This story was originally posted as part of the Earth 8 section on a website called the Multiverse.

Earth 8 is a world mentioned during the mini-series Infinite Crisis that would have existed if the Original crisis never happened. It would have been the home to all of the characters that were created after the Original Crisis or have had a post-Crisis reboot of their origin. It does have room for some pre-Crisis Characters, to exisit on this world, but for the most part, it's strictly post Crisis characters and legacies. Reviews are welcome and appreciated.

For more Earth-8 stories visit the Multiverse (link is in my profile).

Originally posted at the Multiverse as E8: Batman #1 on 2/28/07

Anniversary Part 1

Earth 8

Gotham City

It's real windy tonight, a howling-type wind, which whistles through the night. It causes me to keep my cape close to my body so I don't give away my position. The full moon makes it harder for me to hide on this rooftop, but luckily, the criminals below are more concerned with their score than minding their surroundings.

It was a four-man crew, loading merchandise from a warehouse into a truck, one in the cab, and the other three scurrying back and forth between the truck and warehouse. My thoughts start to wander, wondering where my partner is and what could possibly be taking so long. Robin should've been here by now. Not that I really need her to take these scum out, it's just punctuality is important in our line of work.

I start to focus back on the task at hand. The microphones in the ears of my cowl let me know that the perps are ready to leave. I can't wait for Robin any longer.

Four perps shouldn't be a problem.

Time to go to work.…

Time to boogey…

"Come on Chucky, move it." One of the criminals said, exiting the warehouse before Batman landed on him, taking him out. Using him as a springboard, Batman launched himself at Chucky, who stood still, paralyzed by fear. Batman placed a kick to the side of his head, turning Chucky around before he fell down.

Reacting to the sound of a gun being cocked behind him, Batman grabbed a batarang, snapped it into place like a switchblade and threw it into the cab. Before the gun-toting criminal knew what happened, he was disarmed by the batarang and Batman was on top of him, pummeling him to the floor.

That's three, the fourth… Batman thought as he heard the fourth perp trying to get the drop on him. He grabbed another batarang and spun around, but relented throwing it, as he saw a red, green and blonde blur drop from above taking him out. Batman put his batarang away and cuffed the perp. He exited the cab to see Robin doing the same to the others.

"You're late." Batman said, disappointed in her tardiness.

"Sorry," Robin apologized, cuffing the last perp, "I had to stop a mugging." She looked back at her partner with an apologetic smile on her face. Batman stared her down, making his partner a little nervous. He reached for his grappling gun and shot it at a near by building.

"Come on, we have work to do." He said as he ascended into the night.

"Fun." Robin said, following suit.

Gotham Diamond District

Commissioner Michael Akins got out of his car to survey the crime scene. After doing a lap, he decided to make his way to the lead detective on the scene.

"So… what's the story?" Akins asked.

"Well, it the same MO as the other robberies," The detective began to explain, "The pair emerges from the shadows, binds the victims with what they describe as an invisible force field and then robs them blind."

"Did they give a description?"

"Man and a woman, guessing 18-25, but as usual, the lights were killed, so they couldn't really tell anything besides gender and that at least one of them was wearing a cape."

"A cape? Christ." Akins cursed, "The media is having a field day pinning these robberies on Batman and Robin, even claiming that it's a new duo in town now."

"If they even exist." The detective commented. "Speaking of the media, your favorite was here a little while ago."

"Arturo Rodriguez?"

"Yup."

"Dammit."

Arturo Rodriguez was on his way back to the WBGK studios from the crime scene at the Diamond District when he picked up his phone and called his producer.

"Talk to me."

"It's me." Arturo responded.

"So, is it good news?"

"Yes it is."

"Good get over here, and I mean like yesterday. I want a special edition of Taking Sides to be the lead on the news tonight, to address this Batman menace."

Batman and Robin had finished the last of their rounds around the city before they decided to call it a night.

"Why weren't you honest with me earlier?" Batman asked Robin as they entered the Batmobile.

"Are you talking about when I was late to that bust?" Robin asked, with a sense of disbelief in her voice as she closed her door.

"Stephanie, if we are going to be partners, you need to be straight with me." Batman said as he closed his door and started the Batmobile. "So where were you?" he asked as he hit the accelerator.

Robin turned away and looked out her window. She started to cry and answered, "I went to see her."

"She who..." Batman paused, "your daughter?"

Robin nodded as she turned to face her partner. "It's hard to turn off maternal instincts. She's two now and she's turning into such a beautiful girl."

"Look Stephanie," Batman began, "I'm not going to pretend to understand what you are or what you went through and this might sound cold, but she's not your daughter anymore. You need to put those feelings aside when we're out on the street…"

"Spare me the lecture." Robin rolled her eyes away from Batman.

"You can't be that emotional and reckless out there." Batman raised his voice. "I know, I've suffered the consequences."

"I'm sorry." Robin apologized, rubbing the tears from her eyes.

"If you need time to get through this, you can go on inactive duty."

"I'll be fine." Robin said, taking a deep breath to regain her composure.

"I'm serious Stephanie; you could make a fatal…."

"I SAID I'll be fine." Robin said, raising her voice as well. "How many times do I have to tell you?"

"You have to show me, out there." Batman stopped the car. "You have the night off tomorrow. Go home and get some rest."

"Okay." Robin opened the door and started to get out, but hesitated for a moment. "How did you know I was lying?"

"I didn't."

"You know it's our one year anniversary right?"

"Yeah, I do." He said, smiling. Robin smiled back, exited the car and shot her grapple into the night to make her way home. Batman took a deep breath and drove off, deciding he had one more stop to make.

The light from the full moon was enough for Arnold Stromwell to navigate himself through his den this late at night. He sat down at his desk, pulled out a cigar and lit it up, as he had too much to worry about to sleep. Normally, his worries pertained to maintaining and adding to his criminal empire, except for tonight. He was facing a series of indictments in the morning, but his lawyers felt that they had a good chance to get most of them thrown out. For the thousand dollars an hour he was paying to this team, they'd better.

The wind picked up, rattling the trees, whistling through the branches, and unlatched the window behind him. He looked at it and quickly dismissed it as coincidence. He took a few more puffs of his cigar before he put it out and decided to go to bed. Unfortunately, he was unable to do so.

"What the…." Stromwell stammered, "What the hell is going on?" He didn't feel any ropes or other restraints on him. He was dumbfounded on how he was being held in his chair. He looked up as he heard the nearby light bulbs break one after another, followed by the door to his den opening. While the light from the moon was enough to get around, it wasn't enough to make out the details on this person standing at the door. The only thing he could make out was that he was wearing a cape.

"Well, I had to see it to believe it." Stromwell said, struggling against his invisible bonds. "So the rumors are true, you have gone rogue." The caped figure just stood silent and this annoyed Stromwell. "Well, what do you want?" He screamed.

"What I want Arnie," the caped man began, "Is to find out where that degenerate bastard you call your nephew is." His voice was altered by a voice changer, making it sound computerized.

"What could you want with that loser?"

"Let's just say it's personal. Now where is he?"

"Screw you bat-turd. My nephew may be a piece of trash, but I'm not rattin out family."

A red star flew from the caped-man's hand and embedded itself into the chair, centimeters from Stromwell's head.

"Look," that computerized voice said, "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way." He held up another red star, which glistened in the moonlight. "Either way, I'm going to find out where that scum is."

"I don't know where he is. I haven't seen him in months since I kicked him out." Stromwell said, with his heart racing and sweat pouring down his face. "He hangs with some dirt bags down by the wharf, he might be with them."

"Gee whiz Arnie, thanks a lot." The caped man said sarcastically. "Let's go."

Another figure emerged from behind Stromwell. He could see that this person was a woman. She walked over to her partner and stood next to his side, as he raised his arm facing his palm toward Stromwell. A bright red glow emitted from the center.

"Come on, I don't know where he is." Stromwell pleaded, feeling that it was the end for him.

"Don't worry Arnie; I'm no petty murderer… well, at least not in your case." The glow on his palm intensified. "Me and Nightwing are going to rob you blind, then settle up with your nephew. Don't worry, I'm not taking everything. I'm going to leave you with a wicked headache in the morning." An X-shaped energy beam emerged from the glow, hitting Stromwell in the head, rendering him unconsciousness. Nightwing made a motion with her hand and let him slump in his chair. The two looked at each other and left the study, with a red X glowing across his face.

Gotham Cemetery

Batman stood in front of the largest headstone in the entire cemetery. It was about eight feet tall and most of it was in the form of an angel, with its wings and arms fully extended. At the base of the angel's feet, the name Wayne was engraved. Batman had three roses in his hand. He placed one at the left most edge of the base, under the engraving for Thomas Wayne, then one at the center, under the engraving for Martha Wayne.

"I wonder if I gave you as much trouble as Steph's giving me. I probably did, right? She shows so much promise and courage and I know I can trust her, but there are times like tonight where she was reckless and careless and I worry about her. Especially since I lived through the consequences of being that way and I don't want her to repeat my mistakes. I want her to succeed, probably more than she does, and I know she wants it bad. I see so many similarities between how you found me and how I found her…"

He placed the last rose at the right side of the base, under the engraving for Bruce Wayne.

"Maybe, I'm too worried about her repeating my mistakes, when I should be worried about repeating yours."

Batman made one more pass around Gotham before he decided to retire for the evening. He made his way up from the Batcave's parking garage and to the changing room. He took off the cape and cowl before the intercom beeped.

"Yes Alfred."

"Master Jason, I'm glad you are finally here. I took the liberty of TiVOing the news tonight."

"Why do I need to see tonight's news?" Jason Todd asked.

"I think you need to see it for yourself, sir."

To be continued…