It took a bit longer to pick up on Electrocutioner's trail. Specifically, they had to grapple all the way up to the central pillar of the, in Ozpin's eyes, impressive structure named Pioneer Bridge, stopping on the way to break up a shootout between two rival gangs. But soon enough, Batman's scanner showed where they needed to go.
The path led clear across the city, giving Ozpin ample time to share some of his story. Batman and Alfred via com came to accept his explanations for Aura and its extended potential of a Semblance, not doubt helped by what the former had witnessed in their adventure. Granted, there was still a fair dose of skepticism about its origin, but that was nothing compared to when Oz finally admitted he wasn't from Earth. Honestly, the look of sheer disbelief Bruce Wayne had given him could've probably blasted a hole clean through the planes of reality.
Fortunately, the professor remembered a way to prove he wasn't just an insane man with a strange powerset: his Scroll. He thanked whatever tiny lucky star watching every now and then over him that he'd kept it inside his pocket when he'd been transported to Earth. Even better, the device's battery charge had been at 82%, so Oz didn't need to worry about it losing power too quickly. Granted, he couldn't access the CCT (no interdimensional connection), and the software is apparently non-compatible with Earth's internet, but he still had a collection of pictures he could show his new allies. Though Oz had to admit, he'd never tried to hold a lecture and presentation while simultaneously flipping around the upper parts of an area like the Diamond District. This gives new meaning to teaching in the field.
Batman's natural curiosity soon overcame his practiced cynicism as he analyzed the photos of Beacon Academy, its peerless staff, certain students that had found special places in the headmaster's heart, Dust crystals, various parts of Vale and its fellow cities… Ozpin was honestly impressed he was able to ask sensible, poignant questions even while gliding past roofs. The concept of Huntsmen and Huntresses in particular drew his attention.
And of course, the reason for their system being in place. The Grimm, both the pictures Ozpin showed him and their descriptions, seemed to disgust the vigilante. "You say they're drawn to high negative emotions?" He asked, slightly pausing on a roof to turn his glare to the image of a Ravager spreading its jagged wings.
"Yes," Ozpin replied from his seat, mouth set in a cold frown. "Sorrow, rage, despair, fear, if there is a large concentration of humans sharing enough of these emotions, a Grimm attack is practically guaranteed." Or if she exerts her will over them, he added mentally. He'd briefly considered telling them about Salem (read: give the same story he would to those he brought into his inner circle), but this was still too early. Though he somehow felt he would before the night was over. Considering his own knowledge of Batman's true identity, he supposed it was only fair.
"Part of the reason that Great War I mentioned before was fought was because one side believed suppressing emotions was the key to survival, and they wouldn't take the risk of making that optional."
"No doubt in the long term it would simply generate more negativity," Alfred chimed in. The old butler had taken interest in the cultural aspect of Remnant, especially with the color naming rule. He'd also been more than a little amused with Oz' descriptions of his more eccentric colleagues. "But… you said humans just now, Master Ozpin. So animals or flora are spared from their rampages? And what about these Faunus people you mentioned?"
"Faunus are targeted by Grimm just the same as humans, regardless of which animal traits they possess. It seems anything any living thing lacking sentience is usually of little interest to them, but even after centuries of combatting them, we still don't know much about them." Well, I do, but few would believe that the tales of the Brother of Darkness creating them are true. And frankly, in those days, they were not the menaces they currently are at present, thanks in no small part to Salem, so such knowledge is a moot point.
"But they don't need sustenance, they just destroy out of sheer instinct." Batman looked over more pictures of the Grimm, scanning them with Detective Vision. He couldn't link the Scroll to his database due to lack of compatibility, but he and Alfred could still take notes and photocopies of the information. "You weren't exaggerating when you talked about training children to fight even worse monsters than the criminals I've seen."
There was a slight edge to his voice, the reason why Ozpin quickly discerned. "We do not force the students to train as Huntsmen, Batman. The threat of Grimm is dire and ever-present, but I would never allow someone to rob their child of the choice to attend my school or not. And the other headmasters share my stance. If they choose to become Huntsmen, then we respect the choice by nurturing them until they are ready."
Batman gave a conceding nod before a beep sounded from the crime fighter's gauntlet. At that the professor added, "And like I amended before, when I made that declaration, it was before I knew of the Joker." The duo was now looking at the Gotham Royal Hotel, one of the finest establishments in the city according to many online critics.
Batman shifted gears remarkably quickly from scholar to warrior as his eyes narrowed at the people below them. "The Joker's probably booked out the hotel," he theorized, "but why are SWAT providing security? We need to find out what's going on here." Sharing a nod, they both dropped down to lower separate positions.
Silently landing on top of a streetlamp, Ozpin crouched to observe two chatting officers just ahead. "…people trapped in there. Hotel guests." So maybe they're waiting for an opportunity to rescue the hostages.
"You wanna make fifty mil the easy way, a few eggs are gonna get broke." Oz' eyebrow twitched. …Or they're expecting me and Batman to arrive, then attack when our guards are down. Disappointing, but not surprising. He then noticed Batman giving a signal from on top of a black van further away, prompting him to swing as quietly as he could towards the direction indicated.
One was even addressing those few thugs outside. "So, what gives? Black Mask raid an amusement park or what?"
"You don't get paid to ask questions, pal." Was all he got as an answer.
"Hey, Branden's doing you a favor here. Don't forget it." Now Ozpin could see how they could slip into the building: one of the garages was open, with a collection of both SWAT men and Joker's goons, though the latter ones still wore the skull masks of Sionis' crew. Either they were putting on a show, or they had yet to learn about the new management.
"Yeah, right. We ain't forgotten," the mobster sneered. "Good Lieutenant Branden's a friend to us." Both crouched in opposite corners of the entrance.
"So what's with all the train tracks?" That made Batman and Ozpin look at each other perplexed. Train tracks? In a hotel?
"It's a surprise. Now, why don't you go back to your post and let us finish our work?"
"I'm fine right here if you don't mind."
"Who says I mind?" Whatever retort the corrupt policeman would've made was stopped by a gloved hand spinning him around and a black fist meeting his jaw. In that same second, another cop felt something swipe out his feet from underneath them and a shoe crack against the back of his helmet, ensuring he'd have a nasty headache even after waking up.
As one, Batman and Ozpin each drew their respective projectiles and hurled them at the two goons armed with rifles, knocking them down briefly. The Huntsman proceeded to rush the last officer, overwhelming his shield-increased defenses with some rapid strikes; compared to Copperhead or Shiva, this was a cakewalk. As his partner reeled in the final mobster for a kick to the face, he tossed another disk at one of the downed mobsters who was just trying to rise again, making his efforts for naught. His colleague tried a few seconds later, but a snap of The Long Memory on the top of his head made him sink back into the snow.
Oz flicked a bit of snow off his elbow. "Can we expect to encounter any more of Branden's men inside?"
"No. Joker only wants them standing guard outside from the sound of it, and I doubt any of them have the spine to try and defy him. Not when they think they might upset Black Mask." They walked towards the door to the inside.
Ozpin held the door open for him, allowing him to access the parking lobby. Which looked like someone had set a Goliath loose through it. Shattered walls, upturned cars, open fires… coupled with the mentions of an amusement park and train tracks, Ozpin idly mused if Joker intended to turn the hotel into his personal playground before Alfred asked, "Sirs, has the Joker taken a room at the Gotham Royal?"
"He's in here," Batman confirmed. "And SWAT are doing his dirty work, keeping Gordon and the media away from whatever's going on inside."
"Doesn't Branden realize it's not Black Mask he's working with?"
Ozpin answered this time. "Joker seemed able to fool everyone else with his performance as Mr. Sionis. And Branden's not one to let thinking get in the way of collecting a little more money. We'd have to toss the Joker with sufficient evidence at his feet to prove the point, more than likely."
"That's exactly what we're going to do with him, only to Gordon." Batman swore, his voice dropping to a lower volume as they spotted a few guards walking along the road ahead.
One wearing armor mumbled, "Hope he doesn't leave us inside when he decides to test it," as they headed left.
"Nah, I'm sure he just got a little, uh… excited at the bank." His friend replied.
"Excited. Yeah. Right." Well, at least this one has a sense of danger too, Ozpin thought while trapping him in a neck-lock, Batman slamming the other's head into the concrete. Three seconds and he stopped struggling.
Laying him on the ground, the headmaster noticed his partner's gaze at the emergency gates below. "Controls for those bars are in the overlook on the other side, past the punks settled down there."
He nodded, understanding how they were going to head into the hotel, then followed Batman into dropping from the overlook towards a larger collection of Joker's thugs.
As Batman kicked another armor-clad lackey away mid-glide, Oz landed on the shoulders of a knife-wielder, angled himself, then flipped off, causing the man to tumble, to bring both heels down on a third on his right. Rolling to his feet, he extended his cane to fend off the strikes of a martial artist (though he was at best a dabbler compared to Shiva) while throwing two disks at the ones he'd already downed. His current opponent attempted a three-kick combo only for the silver-haired Huntsman to bat away the first strike and nail him straight in the stomach. He fell with a moan, arms curled around his midsection.
Ozpin then watched as Batman somersaulted from the goon whose leg he'd just broken towards another trying to pull a shotgun out of a crate. That one was pinned to the ground and received a solid blow to the forehead. The last thug standing grabbed a pipe from the floor and started to charge at the crouching vigilante, failing to notice the wad of Explosive Gel in his path. The explosion knocked him for a loop even with armor on, and before he could get up again, a black boot stomped his helmeted head against the concrete.
Increased flexibility, setting traps beforehand, heightened alertness, Ozpin noted pleased while he decoded the password for the next part. He truly is a quick learner. Still room for improvement, but he himself is aware of this. Truly astounding progress, either way.
His Sequencer spelled out, "ROYALHOTEL," prompting the bars to retract. Volts were surging wildly in front of them, but a batarang to the large red button in front deactivated the power quickly, allowing Batman to pull himself up to a control panel with the line launcher and his grapnel. From there, he released the emergency gate, which slid upwards to allow people through again, then jumped back down where Ozpin was waiting.
No sooner did they head through the pass did the two stumble upon a familiar vehicle: "Joker's ambulance." It had been parked haphazardly against the wall, a little smoke emanating from it. Not even all of the money had been removed from its back, there was still a sizable amount. "Well," Oz clicked his tongue, "at least we now can be certain he has little actual interest in becoming wealthy…"
"…And he must be in the building." Batman finished, marching to the front. "There's an elevator, but it's been deactivated. Give me a second." Ozpin stepped in front of the device, raising an eye at the odd decorations like a large clown-shaped mask in the corner, while the younger man fiddled with a generator. With a mechanical whirr, the elevator slid open, revealing a pile of more loose bills on top of a fresh corpse and green footprints painted on the carpet. Just what is he up to? The question nagged at the millennia-old hero as he pressed the button for the next floor, Batman joining him.
Alfred called them as they ascended. "Sir, do you know just where in the hotel the Joker is located?"
"Not yet. Why?"
"Well, it looks like there is a security room in the hotel lobby. You could use the cameras to find him."
Batman and Ozpin looked at each other in contemplation. "It's probably our best chance."
"Right, we'll try that. Beats checking every room one at a time…" The elevator slid open with a ding, showing a quite ornate hallway that would've looked high-class were it not for more circus decorations and metal drums with wires attached. "There are enough explosives to take down this building," Batman noted as they passed them. "I wonder what other surprises we'll find."
"Somehow, I have little enthusiasm for such findings." Ozpin muttered on their way to the door where "ENTRANCE" had been scrawled in green on the floor in front of it. It led to the hotel lobby, where armed mobsters patrolled the different walkways of the large room.
This city certainly has an appreciation for gargoyles, Oz couldn't help but notice as he rapidly grappled up to one of the sculptures, Batman doing the same with another. No one had noticed, yet. "Y'ask me," one goon said to another, "he ain't intendin' to pay up. Soon as one of the assassins kills the Bat and his buddy, Boss'll kill that guy, keep all that cash in his bank account."
"No way," his partner scoffed, unaware of the dark shape wrapping itself around another mobster on the other side. "Pull a stunt like that, ain't no one gonna trust him again. He'll lose face with the other syndicates in the city." Hm, a fair point and yet Oz also knew from experience such displays were for the sake of dominance and were all too prominent. Not to mention, more successful than he realizes.
Ozpin descended to trail another walking underneath him, forcing him into a darkened corner where nobody could interfere.
"Hey man, look at what he's been having us do tonight. You think he's worried about losing face?" I honestly don't know what that man is concerned with. He lets dozens of dollar bills be scattered across the rooms, he had no compunctions about detonating the vault while his men were still inside, and torturing Black Mask seemed to be less for information than out of pure cruelty. And these decorations…
"You got a point." Then the two turned separate ways, but before they could walk off, Oz pounced out and knocked them down with a slash of his cane, thoughts still racing. More often than not, to defeat an enemy you needed to know and understand them. And so we need to learn more about the Joker. Preferably before he blasts this building off the map.
He slipped away down a ladder, watching a line launcher connect to an armored brute with one of those jammer backpacks, then to a nearby gasoline tank. The blast took him down, damaged the jammer beyond use, and drew one more thug towards the noise. That one got a green disk upside his head, then received a kick to his chin before he could get up.
Batman grappled back up from the unconscious men while Ozpin waited patiently behind a rather weak wall, tracking the approach of the penultimate mobster. When his goggles showed he was on the other side, he thrust once, a hint of magic inside the cane's tip, and blew the man clean across the room. A rather high-pitched cry followed by a heavy thud to his right confirmed the room was now secure. The professor took a moment to appreciate the large tree, its decorations modest, but still beautiful, then sprinted towards the security room.
Batman was kneeling beside the entrance, sequencer in hand, as the security panel confirmed its unlocked state. The room itself had been unmanned this whole time, so there was nothing to impede them from entering and cycling through the various cameras. It was Ozpin who noticed a screen above showing the room they needed.
Inside what looked like the penthouse suite (based on its size), there was a large dining table where heavy briefcases rested on it, one open. Festive lights were strung up along the ceiling and part of the walls. But that was not what got the duo's attention:
Aside from three thugs on standby, Firefly stood on one side of the table, clutching his flamethrower, while Electrocutioner had propped his feet up on the other, eyes on his phone. Across from him was Bane, massive arms wrapped around his chest and definitely showing more interest than his "competition".
As for what the giant was looking at, Joker slowly paced in front of a collection of monitors that took up the whole wall, each displaying something different. Increasing the magnification, they could see Deadshot was on one, some kind of cartoon on another, crudely drawn images on most of the rest.
The main perpetrator of tonight's crimes wore a dark purple coat with gloves and the mask that had given Sionis his moniker. "Friends, assassins," he began in Black Mask's rasp, "welcome to our first quarterly performance review." He spread his arms wide, then let them fall, Buchinsky barely paying attention.
"As you can see here," Joker gestured to some of the drawings, "Batman deaths are coming in far below projections. And this Ozpin fellow, the one with the cane and the specs, I wouldn't think he'd be a major obstacle to this undertaking." "Black Mask" turned back to the present killers. "But here we are." He turned away as a giggling fit seemed to overcome him, then recomposed himself. "We are really going to have turn this around." He sauntered over to Electrocutioner, who for his part seemed more interested on whatever he was doing with his phone than anything else…
then ripped off his mask and tossed it onto the device. "And by we, I mean you." Joker laughed in his true voice, propping himself onto the table. Buchinsky glared at him in confusion, but if Bane or Firefly were surprised at the reveal, they hid it well. "Got that, Mr.… Cutioner?"
"Just who." The mercenary rose from his seat, dropping the mask as sparks crackled around his gauntlets. "The hell. Are. You?"
"I'm the guy with the money." Joker gestured to himself as he sprung from the table and took a few steps. "And the gun." Then in a flash he drew a customized revolver and levelled it at Electrocutioner's head, the assassin raising his hands in surrender. The clown fired twice past his scarred head and then lowered the gun, accidentally setting it off. He sprang with a surprised chortle from the smoking hole, then turned towards Electrocutioner. "So, when I hire you to kill the Batman," he stepped a little closer, then made the heavier man fall back into his office chair, waving his gun around. Joker stomped away with a frown as his voice rose to just below a yell, "you shut the hell up and kill the Batman! And his spectacle-wearing old dog, too!"
Then he came closer and propped up a foot against the chair, grinning again. "So do you have anything else to contribute?" Ozpin tensed up at that tone; he'd heard enough times before to know it meant someone was about to be killed.
Electrocutioner simply kept his eyes trained on the gun barrel close to his face. Joker leaned in, snarling just loud enough that the speakers could pick it up, "I didn't think so." Then he kicked hard against the chair, sending Electrocutioner crashing through the cracked window and into the cold air. Buchinsky screamed all the way as the two crime-fighters snapped their heads at the different screens, tracking his fall.
He continued to scream as he dislodged a large chandelier on the outside, then both crashed straight through the lobby's glass ceiling, but it was too late for them to do anything; even Ozpin couldn't move fast enough. Lester Buchinsky bounced once, then hung limply among the heavy bronze, electricity dancing from the weapons that had made his moniker.
As one, Ozpin and Batman bowed their heads in regret (criminal of not, no one deserved to die like that), then looked back towards the penthouse screen with rising fury.
Joker was casually licking his fingers and twirling a knife in his free hand. Neither Firefly nor Bane had moved an inch. "Mm, mm, mm, this fruitcake is fantastic!" Then in a blur, Gotham's newest crime boss spun around and jabbed the blade halfway into the wooden table. That chilling grin was on his face again. "Anyone want a piece?"
The message was very clear.
Joker straightened up and dusted off his gloves. "Alright, meeting adjourned. Get out there and kill the Bat. Double and an extra serving of figgy pudding if you get Ozzy on the way." Deadshot's screen disconnected and Firefly revved up his jetpack, then shot out the hole his competition had made. Only Bane was left, which the Joker noticed. "Move it along, big boy."
The big man shook his head once. "No. They're coming for you now. And when they get here, I'm going to kill them both." Bane then got up, his bulk looming over the scrawny man, who looked uncertain for a moment before his smile slowly returned.
Bane closed the distance, snarled, "So you wait." With one hand, he shoved the Joker into an office chair. The force took him dangerously close to the broken window.
Not that it seemed to bother Joker as he crossed his arms and laughed. "Well," he tilted his head at the behemoth standing in front of the opening, "this should be interesting." He then swiveled around the room in his chair, letting loose that same blasted chuckle as if he didn't have a care in the world. It echoed all the way from where they exited the security room.
Ozpin gripped his cane so tightly his knuckles turned white at the reminder of how far that man's cruelty extended. But he drew in a long breath and exhaled slowly. Remember, Oz: do not let anger control you. He noticed Batman watching him, likely also forcing himself to stay calm. "Your city," the wizard started, "your command. What's our next move?"
Batman tilted his head up to where a maintenance lift was suspended. "That lift should get us up to the ceiling so we can get out of here." His cowl flickered. "But its engine is dead. We'd need to give some kind of a jumpstart…"
At that, both looked at each other, then at the dead man still trapped in the chandelier wreckage. Specifically, at his weapons. "…those gloves still appear functional even after that fall." Ozpin noted as he maneuvered around the glass shards to inspect them. He briefly took a moment to slide Buchinsky's eyes shut out of respect, then nodded. "I believe you'll put these to better use, Batman."
"Right then." The circuitry was rather simplistic, not quite on the same level as the gloves some Huntsmen wielded, and with a second pair of hands, removing the necessary parts and affixing them to Batman's own gauntlets took little effort. A minute later, he experimentally clenched his freshly augmented fists, causing energy to crackle along the knuckles. "I can think of more than a few ways to use these."
"Then time for a test run."
"Hmph. Your favorite kind."
"Guilty. I am a professor, after all."
They climbed up to the lift where Batman gripped either side of its generator, pouring electricity into it. One by one, the circuit lights flickered on until the entire machine activated, the winches pulling them high enough that their grapnel guns could reach the roof.
But a chopping sound drew their attention even as Batman intercepted police chatter. "Six-five to Branden. Six-three reports sighting Batman and Ozpin in the building."
"Excellent. What about Gordon?" A helicopter with a searchlight passed along the side of the hotel.
"No sign of him. He's got no idea anything's going on here."
"Alright. You men be ready to move when I arrive." So if we wish to leave the hotel, we wouldn't simply have to contend with the Joker, his thugs, and Bane, but Branden's group as well. Lovely.
Well, both men knew there was no use turning back now. On the tenth floor was a broken window as big as a doorway, allowing them to enter the Gotham Royal's east tower. As they rolled onto the carpeted floor, the first thing noticed was the layer of snow; the window must've been smashed some time ago, judging by the rate of snowflakes. Another was the stuffed polar bear in one corner with a bucket placed on top of its head. Despite these oddities, they continued on.
"Were you able to find the Joker, sirs?" Alfred asked while they rounded the corner.
"Yes. He's in the penthouse."
"I see you profited from my advice. Yet again." Easy, Alfred. Don't ever think we're not grateful for your help. Even if I show it more often than your ward.
"Not yet," Batman mumbled as he strategized. "Getting to him won't be easy. The elevators are down and Joker's goons are everywhere."
"Well, I've no doubt between the two of you, you'll figure a way up here."
Ozpin laughed. "Your confidence, as always, is appreciated, Alfred." The next door led to more rooms, however, a security gate cut them off from the path forward. Luckily, the generator for the bars were on their side.
While Batman walked over to the machine affixed in the wall, Ozpin readied himself for the unaware mobsters on the other side. "When do we get off the hotel guests?" The hostages are still alive, then?
"Joker says we can kill any employees we find, but we gotta keep the guests locked up."
"Yeah? Why's that?"
"The Joker's got all hands redecoratin' this fine establishment. You ever think who this is all for?"
"The guests?" A chill went up his spine. Oh, no.
"By the time we're done with this joint, it's gonna be a dan house'a horrors. And they're gonna be stuck in it." The gate only lifted up a fraction, probably Batman wanting to maintain surprise. But there was still plenty of room.
The first speaker laughed. "To think, they paid three hundred bucks a night for this?"
"Sounds like a reasonable cost of admi-Yeaggghah!" The last word being so distorted was on account of a green flash taking out his feet from underneath. The one closest to him didn't even get a chance to use his blade before something dark swung into his head, then all darkness.
Ozpin dodged the bats swung at him, absent-mindedly noting the words, "ENJOY THE SHOW" painted on the ground. He then spun The Long Memory in an old sequence he hadn't used in a while, reducing their weapons to splinters, then sending them sprawling even as Batman practically electrically tenderized another inside his body armor before headbutting him against the wall. The last one tried making a break of it, only to be pulled back and collapse with a broken arm.
"Oooh well, would you look what the bat and the wizard dragged in?" They glared at the clown grinning at them from the screens set up near the window. "You know you're both a little late for supper. I almost wanted to roast up Toto, I'm so hungry. Lucky for you, your dear friend Bane just refused to start the meal without you." He paused in his gesticulations to snicker. "Apparently, he prefers his dishes served cold."
The screens shut off, leaving little else to do but head for the laundry room. Oz paused for a moment when he registered the fact that Joker identified him as a wizard. After a brief hesitation, he continued on after Batman, dismissing his enemy's words as a reference from this world as opposed to the madman seeing through him.
They would've taken the direct route, but the security gate was down and barred by furniture, so they had to fall back on the tried-and-true method of the air vent instead. It brought the two into the elevator shaft, but no sooner did they hop onto the first lift, were they forced to leap to the other as its cables snapped and it went screeching down, sparks trailing after it. It hit the bottom with a crash and a surge of flames.
Another of his little "pranks," no doubt. Luckily, the other elevator was stable and with a generator on top. An application of the "shock gloves," and it took them up another few floors before the charge ended.
Another floor above, the doors were slowly pushed open. Someone yelled, "What's going on down there?"
Another sneered, "Go ahead and beg. Ain't gonna help you." A goon peered out into the shaft but couldn't see either of the two. One of the many reasons I prefer this shade of green.
"Please don't! I-I have a family." Then a thud and a cry of pain could be heard.
"Think I give a damn about your family?" Batman was first at the ledge, unnoticed by the lookout.
"All right, put him out of his misery." A third voice said. Whatever his colleague would've said was drowned out by the scream the lookout released. He was namely hoisted from his spot into the shaft, only avoiding falling to his death by a sturdy rope wrapped around his ankle. The others barely had a chance to realize what was going on before two man-sized things rose from the elevator doors. When they would later be questioned by the GCPD, all any of them could remember was a giant bat and a green man with sharp eyes and a painful stick.
Ozpin couldn't help but look at their surroundings with a bit of horror; bodies were strewn all over the place. One with a puppet head over his, one halfway out the window, one tied up to some giant game wheel… and all dead, save for two huddling the corner. "Please," One begged with trembling hands, "d-don't hurt me!"
"We won't," Batman assured in an infinitesimally gentler tone than usual. "We're here to help."
Ozpin managed to give a silent but warm smile, hoping it could be enough to reassure them. He didn't trust his voice at the moment. Luckily, the employees seemed to calm down a bit. "Okay. But… please. Please, they've got my friends. Holding them hostage in the overview bar."
"Where is that?"
"The suspended bar. Between the towers." Right, the glass structure Electrocutioner fell past. "Please, you have to help my friends! You don't want to know what these animals have done to them."
"We'll do our best," Oz finally managed to say, gesturing towards an open closet. "Hide in there with whatever you believe may protect you. Come out only if you see us or any police you think appear trustworthy. We'll try to clear out the hotel as quickly as possible."
They gave him and Batman, currently charging up a generator to activate the next gate, grateful looks, picked up some fallen pipes and went for the closet. "G-give them hell!" One called after them as they slid under the gate and raced through the hallways, more giant presents on either side.
And Joker seemed to be paying attention. "So, let's see!" he taunted from the televisions. "That's two hotel employees rescued for you and… oh my. I'm still waaay ahead in the employees killed column."
"This isn't a game, Joker." Batman spat out, Ozpin simply glaring at the madman.
"Aw, come on, of course it is, my batty friend! But don't get too greedy, boyos, I know it's tempting with all these goodies lying around but don't helping yourselves to a gift." He leaned in close enough wagging a finger they could count his yellow teeth. "They're not for either of you!"
The "gifts", of course, each had an explosive barrel inside, and Ozpin wasn't sure even with what he knew of bomb disposal that they'd be able to disarm them before Joker could trigger their detonations. And Joker knew it, smiling at them from the screens as they walked to an open large window and stared out.
The overview bar was still like how they'd last seen it. For now. "There, there… don't feel left out! I've got a special gift just for the both of you right up here…" But the sound of metal groaning heralded a burning cart riding on train tracks straight along the side of the building. "And it's wrapped in about four hundred pounds of muscle."
Directly across from them, a thug stood with gun in hand in another open window. But the line launcher and their ziplines closed the distance, the guy only managing to get out, "Oh crap!" before Batman's knee met his mouth.
"Uh oh, Batman!" Joker called out from the speaker, "You and Oz need to hurry! Someone's about to get shot!" On instinct, the young hero began to sprint to the right, but Ozpin managed to keep a cool head; he caught up in time to hold his friend back from rounding the corner, then gestured towards the goggles he wore. Batman understood and soon saw what he had meant: an automated turret pointed straight ahead. Someone's about to get shot… right.
Leaning just slightly around the corner, he fired the jammer at the turret, disabling it with a spark. "…oh, fine." Joker actually seemed to be pouting. "Nobody likes a spoilsport, Pinhead. Eh, I'll get my entertainment one way or the other." Ignoring him, Batman used his gloves on the generator to open the next gate, allowing a small group of thugs to attempt to charge him.
Key word being, "attempt". Ozpin's cane flashed before they could even reach the caped man halfway, sending them flying into the wall with one blow each and just a bit more force than necessary. Oz was a little wound up.
"Where'd Sionis find these guys?" Joker grumbled lightheartedly. "Oh sure, they talk a big game, but put any of them in the old electric chair and they bawl like little girls. Trust me, I've done the research." Steady now, you old fool, the professor scolded himself as he and a visibly tense Batman walked through the tower's ventilation shaft. We already know he's a deranged sadist, so just focus on stopping him. At least we now know the extent of his lunacy.
The climb through the shaft was rather simple, if not straightforward, though Ozpin half-expected it to be rigged with traps. But they grappled up and shimmied along the metal ledges with little trouble. "6-2, Branden. Has Black Mask responded yet?" Branden was getting ansty.
"Negative. No word from him since he entered the building."
"Sonnuvabitch Sionis thinks he can ignore us?" The greedy officer growled over the radio. "What about Gordon?"
"We got him investigating a B n'E out at the old amusement park. But word is Vicki Vale's got wind of this." Vale… Right, the reporter I saw trapped in Blackgate. And Batman's note stated she was… persistent, but honest.
"Damnit, I'm almost there." The professor's lips quirked while he leaped over a passage. Law enforcement and reporters rarely got along at the best of times, he'd seen it more than once just in Vale. With Huntsmen, it varied among the individuals. Some enjoyed the chance for a little fame, others considered them a hindrance, others still had no opinion at all.
At the moment, a giant spinning fan above them delayed their progress, but Detective Vision traced its controls to be on the other side of a drop. Batman's line launcher allowed Ozpin to walk across and shut off the fan, allowing them to grapnel one after the other to a vent for the next floor. A small amount of crawling, and they were in another part of maintenance where steam rose up from floor vents in front. That could be harmful. Good thing opening a hatch opposite from them redistributed the steam and let them continue without trouble.
Someone was up ahead, though. "Yeah, there ain't no sign of 'em, though. You sure I gotta keep watch?" The thug was speaking in a radio while facing the wrong direction. He therefore didn't notice either of the two until Batman pulled him over the side with a yell.
No other guards were posted along the path, so they reached the 25th floor's laundry room unimpeded. And through the next door, most of the ground was covered in snow thanks to the open windows so that the carpet was barely visible, though the Christmas decorations appeared harmless. "In. Credible," The Joker continued to taunt over the speakers as Batman and Ozpin quietly knocked two goons standing guard around the next corner. "They really outdid themselves with this penthouse suite. The bathroom has three kinds of soap! I mean, who has time for all that cleaning? I usually just hop into a vat of acid and call it a day."
Another security gate blocked off passage to the other tower, but this one had a dead body strung up with a deer head mounted on his own. Electricity crackled around it. Ozpin eyed it, as well as the sign placed above the door for the ballroom saying, "JOKER'S SLEIGH RIDE" with trepidation. Batman threw it open and stepped in, only to freeze. "What is this…?" he murmured in open horror.
Ozpin joined him concerned and saw instantly what had caught his attention: TVs lined one side of the open hole where spikes pointing out ringed the edges, but that was nothing compared to what the space overlooked. "Like what I've done with the place?" Joker's laugh chilled them as much as the unholy cross of an amusement park and a torture room they witnessed. Carnival music played out into the night. "I know, I know, it's a bit much. What can I say? I can be a tad… compulsive from time to time." A car rolled in on the tracks into a tunnel as flames surged on the other side.
…I was wrong. I have no idea just how far his madness can go. That realization chilled the old man to the collection of souls inside him as they quickly moved through a side tunnel and approached the "park's" main entrance. Which was guarded. "When we bringing the hotel guests through?"
"Soon, I hope. Thing's just about done."
"I just don't see why he had to test it out on our guys."
"Did you uh, did you laugh when the first guy started screamin'?"
"If I'm bein' honest," the one addressed let out a chuckle. "I totally did!"
His friend laughed, too, both vigilantes listening in quiet anger. "Me too. This is a lot more fun than workin' for Black Mask, that's for sure." That's when he got slammed to the floor. Batman flipped off him to ram his fist into another carrying a blade, then cracked an elbow into a third that tried to grab his shoulder. That one was then pushed down and got his leg broken.
Ozpin meanwhile reeled in another with his grapnel to trip him up and then spun him into another, their heads banging into each other. For just a second, he contemplated upping the damage, then simply shook his head to clear the fog of temper and just nudged them over. Batman was less forgiving, judging by how his electrically charged fists pounded the last thug with armor before uppercutting him. But, Oz reassured himself, he left no real lasting damage. He's furious, but still holding back a bit. Good.
The gate swung open just as crudely wired chairs in a giant puddle surged with electricity, shocking their clown-mask wearing occupants. "Where did I get all of this, you ask? Well, I got a great deal on an out-of-service amusement park."The men had only a minute and a half before the voltage would kill them; Ozpin threw a disk at one red button while Batman a batarang at its twin, flipping two boards away to make room for the line launcher. "Oh, you should've seen the real estate agent's face when we shook hands on the deal." Then another laughing fit.
Ozpin ground his teeth as he swung alone up to the newly fashioned line and dropped over towards the boarded-off part, his goggles leading to the panel for the power. His Explosive Gel blew apart the wood and he crossed the distance in half a second, sequencer in hand. It took a little longer than usual, but soon he had the code, "KNOCKKNOCK", deactivating the device. A loud whirr, along with Batman's confirmation, reassured the Huntsman the men were safe. Criminals or not, he'd rather not watch them die.
"Hmm, well, technically that was cheating," Joker muttered at first while Oz left the upper room (though he did give the panel a good strike to prevent it from being used again), "but, ah, what can I say? I've got a soft spot for cheaters! So bravo, Ozpin. Braaa-vo."
Neither bothered to release the goons from their bonds; they were still criminals, after all. The route continued down the right, up the ladder and then stopped with fences on either side and a large button that when stepped on generated an electrical current on the left fence's other side. A huge white mask was partially constructed on the fence. "Ha! Nice try. No way out of there! Guess you'll both just have to wait until I start sending the hotel guests through. That'll be a scream." Batman quickly drew a batarang and threw it through the eye hole, "Givin' it the old college try, are we? To be honest, Batman, your optimism is surprising, given that frown you're always wearing," where it absorbed some of the charge upon contact, then looped around to spin through the other eye and hit a fuse box.
A part of the ceiling above swung open, letting them draw themselves up onto part of the tracks. "Aren't you just a pair of resourceful rugrats? Now play fair. Don't make me take your little belts and stick away." The duo sprinted down the tracks in a mixture of haste and caution. There was no way to predict what would come next. And soon, the tracks ended with a side room with another fence barring them off from another man strapped down.
"Oh no… not again," the mobster whimpered, "Please…" then Joker's voice drowned out his pleading when Ozpin stepped onto the platform. "Now this, this one I like to call Joker Says." One by one, the clown heads on the fence's other side lit up, but in a specific order. "And right now, Joker says you're going to make this poor man scream his head off." When the last one, second to the right, lit up, four balloons slowly inflated.
If we try to pull him out, he'll be electrocuted. No other choice but to play along. He then threw sharpened disks to pop the balloons, but in the same order the faces had lit up. Confetti sprayed from each one upon popping. Hopefully, this is part of the game and not just a twist. With the final pop, the gate rose again and a new sequence began, slightly faster than the original.
"Ooh, now this one's my personal favorite. Reminds me of my childhood; the taste of the kettle corn, the clickity-clack of the rides, the stench of the dead vagrants they found under the boardwalk-Oh, the good old days." Ozpin considered the words even as he repeated the sequence, hoping he could get a clue out of the Joker's ramblings. But the problem was he just couldn't tell what was real and what was just a lie. It all just seemed insane.
But at least the blathering hadn't thrown off his focus, or else the game wouldn't have ended well. Even as the safe captive mumbled, "he… he did it…" the wall opened for the tracks to continue. Batman was sprinting along the boards until he flew from one ending to another part and landed in a small space where thugs awaited him. Ozpin joined him after disabling the "game" just as he felled one and tossed a concussion grenade to drive the rest back.
And the Joker simply continued to talk. "I think the one little thing you need to work on is that sense of humor, Batman. You haven't smiled once tonight. I mean, your green pal has, albeit no thanks to my jokes, but hey, he smiled. I know I saw it! And you know what they say: A smile a day keeps the reaper away." The grenade had made the thugs easy pickings, but one heavyset brute merely shrugged off the blast.
As Ozpin flipped a dazed martial artist over his hip, Batman activated his shock gloves and unleashed a flurry of punches so quickly they sheared off his opponent's armor. He tried pulling him into a hug, but the black-armored hero rolled to the left and continued his assault until the bigger man finally staggered. Ozpin cupped his hands, let Batman jump onto them, launched him high, and then the dark knight brought his still-charged fists right down on the muscled man's skull, downing him. "Not too shabby, guys. Ten points out of ten for choreography. Now then, it feels like you should be done, doesn't it? You run roughshod through my Christmas attraction, and now you can't even find the door? Oh, the sad part is, there is no door." Sure enough, the gates wouldn't open, nor did another exit present itself. "That's right. NO ONE gets out. I'll admit, it kills to repeat business, but then...so do the rides." At least, at first glance.
Another scan of the area, this time with Batman's technology, gave them the same idea. A little absurd, but it's not the craziest one I've come up with.
Grappling up to one of the balconies together, Ozpin then manned a control dashboard it held, prompting a colossal jack-in-the-box to spring out from the park's other side. Joker was now clearly grating on Batman's nerves. "You want to know the awful truth? I've only been in Gotham for a few days, your compadre, the Wizard of Ozzy just popped up out of nowhere tonight, and we've already accomplished so much more than you in the-what has it been- 2 years that you've been doing the whole costume thing. Roman Sionis? Gone. Loeb? Whoa. He was corrupt to the core. Got rid of him. That warden at Blackgate? Pretty sure he'll be facing charges after what I made him do tonight."
Batman's teeth ground together, but then Oz placed a steady hand on his shoulder, prompting him to look at his mentor. Don't let him get to you, his brown eyes said. Trust me, I know what it's like to feel if you haven't been succeeding at your duties. But you have done good, both tonight and before. And you can continue to do good.
Batman nodded once, confirming he got the message. Joker went on, unaware of their thoughts. "You know, it's amazing what you can get done when you don't concern yourself with right and wrong. When you just... do things for a laugh. That's the problem for you, Batman, and for Oz-and it's hurting your efficacy: You're. Far. Too. Serious." But if you only concern yourself with your own amusement, Joker, you can't accomplish anything worthwhile or help others. Ozpin shook his head; in the end, he was simply a madman with too much imagination. And he needed to be stopped.
The line launcher provided a narrow, but stable bridge for them to grapnel onto and walk along to the exit. Purple smoke burst out from both of its sides. "So, you've made it to the end of my little carnival ride." Then Joker's tone slipped to one of disappointment. "Unfortunately, you're supposed to be dead ducks by now." A slight giggle, then increasingly humorless. "Will you gents just while I go shoot the architect. Come here, you little-"
"Boss. Please, don't-" then a pained cry rang out. Yes, Oz reaffirmed while they walked through the exit and the first thing they saw was a corpse reclining on a couch with a large candy cane shoved through the TV on his head, he needed to be stopped as soon as humanly possible.
The hallway was mixed with usual decorations and the Joker's twisted contributions, but what caught their attention was the thug aiming a gun at an employee, his back turned to them. "Thought you could hide from us, huh?"
"Please," the employee begged, arms high, "please don't!" He hadn't seen them yet, either.
"C'mon. Back to the bar." He turned around right into the closed fist of Batman. The man sunk to the carpet like a rock.
The employee looked at the two men in frightened awe. "Who are you…?"
"We're here to help." Batman said in a calming voice.
"There are more of them… they have my coworkers… they're… they're forcing them…" he began to hyperventilate, so Ozpin gently guided him over to an undamaged chair where he collapsed.
"Don't worry. We'll get to them before anything happens."
The employee was a little calmer. "Okay, just… hurry. Please." Both warriors then walked to the door for the overview bar, pulled it open and stepped through to observe a half dozen hostiles on the other side of a locked gate. Hostages kneeled with trembling hands over their heads.
"Neither the Bat nor that Oz-dude are showin' up. You alright if we ice these guys?" One asked, pointing his gun at one on his knees.
"Yeah, what the hell. Let's do this." The gate would've been a hassle if it weren't for floor vents that led underneath the goons. Batman leaped from one to bring down the one with the rifle, prompting the others to circle him. Except for one that had been standing in front of the other grate. Ozpin made sure he wouldn't be a problem anytime soon.
A martial artist attempting a spinning kick was thrown into another thug, a third one got his head smacked against a wall, and the muscled behemoth tried to stomp on Batman, only for him to dart away and leave behind some Explosive Gel that rang a few bells in his thick head. Another team combo then quickly made him fall like a tree chopped loose of its roots.
After a quick check that all of Joker's stooges were out and the hostages were all accounted for, Ozpin rose up the gate and led them to safety. They all expressed surprise, fear, and no small amount of gratitude. "Even if he weren't strapping his own men into his traps, Joker's crew can't be big enough to man the entire establishment." He explained to Batman when they were alone. "More likely, they were only on select floors where they could move up or down if something were to have happened."
Batman nodded. "And with our clearing up of most of the thugs on the lower levels, the employees shouldn't have much trouble getting out. I'd tell you to give with them, Ozpin, but…" he sighed a bit, "we still have Joker and Bane to deal with."
That was fine with him, he was ready to finish this whole debacle in one, swift stroke. "Then let's go." The direct route was blocked with more giant presents/bombs, but the left wall was blown apart easily, allowing them to view the building's upper floors from the outside. First they travelled one after the other by grapnel to a gargoyle, then to an open window where a ruined carpet hung out partially.
The 28th floor was caked in snow, presents and a little blood-splatter, but at least the gate barring access could be moved out of the way thanks to the generator and Batman's gauntlets. And then they just stared at the next room: Among the piles of white snow were dozens of gasoline drums and other incendiary devices. Snowmen were built around some, others had been simply thrown onto each other, but they were all connected by thick wires. A large flip clock was on the other side, with stylized lights depicting the Gotham Royal and the words, "HAPPY NEW YEAR". Its seconds ticked by, but there were still a little over seven days left.
"I've never seen anything like this…" Batman muttered. The headmaster could only nod in agreement; not through all his lifetimes had he ever encountered such a sight. "These bombs are set to detonate December thirty-first. I should be able to disarm them with my cryptographic sequencer." He kneeled in the snow, gadget out.
"Be careful. I'd rather not try my luck defending against this much firepower." Ozpin cautioned even as his student cycled through the letters. "Oh no," Joker suddenly popped up on the half-buried screen in front of them, "you found my snowman bombs!" in a not-very-worried tone. What is he up to now…?
Batman continued his process undeterred, the words, "HAPPYNEWYEAR" causing the panel to beep in affirmation. But instead of shutting down, the clock spun down to twenty-five seconds as the Joker cackled. "Oh, you just couldn't wait until New Year's, huh? Guess the fireworks are going off early!"
Neither one wasted any time in leaping through the glass and grappling onto the rails of the news helicopter hovering just outside. Just in time, too, as explosions blew the room to atoms. "Good lord!" a familiar voice exclaimed from inside the copter while it quickly veered away. Miss Vale? Lovely coincidence. "I don't believe it, tell me we're still getting this?"
"Y-yeah, we're still live."
And just like that, the same dedication to a story Ozpin had seen many times (and experienced, twice) activated in the reporter. "This is Vicki Vale, reporting live from the Gotham Royal Hotel where there's just been a massive explosion. And now it appears the Batman, and the mysterious newcomer in green that citizens have claimed to have seen alongside him tonight, have been blown from the building by the blast and are somehow hanging from the bottom of our helicopter!"
Right now, Oz had other concerns at the moment, one in particular. With effort, he extended The Long Memory to its full length and banged its tip to the bottom of the vehicle. "Excuse me," he called out over the rotor's noise, "would you be so kind as to pilot this a little more stably? This position is neither comfortable nor as easy as it looks to maintain." Batman grumbled something unintelligible from his rail.
A few seconds later, the flight did stabilize and move closer to the hotel, albeit with some hushed words inside the cockpit… and the door to the copter slid open for a certain blonde to stick her upper body out and hold out a microphone as close to Ozpin's face as she could. "Sir, could you give Gotham a clear explanation as to what's been going on this night?" Another round of grumbles, this one more exasperated.
Despite the snowflakes flying against his glasses miraculous still perched on his nose, the professor quirked an eyebrow in incredulous amusement. "Miss Vale, while I respect your enthusiasm for your chosen profession, there are more appropriate times -and circumstances- to conduct an interview."
Vicki Vale laughed at that. "We go where the stories are, Mister Ozpin. That is your name, rig-" Then her eyes looked past him towards the hotel. "Wait, what's this? Several armed men have gathered on a balcony." Ozpin tilted his head back to see as well; sure enough, a group of Joker's lackeys had assembled right underneath them. There was also the twisted lyrics of some carol on the wall behind them, but it didn't catch their attention so much as the rifles aimed at them. Either we jump down to them, or they start shooting at the news crew.
Well, I could use some exercise in this cold. They dropped simultaneously from the rails down toward the criminals. Batman unfurled his cape to slow his fall, but Ozpin simply continued at the same speed, gears slowly turning in his cane. When he landed, an emerald shockwave erupted from the weapon's tip against the ground, blasting the gathered men in nearly every direction except off the balcony; it had been tricky, but with less power, and no small amount of luck, he kept his opening move from being fatal.
Some tried to push themselves back up, but Batman landed with a collection of batarangs between his fingers and hurled them at one head each, ensuring they stayed down. That's when more men dropped from above and attacked. Ozpin noticed, however, that these weren't like the ones they had been fighting; for one, they lacked the clown masks those under the Joker wore, and their accents were reminiscent of Copperhead's. Also, they fought slightly better. One handled himself against the headmaster's cane swings with a knife rather well. Did Bane bring some crewmembers of his own here?
But he wasn't a master. He overextended on one thrust enough for Oz to swat the weapon aside, grab him by the collar and then throw him into another trying to shoot him. Batman broke both arms of the last one, a hand-to-hand expert, then nodded to him when there were no more enemies. The upper part was also clear, so the two stepped inside.
Pictures of Joker's face the size of playing cards littered the floor, along with bodies of his own men. Some lay collapsed on the carpet, others draped over couches and other furniture; it was a slaughter. Alfred's voice helped give them something else to focus on. "Sirs, I've just seen the explosion at the Gotham Royal on the news. The hostages, are they safe?"
"Not now-" Batman began, but a pointed look from Ozpin made him sigh and rephrase. "They should be alright, Alfred. We got to them before the bombs went off."
"Sir, are you alright? Your voice…"
"I'm fine, Alfred." He sounded like he was trying to convince himself. "I've dealt with psychopaths before, but this…" They looked again at their surroundings, though now Oz noticed the men's deaths looked rather professional compared to Joker's whimsies. Maybe…Quite frankly, he couldn't blame the younger man. Even Salem at her worst was not as horrid, though, not for lack of trying. And wasn't that a terrifying thought; All this was done at Joker's pleasure, what would such a man be capable of in a worse disposition?
"Sir, I strongly suggest you call Captain Gordon. Ozpin has already been a boon to tonight's adventures, so it couldn't hurt to have another ally."
Ozpin nodded. "I appreciate the compliment, and Gordon could be of help."
But Batman wouldn't be swayed. "I've got this under control." He then shut off the comm and strode towards the swimming pool. The professor sighed. You're letting pride get in the way of common sense, Bruce. This is a dangerous situation with high stakes.
So he quietly called Alfred again. "Keep Captain Gordon's number on standby, Alfred. I'm not certain he'd be that cooperative, either, but just in case. Honestly, between Bane and Joker, I can understand Batman's hesitance."
"Of course, Master Ozpin. And if these cutthroats are as bad you say, please…" Nothing more needed to be said. I just hope I can keep my promise, for once. But Batman hadn't seemed to notice or simply didn't care.
In the room for the swimming pool, more goons patrolled the grounds. But like the ones outside, these weren't Joker's men. They weren't nearly as sloppy as the common thugs from Gotham's alleys, nor did their accents match. "I see the Joker's men have been eliminated," the leader announced. "Good work. But remember: our primary objective is the Bat. And the other man called Ozpin, he is an unknown factor, but has el jefe's interest. We must remain vigilant." The two shared a look; they both figured Bane had brought these men here, though it was still unclear they killed off Joker's.
"He will not get past us." One way or another, they wouldn't get anything done just by standing around.
"And this is the only way to the penthouse." While Batman went straight up, Oz drifted among the railings to trail a mercenary close by. He was certainly more attentive to his surroundings than the ones previously caught unawares, shifting his head towards any noise.
"We can hope you are right." The leader replied. "But only time will test your words. The so-called heroes is coming." Though I'm not sure I qualify, one is closer than you think, Ozpin mused as he pulled out a disk and threw it in a wide arc. As it collided with a wall not far, the man immediately fixed his rifle towards the sound.
Failing to notice the green-suited man kick down his knee and apply pressure to the back of his head. He went out cold in a few seconds. Being attentive is good, but you shouldn't react to just every sound you hear. He looked to see Batman pounce on another who had also been attracted by his disk. Placing on his goggles, the professor counted six more enemies in the room, all of which were drawing closer.
Ozpin walked up some stairs on the right, then crouched behind a corner to make preparations and wait. When a rifleman came close, he stumbled over the extended cane and fell face-first. An extra kick and he stayed down. "You'll have to excuse me," Joker called out from the intercom, "I guess you weren't explicitly told that if you see the Bat or the Pinhead, you were allowed to FIGHT BACK!"
The click of a safety off made him slowly turn around to see a second having come from where he had just walked. "You should've been more careful, American." The man gestured for him to drop his cane.
Ozpin raised a finger of his now free hand amused. "For one, I'm not American." His middle finger joined his index. "For another, you should've taken your own advice." His other hand tapped the detonator, setting off the blob of Explosive Gel the mercenary had just stepped in and sending him into the air. Fortune favors the prepared.
As he retrieved his trusty companion, a scan with Detective Vision confirmed Batman having handled another and him drifting among the gargoyles for a third. "Arm the proximity mines on the gargoyles!" The leader called as he rushed towards a higher vantage point.
Ozpin then blurred through the walkways until he was adjacent from one man fiddling with a device he held up towards a gargoyle. A yank with the grapnel gun brought him stumbling over, then a palm strike to the chin kept him quiet. A yell sounded from the other side, likely the cowl-wearing stealth master trapping one more.
Which only left the leader, who was whirling in a circle in the center of the room, rifle at the ready. Ozpin calmly walked down to a few feet away from him and cleared his throat loud enough to hear. A second later, the barrel was pointed straight at his chest. "You may not be the Bat," the man growled as he raised his weapon higher, "but killing you will be recompense for what you did to my men. El jefe need not waste his time on you."
Ozpin shrugged, unbothered by the rifle aimed at his forehead now. Bullets sliced through the air, only to be deflected. The foreigner barely had a chance to try again before a dark shape dropped on top of him, driving a knee into his face.
Batman rose from the unconscious body and shared a nod of respect with the headmaster, just as their comms intercepted a message. "Branden to 6-4. I'm on site at the Royal. Anyone have eyes on the Bat?"
"6-4. He's on his way up to the penthouse along with Oz-pan, to meet Sionis." It's Oz-pin.
"Good. When they come down, we'll be ready for'em. Get in position."
If Batman had any concerns for the obvious trap now at the bottom of the Gotham Royal, he gave no indication, decoding the password for the exit. Then again, this was Officer Branden they were talking about. He was corrupt and ambitious, but not nearly as cunning as he liked to think he was.
Nor was he the Joker. They stepped into the penthouse elevator, then Batman glanced up towards the ceiling while Ozpin tapped the appropriate button. "Bane will likely be at the penthouse entrance to…greet us as Joker's last line of defense."
"Let him."
"While I would normally agree, Joker still has the means to destroy this building, his threat takes more precedence, Batman."
"Then out with it, Ozpin. What are you suggesting?"
"I believe the phrase is, divide and conquer. With perhaps a little misdirection thrown in."
A few long moments later, the elevator door to the penthouse opened. The masked mountain stood in waiting, his broad frame nearly taking up the whole doorway as he stepped up toward the entrance.
Bane bared his teeth in a great scowl as he glared at who would undoubtedly prove to be one of his greatest adversaries yet.
Ozpin stood at the center of the elevator, hands almost regally placed together atop his trusty cane. Rather than be intimidated by this ox in human flesh, he merely glared back. Though speaking frankly, he was still feeling a certain amount of wrath that he needed to let loose and Bane looked to be of sturdy enough stock.
Brown eyes behind dark spectacles met another pair of brown framed by a white and black wrestler mask. A deceptively calm countenance met a ferocious glower.
Finally, Ozpin smirked and brandished The Long Memory with a flourish, placing an arm behind his back. "Hello there."
Phew, sorry it took me this long to get it done, but I had another project that needs to be completed. Anyways, I hope you're all doing well and continue to amuse yourselves with this story. And secretly, I hope that this willonedayberecommendedon TvTropes…. But that's not important! Just enjoy, please.
Review Q&A:
*To Grima0912: Yeah, there are one or two ideas swirling around for that, but before I definitely write anything like that, I'd rather watch Volume 8 at first.
*To Jebest4781: Glad to hear it ;-).
*To MajorBrony95: Thanks, it's the little details that make part of a story, isn't it? So we'll be seeing the Blood-Red Rose's return soon, eh? Wonderful! Happy Thanksgiving in advance!
*To SargentEpsilon: Gratitude, I wanted to add a little surprise (and maybe I'm a teensy bit lazy ;-)). And it won't be the last.
*To MetalScizor: I'm truly happy to hear you liked it, and here you have the prototype Dynamic Duo's checking in!
*To Luffy L Deathwalker: Yeah, but it seems to have settled again, guess they resolved the problem.
*To Sai Kunai Blade: Welcome back, my friend, happy to have you again :-). And well, Ozpin and Alfred: two dapper elderly gentlemen with colorful pasts. How could I NOT make them friends?
*To Mastermind4982: You, sir, have an ungodly talent for summaries because that is precisely what I had in mind for Shiva's thoughts in her battle with Oz. But yeah, she won't be getting any rematches with that guy anytime soon, maybe Oscar will have to suffice. But I'm really glad a good number of you guys are happy with my stories. I'll try not to disappoint you all.
*To the first guest: Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I don't know that much about Skyrim. Sorry.
*To the second guest: Same thing with WatchDogs, I'm afraid. I've seen some walkthroughs, so I guess both Oscar and Oz would like to help out Dedsec (though I'm not sure they're super-hacker material, seems more like Watts' show).
*To Agent 48: Yeah, another death might be round the corner, not sure if Nora could be the one who kicks it. Could be Ren, too. But as for Aura, I'm not giving Batman any, that's a Remnant thing, and Sai's already working magic with that idea. And like you said, Bats is already plenty dangerous with just his mind and resources. Salem may prove more difficult than the usual crime lords, but considering the pain she's put Oz through, I bet Bruce would be more than motivated to stop her for good.