The prison was in terrible shape compared to the last time either man had seen it.
Fires raged inside the windows while trash and a familiar green paint was splashed along the walls. Someone had used the latter to write "PARTY ENTRANCE" and an arrow pointing to the nearest opening in the wall.
Batman and Ozpin registered all of this the second they descended from the Batwing into the snow. An explosion sounded with their first steps towards the gate. Not an encouraging sight. I hope I never have to see Beacon like this. Oz couldn't help but worry while zipping up to the top of the gate.
"Enough screwing around," one thug was saying to his group. They loomed over a few prison guards kneeling on the ground. Every second thug wielded a gun, knife, stun baton, or some other weapon. "Kill 'em and let's get out of here."
"Where's the fun in that? I've got a score to settle with this one." That one jabbed his pipe at one of the officers, earning a flinch.
"We all got scores to settle, but it ain't worth gettin' caught over."
"Yeah, put'em out of their misery."
One captive mustered up the courage to point out, "You pull that trigger, it's life in prison." Oz sighed; brave, but considering the company present…
The inmate snickered. "What do you think I was serving, jackass?"
"That ain't gonna intimidate us."
"What about us?" The first to spin around at the new voice took a black boot to the face. Batman then flipped off his impromptu landing pad to hurl a batarang at one with a rifle and drive his knee into another's shoulder. Two on the other side failed to notice Ozpin coming for them until their feet had been swept out from under them. The professor added two rapid thrusts to their heads and reeled in another gunman with his grapnel for a takedown.
Both vigilantes registered a tentative ally's call over the radio. "This is Captain Gordon. Need someone on the inside to clear the main gate." A batch of Explosive Gel sent more tumbling in different directions while the Remote Claw pulled two prisoners together for a painful clash. "Repeat, this is Captain Gordon. I need someone on the inside to secure the front gates to Blackgate prison. Can anyone hear me?"
One moment, please.
Ozpin flipped one for a loop, then punched another to the ground and shattered a third's knife with his cane. The latter then fell with one heel knocking out his front teeth. Batman broke the left arms of two inmates in several moves that involved spinning of his arms before elbowing a third in the gut. He then loomed down on him to add a finishing electrified punch while Ozpin intercepted the last one trying to toss a gasoline canister at them with a disk.
With no more danger present, the guards slowly rose to their feet, gaping in awe at the duo that didn't even seem out of breath from the battle. "Thanks," one finally said, "Thanks for-"
"Please don't thank us yet," Ozpin gently interrupted him. "The situation's still unresolved."
Batman eyed them, then said, "We could use your help. Captain Gordon is on his way. Secure the gates for him, then help him lock this place down. The Joker cannot be allowed out of here." Already formulating a plan that includes police assistance. He's grown even more than I could've hoped.
"Yes, sir. We're on it." The reply was immediate. Not just corrupt officials here. Thank goodness. While the other two aided Batman and Ozpin in securing the disabled inmates for lockup, the first guard drew his radio. "Prison officer 4-7 to Captain James Gordon. What is your ETA at Blackgate?"
"About five minutes. You getting those gates open?"
"Be ready by the time you're here." Oz nodded silently to himself as he fixed some cuffs on two more; one more step towards regaining control of the facility. The prisoners were also too incapacitated to resist being tied down, and he heard another guard mumble, "It's not true, the things they say about you. I had no idea," while glancing at Batman. And his reputation's improving. Less chance of being locked up once all this is over, maybe.
He perked up at the supposed leader that approached him. "I heard what you two have accomplished tonight," he said, "and what you've both been through. Either of you need anything else, we're here for you."
"Refreshing to hear." Ozpin smiled in return. "There is still much to be done, but we all have the same goal. Cooperation's the most optimal course to take." He shook the guards' hand while Batman gave them simple nods of encouragement before opening a manhole in front of the blocked-off path. First the Huntsman, then the Dark Knight.
No sooner did they touch down into the sewers was Alfred calling in. "Sirs, I've been listening to the reports coming out of Blackgate. Everything all right with you?"
"I should be asking you that," Batman replied while they continued walking through the tunnel. "How are you feeling?"
"Well, it's not every day that one's heart must be crudely resuscitated by defibrillation and magic of extraterrestrial origin," Alfred snarked,"but I must say, I feel remarkably well, considering. In fact, I feel a bit… stronger than I have in recent years."
Batman cast a gimlet eye at Ozpin who shrugged in relief; his healing magic had been a gamble, but it seemed to have paid off. "Good to hear. Any arrythmia let us know immediately."
"Of course. But honestly, Bruce, I do think you and Ozpin have bigger things to worry about right now." That in mind, the professor first confirmed with Detective Vision that they were over the right spot, then sprayed Explosive Gel on the floorboard underneath them. One detonation, and they fell straight through to the lowest floor. After grappling to one step higher, they accessed via Remote Claw another part that brought them to the pumps that were normally used to prevent overflow of the system during a storm. The two had debated during the flight to the prison over how best they could access the main part fast enough. Neither feared beating down every last inmate, but that would give Joker even more time than he'd already taken for whatever sick games emerged from his warped cranium. Judging from the schematics, the pump tunnels would be the swiftest way to the complex's center.
But currently, the way forward was a stream of water with arcs of electricity coursing through it. They'd have to be careful, armor and Aura could resist only so much. Two applications of the Remote Claw and some tightrope walking helped them get across and to the right, where the control room for sewage flow lay. Batman blew apart some wood in their way to access the room and glided out towards another part they couldn't have reached before. He put his fist through a circuit box, cutting the power to the room and allowing Ozpin to drop a glue grenade into the now safe water. Once both were on the "glue raft," they took turns pulling it further down the stream until the control room could be reached.
Up the railing and in there, Batman tossed a remote-controlled batarang into an open current of static and then into a fuse box, causing water to flow from the pipes and the floodgates to shut. He then created a second "glue raft" in the fresh water, Ozpin used Explosive Gel on more wood panels that obstructed the way forward, and they moved for the southeast part.
If nothing else, this night has been a source of good exercise for me, Ozpin thought while plugging up some steam-releasing pipes. And not just physically. I have quite a number of ideas to consider the next time I am in my office again.
Another "glue raft" for a stretch of water and more steam vents to clog, even as rumblings throughout the pipes intensified. Batman continued, though, until the largest pipe in front of them blew apart in a spray of water (and some metallic shrapnel). That's one way to remove an obstacle. Hopefully no one heard that.
Now they could get from the sewer control room to a maintenance room of the prison. "How much further?" One inmate asked the other six.
"Hey, almost there." Another assured. "I can taste the fresh air."
"Beats the air I'm tasting now," a third grumbled.
"Oh, man," a fourth sighed in delight, "I can't wait. I'm goin' straight to O'Kane's, havin' a pint."
He was asked, "What's it been for you, man, eight years in here?"
"Twelve." A hefty amount of time, and likely not the extent of his sentence.
"And what they put you in here for?"
"Drinkin' and drivin'." …Oh, for Brothers' sake. Both eavesdropping heroes shared a look.
Someone barked a laugh at the irony. "An' you're goin' to go have a pint?" He's hardly going to have become a teetotaler in the time spent in a cell.
"What are you, the damn parole board? That's right, I ain't rehabilitated, and I'm really thirsty." Knew it.
"Whatever, just don't drive." Another cautioned him. "You could kill someone." Oz raised an eyebrow at that; someone with a moral code among the group?
"Yeah, yeah," the alcoholic waved him off, "don't worry. What are you in for?"
"Manslaughter." …I will not laugh.
Batman meanwhile slammed the closest heads together, and before the remaining two could counterattack, Ozpin had launched one into the other. All four were out cold in seconds. Then a warped version of the announcement chime rang through the room. "Hohoho, hahaha!" Joker sang in the intercom. "It's me again with a little Christmas reminder. If you all want to get out of here alive tonight, what are you going to do?" Batman grit his teeth together but otherwise calmly charged up the nearby generator for the elevator.
A chorus of voices answered, "Bring you the Bat and Oz!" The elevator came screeching down and crashed into the floor.
"Very good! And how do I want these stocking-stuffers delivered? Alive? Or dead?" Undeterred, both drew their grapnels and propelled themselves through the shaft.
"Alive!" That answer made Oz frown, but he chose not to say anything yet.
"That's right! What good little elves you all are. Santa's going to have a nice little present for you when he gets what he wants!" Something tells me no one would enjoy receiving a surprise from him.
But either way, this was curious news. "Sounds like Joker's changed his plans for us." Batman held open a door for his partner, then led the way through an airduct. "I know everyone's anxious to open their presents, but there's just one more thing we need to do: CATCH THE BAT AND HIS BUDDY!"
"Indeed. Perhaps after the result of our last encounter, he's decided to personally execute us?" Ozpin offered, crawling after him. "Though, that might cause trouble with Bane. It's doubtful either would be willing to share your head or mine."
"Or maybe it's something else. I've just got a feeling, Ozpin… There's more to this." He sounded sure of himself, and the old man had learned that such "gut" feelings shouldn't be ignored.
A heated argument was brewing over them, Detective Vision revealing a large collection of hostiles with guns. "…never give the codes to an intern."
"Shut your face, pops. Or I'll shut it for you. Permanently." One inmate was loitering about in front of the duct's exit, making him easy pickings for Batman.
A young woman's voice spoke up next. "Just kill me and get it over with."
"Think I'll make you suffer first. That is, unless you can get me those meds I want." Ozpin tracked the voices to the room's center office. Too many other gunmen at the moment for him to just walk in and rescue the hostages. First, thin the ranks.
Batman went left, Ozpin right. His first target was a rather cocky fellow. "Anyone stupid enough to challenge us is gonna get a quick lesson in ass-kicking." He then walked right into a fist and was unconscious before Ozpin kept him from hitting the floor. Blowhard.
"Batman just had his way with one of you, and oh, Ozzy's gotten in on the fun as well. Now that's a spicy meatball!" Joker was warning his crew. Made it slightly more challenging. But neither of the two had any problems stepping to a faster gear.
Ozpin tossed a disk on a curve to knock down another goon by the railings, then pulled in the one that had just climbed up to his level. Even as Joker sang a childish song over the radio, the criminal's struggling slowly lessened until he finally went limp. Oz set him down and watched as Batman applied two coatings of Explosive Gel on either side atop the office and disabled another shooter. No sooner did those beneath him hear the commotion did they charge out and climb to the office's roof. And that's when the first received rather loud surprises. Proximity detonators. Quite handy.
Those that followed were delayed by the explosions just enough for Ozpin to rappel up and join the fun with two smoke pellets. He disarmed and disabled those on the right side while Batman handled those on the left. And with that, the room was secure.
Batman scanned the room one last time, then declared, "Clear for now. Let's check on the hostages." A nod in confirmation, and they pushed through the glass part of the office's ceiling, dropping into the room. Two guards stumbled back startled, and a blonde-haired woman tied to a chair barely reacted.
The woman gazed up at them with… dispassion? Or perhaps irritation? "Look who it is," she muttered, "my knights in shining armor." It certainly wasn't gratitude.
Ozpin tilted his head a bit. Have we… wronged her somehow? Still, he stepped closer to untie her while Batman for his part checked on the other captives who was grumbling about Blackgate's security needing a boost. "I mean, twice in one day?" He reassured them that the police would be coming soon and they should stay put for now.
Oz undid the binding around the woman and made to help her up. "Miss Quinzel," he read from her nameplate, "are you injured anywhere?"
She shook him off with a, "What's it to ya?" At least she didn't throw a glare at him.
…Rather at Batman.
Ah, she must have heard the more negative stories about him. "Rest assured, ma'am, he is less of a threat to you than the inmates."
Quinzel walked off towards the door with a barely audible scoff. "Depends on yer definition, I guess…" but she then sighed. "Sorry, don't mean to take it out on you… Oz, right?"
"Ozpin, and no harm done. You were almost killed," Ozpin reassured her.
But her response wasn't exactly expected. "Eh," the blonde shrugged, "Occupational hazard." Are psychiatrists nowadays trained to have nerves of steel? Some Huntsmen would've retired from the profession if they'd been caught up in a situation like this. A glance to Batman showed he was also on guard.
Then she reached the railing. "Look, I know why you guys're here. He's in the panopticon. And he's waiting for you." She nodded towards some automatic doors. It seemed like there wasn't anything left to discuss with her, so the duo made for the stairs. "And Oz…" the teacher paused and turned back to Quinzel.
"Watch yourself. He's out for your blood big time." There was a sense of sadness in her posture, like she thought she'd seen something in someone and had been disappointed.
"…Thank you, Miss Quinzel. We'll do our best to end this quickly." Ozpin finally promised her, though a bit more awkwardly than he normally would. Really, there were enough mysteries for one night. He caught up with Batman as the doors opened, revealing more of the ruined hallways.
Mattresses thrown about, small fires, toilet paper strung up alongside guards by their necks, green paint reading things like "INSANE ASYLUM" and "FREAKSHOW". That same feeling of apprehension he'd felt at the Royal Hotel was welling up again in Ozpin's pit, and he knew that no matter the outcome, he would never forget what Joker had in store for them. No matter how many lives he lived after this one.
And speak of the devil… "Where, oh where has my little Bat gone? Where, oh where can he beee? His cowl, his scowl, his temper so foul, oh, I hope he's coming for me!" The Joker finished his song with a familiar cackle.
Batman may be right. There's something about his tone… It's a different kind of eagerness than before. The next room was filled with inmates eager for a brawl. And they found one. Ozpin parried the pipe swings of one inmate until he misjudged an attack and accidentally struck the second one trying to run Oz through with a knife. That one went with a yelp to the concrete, his cohort lost his weapon, and soon enough, both were nursing severe headaches.
Batman for his part beat down one unarmed thug, flipped over him to kick another into the mattress-covered wall, used a batarang to down a third with a crate, and then leaped up to finish the latter two off with two more of his projectiles before landing atop his first target to deliver the knockout blow. All in less than thirty seconds. Oz had timed him. Incredible.
Sadly, he couldn't afford much time to appreciate the growth in combat prowess his pupil had made, places to go, criminals to apprehend, one deranged clown to stop… This has been an incredibly abnormal experience, even for me.
Their path took the duo up the stairways through some twists and turns until they saw in a certain unopened cell one familiar face.
Well, it wasn't easy to see his face, he was calmly doing pushups even as the prison seemed to be tearing itself apart around him. "Batman, Ozpin." Slade Wilson didn't even bother looking up from his workout.
"Mr. Wilson," Ozpin replied as they neared the bars. "Curious that you're still incarcerated."
"Apparently the Joker's afraid of me. Wouldn't let me out," Slade paused in mid-pushup to shrug, "and for good reason. I don't like having my time wasted."
"You should've known trying to kill either of us, let alone both simultaneously, was a waste of your time." Batman replied coldly.
Wilson laughed at that. "Well, you boys won't have to worry about that anymore. Not unless someone else puts up a hundred million bucks."
"I wasn't worried." They then decided to move on; he clearly had no intention of causing trouble at the moment.
Before they got too far, Wilson called out, "Though I wouldn't say no to another round with you, Ozpin. Another thing I don't like is when my opponent is deliberately holding back. And still beats me."
"If it's any consolation, I did not hold back nearly as much as I thought I could, Mr. Wilson." Ozpin sincerely replied. "I respect a veteran's prowess." He left it at that, though Deathstroke's last chuckle echoed along the hallway.
One of the large rooms had become a sort of gathering area/impromptu fighting ring for a large collection of prisoners. Some brawled with each other, others chatted, some did both, but all of them immediately stopped what they were doing to confront the pair when they entered. But Batman was ready. He activated the same device he had used in Sionis' mill to summon a flurry of bats. The inmates cried out and waved their hands frantically as the creatures' wings, claws and fangs made contact with their bodies.
Thus they were all too distracted to stop Ozpin from weaving to the center of the room and activating The Long Memory's true function. An fraction of its green and golden power sent all of the room's human occupants sprawling while the bats fled from the sudden shockwave. Only Batman was unscathed, having retreated to outside the room.
He stepped back in, Detective Vision confirming that no fatalities had rusted from their combo. Ozpin gestured for the adjacent exit and they continued, apparently watched by the Joker. "Come on, boyos, just a few more steps until you witness what I have in store for you! Bet your spines are just tingling with anticipation." Anticipation, apprehension, call it what you will. "I know mine is! Like a young boy obsessing over that big, mysterious present under the tree. And what a mystery it is."
The most "decorations" were clustered around one particular door, with goons ready and waiting for the two. As the hopefully penultimate battle began, Joker's speech continued to set off warning bells in the back of Ozpin's mind. "You may not realize this, Batman, but you, you really opened my eyes. Here I thought I was hitting level ten, the tippity top of the fun scale: slaughtering gangsters, killing cops, blowing up buildings. But now I know the scale goes beyond ten. Way beyond. How much is anyone's guess, but together, you and me… the two of us are going to push it as far as we can go. As for dear old Ozzy, he's been fun to play with at first, but this dance is reserved for two. I say we let him gawk along with the rest of the open-eyed corpses. So don't keep me waiting. If there's one thing I hate, it's an unsolved mystery or a third wheel."
Ozpin barely even realized he had run out of enemies to fight until all he could hear were their defeated moans. He hurriedly checked with his goggles that he hadn't accidentally killed one of them, but there was still plenty on his mind. "Ozpin…?" Batman was eyeing him with a hint of concern.
The old hero gathered his thoughts, then said, "We need to be careful, Batman. I fear that Joker might be even more dangerous than before. It's like you said, he's different."
"What do you mean?"
"Before, Joker was mostly acting out of pleasure. He said it himself, tearing Roman's empire out from under him, ordering the bounty on you, transforming the hotel into a twisted carnival game, it was all mainly for his amusement. But now…" Ozpin fixed his friend with a cold gaze. "Now he's focused on you. I'm not yet sure why, precisely, but he definitely has something in mind for you. Maybe for me, too, but trust me when I tell you this:
"There are few things more terrifying in life than a twisted mind that has a specific target."
Nothing else was said before they marched through the tunnel into the panopticon.
Cell doors were wide open and trash like toilet paper flew through the air, inmates roaring about like animals finally free of their cages. And the green-haired zookeeper himself was on the slowly descending observation platform, flanked by two guards and some sort of chair bristling with wires and straps. The Joker also had warden Joseph in his clutches, a knife millimeters from his throat, even as he made a thumbs up-down to his wild audience.
"Let him go." Batman called out as the platform clanked to a stop. The duo braced themselves for a fight, hopefully the final one for this evening.
"I…" Either Joker hadn't heard him or didn't care. Likely the latter. "I understand you. Maybe better than Ozzy down there." He briefly took the knife away from Joseph's throat to point at his own chest even while the one-eyed man remained completely still. "You had a chance to let me die and you didn't take it, ohohoho, I bet right now you're both wishing you had." A wave of his hand, "I've killed a LOT of people, I've brought this city to its knees, crippled the police force, and it's not even time to unwrap our presents!" Joker threw up his arms in delight as the prisoners thundered in applause.
Ozpin's eyes narrowed. Right then. Past time to end this. "Perhaps Batman simply deemed you not worth sullying his conscience, Joker." He kept his voice calm, steady, but loud enough that it could break through the cacophony.
Sure enough, his intended target heard him. Joker kept Joseph close even as he leered over the platform's railing. "Conscience, Ozzy? Oh, of course you'd be one of those… Holding your head high so you can look down on all the other nasty sinners, insisting on silly things like honor, decency, conscience…" He shook his head with a laugh that had quite a bit of scorn.
"But take it from a guy who knows… this world will always find a way to push you to your limits, show you how things like morality are just a bad joke! All it ever really takes is one. Bad. Day. And all those precious little things come crumbling apart. That's what happened to our batty little friend long ago, right?" The young vigilante wordlessly glared up at Joker, who laughed once. Hold on… he doesn't know who Batman is. Bane mustn't have told him, otherwise, he'd be rubbing the knowledge under our noses. "That's what I thought. But no worries, you're among your peers." He sighed dramatically while turning back to the other crimefighter. "That's how far the world is from where I am, Ozzy. How far you are from your compadre. Just one bad day."
Even as the crowd cheered on and Batman stiffened in silent anger, Ozpin glared up at the instigator of all the chaos he had seen tonight, evaluating his reply… and laughed.
The whole room went silent at the sudden bark, even Joker blinked in shock. Bruce looked towards him in concern but paused at a hand signal. Professor Ozpin shook his head in bitter humor, then spoke. "How far I am from Batman? One bad day? Oh, Joker," he slid his specs down his nose, exposing his old, tired eyes to the world, "could you even begin to imagine how many bad days I've had? How many times my hopes and beliefs were shattered by the actions of others? Or their inactions? Or how sometimes tragedy would happen for no discernable reason or cause?" For a moment, the memories of all those times, including the very first, rushed through his mind. It was more than enough to make a man collapse.
But Ozma kept his body straight and pushed back his glasses to where they belonged. "Frankly, I've heard such words like yours before. And like all the other times, I found the… 'joke…' to be rather tasteless."
No one said anything in the immediate aftermath of his words. Then the many inmates began to roar insults and jeers at the emerald Huntsman. Batman, though, gave him an almost imperceptible nod of acknowledgement and respect. Yes, Oz returned it among his musings, I would rather fight to ensure such tragedies I've seen are never suffered by others than succumb to them. Like Bruce Wayne.
Joker seethed at them from above before slashing through the air. "Zip it!" quieted the crowd for the most part. He took a few breaths to regain his composure, then plastered a new smile on his face. "Okay, okay. I'll take up your challenge, Ozzy. Let's cook up a new joke."
"Si." Then a new face strode on the catwalk to the platform. Bane had discarded his jacket and mask, leaving his scarred face open for all to see. His delivery system glowed green from the Venom flowing through its tubes. "Let's do this."
"Alrighty." Joker stepped from the warden, nonchalantly tossing his knife over to a goon that quickly fumbled with the sharp blade, and gestured towards his assassin. "What our friend Bane holds in his hand is a heart monitor." Blue eyes glared from the scars (curiously shaped like the patterns on his mask) down at the pair as two more mercenaries flanked him. "Once he clamps it, every beat of his vacant little heart will charge the battery," Joker made a whirling motion of his finger over a device he had drawn from his jacket before hopping with a spin onto the chair behind him, "on this electric chair." He pulled down an apparatus wired to the chair. "And when it's fully charged…" Joker mimed heavy jerking as though a strong current was running through him.
Ozpin frowned in understanding. So that's it. Enough electricity will kill any human, with or without Aura. And from his previous demeanor, Joker doesn't seem to value his life all that much. His jaw tightened. This is meant to strip away Batman's no-killing rule, because with this arrangement… although…
"But just to clarify," Joker interrupted his thoughts. "this is the Bat's throwdown. Methinks Mr. Pin here has fewer issues with killing, so it wouldn't be much of a game if he just snuffed Bane-y. Luckily," Bane's soldiers stepped in front of the railing, each with an injector in hand, "these fine fellows have volunteered to provide some side-entertainment."
The men turned back to their leader, Bane nodding in return, and without hesitation injected themselves before jumping the railing. The two landed with groans, their flesh warping and growing in size as their eyes flared green. TN-1. Has to be. The two fresh brutes rose to their new heights, growling like animals as they stomped towards Batman and Ozpin.
"And as an incentive for you boys to stick to your designated dance partners…" Joker snapped his fingers from the electric chair, prompting his goon to grab warden Joseph and return a knife to his throat. No choice here, eh? "So either you, Bat-boy, kill Bane…" Joker trailed off.
"No," Batman refused in defiance. "I won't kill him."
"But you will," Bane replied. "You will fight me with all your resolve. Or you will die. Someone is going to die. You, me, or the clown." Joker giddily snuggled himself in his chair at the declaration while the other thug affixed his straps. "The question of which one of us it is, is in your hands."
He then attached the heart monitor to his right shoulder, prompting the many screens affixed to one of the panopticon's walls to display a heartbeat. "As for you, Ozpin," Bane directed his cold fury at the other man that had troubled him, "this shall be your punishment. Forced to watch as your alumno either breaks his most sacred rule or falls. Knowing that either by action or inaction, someone will perish." He leaped down to the makeshift arena.
As the TN-1 brutes rushed towards Ozpin, forcing him to roll out of the way, tried to keep an eye on Bane advancing towards Batman. "A compassionate man would be home mourning the loss of his servant and life-long companion right now. Yet here you and your teacher are."
"Oh, and just in case any of you were thinking of getting smart," the Joker added from above, "try to remove the heart monitor, and... KABOOM! More minced meat on the walls than a house made of hamburger." He giggled. "How's that for a helpful hint, Bats?"
Oz clicked his tongue, ducking under a swing from the left brute. Too obvious a solution, I suppose. He flipped backwards to get a little more range and struck with his cane at the right's head. But that one merely shook it off with a snarl. More blows yielded only similar results, regardless of where he aimed, chests, limbs, or joints. Whatever TN-1 was comprised of made these behemoths far more enduring than simple Venom. And no tank to deprive them of the drug. Both roared a challenge not unlike how Grimm would.
Even as he warded them off with The Long Memory and disks, Ozpin tried to keep an eye on the other battle. Batman for his part wasn't doing bad at all with evading Bane, stunning the larger man with a few flaps of his cape to assault him with multiple punches before he could recover. Batman finished his punch combo with a kick to the face, then jumped out of reach. Bane closed the distance with a straight right, only for his opponent to dart under it and behind his back, from where he pulled some of the Venom tubes loose.
Relieved that his friend didn't seem to need his help at present, the headmaster of Beacon Academy rolled his shoulders and twirled his cane. Alright, then. Time to show them a Huntsman at work. And then he blurred.
His first lunge was aimed at the left brute's shoulder, forcing him back. The other one attempted to smash him, but Ozpin was already behind him, slashing at his leg and making him stumble. He then sprayed some Explosive Gel on the floor, sped back to in front of the beast, and swung his cane upwards with both hands and his full might, sending it falling backwards onto the gel he'd planted. A push of the detonator, and the resulting explosion blasted it back up again before it landed in a groaning heap. One down.
The first one growled in anger and ripped out part of the floor to hurl it at the smaller combatant. A shot with the grapnel pulled Ozpin to safety, the debris hurtling safely past him, and as he landed, he calmly snatched the goon that had jumped down from the rafters behind him and flipped him over his shoulder to dislocate his arm. As that one writhed on the floor, the professor tossed a trio of disks at some more lackeys before dodging a charge from the brute. More had also dropped near Batman and tried swarming him, drawing his attention.
The Dark Knight kicked out at one's knee and batted aside the club swings of another before headbutting him to the ground. A third tried to rush him with a car door as a shield, but Batman climbed up its surface and brought both of his knees downward, flattening the thug and leaving him open for a knockout punch.
This distraction had cost him, however, and before Batman could escape, Bane had grabbed him by the throat, lifted him above his head, and made to bring him down. Ozpin in desperation struck the side of his head with a disk, disorienting him as he smashed Batman against his raised knee. The move still hurt, but at least it wasn't strong enough to break his target's spine.
Oz moved to aid his downed friend but failed to notice his own large adversary until it swatted him against the wall. His feet barely touched the ground before the brute threw another punch right at him. Too late to dodge, Ozpin managed to divert the blow with his cane, but the heavy mass still kept him too pinned down to escape.
He could only watch in concern as Bane held Batman down with one giant foot by his throat, the hero trying to break free. Both doubled their efforts to escape, but no luck for now.
From above, Joker laughed at the action. "Quality entertainment, folks! And it looks like we'll be reaching the big finish-"
"Don't move." Interrupted captain Gordon, handgun trained on the clowns holding Joseph. He must've gotten on the platform's catwalk while everyone else was engrossed in the fights.
Neither criminal budged, though. "Maybe you shouldn't move." Sneered the one holding the knife to the warden's neck.
Ozpin struggled even more against the brute's arms, I have to help-, when Gordon calmly shot that one in the shoulder, then the second in his knee. Both collapsed with pained groans away from Joseph. Ah. Never mind, then. Captain Gordon once more proved his competence.
The dark-skinned official quickly cuffed both to the railing, then joined the captain at the Joker's electric chair. "Oh good Lord," Gordon breathed when he saw how the machine worked. He slowly reached for the beast's strapped-down arm.
"Careful, Jim," Joseph warned him. "When that chair goes off, that's two thousand volts. You won't make it."
Gordon fiddled with the right arm strap. "You don't need to-" then to both vigilantes' mounting horror, Joker snapped his arms out, smacking Joseph aside and pulling in Gordon's head to slam against the armrest. He'd only faked being restrained at the arms.
Joker pulled his new captive close, stolen gun pressed at his forehead. "Oh, Jim. Jimjimjim. Have a seat, Jimbo, we'll fry together." He pulled off the apparatus from his head and placed it on top of Gordon's. "Like two potato latkes."
Now two lives are at stake to Bane's heart beats, Ozpin thought bitterly. This spurred him on; straining his arms and Aura, he forced away the limb pressing him back just enough to slip out from under it. The rumbling brute turned around to grab him, only to receive a concussion grenade to the face. Its detonation made him stumble back with a screech, and Ozpin fired his grapnel to the wall and reeled himself in, driving the Long Memory's tip straight against the brute's forehead, putting him down for the count.
Ozpin then turned around, steel gaze on Bane. The bigger man seemed a mixture of irritated and impressed, but he kept his foot on Batman in spite of the desperate punches. "Patience, señor," he growled, "I will deal with you soon enough." He then loomed over his current captive. "May you find the peace in death that you did not find in life."
Oz made to rush him, only to pause when he noticed Batman's expression. There was that gleam in his eyes again, the one that signaled he had a plan. He pushed a button on his gauntlets, shot back, "I'm not looking for peace," and punched the leg with an electrically charged fist, making Bane stumble back with a grunt.
The caped warrior quickly rolled over to Ozpin's side, the latter dispatching two fools thinking they could take advantage of the opportunity. "Good work," his mentor praised, "but what's the plan? Even I can't get up there and fight through to that chair before Joker puts a bullet through Gordon's skull."
"I know. That's why we need to stop Bane first," Batman replied, motioning to his gauntlets.
Oz knew he wasn't talking about killing the villain, and a second glance at the crackling surges made him flash back to a while ago; the desperate move to save Alfred's life. "You want to temporarily stop Bane's heart with your shock gloves."
"If you've got a better idea, I'm all ears."
"Oh, do not misunderstand, my friend. I'm merely running out of bravos to express. Ah, but careful, he's not waiting around anymore." He nodded towards Bane activating the Venom flow before charging. "Hit him fast, I'll distract him and keep the rest off you."
Trading one more nod before splitting up, the two jumped after different targets. "Toot toot!" Joker called from above. "Watch out for the Bane train. Toot toot!" Bane finished his charging around the arena to leap up and bring both fists onto the floor's center, shaking the whole arena. Both had been prepared, though, and went for him before he could rise to his full height. Peppering him with shock-punches and cane strikes, Oz then tripped him up a bit, allowing Batman to further damage his harness. With a roar, Bane lashed out, forcing them away, and pumped himself with even more of the green fluid. "Uh oh, you made him angry!"
While Ozpin kept the regular criminals out of the fight, Batman continued to strike at Bane with his shock gloves at any chance, whittling down his defenses. As the larger man further increased his Venom intake, he grew more furious and careless in his attacks, allowing for more openings. While Joker continued his taunts. "You know, I'm a little upset that the Bat didn't have the guts to kill to save us. How about you, Jim? Ah, and remember, Ozzy, this is his rite of passage."
Translation: attempt to kill Bane, and Barbara Gordon loses her father. Ozpin gritted his teeth while punching out those of a thug, but the best option he had right now was to trust Batman. He can do it. He's too stubborn not to succeed.
"Your attention, Batman!" Bane made for another charge at the crimefighter, failing to notice a certain glob in front of his path. The Explosive Gel went off just as he brought his foot down on it, causing the assassin to stumble. Batman seized the opportunity with another flurry of electrified punches that battered him, then placed both knuckles against his chest. Bane groaned from the many volts coursing into him, trying to stumble away. But Batman forced him down to one knee and struck him in the face. Ozpin beat down one thug with his cane, then drove the heads of two more together, and in a flash, he sent a flying kick that took out the last two that had attempted to reach Batman.
Said fighter continued to hit Bane with his shock gloves, keeping him on his back, then planted his knuckles on his chest again, continuing the energy flow. Ozpin stood to the side, making sure to keep just enough distance that the increasingly giddy Joker couldn't claim he was "helping."
The screens reporting Bane's heartbeat shifted to yellow, then red as his heart slowly ceased to function from the electricity. Ozpin sighed while Joker laughed while getting up from his chair and pushed Gordon aside. "He did it!" Here's hoping the second part of your plan works, Bruce. Both men worked to tear apart the harness and free Bane's chest.
Batman rose up and yelled, "The game is over, Joker. Let Captain Gordon go."
"Yeah," Warden Joseph agreed next to his colleague, "put the gun down, freak."
"How 'bout I put you down?" The clown shifted his aim with a sneer and thumbed back the hammer. Just as he pulled the trigger, the captain intercepted the shot.
"Gordon!" Both men called out from the arena as he fell groaning to the floor.
"Well that's the Christmas spirit!" his shooter joked with a shrug. He then turned to his enemies below. "Do be gentle with your protégé, Ozzy, he's only just popped his little cherry. As for me, I'd love to stay and celebrate his victory, but I've got stockings to stuff, mistletoe to hang, and about skyscrapers to blow up before sundown." He kept his gun leveled at the warden to keep him from following, then bolted. "Ciao."
Ozpin glared after the laughing lunatic, then looked towards Gordon. Donning his goggles, he breathed a sigh in relief at the captain being alright for the most part. "Thank God you had your vest on," Joseph muttered while helping him to his feet.
Gordon was less pleased. "He- he's got my gun."
"Gordon, Joseph," both men looked down towards the Bat, "we need your help to stop the Joker." Ozpin meanwhile finished clearing a spot for resuscitation. Not much else I can prepare without the right gear.
"Our help?" The captain snarled, likely in a bad mood from the throbbing in his side. "You're the so-called vigilantes. Or is one kill enough for you tonight?"
"We'd prefer it remain at no kills," Ozpin chimed in. "And Batman hasn't crossed that line yet. Hopefully. But the more we argue, the more distance Joker gains."
"What?!"
"Bane's in cardiopulmonary arrest." Batman crouched beside the massive killer. "We only have minutes to resuscitate him before it's too late."
Gordon's expression and tone softened. "You mean, you didn't…"
"That's not how I do things." Batman tapped a few buttons on his gauntlet. "Now take Ozpin's advice and go." Oz would've smiled in a less tense situation as the two officers ran off after the Joker. Good. Progress. But this wasn't a less tense situation.
While the headmaster held him down, Batman shocked Bane once, then twice, a third time, brought an electric hammer fist down on him, "Come on," and repeated the process. Not sure how I'd feel if he doesn't make it-
And that's when Bane's left elbow surged into Ozpin's chest, knocking the wind from him. As he fell back, the right hand snagged Batman by the throat and lifted him up. Oz's attempt to rise was stopped by a boot stomping down on him, drawing a groan from the Huntsman.
Bane glared first at Batman struggling in his grip, then down at Ozpin whose Aura crackled under the weight, and finally at his defunct equipment. "Mister Wayne, Mister Ozpin," he drew an injector from a back pocket, "you leave me no choice." Bane drove the needle into his right arm, letting a different liquid flow into his body.
Oh no, Ozpin thought as the force pressing down on him increased. Bane shook as his veins and the irises of his eyes pulsed green. Muscles bulged and the now useless Venom splashed from ruptured tubes. The much larger behemoth stumbled back, allowing Ozpin to roll free with a gasp for air, and vomited out some green-shimmering liquid before roaring in the still-captive Batman's face.
Said captive was then thrown to the ground with another roar. Bane, now twice the size he was before, bounded upwards to crush them; as one, the duo emptied their Explosive Gels in circles around them and detonated, blowing open a hole that dragged all three combatants downward.
Batman and Ozpin grappled away in the hall of the maximum-security ward they now found themselves in, and not a moment too soon. Bane pushed himself to his feet, growling and thrashing about like a wild beast, but couldn't find them, prompting him to stomp off in search of them.
From their hiding spots, Ozpin took another scan at the colossus' body, frowning at the results. "Something's not right… the ones I fought above weren't nearly as powerful as Bane is right now. And he seems to be getting even stronger."
"As if we didn't have enough trouble to contend with…" Batman activated his comm. "Alfred, what do we know of TN-1? The compound we found in Bane's lab?"
"I'll start looking into it now, sirs." As they kept out of Bane's sight, the butler reported, "Sirs, the injection of TN- Bane took seems to be mixing with the Venom that was already in his blood. You have ten minutes before it reaches its full potency. After that, if he gets a hold of either of you, that one will die."
"Understood," Ozpin replied before jumping atop Bane. As he stormed down the halls, arms flailing in an attempt to dislodge his passenger, the green-suited man steered him into a small generator and dismounted before impact. The voltage surged through Bane, stunning him long for Oz and Batman who caught up, to briefly batter him, then knock him back into the power lines and fall back as he recovered.
"Bullock to Gordon. You read me? You okay?" An officer called over the police radio.
"Harvey," the captain answered, "I need you to secure every exit out of Blackgate. Sewers, front doors, I don't care. The Joker cannot escape." Batman broke open a fire extinguisher with a batarang to cover their tracks.
"We're on it." While Batman slipped into a side duct, Ozpin crouched under the floor grates in anticipation. Soon enough, Bane lumbered through the foam cloud and, showing he hadn't fully lost his intelligence yet, smashed his fist through the front grate, grabbing for anyone below.
But he was grabbing in the wrong spot. Oz sprang up from a little further ahead and kicked him in the face, making him stumble back… and trip over Batman who had come out of his hiding spot and crouched under Bane's leg. The massive beast tumbled into another electric cell, receiving another shock that stunned him. Another round of blows, and retreat.
As they moved, the radio chimed again. "Bullock to Gordon. We got the place secure. Any update?"
"I'm with the warden. I think the Joker's heading to Death Row." Bane's rage sent shockwaves along the walls and floor.
"We got the place surrounded. No way he's getting' out." As they broke open more extinguishers and dropped some pellets, the duo hid on opposite sides of a doorway to prepare. The sound of metal being torn apart echoed till it reached them; Bane must've ripped apart a vent searching for them.
"You better be damn sure about that." Was Gordon's last answer before the conversation ended. More smashing noises could be heard as the giant tore through the corridors in search of them. Seven minutes, maybe six, before he gains full strength.
But still they waited patiently, until Bane finally stormed into view. "This is Captain James Gordon in Blackgate prison," The radio sounded. "The Joker has us pinned down in death row. Requesting reinforcements." Bane drew closer.
"We'll need to hurry," Batman muttered, otherwise calm. Bane stopped to clutch his head. Perhaps the concoction was taking a heavy toll on his mind?
Never taking his eyes off the much bigger man, Ozpin replied, "One problem at a time."
After a few seconds that might as well have been hours, Bane released his cranium and moved on…
Tripping over the line Batman had set up with his remote claw. His right hand lashed out instinctively to steady his fall, only for Ozpin to bat the fingers aside and force him to lurch right into yet another electric system. He spasmed from the repeated shocks, too stunned to defend against the final beating both heroes gave him.
Bane slumped from the collective punishment against the wall. Ozpin checked with his goggles to make sure he was still alive while Batman called their support. "It's over, Alfred. We've defeated Bane."
No sooner were the words out of his mouth did two hands reach out and snag him and Ozpin. Bane growled in fury at them and hurled both men straight through the hall where they crashed hard into a wall. "Master Bruce?" Bane crossed the distance just when they managed to force themselves back on their feet. "Master Ozpin, are you and Master Bruce all right?"
Neither had any chance to answer, as the crash left them too stunned to defend against Bane's fists. The third blow blasted them through the wall and into another room. Ozpin groaned from where he had landed on the metal grates, his Aura flickering for another second before dissipating, The Long Memory clattering out of reach. Batman pushed himself to all fours while their opponent roared from the other side of the shattered rubble.
The sound felt like a heavy weight on his soul. Wasn't this enough? The old man asked himself. Didn't we defeat Bane? Or is it just that no matter where I go or who I help, I already damn them to share my failures? My Aura's gone, I'm not sure I can reach my cane in time, and even then, Joker is still running loose. How much more…?
But as Bane knocked more of the wall loose so he could climb through, Batman rose to his feet, no fear or frustration on his face. He simply steadied himself and reached for his belt.
Those actions filled Ozma with both pride and shame. Pride at how the man younger than him continued to stand up against seemingly endless adversity, and shame at how he doubted he could do the same. He wasn't sure if any trace of the hero he once was still resided in him. He wasn't sure if any of his actions tonight would do good or if he had simply been deluding himself. He wasn't sure if he deserved any respect Bruce Wayne or Alfred Pennyworth, men of exceptional moral character, may have developed for him.
But as Bane charged roaring at Gotham's Dark Knight, Ozpin was sure of one thing: he was sick and tired of losing people dear to him.
The wizard leaped to a standing position and thrust his hands forward. Emerald streams of magic surged from his open palms and struck the assassin-turned-brute dead-on, forcing him right into one of the giant electric pacifiers the room was equipped with. Blue and green energy crackled through the air as Bane howled in agony before collapsing in a smoking heap.
Ozpin braced his arms on his knees, panting from the exertion. Even for him, it would take a while until his Aura recharged, and his magic was a different story altogether. But, he thought with a side-glance to the caped man eyeing him with what seemed to be awe, it was certainly worth it.
Another groan drew their attention; Bane had reached his limit, but he was still alive. Slowly, Ozpin stepped over to where his trusty weapon had fallen and picked it up. Not a single scratch, of course. He glanced at its square tip, then at the fallen criminal.
Did he dare break Batman's trust by breaking his code? Batman's sense of responsibility was practically all-encompassing. He would shoulder the blame for any action that would transpire, regardless of Ozpin's insistences.
Before Ozpin could make up his mind as to whether or not he would follow through on such thoughts, Bane gurgled, "Mago… the Batman… find him…"
Both looked now at their enemy. Could it be…? Oz lowered his cane and knelt by the fallen Bane. "Who is the Batman? Do you know?"
"The Batman… must find him… will break his… mask…" Bane's eyes drifted without focus as he continued to ramble. "Beware… el mago verde… Must crush… mago…"
Ozpin stood up. "The TN-1's side effects. All of those chemicals must've damaged his cognitive abilities."
"And his memory." Batman agreed, cycling through his Detective Vision. "From what I can tell, his thought process is in total disarray. Just remembering his own name will be difficult, let alone mine." He fired his grapnel at Bane's foot and began to hoist him upside-down.
"There's a chance that knowledge might return with time." Inwardly, Ozpin felt a bit relieved, though. He hadn't been looking forward to their argument.
"If that time comes, I'll be ready." Batman's assurance was without bluster or doubt, almost a simple statement of fact, as he strung up Bane. This man…Truly, Remnant would benefit from one like him. One generation would probably have been all it took.
As he hung from the ceiling, the former mastermind continued to ramble. "The Batman… I will… I must find… the Batman… Must kill… O… Oz… mago verde…"
As they walked away, Batman quipped, "Good luck with that." And they moved on.
Alfred's worried voice sounded through their communicators. "Master Bruce, can you hear me?! Ozpin?"
"Yes," Batman assured him. "And thank you for the help with Bane."
The butler sighed in audible relief. "I trust he's down for good this time."
"Thank Ozpin for that." A little smirk towards his friend, then Batman turned serious again. "He's secure. And it appears the TN-1 Bane took damaged his memory, maybe permanently."
Another sigh. "Does that mean he won't be revealing your identity?"
"Looks that way."
"Glad to hear it, sir. And the Joker?"
"He's still on the loose," Batman growled, "but not for long." The call ended, and he turned at a sound from his colleague. "You okay?"
"I'm fine for the most part," Ozpin assured him while walking, then winced as he rubbed his right shoulder. "Bane broke my Aura with that last blow, and it'll take a few minutes before I can call upon it again, but it was worth it. A small price for handling the last of the assassins."
"You can slow down and take a break, Ozpin. Catch up when your strength's back." But then a new broadcast went through their earpieces. "This is captain Gordon at Blackgate Prison, requesting immediate medevac! Warden Joseph has been shot. Repeat, warden Joseph is down."
In light of that, Ozpin muttered, "Apparently, that option is not possible." He waved any mounting concern. "I'll manage. Let's go." Meanwhile, Gordon's call was answered by a dispatcher confirming an EMT helicopter was en route. The two grappled up to a vent that led them into death row, the place littered with toilet paper, mattresses, other trash, and a few bodies. The inmates had obviously been inspired by Joker.
Batman saw a familiar face and jumped down to where warden Joseph was slumping against a wall. "Where's Gordon?"
As Ozpin followed him, the man warned, "Sniper…" with a grunt. Sure enough, a goon was aiming his rifle from an overlook to their right.
And that wasn't the worst problem. "Would ya look who's back for more?" Waylon Jones growled as he lunged for them. His left arm still hung limply by his side, but the right would've snagged Ozpin hadn't Batman pushed him out of the way.
As Croc hoisted his caped captive into the air, Oz made to help him when a smaller gloved hand yanked him back. "Hiya, Ozzy." That familiar voice made his whole body tense. He glared back at the Joker's sadistic grin, gun trained at his bare chest. "I'm not sure what kind of tricks you've still got on you, but I doubt you can take a bullet point-blank."
Not in my current state, he admitted inwardly but kept a level gaze as the clown pulled him in to sling his free arm over his shoulder. "Let's just have a little stroll together, you and me. Green's my third-favorite color, you know? Right after white and bloodred." Oz would've resisted, but a laser dot flickering against his glasses quashed that notion. So they began to walk (Well, Joker was skipping a bit) down the hall.
Croc growled from where he was holding Batman. "That sunnuvabitch is mine, clown. I owe him."
"Yes, yes, and you might get him in a minute," Joker waved him off. The dot drifted from Ozpin towards the reptilian head, making him snarl. "Assuming I'm still in a good mood."
The clown then sneered at his captive while they walked. "Aw, no need to look so glum, Oz. This has been one hell of a roller-coaster Christmas Eve. Can't wait to see what the day looks like." His sneer turned to a bit of a snarl. "Or are you one of those that just doesn't have a funny bone?"
"I can laugh at a good joke," Ozpin replied evenly. "I simply have yet to hear one."
The grip on his shoulder tightened. "Ooh, I do love a challenge. Ever hear the one of two guys during a prison riot? Well, a third thought he could hop onto the bandwagon, but sadly, three's company." His gun clicked. "So, one guy walks up to the newcomer and says-"
A cry cut off Joker's punchline, drawing the attention of both. Gordon dropped the bat he'd used to break the sniper's leg, aimed the rifle and shot close to Croc's eye, making him drop Batman.
Ozpin took advantage and rammed The Long Memory's handle into Joker's stomach, forcing him to release his shoulder. A knife was suddenly in the now free hand and slashed downwards, catching Oz's shoulder and drawing blood through the fabric, but the Huntsman ignored the flash of pain. His cane seemed to multiply as he battered the Joker with not quite the speed he could achieve through Aura, but still enough that the deranged villain couldn't defend. The final one sent Joker tumbling backwards, blood flying from the mouth and his blade clattering on the floor. Inexplicably the madman still laughed, as though surprised yet entertained by his wounds.
Behind him, Killer Croc just warded off Batman and ran off. "Screw this, I'll chew up Oz another time. Want the Joker? Take 'im."
"Ah…good help is so hard to find these days," he half-heartedly lamented, then a new laugh bubbled up. "Ooh, or is it?"
Ozpin spared a glance behind him to see more thugs coming into the hall. Gordon jumped down from his perch to apprehend their leader, but the clown had kept a grip on his pistol and forced him to dodge another shot. As he laughingly scampered away, his goons moved in to surround the trio.
"Help me keep these guys off the warden!" Gordon blocked a punch and hit his attacker across the face. Ozpin warded off two more with his cane while Batman pulled away the riot shield of another and tossed him into one of his cronies.
A martial artist traded blows with Oz, almost leaving him open for a thug with a bat to come for him, but Batman reeled him in with his grapnel and slammed him against the ground. The cowled man then nodded in respect to the officer who knocked out the one trying to blindside him. "You fight well."
Gordon answered, "Had a rough childhood," while side-stepping a kick.
Ozpin tripped up the martial artist and knocked the wind out of him with a downwards kick. "Same story for all of us, I suppose."
"This doesn't make us friends, you know." The captain warned Batman as he took out one of the last with a batarang.
"Work in progress." At the look Gordon gave him, Batman nodded his head towards the silver-haired man bouncing a disk off the head of one trying to flee. "Blame him, he's been putting weird thoughts in my head."
"You're quite welcome." Gordon shook his head with some amusement, Oz noted, before looking around the area. No others in sight, they ought to be safe for now.
A groan prompted the captain to run over to his colleague. "Joseph, they're on their way. You're going to make it." A grunt in affirmation made him look back to the duo standing watch. "…Thanks. For this. And for Nashton."
Ozpin shared a confused look with Batman, then asked, "Who?"
"Edward Nashton, that Enigma guy you were looking into. The evidence you gave us led us in seconds to one of our own, a new recruit in the Cyber Crime Division. Had extortion information on practically half the city." He scoffed a bit. "Yeah, I know. We really need to do some serious housecleaning."
Ozpin nodded in understanding and honest respect. "Ah, that would explain how he was able to acquire all of the access to Gotham's infrastructure. Impressive that you found him so quickly."
James flashed a cold grin. "You don't have to work outside the law to be a good detective."
Batman gave a good-natured grunt in acknowledgement, then refocused. "Where would the Joker be going?"
"That door he bolted through leads straight to the prison's chapel. No other route he can access." He didn't hesitate to answer. Good.
"Thanks." Batman sped down the hallway, though he looked with some concern to his partner, currently wrapping the cut with some disinfected cloth from his belt's first-aid kit. "Patch yourself properly, I can handle the rest."
Ozpin fixed the knot with a slight grunt, then shook his head. "Don't underestimate cornered prey, remember?" Batman just eyed him as they moved until he finally sighed. "I'll stay behind and provide backup if you need it."
"…Thank you." The two sprinted past the execution chamber and reached the chapel, a modest room, with pews of polished wood, old-fashioned pillars, candle holders and stained-glass windows.
Joker had slumped in front of the altar, quietly giggling to himself as Batman approached. "Oho-ho, Oh, Bats," He got out before more laughter broke out, "It's j- it's-" Joker tired to get up but doubled over in laughter again, then finally straightened with his arms out, "what a night!"
Batman angrily grabbed him by the collar and lifted him high. Ozpin stayed near a pillar, but kept watch. Joker leered at him for a moment, then down at his nemesis. "Fresh off a kill and back for more, eh?"
"Bane's still alive." Joker's grin faded at that, and he pulled out the device from earlier. Sure enough, it reported a steady heatbeat.
"Now that's," the clown spat out, "Not. Funny." He tossed over the machine towards Ozpin with a disappointed frown, his eyes basically saying, This is your fault. Technically, it wasn't, but for once he didn't feel guilty about taking the blame.
But Joker wasn't done yet. Drawing his pistol, he landed on his feet when Batman forced back and punched him before aiming the gun at him. Ozpin tensed, disk at the ready, but waited. "All this," Joker started, "all this rage. All directed at me and for what? You know if you'd actually tune out Ozzy's nagging and let me finish a sentence, you might learn something. You might learn that we're not. So. Different. You might learn something about yourse-"
"You need to learn to shut up," Batman shot back, glaring at the weapon.
Joker tutted his tongue. "You know, it's sad, really. Makes me feel like you don't care to see the good side in me. Isn't that something The Pin-man back there would advise? But I guess learning is a lot to ask from you, meat-for-brains."
Batman snacked the gun away before the hammer could click and smacked him across the pews. Joker crashed at the last one with a grunt but continued after landing. "Is all this for you or for me? You must know I'm a lost cause." He got up from the wood and skipped to his feet as Batman crossed the distance. "But there's still hope for you if cast him off." A sharp nod at Ozpin. "Yes, I've got high hopes in you-" The black-armored man shut him up with two blows and then hurled him towards the far wall.
Joker shattered part of the window he landed against and slid to the floor. Alright, this is getting too heated again, Ozpin thought, making to intervene. But a look from Batman stopped him. There was anger, yes, but still some restraint. Reluctantly, Oz stood down. I suppose I need to let him handle things without my aid.
"You just can't get it through your thick skull…" Joker snatched up some glass shards and got to his feet, shouting, "WE BOTH EXIST BECAUSE OF THEM!"
"Give up!" Batman warned him, storming towards the deranged clown. "You've lost." But the Joker tried to slash at him with the improvised weapons. His attacks were wild, though, easily blocked and leaving him open for counterattack. In seconds, the shards were gone, and Batman began to pummel him again and again. The punches seemed endless, but through it all, that crazed laughter rang through.
After what seemed forever, Batman uppercutted him onto the altar and grabbed him by his cackling throat. "That's why you do it, isn't it?" Joker gasped out with a grin. "You like the way it feels. It's what you need."
That made something in Batman snap. He struck Joker again and lifted him high, only to smash him against the stone floor. But Joker egged him on. "Come on, baby! Beat me till your knuckles bleed. And why quit there? You know there's only one way to stop me."
Batman furiously grabbed him by the throat and began to throttle him, Joker continuing to laugh while his grip tightened. But before he would go too far…
Inside Joker's mind, he was gazing up at the bat-winged beast that had haunted him, the thing that had turned him into what he was today (or maybe not. Multiple-choice past, gotta love em!). Black, tattered wings, white eyes that lacked a soul, shadows dancing around its body, a gaping mass where the mouth should be.
How could the Joker not laugh?! This was the most fun he'd ever had before. And now things were starting to get real good, he felt his eyes shut from the pleasure…
Then something clapped down on the demon's shoulder, making it loosen its grip. Joker frowned at the stop to his entertainment and looked again. A new being was right behind the bat monster, a spirit wreathed in green energy that flowed like cloth in the wind. One hand clutched a twisted staff of black and silver while the other was resting on the monster. Words he couldn't understand came somewhere from a floating golden shape that could have been its head, two black pits where its eyes ought to be.
But whatever it said, the bat-thing began to calm down and further stop strangling Joker. The bastard! Who was he to butt into this, who was he to take his Bat away from-
The Bat pulled back a fist.
Hello darkness, my old friend… I've come to laugh with you again…
"Prove him wrong."
Thankfully, that was all Ozpin needed to say to stop Batman this time from breaking his rule. The hero glared at the unconscious clown, then straightened and turned to the man approaching them. "Any one of my guys would've killed him." Gordon noted.
Batman paused in walking over to pick up the Joker's gun, "This city deserves better than that." and held out the weapon by its barrel towards the officer.
Ozpin joined them, saying, "Maybe you can ensure it receives them."
James Gordon looked at each of them in turn, muttered, "Maybe," and took the gun. Eyeing it, he continued. "You know, my daughter thinks you two are heroes."
Whatever Gordon would've done and said from there would remain a mystery as two additional policemen arrived on the scene, arms at the ready. Ozpin's lips twitched into a small, fleeting smile at the pair.
"Officer McKain, Officer Petrelli, impeccable timing."
"Mr. Ozpin." The youngest cop acknowledged respectfully but there was a hint of iron in his tone. Excellent.
"Old man." Well, I've heard worse greetings from the Branwen twins.
The dirtier officer turned to his superior. "Orders, sir?"
Gordon stared down the duo, then looked at Oz begrudgingly before turning back to his subordinates. "Batman and his accomplice escaped. All we found is the Joker."
"Sir?"
"Batman and Ozpin fled. Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir," was Petrelli's all too eager response.
"…Understood, Captain." McKain's affirmation wasn't nearly as resistant as it would have been when Oz first met the man. Oz couldn't keep the small smile off his face. Taking their cue, the pair swiftly make their exit.
A new voice sounded from the captain's radio. "Gordon, come in!" Bullock called. "What's your 20?" This could get difficult...
"I'm in the chapel. We've got the Joker."
Far above him, the duo eyed their tentative ally as he looked around the chapel, admitting to his second that he had help. "They let us go." Batman observed, tone laced with wonder.
Oz, smile larger than before, nodded once. He was especially proud of what had started tonight. "A small window of opportunity. But I believe this… is only the beginning, my friend." They then climbed up to the roof in silence, avoiding the police and disabling those few inmates or gangsters that had the misfortune of crossing paths with them. Ozpin's Aura had recharged by some fraction, easing the confrontations. Most of it went to tending his shoulder injury, though.
Soon enough, they were back outside in the snow, waiting until the choppers had decreased a bit before the Batwing could be called without drawing attention. For the most minute, they simply watched the activities below.
Then Batman said, "Thank you. Again. Without your help, this night could've been a complete disaster."
"It could have," Ozpin replied. "Or you might have been able to succeed without me. Humans are a remarkably resilient species." He gave his newest comrade a light smile. "You proved that repeatedly tonight."
"I'm not in this for praise, Oz." But a little mirth could be seen underneath the mask. "Still, there are a couple of loose ends before tonight's over."
"Yes, from what I've heard, some of the Blackgate prisoners managed to slip past the police. And there may be more cases unresolved in the city itself. Black Mask, for instance, is still running around-"
"Those are important," Batman gently cut him off, "but I was also talking about finding a way for you to get home." Ozpin looked at him in surprise. "Both Gotham and I owe you so much, but this isn't your home. And you shouldn't have to be stuck here."
"I truly appreciate the thought, but from what I understood of your world's level of technology, inter-world travel still seems a few decades out of reach." He gave a self-deprecating smile and gazed through the falling snowflakes to the stars above. "And sometimes I wonder if Remnant would be better off without me anyway."
"I could name a few people that would dispute… that…" Puzzled at the trailing off, Oz looked back to see Batman staring at him honestly shocked. A second later, he understood why: beads of golden energy were dancing around his body. As he lifted his hands, the tiny spheres continued to circle them, even dancing in his palms. They seemed to be magical in nature, but he couldn't tell where they had come from or what the meaning behind it was.
No… that wasn't entirely true. As the lights swirled ever more, a sense of… familiarity was washing over the Huntsman's tired body. Like when you had taken a long tiring journey and was heading home now.
"…Are you all right?" Batman finally asked, his voice a mixture of concern, confusion and wonder. "Is this some… spell of yours?"
"…Not one of mine," Ozpin answered with some thought. "But if my hunch is correct, I think this is the solution to my problem." He sighed a bit in regret. "A shame I couldn't aid you with the rest of Gotham's before my departure."
Batman still stared a bit at the lights, then focused on him. "Gotham will manage. I'll see to it."
"I know." The beads were either growing in size or number; they covered a good portion of his body now. But Ozpin sensed he had enough time for a proper goodbye. He removed his goggles and utility belt, then passed them to the one they truly belonged to. "Thank you for loaning me this equipment. I imagine it may still come in handy for future adventurers."
Batman accepted the tools with an amused click of his tongue. "I may've chosen this life, Ozpin, but I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I'm not looking to form an entourage."
"Sometimes that's out of our hands." Ozpin reached up to tap his communicator one last time. "I take you've been following the conversation, Alfred?"
"With a heavy heart, Master Ozpin," was the mournful, but impressively dignified response. "I owe you a great debt for every way you've helped my master and myself. It's a shame you could not enjoy Gotham in a way that didn't involve chasing criminals."
Ozpin laughed a bit. "Oh, I imagine this city has its own charm when you look past the negatives. So many I visited in my lives were. But as your debt, should I happen to come here, I wouldn't say no to another cup of your delicious hot chocolate. That would settle things quite nicely."
"Ah, if only all business could be solved in such a cordial manner… Until then, sir."
"Until then." Ozpin removed the earpiece and passed it with some hesitation over to Batman. He had never been fond of goodbyes, even back when he had been Ozma. But the light now covered most of his body.
Batman noticed it too and unclipped something from his belt. "I know this is pitiful considering my pocketbook," he mumbled while offering a fresh batarang, "but consider this a token of thanks. And a reminder, if you ever doubt yourself like tonight, that you made a real difference here. That you helped a great deal of people."
Ozpin accepted it with a grateful mien. "You have my thanks as well, Batman. For allowing me to assist. And you yourself have come a long way from where you started tonight. You've learned to be flexible, open to outside resources and support."
"I've had many teachers. It seems I needed one more." Just before the green-suited man was completely enveloped in light, Bruce Wayne offered his hand for the last time. "It's been a sincere pleasure working with you, Ozpin."
Ozpin accepted the hand with his own and shook firmly. "Likewise, Mister Wayne. Though should we meet again, you may find I have a different face." Then the golden aura flared up, and Batman stood alone atop the prison.
Whoo-ie, this was a serious whooper to write, let me tell you guys. But totally worth it. All that's left is the epilogue, coming soon…
Review Q&A:
*To Monster King: Glad you liked it.
*To Hydra1996: Oh yeah, Clownie-boy still remembers the bruises. And the way Oz keeps shutting down his point-of-view.
*To SargentEpsilon: Yes, civility seems rather outdated. Oh well, haters gonna hate and all that. And yeah, I like Origins for the same reason, it shows that Batman is still Bruce Wayne, a human underneath the cowl; he makes mistakes, works to improve himself, and takes a while to open up, but those he cares for, he cares for deeply. It's why I had so much fun making Ozpin one of these people.
*To Mastermind4982: Mind. Reader. And I hope from the bottom of my heart that Ozma can one day rest peacefully once RWBY's story is completed. Just like I hope that Oz and Qrow can patch things up. Hope you enjoyed tonight's final act.
*To Luffy L Deathwalker: Yeah, I guess the signs were there, in hindsight, I just didn't want to look. But hey, quoting a certain film, "the night is always darkest just before the dawn."
*To Delphine Pryde: Thanks! Happy if you guys are satisfied.