DC Gothic – Red-X 2
Dark Nights 2
I was facing him, the one, the only, the legend himself, the Batman. We'd met before, only he wouldn't remember much of it, and unlike last time I had no intention of running away. Even if that was the wise thing to do.
Because I was livid. I was beyond angry, I was well past being pissed off. I wanted to make Bruce Wayne suffer. I could have forgiven the Cape Crusader for stopping me from completing my mission, or even throwing me into jail, but what I was incapable of forgiving was the fact that Batman had just saved the Joker.
A second or two more and my scythe, which was somehow still in my hands, would have ended the Clown Prince of Crime for good. I would have done what no before had dared to do: send that freak to Hell.
Now Batman was standing on the top of the stairwell entrance on the top of this building. He stood tall and narrowed his eyes at me, a look that in past would have filled me with fear, but not today.
I kept my posture steady, and I met his gaze, I even narrowed my field of vision, but since my mask didn't change when I did this I doubted that it had the same effect on people as his look did.
Batman then stepped towards me, and my body betrayed me as I reached by stepped back rather keep still. But I wasn't too hard on myself as I knew that the Dark Knight had perfected intimidation tactics, he knew how to attack people both psychologically and physically.
"Helping someone escape from Arkham isn't your style, X" the Caped Crusader said "Who are you working for?".
I kept my mouth shut as the worse the Dark Knight could do was beat me up and hand me over to the police, who I could escape from. While CADMUS might not be able to kill me, they were a threat to my team, and by extension Raven who they might threaten to get to me.
"You are still a criminal, so I will take you in".
I backed up a step, and moved into a fighting stance.
"Don't forgot, Bruce" I said "I have information about the League. Think about it, taking me in would be a bad move. Who knows what I will tell the cops".
Batman seemed to be thinking it over, and then he called my bluff, he sent a Batarang flying at me. I ducked under it, but it was just a distraction meant to give Mr Wayne the moment he needed to get into range for a punch. I knew this because I'd seen Robin do it.
Knowing this allowed me to move out of the way Batman's punch, but my efforts weren't enough the hit connected to my shoulder, and that caused me to drop my weapon.
Then to my surprise Gotham's Grim Guardian backed away from me, he could have pressed the attack if he had wished so I was confused.
"If you can past me and reach the door you're free to go" Batman told me "But no teleporting".
My surprise and confusion turned into shock as the Dark Knight was not a dishonourable person, if he'd said 'I will let you go' then I'd suspect that he had an ally ready to take me down, but he hadn't.
Yet he was giving me a chance to escape, at first I thought this was pride, perhaps his way of letting me go without actually letting me go, so that he could protect his identity. However that seemed unlikely. What made more sense is that he was testing me. I just didn't know why.
Of course I could teleport, but since Batman had to know where I lived, that wouldn't help me in the long run. Also every moment he was here was a moment for Quinn to flee.
While I was uncertain I hadn't become a master thief by not seizing chances so I threw my scythe. Batman turned to the side, and let the weapons fly past him, but that was okay because it was all part of the plan. I was now invisible and due to my warding magic no fancy trick in the Dark Knight cowl would help him.
Yet despite that he caught the kick to his face as I became visible and attempted to strike him with my foot. Somehow I ended up flipping in the air. For me it was it was mostly a blur, but I knew that anyone watching must of thought it looked super cool.
Next I landed and backed off as Batman rushed in, spun and kicked hard, judging by the sound the hero had managed to put a dent in the ventilation system I'd just been standing in front.
I was then rushing towards my scythe, only it moved itself into my hand, and that amazed me so much that I never saw the blow that almost knocked me to the ground. Rather than let my head met the hard surface below I made my body go into a roll, and then I was up on my feet, ready to keep fighting.
"Tell me Batman. Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?" I asked.
That got no reaction, so I tried to cut Mr Wayne with my scythe, but that failed, as Batman twisted out of the way and then threw some pellets to the ground. They would be non-lethal I knew.
I blinked a number of times so that my mask switched to a type of vision that rendered the smoke pointless and I then realised that the Bat might be trying to get more information about me by testing my skills. Just from fighting me he might figure out who had trained me. That worried me as not many people knew I'd been Slade's apprentice, and I really didn't want the Titans to know that.
My concerns gave the Caped Crusader the time he needed to tackle me, but I was no so distracted that I couldn't fight back, I raised my arms up and slammed my elbow down, but this was the Batman, pain of the body didn't mean much to him.
Still I was able get myself free, somehow, and then I went on the attack with my scythe. My anger had faded, and now all I wanted to do was leave this cursed city, so I had decided to disarm the hero, by removing an arm.
Batman blocked the blow, his three pronged Gauntlets catching the blade, which was good for him because this weapon seemed to be able to slice through anything.
Rather than keep trying to slice bits off Bruce Wayne I jumped away and headed for the staircase entrance, only I didn't make it as Batman grabbed my cape and pushed me towards him.
I reacted quickly to this and aimed a punch at the Dark Knight before he could strike me. Batman ducked, and then grabbed me so that I flew over him. Once more I got into a roll, and when I got up again I attacked.
Batman blocked every punch and when I overextended he threw me over his shoulder. I just lied there for a moment as I was crippled by despair. I couldn't beat Bruce Wayne.
Then I saw Gotham's Grim Guardian take out a pair of bat themed handcuffs, he was going to drag me to the police like I was just another gang banger or mugger he'd found out on the street.
But that wasn't who I was. Red-X was the Prince of Thieves not come thug for the Dark Knight to beat up on a rooftop. I was an immortal and a magic user, it was about time I remembered that.
"N'ghft nnn y 'bthnk uaah"
I'd never done two Old One spells at the same time, but I had nothing to lose.
"Kadishtu nilgh'ri r'luh uaaah"
Thanks to those spells darkness formed around me but since I had just cast a spell to allow myself to see hidden things it didn't effect me from seeing myself or whatever was around me.
Even with the darkness Batman dodged my attempt to knee him the stomach, but his counter attack failed to hit me. The gauntlets were very good at blocking.
When I backed away Batman jumped up and his eyes began to glow, but the warding spells I had sown into my clothes that I wore beneath the suit meant that his fancy cowl couldn't see me.
That was I decided to be a dick.
"Ah you think darkness is your ally" I said "You merely adopted the dark. Were as I am the night!".
Which was of course a load of bullshit I was just playing silly buggers, and the words weren't important anyway. What mattered was that Batman came right at me and I was expecting this.
Neither of us did any real harm to each other as Bruce Wayne was simply better than me, but with my magic he couldn't see me so that balanced things out greatly.
Then Batman launched five Batarangs at me and I knew that he could somehow divine my location me, maybe due to some sort of sonar or just by having finely tuned senses I didn't know, and it didn't matter.
I had already batted the non-lethal weapons aside with my scythe and I was cancelling the spell when Batman hit me again so hard that I lost my footing and I was about to fly off the building, when I grabbed the edge of the roof and pushed myself back up.
The Cape Crusader chased after me, no doubt intending to stop my fall, but that was his mistake. I tackled Batman to the ground this time like had done to me earlier and this time it was his elbows in my back, but I was able to punch him in the ribs.
Thankfully for the both of this didn't go on very long, which was good because it really hurt and we went back to trying to beat each other up a little more gracefully.
Batman's next series of punches didn't seem to have much force behind them due to the material my suit was made from, but the Dark Knight soon stopped anyway. I didn't think he was actually trying to beat me.
I found this insulting so I threw a right hook and when Batman blocked that I kicked at his shins, and then I started to feel fatigue.
Most fights didn't last very long. Normally one person over powered the other, and when I thought I used tricky anyway so I simply wasn't used to putting this much effort into a battle.
"You're done" the Caped Crusader said.
I wasn't and Batman caught the hard kick to his chest, and soon I was hitting the ground. I knew then that I really should have kept up with my training. I'd gotten soft.
Batman kicked my legs out from under me and I was unable to stop him from taking off my mask, although I did struggle. Not that I really needed to do, he wouldn't be able to record my appearance.
"You are a hell of a fighter" I told Bruce Wayne "No wonder Tim is so good. I mean he doesn't have your skills or experience, but you really nurtured his talent".
Then without warning I used the Ring of Fireball and thanked Seeker for the gift. The magical attack didn't harm Batman but it did force him to back away, and more importantly he dropped my mask.
Next Batman threw another Batarang, at me and this one boomranged so it came at me from behind. However I knew this trick so I was able to swat the weapon aside with my scythe, which had again returned to my hand.
"I got my second wind" I said.
Batman gritted his teeth, I saw it, and then he ran forward. I felt myself grin as Mr Wayne slid on the ground, trying to trip my feet again, but I just jumped over his legs and kicked over the Dark Knight's head as I miscalculated were his head was going tobe.
I didn't think I could win, as this was the god damn BATMAN! And he always would be, but I was Red-X. No one caught me, not as a criminal or as a man. Raven had found that out in both respects.
Batman attempted to throw the knockout punch, but it cracked the wall behind my head rather than my skull. I was close to the door now, so very close and my second wind was still blowing.
"I see why Robin had trouble" said the Caped Crusader "But you are no match for me."
This did dishearten me a little.
"Well in my defence I've never actually tried to kill you" I pointed out "but if you want to me to serious I will"
Instead of replying Batman threw another Batarang and I dodged it with ease.
"How many of those do you have?" I asked him.
Way more than I did that was for sure.
"I'm prepared for anything" was his answer.
Batman wasn't normally this chatty, and that unnerved me Which explained why he was able to kick me hard into the wall and also why when I tried to move towards the door I got a punch to the face, a kick in the stomach, an elbow to the shoulder, a headbutt and then a fierce knee in the gut.
However rather than finish me off he backed away, and then I knew that for some reason he was testing me, or at least trying to teach me something, like say that it was pointless to fight the good guys.
I fired a couple of stick Xs at the Dark Knight, hoping to stick his feet to the ground, but that didn't work he avoided them with ease,
"You can't teleport, you can't win" said Mr Wayne.
Everything I'd tried had been more or less ineffective and Batman had grown tired of this game, and somehow I knew he was going to restrain me.
Which he did, Batman took out a bolo and threw it me. It should have wrapped itself around me and trapped me, but my rotary Xs, the ones on the back of my hands made short work of the restraint.
While that worked what I didn't account for was the gas bombs. I didn't have my mask on, so I took in a lung full and got very sleepy.
(Line Break)
The Batcave – Wayne Manor
Despite all my rag I am still just a rat in a cage
I'd been singing that song by the Smashing Pumpkins for a while now. I had no idea how long, because I had no way of recording time, but I had nothing better to do so I'd kept singing the song.
The cage I was in had to be made of Nth metal because my spells had no effect on it, and when I'd tried to force the bars apart I'd gotten a nasty shock for my trouble.
Also I had been stripped down to my underwear and socks, so my warding magic was gone as was anything I could have used to aid in my escape. Which was why I was stuck here in the gloom, singing to myself.
Then I heard someone approaching and since I could see the dark rather well I knew it was female someone. When she got a little closer I could tell it was Batgirl.
"I'm in my underwear while trapped in a cage" I remarked "Some guys pay a lot for a pretty lady to give them this kind of treatment. Should this bad boy call you Mistress Barbara?"
No one could deny that Batman was my superior in many ways, but he wasn't the kind person you opened up to so spending Batgirl in to interrogate me was a smart move. She was the good cop.
"Maybe later" the crime fighter said before changing the subject "I just came to make sure you're feeling okay".
I'd called it.
"Well I've been better" I admitted "I suppose I should be honoured really. Who knew batman thought me to be such a threat that he'd lock me up like this. He's not only completely ignoring my legal rights, and failing to hand me over to the proper authorities, he's stripped me and put me in a cage in his basement. I've seen horror movies that start like this".
Batgirl looked confused.
"Honoured huh" she said "Normally the bad guys aren't to happy about being locked up like this".
I imagined they wouldn't be.
"Being locked up isn't the issue" I replied "Its the getting out that's the problem. But I don't think he's going to keep in here forever".
Despite the fact she was wearing a cowl she managed to look sympathetic, but I doubted she was really that worried about me.
"Of course he can't let me out" I went on to say "Because as soon as he does I'm going to tell everyone who he is".
She didn't look surprised, she just looked worried.
"That won't just hurt him" she reminded me "That will hurt Robin, Nightwing and some other people too".
It would, but at this point I didn't care. I'd been humiliated and locked up like an animal the only way I'd be able to live with myself after this would be to totally destroy the lives of everyone involved.
"You two are still friends?" I asked "You and Nightwing I mean, after you betrayed him?".
Barbara Gordon had chosen Batman over Robin, that had to have hurt the original Boy Wonder.
"We were" she told me "I mean I think we will be again, but at this stage I doubt he even wants to talk to me".
This was part of her process interrogation, she wanted me to think we had a connection. Of course we didn't she meant nothing to me.
"Can you blame him?" I asked.
I wondered if Nightwing was here.
"Maybe I was a little tough on him" Miss Gordon admitted "I guess I betrayed his trust, but I didn't mean to".
Honestly I didn't remember the whole story of what had happened between them, so I didn't think I'd be able to use it against her, but this wasn't important. I just needed to talk so I'd have something to do other than sing the same song over and over again.
"Sorry about hurting your leg during that whole Master of Games thing" I said "Hope I didn't break it".
Before she could reply, Batman then made an appearance and I wondered what had happened to make him want to speed things up. My squad was out there in full force, heck even Kitten was in town, but I doubted they worried him.
"Tell me what I want to know and I will let you out" the Dark Knight said.
He had to have some sort of plan to make sure that I didn't go and talk to some reporters as soon as I could. I also wondered about what that was.
"I'll get out on my own" I told Mr Wayne.
He made no visible reaction.
"This is my lair, and you don't have your weapons" he pointed out.
That didn't worry me.
"You won't keep me here for too long" I said "If you were willing to then there would be people a lot more dangerous than me locked up in your silly little cave".
In truth I thought the Batcave was super cool.
"We can negotiate" Batman offered.
Batgirl was surprised, truly surprised even more so when the Dark Knight opened the cage. I knew this had to be a trick to make me more willing to listen, but I went along with it because if anyone could give me what I wanted it was Bruce Wayne.
"In exchange for keeping all information about the League and its members to yourself, what can I give you in return?" Batman inquired.
That was when I realised just how clever this git was. He knew I was mercenary who did what he was paid to do. If he could get me to make a deal I wouldn't break it because if I did that broke my code. Plus there was practical side to it. No one would hire me if they couldn't rely on me keeping my mouth shut about certain things.
The only exception would be if not telling someone would put a person I cared about in danger, and under those circumstances it was forgiveable, and I could always find another line of work should I break my word.
"Since YOU attacked ME first its going to have to be something big as compensation" I told the hero.
As I didn't show up on camera there was no evidence to even link me to Arkham breakout. Aside from Harley that is, and she was a crazy woman.
Sure some cops had seen me attack the Joker's car, but they had fired at me before I took action. No one was going to say that wasn't self defence.
Plus I could claim that Quinn, who was a dangerous and crazy person, forced me to give her a ride after breaking out on her own. That was far more believable than Red-X breaking her out.
"So how do you know so much about us?" Batgirl asked as Batman worked on his computer "I don't think you read my mind, but you know all about Nightwing and me".
I decided to tell the truth. The truth about me being from a reality were all this was fiction. I could back it up, and there was no sense lying around Batman. He would know.
(End)
I've been refining my idea for a Planswalker Gothic. Tell me what you think, and if you have ideas for the thing he could get up to then let me know.
Planewalker Gothic
The Planeswalker
PG is a post mending Planeswalker so he is not immortal and he can be killed, he is however a powerful magic user and can travel to any plane he wishes via the void aka the Blind Eternities . He can also go to places he doesn't know by viewing them in the Void, but his lack of knowledge about those places make it more dangerous to visit them.
He can obtain magical powers to make himself more powerful, and use magical items to enhance himself.
He has vast amounts of magical power, but doesn't know any spells, however he can learn spells very quickly.
He can learn to brew potions, perform alchemy and enchant items, but not Artefacts he gets from cards.
He can shape shift, but he can not yet control this power so he will always shift into a form the natives will accept. Human on Earth, and in places like MLP he would be unicorn. The limits on this are divine and demonic beings, and also dragons.
PG has a deck of Magic: The Gathering Cards.
He always has forty cards in his deck, but he can only five in his hand at any one time. The deck replenishes itself as he uses cards which means he doesn't know what spells he has or what creatures he will be able summon unless they are one of the five cards in this hand. Creatures who are summoned will return from when they came if they are killed or if the card is returned to deck. Artefacts become real when the card is used, and the card vanishes.
Followers cards don't count since they are not summoned creatures, the cards are part of the deck.
These all require mana to use.
Mana is stored in the Mox diamonds of which he has five, for now, and he can make more for his followers, who can all have one.
Mana comes from land and the energy from the places he visits absorbed into the Mox diamonds
PG can 'tap' any land he owns to fill a Mox diamond even if he is on the other side of the planet, but not across realities.
Followers are bonded to blanks cards so if PG has say ten followers then he can only have thirty cards in his deck, but those followers all have Mox diamonds necklaces so while PG will have less options, he will have more Mana to call upon.
If a Follower is badly injured or killed they can be regenerated using Mana, so as long as he has enough Mana his followers can't really die.
Only followers can travel with PG to other worlds.
Followers can not be bound against their will, once they agree to it they are as loyal as any summoned creature, but they still have their feelings and desires the binding is like a magical contract it limits their actions however it doesn't stop them from thinking.
Followers can be set free if their card is destroyed by PG.