Hunters of Justice (RWBY/DC)
Chapter 19: Coming Home to Roost
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Glynda Goodwitch sighed as she cleaned up yet another destroyed street of Vale. Rubble lined the cracked pavement, shards of glass glistening under the artificial sun. Moving her wand back and forth like a conductor, Glynda watched as the pieces slowly came together. Soon enough, the street was back to working order, or at least a close approximation of it. Cracks were still visible, and some of the buildings threatened to collapse, but she didn't have the strength within herself to go further. There was only so much her Semblance could do to repair the damage.
"Peter, I'm finished," she reported into her radio.
"That's good to hear, Glynda," Peter replied, his once boisterous voice now subdued. "I'm making my way over to you now."
"Of course. I'll see you then," Glynda said, turning the radio off. Placing the device into her pouch, she found a repaired metal bench and sat down on it. She looked out over the street, taking in its sights.
'To think, it happened here,' Glynda mused, thinking back to that terrible day two months before. It was in this very spot that young Ruby Rose was captured by Brainiac and her teammates launched their desperate attempt of a rescue. None of them knew what befell the two teams, but part of Glynda didn't want to know. She didn't want to know what horrors Brainiac inflicted on them.
As she sighed regretfully, a pair of footsteps broke Glynda from her thoughts. Turning around, she saw Peter Port walking towards her, taking in the repaired street.
"I must say, mighty good work here Glynda," Peter declared, trying to lift her spirits. It didn't work, but Glynda rose to her feet all the same.
"Thank you, Peter," Glynda told him as she walked back towards Beacon, her colleague falling in step behind her. Peter sighed as he kept pace. More than anyone, she and Ozpin were working tirelessly to help the city of Vale the best they could, whether it was repairing the physical damage or simply talking to their students. It must have been exhausting.
"Where's Qrow?" Glynda asked, and Peter shook his head.
"The usual spot," he answered, and Glynda frowned. She wasn't surprised, but it disappointed her nonetheless. Still, with Ozpin inside Brainiac's ship yet again, they both knew there was only one way for him to get back. If they were lucky, they might be able to lift his spirits during their visit.
"We're here," Glynda declared as they stopped in front of a makeshift bar. Tucking in her wand, Glynda walked forward and opened the door. Inside she was greeted by a repugnant smell of tobacco, vomit, and the Brothers knew what else. Patrons, both ones she recognized and ones she did not, sat in booths or chairs, drinking away as human and Faunus waitresses served them drinks.
"Uggh, I can't believe anyone drinks this stuff," Peter complained, and Glynda agreed with him. The supply of good, quality alcohol was quite limited post-bottling, forcing many to try their hand at moonshine. The results often weren't pretty, but after a while a few drinkable, if not passable, brews emerged.
That didn't mean they were pleasant to drink, nor smell.
"Found them," Peter whispered, subtly pointing to a booth in the far corner of the room. Glynda followed his hand, finding both Qrow and Taiyang sitting by themselves, nursing bottles of moonshine in their hands. Respectfully, the two teachers made their way over to them, stopping in front of their table. Slowly, the two men turned their heads to regard them with cold, blank expressions. Glynda's heart broke every time she saw it, even after seeing it so many times.
"… So, it'sa that time?" Qrow finally asked. "Ol' Ozzy back up with…him?"
"Unfortunately, yes," Peter answered. Qrow looked at them for a few more moments, then sighed and scooched over to let him sit down. Tai stayed silent, coldly regarding Glynda until he finally found it within himself to scooch over as well. Silently, Glynda sat down, the table descending into a heavy silence.
"Hello, Glyn," a woman greeted. Glynda turned her head to regard a young woman wearing a torn red and black dress. "The usual for you and Peter?"
"Yes, Miltia. Send Junior my regards."
"Of course." Miltiades Malachite dutifully walked back to the bar, quickly coming back with bottles filled with room temperature water. "Be sure to leave the bottle. You break it, you're paying for it."
"I know the rules, Ms. Malachite," Peter reminded her, but the former criminal frowned and pointed at Qrow.
"I was talking to him."
With that, Miltia walked away, leaving the table in silence once again. The four former guardians of Remnant pondered what to say, but none of them felt the urge to speak first. It was almost becoming unbearable, and so Peter cleared his throat with a mighty cough.
"Well, hanging out in a low-brow pub such as this reminds of a time when—" he began, only for Tai to shoot him a look. Taken aback, Peter silenced himself, and Taiyang looked away. The message received, Peter frowned and looked down at the table before taking a swig of his water. It tasted foul, but it had to do.
They then heard a ping inside the bar, followed by the simultaneous clicks of dozens of safeties being switched off. As Glynda turned to face Raven's portal, she saw that every single patron was aiming their guns, both professionally forged and makeshift, at it. More specifically, at the female figure that walked through it. Raven ignored all their hateful glares, knowing they wouldn't do anything.
"Raven," Qrow spat towards his sister, who impassively looked at him from behind her mask. Placing her hand on her hip, she leaned slightly back.
"Hello, brother. Drunk again? Can't say I'm surprised. My, how you have fallen."
"Funny, I could say the same thing to you," Qrow shot back. When Raven merely chuckled at his retort, Qrow shot to his feet, only to stumble torpidly. Peter caught him, shooting Raven a glare as well. Glynda and Taiyang remained silent through it all, staring at Raven with murderous eyes. Although in Tai's case, it was a mixture of complex emotions that Glynda could never hope to fully understand.
"I suggest we calm down," Ozpin suggested. So focused on Raven, Glynda had hardly even noticed Ozpin's arrival, and to her surprise found him to be completely unharmed. Usually he came back with either a haunted expression or a pained limp, but now he seemed almost…joyful.
"Indeed. The last thing I want to do is to hurt my baby brother," Raven stated. She then turned to face the rest of the patrons, who unconsciously flinched back except for Miltia, her sister Melanie Malachite, and Hei 'Junior' Xiong. Smirking under her mask, Raven walked towards them, who stared back with unflinching resolve.
"Get the hell out of my bar," he ordered, and Raven's smirk grew. Lifting her mask atop her head to expose her face, Raven reached over and grabbed a bottle from his shelf, opened it against the counter, and drank it all in one go. When she was finished, she wiped the excess off her mouth and tossed the bottle over her shoulder, the glass shattering against the splintered wood floor.
"As you wish," she mocked, then turned around and walked through the portal she created. It closed behind her, leaving the bar pointing their guns at an empty space. Scowling, Junior holstered his bat-rocket launcher and angrily looked towards Qrow.
"You're paying for that," he stated, and Qrow sighed.
"Just put it on my tab," Qrow said while waving his hand in a circle, but Ozpin shook his head.
"That won't be necessary, Qrow. Junior, I will gladly pay for it," Ozpin stated.
"Don't really care who does, just want it done."
Ozpin nodded, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small Dust crystal fragment. Junior took it, testing the crystal for authenticity, then nodded. Ozpin nodded back, then turned towards his colleagues.
"We're going back to Beacon," he said. "All of us, including you two, Qrow and Tai."
"Hmm?" Qrow hummed, raising an eyebrow. Tai stayed silent, wondering what Ozpin wanted to speak about, but didn't find it in himself to really care. Without saying a word, he rose to his feet alongside his fellow patrons, dropped off a few Dust fragments on the table to pay for his tab alongside Qrow's small pile, and then left.
"Oh, and Peter?" Ozpin asked as they left the building.
"Yes, Ozpin?"
"Have Bart bring James and Winter with him. There's something I need to share with all of you."
They were alive. That was the only thought racing through any of their minds right now. Teams RWBY and JNPR were alive. Not only that, they had somehow managed to escape. Leo's apparent betrayal barely even registered on their minds, even if Ozpin was only 'almost certain' of it.
"Are you sure?" Tai demanded, and Ozpin nodded.
"One-hundred percent."
"You better not be bullshitting me, Oz," Qrow angrily said.
"I'm not, Qrow. Your nieces, along with the rest of teams RWBY and JNPR, are alive. Where they are, I do not know."
"How do we know Brainiac isn't lying?" James asked, running his metallic hand across his beard. His question was an apt one, and it was something that Ozpin himself had been ruminating over ever since that first game.
"He had no reason to lie to me, at least not in this way," Ozpin answered, sitting down on his chair. "For one, the rules of my cooperation were simple and straightforward, not to mention slanted in his favor. Given how Brainiac is a creature of pure logic, it wouldn't make sense to lie at this stage, otherwise my cooperation would be jeopardized."
"Beyond that," Bartholomew Oobleck began to muse, "if he were to lie about teams RWBY and JNPR, it would make more sense to say that they were dead, or at the very least captured. He could have even told you that they had betrayed us, like Raven Branwen and, apparently, Leo Lionheart. No, instead he states that the two teams were not only alive, but instead had escaped. What advantage would he have gained by lying about that?"
"Yes," Peter Port quietly stated, rubbing his hands together, "it appears our captor may have been telling the truth. They escaped."
The teachers sat in silence as they each contemplated the news. Each felt a sense of joyful relief flood their minds, none more so than Taiyang and Qrow. For two months, they had thought the most important people in their lives were dead, but to hear that they managed to escape… The feelings they had couldn't even be put into words.
Ozpin nodded, then stood up and walked to his balcony. "Yes, they're alive. More importantly, out of Brainiac's reach."
"For now," James tersely replied, bringing a frown to all their faces.
"Indeed. I got the sense that was the hidden meaning behind Brainiac's words. They had a sense of…inevitability to them."
"I swear to the Brothers, if he touches her…" Winter darkly muttered, clenching her fists. Glynda, meanwhile, sighed ruefully.
"I can't even imagine what they're going through right now," Glynda said, clenching her hands together. "Eight teenagers, alone on an alien world. Without their friends or family to support them. They must be so scared, so confused."
"Yes…" Ozpin whispered, looking down. A key part of Brainiac's admission was that he didn't know where the two teams had landed after their trip through a Boom Tube. It could have ended very badly for them, but he refused to believe that. He had previously thought that their escape was a miraculous impossibility, but here he stood proclaiming it to his friends and allies as the absolute truth.
"Still, I believe that, wherever they may be, they're in good health and spirits. They've surprised us so far, who's to say they won't again?"
November 4, 6:00 AM
Wayne Manor, Gotham City
Weiss Schnee was roused by beams of sunlight hitting her closed eyes. With a groan, she slowly blinked them open to look at the rest of her team. Unlike her, they were still asleep. Yang was softly snoring, her right arm and leg hanging off the side of the bed while drool dripped down the side of her mouth. Blake, in contrast to her partner, was curled to her side, snuggled under the lush blankets of her bed. Ruby was breathing lightly, her head pointing at the red canopy over her bed. For a moment, Weiss wondered whether she should get out of bed and rouse her teammates, but the bed just felt so nice.
'No. A few more minutes of sleep won't hurt…' Weiss thought to herself as she rolled over so that her back faced the window. With the sun no longer bothering her eyes, Weiss smiled and began to fall back to sleep.
After what seemed like only a few minutes, Weiss heard the door creak open. Frowning, she pulled the covers over her more tightly, trying to drown the noise. All she wanted right now was sleep, not this distraction. Weiss then felt a pressure on her hair, and she swatted the pressure away like an annoying fly. It came again, and with a deeper frown and groan, she swatted the pressure away again.
When it didn't come back, Weiss smiled at her victory. She snuggled in her bed once more, feeling herself fall back to sleep. Then, she felt a new pressure pull against her hair. It was like the faint tug of a rope, coupled with the chattering of solid objects mashing against each other. With a groan, Weiss realized what was happening.
"Ruby…," she began, "stop chewing on my hair…"
"I'm not doing it this time…" Ruby protested, half-asleep.
"Oh. Then who is?" Weiss asked, slightly turning her head. She stared into a pair of deep brown eyes, then nodded.
"Never mind, it's just a cow. Go back to sleep," Weiss said.
"'Kay," Ruby replied, and the room descended into silence once again. Weiss closed her eyes, feeling slumber come back to her.
Her mind then fully comprehended what she had seen, and her eyes shot open. With a start, her body bolted upright, and she turned to look at a large brown and white bovine standing before her bed. The rest of team RWBY had bolted upright as well, and they all stared in absolute bewilderment.
"…"
"…"
"Moo."
"… AAAGH!"
"Now then, Master Damian, you must be polite to our guests," Alfred reminded Damian as he prepared the day's breakfast.
"I know, Alfred," Damian replied with a huff as he sat on a chair. "I'll be nice to father's latest adoptions."
"Damian," Alfred chastised. The two stared at each other, then Damian Wayne sighed and nodded.
"Fine, I'll play nice."
"Thank you, Young Master Damian," Alfred said as he turned back to his cooking. "I'm certain that you and they will get along quite well. Shame you couldn't meet them when they arrived last night."
"I was on patrol, Alfred. Besides, I already met them when Scarecrow attacked again."
"Oh, is that so? And what did you think of them?"
"That they're impulsive and reckless, charging into situations they are not prepared for. Not to mention inexperienced."
"Hmm, reminds me of a young boy trying to impress his father," Alfred replied, causing Damian to frown. Before he could retort, they heard a shrill scream echo across Wayne Manor. Both Alfred and Damian sharply turned their heads towards the source, realizing it came from RWBY's shared room. In an instant, Damian vaulted over the table and sprinted down the hall, Alfred following behind him. His mind raced through the possibilities of what would have caused one of them to scream.
As Alfred turned the corner, hearing shouts, he saw team JNPR's doors wide open. Undoubtedly, they had heard the scream and raced towards their friends, and when he saw Damian rush through RWBY's slightly slanted door, a pit formed in his stomach. Then a new sound graced his ears, causing him to slow down. Was that…laughter?
"What in the world…?" he asked himself as he entered the room. He then immediately got his answer as he saw a furious Weiss being held back by Ruby, Jaune, Blake, and Pyrrha. Ren was trying to use his Semblance on the furious blancette to no avail. Weiss herself was trying to stab Myrtenaster at a large brown-and-white bovine, who was being protected by a furious Damian, while Nora was petting the creature affectionately.
Yang was laughing so hard that tears were coming out of her eyes.
"I WILL KILL THAT THING AND TURN IT INTO A BURGER!"
"YOU TOUCH BAT-COW, AND I WILL STAB YOU!"
"'BAT-COW'?! HAHAHAHA!"
It took another ten minutes to finally calm Weiss down. During that time, the rest of the manor's inhabitants had woken up and had gone to check on the commotion. Their reactions were along the same lines as Yang's, that being unabashed amusement. Some, like Jason, were more content to outwardly display their feelings on the event, while others like Cassandra settled for a wry smile. Still, eventually order was reestablished, and Damian escorted Bat-Cow back to her enclosure.
"Oh man, I haven't laughed that hard in months," Yang admitted as the group settled down in one of the manor's many dining rooms. "Thank you."
"So glad I can be of service," Weiss growled as she drove her fork into an omelet. The former heiress found the dish to be delicious, but right now she was in no mood to give out compliments. When Damian finally came back inside, she glared at him as hard as she could, which he pointedly ignored.
"Bat-Cow's back in her enclosure," he revealed, Yang snickering at the name as he sat down.
"That's good to hear. She wasn't scared, was she?" Ruby asked, her mouth slightly filled with food.
"Not at all," Damian admitted. "I actually think she liked her little exploration."
"'Exploration?'" Weiss asked, causing Damian to turn towards her.
"Yes. Cows are very curious creatures, and it's not my fault you didn't lock your door."
"Oh, I'm sorry. Forgive me for not thinking a cow would waltz into my room at the crack of dawn."
"You're forgiven," Damian stated, causing Weiss to shoot back an offended look while Yang and Ruby stifled their laughter. Weiss looked ready to retort, only for Stephanie Brown to clear her throat.
"My, Damian. You work fast. Making friends already?" she questioned. Damian Wayne lightly glared at her, but the young girl stared back just as hard with a smile on her face. Finally, he relented and sighed.
"Weiss, I…apologize for what happened," he finally said with a slight frown. Weiss stared with slightly lidded eyes at him, then nodded.
"You're forgiven," she replied, going back to her breakfast. "How did she get out, anyway?"
"She broke the lock," Damian answered, causing the Remnantians to stare at him.
"She…broke the lock?" Jaune finally got out, and Damian nodded.
"Yes, she did."
"…How?" Blake asked, only for Stephanie Brown to put her hand on the Faunus' shoulder and shake her head.
"Don't bother asking," Stephanie told Blake. "That cow…she kinda does things."
A moment of silence passed before anyone said anything else, only being broken by Yang shrugging and digging back into her meal. The others took that as their cue to continue their breakfast, and soon the dining room was filled with small conversation.
"Hey, Al?" Yang called out to Alfred as he returned, refilling everyone's drinks. "These eggs are amazing."
"Thank you, Miss Xiao Long," Alfred stated as he poured her another glass of water before turning to refill Ruby's glass of milk.
"So," Pyrrha began, "we didn't get the chance to introduce ourselves last time we met. I'm Pyrrha Nikos, this is my partner and leader, Jaune Arc, and my teammates, Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie."
Ren and Jaune politely waved while Nora did so enthusiastically. The teenage vigilantes nodded in kind, allowing Ruby the chance to introduce herself and her team.
"I'm Ruby Rose. That's my sister, Yang Xiao Long," she pointed to her sister, who smiled and snapped a two-finger wave, "and that's her partner, Blake Belladonna. You've already met my partner, Weiss Schnee."
"Right, Miss Cow-Hair," Jason joked, causing the table to laugh and Weiss to huff. When they calmed down again, Jason started speaking. "I'm Jason Todd. In the field, you can call me Red Hood."
"I'm Stephanie Brown. You can call me Spoiler."
"Tim Drake, the Red Robin."
"I'm Damian Wayne, the true son of the Batman and the current Robin," Damian finished with a hint of haughtiness, causing his predecessors to roll their eyes. He then gestured towards the half-Asian girl sitting next to him. "This is Cassandra Cain, the current Batgirl."
"Pleased to meet you," Ren stated, his friends and teammates following suit. Once introductions were done, the group sat back down to continue eating, but something was on the Verdant Lotus' mind. "Forgive me, but Damian. You said you're the 'current' Robin?"
"That's right," Damian answered while crossing his arms.
"Young Master Damian is actually the fifth Robin," Alfred explained as he reentered the room. "Master Richard was the first, followed by Master Jason, Master Timothy, and finally Miss Stephanie. For almost as long as there's been a Batman, there has been a Robin fighting by his side."
"Oh, like a sidekick," Jaune suggested, only for the assembled Robins to glare at him. "Not that you guys are sidekicks! You're partners!"
"That's better," Stephanie said, half-serious.
"Anyway," Pyrrha continued, wiping some crumbs off the corner of her mouth. "How'd you guys manage to get roped in on this?"
"Oh, that's quite the long tale," Tim declared as he finished his breakfast. "We could spend the next hour going over our origin stories, but I won't bore with you with the details. To summarize, Jason tried to steal the Batmobile's tires but was caught by Bruce, I sought him out directly, Stephanie became Robin to help stop her father, and Damian was—"
"I was born for it," Damian declared with a proud huff, causing Tim to groan.
"There he goes again," Jason muttered under his breath. Damian shot him a glare, but before he could speak again, Alfred stepped back into the room.
"Now then. I'm afraid that since we arrived so late last night, I couldn't properly show you the premises. If you would follow me," he said, gesturing towards the door. Teams RWBY and JNPR nodded before rising out of their seats, the rest of the teenagers doing the same. As they exited the room, Weiss stopped by Alfred with a calm smile on her face, her hands crossed before her waist.
"Mister Pennyworth, I just wanted to thank you for breakfast this morning. It was exquisite," Weiss stated, causing Alfred to smile.
"It's no problem, Miss Schnee. And please, call me Alfred."
Both team RWBY and team JNPR knew that Wayne Manor was big, but it was only after receiving the grand tour that they realized just how big.
"And this," Alfred continued as he led them into the next room, "is Master Bruce's private library. The entire extensive history of the Wayne family, stretching back all the way to the Crusades, is chronicled in this room. You'll find no greater source of knowledge about Gotham's history, as well. When he was younger, Master Bruce loved to spend much of his time here, and I'm certain you will as well."
"I know I will," Blake muttered under her breath as she eyed the impressive collection of fiction and nonfiction books. Yang smiled at her partner's reaction, figuring this would happen, then allowed herself the chance to take in the scenery.
"Whew," she whistled, "gotta say, this is a nice place. Lotta black, though."
"Oh, you'll find that Master Bruce has a particular fondness for that color," Alfred quipped, and Yang cracked a smile. She only knew this butler for less than a day, and already she was beginning to like him.
"Hey, Weiss?" Ruby asked. "You lived in a mansion, right?"
Weiss nodded at Ruby's question. "Yes, I did. My grandfather had it constructed when he made his fortune."
"That's similar to Wayne manor," Alfred said. "It was constructed in the mid-1800s by Alan Wayne and has been the home of the Wayne Family ever since. However, it must be said that the building itself is not the original construction. It has been destroyed several times, most recently about a decade ago during the Darkseid War."
"I keep hearing about how bad that war was," Ren noted with a frown.
"Indeed. I imagine it was quite close to your own personal experiences," Alfred replied, and they nodded. Alfred nodded back in understanding. "Yes, I thought so. You have my condolences, for as much as they're worth."
"Thank you, Alfred," Weiss said with a warm smile. As Alfred Pennyworth led them to the next room, Weiss couldn't help but compare Mayne Manor with Schnee Manor. She found a lot of similarities between them. Both were founded by a wealthy, philanthropic ancestor, Nicholas Schnee and Alan Wayne, respectively, and had housed generations of their families. But that was where the similarities ended. In terms of differences, there was the obvious choice in color scheme. Schnee Manor, at least by her time, had become a pearlescent white and light blue, creating a sense of being above it all, not to mention oppressive in its flawlessness. Wayne Manor, in contrast, was a much earthlier dark, with blacks and browns and reds. It felt lived in, down to earth, whereas Schnee Manor looked as though it considered itself above everyone else.
It was liberating to her.
"And this," Alfred stated, interrupting her thoughts, "is Master Bruce's personal study. Although, to be fair, he doesn't really use it that much. It was mostly used by his father, Thomas. Martha liked to stay in the library, which is why Thomas Wayne had his study located close by."
"Aww," Ruby cooed, then frowned as she fully registered the first part of Alfred's statement. "Oh…"
At once the other huntsmen and huntresses realized what Ruby was silently referring to, then winced. There was a reason why Bruce Wayne didn't use this study that often, and from what they knew of that horrible night, they didn't blame him. They thought about inquiring about the infamous Wayne Family Murders in Park Row, about Crime Alley, but knew it wouldn't be appropriate. Despite it being decades since that night, they could tell that for both Alfred Pennyworth and, without question, Bruce Wayne himself, the wound was still fresh.
Alfred allowed the teenagers to check the room while he continued discussing facets of Thomas and Martha Wayne's former lives. Pyrrha listened intently as she ran her fingers along the wall. It felt rough from the age, telling her that it was well used. Out of curiosity, she decided to reach out with her Semblance. During her time with the Titans, Richard had mentioned the possibility of trying to use her Semblance as an extension of her senses, a thought she remained intrigued by. She wondered if she could feel the support structure of the building, or at least the nails in the wood.
So, it was a surprise to the Crimson Guardian when, in addition to the expected nails and electrical wiring, Pyrrha sensed a series of metal beams stretching into the wall and deep beneath the ground.
"What the…?" she whispered as she ran her finger along the metal's path, trying to find where it ended. The others were too engrossed in their own observations of the study, or in Weiss' case discussing with Alfred the finer details of the Wayne family's history, to notice except for Jaune. With an arched eyebrow, he walked over to Pyrrha to check on her, but before he could get a word in, Pyrrha extended a finger upwards to silence him. She was deep in concentration, and Jaune knew better than to try and interrupt her.
Finally, Pyrrha found herself at a large grandfather clock situated on the far internal wall of the study. Alfred finally noticed her standing in front of it, then walked over.
"Ah, I see you found the grandfather clock. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite work anymore. More of a decorative piece, really," he stated, prompting Pyrrha to look at him strangely.
"Really?" she asked, and Alfred nodded. He then gestured for the group to continue with him, intending to show them the wine cellar in the basement. Jaune followed them, only to stop when he noticed that Pyrrha was still standing in front of the broken clock. He walked back over to her and stood before it.
"… There's something behind there, isn't there?" Jaune asked, and Pyrrha nodded. "Secret door?"
"Probably," Pyrrha admitted with a gleeful smile on her face. "Oh, I hope it's a puzzle!"
Jaune chuckled and patted her shoulder. "So… Wanna try and figure it out?"
Pyrrha looked at her leader, then smiled.
"And finally, we have the back patio," Alfred finished their tour of the premises. In the distance, the teenagers could see a small farm with a few animals located within, including the same cow who had managed to sneak into RWBY's room to take a bite out of Weiss' hair. She frowned towards the bovine, who seemed to stare right back at her. It tellingly bit into some straw while still staring at her, and Weiss scrunched her eyes.
"Oh, I'm watching you, Bat-Cow," Weiss declared with utter seriousness, causing Yang to chuckle.
"You know, I have to ask, what's the deal with, hrk, Bat-Cow?" Yang asked, and Alfred smiled.
"Master Damian brought her home one day while coming back from patrol," Alfred answered. "Apparently, he chased some criminals to a slaughterhouse they were using as a front. Damian rescued Bat-Cow from there and, on that day, declared Bat-Cow to be his and that he was now a vegetarian."
"Aw," Nora cooed as she smiled and waved towards the bovine. She then turned around to look at Alfred, only pausing as she finally noticed something was off. Narrowing her eyes, she tallied up each person present, only to find that they were two short.
"Hey, where's Jaune and Pyrrha?" she asked, causing the others to look at her in confusion. When they noticed that Jaune and Pyrrha were indeed missing, they swiveled their heads around to try and find them.
"They were right behind me…" Ruby noted as she continued to try and find them. Weiss' eyes then widened, and she sighed.
"They're still at that clock, aren't they?" Weiss asked. The others thought back, and a chorus of 'ohs' passed through the air.
"Pyrrha was interested in that clock," Ren remembered, then looked at Alfred. "Is there a reason for that?"
"Well," Alfred began, rubbing his hand over the top of his glove. "Yes, but Master Bruce had instructed me that—"
"I GOT IT!" They heard Pyrrha shout jubilantly from the study's window. "I KNEW IT, THERE'S A SECRET DOOR!"
The others looked up at the window in question, then back at Alfred with pointed stares. With a sigh, Alfred beckoned them back into Wayne Manor.
"Well, Master Bruce wanted to show you this himself, but I suppose we can go down early."
"Go down? Down to where?" Blake asked as they followed the butler, but Alfred only smiled.
When they finally reunited with Jaune and Pyrrha, they were greeted by what could only be described as an organized mess. Neatly stacked piles of papers and books were placed into distinct groups, organized by subject. They were able to recognize a few common themes, namely Gotham and Wayne Family histories.
"We were gone for only thirty minutes…" Blake muttered before they finally saw the beaming look on Pyrrha' face. Jaune was next to her, giving an embarrassed shrug.
"Well," Alfred began, looking at the mess before him, "at the very least you kept it organized. Thank you for making my job easier, Miss Nikos."
At once, the proud smile on Pyrrha's face disappeared as she finally realized what she had done. An embarrassed blush overtook her, and she frantically began to apologize.
"Alfred, I am so-!"
"Pyrrha, it's fine. Trust me," Alfred interjected, causing Pyrrha to silence herself. The butler then turned to the nearest stack, saw it was a chronicle of Gotham's history, then nodded. "So, before we clean this up, mind telling me what you were doing?"
"Oh, well, um…" Pyrrha began, "I used my Semblance to scan the walls. I was trying to see the supports, but instead I saw a metal structure behind the clock. Jaune and I figured it was a secret passage, and…"
"And you wanted to open it, is that it?" Alfred finished for her, and Pyrrha slowly nodded. Alfred took another look at the mess, and Jaune scrunched his face and stepped forward.
"The mess is my fault," he admitted. "I had the idea that there'd be some clues around here that could help us."
"Did that help?" Alfred asked, genuinely curious and slightly impressed.
"Not really." Jaune sheepishly scratched his cheek. "In the end, Pyrrha used her Semblance again and happened upon the right combination of the clock hands."
At Jaune's admission, the two teams looked at the clock in question. It had been separated from the wall, revealing that Pyrrha was correct in that there was, indeed, a secret passageway leading underground. A few lights lined the rocky walls, but a curve prevented them from seeing all the way down. They then looked at the clock's face, and saw it was set to '10:47'. Something about that time seemed significant, but for the life of them they couldn't see why. Alfred, however, did know its importance and frowned. He then sighed and rubbed his arm.
"… That's when it happened, isn't it?" Nora quietly asked. A heavy silence descended over the group, and after a while Alfred ruefully nodded.
"Yes." His simple statement sucked the air out of the room. Pyrrha frowned, feeling shame course through her, only to feel Alfred's hand gently clasp her shoulder. "Please don't feel upset, Pyrrha. You didn't know. If anything, I think Master Bruce will be impressed that you managed to figure it out, then modify the entrance to ensure no one else can figure it out like you did."
"O… Of course," Pyrrha nodded. Alfred smiled and patted her shoulder, then they all began the process of cleaning up the mess. Once they were finished, he beckoned them to follow.
"Come now, this is the final room," he revealed as he entered the secret passageway. Alfred waited at the threshold, and one after another the eight Remnantians made their way past him. Once everyone was inside, Alfred closed the door behind them. They heard heavy locks clamp shut behind them and waited for Alfred to take the lead once again.
As they continued down the tunnel, the only sound they heard was their feet pounding against rock. Eventually, however, natural rock gave way to metal. The tunnel soon ended at a grated elevator, large enough for all of them to stand comfortably inside. Alfred opened it, allowing the teenagers to step inside. After closing the grate, he pulled a lever, and the elevator began its rapid descent.
"As we go down," Alfred explained, "a bit of history. You see, Wayne Manor had been constructed over a large cave network, which the Wayne Family utilized as part of the Underground Railroad to help escaped slaves hide from their pursuers."
Blake felt her respect for the Wayne Family rise exponentially upon hearing that, as did the rest of the huntsmen and huntresses, but respectfully allowed Alfred to continue.
"For many years after that, the caves went unused, eventually becoming home to a large colony of bats. At one time, these bats frightened Master Bruce when he was a young child, but they eventually became an inspiration. Just as bats frightened him, he would take the symbol of the bat to frighten his enemies and the criminals who not only took his parents from him, but who continued to plague Gotham City."
The elevator stopped, and teams RWBY and JNPR stepped out into the cave. They gasped in wonder as they saw not a large natural formation, but instead a mixture of metal and machines interwoven into the rocky outcrops. Parked on a circular platform was the Batmobile, currently undergoing maintenance. Above it, housed in a specialized hangar, was the Batwing. Along one of the walls was a glass collection of various Batsuits and Robin outfits. A series of artifacts were stationed on pedestals all around the cave, serving as trophies of past victories. A few that stood out were a large t-rex that was positioned in a proud roar to the heavens, and a giant penny next to an equally giant joker playing card. Along the back wall, stationed at the top of a wide flight of stairs, sat one of the largest computers they had ever seen. Its screen was blank except for the lone Batsymbol standing in its center.
"RWBY, JNPR, I welcome you to the Batcave."
The group spent the next thirty minutes checking every nook and cranny of the Batcave, while Alfred briefly left to pick up the mess upstairs. The former huntsmen-and-huntresses-in-training found it impressive, both in terms of how it seamlessly meshed with the natural landscape as well as its utility. They also found it to be cool, which Yang, Nora, Ruby, and Jaune were far more willing to admit than the rest.
"How did you guys build this?" Weiss asked as she inspected Bruce's collection of past suits. "There's no way all of this went unnoticed."
"It's not like we built it all at one time," Alfred replied as he stood in front of Bruce's very first Batsuit, a simple one made of black and dark grey cloth. "What you see now is the result of many years of construction between Master Bruce and me. Once the Young Masters arrived, they too helped to expand it to its current state."
"Ah, that makes more sense," Weiss admitted with a nod. She had wondered how Bruce Wayne could have built all this underground without anyone saying anything, but if they slowly expanded it from a base over many years, it would be easier to hide it. If there was one thing she had learned about Bruce Wayne, the Batman, since her arrival on Earth, it was that he was very secretive, not to mention paranoid.
She briefly frowned and bit her lip, thinking of a dark possibility, but threw the thought to the back of her head. Weiss then turned back to face the rest of the cave, folding her arms in front of her waist.
"I'm curious," she started. "What was the first thing installed here?"
"That," Alfred answered while pointing to the large computer. Weiss saw Nora trying to mess with it, but Ren was holding her back. "Cutting edge technology, some of the finest Wayne Enterprises has ever produced, actually."
"What's it called?"
"That depends." Alfred chuckled. "When we first installed it, the computer was simply the GCD, standing for 'Gotham Crime Database.' But, when Master Richard was adopted and started his training, he started calling it the 'Batcomputer'. As you can see, it stuck."
"The 'Batcomputer'?" Yang called out with a loud laugh, currently inspecting the Batmobile alongside Ruby. Alfred nodded, and Yang laughed harder. "Seriously, is everything bat-themed with this guy? First the Batmobile, then the Batwing, now the Batcomputer? What's next, the Batboat? Batcycle? BatOS?"
"All named by Master Richard," Alfred responded. Yang laughed again, while Weiss shook her head. She wasn't surprised Dick had named them as such, given how young he was. Still, the fact was that Dick had left Bruce behind years ago, yet he continued the tradition of naming his equipment after bats. Weiss smiled at that thought, thinking it was sweet, but any further thoughts were broken when they heard the elevator begin to descend. They all turned their attention towards it and saw Bruce, Jason, Stephanie, Cassandra, and Damian coming down it. Bruce had a slightly stern look on his face, which was matched by Damian, while Stephanie and Jason just looked smug. Cassandra's stoic face, however, was impossible to read.
"Ah, Master Bruce," Alfred greeted them with a slight bow. "Apologies for the early arrival, but Miss Nikos and Mister Arc happened to chance upon the clock entrance."
"I figured," Bruce answered, having considered this possibility.
"Regardless," he continued as he walked to the center of the Batcave, "we were coming down here eventually, even if this is sooner than I had wanted."
"Any reason for that?" Yang asked, crossing her arms.
"I haven't yet fully adjusted the training courses for you all yet," Bruce answered. "They wouldn't be ready for a few more hours. Also, I had wanted you all to acclimate to your new setting a bit longer."
The Remnantians thought it over for a moment, then nodded in acceptance. They waited for Bruce to continue as he folded his arms behind his back and began to pace.
"Your home is very nice, Mr. Wayne," Ruby said with a warm smile. Bruce looked at her for a moment, then stoically nodded in thanks.
"Thank you for having us," Pyrrha added. "Sorry for the mess."
"No need to apologize," Bruce insisted. "In fact, I commend you on your initiative as well as exposing a weakness in my home's security. That will not happen again."
"Of course," Pyrrha replied. Bruce then began to pace, addressing all his charges.
"Still, I might as well take the opportunity to address my expectations," Bruce began. "As the League member in charge of your training and development, I intend to push all of you towards the limits of your potential. Once we reach those limits, we will then try to push past even them."
The huntsmen-and-huntresses-in-training grew excited as Bruce continued to speak. Although the Batman may not be the most powerful League member, they couldn't deny his skill as a crimefighter. The footage they saw of his many fights, including his actions during Scarecrow's attacks, had impressed them all deeply. That had only further increased when they saw the fruits of his labors with Nightwing, a man whom they all deeply respected as fighter, leader, and friend.
"What can we expect?" Pyrrha asked, raising her hand. Bruce nodded as he turned his head to address her.
"Everything," he answered. "Not just fighting skills, but also mental faculties, strength and endurance training, how to cover your various weakness, and more. I have also taken the liberty of enrolling you all in online courses from Gotham University so that you can continue your actual education."
"You did?" Jaune asked, slightly surprised. "Wait, is that why we had to take those tests back at Titans Tower?"
"Yes," Bruce immediately answered. "Given how Beacon Academy doesn't officially exist on Earth, I couldn't pull your records from there. Luckily, you all placed at the collegiate level, even you Ruby."
Ruby blushed with slight embarrassment as she muttered a thanks, but Bruce continued.
"Although I wanted to delay your training a while longer, if you are up to it, we can start now."
"I see no reason why not," Yang replied with a shrug. "Besides, the earlier we start, the better right?"
"Yeah, I agree with Yang!" Nora exclaimed excitedly, slightly bouncing up and down. The rest of the two teams quickly joined in their affirmations, and Bruce let out a ghost of a smile.
"Good. Now then, let's split you off into groups."
Ruby eyed Cassandra Cain curiously as she and the younger girl walked over to the training mat. As they faced each other, Ruby turned to face Bruce, who was watching over them intently. Weiss was also standing next to him, keeping a close eye on her partner.
"So, um, Mr. Wayne?" Ruby asked with a small wave.
"Yes, Ruby?" he responded, tapping a few buttons on a pad.
"What exactly am I doing down here?"
"We're working on your hand-to-hand combat while your weapon is being reconstructed," he answered, causing Ruby to nod.
"Ah." She then scratched her cheek, but before she could ask another question, Weiss beat her to the punch.
"Let's face it, Ruby. Without your weapon, you're at a significant disadvantage. More so than the rest of us," Weiss flat out declared. Ruby pouted at her partner, only to slightly deflate when Bruce nodded. Not only that, so did the rest of her team, at least the ones who had overheard their discussion. She thought back, then sighed as she found herself agreeing with their assessment.
"Weiss is correct," Bruce continued. "It's why I'm having you and Cassandra spar against each other. Cassandra's an expert in body reading, and she'll be able to help you considerably."
"Oh, okay," Ruby replied as she turned to face Cassandra yet again. The young Batgirl was stretching, prompting Ruby to quickly do the same. Wanting to lighten the mood, Ruby decided to strike up a conversation. "So, thanks for sparring against me."
Cassandra said nothing, however she did nod in acknowledgement. Happy at her progress, Ruby continued her stretching, then readied herself. As much as it pained her to admit it, Ruby knew that she was terrible at hand-to-hand. Still, she didn't want to make herself look bad, and so she looked to Yang for guidance.
"Don't think I'll go easy on you," Ruby said with a smile, emulating her sister. Cassandra smirked back, then lowered herself.
"Are you ready?" Bruce asked. Ruby, leaning forward, nodded. Bruce looked towards Cassandra, who nodded as well. "Begin."
"Alright!" Ruby shouted as she ran towards Cassandra, who kept herself low to the ground. The Red Reaper continued her advance, rearing her fist back to throw the first punch. With a shout, she thrust her arm forward, aiming for Cassandra's face.
Just as her arm moved, however, Cassandra reacted. The Batgirl dodged the attack effortlessly, then pivoted her body to grab onto Ruby's outstretched arm. Using the older girl's momentum, Cassandra lifted Ruby off the ground and flipped her. Ruby was slammed into the ground with enough force to knock the air out of her lungs, and Cassandra flipped back to give her some breathing room.
"Wha-what just…?" Ruby wondered as she pushed herself off the ground.
"You were too obvious," Bruce answered, cutting her off. "You were also holding yourself back. I encourage you not to. Trust me, she can handle it."
Ruby shot a look towards Bruce then back towards Cassandra. Again, the young girl had a stoic look on her face, yet it now held a semblance of smug satisfaction in it. Ruby narrowed her eyes, then leaned forward yet again.
"Again," Bruce ordered, and at once Ruby shot forward towards Cassandra. This time, she used a bit of her Semblance to enhance her speed, hoping that would give her the edge. Throwing another punch, this time it was a feint as she quickly shifted towards throwing her other arm. To Ruby's surprise, however, Cassandra reacted to her feint instantly, grabbing Ruby's arm and sending it down. Before Ruby could even react, Cassandra added Ruby's momentum to her own, elbowing the huntress in the face and sending her reeling back. As Ruby stumbled, Cassandra kneed Ruby's stomach, making her double over. Cassandra allowed herself to fall back, grabbing hold of Ruby's arms and using her legs to push Ruby with her, turning her fall into a roll that ended with Ruby pinned to the ground beneath her. Once again, Ruby was stunned into silence before trying to move once again, but Cassandra kept her pinned to the ground.
"That's enough," Bruce stated. At once, Cassandra leapt off Ruby. The Red Reaper, breathing heavily, rose to her feet in obvious confusion, wondering just how that happened. She turned towards Bruce, only to find a smug Damian standing next to him.
"Cassandra and I were trained by the League of Shadows since birth," Damian answered. "There, it was either kill your opponent first or be killed."
"… What?" Ruby asked, horrified by Damian's admission. She then looked toward Bruce, who sighed and nodded his head.
"Damian, I told you that your and Cassandra's training was the exception, not the rule," Stephanie chastised. "And why do you sound so smug about it?"
"What, I can't be proud of surviving years of absolute hell?" Damian shot back. "I know how bad their methods are, and I wouldn't repeat them on anyone, but they still turned me and Cassandra into highly effective fighters. You can't deny the results."
"Can't deny they turned you into a little shit, too," Jason muttered.
"What was that, Todd?!"
"You heard me."
Damian growled, only for Bruce to place a hand on Damian's shoulder. This placated the young boy, who grumbled and crossed his arms.
"Although he could have worded it better," Bruce began, "Damian is right. Both he and Cassandra received their training from the League of Shadows during their childhood."
"Aren't those guys eco-terrorists?" Yang asked, and Bruce nodded.
"They are," Damian answered with a frown. "In fact, Ra's al Ghul is my grandfather."
"Your grandfather?" Weiss asked, clearly surprised. She then looked closer at Damian, seeing a hit of Asian and Middle-Eastern features in his appearance, then looked back at Bruce. "Who was the mother?"
Bruce suddenly looked slightly uncomfortable, looking slightly to the side. "His mother is Talia al Ghul, Ra's' daughter. She and I had a…romantic liaison at one time."
Yang narrowed her eyes at how he worded that. Alarm bells were ringing in her head, along with a disgusted pit forming in her stomach. She couldn't help but note the conflicted look on his face, one that she saw before on her dad regarding her mother. Given how Damian was now with Bruce while Talia was nowhere to be seen…
Suddenly, Yang didn't like this Talia person.
"In any case," Bruce quickly shifted topics again, "Cassandra was also trained by the League, only hers was far more extensive. Her father was more focused on turning her into the ultimate assassin, and not actually raising her as a proper child. He never taught her to speak nor how to read, only how to fight and read her opponents' body language, an effort in which he succeeded far too well with."
"Gods…" Pyrrha muttered in horror as she visualized Cassandra's childhood. Sure, huntsmen and huntresses often trained since they were young, but even then, they were sure to keep a proper childhood. It didn't sound like Cassandra had one at all. The Crimson Guardian then looked at Cassandra, who stoically stared back at her and nodded.
"It's how she was able to beat Ruby," Damian continued, walking up to them and placing a comforting hand on Cassandra's shoulder. "Even if her training was monstrous and evil, her ability to read body language is second to none. She saw your movements before you could even think of finishing them and reacted accordingly. Ultimately, you didn't stand a chance."
"Which is why she was the perfect sparring partner for you," Bruce continued. "That's enough for now from you, Ruby. Go ahead and work on remaking Crescent Rose."
"Let me help you with that, Ruby," Jason offered as Ruby made her way out of the training ground.
"Nah, I got it. Gonna make my baby myself," Ruby insisted, and Jason nodded.
"I can respect that. Still, I have to do some maintenance myself, so I'll join you."
Seeing the discussion was over, the rest of the group prepared to turn back towards what they were doing before, only for Bruce to speak up again.
"Jaune, you're next," Bruce stated, causing Jaune to suddenly pale. Slowly, the boy turned towards Cassandra, who had an evil look in her eye as though she were a predator spying her next prey. He took a gulp, then walked over to face her.
"… Just so you're aware, what you're about to do to me? It isn't special," he stated, and Cassandra smirked. Then, all he knew was pain.
Yang grunted as she lifted the weight press with all her strength. Her face had long since turned red, and veins were bulging from her forehead. With a wordless shout, she pushed the weight as high as she could, straining her body to its limits until finally Tim Drake shut the machine off. Yang breathed raggedly as she switched positions, hanging her feet off the side of the machine and sitting upright. Tim, his attention still on the readout screen, tossed her a water bottle, which Yang deftly caught and began to greedily drink.
"Not too fast," Tim cautioned as Yang stopped herself. With a satisfied gasp, Yang closed the bottle and placed it on the table next to her, then looked at Tim.
"I know," she said as she rose to her feet, her muscles screaming at her. "How much was that?"
"Twenty-one tons," Tim answered with an impressed whistle. "New record, too."
Yang flashed a smile, then groaned as a slight pain shot through her upper back. She gently grasped it, maneuvering herself to sit on a nearby table, then looked back up at Tim.
"Yeah, think I'm done lifting weights today," she admitted, and Tim nodded back.
"Figured," he admitted while pulling up a chair to sit next to her. For the next few minutes, the two sat in silence as Yang recovered, feeling her Aura work its magic on her. "You know, have to admit. I'm a little jealous of your Aura."
"Aw, really?" Yang cooed teasingly. Tim smirked, knowing she wasn't serious, and he leaned back.
"Yep. I mean, having the power of your soul at your fingertips to heal or strengthen you sounds really useful. Kinda wish I had something like that."
"Yeah, Aura's pretty cool," Yang replied, resting her head on her hands while leaning back. "You know, have to admit. Before I arrived on Earth, never gave much thought to where Aura came from. I just took it for granted. But, now that I'm here where people don't have it… Really puts things into perspective."
"Mmhmm," Tim grunted with a nod. He then looked at Yang, who was watching her team conduct their training. Ruby was still working on Crescent Rose 2.0, as she had been tentatively calling it. Obviously, the name, like her weapon, was still a work in progress. Her sister wouldn't let her see what, exactly, she had planned for it, however. Whatever it turned out to be, Yang knew it would be overcomplicated and awesome at the same time.
"So," Tim started, cutting into her thoughts, "Victor told me you started flight lessons?"
"Oh, yeah," Yang replied, looking back at him.
"Cool. Being able to fly's a good skill to have," Tim admitted with a nod. "Luckily, we have a flight simulator. Wanna try it out?"
"Sure!" Yang declared with a smile as she rose to her feet. Tim smiled back as he led her over to the machine in question.
"By the way," Tim began as he opened the compartment door, "try not to crash it into any buildings."
"That was only one time!" Yang protested with an embarrassed blush, causing Tim to laugh.
Ruby worked diligently, the tip of her tongue poking out the corner of her mouth. A welding mask was covering her face, protecting her eyes from the welding torch's light and intense heat. Beside her sat Jason Todd, helping to assemble the right pieces for her weapon.
"Bolt," Ruby requested, holding out her hand with the palm facing upwards.
"Here," Jason replied, handing Ruby the piece. Ruby took it and placed it into her weapon, ratcheting it into place and moving on. Jason took the moment to glance over at Ruby's work, eyeing the schematics and various parts lying about the workbench.
He had to admit, he was impressed. Ruby had clearly taken Crescent Rose's destruction to heart and designed a heap of upgrades to compensate for it. And now that they had unlimited resources thanks to Bruce's direct support, she could afford much more advanced materials. The list of upgrades was extensive, mostly small and subtle. Lighter materials, better rifling, and other upgrades along those lines. From what he could see, the primary upgrades were in the blade and construction. Before, Crescent Rose was made from a titanium-steel alloy mix, with Dust fused within during the forging process. Now however, Ruby had constructed the main weapon out of depleted promethium alloyed with titanium and vanadium. It was nearly indestructible.
'Like to see anyone crush that,' he thought as he turned his attention to the blade. As he expected, Ruby had replaced it with Nth Metal, having grown fond of its many functionalities. Jason suspected that its anti-magical properties was the prime focus of her attention.
Still, the fact remained that they were only just getting started on reconstructing Crescent Rose. It would be days before it would be completed according to Ruby's standards, and something told him they couldn't wait that long. That was why he was focusing his attention on making Ruby a secondary weapon, one that would serve for close-quarters combat: a pistol, similar in design to his own yet with a distinct 'Ruby' touch to it.
"Hey," Ruby spoke up again, shaking Jason from his thoughts. "Thanks for helping me with this."
"Don't mention it," Jason said, going back to his work. "I'm just happy to have another person in this house who can appreciate guns."
Ruby nodded, then went back to her work. As she assembled another component, she looked to her side and saw that Pyrrha was now sparring against Cassandra Cain. The young girl was holding her own against the champion, giving Pyrrha a run for her money. Part of Ruby wanted Pyrrha to kick Cassandra's butt, but she was better than that.
"Gaagh!" she heard Yang grunt from inside the flight simulator. Ruby chuckled, knowing that Yang must have 'crashed' again. It happened more times than she liked to admit, but Yang was slowly getting better and better. Ruby was happy for her sister, both at her progress and at her desire to learn new things.
That thought caused her to frown and rub the space below her eyes. Pursing her lips, she thought about where her silver-eyes came from. No one was more surprised than she was at the revelation her eyes had special powers, so when she wasn't working on training or Crescent Rose 2.0, she was thinking about them. Often, she thought about them while doing her other activities.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Jason suddenly asked, causing Ruby to jump slightly in surprise. The Red Hood chuckled as Ruby blushed in slight embarrassment, then calmed herself and looked around the Batcave. Placing her tools on the workbench, she placed them on her lap and looked towards Jason, who had done the same.
"You're thinking about your eyes again?" Jason suggested, and Ruby nodded.
"Yeah. I, uh… can't really help it, you know?" Ruby admitted.
"I can see that. God knows how I'd feel if I suddenly found out I had powers, and I came back from the dead."
"I know, and… Wait, you what?" Ruby asked in surprise.
"I came back from the dead," Jason answered nonchalantly.
"… How?"
"Killed by the Joker, and Ra's al Ghul threw my body into a Lazarus Pit afterwards which brought me back. Kinda went nuts for a while."
"You seem awfully calm about that."
"Look, it happened. No use wallowing in it." Jason waved his hand around haphazardly, then pointed his index finger at Ruby. "Let's get back to you."
Ruby looked at him for a long pause, then sighed. "Fine. It's just…I have so many questions about them. Why are my eyes like this? How come I only found out about them now? Where were the other silver-eyed warriors, and how come their powers weren't more well-known? Why isn't there any knowledge about them outside of legends?"
"Yeah," Jason grunted, "that seems mighty suspicious to me. You said that Ozpin likely knew, right?"
"He called attention to my eyes the first time we met," Ruby recalled. "Didn't think much of it then, and it could've just been a reference to the myth, but now…"
"Maybe he knew exactly what he was referring to," Jason finished, and Ruby nodded. Jason nodded back, then rubbed his chin. "Hmm, obviously he didn't teach you anything about them if he did know the truth. To me, that implies one of several things. One, he knew about them, but not how they worked."
"That's what Weiss figured," Ruby stated. "Pyrrha also suggested that maybe he did know about them, he just wanted me to learn how to fight without it before teaching me."
"Smart. Last thing anyone needs is a crutch," Jason declared, then his expression grew darker. "There's also a…darker possibility. Not towards him but…something else."
"What do you mean?" Ruby asked, tilting her head.
"I mean, those eyes were rare for a reason, and I don't think it's just because of genetics. That story you guys shared about the Silver-Eyed Warriors told of an emperor wanting their powers for himself. What if that wasn't just figurative?"
"You mean…someone may have hunted them down?" A pit began to form in Ruby's stomach, which deepened when Jason slowly nodded.
"It's a possibility. Either to control them or…eliminate them."
Narrowing her eyes, Ruby stared into Jason's. "Do you think Ozpin was doing that?"
"No." Jason shook his head. "From how you described him, I think it's more likely he may have been trying to protect you. Question is, from whom?"
Ruby thought hard about the possibility, but her mind came up blank. "I don't know," she admitted. "Criminals, most likely."
"Probably," Jason agreed, then turned back to his work. "Still, I think it's obvious learning how to control your eyes is important. Once we figure out how, of course."
"Oh, obviously. I mean, I have eye-beams. That's too cool to be ignored."
Jason laughed. "True that!"
Ruby smiled, then the two gunsmiths went back to work.
Blake crouched low to the ground on the balls of her feet, staring at the obstacle course before her. Behind her, she could hear her opponent's faint breathing, feel his warm breath hitting her back. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end.
'Of course, he had one, too,' Blake grumbled to herself as she shifted from side to side.
"Ready?" Stephanie Brown asked, and Blake nodded. Stephanie then raised her hand, paused, then shot it down as fast as she could. "Go!"
Blake took off as fast as she could, sprinting down the passageway. She heard her pursuer but didn't allow herself to glance back. Deciding to get to higher ground, Blake scaled the wooden beams in a series of jumps. At the height of her ascent, she grabbed hold of a horizontal pole and used it to swing her body forward, the momentum carrying her to a higher platform. Blake allowed herself to smirk, only to hear her pursuer yet again.
Frowning, Blake dove the side, using her agility to deftly maneuver herself through a tight space between platforms. Sliding underneath a lowered block, Blake moved with the momentum to shoot back up to her feet, continuing her stride. She saw the exit to the obstacle course, and part of Blake wanted to sprint straight towards it. But she knew her opponent wanted that so that he could catch her off guard.
So, she slid to a halt, creating a shadow clone at the same time that continued its momentum further a fair distance. As she waited, she watched her clone continue forward, wondering where he would strike from. But no attack came, and the shadow-clone dissipated on its own. Furrowing her brow, Blake tentatively continued, keeping her eyes and ears peeled for any sign of movement. When no attack came, she allowed herself to sigh, thinking that she had lost him.
That feeling disappeared when a large shadow leaped down towards her. Without thinking, Blake formed another shadow-clone, intending for it to take the blow in her place while she sprinted away. Instead, to her surprise, her opponent leaped off the shadow-clone like a platform, allowing him to land on Blake's back and pin her to the ground. Lying on her back, Blake stared up into a snarling maw, its fangs barred towards her, then sighed.
"Alright Ace, you got me," Blake finally said. At once, the snarling stopped, and Ace got off Blake and stepped back a few paces. The black-furred Great Dane sat down calmly, a far cry from his earlier disposition. Blake eyed him warily, staring into his eyes while Ace did the same. Silence descended over both of them, only broken by a low bark.
"No," Blake declared with a shake of her head, but Ace was persistent and barked again. "No, I'm not doing it."
"Blake, just do it. He's not going to stop until you do," Weiss insisted.
"You're only saying that because you love him."
"How could you not? Look at that sweet little face! And he's so well behaved, too! Ace is a perfect gentleman!"
"Urgh," Blake groaned, rubbing the bridge of her nose. 'Weiss and dogs, I swear…'
Reluctantly, Blake looked back up at Ace the Bat-Hound one last time. To her resignation, Ace had inched himself closer to the Faunus, and so with a sigh she reached out and scratched him behind his ears. She heard his tail thump against the ground while he leaned his head further into her hand. A faint smile stretched across her face, but she quickly forced it away.
"I'm done," Blake insisted as she rose to her feet and walked over to the exit. "Ren, you're up."
"I'm already at the starting position," Ren revealed. Blake nodded, then walked over to the viewing platform while Ace went to join Ren. Weiss momentarily regarded Blake with a nod, then went back to focusing her attention onto Ren and Ace.
"You're popular with dogs," Weiss stated with a smirk. "First Zwei, now Krypto and Ace."
"Don't remind me," Blake ordered, half-serious. Weiss only smiled, then turned back to the obstacle course. Stephanie stood on a platform behind Ren, holding Ace by his collar. Once Ren insisted he was ready, Stephanie started the course, allowing Ren a few seconds to gain some space before releasing Ace behind him.
"Yeah, go Renny!" Nora cheered excitedly. Weiss and Blake remained stoic as they watched their friend navigate the obstacle course, Ace chasing after him. From the outside, Blake was able to see how Ace managed to outmaneuver her, and she had to admit it was impressive.
"He is well trained," she admitted.
"I know!" Weiss cooed with a light squeal, and Blake sighed yet again.
November 7, 6:00 PM
Batcave, Wayne Manor
Gotham City
It had been several days since teams RWBY and JNPR had started their direct training with the Batman and his adopted proteges. It reminded them, somewhat, of training under Glynda Goodwitch during combat class. After spending more time with him, the earlier comparisons they made between the two seemed all the more compelling.
At the present moment, Bruce was having both teams practice martial arts katas on wooden practice dummies, while he himself performed the actions they copied. They had been doing this for several hours, and by now all of them had beads of sweat coursing down their bodies. Parts of them wanted to stop and take a rest, but they refused to submit and kept on going.
"Master Bruce?" Alfred called out as he came out of the elevator. Bruce stopped and turned to face him, motioning for the others to continue what they were doing previously.
"Yes, Alfred?" Bruce asked, and Alfred held out a small slip of paper.
"A letter from Lucius," Alfred revealed. Bruce took the paper and opened it, silently reading its contents. A frown crossed his face, and he turned to give it back to Alfred.
"Tell him I won't be able to attend," Bruce told his longtime butler, but Alfred shook his head.
"This gala is being hosted by Wayne Enterprises. It would be unseemly for Mr. Wayne to not attend," Alfred stated. "As much as I love you going out at night to beat criminals to a pulp, I'm afraid that tonight might not be the best night for it."
"What's going on?" Stephanie asked as she finished performing her latest kata, turning towards Bruce with a curious expression. Bruce groaned, while Alfred shot her a wry smile.
"Master Bruce has a party he has to attend tonight, and he's pouting about it."
"Oh, poor baby," Yang joked, only to straighten herself when Bruce looked at her. Without him even saying a word, Yang sighed and dropped down to begin performing push-ups. Ruby chuckled at her older sister's predicament, then focused her attention on Bruce. He was insisting to Alfred that he would simply stop by for a few minutes then sneak out, but Alfred was equally insistent that he had to stay in public view the entire night. Ruby wondered whether that was actually true or if Alfred simply wanted him to take the night off. She could understand that sentiment. Bruce had been working himself pretty hard the past couple nights, chasing down leads. On the other hand, she'd never consider being stuck in a fancy party "relaxing". Maybe she and Batman had that in common?
"Fine," Bruce finally acquiesced with a reluctant groan, while Alfred smiled victoriously. At this, the teenagers stopped and turned to face the Batman, who was rubbing the back of his head. Sensing how everyone was now watching him, Bruce turned towards them with narrowed eyes. Ruby looked back with a determined expression, telling him all he needed to know.
"Alright, training's done for the day," Bruce declared as he walked away. "I want everyone suited up."
The superheroes nodded, then quickly made their way to the assorted changing rooms scattered around the Batcave. Alfred handed Bruce a neatly pressed black suit and tie, which Bruce took and changed into. Soon enough, all of his proteges and the members of teams RWBY and JNPR were standing before him, all wearing their super suits. He noted that Jaune didn't have Crocea Mors on him, instead using a simple replacement sword Damian had loaned to him.
"So," Yang began, "what's the plan?"
Bruce said nothing as he walked over to the Batcomputer, booting it up and selecting a single folder.
"Ever since Scarecrow's attack, Gotham's crime rate has increased exponentially," he revealed, showing scenes of various crimes that had taken place in the city. "That was to be expected, as is normally the case after a large supervillain attack. Batgirl, Red Hood, Red Robin, Spoiler and I have been working to contain it while also investigating the source of Scarecrow's attack. We've narrowed down our leads."
"And they are?" Pyrrha asked, sitting down on a chair while resting her head on her hand. Batman brought up one file from within the folder, revealing the mugshot of a crazed man with short red hair.
"Edward Nygma, also known as the Riddler," Bruce revealed. "Former GCPD forensic scientist with an ego to match his intelligence. Obsessed with riddles and performing convoluted plans utilizing them to prove his superiority over others."
"What's the Riddler have to do with Scarecrow?" Red Hood asked.
"Enigma, Nygma's personally designed operating system," Bruce answered. "Oracle found that it formed the core of the bombs' trigger mechanisms, as well as their internal communications. The fact that Crane had it is suspect."
"You think he sold it to them?" Weiss suggested, and Bruce nodded.
"It seems likely." Bruce then turned towards Damian, who was sitting next to Ruby and Weiss. "Damian, I want you, Ruby, and Weiss to investigate him. Do not confront unless you absolutely need to."
"On it," Damian stated, while Ruby saluted.
"You can count on us!" she cheerfully exclaimed, causing both Weiss and Damian to roll their eyes. Bruce then turned his attention back towards the Batcomputer, opening up the next file.
"Next, we have the issue of where and how Crane obtained his weapons," Bruce continued, showing pictures of the weapons in question. "All were highly advanced LexCorp weaponry, similar to the ones smuggled into Jump City."
"Lex?" Jaune suggested, but to his surprise Bruce shook his head.
"Not likely, at least not in comparison to him," Bruce countered, showing a picture of a short, portly man with an abnormally long nose. A monocle was over his right eye, and a black top hat crowned his balding head. "After all, Gotham is the Penguin's primary base of operations. No one sells arms in this city without him knowing about it, legal or otherwise."
"Blake and I can handle this guy," Yang offered, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms behind her head. "I have experience dealing with people like him."
"Be that as it may," Bruce said, slightly unconvinced, "I'll be having Batwoman join you. While you're there, stay on your guard. Although Cobblepot likes to masquerade the Iceberg Lounge as a high-class establishment, it's truly the front of his entire operation. Criminals from all over the country head there to purchase arms or simply network."
"So, sneak in and not go all out. Got it." Yang flashed a confident smile and a thumbs up. Bruce nodded back, knowing that Blake would keep her partner in-line, then moved on to the next topic.
"After the attack," Bruce started, bringing up pictures of arrested criminals that night, "the GCPD was able to catch most of the convicts working with Scarecrow that night. Most of them were former inmates at Blackgate Penitentiary, all with extensive criminal records. Eventually, after hours of background checks and interrogations, it was found that many were members of Roman Silonis' gang."
"Let me guess: Skull Face?" Nora suggested when Bruce pulled up an image of a white-suited gangster with a black skull-shaped mask covering his head.
"Nope. Black Mask," Red Hood clarified with a snarl. "One of the most powerful crime lords in Gotham City. But why would he loan men out to Scarecrow? He hates the guy."
"That's what you and Cassandra are going to find out," Bruce replied. Pyrrha then politely raised her hand, only lowering it when Bruce brought his attention towards her.
"Can Jaune and I join them?" she asked. Bruce thought it over for a moment, then nodded.
"You might want to disguise yourselves going in," Bruce suggested. "As with the others, this is an investigation, not a gang bust. I don't want you fighting if you don't have to."
Jason groused wordlessly, scratching his hand. Bruce lightly glared at his second adopted son, then sighed and moved to the final file.
"Finally, we have the question regarding the bombs themselves," Bruce revealed. "They were homemade, crude yet sophisticated at the same time. They contained an aerolizing chamber manufactured by GothCorp, which converted the pool of liquid Fear Gas into its potent gaseous state. What we need to find out is how they managed to get their hands on them, theft or otherwise."
"Wouldn't be the first time Boyle's company conducted illegal activities," Stephanie muttered under her breath.
"Yeah, but he's rotting in jail," Tim countered. "It's just as likely it was a legitimate theft, and they just haven't announced it because of the public relations disaster that would follow."
"Whatever the case, I would like you two to investigate. Nora, Ren, you join them as well."
"Of course," Ren nodded, while Nora beamed.
"Aye-aye!" she joyfully declared. Stephanie and Tim's eyes slightly widened at the news, looking at the rest of Nora's teammates. They all gave sympathetic looks, telling them they were in for a long night. Jaune even put his hand on Tim's shoulder, causing Tim's mind to wonder what exactly he was in for.
"Everyone understand their assignments?" Bruce asked one last time. When everyone nodded affirmatively, Bruce nodded back. "Oracle will be overseeing everyone as mission control. Now, if you'll excuse me."
At that, Bruce turned and walked away, leaving everyone else behind while he ascended in the elevator. The superheroes watched him go, then turned to face each other.
"Something tells me," Weiss started, "that this is going to end up being a long night."
"Probably," Ruby agreed with her partner, "but isn't that what makes it fun?"
At Ruby's smile, Weiss rolled her eyes and playfully punched Ruby's shoulder. Yang and Stephanie, however, couldn't help but note that Damian was looking at the two girls with a curious expression. It only lasted for a moment before being replaced by his trademark annoyed disposition, but it was enough to get their minds working. Still, they had more important things to worry about for the moment.
As Bruce Wayne's car drove away from Wayne Manor, a secret passage opened from behind a waterfall. From it, several smaller vehicles, including motorcycles and small cars, drove out towards Gotham City. At first, they traveled as a pack, before one by one they split into smaller groups. They could all sense it in the air, that Weiss' statement would be proven correct.
That this would, indeed, be a very long night.
[~][~]
Hello, everyone! Special thanks to NaanContributor and Jesse K for their help with their continued support for this story. I couldn't do it without them. A nice breather chapter before we dive right back in, and now RWBY and JNPR have to square off against some of Gotham's greatest villains. What will happen? Come and find out, as these next chapters are going to be a blast.
Now, onto the Q&A
Supermonaman: Glad you liked the interactions! To be honest, without them the story wouldn't be half as interesting. I'm glad that the revelation that Ruby's eyes are connected to the Life Equation has been taken so well. However, to clarify, they can't just affect anything that is evil. There are plenty of evil humans out there, but the eyes won't do jack squat to them. We'll be delving more into what they can and cannot do in the future. Moving on, I'm glad that you liked the interaction between Ozpin and Raven/Brainiac. I'm proud of that entire scene, too.
Guest (1): I'm happy you liked the Chibi and HISHE. We have a lot of fun writing these. To answer your question, no. Superman has not met Brainiac in this story yet. As for someone getting a Lantern Ring, no. Not because the concept isn't intriguing, and in fact you would be correct that they would deserve it, however the concept of RWBYJNPR getting Lantern Rings belongs to its own story. One that can fully appreciate its potential. That make any sense?
Guest (2): Probably a case of culture clash, such as 50's era sexism, racism, lower levels of technology, the Cold War and the Red Scare, a bunch of stuff that we might explore in another Elseworlds in the future.
kuriboh1233: Thank you. We tried to emulate their style, and I'm glad it came across well.
jb4280218: No, at least not in the way you're expecting. The stories exist, obviously, but I feel that RWBY and JNPR purposefully calling attention to it themselves is a bit forced.
Jacob9594: Frankly, we love HISHE and their Super Cafe shorts. As such, given how this is a DC story starring Batman and Superman, we felt doing a HISHE was appropriate. Not to mention, it's a lot of fun to make fun of yourself.
jesus21799: Glad you like the story. As to their inclusion, you will have to wait and see.
D. : Oh, we plan to do more. Trust me.
darkvampirekisses: Because he's Batman, that's why he has a mug of coffee in his belt.
That's it for now. See you all next time!