Chapter II: The Batman
Set in Motion: Post World Leaders Summit
Tonight there're nightmares out about.
A disheveled man lies on the ground. Broken, beaten, tired. He forms a fist but is too weak to hold it strong. The moonlight speaks in shadows and his instincts kick in. As he musters the energy to move, he sees his own shadow in regret, how did it come to this? I knew something was off. Perhaps I acted too soon? I need to find it before they do!
Bruce Wayne wakes up sweating a fright. He gets up afraid of what the Corinthians may bring, yet he is also afraid of the Earth. The more he puts his mind on the matter the more he fears the Earth's influence on these aliens. He notices that Alfred left a note next to his prepared breakfast.
"Dear Bruce,
I made breakfast so please eat it. I and Dick went to help Ms. Gordan move to her new apartment. And to calm her father down. Since Mr. Gordan can't seem to stop worrying about his daughter beginning anew.
Please try to rest and not overwork yourself.
Yours,
Alfred Pennyworth."
"Ah Alfred, you should know I'm inclined to work more when told not to," Bruce smirks.
The Batcave. The stuff of legends it is. Normal eyes could not truly tell the shape or where things are, but Bruce's eyes have gotten accustomed to it. It's only when the lights turn on that the cave's sublimity is declared.
"The Cyrus file, Origin Corinthian. A warrior king ready for battle on a whim. He seeks truth and peace…He seeks peace?"
Bruce continues to create a hypothesis. He continues to search for answers, but nothing seems to point to an idea as to what the objectives are for the Corinthians. Are they simply here to learn? And as J'onn mentioned, can Earth and its civilization be deciphered quickly. After all the Corinthians have given an estimate as to how long they would stay on earth.
"thirty days, thirty days they said. It amazes me how everyone is very open to the idea of being studied…"
Bruce sits on his chair. All the technology in the world at his leisure, yet nothing. He wonders if this may be his limits, but then he turns to his collection. The Joker, Two-Face, Poison Ivy and the list go on. He wonders what makes the mind tick, what makes his mind tick.
"Casual wears tonight. I think I'll go out. Get a drink."
Batcave AI responds "Mr. Wayne, I wasn't aware you had casual wear? You have plenty of tuxedos and tailored outfits?"
"Tailor me a casual one then" Bruce's attention is at the news being given
"The Corinthian leader Cyrus will speak momentarily, but in the meantime here are our guest today, Ben Glover of the Daily Planet and Sam Johnson of our morning show, Morning Gotham. Sam will start with you, what are your thoughts on the Corinthians and their plans to study us, as they said."
"We cannot accept more aliens coming from the sky! It's that simple. We are beginning to accept the crazy with the normalcy of human beings. I mean having a Justice League is one thing, they're protecting our lives, but this, this is just absurd. And study us! To what end I say. I mean it's that simple, the time it would take—"
"Well if I may Sam, Cyrus the leader of the Corinthians gave us a timeline to their stay. He said 30 days—"
"He? Now we're discussing 'It' as if he's part of our civilization. I mean here in Gotham they accept a Bat as their savior, so now aliens"
Bruce smirks.
"Now Sam please let Ben finish his point."
"I'm just saying, but ok" Sam seems angry. His face brightens red and he slightly sweats.
Ben speaks in a nervous tone as if he is afraid his commentary might be misinterpreted.
"To start, the Corinthians came with advanced alien technology far more advanced than ours, yet they're allowing us to study it. They probably could've done more damage if they wanted to just by attacking us as many are afraid of. The Justice League are keeping a close eye, alongside the world's governments. I mean I don't know what to say besides that they've been on earth for more than a week and they have signed a peace treaty just a day ago. I'm still here and so are you."
"Ah, I hate to cut this short, but the Corinthian leader is about to speak."
Bruce relaxes. "Batcave a coffee please."
"One coffee coming up."
Bruce studies Cyrus as he is shown discussing something with government officials. He notices how quickly Cyrus managed to adapt his mannerism to those of humans. Down to smiling and reacting to speech. He's rather impressed.
"Hello, People of Earth. I am Cyrus of Corinthia. I am a Corinthian. My planet was destroyed by bandits many years ago. My people have traversed the universe in search of a home, but along the way, we desire the knowledge of life. How civilizations coexist. How everyone can…how everyone can love each other. Agree and disagree with each other. How one thing may mean something different in other moments." Cyrus looks directly at the camera. Directly at the people of the Earth. "I have spoken to the world leaders and they've given me the wisdom I had never knew existed. I have traveled planets that many praises as jewels of whole sectors. But Earth is something else." He smiles. He looks up to signal a sense of embracement. "I want to learn from you. From you and you and you" He points to different reporters and world leaders. "It is said that education is the sign of growth here on Earth, I want to grow alongside you all. I as the representative of my people, I have signed a peace treaty to follow the rules set by the World Leaders and the Justice League. Rest assured I mean you no harm. In fact, I want to be embraced by such unique individuals such as yourselves"
Bruce gets up "Batcave where are my casual clothes?" he sips from his coffee.
"On your bed Mr. Wayne."
As Bruce exits the Batcave he wonders about the extremes discussed on the news and how Cyrus seems to be the opposite of what many fears. He is normal. Advance technology and letting the league dissect it. A trade-off. Perhaps he was wrong to doubt Cyrus intentions, but there are still questions. Why Earth? And if Bandits destroyed their planet, were they followed?
"Time to hit the streets."
The Streets
Bruce takes a detour of his usual schedule. He walks the streets of Gotham. The streets lacked the depth of mornings past and such the day went. Evidently, the day was surreal—strangers were stranger and the streets more frantic. Each minute the sky cemented the emptiness of the city. The clearness of the blue heavens lighted up the scarce left for those few to walk through.
"Hey Johnny, here I come!" Bruce overhears someone say, perhaps a new stranger coming through, but Bruce continues to walk past the loudness, the randomness. He muscles his way through the thick fog that has engulfed the city as of late. Entering the ZZ to gain a breather as well as perspective. The Zero Zone an established safe area where the defenseless and aggressors can mingle. "Bruce! I knew you would come today" so says the always cheerful Bobo whose face was unmistakable as he had two different colored eyes—blue and grey— as well as a dirty looking beard no matter how much he tried to clean it. "Hey, come on Bruce don't go radio silent on me now", He smiled as he nodded for a drink and set himself up at the bar. "Well, you know what they say Bo even a fool is considered wise if he stays silent…," yes, a fool. Bruce begins to try to get into character. His get up, a fake beard and disheveled hair, and a casual outfit.
"Well Bruce, how long it been?" Bobo gives him an honest look. "Last time I saw you, you were being chased by the Bat. Now you just walk in all casual like…Like that last time wasn't a trip, ha!" Bobo laughs and when he does the bar seems energetic. His teeth tend to stand out due to their artificialness. Shiny bunch.
"Well Bo, this time it's just a casual day and I enjoy your company." Bruce is earnest. "Pour one and let's talk." Bobo pours him a special drink. One Bruce particularly enjoys. "Well, Bo what's been the word around here?"
"Well, Bruce the word around here and around Gotham underground is the alien's technology is up for grabs." Bobo cleans a glass. He smiles as his eyes glow. But with a sudden snap his mood changed, as if to realize a mistake. "Look Bruce I know you like to place some bets, but maybe, I don't know, maybe sit this one out." As his smile slowly disappears. The cheerful Bobo suddenly becomes a street guru, a man whose knowledge is taken for granted, the streets are always taken for granted. Not by Bruce.
"I've been gone for what, a month? What could've changed so much since then?" Asked Bruce, Bobo's face slowly worsens. "Well, Bobo?"
To Bruce's surprise, the few people in the bar became frightened, some leave and others simply look away. What is wrong with this picture?
"Bo pour me a drink" a voice that is scrappy, half burnt, and the other half lost. Jarhead walks in with his men. "No need to worry people. I just come in for some drink. Everything's been decided. Continue on."
Jarhead. A mean mother of a man. A big square jaw, blunt eyes, a clean flat top. His shoulders seem to extend to an unnatural length. Wearing his patent army jacket, large enough to cover this behemoth of a man. On the right arm, an insignia of high rank is visible. His reputation has grown ever since Batman took down Two-Face. Bruce can sense his presence is a frightful one.
He orders Bobo to fix him and his men a table by the corner next to the jukebox *Mark Lanegan's One Hundred Days Plays*. As Jarhead sits down, Bruce gets up. He whispers to Bobo as he prepares the gangsters drinks, "aliens and weapons, this guy equals the 'danger,' correct?" Bobo looks at Bruce as a good friend would, "Please, don't. Not with this guy Bruce. He's the real—"
"Bo! My drinks."
Bruce nods to Bobo as he slowly walks toward the exit. He feels the presence of this man. He feels the need to fix this feeling. He wants to fix it.
As Bruce walks the streets and alleyways waiting for the night to truly kick in, he lingers on his friend's advice. "Well, Bruce the word around here and around Gotham underground is the alien's technology is up for grabs," Bobo cleans a glass. He smiles as his eyes glow, but with a sudden snap, his mood changed, as if to realize a mistake. "Look Bruce I know you like to place some bets, but maybe, I don't know, maybe sit this one out." Alien tech, how would any of the street merchants be able to get this level of tech? And why? Two-Face is gone, I knew Gotham was up for grabs, but this is too soon. Alien tech… How? Jarhead, I need to know who this man is…Bruce continues to walk, noticing how the streets are slowly getting full. Full of strangers. Full of motives.