Author's notes: Because there is an another Batman in this chapter, Nolanverse Batman is refereed as Bruce. Also to those who have realized who the other Batman is, good for you and review me you reactions. To those who haven't, I'm giving more hints in this chapter towards his identity and will reveal it in the next one.
ASURAS
It truly was another Batman that had killed Rachel. As Bruce looked at the murderer, he saw some differences in his costume. Where Bruce had gone with matte black armor plating, this other one had went with dark grey Kevlar mesh. The cowl looked like it was a one piece, attached to the cape which was tailored to have some sort of horns on the shoulders. The boots and gloves were also one pieced, gloves had two thick spikes, and the utility belt was blood red, including gun holsters on both sides of the waist. The symbol of the bat I the chest was similar to Bruce's first bat-suit, but it also had a red circle under it. The eyes had red lenses covering them and the exposed jaw under the nose was unshaven.
Not caring if it was an apparition or anything else, Bruce lunged at the other Batman in anger. The other Batman saw this coming and blocked the attack. Bruce tried to deliver more blows on the other Batman, but the other Batman countered them with an ease. Eventually he got Bruce to a neck-hold and forced him to ground.
''Look!'' the other Batman said pointing Bruce's head at Rachel's corpse or what Bruce had thought was Rachel. ''Whoever you thought that was it wasn't. It took a form of your deceased loved one so you wouldn't defend yourself from it''.
The other Batman's voice wasn't as raspy as Bruce's, but it was deep and sounded like coughing. It was a good disguise for even Bruce couldn't recognize the other Batman as himself or someone else, but could tell he was at least two or three decades older than Bruce. Beside that point, what Bruce had thought to be Rachel and been shot by the other Batman, had been turned into transparent form with a closing hole in its head. It rose up to air like an angry wraith and screamed at the two Batmen.
''Shut up!'' older Batman said and shot the wraith again, now multiple times. Bruce didn't stop him as he now saw what it was, getting more holes in itself with every shot. Reaching to his belt, Bruce also pulled a weapon from his belt. The other Batman saw it.
''Incendiary grenade?''
Bruce nodded.
''Throw it!''
Bruce threw the grenade at the wraith and it exploded on contact, burning it up. When the wraith was no more, Bruce attempted to get up from the ground but was met by two hand guns pointed at him by the other Batman.
''Mefistofele opera on a family-night, husband, wife and their son, caught in an armed robbery and homicide on Park Row, now known as Crime Alley, suspect's name was Joe Chill'', the other Batman said listing up factors form the night Bruce's childhood ended. ''One or two victims?''
Bruce was surprised by that last question. Did he mean…
''ONE OR TWO VICTIMS?!''
''TWO!'' Bruce growled back. ''Husband and wife were murdered and their son left alive!''
The other Batman's reaction was hard to be read behind the red lenses, but his mouths opening looked like a sign of relief. He holstered his guns and looked up, breathing out deeply like he was laughing victoriously.
''You did it, Allen. You saved them.''
''Who are you talking to?'' Bruce asked as the other Batman reached his arm to lift him back up on his feet. ''And what was that''?
''An Asura,'' the other Batman said holding his grip on Bruce's arm like a hand shake. ''An insatiable spiritual parasite. They feed on the miserable of the living by giving them happiness before taking it away. Since they are in spirit form, they don't like fire or white noise. David Graves wrote a book about them''
''How do I know you're not one of them?'' Bruce asked with his own Batman growl, to which the other Batman responded with an amused and proud grin.
''I were one, we wouldn't be talking,'' the other Batman answered, ''and they are not interested on dead people.''
''Dead people?'' Bruce repeated confused, noticing the other Batman's red eyes again.
''Yes, they only feed on the living, which is good news for you'', the other Batman said with a dark smile. ''That means you are still alive and you can get out of here.''
The Doctor pointed his Sonic Screwdriver at the Vortex where the Anti-Monitor was reaching out. So far only the left hand had gotten out and everything under the shoulder was still to get out.
''Um, okay,'' the Doctor said checking on the sonic for results, before going to Davros' console where Selina was already. ''Okay, let's see how this thing works.''
''You don't know?'' Selina asked shocked.
''Well, I usually can understand how Dalek technology functions, but this is Dalek and Qwardian technology put together. And I have never seen Qwardian technology before. Bring Davros here.''
Clara, Sora and Kairi brought Davros. Clara held Davros' only working hand while pushing the life support chair with Sora, while Kairi was pointing the Kaled scientist with the explosive gel gun. Thought he had been overpowered, the creator of Daleks kept his cool.
''How do we stop the process?'' The Doctor asked Davros, politely.
''You can't, as long as the Anti-Monitor is climbing out of the Vortex the process will go on,'' Davros said glaring at the Doctor. ''Not that would matter anyway, only you will be here to see it.''
''What!?'' Selina asked shocked.
''Even though these Daleks are not in the Path-Web and their destructions could be gone unnoticed, your locking the doors here triggered a silent alarm, signaling Drone Daleks to come here'', Davros explained with cold calm behavior. ''They don't care for your companions, so they will be killed first, but you will be kept alive long enough for us to-''
''Njahahaha-haahaa!'' laugh a high pinched voice cutting what Davros was about to say. As everyone in the room looked to the direction of the laughter, they saw Dalek Caan moving its tentacles and blinking its eye.
''Impossible, he hasn't spoken a word during our time here.''
''They are coming, from the realm of Speed and Force, the father and son who watched each other die, shining light and burning smoke…''
''What does that mean?'' Selina asked. ''Doctor, what does that mean?''
The Doctor didn't say anything, but walked to Dalek Caan's twitching remains and tried to look like he was attempting to understand what he was saying. When the Time Lord's face was lit with the knowledge of what to do, lots of banging noises were heard from the doors.
''YOU WILL LET US IN, DOC-TOR! O-BAY! O-BAY!''
''Daleks are coming in!'' Clara said as the Doctor returned to the console.
''Yes, they are, but,'' the Doctor said sonicing the console, pressing buttons and pulling cords off it, ''if I reverse the Jelly Baby Neutron flow, stick a microphone here and install loudspeakers there, I might have built us lighthouse to call Batman out of the Vortex.''
''Lighthouse?'' Sora repeated confused. ''Jelly Baby? Those didn't make any sense.''
''Excuse, I'm making perfect sense. You're just not listening,'' The Doctor said connecting his Sonic Screwdriver to the console and began to talk to it. ''BATMAN! BATMAN, CAN YOU HEAR ME!? BRUCE, ITS ME, THE DOCTOR!''
''You think he'll hear you?'' Selina asked with Kairi sharing her hopes of Batman's survival.
''Can you save him?''
''CLIMB OUT OF THERE!'' the Doctor yelled to his Sonic screwdriver. ''BATMAN! BRUCE! GET OUT OF THERE!''
No reaction from the Vortex, but Anti-Monitor's face becoming more visible. This hit Selina that much that she grabbed the Sonic Screwdriver and screamed to it:
''GET OUT OF THERE, YOU BIG SUCKER!''
Bruce and the other Batman looked up to the top of where they were. There was some kind of a light source that reminded Bruce of the well he fell as a child and the Pit. However, this time there was a shadow of something big covering it.
''Anti-Monitor,'' Bruce said remembering what Davros had told. ''As long as I'm here it keeps trying to climb out of here.''
''Then climb out of here before it does,'' the other Batman said.
''How?''
''Same way you stopped your falling,'' the other Batman said. ''The Asuras were trying to keep you alive by reminding you of someone you were holding onto. If you have something or someone to live for-''
''Rachel Dawes is dead,'' Bruce said soberly. ''The Joker murdered her eight years ago''.
''Then must someone else by now,'' the other Batman said grabbing a hold on Bruce's shoulders. ''Someone to love and give you a reason to live.''
Bruce looked at the other Batman and the look on his unshaved jaw. He looked desperate to get Bruce back to where he had. Also from his voice and age was easy to determine that the older Batman was not a future or an alternate version of Bruce. But if getting out of this vortex was to go on forward with his advice then-
''GET OUT OF THERE, YOU BIG SUCKER!''
The scream (or actually it was more of a roar) of that woman's voice was recognized by both Batmen, who raised their heads up.
''Selina,'' Bruce said identifying the voice.
''Selina Kyle?'' the other Batman said, surprising Bruce with the fact that he knew Selina also. ''A paraplegic cat-lady, who works on your tech support?''
''No,'' Bruce said confused. ''An athletic cat-burglar who-''
''ENOUGH TALK!'' the other Batman yelled letting go of Bruce. ''Go. To. Her.''
Bruce looked up to the head of the Vortex and at the other Batman. Then he lifted his head to look where he was supposed to go. Bruce closed his eyes and began to think of anything positive he could about Selina Kyle. Their first meeting in the Wayne Manor where she was disguised as a maid to steal his finger prints. Thought she was there to do him ill, and stole his mother's pearls, she had given Bruce a reason to leave the house after eight years. Thinking about their dancing at Miranda Tate's/Talia al Ghul's fundraiser was when Bruce felt himself ascending.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
''ASURAS ARE TRYING TO FEED ON YOU!'' The other Batman's voice yelled over the gunshots. ''I'M COVERING YOU, JUST FOCUS ON ESCAPING HERE!''
Bruce tried to find more good things to think about Selina, but coming to her betrayal and turning him over to Bane made it difficult. Trying to get past it and moving on to her helping him finding Lucius from the city hall and her rescuing him and the Doctor from Bane made it easier. Coming to their last kiss together, Bruce felt he was finally coming out of the Vortex. But before he could open his eyes to see Selina, and possibly the Doctor and Clara who had brought her there, Bruce felt a cold stinging grabbing in his feet. Before losing the conciseness, he heard the other Batman's yelling denial below him.
''BRUCE! NO!''
In Davros' laboratory, the Doctor and his companions watched as the Anti-Monitor was still climbing out of the Vortex. Suddenly it began to twitch and was pulled back in, with Batman flying out and landing in front of them. The Doctor and Selina moved closer to him to see how he was. Before either of them could say anything, Batman pushed Selina away with too much force and grabbed the Doctor by the collar.
''Doctor,'' Batman said with echoing voice with his eyes, pupils not lenses, shining white, ''you did not pity us…''
''Oh dear,'' the Doctor said while Clara and Kairi were helping Selina on her feet. ''The Gelth''.
Author's notes: If there are others than Miss Singing in the Rain and Krikanalo reading this story, please review. I need criticism to go forward.
Asuras, or as the Doctor knows them, the Gelth, are here in my story an mixed entitys seen in Ninth Doctor story The Unquiet Dead and the spiritual demons the Justice League fought against in the New 52 story arc The Villain's Journey. The latter one is referenced by the other Batman mentioning David Graves.Also did you figure out who the other Batman is? If not, wait for the next one.
And if there are people annoyed by me using too many surprise enemies, review about it to me.