart of their son so that he would never have to go through the same trials as he had. This also meant that unlike his parents Terry could actually have a normal life.
However, just because Terry wouldn't ascend to become the new Man of Steel didn't mean that he wouldn't experience a hero's trials. There was still a second legacy he was associated with. And on one dark night the child would be indoctrinated into it...
From generation to generation...
A simple mission, Bruce told himself when Barbra called and told him Bunny Vreeland was kidnapped. I've done this hundreds of millions of times, he told himself as he donned his newly modified suit he called the Beyond Edition. It wasn't even a large group of kidnappers. Only three to five guys to deal with. He has fought forty thugs at once many times before so this would be no big deal. If only his friends and family would believe him when he said that. Everyone would constantly say that Bruce should consider retirement and let Azrael or someone take on the Mantle of The Bat. It was too risky, they told him whenever he came along during a mission. He couldn't keep doing this, they said when Bruce kept getting into dangerous situations. Bruce knew why they felt the way they did and knew that because of their respect for him they wouldn't speak the reason aloud. And the reason was simple...Bruce Wayne-Kent was getting older. Sure he looked like he was in his forties but biologically he was sixty seven. Just because Clark's sperm reserved the physical progress of his age didn't mean that he had Kryptonian stamina or strength. He was still a mortal man who had his limits, but every time Bruce laughed at those limits. He would push on and continue protecting his city until his dying day. At this everyone thought the billionaire was truly crazy.
Everyone, that is, except for Clark. He was the only one who truly supported Bruce all the way with his continued vigilante escapades. And when dear Alfred Pennyworth passed away peacefully in his bed two years ago Clark took up the responsibility of stitching up his husband and helping him solve his various cases. Tonight wouldn't be any different after Batman returned from rescuing Bunny Vreeland. However he was soon proven wrong when he heard something; a high-pitched ultra sonic whistle only his sensitive ears could pick up. The sound made his heart stop because he had given Bruce an ultra sonic whistle to blow whenever he was in trouble and needed his help. Of course Bruce never blew the whistle, no matter how stacked up the odds were against him. Despite that he always kept it on his person. And to hear that whistle blowing now made him realize that this must truly be a dire moment for Bruce to sound off the single note instrument.
With great haste he put his suit, this one a black and white piece his mother Sarah made before she died, and zipped to the abandoned building where the whistle sound came from. Using his x-ray vision he could see Batman lying on his back while being faced with an assault plasma rifle a thug was aiming at his face. And looking through his husband's suit Superman could see that his spine had sprained and thus he couldn't get up to defend himself. A scan of the building showed that Bunny was held captive in a room just a floor above, with four thugs keeping their weapons trained on her. Deciding to kill two birds with one stone Superman first flew into the top floor through an open window and knocked out the first bunch of thugs, then freed Bunny. Afterwards he tossed the men down a hole in the floor which made them land right on top of thug number five.
Once he made sure the room was clear Superman turned to his fallen husband and with a single, strong pinch he was able to align and fix his spine. Batman then asked if Bunny was alright to which he confirmed. The vigilante sighed in relief then asked for his mate to take him home, not once objecting when Superman picked him up in a bridal hold then flew off towards Wayne Manor. He entered in through the open window of the living room and walked over to the couch, then laid Batman onto it. Normally he would take him to the Bat Cave but given Bruce's bad back he wanted to make him lay on something comfortable, and the medic table down below wouldn't do. Even though Superman put his spine back into proper alignment his husband would still need to be comfortable to ease any extra stress. And that extra stress applied to both the physical and mental meaning. Even from under his mask and without using his x-ray vision Superman could see the expression of frustration and doubt etched on Batman's face. It seemed as though all of the talk of how he was too old to be the Bat got to him and, even though it saved his life and he loved his mate, using the whistle to call the Alpha wasn't the proudest moment the stubborn Omega could have. Even still he was grateful and expressed this to Clark by removing his mask and giving him a kiss.
Then suddenly, without any warning, the couple heard the sound a small 'click' and the once dark room was filled with light. They broke apart from their lip lock to see their seven year old son Terry standing at the top of the stairs, wearing his Batman pajamas and holding his Superman plushy in one hand while the other was still resting on the light switch. Behind him stood the manor's live-in butler Justin Stypes, who was the late Alfred's protege and assumed his role as vigilante caretaker, and he gave the couple an apologetic look. Apparently he was unable to stop the child from coming downstairs to investigate the strange noises. And from the look of his azure blue eyes widened with shocked disbelief, he saw them alright.
It left Bruce and Clark with little choice but to reveal everything to Terry. They told him the truth behind his extended family such as the secondary identities of Uncle Arthur, Aunt Diana, cousin Kara and many others. They even told him the truth about how his adoptive brothers Dick and Tim were the first and third generations of Robin and how his five surrogate sisters were once Batgirl at some point. And they also told him about his godfather Jean-Paul Valley and his identity as Azrael and how Grandfather Alfred, Grampy Johnathan and Grammy Sarah have assisted them in their endeavors. By the time they finished explaining everything, they looked at their son to see how he would react. His expression still held a great amount of shock and he didn't say anything. For a moment Bruce wondered if his son so stunned that he had a mental shutdown. But then he reached for the bat mask that Bruce had taken off, looked at it and then looked at his Omega parent. And after a while he smiled and said something Bruce didn't think he'd hear yet was also not surprised to hear it.
"I want to be the Knight, panjo."
And from that point onward, everything changed. Unable to keep anything superhero related from their son anymore Terry was now involved in everything. Of course he was still too young to go on missions, but he did offer support to his parents and big extended family of heroes. And seeing that bright, happy smile at the end of a hard day of being a heroine or hero made it all worth while. But while Terry couldn't go on missions he could still be trained for the missions he would take on in later years. Slowly but surely he was trained in basic to advanced combat, taught how to interrogate suspects, given tutoring in a few languages such as Kryptonese, the basics of computer hacking and everything else he would need to know if he was to follow in his panjo's footsteps.
Then, after years of training, Terry finally got his chance. When he turned fifteen he didn't get a meager sports car or a boat like most rich kids get. He got the very cowl he has worked so hard towards gaining. And ever since then Terry has served Gotham as it's new generation of savior. Batman, the Knight of Tomorrow he was. He still had a lot to learn but he proved that he had great potential and what it took to be a hero. Terry was determined to show that he could be a strong vigilante even without powers from his Kryptonian half. He was even more determined to prove his worth since he inherited something else from Bruce besides the Mantle of The Bat. When he turned fifteen Terry had presented as an Omega, when he was struck by the usual false-heat fever Omegas go through when they present. Fortunately he was at home when this occurred and Justin was a Beta so he wasn't at risk of any Alphas attacking him. Though this greatly surprised the young Wayne-Kent he didn't feel ashamed about his secondary gender. In fact he was thankful because it gave him that extra push to show that he could be strong no matter what kind of adversity he dealt with, be it a lack of powers or being apart of the fairer faction. Although while he was proud of his Omega heritage he could do without the hungry, greedy looks he got from Alpha men and women. Between his secondary gender and the fact that he was the heir to the seemingly limitless fortune of the Wayne family Terry was often the target of manipulative would-be suitors and kidnappers. However the headstrong young man was too smart to be manipulated and kidnappers found out the hard way that he was no weakling. Terry was definitely an independent fellow who lived by his panjo's old phrase, and "works alone". Granted if he has no other option he will take assistance from his heroic friends and family but aside from that it's not unusual to see the Knight of Tomorrow fly the dark, gloomy skies of Gotham by himself. And for the next two years Terry would continue to fly solo.
Then one day a chain of events would start off that would lead him on the path to something he didn't expect. And it would take him on a journey in which he would face many trials, make some hard choices and deal with demons from both the past and present. But all of his hard work and efforts would pay off, and all thanks to a little birdie...
Neo Gotham, Monday 6:35AM. Wayne Manor...
Terry Wayne-Kent was sleeping soundly in his bed and let out a few soft snores in between his breathing. Suddenly he felt a slight nudge at his shoulder but didn't budge. Then the person nudged harder but he still didn't move, only giving out a displeased grumble. When he didn't feel anymore nudging Terry let out a small sigh of content that he was given some peace at last. But suddenly he was startled awake when he felt two heavy amounts of weight bounce onto his bed.
"GAH! SLAG IT!" Terry shouted in horror as he was caught up in the mass of limbs bouncing on him. When he pulled his head up he saw that the culprits were none other than the family dogs and animal sidekicks Ace and Krypto.
"Woof, woof!" Krypto barked happily as he licked the face of his youngest master.
"Bark!" Ace barked as he nuzzled Terry's face.
"Ha, ha, ha! Alright, I get it. I'm getting up." Terry said and finally rose up out of bed, yawning as he stretched his limbs. "And to think, people invented something as useless as an alarm clock when they could just easily adopt a dog."
"True, little master, but at least we got sliced bread right." Said an amused voice from the door of Terry's room and he turned to see the middle aged smiling face of his paprika-pepper haired butler Justin Stypes.
"Hey Justin. Did you open the door for them or did they do it themselves this time?" Terry asked as he got on the twelve foot balance beam inside his room, flipping to stand on his hands and stretching his long legs.
"Sorry, Terry, but that's for us to know and for you to spend hundreds of dollars worth of dog treats to bribe the puppers with trying to find out." Justin said with a grin.
"Heh, I've heard of thick and thieves but never thick as butlers and dogs. So are pops and panjo still here?" Terry asked as he performed several back flips on the balance beam before making a soft landing back onto the floor.
"Yes but they won't be here for long. Master B is headed off for a meeting with a few potential merger applicants uptown and Master C is going to Metropolis to cover a new industrial company unveiling. Thought you'd like to give your goodbyes before they head out." Justin explained.
"Thanks Justin. I'll be taking the hover Cord this time." Terry said.
"I figured as much. It's waiting for you outside, little master, and so is a quick but substantial breakfast." Justin said.
"Thanks, Justin. I'll be down in a moment." Terry said and went into his personal bathroom.
After a few minutes the younger Wayne-Kent walked down the stairs with Ace at his left and Krypto at his right. He headed for the kitchen and there he saw his parents. Clark was going over his notes for his report while Bruce was on the phone talking with one of his executives about the merger applicant meeting. Or rather, the older Omega was yelling at one of his executives.
"I don't care how much money they made in the last ten years, Lyle! I care about how many discrimination cases they have had in the last twenty years since they were founded! I am not going to merge with a company that has shown constant prejudice to male Betas! You tell that worn out, bigot hag and her goons to get out of my building now or I'll throw them out myself when I get there!" Bruce shouted into the phone and turned it off with a hard press of the button. When he turned around and saw Terry standing there his angry expression changed into a happy one. "Good morning Terry. How are you today?"
"Morning, panjo. And I'm better than whoever you were just yelling at. Even after you eat you still need to chew." Terry said with an amused expression.
"Chew people out, that is Terry." Clark added with a look of amusement of his own.
"If people would actually learn by now how I do business then I wouldn't have to chew out anyone. And if it's not them being ignorant to my methods then they're masochists for mental beat downs." Bruce stated as he straightened out his tie.
"Came up with that one by yourself, darling?" Clark asked as he took a sip of his coffee.
"I have my moments. But I should get going before Lyle tries to make the merger himself. This is his official third strike, and after today he is out along with that cheesy hula girl bobble head on his desk." Bruce stated.
"I should be going too. I finished my notes about the company and should start compiling my questions for the interview with the CEO of this new industrial company in Metropolis." Clark said.
"Guess that just leaves me going to school. Dana and Max are probably waiting for me already." Terry said.
"Well we won't keep you from seeing them any longer, Terry. See you later. Justin says it's Italian for dinner tonight." Clark said as he ruffled his son's hair.
"Looking forward to it. Bye pops." Terry said and gave his Alpha parent a quick hug before watching him leave.
"And if you get a call about your 'late night job', just let me know and I'll have Justin save you a plate." Bruce said and gave his son a loving peck on the forehead.
"Right, panjo. You and pops take care." Terry said and waved his Omega parent a hug as well, then waved him off.
After munching on a few of the chocolate chip oatmeal cookies Justin and downing a glass of milk Terry then left for school after bidding the butler and dogs farewell. He drove the hover Cord on the usual route he took to school and made it to Hill Highschool with five minutes to spare. As he expected his two female friends Dana Tan and Max Gibson, who were both Betas, were there waiting. He knew the pair since junior high and they have been close ever since. However they were completely unaware of his "night life", which was all for the best since he didn't want them to get involved. Granted he had a feeling that at some point one or both ladies will learn the truth as Bruce and Clark told him that's what usually happens. But for now he is perfectly content with them just being apart of the plainer aspect of his life.
"Well, there's the man of the hour. And on time yet." Max greeted in a friendly, teasing manner.
"Hey I can show up on time when I want to." Terry defended with a grin.
"Yeah. And sometimes we wonder if you have a stunt double while the real you sleeps in." Dana said.
"If only I could, but panjo would figure it out and bust me for it." Terry said as the trio walked to the building of education.
"How are the folks anyway? Did Mr. Wayne-Kent meet his daily quota of making five people cry?" Max asked.
It was pretty common knowledge to everyone in Gotham, even to the tourists, how absolutely merciless Bruce could be when it came to business. Of course he was generous, kind and respectful to his employees and fellow business folk. But if someone was stupid enough to pull some off the records, unethical stunt they can expect to deal with the far less generous, kind and respectful side of Bruce Wayne-Kent. Many times businessmen and businesswomen have ran out of Bruce's office, barely able to fight back the tears from his sever reprimands.
"He just might. So far I can definitely say this one executive is going to need a lot of tissue. The jury's still out on if four more folks will follow." Terry said.
"The more you talk about what a beast your second dad is, the more I think Hollywood should make a TV show called 'When CEOS Attack' with your old man as the star. It'll have five seasons at least." Dana said making Terry chuckle.
"I'll run that by him when I get home tonight, though I don't think he'll go for it." Terry said as he pushed the doors open for himself and the girls to enter.
And almost right away Terry could feel 'those looks' on him. The looks that his Alpha, and even a few particularly ambitious Beta, classmates would give him whenever he walked through the school halls. But he didn't get nearly as many looks now as he used to when he enrolled last year. Back then it was pretty difficult and hard to deal with when he first started high school after presenting. But thanks to his training as Batman he has learned to steel his emotions a bit the point where he doesn't show that he is visibly upset. However he was far from the hardened, stoic person that his panjo was. He was still a teenager after all and though Terry was more introverted than most people his age he still expressed emotion. And being a young Omega it was hard not to fall to the baser instincts of his secondary gender and hide to get away from the hungry stares and the mean, ignorant comments. But Terry would be damned before he let anyone make him crumble so easily. As hard as it was to shut out the words of doubt from his head he remained strong. Not only to make his parents proud but to set an example for other Omegas like him. Although he had to admit, there are moments when remarks from his peers really tested his patience.
"Hey, it's the moneybags Omega." Whispered one guy to his two friends during English literature class.
"How many credits do you think he has on him now? Like five thousand?" Asked one girl to her friend during chemistry class.
"Please girl, I'll bet he sleeps on five thousand credits for a pillow alone." Replied the friend.
"I wonder how his Alpha dad managed to buy out that news network in Metropolis. He was a poor country boy from the start, so I'll bet he tapped into the Wayne fortune the minute he hooked up with his sugar daddy." Said a guy history class.
"Makes you wonder why he would go to school here when he has the money to go off to one of those ritzy schools." Said a girl during algebra class.
"You think he's into Betas? I mean I'm on the hockey team so I could have a shot." Said another guy to his friend during lunch as they walked past Terry to sit at the jock table.
"If he's anything like how his Omega old man used to be I think you'd have as good of a shot as anyone. Like father like son, you know? And I heard the father was pretty wild back in the day before he got married." Replied the other male to his buddy.
It was statements like that which made Terry really hated that, of all things, he had to inherit his pops' keen hearing. More than being personally hurtful the comments made him angry because they also insulted his parents. How dare they talk as if they knew his parents? You would think that all the years that have passed would make people stop making such awful assumptions that have already proven to be untrue. His parents loved each other and were faithful to one another, and they certainly didn't mate each other for selfish reasons. He was also sick of people thinking that just because he's rich he's automatically a snob who goes off spending his parent's money. Seriously? He has a job and earns his own money, damn it! And the only thing he splurges on with his family funds is charities to help the people of Gotham, Metropolis and anyone from any other place live better lives. Apparently Terry's frustration was growing noticeable as Dana laid a comforting hand on his arm.
"Hey, Terr, calm down. You're gonna break the glass and cut yourself if you keep getting riled up like this." Dana said.
"Huh?" Terry blinked a few times as his anger slowly subsided and he looked down at his left hand to see that he was holding onto his glass cup in a near death grip, and if he held on any tighter it would have broken like Dana said. "Oh...Thanks for the warning, Dana. I guess I lost my head a little."
"And I think I know why. Don't let what those jerks say bother you, Terry. Everyone knows what you and your parents are really like." Dana said reassuringly.
"Yeah. They're just jealous because they can't pull of the tasteful money persona like you can." Max said.
"Max...what the hell is the tasteful money persona?" Terry asked, eyebrow raised in question and face grinning in slight amusement.
"If you stayed up to date with a certain character trope website like the rest of us you'd know, WK." Max said coyly.
This seemed to ease Terry's once sour mood as he chuckled, and the girls smiled at seeing their friend happy again. But the pleasant lunch moment was soon interrupted when an unwanted person came over to their table. It was Nelson Nash, captain of the school hockey team and the ipso-facto heartthrob of Hill Highschool. He was also an Alpha so added with his high rank among the hockey team he is the highest on the food chain second only to Terry given his elite status, not that he put much stock in it and considered himself to be better of course. When Terry first arrived at the school Nelson wasted no time in making a pass at him and assumed he would be an easy conquest because he, like many others, took him for a ditzy rich Omega boy. However Terry showed him that he wasn't an easy lay and that he wasn't interested in dating. Since then Nelson has taken Terry on as a personal challenge to try and seduce him but thus far to no avail. Not that he let something like multiple emphatic rejections stop him, of course.
"Hey, Terry-Berry! How's it going?" Nelson asked, using the obnoxious name that Terry has grown to despise.
"There's no 'berry' in my name, Nash. And it was going fine a moment ago." Terry said with a glare directed at the Alpha jock.
"Keyword being was." Dana said with a displeased look of her own.
"Don't you have hockey field strategies to plan for the next game, Nelson?" Max asked in a hinting tone, hoping that the other male would get the clue. But he didn't.
"Sure, but I can always get to that later. I always got time for the hottest Omega in town." Nelson said suggestively, leaning closer to Terry who leaned away from him.
"Well maybe you should go and find them before they leave." Terry said.
"Come on, you're way too modest Wayne-Kent. I mean you got looks that would cost thousands of credits in plastic surgery to get." Nelson said.
"Gee, thanks Nelson. You're such a charmer." Terry said in a deadpan, sarcastic tone.
"Hey, they don't call me Nelson the Smooth-Talker for nothing." Nelson said with an arrogant look about him.
"Somehow I get the feeling they don't call him that at all." Dana whispered to Max who nodded in agreement.
"Anyway I came over wondering if you got any plans this Friday. Me and the rest of the guys are going to a to a hot new club and I could use a plus one." Nelson said, wiggling his eyebrows in a suggestive manor.
"Then get a calculator and add one to another number. I already told you that I'm not interested, Nelson. Besides I have a late night job that is very important." Terry stated.
"Aw come on Terry. You got enough money to live a hundred lifetimes. Why bother with a job when you don't even need one? I mean you're an Omega, and all Omegas have to do is look cute and get married." Nelson responded.
In that moment, Terry's entire body went into rigid state. And Dana and Max shared a look of concern over what they knew would transpire. Of all the statements someone could make towards the young man the one type of statement he would never tolerate was a derogatory remark about Omegas. Even though the fairer faction have come up in the world since the late 70's, many holding prestigious jobs and seats of power, there are still the bunch who view them as nothing more than accessories. And others view them as even less than that. This was one of the reasons why Terry works his body so hard during his physical training and worked even harder to be as great a hero as he could be. It was to prove that an Omega can be just as strong as any Alpha or Beta. So to hear Nelson say that all an Omega is supposed to do is basically serve as a homemaker doll made him more than a little angry. There was a thick silence at the table for a moment before Terry turned to face the Alpha with a smile, but it wasn't a happy one. It was a smile that held bad intent.
"So...you think that all an Omega has to do is get married and look cute, huh Nash?" Terry asked in an obviously false tone of niceness. Even the normally unaware jock could tell that he wasn't in a good mood.
"Uh...Y-Yeah..." Nelson replied but his answer lacked the confidence his previous remark had.
"I see. Well, when it comes to being cute..." At this Terry paused and squeezed the glass in his hand hard enough for it to partially break and split down one side. "...Most folks say I'm cute when I'm angry. And right now, I. Am. Pissed."
It seemed like Nelson finally got the picture, for he readily stood up and backed away from Terry.
"Say, I think you were right before Gibson! Me and the team should be coming up with strategies for the next game! I should be going now. Later!" And with that Nelson made a hasty retreat.
"Heh. Bet Nelson doesn't hustle nearly as fast as that during hockey practice." Max said with a grin.
"He was worried that Terry would squeeze his knot the same way he squeezed that class. Speaking of which, how is your hand Terr? I hope you didn't cut yourself." Dana said as she took Terry's left hand to give it a look over, relieved to see that no glass was embedded.
"Nah, it's fine. I just gave it a little squeeze. Though I'll probably have to slip the lunch lady a few credits to replace it." Terry said.
"While you're at slip her some recipes. You'd think that someone who's been working here for as long as she had would know how to cook." Max said, poking at the questionable looking hamburger...if it even was a hamburger that is.
The school day progressed fairly well after that, and Terry didn't hear any more snide comments people made behind his back. School soon came to a blessed end as the final bell rang and students piled out of the building in groups. Terry, Max and Dana were one of those groups as they walked down the flight of stairs and chatted.
"So we're all going to have a cram session at my place Saturday for next week's global history test?" Dana asked to her friends.
"Yep. And then we'll quiz each other the day before." Max said.
"Sounds like a plan to me. If all goes well I'll treat you ladies to a night on the town at our favorite dance club, and an epic dinner." Terry added which made the two female Betas smile in delight.
"Spoken like a guy after my own heart. Well me and Max should be headed home." Dana said.
"Yeah, Empress gets cranky and starts arguing with the neighbor's dog when I don't show up to feed her on time." Max said.
"Well what do you expect when you name a cat Empress? That she'll be patient and not want to be waited on?" Dana asked with a grin as the two girls walked off.
"Ha! Good point. See ya later, Terry! Tell the folks we said hey." Max called out as she turned to wave off her male friend.
"Sure thing! See you girls tomorrow!" Terry called out and waved back, then he got into the hover Cord and drove back to Wayne Manor.
Later on, during the early evening as the sky took on an even shade of dark blue, Terry sat down at the table with his parents and Justin all while enjoying the delicious dinner the paprika-pepper haired butler made. Ace and Krypto were beside their respective masters eating their homemade dog food also. The small family chatted in between bites of food and before anyone knew it the time was already eight o'clock PM. It was then that Terry decided it was time to clock in for his night job.
"Well, I should be going on. The night is still young and there's plenty of time for people to start trouble." Terry said.
"Don't I know it. We'll leave you to it then, son. Dinner was excellent as usual, Justin." Bruce said.
"Thank you, Master B. I'll clean up the mess from dinner after I help little master with his late evening work." Justin said.
"No worries, Justin. We'll handle it. And you be careful out there tonight Terry." Clark said as he gave his son a hug.
"Relax, pops. I'm as careful as panjo was when he used to do this." Terry assured.
"I know. That's why I'm so concerned." The Kryptonian said with a grin which made Bruce roll his eyes.
"If there is anyone who's idea of being careful you have to be concerned about, it's Oliver's. Now gather up the dishes, I'll wash and you can dry." Bruce said as he headed for the kitchen.
"You only want me to dry because I can use my super breath to do it faster." Clark stated as he gathered up the utensils, plates and bowls then followed after Bruce.
"Of course. What's the point of having Superman for a husband if I can't use him to cheat my way around chores?" Bruce asked with a hint of amusement in his voice.
"They remind me of a similar same sex couple from an old TV show about two boyfriends who adopt a little girl and go through their daily lives." Justin said as he walked with Terry to the private study, which was more than a simple study.
"Yeah? Were they superheroes too?" Terry asked as he walked to the bronze head bust of Shakespeare mounted on the desk and pulled back the head, revealing a cleverly hidden red knob and gave it a twist. This resulted in the old Grandfather Clock slowly pulling itself back from the wall and sliding to the side and revealing a hidden staircase. The same staircase his panjo has walked down many times before him.
"No, but they were just as hilarious to watch as Master B and Master C." Justin said and let Terry walk downstairs ahead of him before following the young Omega downstairs.
Once they made it to the lower floor the pair were greeted with the place that has served as a home away from home for the Bat Family for many years. The legendary Bat Cave which was filled with a nearly immeasurable number of gadgets, multiple vehicles with different transportation methods, various bat suits and evidence mementos from past cases. The first time that Terry saw the Bat Cave was two years ago, after Bruce had deemed he was ready to become the Knight. It was the greatest moment he felt he would ever experience and to this day it is still a treasured memory for him. Now he was going to make even more memories here and maybe even add evidence mementos of his own. The young hero walked towards the wardrobe turnstile which held unique bat suits tailored for the continuous war on crime that plagues Gotham City. And tonight he would wear the very first heroic ensemble the turnstile was set to. The Beyond Edition suit, the very same one that Bruce wore for a short period before passing it on to his son. Being fully equipped with Batarang launchers, jet boots with a magnetic hold feature, contractible wings, arm razor blades for defense and offense, an invisibility cloaking mode, heart rate sensors that can detect even the smallest spike in a suspect's pulse when performing interrogation, listening device and audio recorder, grapple cord launcher, a palm top computer and Detective Mode scanner made the Beyond suit the most adaptable bat suit that Bruce had ever created. And if Terry was going to stay one step ahead the criminals of Gotham he was going to need every trick the suit had.
The bats in the cave flew all about the wide underground space as Terry took out the suit and proceeded to dress into it. First he zipped on the full body suit, then strapped on the jet boots which blended seamlessly into the suit, pulled on the gloves and finally placed the cowl over his head. Gone was the teenager Terrance Wayne-Kent, and now stood the vigilante Batman. As if cheering for him the bats flew past Batman's side and above his head, wings just barely grazing him, then disappeared back to the ceiling of the Bat Cave. Batman then sprayed on the artificial Alpha pheromones to mask his own Omega scent. While he had no shame in his secondary gender it wouldn't do for the image of the fearful personified form of vengeance to smell like an Omega.
"All set then, little master?" Justin asked.
"Yes. I'll be doing patrols until eleven thirty. Not that I'm hoping to actually get here at any time before midnight of course." Batman said as he used his palm top computer to activate the Batmobile and open the entry skylight.
"I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, little master. Now get out there and kick some ass." Justin said as he took his seat at the Bat Computer.
"Oh trust me, I plan to." Batman said with a grin before running up to the Batmobile and jumping through the entry skylight.
Gripping onto the steers he synced his suit with the controls of the Batmobile and drove it out the cave, exiting through the fake school bus exit at the old scrap yard. Batman then took to the skies as he surveyed Neo Gotham from above. From this vantage point the city looked unassuming and was as normal as any city place, full of hustle and bustle with folks going out doing their nightly errands or hitting the club. But Batman knew better. Underneath the veil of simplicity was crime and ill intent lurking everywhere. That's where Batman came in, to serve as the line of defense that keeps that crime and ill intent from harming the Gothamites of this city. His city. And whether it was petty thieves or full blown masterminds no one is going to cause it any harm on his watch.
For the next hour and a half, Batman would patrol the skies and bust a gang of three would be burglars trying to get in through the windows of their potential victims. Afterwards he lowered the hover vehicle down to patrol the streets and caught two purse snatchers, two armed thugs attempting a hold up a store and knife wielding stalker following a woman. All in all it was a pretty quiet night. And after an hour passed, and it was ten-thirty PM, the young vigilante ran into no further incidents after that. Thus he decided to perform one last round of patrols before calling it an early night. He headed downtown to the old Brideshead neighborhood, which once served as a place of residence to a certain infamous cat lady. Much like it was back in the old days it is a prominent middle class neighborhood that is home to single people and small families, however that didn't mean it was immune to crime. Brideshead has had more than it's fair share assaults, burglaries, drug sells and was even the territory of a various gangsters that have come and gone over the ages. So he figured that he would roam the rooftops and watch for any shady characters down below. Batman landed the hover Batmobile on the roof of a store then it to invisible cloak mode before exiting. From there he walked along the rooftops and observed the people on the sidewalks. There were a few regular folks such as little old ladies taking casual evening strolls or teens out talking with each other.
So far none of the masses stood out. They all seemed like ordinary people. And after half an hour passed, the literal eleventh hour of the evening struck. Batman was nearly ready to make the trip back to Wayne Manor until he heard people talking in a much rowdier tone than the calm talking he's heard before. It made him turn his head to look across the street and there he saw a group of five punks, maybe a little older he was give or take a year. In an instant something in his head, like a radar, set off and told him to follow these guys. Call it a sixth sense or whatever you want to call it but even before he started training to succeed Bruce the young vigilante has always had an inner sense that alerted him to suspicious people or situations. He supposed it was something he inherited from his parents from the get go.
Having made the decision to follow after the troublemakers Batman unfolded the leather material underneath his arms and flew across the street, landing on the rooftops there. From above he could see the trope of punks moving their lips, talking to one another. So he set his listening device to hone in specifically on their conversation. And soon their words came in so clearly it was like they were right next to him.
"Yo, you guys sure we should be doing this?" Asked one punk with multiple tattoos along his arms.
"What are you talkin' about, TJ?" Asked the second with hair dyed in a wild blend of orange and blue that was cut into a fade.
"I'm talkin' about this job, Marty. I mean don't any of yous feel uneasy about disturbing people's graves?" Asked TJ again.
"What's ta disturb? They're dead so it ain't like we're messing up their beauty sleep or anything." Said a third punk wearing an open vest with no shirt, showing a large scar that ran across his torso.
"I'm with Ripper. We're just digging up a few holes and junk. And if that extra help comes in like the guy said it would, we probably won't even have to do anything." Stated the fourth punk wearing multiple bracelets on his arms that went up to his elbows.
"I guess, Brock. But still...I don't want to get cursed by a ghost or something. I've seen those old horror movies, and we're settin' ourselves up like the idiots who'll get killed by some crazy bastard in a mask with a chainsaw or a guy in a sweater with knife fingers cause we don't leave crap buried like it's supposed to be." TJ said.
"Get your head outta fantasy land, TJ. That's just the jalapeno chili cheese dog you ate talkin' to ya. We're doing this job with or without you, cause for twenty five thousand credits I ain't afraid of no ghosts. So you're either in or out." Said the fifth punk, who appeared to be the leader, and had multiple piercing on his ears, one on his right eyebrow, one on his upper lip and one on his nose.
"Alright, Gabe, I'm in. But I still feel like this night ain't gonna end as simply as we think it will." TJ said with a worried shake of his head.
The conversation made Batman cock his head in curiosity. The way these guys were talking it sounded like they were discussing plans to rob graves for bodies. Despite the modern times, grave robbing is still one of the lucrative illicit occupations you can have in the criminal underground. Medical school professors desire cadavers in order to use for their classes, people who use corpses for insurance scams when faking their deaths and sexual sadists with fantasies that involve dead bodies. Despicable as it sounds a grave robber could make quite the decent living, especially if the body was freshly deceased. But this bunch wouldn't get to enjoy those twenty five thousand credits or desecrate any burials. Not with Batman on the job. He was glad that he listened to his inner and decided to listen in on their conversation, and the TJ fellow was right. Tonight wasn't going to end as simply as they think.
Batman picked up the pace a little as he continued to follow them from where he was on the rooftops. He watched them as they turned a few corners, and he leaped across to different rooftops that matched followed those corners. Eventually the unsuspecting shady punks led him to an abandoned, old apartment complex. A quick look to the street sign revealed that Batman had followed them all the way to Sorrow Street. Originally the street earned it's name from a well respected war veteran with the surname Sorrow, but gradually the name took on a more infamous meaning as 80% of the crime in Brideshead started happening here. And that abandoned complex has served as a meeting spot for criminals throughout the years.
The young vigilante watched as the trope of punks walked into the old apartment complex, then waited for about five minutes before leaping across from the rooftop of the mini-mart he was on to an open window. Batman then set his suit to invisibility cloak mode in order to keep the element of surprise on the group. He then began to silently walk through the complex, making sure to avoid any particularly creaking floors so he wouldn't give away his position. Soon he started to hear the same voices that were conversing not too long ago and followed them to the top floor of the apartment complex. There in the one of the larger rooms of the complex were the shady punks, all surrounding a table. It looked as though they were studying something like a map or a book. Taking a chance Batman slowly snuck into the room without making a sound and stood by the couch closer to where the group was standing. Using the zoom in feature of his suit's Detective Mode he could see that they were in fact studying a map, and it was an old paper map instead of the hard light digital maps of today. While he couldn't quite make out what the map said from his distance he would see large red colored circles and arrows over the paper. Then the leader, Gabe, spoke up.
"Alright, now this is where the old cemetery is. The boss said to dig up the graves marked with these dates. " Gabe explained.
"Why these guys out of the rest of 'em?" Asked Ripper.
"That's what I'd like to know..." Batman thought to himself.
"I was there with Gabe when he came up to us and hired us for the job. He didn't say much about why, except that those bodies under those dates are the 'special ones' that he wants. Whatever the hell that means is beyond me." Brock said.
"Who cares what he meant or what his reasons are? Far as I'm concerned as long as we get paid he can use those bodies for playin' tea party." Marty said and his friends voiced their agreement.
So, a mysterious person approached the shady characters and promised them twenty five thousand credits to dig up certain bodies at an old cemetery. The only question now was why. Why certain bodies, and what was this unknown person going to use them for? Unfortunately though the Knight of Tomorrow didn't have an answer for either question.
"But that doesn't mean I can't persuade them to answer my questions." Batman thought to himself with a grin, and was just about to dial down his invisibility cloak mode to confront the group.
Suddenly though someone beat him to it. And they did so with a bang, breaking through the weak wall which made stone and plaster debris fly everywhere. The punks were all startled by this and shouted horrified expletives. Batman got caught up in the blast of debris as well, and one hunk of stone went flying into his belt which made the invisibility cloak mode short circuit and resulted in him turning visible again. Gasping in shock Batman immediately ducked back into the hallway and peaked into the room carefully. He didn't know who or what caused that hole in the wall and he didn't know if it would turn on him, for the moment he will just stand on the sidelines and observe.
The smoke from the blast slowly began to clear up and Batman could now see two new occupants in the room standing by the whole. And when he got a good look at them he uttered a soft 'wow' of awe. One was a bald teen, maybe two years or so younger than him, wearing the classic Green Lantern uniform and his body glowing a vibrant emerald green aura. And of course he wore the signature Green Lantern Corps ring on his right hand. He floated in the air on his energy and had a calm, almost deadpan facial expression as he looked upon the shocked punks. Though he didn't know for sure, Batman got a feeling that told him the Green Lantern was a Beta.
Then there was the second new person...And he was unlike any other person he had ever seen. It was a slightly older teen who wore a strong, luminescent silvery armor suit that didn't appear to be any kind of regular metal. There was also a silhouette outline of a hawk head on the chest of said armor, and on back of the armor were large wings with a black mesh-like material with more of that silvery armor lining it like a bird's wing bone. From the nose up his head was covered by a helmet and his eyes were visible through blood red lenses which made him look even more intimidating. And the armor gauntlets he wore had sharp points at the ends where the fingers go in, making Batman think of a hawk's vicious talons that can rend flesh. Based on his muscular form Batman figured that he may just be an Alpha male. It wasn't until Justin spoke into his ear that Batman snapped out his mental assessment.
"Seems like you have some unexpected help, little master." Justin said over the communication channel.
"Yeah, but let's see first if they'll help me out or help themselves." Batman responded as he continued to watch the events occurring before him.
"Who the hell are you guys!?" Asked the the dual dyed punk Marty in a demanding voice.
"Well, since the insignia on my uniform isn't an obvious enough giveaway, I'll tell you. I myself happen to be a Green Lantern and the junior lieutenant in charge of the Milky Way sector that Earth is apart of." Spoke the bald teen in a calm voice.
"And as for me, you can call me your insurance adjuster. Because if you don't tell us what we want to know you guys are sure going to need one. Now I'll only ask once; where is Black Hand?" The hawk-like male demanded in question.
Black Hand? That was a strange name for sure, yet something in Batman's gut told him that he should know it. But for the life of him he couldn't begin to put a face or an object to the name. He'll have to do a cross reference on "Black Hand" later. Right now he needed to focus on the situation at hand. Figuring that now was as good a time as any to make himself known the young vigilante walked into the room and cleared his throat.
"Seems like I'm not the only one with some questions for you boys." Batman said, and everyone turned to look at him. The punks all gasped in horror, the Green Lantern looked pleasantly surprised while the hawk-like male appeared indifferent to the point that he looked as though he didn't care.
"Ah, Batman. What an honor it is to meet you in person for the first time. I had a feeling that we would cross paths during our trip to Gotham City." Spoke the Green Lantern in a pleasant voice.
"Glad I could make your evening. You know my name, so what's yours and your buddy's?" Batman asked.
"I am Kai-Ro, and this fellow with me is Warhawk. And we're here because we have business to conduct with this bunch concerning our mission." Kai-Ro explained, pointing at the group of five that stood between them.
"Well as it happens, so do I. Perhaps then we could collaborate and work them over together." Batman suggested.
But before Kai-Ro could say anything Warhawk spoke up in a rather loud voice.
"Forget it, Bats! We don't need your help, and whatever you have to ask these losers can wait until we're done with them." Warhawk stated, then looked over at the punks. "Now, are you boys going to do this my way willingly or do I have to make you do it my way?"
"Tch, you got a lot of nerve turkey vulture! The only way you're going is out the same way you and yer little green friend came. Only this time we'll fill you up with holes!" Gabe stated.
At this all of the punks whipped out their guns, two aiming at Warhawk and Kai-Ro while the other three took aim at Batman. Each male used different forms of retaliation. Batman ducked the bullets and charged at the three hooligans shooting at him then nailed two with a hard split kick. Kai-Ro, meanwhile, formed a shield of green hard light to deflect the bullets while Warhawk leaped out from above and flew straight at them then tackled the pair to the ground by slamming their heads into the floor. With the first four down for the count that left only the lone tattooed punk TJ, who was braced against the wall and quaking with fright.
"P-Please, don't hurt me!" TJ pleaded as he moved his arms to cover his head.
"If you tell us what we want to know, we may consider it. Who paid you and your buddies to dig up bodies and why? And where is this Black Hand person?" Batman asked.
"Wait, digging up graves? Are you sure?" Kai-Ro asked to the young vigilante.
"That's what I heard them talk about when I followed them here. They even have a map on the table and where going over it while they were talking." Batman said and took a few steps to the table and grabbed the map, showing it off to Kai-Ro and Warhawk.
"Hm...it seems to be a layout of some location. But the name of that location is unlisted, so this must have be a pattern drawn over the actual map itself to avoid anyone deciphering it." Kai-Ro said. At this Warhawk gave a scoff and regarded Batman with an unimpressed look.
"Some clue, fruit bat. What good is that to us if nothing is listed on it?" Warhawk asked in a tone of snide.
Batman felt his eye twitch in irritation at the name. Oh no, he did not just call him fruit bat. If he was a petty man he would respond with an avian themed insult. However he was above such childish comebacks and kept it in the back of his mind. Instead he counted to five in his head before giving a calm, mature response.
"Well, if we just work together like I suggested before I'm sure we could figure this out if we took a moment to sit down and study this map ourselves." Batman explained.
"It would be a wise tactical move to choose, Warhawk." Kai-Ro said to his ally, who only gave an amused laugh.
"Ha! Screw that. Like I said, Bats, we don't need your help. And instead of trying to translate a lame drawing I have better methods to get answers." Warhawk stated and before anyone could do or say anything he marched over to a frightened TJ and grabbed him by the collar, raising him up off the ground.
"A-Ahh! Please man, d-don't kill me!" TJ begged as he flailed his legs about.
"Don't worry, buddy. I won't kill you. We're just going out for some late night flying." And with that Warhawk threw the man over his shoulder and flew out the hole in the wall and a fast speed which made TJ scream with renewed terror.
"Oh dear. This doesn't bode well." Kai-Ro said.
"That damned maniac!" Batman exclaimed and after tucking the map into his utility belt he unfolded his wings and kicked on his jet boots to chase after Warhawk while Kai-Ro followed.
Meanwhile Warhawk was flying higher and higher which made TJ scream louder and louder. The punk may act tough but he was deathly afraid of heights. It took a pep talk from his friends just to make him go up to the top floor of that old apartment complex. And with how high this crazy bird guy was going he felt like he would die! Finally the flying stopped and Warhawk pulled TJ off his shoulder and held onto him by the wrist of his arm, leaving him to dangle in the wide open hair at least eight stories up above ground.
"Ahhh! Help me! Someone save me!" TJ Exclaimed as he grabbed onto Warhawk's arm with his other hand.
"Now listen, mac, this is the last time I'll ask so you better have an answer. Where is Black Hand?" Warhawk asked.
"I...I don't know who you're talkin' about, man!" TJ stated.
"Yeah? So why don't I believe you?" Warhawk asked as he quickly let go of TJ's wrist before grabbing him again at the fingers. Now he was getting even closer to a downward demise.
"Ahhh! I swear to God man, I don't know who Black Hand is! And if he says I do he's lyin'!" TJ exclaimed as he desperately tried to get a stronger hold on his only life line.
"Actually, I think you're the one lying. And I hate liars." Warhawk said and let go of TJ's fingers, letting him hurtle down to the pavement.
"AAHHHHH!" TJ screamed at the top of his lungs as he free-felled further and further down, tears leaking from the corners of his eyes and heart drumming at one hundred and five miles an hour. But just when he thought he was going to meet his end, he fell into a pair of arms that held tightly onto him. "...H-Huh? W-What?" The punk looked up and saw shocked to see none other than Batman holding onto him. Without a word the vigilante flew over to a rooftop and gently settled him down.
"You okay?" Batman asked. TJ panted to catch his breath and once he finally calmed down he rushed over to Batman and kissed his boots.
"Thank you, thank you so damn much! You're a savior, Batman! I swear I'll straighten up my act after this. And I'll make my guys do the same too!" TJ stated as he switched from kissing one boot to kissing the other.
"Um, yeah...No problem man." Batman said and slowly pulled his boot out of the man's grip. Just then Kai-Ro arrived, as did Warhawk.
"A good show, Batman, and a very commendable rescue. Though when it comes to some people 'good' and 'commendable' aren't the words that leap to mind." Kai-Ro said, looking up at Warhawk to glare at him.
"What!? I was coming down to catch him. You should know I'm not like that Kai-Ro. I was just giving the guy a little scare. Then the fruit bat here got in my way." Warhawk stated, glaring at Batman as he landed down beside him.
"In your way? I think it's the other way around, pal, considering that you're in my city and took things from five to five hundred when it didn't have to go that far!" Batman stated and got closer to Warhawk, looking up at him and noticing for the first time that he is considerably taller than him. But he didn't care. He was mad as hell right now.
"I don't care if you own every grimy street within miles of this place! I told you that what we have to ask them is more important than what you have to ask. And I was this close to making him tell the truth." Warhawk said.
"I was telling the truth, buzzard! I don't know any Black Hand!" TJ stated angrily, but one glare from the armored male made him squeak in terror and hide behind Batman.
"Please don't worry about him, sir. He's harmless. And for what it's worth Batman and I believe you. However you have to understand that we followed you here after seeing you speak with a man we know to be Black Hand." Kai-Ro said.
"Listen up, if that was his name we didn't know. The name we got was totally different. It was him that asked us to dig up certain bodies at some old cemetery. It was the easiest twenty five thousand credits ever so we agreed." TJ explained.
"So this Black Hand guy asked you to dig up graves? Why? And where are these graves?" Batman asked.
"I..." But before TJ could finish Warhawk cut him off and grabbed him again.
"Not so fast, Bats. He's part of our mission, and we'll be doing the questioning. So back off!" Warhawk stated.
"Wrong, pal. You lost that right when you almost made this guy die of a heart attack. So I'll do the questioning while you back off." Batman said and grabbed onto the gauntlet that held the collar of TJ's shirt in a fist.
"I'm warning you, fruit bat. Move it or I'll make you move!" Warhawk threatened.
"You couldn't make a bird flap it's wings, mister." Batman replied snarkily.
That seemed to do it for Warhawk, as he dropped TJ in favor of striking a punch at Batman. However the young vigilante saw the move coming and ducked to the side, then grabbed onto Warhawk's arm used the momentum against him to toss his larger opponent over his shoulder. This made the other male land on his back hard and he made a painful grunt from the impact. Before he could even get up to try and retaliate a Batarang greeted his face. And even from his upside down position he could tell that the Knight of Tomorrow was grinning rather smugly.
"Grr...Why you..." Warhawk started but his anger left him at a loss for words.
"Now, what was that you said about making me move?" Batman asked. Before things escalated any further Kai-Ro flew over to play peace keeper.
"Warhawk, perhaps it would be best if we regroup and ponder on Batman's offer. As it stands there's nothing more we can do here. And we could use a good night's rest." Kai-Ro said. For a moment Warhawk said nothing, then he slowly picked himself up and brushed himself off.
"Fine, whatever. As long as I can get away from the fruit bat here. And don't think for a minute this is over, Bats. Next time I'll make good on my promise and make you move." Warhawk said and with that he flew off, even without his Green Lantern ally.
"Charming fellow." Batman said sarcastically.
"I do apologize for his behavior, Batman. Warhawk is a good hero, truly he is. But he can be rather...bullheaded at times." Kai-Ro said.
"Even bulls are more civil than that..." Batman thought to himself with a roll of his eyes.
"At any rate, I hope that this bad first impression won't make you withdraw your offer to work together. We could really use the aid, as we are not native to Gotham City." Kai-Ro said.
"No worries, the offer is still on the table. But I suggest you have a long talk with Mr. Warhawk about manners. Because next time he won't even be able to fly off with his tail feathers between his legs." Batman stated.
"Understandable. And thank you again. I must be off now." With that, Kai-Ro flew off and followed after Warhawk.
Once the two other heroes were gone, TJ did what he has been wanting to do since almost fell to his death; he fainted. See the man plop to the ceiling and go out cold Batman groaned in frustration. Guess he's not going to get any answers out of this guy. May as well call Commissioner Gordon and have her pick up TJ and his buddies from the apartment complex.
"For what it's worth, little master, I think you handled that very well. A lesser dude would've been cursing that hawk guy out." Justin said over the comm-link.
"Actually Justin, you may want to mute the communication channel for a while. This dude has a lot of pent up cursing to let out." Batman said and the butler chuckled.
"Dully noted." Justin said.
After explaining everything that happened to Barbra, and taking the long way back to Wayne Manor while shouting every swear word in both English and Kryptonese, Terry finally made it back home. He parked the Batmobile on the landing spot and then got out through the skylight. He grumbled angrily as he practically ripped off his mask and stormed down the stairs.
"Rough night, son?" Asked the voice of his Alpha father and Terry looked up to see his parents at the Bat Computer.
"More like the worst, pops. I would trade any of panjo's nights to have never experienced this one." Terry said as he plopped down into the chair by the Bat Computer.
"I had a feeling it was bad. That's why I asked Justin to make you some hot chocolate with those little marshmallows." Bruce said as he tenderly stroked his son's hair in an attempt to ease his stress.
"Thanks, panjo. I really appreciate it. But I don't think even gooey little balls of sugar in liquid cocoa will help me forget him." Terry said as he glared at the thought of the jerk he met a while ago.
"And who exactly is this him you're talking about, Terry?" Clark asked.
"I can't even describe him. Take a look for yourself." Terry said and tapped a few buttons on the wide keyboard then pulled up the video feed from the Beyond suit.
He skipped ahead to when he first encountered Warhawk and Kai-Ro and let it play on. As he watched Warhawk again through fresh eyes he found that he was even more annoying to watch a second time. It made him want to throw something at the screen, if he didn't know that his panjo would be mad about wrecking fifty thousand credits worth of custom hardware.
"Oh my God..." Bruce let out in shock.
"I can't believe it." Clark said, equally surprised.
"I know right? How much of a prick can one person be?" Terry asked to his parents.
"No, Terry, not that. We meant that we can't believe we're seeing him again." Bruce said. The reply made Terry do a double take and swivel the chair around to face his parents.
"Again?! You mean you know that sorry son of a buzzard?" Terry asked, pointing at an image of Warhawk on the screen.
"Yes, Terry. And actually...you know him also." Clark said.
"What? But pops, I've never met this Warhawk guy until tonight." Terry pointed out.
"You didn't know him as Warhawk back then Terry. Back then you knew him as someone else." Bruce said and walked over to the book shelf and pulled out the family photo album, then flipped through it until he got to the page he wanted and showed it to his son. "There, see? Do you remember this boy?"
Terry looked closely at the picture his panjo was pointing at, and felt a sudden wave of nostalgia. It was a picture him and his parents with Aunt Shayera and Uncle John at a picnic. The parents were in the background smiling while a two year old Terry was up front smiling too. And he was being held by Shayera and John's own four year old son.
"Of course I remember. It's a picture of us with Aunt Shayera, Uncle John and their kid Rex. I haven't seen him in a real long time. But what does he have to do with Warhawk?" Terry asked.
"Plenty, son. You actually met Rex again. He is Warhawk." Clark stated.
The sound of a record scratching went off in Terry's head at this. He whipped his head around to see the paused frame of Warhawk on the screen, then whipped it back to look down the picture of the little boy from years holding his toddler self. The young Omega was at such a loss for words that he wasn't even making a sentence. Everything came out in fragments.
It just...it made no sense. None what so ever. How could a cute kid like this possibly turn into an A-1 asshole like the person he met tonight!? And why is he in Gotham anyway? And who the hell is Black Hand and why does he want dead bodies? Terry didn't know, but he intended to figure it out as soon as possible. Right now though it was time to focus on priorities...
"Can you ask Justin if there are any more chocolate chip oatmeal cookies I can have with my hot chocolate?" Terry asked in a defeated, tired tone to his parents who nodded in sympathy.
To be continued...