Author's notes

Well... I f*cked up. I just realized that in the previous chapter, I made mention of Nightwing, Dick Grayson, who's not supposed to exist in this timeline. So, I'm forced to make a bit of a retcon. In the first chapter, it's stated that Bruce was 26 when he adopted Peter, just one year after becoming Batman. I'm changing it to that he adopted Peter sometime after Jason Todd died. That way, Nightwing is out of the way, and Bruce had more incentive to adopt Peter, what with just loosing his Jason. That also means I'll be able to use Nightwing and Red Hood in future stories. *Snickers*

On the bright side, I got a new computer for Christmas! And you know what that means! Yup, thats right.

WEEKLY UPDATES... PROBABLY!

idk, seeing as it took me until, what, a good 11, 12 days? After Christmas to get this out, we'll see. It starts to drag a bit towards to end, but I was stumped and just wanted to get it out as soon as possible, so please forgive me. I also didn't edit, or proofread it... at all. Shows how much I care about you guys (all 2 of you!)

Batman stared in bemusement at the display in front of him. The ninja, who had just previously informed Batman that backup was coming and he was doomed, was now being hiked up by a giant webline, held in the hands of a man in red and blue tights. The man with the spider motif stood on the walkways railing, and effortlessly pulled the 200+ pound ninja up without putting any effort at all into maintaining his balance. He proceeded to tie the ninja up, and suspend him upside down from the walkway by the web, all the while paying Batman no mind. When he finally finished, he looked up, and leapt off his perch point, landing directly in front of The Dark Knight.

"Hiya."

"..."

"So... Your Batman eh?"

"..."

"Not very talkative I see." The man placed his hands on his hips, and looked Batman up and down. Batman did the same to him, only far more thoroughly, inspecting every crevice of his being, getting the feel of him, figuring out what makes him tick. The man was short. Not overly so, but certainly smaller then Batman himself. In fact, he was smaller in all regards, not only in height but in bulk as well. He was scrawny- no, not scrawny; lean. He wasn't bulky, but Batman could still see the impression of well defined muscles beneath the suit. He wore a full face mask, something Batman himself considered but eventually decided against, it made breathing to difficult. But where it had faults, it also had benefits; Batman couldn't make out a single defining feature of this mans being. He could be white, black, young, old, male, female; hell he could be and most likely was a mutant of some kind. If Batman wanted to know more about him, he'd have to do it the old fashioned way.

"Your Spider man?" He stated more then asked.

"That's what they call me." Spider man replied.

"Why are you here?"

"Well, I was just swinging around, doing my spider thing, when all the sudden my spider sense goes off like crazy, pointing me in this direction. So, being in the-"

"Spider sense?" Bruce asks.

"Huh? O-oh yeah, my spider sense. Ya see, it's this swell ability that allows me to do all kinds of stuff. I can use it to track people- or things, down, it warns me of danger, I can navigate a dark room like it's lit up brighter then the 4th of July, ect. Get it?" Batman nodded. He did get it, and from what he understood, that spider sense was one nifty power. Even The Man of Steel, who's so well known for his plethora of abilities, lacks anything like that.

"Yeah... well uh, anyway, me being in the superhero biz and all, couldn't just walk by and let a crime go unpunished. So, I swung right on by, planning on busting up a break in, but it looks like you beat me to it." Spider man explains.

"It appears so." Batman deadpans. Then he shoots Spider man a glare, and suddenly his voice becomes much more aggrevated.

"But that's not what I meant." He takes a step towards the red clad arachnid, then another, and soon he's maintaining a steady stride towards his prey. Spider man is forced to backup to avoid a collision.

"Then, umm... what did you mean?" Spider man asked, barely holding back a stutter. Nothing like a pattented Bat-glare to make you feel small. Batman opens his mouth to speak, but just as the first parsnips of air force their way past his throat and through his open mouth, Spider man says something that, even to this day, confuses Batman to no end.

"Huh? Spider sense tingling..." Ok... his spider sense tingles... what does that mean? Batmans about to get his answer.

"BEHIND YOU!" Spider man juts out his finger, pointing directly behind Batman, just as a razor sharp sword cuts through the air, aimed to take off The Dark Knights head. Batman just barely catches the blade on his gauntlet, and it takes all his strength to force the blade from pushing his hold arm down.

"Wha- the ninjas!" Batman exclaims in his head. Aww, stupid stupid stupid! How could he forget about the bakup! Well now it was to late, and as if protecting himself from the army of assassins wasn't going to present enough difficulties, he had to make sure the kid survived to! Gah! Batman decides to take his frustrations out on the ninja, and with his free arm, serves him a viscious uppercut. He then grabs the stunned assassin by the head, and with all his strength, shoves him face first into the water vat, knocking him out cold.

"Whoa!"

"Spider man!" Batman calls upon seeing Spider man also engaged in combat... with 5 ninjas. "Get out of there they'll kill you!"

"What? Kill me? Psshh, please, I took on Doc Ock! A couple a' wannabe ninjas aren't gonna- YEOUCH!" Spider man bends back his pelvis just quick enough to avoid a fatal slash from the lead ninja. But not quite fast enough to avoid damage all together.

"WHA- y-you hit me?" He asks, the tone in his voice nothing short of absolute shock. But that quickly changes into one of annoyance. "Oh, now it is on!" The red clad arachnid charges his attacker, fist pulled back in anticipation of a hit. The enemy does the same, his sword reeled back in preparation, and like a motorized spring, he thrusts the weapon foward. Spider man responds by leaping in the air, going straight over his head, and landing behind him. Before the ninja even registers whats happened, Spider man has sweeped his legs, then hammered his face with his other foot.

With one enemy down, Spider man places his hands on either side of his head, and pushes hard enough to send himself flying towards his next target. Feet first, he collides with the assassin, sending him down to the ground, choking and sputtering, desperately trying to get air into his demolished midsection. Spider man doesn't have time to make sure he's alive; he's to busy shooting a webline at the third ninja.

The unorthodox weapon catches the assailant by surprise, and he doesn't have time to dodge as Spider man yanks him foward with all his might, abruptly stopping his flight with a fist to the face.

The fourth ninja was now wise to Spider mans tricks, so when the web swinger attempts to snag him with another webline, he skillfully slices the adhesive midair, stopping it's assault. But that won't stop Spider man. Faster then Usaine Bolt on a sugar high, Spider man charges, his fist flying foward with all the power of a steamroller. The ninja bends back to avoid the hit, and going with the momentum, does a full back flip, kicking Spider man in the face in the process.

The hit sends the young fighter staggering, but does little more as Spidey regains his ground, and shoots another webline, with the ninja once again cutting the material midflight, but with his attention focused on that, he has no time to stop Spider man from delivering a bone jarring kick to his face. All this happened in 8 seconds.

"And then there was one." Spider man says as he turns to the last remaining ninja.

"You are mistaken, Scarlet fighter." The ninja replies. "For you see, you may strike one down, but for each of us you destroy 2 more take it's place!" As if on cue, a dozen more ninjas fall from the sky, all forming in a tightly nit bun, coming towards Spider man, swords at the ready. All Spider man can offer in response is "It's just red, not scarlet."

Batman watches from the sidelines, in absolute awe at the young fighters amazing combat prowess. Leaping, and spinning, and flipping, and twisting, and turning, he hops from one enemy to another, like an elaborate dance, never missing a beat. He ducks his head under pipes, and contorts his entire body in such ways that Batman was sure he had too of broken his own bones at least a few times. But as Batman watched on, it became painfully apparent that all these tricks, all this theatricality, it was done with but just the slightest of effort. Yes, in terms of flexibility, agility, and overrall acrobatic talent, it seems Spider man far outranked even Dick.

Batman continued his observations, keeping careful watch over the young rookie, ever ready to jump into the fray at a moments notice, but at the same time studying Spider mans fighting style. It truly was spectacular, sensational! Just- just amazing! His speed works in perfect sync with his agility, his amazing spider sense guiding him every step of the way. His unnatural strength, capable of knocking even the toughest of his enemies into a coma with a single tap, doesn't at all hinder his speed in any way. A plethora of emotions flood Batmans system. Shock, awe, envy, amazement, even a bit of jealousy. But the one that takes priority over them all, is disgust.

This Spider man, was without a doubt, the WORST hand to hand fighter Batman had ever seen. Leaping and prancing about with such grace as he, the web spinner gives the illusion of actual talent. But Batman knows better. He's just throwing his weight around, tossing his arms in every which way direction, praying for contact. Batman was sure that if it weren't for his amazing speed, Spider man wouldn't of landed a single hit. Batman wanted to call him a brawler, but not even that properly described the display before him. Even a brawler had some idea of what they were doing. But this Spider man, he was just... there are no words for it. Everything from his stance to the actual way he throws a punch, he is just a... a total spaz.

"HUGHH!" Another ninja is sent, literally flying across the room, and Batman can't help but wonder how much a difference it would make if he substituted his skill for Spider man's powers.

"ACK!" Not much apparently. Spider man just took a nasty slice aross his back, even Batman can't help but wince at it. It only serves to make Spider man angrier however, as he mercilessly pounds the attacker into the ground. The bodies pile up, ninjas drop to their knees, and soon, there is only one remaining enemy.

"Now we finish this." Spider man takes a step foward, and the ninja quickly paces back, nearly loosing his footing in his haste. Spider man takes the opportunity to latch a webline to the ceiling, and swing feet first at his assailant. The ninja, a determined look in his eye, regains his footing and ready's his sword in a position to make Spider man autimatically crash into it if he continues his trek.

Spider man sees this coming, and releases the webline. But that doesn't neccesarily stop his flight. The already gained momentum carries him foward, and at the last possible second he crashes to the ground, sliding right between the ninja's legs and popping up on the other side.

Going into a full hand stand, Spider man wraps his legs around his opponents neck quick as a flash, and swings him back, crashing him headfirst into the floor.

Spider man looks to Batman, waiting for him to say something. But he's waiting for something that'll never come, Spider man realizes, so he instead speaks.

"Gee, thanks for the help Mr. I-know-127-different-styles-of-martial-arts."

"You seemed to be doing fine on your own." Batman deadpans.

"Are you crazy? They could of killed me!" Spider man exclaims. He turns to the nearest downed ninja, giving it a brief nudge with his foot.

"This one here nearly shish kebabed me with his sword."

"Her."

"Huh?" Spider man asks as he turns.

"Her sword." Batman repeats as he rips off the ninja's mask. Spider man's eyes go wide behind his mask, as he loudly proclaims "whoa."

The ninja was indeed a female... and boy what a female at that!

Err, uhh, Batman's giving him a look. Time for a quick save.

"So, umm... why are they woman?"

"Woman make better assassins."

"Sounds like their leaders just a big perv if ya ask me." Spider man says as he places his hands on his hips.

"Hey, I just realized something, exactly who are these guys anyway? Last I heard ninja-con was being heald in L.A."

"League of Shadows elite. They were trying to poison Gotham's water supply."

"Huh? League of Shadows?" Spider man asks as he focuses his gaze on the man in front of him. "As in, Ra's al Ghul?"

"Yes." Batman replies. He then looks at Spider man, glaring at him hard.

"Ra's al Ghul is one of the most brilliant minds I have ever encountered in my life, and also one of the deadliest human beings on the planet. He only lets the best of the very best in his organization, and from there, he handpicks the best of those to be promoted to his elite. These ninja's you see around you, they are more then capable of killing every single Gotham PD member in the City. There that good." He takes a step towards the arachnid, bringing his hand up and violently jutting it out in his direction. "And YOU single handedly defeated each and every one of them. How?"

"Well it's not like it was easy." Spider man says as he stretches his arm. "I got more cuts here in five minutes then an octopus at a sushi bar."

Batman growls under his mask, sending a wave of fear like no other down Spider man's spine.

"Gothams protetor my right foo- huh?" Spider man did a double take of the area, suddenly looking back and forth rapidly.

"Someones coming."

"Who? How many?" Batman asks.

"I don't know who, but there's only a few this time. I think they have... they have..." Spider man's mask crinckles slightly; Batman could tell his eyes just went wide.

"What?" He asks, his voice becoming much more aggressive. Spider man looks to Batman to answer, but just as he takes a breath, something falls from above them. A canister of sorts. And it appears to be leaking some kind of...

"GAS!" Before either can react, the gas enters their systems, and they can feel every single fiber of their beings going limp. Numb down to their very core. Batman's arm flops around, desperately reaching for a gas mask he'll never reach. Before long, they both collapse; out.