As much as he was relieved that another danger had been handled and was awaiting pickup from the police (though their nature of corruption and/or incompetence lent a small sense of apprehension), no sooner did Ozpin emerge from the bank did he feel another swell of regret. Confronting Deadshot had allowed him to focus on something else, but now his thoughts inadvertently drifted again to Summer and his failure to find her again.
Frankly, her memories opened the floodgates to countless more Ozma had grown fond of across his lifetimes, only to lose them to almost more reasons than he could count. He'd made more mistakes than any other person in all of Remnant's history, and save for one other, he probably had more blood on his hands as well, accidental or otherwise.
What am I even doing anymore? Why keep setting myself up for more pain? More loss?
His gaze turned to Batman who was sending an anonymous tip to the GCPD, his entire body sharp as a blade even when there seemed to be no danger. A flash of white, hooded cloak took up his vision.
…Maybe I'm a bad influence to him as well. What sensible-thinking person should go out every night committing multiple acts of vigilantism? Especially when he has other responsibilities?
Not needing to monitor Beacon Academy or lead Remnant's secret defenders, even for just one night, had been liberating to say the least. But wasn't he neglecting his mission, his students, his comrades right now?
Ozpin hadn't made any progress in figuring out how he'd been transported to Gotham City, let alone why. In fact, he had just assumed that following Batman around would give him the clues he was looking for. But still nothing. Shouldn't he prioritize returning to Remnant?
Just what is your plan, you old fool?
Sirens suddenly rang out from the streets to their right, drawing both men's attention. In a flash, they had moved to the edge of the bank's roof: just close enough that they could see, smoke billowed from a building that was practically covered in flame. Embers and glimmering ashes danced among snowflakes as fire trucks gathered at the front.
Batman was already beginning to move, and out of habit, Ozpin's legs tensed up to follow. But doubt rippled through him, making him rethink the situation. "Wait," he called out.
It said something about the level of respect between the duo that Batman immediately paused and turned to see Oz. The older man silently chose his next words, then spoke. "…We should keep on Bane's trail. The fire department seems to have this under control."
"Seems," Batman repeated, his tone was mildly stunned with a tinge of disappointment lacing the word. "We don't know for sure if anyone's trapped in there, or if the fire was even accidental. Remember Firefly?"
"If it had been Firefly, why limit himself to only one building? From what I've read of him, he'd just as happily set the whole street ablaze. And even if this is meant as a trap, the simplest way to avoid being caught in it is to avoid it altogether. We have to think about the larger situation, Batman." Ozpin wasn't sure, in truth, who he was trying to convince.
Something crashed inside the fiery building and a sound rang out. One that sounded like a scream.
Both immediately looked towards its origin, Oz's eyes widening. Someone might in there after all. But what about Bane, or the reason I'm here? Shouldn't we be focusing on the long term here? That's how I operate with Salem…
Batman then faced him again, his mouth set in a cold line, no malice, but disappointment. It hurt, honestly, but the eyes remained resolute as tempered iron. "I became Batman to protect innocent lives," he said. "And enough blood has been spilled tonight because I wasn't fast enough. I'm not letting it happen again."
Another flash of gentle but steel-like silver eyes with a determined smile appeared over Batman's visage, stunning the ancient wizard further.
With that, Batman spun on his heel, the white- black cape flowing in his wake, and sprinted to dive off the rooftop towards the fire. "Go on if you want. I won't ignore this." Then his student, both past and current, were gone.
Batman grappled across the distance with all the speed he had. The firefighters below barely caught a dark shape flitting for one of the top windows as they desperately blasted water from their hoses to combat the fire. Inside, the vigilante pulled a respirator from his belt (even his lungs weren't immune to smoke) and activated Detective Vision. Thermal scanning was difficult thanks to all the heat, he could barely tell the difference. A thorough gaze along the building showed the firemen leading out two more people out the escapes, but he could make out one still stuck a floor below.
With just a blob of Explosive Gel, Batman blew out the wood beneath him and landed close to the person he'd seen earlier. It was a middle-aged man on the floor, a heavy beam trapping his chest. Blood trickled from a light wound on his forehead. He was barely conscious as Batman came to his side and grabbed hold of the wood. "Hey," he called out in a clear voice, the man regaining focus towards him, "hold still. I'm going to get you out."
The elder would've likely been more frightened at the dark man hovering over him were it not for the circumstances. With what little strength he had left, he tried to help force the beam off him alongside Batman. Then he heard a crack from above; part of the ceiling was visibly falling apart from the fire and about to come down on them both. He rasped, "Look out!"
Batman noticed the burning rubble falling towards them too late. But just before it crashed onto him, an emerald blur struck into the wood and plaster, blowing it into the far corner where flames lapped.
Ozpin, own respirator in place, collapsed his cane and knelt by the downed man, his hands grabbing under the armpits. "A little higher, I've almost got him." It must've been a trick of the heat; there's no way Batman had shot him a relieved smile, or rather a half one, before renewing his efforts.
Together, they cleared the man free of his spot and slung his weakened body over Oz's shoulders. The professor then steadily moved with his "cargo" down the smoldering hallway and towards the fire escape. Then the man pushed him back slightly. "Wait," he wheezed, "niece… still around…"
Ozpin was immediately alert. "Your niece?" He pressed as gently as he could. "She's on this floor? Where exactly?"
The man waved a hand back where they had come. "… tried to… find her… please." Batman moved like dark lightning across the slowly burning floor. At the same time, a firewoman climbed up the escape they had been heading for, gaping at the sight.
Oz quickly helped his passenger along to her and said, "He's received a concussion." He managed to pass him over to the professional without causing any extra damage but waved off her beckoning "There's a girl still up here. I'll help my partner get her out. Go." He finished in a tone that brokered no argument, then went after Batman.
Most of the other rooms were empty, he could tell that much even with the flames messing up thermal vision, save for one. Nearing it, he heard Batman say, "It's okay, come closer." Hopping over a burning plank, the Huntsman entered the room from where his voice had come.
The floor had already nearly cracked in half, fire dancing along its jagged edges while an even greater inferno blazed below. Below an open window, Batman was crouching on one side while a little girl with brown hair and blue eyes, maybe four or five, was huddling against the wall on the other. The poor thing was shaking with fright. "We have to go," Batman tried, but she scurried even further away from his hands. Another piece crashed closer to her, causing her to shriek.
"S-stay away!" she cried out, tears of fright streaming down her cheeks. "Help! P-please! I-I'm up here! Uncle Marco! Mama! Somebody!"
"I'm here." Batman said in a kind tone, trying to keep his pitch steady despite the danger. "I can get you out. Please." He reached for her again.
But the girl recoiled, definitely scared. Not just of the flames or the collapsing floor, Ozpin realized, but of Batman as well. Wearing a dark costume with pointed ears isn't exactly inspiring feelings of safety at the moment, he managed to muse as he moved closer. One wrong step and the rest will fall to pieces.
And Batman was growing desperate. "I'm here to help. Let me. Come here." But not matter what or how he said, the child only stayed shivering out of his reach. As more of the room collapsed to embers, he himself began to tremble and actually went for his cowl.
In a stroke of luck, Ozpin joined him just before he would've removed the mask. "It's alright," he said in a soothing tone, drawing the girl's attention to him, "we're here to help you." He took off his respirator, goggles and spectacles, allowing her to see his brown eyes completely. "You can trust me. You can trust us."
The girl shook a little bit less, but was still worried. "It's okay," Oz said as he stretched out an arm towards her. "I'm here." He nodded his head towards an apprehensive Batman. "And he wants to help you. I promise we won't hurt you."
The child's sight drifted towards the half-blocked doorway. "U-Uncle Marco…"
"He's safe, we got him out before we found you. He's probably waiting for you outside." Oz beckoned gently with his hand. "We won't hurt you."
Slowly, the girl began to crawl towards him, tiny sobs bubbling up from her throat. She managed to curl her fingers around one of his outstretched hands when the floor underneath her creaked and then fell away. She shrieked and almost hopped backwards into nothing, but Ozpin leaned out as far as he could to pull her in. Batman grabbed his shoulders from behind, keeping him steady, as the broken wood tumbled into the flames below.
They pulled the girl as safely as he could, Oz gently wrapping his arms around her just like many of his previous lives had done with their respective children. "It's alright," he whispered into her ear and stroked her back, "you're safe. Let's get you out." She kept her own arms tight around him, crying into his shoulder. He rose to his feet, the child still nestled in his arms, and turned to the doorway. But it had gone from half-blocked to completely blocked.
Good thing Batman had another plan: he swung out of the window Ozpin had noticed earlier and motioned for him to follow. As carefully as he could with his cargo, Beacon's headmaster climbed out of the window and onto the waiting wing of a familiar black plane. From there, it slowly moved away from the building just as it finally gave in to the fire. But Ozpin's grip on the girl never wavered, not until the Batwing descended as slowly as possible to the street and he was standing on firm ground again.
From there, he passed on the girl to a woman in firefighter uniform and explained what had happened. The little one wasn't injured in any way, thank goodness. She even managed to perk up upon hearing that her uncle was in stable condition. But before she was taken away, the girl took the chance to give Ozpin a big hug, complete with sweet thank-yous to him and Batman (though she looked a little guilty when mentioning him).
Oz watched her be led to the ambulance with a relieved grin. I was such a fool to hesitate. But al least she's alive and with family. "Hey, mister," he turned to the woman who'd talked to them, "listen, I'm glad she's alright, but you and your Bat-buddy can't just go jumping into buildings on fire like that. We've already got enough craziness-"
"I understand, ma'am," Oz interrupted as politely as he could, "and rest assured, we have no intention of impeding your work. And seeing as you have the situation under control, there's no more reason for our presence, yes?" Before she could answer, he was already ascending via grappling hook. There was more to do for tonight, they couldn't afford to be bogged down by interrogations from firefighters or police.
"Hey, wait," the officer called after him, but it was too late. Footsteps told him another came to join her while she muttered, "Vigilantes… Why do they all have to act so damn mysterious?"
"Who knows, least nobody's hurt." Her colleague replied, a heavy object under his arm. "But Duncan and I think we found out what started the fire." The rustling of fabric could be heard.
Curious, Ozpin peered over the edge himself to see as well. The woman and the man were holding a heavy, severely scorched lump of fabric between them. She finally asked, "…Is this a carpet, Nate?"
"Yep, Duncan found it in an apartment on the second floor, under what was left of a Christmas tree along with a molten mess of cables. From the looks of it, we figured that the tree had been wrapped up in electric lights, but the system short-circuited and loosed some sparks on the whole thing. Carpet picked up some flames, and from there, the whole place started to go up in smoke."
"And most of these houses are cheap wood and plaster. No wonder it got so big…" She shook her head. "Anyone in the room where he found this?"
"No, no signs of anybody being in the apartment for at least an hour. They probably forgot to turn the damn system off before leaving." Nate began to roll up what was left of the carpet.
His fellow fighter took off her helmet to rub a hand through her short hair, then replaced it with a, "One hell of a Christmas party they'll be getting back to…" Then she straightened up and said, "Alright, let's finish up here and get the people hurt to safety. Thank God we managed to contain it." With that, they walked back to the fire trucks.
Oz watched them go with mixed feelings. Truth be told, he'd been half expecting an ambush to occur amid the flames, but to hear it was a simple accident that had caused the fire… Well, not everything needs to have an ulterior origin or motive, I suppose. Not even in my life. Whatever light amusement he felt though fell away when his gaze drifted to Batman standing close by.
His shoulders slumped, his fingers hanging loosely, his cowl aimed straight at the ground. All telltale signs of a defeated man, though Oz had only a hunch of why he was this way. The girl was safe with her family, no one had perished in the blaze, and from what they had heard from the fighters, it had just been an accident. So why?
"I couldn't save her…" Ah. The look in that girl's eyes is what was causing this reaction. A swell of compassion bubbled up past the pain in Ozpin's heart; this much, he could at least fix.
"Batman." At the sound of his taken name, Bruce Wayne moved slowly to face his newest mentor. Ozpin stood straight as ever, The Long Memory in front of him. "You know what you saw in that child's eyes, don't you?" After a few tentative seconds, his answer came in the form of a short, almost shameful nod.
The professor sighed. He's becoming aware of the negative aspects of his strategy. There are always unwanted consequences, no matter how one decides to live. "I'm relieved I don't need to spell it out for you, but what was in her eyes, in her heart? That was also fear.
"Fear is a powerful emotion and a potent weapon, but it can be birthed not only in the hearts of the wicked. And as common as fear is, practically every living creature is capable of experiencing it, we underestimate its power far too often. Fear can drive good people into doing nothing while evil acts are committed, or even convince them to perform said acts themselves.
Ozpin walked slowly along the edge, cane tapping alongside him. "…I am hardly a good person, Batman. The mistakes I've made could fill a library, and I'll probably commit even more before this life is complete." He barely registered the gimlet eye Batman gave him. "So maybe my advice or teaching really isn't something you should be listening to.
"But if nothing else, this much I am certain of: don't let fear be the only thing you bring into the world." Ozpin gazed at him as resolutely as he could in the prior maelstrom his mind had been. "Try to make Batman be more than just a warning for those who attempt to prey upon the innocent. Give the people of Gotham something to look up to. Give them a reason to have hope." He shrugged his shoulders. "After all, without hope, what good is life?"
The young hero absorbed all of this with a pensive expression, grief still along the edges of his face. Finally, he breathed out a long sigh before stepping towards the ledge himself. "…We need to keep moving. But I'll think about it." Oz nodded; that was all he could ask.
But Batman continued. "And for saving the girl and… the advice just now, I'd say Barbara Gordon was right." He called for the Batwing with a soft glance towards the silver-haired man. "You're not as bad as you think of yourself. Thank you, Ozpin."
Oz shook his head, though. "I should be the one thanking you, Bruce." He was just loud enough that only the two could've heard, especially with their ride roaring in. "Just now, you reminded me who I used to be. As well as the most important part of what we both do."
The dark vigilante nodded with a small smile; Once more Summer's form returned to his sight, but its impact was not as damning as before.
Before Batman could make for the Batwing, Ozpin felt one last thing needed to be cleared up.
"And Batman." Gaining Batman's attention again, Ozpin smiled, not feeling entirely lighter but still not quite as heavy as before.
"My friends call me, Oz."
Back in the Burney, the GCPD headquarters was mostly unchanged from their first visit. Which also meant there was a decent presence of armed guards posted around the building. They had discussed at great length how to get in without drawing too much attention, agreeing after a couple of minutes that the sewer systems would be best. There was a manhole just outside that would serve their purpose well. After the security had been dealt with, of course.
As the duo silently climbed up the side towards a gargoyle, two were conversing below them. "So you're sayin' Black Mask aint dead."
The answer was, "Nope."
"An' he ain't the one who killed Loeb."
"Nope."
"And he ain't in control of his gang no more."
For a third time, "Nope."
"An' some new guy in town took his gang over and did all that stuff."
"Yup." The man's patience was impressive.
Sadly, it was not rewarded. "An' that's the guy who was trying to blow up the station?"
"Yup."
"An' he's in Blackgate now?"
Third time seemed to be the magic charm. "Yup."
"So who's in control of Black Mask's gang?"
"You ever shut up?"
"Nope." Times like this, I miss my life as a comedian, Ozpin thought wistfully as he followed Batman to a ledge where an officer with night-vision goggles and a sniper rifle was pulled over and left dangling by a cord.
I was able to unify at least a small number of people with humor, my traveling through Anima allowed me to keep a constant watch, and no denying it was generally the most fun I'd had in a while.
The next step was descending to ground level and disabling the policemen/comedy duo, but a third noticed the commotion and alerted more that came from the garage. From there, it became a rather chaotic melee battle of throwing weapons, batons, riot shields, and a familiar cane, not to mention the punches and kicks hurled at one another.
Still, the end result was Batman and Ozpin dusting themselves off among a group of battered officers, with no one else noticing. There wasn't much time to be wasted. First Batman climbed down the manhole, then Oz.
The sewer corridor was much the same in appearance (and stench) as the parts they'd already visited. Sprinting straight down, hot steam emanating from two pipes blocked their path. The caped crime-fighter pulled a gadget from his belt, explaining, "We can use the glue grenades to stop the flow of steam from these pipes…"
"In order to advance," Ozpin finished, his own grenade at the ready. As one, they tossed the devices at opposite targets and watched as the sticky liquids clogged up both pipes. Ozpin eyed them warily, but nothing else came out. "Now let's hurry before the blocked water causes the system to pop open elsewhere." Batman nodded in agreement as they moved on.
After a few twists and turns, including gliding/swinging over a drop to the other side, the two plugged up two more pipes in their way to the route leading to the GCPD's morgue. Sure enough, the worn-down elevator shaft was left wide open and easy for them to grapple up.
A security panel denied them access, but Ozpin had his sequencer fish out the password, "DEADHOUSE". Batman was the first to push his way past the trapdoor, and a second later, Ozpin was in the ice-cold room as well, with his partner looming over a heavyset body on a slab. "He's certainly muscular and wears the mask and equipment, but this is most definitely not Bane," the professor murmured. "Probably the brute we fought earlier during the arrest cells' staged riot. Still…"
Batman tilted his head as he continued the thought. "Still, there might be something we can learn. Let me scan his corpse." His cowl's eyes flashed, and Oz heard a chime from his own goggles. As he donned them to examine the information, Batman explained, "The victim was doused with a chemical that caused temporary deformation of his physiology, but that's all I can tell for now. We'll need to check the autopsy report to find out more."
Ozpin processed this while turning to his left. "It ought to be on that computer here. One second." As he moved over and typed some keys, he wondered, could it have been the Venom? No, Bane has been using that compound for years from what Batman told me, and I didn't notice any deformities or hampering of his physical abilities, before or when he used it in our battle. Maybe something else?
A few seconds of scrolling, and he waved Batman over. "Look at this. According to the coroner, the victim was exposed at the time of his death to a powerful compound quite similar to the chemical we know as Venom. It changed his muscle and bone structure, theoretically enhancing physical strength to a great degree temporarily."
Batman downloaded the information and played out a simulation on his gauntlet. "It appears that whatever this compound is, it reduces mental capacity in several ways, including severe damage to the brain's memory center." He briefly brought up a holographic periodic table with highlighted key elements, then a human brain. "Prolonged use could seriously compromise the user's memory."
Making it dangerously unreliable for soldiers or Huntsmen. All the strength in the world is worthless if you can't remember what you want to use it for or even how to use it. Ozpin's brow furrowed. Did Bane concoct this, and if he did, would he actually pump it into himself?
A ping sounded from Batman's gauntlet; a map now showed a blinking red spot. "There's Bane's tracker." He deactivated the gear and Oz pulled himself out of the computer; no more reason for them to stay. As they slid back down the steps into the sewer, their comms picked up an intercepted police report. "All available units, we've received reports of shots fired inside the Coventry District. Witnesses describe two armed groups over what appear to be chemical weapons. Requesting any available officers locate and secure the scene."
They exchanged glances while darting through the corridors. "Chemical weapons? We should investigate." Oz agreed with a tilt of his chin, and they doubled their speed, resealing the vents from earlier with glue grenades and shimmying up the manhole's ladder. Even with Joker in a prison cell, there were still plenty of dangers in Gotham.
Courtesy of the Batwing, the vigilantes dropped quickly out into the Coventry and broke up the fight between the two gangs. Mainly by pummeling every single thug present. Some bore the Penguin's crest, others donned the masks of Black Mask's crew. Perhaps not all of them were aware of the "regime change" in their group? Ozpin mused while flipping one to the ground and shattering another's fingers with a crack of his cane. Or the real Sionis has been busy. Either way, they were quickly dealt with, and some Explosive Gel ensured the lethal chemicals wouldn't cause any more trouble. They took the time to disable more of Enigma's equipment in the area, then boarded the black plane again to head for the Bowery.
The signal from Bane's tracker emanated from a small complex in Park Row, where more of the mercenaries from before stood guard, two even higher at sniper positions. Definitely the right spot. Ozpin slipped away to incapacitate one, Batman the other, then they moved in on the cluster. Two were downed before the rest grew aware of their presence. An armored one traded blows with Batman while Oz disarmed another of the rifle he attempted to fire, clubbing him to the snow. Batman then battered his opponent to the point where he couldn't resist being lifted and slammed into the final goon.
Batman led the way. "The tracking signal I saw was coming from somewhere down that tunnel." He disabled an electronic lock with his disruptor, then opened the door so both could walk through. The building appeared to be an abandoned factory, dust still covering parts of the walls and floor. Not much opposition came at first until they encountered another large group on a lower floor.
Batman glide-kicked one against the bars while Ozpin drove another into the floor with a downward thrust of The Long Memory. The first thing the Huntsman noticed was that among the remaining opponents was a brute with a Venom tank strapped on his back; the greatest threat. That one immediately activated his contraption, the steroid coursing through his veins. Even as he charged with a roar, Oz flipped to the side while kicking another thug in the face and hurled a disk at the back of his tank to damage it a bit. A glue grenade a second later held him in place.
Batman for his part twisted one's arm to break and activated his shock gloves before raining a series of punches down on an armored goon's chest. He finished that one with an uppercut and then pulled the glued-down Venom-brute over with his grapnel to strike his face with a charged straight right.
Just as Ozpin finished up with the other two still standing, he rushed over to bring his cane with both hands down on the Venom tank, ripping it nearly in half. Its owner had no time to pay him back, for two punches, one enhanced with electricity, the other with Aura, broke his nose and sent him down for the count. That was the last stroke of their latest (but not final) battle.
Batman blew apart the wood barring their way onward, then squinted at the watery pathway. There wasn't anything to walk on, and the walls were too smooth for them to slide along. Just as Ozpin thought he'd try his line launcher, the dark knight withdrew his glue grenade and tossed it into the muck. It silently detonated, the liquid turning solid and providing enough of a surface for both to stand on. "Clever," the professor praised his pupil, earning a grunt in response. He then jumped onto the "raft," Batman right after him, and launched his grapnel at a metal ring in the wall, tugging on it to pull them along the path.
The pair then alternated between the rings, each allowing the other to rest a bit and prepare until his turn would come again. Soon, they reached solid ground again and made for a pair of double doors, only for those to suddenly be kicked open (and almost bowl Batman over) for some fresh mercenaries to attack them.
This time, two of them were enhancing themselves with Venom, and both zeroed in on Ozpin who was avoiding the clumsy swings of a shock baton. Batman was currently occupied with getting past the shield of another, so he couldn't help much other than throwing a few batarangs to stun them slightly.
Still, it was enough for the headmaster of Beacon to bring down his current opponent and then avoid the overhead smash of one brute. He then somersaulted over the other and thrust with his cane against the pack, causing Venom to splash everywhere. In his frustration, the brute swung his heavy arm in a wide arc, only for Oz to lean out of the way and let his fist collide with his colleague. Both were shaken for a moment, allowing Ozpin to grip The Long Memory's lever for a few seconds. Only a tiny bit of his magic was absorbed into the weapon, but it sufficed to energize his attacks so that even the muscular criminals were sent reeling after twenty blows each.
Ozpin let out a tired breath, cautious of not taxing his dwindling supply too much, but satisfied the battle was done. Batman had already dealt with the others and stood watch by the doors. "Glad we're on the same side," he mumbled as the older man passed him.
Oz let out a small laugh. "While flattering, I believe that's my line." He's already improved a great deal since the first time we met, both in technique and restraint. With a little more work, my help will possibly be redundant. Although with Bane still about, I feel I'm right where I should be.
The next door lead to a rusty winding staircase and another, heavier door that took a moment to force open; Bane had obviously chosen to improve his field headquarters' security. "My tracking device is in here somewhere," Batman said, "which means Bane is likely in here as well."
"Best be ready, then." Ozpin tightened hold of his cane's handle. "He may be expecting us." The next rooms held a collection of large storage tanks and chemistry tables, both clearly meant to help the assassin supply himself and his men with large quantities of Venom, as well as some racks of more conventional firearms. A path on the left led to first a screen showing the outside room, then a smaller version of the computer hub Ozpin had seen in Batman's base, as well as boards with pictures and newspaper clippings of Batman tacked to it. He's been observing Batman, like a hunter watches his prey before striking.
A beeping drew their attention to the table: there rested the tracker Batman had tossed onto Bane when he made his retreat. I suppose he grew suspicious and gave himself a look over.
As its owner picked it up, the screens collectively whirred to life. Some displayed radar and signal scanners, others schematics and weapons, more were connected to cameras of the complex, and two in particular showed recordings. The first was when Batman had told Bane, "You just ran out of time," the second was of Bruce during some interview, glancing at his watch to say, "You just ran out of time."
It took a second, but Ozpin's blood ran cold as confusion gave way to realization. Oh no… One quick glance at Batman revealed he'd come to the same conclusion. Bane must've recognized the phrase and used the recordings to confirm it. The old warrior swallowed a bit in sheer horror. He figured it out! He knows who Batman- who Bruce is!
Batman put his fist through the main board in his rage, causing the screens in front of him to flicker and show only static. He likely would've broken more if Ozpin hadn't rallied himself and said, "Now's not the time." He tapped his ear comm. "We need to warn him."
Batman drew in a long breath, then released it with a slow nod. They both made for the exit, but not before spraying Explosive Gel over every last part of the machinery they could. Bruce detonated it as they walked away, the explosion destroying any evidence. At least none of his foot-soldiers can stumble onto the secret now.
Batman activated his comm. "Alfred, Bane knows who I am. You're not safe at Wayne Manor."
Alfred managed to stay level-headed, at least. "Got it. I'll call the police."
"No, I can't risk them discovering my identity as well. Just secure yourself in the Batcave."
"What are you going to do?"
"We're on our way to you now. We'll figure something out." That said, he turned to Ozpin. "We need to get to the Batcave."
Immediately." Ozpin agreed, his thoughts racing as quickly as they were now towards the building's exit. We can't bring in the police or outside help without risking Bruce's identity, but if we do nothing, Alfred's life, if not Bruce's as well, are practically forfeit. And even if we do manage to capture Bane before he can act on this knowledge, there's little stopping him from simply telling it to the authorities or to the press to drag him down with him. They might not believe him, after all, he's a notorious terrorist, but still.
He let out a mental curse; the same secret that had aided Batman up till now was limiting their options. One wrong step, and he wouldn't have a secret identity the next morning.
…Our best option is to track down Bane, stop him, and ensure he can't reveal the secret to anyone else. I do not enjoy the taking of another's life, and I would truly prefer to abide to Bruce's rules, Ozpin's fingers tapped idly against The Long Memory, his eyes sharpening like spears, but it's been a very long time since my hands were clean. And frankly, for the sake of Alfred and Bruce, two men of immeasurable moral integrity and goodness?
I'd sooner damn myself another thousand times over than let them suffer at Bane's hands.
Okay, first things first, HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE :-D! 2020's been a little… disappointing, but who knows, maybe we can have some proper fun in this one. Sorry it took me so long to update this, family celebrations and activities took up a good chunk of time and energy. In that sense, here's the latest part of my work. And once again, I'm giving special thanks to my trusty editor, MasterPrince713, for his unbelievable contributions. In full truth, the Summer elements are all thanks to him, I doubt I would've been able to come up with something this ingenious all alone. So, thanks again to a spectacular editor!
Review Q&A:
*To notafreelancer1: As I said, I only deserve token credit for your praise, while MasterPrince was very happy upon reading it. The Summer-mystery is just full of interpretations, who knows how many stories out there talk about what might've happened to her. Part of me doesn't even want a canon answer because it means we can keep guessing. But for this story, we'll do our best to churn up more emotions, and for future stories, I've got a couple of ideas, but nothing definite. For one, I'm waiting until Volume 8 is complete, for another, I've got a few fingers in some other pies. Tbc.
*To Jebest4781: A pleasure as always.
*To SargentEpsilon: Aw, thanks for trying ;-) and don't worry, I'm seeing this through, no matter how long it takes!
*To Mastermind4982: I'll be answering both reviews at the same time, hope you don't mind :-). First of all, yeah, they'll both regret at least a little that they let Joker live, but I can imagine Ozpin respecting another's strong adherence to their principles like Batman. And second, I agree completely that Oz has been doing the right thing in keeping the fight going against Salem, and it's been a sincere pleasure having him aid Batman (and eight years later, Oscar doing the same of his own volition) throughout these adventures. It's also painful watching him hate himself for all the sad things that have happened despite his best efforts; thanks again to MasterPrince for doing such magnificent work with the Summer-miniplot. We would like a chance to patch up the mistakes that leave a sore spot in our souls, wouldn't we? And the Christmas dinner was also fun, a little candle in Oz's darkness .
*To MajorBrony95: You just did a wonderful job of encapsulating all of the thoughts I had while typing up my piece of Chapter 13. Though the eye thing… brrr. Please excuse me while I try to sleep without too many nightmares tonight. Deadshot, on the other hand, I kinda like him too, and I think Will Smith did a seriously good job playing him. Also loved Hell to Pay.
*To Monster King: Glad you think so.