A/N: 2022.10.22

Well, whadda ya know?! I actually managed to get two chapters up!

Chapter 32

Azrael and Nyssa fought to get to the main control panel, but it seemed like even more Scourge soldiers arrived on the bridge.

"Oh, this is just getting ridiculous!" Azrael shouted. "I refuse to believe all of these morons are just Bane's! How many followers did Grandfather have?!"

"You'd be surprised, son," Nyssa replied. "I always was."

Part of the floor exploded apart, tossing a few Scourge soldiers around. Suddenly, Nightwing, Catwoman, Banshee, and Crow emerged, hitting the Scourge as soon as they came into range.

"We late?" Catwoman asked.

"Of course!" Nyssa answered. "But cats show up when they want to."

"Nyssa! We finally understand each other!"

"What's the hell's goin' on?!" Banshee asked. "And what's with all the damn noise outside?!"

"They activated the ship's attack mode!" Azrael shouted. "They're firing on Gotham! We gotta shut this thing down!"

"Right!" Banshee and Crow replied before continuing their respective attacks.

Nightwing fought his way to Ikram. He twirled his Escrima stick. "So! Another kid of ol' man Ra's! Do you guys have to wear name tags to know each other?"

"Yes!" Nyssa and Azrael yelled, causing Nightwing to laugh.

"You…" Ikram growled. "You're… the original Robin."

"Ain't heard that name in a while."

"You've failed! This damned city will fall and your false hero will die."

Nightwing scoffed. "The city's brick and mortar. It can be rebuilt. As far as that real hero… nah. I'm not worried about him for a second. I'll kick your ass while he beats the crap outta your son-in-law."

"Optimistic thinking, Nightwing!" Athanasia shouted.

"Well…" Nightwing glanced at one of the screens viewing the city, "…if nothing else…" he saw something briefly that made him smile bigger, "…I'm an optimist!"

Batwing used every single weapon he had left to block any laser fire or shoot any missile out of the sky he could. He didn't worry about the areas that were clear of people, but he focused heavily on anything headed for the other downtown buildings that might be inhabited. After a few seconds, he realized he wasn't in a position to block the GCPD building, which still had people inside.

Batwing turned and saw a large missile speeding toward the GCPD building.

"OH CRAP!" Batwing flew to stop the missile. But at his stop speed, he still wouldn't make it in time.

But suddenly, the missile was struck by a purple-colored lightning bolt, shorting it out and stopping it in midair.

Batwing flew to a stop. "What?"

"Hey!" a voice called out. "New Bat guy!"

Batwing looked up.

To see Static lowering down toward him, a strand of lightning in his left hand as he lowered the missile harmlessly to the ground. "Ain't seen you before," Static noted. "Batman Two must really like havin' a crew. Good strategy, I say. Always worked for me. Definitely didn't get that from his boss!"

Batwing just hovered, dumbstruck. "Oh… my… God! You're… you're…"

"Static's my name!" Static smiled. "Beatin' up bad guys is my game!"

Batwing blinked. "I'm trying not to fanboy right now!"

Static laughed. "'Preciate that! Tell you what: we make it outta this? We're taking a picture together!"

"Okay!" Batwing said, happily.

Static looked over Batwing's shoulder. He fired a bolt of lightning, disabling another missile.

"Sorry about that!" Static apologized.

"No, my bad," Batwing replied. "That's on me."

"Well, shall we get back to work… uhh…"

"Batwing!"

"Classic! Nice!" Static surged his electricity. "Ready?"

"Hell yeah!" Batwing said, excitedly, and they flew at the Castellum.

Observing from the cameras, Tiana sat with her mouth agape. "Static…"

"HE MADE IT?!" Sally shouted, excitedly.

"Yeah," Tiana laughed a bit.

"HE MADE IT!" Sally threw her arms in the air, "HE MADE IT! WOOHOO!"

"Hello?" a voice came over the comms. "Anyone there?"

Tiana hit a few keys. "This is Oracle. Who is this?"

"Oh! Oracle! Sweet! I heard about you! Pleasure to finally meet you. Name's Gear."

Tiana froze. "Gear? As in… 'Static and Gear'? As in… the Static and Gear, legendary heroes from Dakota City?"

"We are they!" Gear joked. "Just wanted to let you know we're here and we're gonna take down that ugly lookin' Decepticon you guys got hanging around."

"Hey, Gear!" Vixen shouted over the comms.

"Yeah?"

"Me, Outlaw, and Plastic Man are in position! Ready when you are!"

"Help out Static," Gear informed. "Hey, Oracle. You were trying to hack that ship, right?"

"For all the good that did," Tiana replied.

"Mind if I takeover from here? I'm guessing you had a long night."

Tiana fell back in her seat and laughed, "So much, I have! It's all yours, Gear! Thank you!"

"My pleasure, Oracle. I'll handle it, don't you worry! Take a well-deserved break!"

"I think I will."

Bane powered his way through Ember's fire and shoulder-tackled her to the ground. Huntress and Runner jumped on Bane's back, attacking him for a few seconds before Bane swatted them away. Koutetsu kicked Bane in the face with all he had, knocking Bane back. But Bane recovered and punched Koutetsu, sending him flying into a wall. Suddenly, three batarangs landed in Bane's arm. Bane grunted and wasn't able to dodge a punch from Batman. Bane grabbed Batman and slammed him into the ground repeatedly. Bane wrapped his other hand around Batman. And started to squeeze.

Another wall exploded.

Batwoman flew in, with the armor, and crashed into Bane. She punched Bane in the face, sending him sliding across the floor.

"Hi, Bane!" Batwoman greeted. "I'm Batwoman! A pleasure to kick your ass today!"

Bane slowly got up. "I thought the surprises had ended for the evening. A pleasure to be proven wrong."

"Completely wrong, you monster!" Jaguar shouted as she and Ghost-Wing landed next to Batwoman.

"Batwoman!" Batman coughed.

"The bomb's outta play! But this damn ship's…" Batwoman noticed the screens. "Oh. You already know."

"Yeah. We need to knock this death zeppelin outta the sky!"

Batwoman turned toward him. "That's… being taken care of."

Azrael kicked Athanasia back against a computer console. She growled and looked at Azrael, "What do you think this will accomplish, cousin?! Bane will be triumphant!"

Azrael looked at the screen, "Oh, I don't know about that. I mean…" He pointed at the screen, "…they might decide to stop it."

Athanasia looked at the screen in shock. "What… how…"

Despite the combined efforts of all the heroes, Bane was still managing to hold his own. Even with the added power of Batwoman's armor, Bane's Titan formula was proving to give him an edge that was difficult to plan for and combat against.

Suddenly, the entire room jerked to the right and shuddered, causing everyone to fall over.

Bane pushed himself up and looked around in shock, "What?!"

"What was that?!" Huntress asked.

Runner smiled a bit. "Hopefully… that was backup!"

"Oh, it was!" Jaguar smiled.

The screens in the chamber shifted to Athanasia, who was leaning over a console and bleeding from her forehead. "Beloved!" she cried out.

"Athanasia, what's happening?!" Bane shouted.

"We're under attack! From the outside!"

Bane looked at the heroes then back at Athanasia, "By who?!"

The screen changed to show Static, Vixen, Outlaw, and Plastic Man attacking the Castellum.

"Hell, yeah!" Batman looked at Runner, "They made it."

"Never doubted it," Runner declared in relief.

Bane gritted his teeth. "SHOOT THEM OUT OF THE SKY!"

"Our weapon's system is being corrupted and our course is being shifted, dramatically!" Athanasia shouted.

Bane shook his head, "Oracle's systems should have a more difficult time with Castellum. How…"

"That would be me, big guy!" Gear's voice came over the ship's PA.

Athanasia's eyes widened in shock.

Bane looked around then growled, "Gear…"

"Hiya, there, Bane!" Gear greeted as he appeared on a couple of screens. "Long time no see! Lookin' good, man! You must be killing it at those yoga classes! Sorry for eavesdropping on the conversation, but I couldn't find the proper time to cut in. Anyway, hate to tell you, man… but I'm shuttin' ya down!"

Bane roared in rage.

"Looks like you got outplayed, chess master!" Runner taunted.

Bane gathered his composure, though his face remained enraged, and looked at the heroes. "Have I now?" He quickly hit a few buttons on his gauntlet. Parts of the chamber's floor, walls, and ceiling began to explode, and the room suddenly dropped. Moments later, the heroes could hear the wind whistling by outside.

Ember started to shout, "OH SHI…!"

She didn't get to finish as the chamber crashed into the ground.

The heroes in the control room stared at the screen in shock.

"What-what just happened?" Catwoman asked.

"Kid…" Nightwing whispered.

"Beloved…" Athanasia whispered, nervously. She steadied her breathing and regained her composure. She remembered what Bane told her.

This would end how it was supposed to. She had to what he needed her to.

Fight, regardless.

Athanasia turned her attention to the Scourge. "Your master is enacting his final plan! Kill these fools!"

At that cry, the remaining Scourge members attacked, and Banshee and Crow used what power they had left to take out as many Scourge as they could. Nightwing and Catwoman used almost every gadget they had left.

"Gear!" Nightwing shouted.

"I know!" Gear replied. "I saw!"

Batwing saw the chamber fall from the Castellum. "What the hell was that?!"

"It was Bane! He dropped the room they were in!"

Batwing stared in disbelief. "That guy's a maniac!"

"Who you tellin'?" Static asked.

"We should check it out," Vixen said over the comms as she stood on roof, next to where Batwing was hovering.

"Go!" Static ordered. "Gear, how close are you?"

"About another minute and I'll have the weapons system fully disabled," Gear kept swiping on his holo-computer. "I saw some empty buildings near the bay. I'll set her down there!"

"Okay! Batwing, Vixen! Go check on the others! And make sure that room wasn't, like, a mega bomb or somethin'!"

"Got it!" Batwing and Vixen raced toward the fallen piece of the Castellum.

Inside of the chamber, everyone was groaning as they started to get their bearings back. Batman pushed himself up to his knees first, rubbing the back of his neck. "Hey…" Batman looked around, "Hey! You guys okay?"

"Alive…" Runner answered.

"Everything's still attached," Ember growled.

"I believe I'm fine," Koutetsu informed.

"My head's ringing a bit," Huntress replied. "'Sides that, fine."

"Okay, I think," Batwoman spoke up.

"Same," Ghost-Wing sat up.

"Actually not the worst I've ever felt," Jaguar admitted.

Batwoman groaned as she tried to sit up. "Crap! Gotta… jettison the armor." She hit a button, deactivating the armor and causing the pieces to breakaway.

Batman walked over to Batwoman, helping her up. "You okay?"

"Yeah. I only put it together to take so much punishment. Freefalling from the sky in a metal room wasn't in the design plans."

"Finally didn't think of something?"

"Watch it!" Batwoman warned with a smile.

A part of the ceiling peeled back, revealing Batwing and Vixen.

"GUYS!" Batwing shouted.

"Batwing!" Huntress smiled.

"Vixen!" Runner and Koutetsu said, happily.

"Runner!" Vixen dropped down. "Koutetsu! What the hell happened?!"

"Bane got the drop on us," Batman answered, jokingly.

"Really?!" Runner shouted, irritably.

"I haven't made a joke in minutes!"

Batwoman giggled. But looked around, "Hey! HEY! Where's Bane?!"

The team looked around in shock.

"Oh, that sonuvabitch!" Ember growled.

"We didn't see him walk out!" Batwing noted as he helped Huntress stand.

Batman activated his scanner. "I got him! He powered under the damn room. He must've used the sewers."

"Alright," Runner declared. "Let's go."

"We'll all go… but be careful. He may be on the ropes… but this is still Bane. If this mess has proven anything to me, it's not to take any chances."

"Roger that, boss," Ember nodded.

Nyssa kicked Ikram in the side of the chest, positive she broke several of her brother's ribs. She followed up by hitting him with an upward palm strike to his nose, breaking it, then performing a spin kick to the center of his chest, cracking his sternum and sending flying back against the wall.

Knowing Ikram was down, Nyssa walked over to him, standing over Ikram as he clutched at his ribs.

"Such a waste," Nyssa noted. "I won't even ask if it was worth it, Ikram. I already know it wasn't. You're a worse failure than Father. And I hope you always know that."

"In the end…" Ikram growled, "Batman proved his own weakness! Summoning others to fight for him! He is… truly… pathetic!"

"No. Batman proved… he is more than a worthy successor. He honored his predecessor's legacy. And that's exactly why you get to live. You better give thanks for Batman. He's the only reason I'm not going to kill you."

Ikram growled.

Nyssa smirked. "But… I don't think he'd mind me rendering you unconscious."

Ikram gasped.

With near-lightning speed, Nyssa gave Ikram another spin kick, knocking him out.

Azrael managed to strike Athanasia enough to disorient her. This gave Azrael a chance to grab Athanasia's arm, twist it behind her, then, by grabbing her other arm, Azrael bound Athanasia's wrists with a pair of handcuffs. He looked around to see Nightwing and the others had taken down the last of the Scourge soldiers.

"Please, tell me that's all of these bastards!" Banshee shouted, irritably.

Catwoman scanned the room, "All bastards down and unconscious."

"Finally!"

"Attention, control room!" Gear shouted over the PA system.

"We're here, Gear," Nightwing replied.

"All weapons are shut down! Get ready for a not-so-rough landing!"

They felt the Castellum shutter a bit as it touched down to the ground.

"You did it!" Nightwing complimented.

"Actually, thank Oracle," Gear replied. "This was, like, a hundred times easier because of all she did before we got here. Masterful work. I may need to take a class."

"She is impressive."

"And how," Static added. "Remind to ask Batman if she's up for some freelance work."

Nightwing laughed.

Azrael and Crow smiled at each other. Azrael looked up at Nyssa, who nodded at her son. Azrael returned the nod then looked back at Athanasia, "Sorry it had to be this way, cousin."

Athanasia just slowly chuckled before erupting into a full-blown laugh.

Everyone stopped and looked at her.

"Oh, man," Crow whispered. "That's scary…"

"Very," Nightwing agreed.

"What's so amusing, Athanasia?" Nyssa asked.

"The words of this one," Athanasia motioned toward Azrael. "Why are you apologizing? This battle went… exactly how it was meant to."

"Come again?" Catwoman asked as they approached.

Azrael turned Athanasia around so she could face them. "My beloved wanted to wage war with Batman," Athanasia continued. "The outcome would be determined by the smartest and the strongest."

Everyone looked at each other, perplexed, then back at Athanasia. "Sooooo…" Catwoman began, "you… don't care that your mobile fortress you spent a year building was just turned into useless hunk of metal?"

"If that is the fate of this battle, then so be it."

Banshee blinked. "Bane must've banged the good sense outta here."

"And how," Catwoman agreed.

"Believe what you wish," Athanasia replied. "I've seen the truth of my Beloved's vision. The victory is all that matters. And true victory will only come… if Batman defeats my Beloved. Do you truly believe Batman is up to the task?"

"Yeah," Nightwing answered, confidently. "I do."

"We shall see."

A/N: Next chapter... the final showdown.