The Dark Knight Rises
"To be completely honest with you...I was really just hoping to slit all of your throats and then be done with it. After all - my plans for Gotham far expands you three. In fact, when I was walking up on the stage, I was in the mindset of doing just that. I have never smiled so much in the last ten years, but as soon as I reached the top step...I suddenly changed my mind. Why you must be wondering? Well, why should we just get it over with so soon? You only have so much blood to spill, but your screams? No, so much...they can last" Nyssa grins as she runs her thumb against the sharp-end of the knife in her hand. Barbara Kean, Jim Gordon, and Alfred remained tied down in their seats as they look to the al Ghul.
"You are fucking crazy, you bitch!" Barbara screams at the other woman in a fit of rage, shaking in her chair and spitting in Nyssa's directions. The redhead's face had reddened from her outburst "Just like your father!" she adds in the frenzy of anger as she rocks forwards "I'm going to get out of her and I am going to kill you! You took my little girl! I will rip you apart - piece by piece!" a tear slides down her cheek as she ruffles her wrists against the rope that was binding her "You are dead! DEAD!"
"Barbara, enough! She can kill you whenever she wants! So please stop trying to piss her off. We will get out of this and get our daughter back, I promise" Jim tells the redhead. Nyssa's eyes tilt to the commissioner as she steps towards him.
Nyssa holds her knife towards Jim "Good Man Jim Gordon. You always try to be a shining hope for the people around you. If you only knew that your habit of trying to show the people the light of a hero would have created a dark savior. Here's the thing, James. You were never meant to save this city - you were only to help guide another to take the journey. You are going to die and no one will remember you. You will just be another foolhardy man who tried to save a city that can't be" she turns her head to Barbara and begins to walks towards her "Once he gets here...I will show him all his friends dying. He will learn to never cross my family again, and that us al Ghul's are not to be messed up"
"Aaaaaagggggghhhh" Barbara screams as Nyssa rams her knife through her left hand. The red-head cries out as blood leaks from the wound in her hand. Both Gordon and Alfred look at the sight of horror as they see the woman in pain and her cries - and whimpers that follow after.
"That's enough out of all of you. I suggest that you keep silent until I say otherwise. Not following my instructions...well...let's just say that you will not get a second warning" Nyssa grins as she slowly turns her upper body to greet the man standing behind her "Well...I enjoyed that way more than even I would have thought. It's a good thing that father taught me about self-control, otherwise we would not have three living hostages in our hands...tell me, what is ETA on our guest?" Nyssa asks Owlman.
"He's on the move and seems to have used the Lazarus pit - he's fully healed and will be at his best when he comes here" Owlman informs the woman. Nyssa tilts her head as she moves closer to him. She placed her palm on the side of his helmet.
"Good. That will make it, even more, awarding for when you kill him. You will know that you truly deserve to be this city's protector. We will rule Gotham together, the league of shadows, then the world, my beloved" Nyssa lifts her free hand to the man's helmet and lifts it to reveal the bottom of his face, just below his nose "We will be unstoppable" she leans in and captures his lips with her own "Just like my father had envisioned for our family. Talia would never understand" she speaks as they part from each other. Barbara, Jim and Alfred look at the two in disgust, especially Alfred who's glance showed much more than simply disgust, but a look of him being sick at the sight.
"That is my purpose" Owlman replies.
"No, it is OUR purpose. That is why I found you and cured you of your decomposing body. I made you brand new and with a reason to keep living. Together we will be unstoppable. Not even Batman can stop us, and he is going to try" Nyssa smiles "You will show the world that you are the savior that it needs. Someone who will not tolerate those who harms the innocent. Someone who takes out the scum of the world without hesitation. you will be the dark knight that the people truly need"
"Sorry, but I am afraid that honor does not belong to him" a voice calls out as a katana slices through the curtains behind both Nyssa and Owlman. They both turn to see Talia as she held her blade by her sides "My dear sister, Nyssa. When are you going to learn that you can't always have your way" Talia calls to her older sister.
Nyssa steadily returned the glare over to Talia "Oh yeah...Talia. I was told that you were looming in Gotham - probably working with that boyfriend of yours, no doubt. Tell me, Talia. What brings you all the way to Gotham? Not the sights, not the cuisine. Let me guess. You are here to help that man of yours? That is why you threw him into the Lazarus, no? To get him out of the way while you try and stop us? What do you expect to accomplish here? You can't take us both on at once...you can't fight us both, I have been training for a lot longer than you and Owlman has all of your lover's training, plus he's not afraid to get blood on your hands. Do you honestly expect to fight us and walk away with your life?"
"Fight? Don't flatter yourself. I'm here to kill you both" Talia lifts her blade level with her chest.
"Always ready to take a life, even one that belongs to your family? No wonder you were always father's favorite" Nyssa comments.
"You would have loved you equally...if it wasn't for you being a complete bitch all the time" Talia shoots back.
Nyssa gently pushes Owlman away from her "Stay away from this one my love. I want this one all to myself" she tells Owlman who nods to her. Nyssa cracks her knuckles as both she and Talia glare at each other "Father said that only one of us can carry out his vision...his last desire for the League of Shadows. Only one of us can lead them along with our chosen one. I can't allow that to be you...I can't take that risk...so I'm going to make it that there will be only one of us left standing, nothing personal..."
"I doubt that" Talia comments as Nyssa throws a punch her way. Talia leans on her back as the fist misses her. Nyssa follows up as she kicks across the air. Talia grabs her sister's ankle and throws her against the floor. Nyssa smirks as she jumps to her feet. Nyssa cracks her neck and charges towards the other woman "You have gotten slowly in your old age" Talia comments as she ducks out the way of another of Nyssa's punches. The older sister grins as she rams her head up and hits her sister in the forehead which knocked her back.
"In a fight to the death, it's not about who hits harder...it's a matter of who hits last. You should know that" Nyssa chuckles as she lifts her knee upward and kicks towards her sister. Talia knocks her knee back with her own and grabs Nyssa's shoulders and throws her older sister over her head. Nyssa lands on her feet and brushes herself off. Talia swings the katana in her hand as she tracks her sister's every movement "Let's face it. You are going to die, Talia and then I will pick up the pieces of where our father left off"
"Not happening" Talia comments as she swings her blade at her sister. Nyssa ducks under the swing and shoots upward to grab her sister's right hand and snatches the blade right out of it. Nysa jumps back, now being the one to hold the blade. Nyssa brought her other hand to the other end of the blade and snaps it in half, throwing the two pieces to the floor.
"Using weapons, Talia? What's the matter? Are you too scared to face me on an equal playing field...well you should be" Nyssa comments as she kicks at the woman which Talia evaded by backflipping away. Talia fired back with shoving her elbow at Nyssa's face. The older sister side-steps and kicks her sister in the kneecap with her boot's heel; hard enough to draw blood. Talia grunts in pain as Nyssa keeps up her assault as she quickly moves behind Talia and wraps her palm around her neck, squeezing tightly and causing the younger sister to gasp for air "Sorry, Talia. We are family and all, but we both knew that one would end up killing the other. It would be either me or you...so I hope that you understand..." Nyssa laughs.
"I comply-completely agree" Talia responds in weak breaths as she grabs her sister's hand and snaps two of the fingers that held her throat. Nyssa gasps as she moves back from Talia as she looks at her hand, and the two bent out of shape fingers. Her index and middle finger were bent backward "Arrogance was always one of my favorite weak spots of yours. The look on your face never got old, not even now. I am having flashbacks back when we were kids - you made that exact same face of surprise back then too..."
"You left out one little detail there... I won all of those fights" Nyssa runs forwards at Talia who kicks at the woman's stomach; knocking Nyssa on her back against the ground. Talia grabs one of the parts from her broken sword and holds it over her sister's head as she stands over her.
"Things change. Nyssa, you chose to betray father's orders, thus you betrayed the League of Shadows and for that...you know what must be done. You must pay for your crimes against the League, goodbye sister" Talia tightens her grips on the blade; causing for her to bleed down it "I wish that you had not put me in this situation" she tells Nyssa as she rams the blade downward. Owlman watched on in silence, obeying Nyssa's orders.
Talia's eyes widen at the blade was knocked out of her hands and was knocked against the floor and with it was a bat-shaped metal object "That was quicker than expected" she comments as she looks up to see if the man she was thinking about was there. Owlman's eyes narrow as he too looks around the room. Nyssa's eyes narrow and her lips curve into a smirk. Kicking upward she tightens her legs around Talia's waist and shoves her down to the floor. Another Batarang came out of the darkness as it slices against the rope that tied Jim Gordon's wrist; freeing it. Jim instinctively began to untie his other wrist.
Owlman rolls his shoulders back "Finally. We can at last end this" he comments.
"Be careful of what you wish for" Batman warns from the darkness "I am putting an end to this. No one is going to die today, you will be put where you belong - in a cell" Owlman looks as he sees something move in the corner of his eye, a black blur on his vizor. From above a pair of white eyes stare down to Owlman, Nyssa, and Talia as he reaches into his utility belt and pulling out around black ball. He drops it onto the ground, it rolls until it shoots out three streams of smoke that cover the area.
Owlman shoots his head to look at the ceiling, but there was no one there "Come out and face me like a man! Stop using tricks, and fight me" he growls as his white eyes cast through the cloud of smoke that covered the stage. He pulls out a pair of daggers that he holds to his chest.
Jim untied legs and jumps to his feet as he makes his way to Barbara. He begins to unbind the rope from her wrists "Barb, don't worry. Everything is going to be fine. We are going to get out of here" he tells her. Barbara nods at his words "How's your hand?" he follows up.
"Hurts. It hurts" Barbara whimpers.
"Hey, it's going to all be alright" The commissioner comforts her.
Owlman's eyes narrow as he walks forward "I said show yourself! Are you going to let your girlfriend do all the fighting for you?" he growls as something drops down from behind. A shadowy figure glares at the man. Owlman lifts his daggers as he hears something approaching him from behind "You can't win. Neither can Talia. You will both die here tonight, the city will forget all about you and they will remember me for the rest of time...!"
Owlman turns on his heels and slices across with his daggers, but he finds nothing to actually hit. Just the smoke that was beginning to fade away. Owlman turns again and this time he was greeted with the silhouette. Batman's forms his hands into a fist and punches Owlman's helmet knocking him back; causing for the vizor to slightly crack and for one of the white orbs to vanish; only leaving one and for the other. The man underneath's eye was shown and was the same color as Bruce's.
Owlman jumps forward as he slices his daggers across each other and at the dark knight in which the shadowed figure just narrowly steps back from as they scrape against the chest of his suit. Batman kicks upward and to the man's stomach, and then throws a fist into Owlman's face. The dark knight then grabs the man's left arm and throws him over his shoulder; causing him to be thrown off the stage and out of the curtains into the main showroom. Batman follows after as he too leaps off the stage to find Owlman once more; leaving both al Ghuls alone.
Talia's eyes widen as she sees Nyssa winding up for another punch. The younger sister used both of her hands to catch Nyssa's fist. The older sister smirk as she uses her knee to deliver a blow in Talia's stomach "You have pissed me off" Nyssa grabs Talia by her hair "Forget about what I said earlier - this is personal" she spits at her sister. Talia headbutts the older woman. Nyssa releases her grip on the woman's hair and moved her hand to her nose where she was bleeding heavily from both nostrils. She could tell that her nose was broken by that move.
"Is that the best that you can do? How disappointing" Talia comments as she throws a punch to her sister. Nyssa growls as she uses her free hand to knock Talia's fist away. She then kicks upward; hitting Talia in her neck; making her gasp. Nyssa grins, grabbing Talia by the neck and throwing her onto the ground. The older sister moved quickly as she sat over Talia's stomach and forced her hands on her neck; squeezing tightly. Nyssa slams her sister's head on the ground repeatedly as she shook her.
"Father made a mistake in entrusting you with the league's future. Both you and Bruce...I should have been the one...I will be the one to continue his legacy. I will show the world the true might of the League of Shadows! Goodbye Talia..." Nyssa mutters to Talia who was trying to fight against her sister, but to no result "Now go to hell!" Nyssa spits at her sister. The oldest sister's eyes shot open and she let out a scream as a knife was shoved into her upper back.
Nyssa turns her head only to see none other than Barbara holding the handle to the knife, the same one that Nyssa rammed through her hand "Where' my daughter!?" the redhead says under her breath as she twists the knife in the wound of Nyssa's back "WHERE IS SHE!" Nyssa' turns on her feet and slams the redhead down onto the ground, only to kick her right in her face. She holds her hand to the knife in her upper back and with an intake of a hard breath yanked it out which was accompanied by a howl of pain.
Talia was still lying on the ground as she gently presses her hand against the surface of her throat, she breather much harder as she tries to recover her breath. Nyssa looks onward as she sees both Jim and Alfred throw punches her way. She grabbed Gordon's first and turns on her heel and throws him at Alfred. Both men were knocked into each other and were thrown onto the ground. Nyssa rubs her hands together as she admires her work "Should have killed them earlier...yeah..." she comments as she sees Gordon try to get up "Bad boy" she grins as she kicks the man in his chest; rolling him onto his back.
"What did you do with my daughter?" Jim wheezes and holds his sides.
"Doesn't matter. It's not like you will live long enough to actually see her" Nyssa leans over Gordon, kneeling over his chest and holds the knife to his throat "I will tell her how just how weak you are. That you died in a pathetic manner...she will come to be ashamed of you, and she shall follow me as I train her in the League of Shadows. She will help cleanse the world of the criminals that plague it. She will become something that you have spent all those years trying to stop! I tell you this with your dying breath..."
Meanwhile
Batman was thrown across the balcony of the room. His was knocked across several rounded tables as he sees Owlman quickly following behind "This has to happen, Bruce. Now you are only delaying the inevitable at this point. You just dragging out what must be done" Owlman follow suits after the dark knight as he rolls off of the table and vanishes among the countless rows of seats "You are just wasting my time! GET OVER HERE AND FIGHT ME - EITHER I KILL YOU OR YOU KILL ME!" Owlman sees the figure at the corner of his eyes. Hurling one of the daggers towards the direction, Batman slides out of the way; leaving the dagger to cut into the wall behind him "This is what I have been training for! This is my destiny! NOW FACE ME, COWARD!"
"Destiny? You are a slave to Nyssa - you think she will have any problem killing you once you are no longer useful to her? She cannot be trusted" Batman's voice echoes throughout the large room. Owlman's eyes widen as he looks around to locate him.
"I owe her. She saved my life - I was unstable, practically rotting from the inside. But she found me...gave me a chance to make something of myself. It is the only thing that I have. Everything else, my face, my voice...my DNA...IT'S ALL YOURS! I am tired of being a copy, I will be the only one of us" Owlman's eyes narrow as he spots Batman above him on railings of the top floor "You don't get to judge me when you had everything! All your friends to keep on the right path...a home where you could sleep soundly...money to feed yourself and never go starving like me! I NEVER ASKED FOR THIS LIFE AND I AM SICK OF THE WORLD USING ME AS A PUNCHING BAG BECAUSE OF YOU!" Owlman leaps upwards towards Batman "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"
Batman jumps off the railings and grabs Owlman in the air "No matter how harsh the world may be...you still have a choice to do what's right" the two crash onto the ground; breaking the tables that they each land on. Both men roll off the broken tables as Owlman throws a fist towards Batman who countered it with his own. Owlman struck with his knee with Batman doing the same as he knocks it back. Batman spins around and punches the man in the chest where Owlman caught both of his firsts "Who you become - That is your choice and yours alone! I chose to leave Gotham to become someone who could protect it! You were made as a tool and you choose to be used! You don't have to be a weapon or a tool...you can be a hero - all you need to do is decide right here and now if you want that for yourself" Batman growls as clashed his helmet with Owlman's.
"I will be a hero! One that will not hesitate to make the hard decisions - Everyone shall face justice equally! I will protect this city in a way that you can only dream of. No one will be exempt from my judgment - innocents will be able to walk the streets safe again!" Owlman growls. Batman's eyes narrow as he knees down and punches the other man in the stomach; causing him to step back due to the force. Batman then grabs a hold Owlman's helmet and pushes it down as she rams his knee up into it. Owlman was thrown to the ground as he looks to the dark knight.
"Justice? You kidnapped a little girl who had nothing to do with this! You are not a protector - no guardian! You are just bully and I have fought my fair share of them. You are scum and I will put a stop to you tonight along with Nyssa! HEAR ME! This game is over" Batman yells as his hands were formed in fists as he stood over his doubleganger.
"SHUT UP!" Owlman uses his remaining dagger to swipe at the man. Batman stomps his foot on the man's hand. Owlman couldn't feel pain, but he heard a loud crack and afterward he could not move his hand or his fingers. Batman readied his fist and rapidly punches Owlman's helmet over and over as it cracks slightly more with every blow that he deals. After a few seconds, the rest of the vizor has been cracked. Batman grabs onto the mask and rips it away from his owner, throwing it across the room.
Bruce was expecting to be greeted by the sight of his likeness, though his hunch was proven right - it was not in the way that he thought it would be. On the ground was lying was not a man after all, but of a boy. One that was lost and confused, Bruce's teenage self - before he left Gotham. Batman's eyes widen in disbelief as he sees the boy looking up at him "What...how is this possible. What the hell is going on?" Batman mummers. This wasn't a man who made the choice to become a killer - this was just a boy who was confused, tormented by his own demons, however, unlike himself, he never grew up. He never had that chance. No one gave him that opportunity.
"The Lazarus healed me...but not even it could fix me. I'm still just a freak made in a petri dish...you want to know why I don't feel pain? It's not because I'm immune to it...I'm always in agony, I've just got used to it...but I can't take it anymore...I was never meant to live this long...I should have died a long time ago, but Nyssa saw something in me...I didn't want to go along with it, I really didn't...but it was the only thing that I had...she was the first person to actually see the good in me...can you blame me for being desperate to please her?" Owlman whimpers.
Batman presses the button on the neck of his suit "I kept treating you like you were a monster...but all these years. You have just been a scared kid that never had the things that I did. You didn't have the people to keep you on the right track as I did. I'm sorry...all this time I never thought of things from your point of view...you were just thrown into a world where you never got to live through it as a child...as someone who felt loved, you were always alone...just hoping for someone to care for you...you are what I could have become if I did not have the friends that I did..." Batman lowers his head as he holds out his hands to the other man "I spent so much time as Batman...I forgot what it was like to be a scared kid..."
*In trying to create a creature that could take on the underworld of Gotham, I fear you may have unleashed a monster far greater than even you realize* Batman hears Alfred's words in his mind as they finally click with him as he understands the meaning in his words.
"What have I become?" Batman asks himself.
Owlman refused the man's hand and remained to lie on the ground "Please...kill me. I can't go on being an imitation of you. Gotham needs you...I always knew that deep down that I could never live up to you. It was a foolhardy dream, but it was mine to have - the only thing that I could call mine..." Owlman's closes his eyes "I never belonged to this world - I never had a place in it. Please kill me...I can't do it myself...this city belongs to you...your legacy will be grand..." Owlman pleads.
"It doesn't matter how many times that I use the Lazarus pit...it is only a temporarily solution. My body will keep on dying over and over...the Lazarus may heal me, but that will only begin the cycle once more. I'm just living on borrowed time...I thought about not using the Lazarus...but I don't want to decompose while I am still breathing...so I am begging you for an act of mercy...please kill me...end my suffering...I can't go on in this pain..." Owlman's eyes water as he looks up to the dark knight.
"I'm sorry...I can't, I've already gone too far. I'm not going to take a life on top of that...even if you asked me too, I won't" Batman turns away from Owlman as he begins to walk off "I'm sorry" he adds.
Meanwhile
"Good riddance, Commissioner" Nyssa lifts the knife above the man's neck. Nyssa jumps back as a Batarang was thrown into her right hand; causing her to drop the knife "Son of a b-" she curses as she holds her wounded hand "I'm going to kill you for that!" she turns around and sees Batman as he grabs her by the throat and chokeslams her onto the hard surface of the rolls back until she was on her knees "I'll take it that my Owlman lost your little gambit?" she uses her free hand to pull out the Batarang from her hand.
"NYSSA! I am putting a stop to you! I am going to put you behind bars where you can never hurt anyone ever again! THIS IS MY CITY AND YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE!" Batman shouts as he throws another Batarang towards her. Nyssa smirks as she grabs it between her index and middle finger.
"Don't do this. You can't win" Talia tries to stand to her feet "You should have just let me kill her..." she gasps for air while she holds her throat.
"No. No one is dying today, no matter how much I hate your sister. I will not let her life be taken and most of all...not by you. Talia, I can't have you kill your sister...you will never forgive yourself. At the end of the day...she's still your family" Batman walks forward as he cape flaps behind him "She needs to pay for her crimes, killing her now will only be letting the people of Gotham go without justice for what she did all those years ago..."
"You are making a mistake...my love. Nyssa cannot be held in a prison...the only way to stop her...is to stop her for good" Talia grits her teeth as she finally stands back up.
"You really should listen to my sister...she knows what she is talking about. You are going to regret not letting her finish me off" Nyssa charges forward and swings a kick at Batman who used his hand to stop it. Nyssa jumps up and curves her elbow and rams it down on Batman's shoulder; catching him off guard "Like you are probably doing now" she sniggers as she throws a punch at Batman's face. The dark knight kicks the woman's shine and put her off balance. He then grabs the back of her head and throws her across the ground as she falls on her front.
"My only regret right now is that I let you escape Gotham in the first place..."
Batman replies as he sees Nyssa stand back up, she turns her head to face him with a grin on her face "You might be onto something there" she runs forward at Batman who grabs her and throws her over his shoulder. Nyssa manages to counter him as she wraps her legs around his neck and drives him onto the ground. The dark knight's eyes narrow as he sees the woman trying to kick his face. He grabs her ankle and twists it; heating a snap, he was sure that he had broken it. He then uses his hold on the woman's foot and pulls her towards him as he reaches out for a Batarang from his belt and rams it into her leg as she fell to her knees "Good work...you are no longer the boy that was at my mercy"
"Now you are the scum that is at mine...give up, you lost"
"If Talia can't beat me that easily...why do you think that you can? the older sister stands back up.
Talia looks over to Batman "My love...allow me to finish this, once and for all. You can't keep this up against her..." she tells Batman who seemed to completely ignore her "Are you listening to me? She is only testing you...and she's about to get serious..."
"So am I" Batman shoots back.
"In that case...please forgive me, my love..." Talia begs him as she quickly grabs onto his shoulders and through him to the ground. She then looks over to Nyssa "Time to die" she hisses as she appeared to be holding half of her broken blade "No more outs for you"
"I wasn't looking for any" Nyssa laughs back.
Both women look up as Owlman drops back down with wearing his cracked helmet. His eyes narrow on the floored Batman "I wish there was another way, but my loyalty to Nyssa is absolute and I will not betray her trust..." he tells the caped crusader.
"Then you can share a cell together then..." Batman calls out, standing back on his feet.
"I had more like them sharing a tomb in mind, but we can cross that bridge once we come to it" Talia replies to the man stood next to her.
"More like you can jump off that bridge and don't worry...I will be more than happy to give a push..." Nyssa remarks as both she and Owlman stand next to each other as they look at the duo opposing them. Gordon was still slightly winded from his earlier blow, but he could still make out just what was going on "Shall we dance? I heard couples night has some killer offers" Nyssa and Owlman run at the other two. Talia and Batman look at each other, nodding as they part way.
Owlman throws a punch at Batman. The dark knight grabs the other man's arms and throws him over his shoulder where Talia kicks him to the ground. Talia then readies her sword and swings it through the air, barely missing Nyssa as she slides under it. Standing back up, the older sister grab's the younger sister by the hair and pushes her right into Batman; tripping him up. Owlman took his chance and uppercuts Batman who was too slow to be able to stop the fist.
Batman kicks upward which Owlman slides out of the way off and throws his own kick at the dark knight who easily managed to counter it. Grabbing Owlman's arm and pushing him to the ground as he plants his foot on his back and pulls his arm "You have a chance to stop this, please take it. You can finally be free...you can have a life of your own" Batman warns Owlman who growls. Batman quickly moves out of the way as he dodges a swipe from Nyssa's fist. His eyes narrow as he rapidly avoided all of her attacks, every punch, kick, and even her attempts at trying to trip him up.
Talia moves behind her sister and wraps her arm around her neck. She shoves her forward and then kicks Owlman across the ground. Batman catches Nyssa by the throat and slams her to the ground with force "That all you got? After all this...you are still going soft on us..." Nyssa sniggers as she brings her knife and shoves it into the man's arm. She then forces herself up and kicks him to the ground "My father was misguided to have faith in you lead the League of Shadows...he would be rolling over in his grave right now...you dare come here and try to stop me? Just who the hell do you think you are?" Nyssa growls.
Batman attaches a small black box onto Nyssa's arm which begun to flash bright blue. He kicks her off of him and rolls back and sees the confusion in her eyes as a loud sound was approaching them at an alarming rate. Nyssa looks on in horror as a massive swarm of bats break into the room; shattering all the windows and begin to surround her in a somewhat cyclones as they begin to attack her, biting at her, scratching and even screeching in her ears. The older al Gul screams at the bat's relentless assault on her. She tries to shield her face with her arms to help minimize the damage that she was taking, however, her face was already heavily scared from the creatures as they flock around her and her hands were just as scared.
She falls onto her knees as she tries to fight off the swarm as she swings her arms all around like they were bees, but unfortunately they were not so easily fought off "I am vengeance, I am the night...I AM BATMAN" a voice echoes. Nyssa looks up as she sees the bats almost open up space as the shadowy figure's white eyes glare right at her as he kicks the woman right in the face which knocked her unconscious on the ground. The device on her ceased flashing and with it, the swarm of bats slowly died off as they fly upward and out of the building.
Batman brushed his shoulder as he tilts his head to Talia holding her katana to Owlman's throat. He quickly turns on his heels and grabs his grapple gun and aims at Talia. The line shoots out and attaches itself to Talia's back. Batman hastily tugs at the grapple to drag Talia away from the other man; leaving her in shock at his actions. Batman storms off to Owlman and grabs the man's shoulders as he lifts his up "The girl, where is she!? You already have done enough damage - make it easy on yourself and tell me where she is!"
"The basement. I never wanted to take her - it was Nyssa's orders. I'm sorry...sorry...I didn't know that things would be taken this far..." Owlman whispers. Batman let go of his grip and let Owlman fall back onto the ground of the stage. Batman turns away and looks over to Talia who was looking back at him as she massages her aching muscles.
"Check on the others, if you kill him or Nyssa... I will be back for you"
"As you wish" Talia replies as she glares to her sister that was lying on the ground. Her eyes slowly drift aside to look at the blade in her hand. Her green eyes reflect the shine of the katana as her own reflection could be seen on the weapon "It would be so...easy to..." she thinks to herself. Her vision then turns to the three other people. Jim, Barbara, and Alfred who appeared to be knocked out. With a loud sigh, she throws the blade on the floor "This is his city...I will play by his rules...no matter how foolish they are..."
The Basement
Barbara Lee Gordon's eyes widen in fear as she sees the door to the room begin to barge out, over and over again. The girl's hands and legs were tied together and her mouth was gagged. She was beyond frightened. She only wanted to see her parents again. She begins to shake as the door begun to be hit even harder until it was completely knocked off of its hinges and he stood there. The man from three months ago, the man who saved both her and her father.
Her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree as she sees Batman steadily walking towards her "I'm not going to hurt you. You mother and father are upstairs...I'm going to bring you to them. I promise" he carefully removed the gag from her mouth, then he brought out a Batarang from his belt and cuts the rope that was binding her. Barbara was in amazement at the hero. It was really him, she could hardly believe that he was the one who rescued her.
"It's you! Daddy said that you were a good guy...I knew that he wasn't lying!" she cheers as Batman lifts her up into his arms. He lifts his cape as almost a blanket to comfort the girl as he begins to walk out of the room with her "Dad really looks up to you. He says that you are a hero and that he was hoping that you and he could work together one day" she tells the dark knight as the faintest of smiles appears on his face, one that you would have to be looking for it, just to see it.
"I would like that too" he replies.
23 Minutes Later...
"Oh thank god!" Barbara Kean thanks the heavens as she and Jim make their way to their daughter. From the rooftops, Batman stood as he looks down to the three among a cluster of police vehicles and Ambulances. He took a gentle breath, breathing easily as all now seemed peaceful now, but he knew that it would not last forever. Batman slowly turns around to see Talia standing behind him with her arms behind her back. Her green eyes look into his.
"Nyssa and she accomplish still breathes as you made me promise. They are still alive, but we have a bit of a conundrum here, lover" Talia was soft spoke like a great deal of care was in her voice as she looks to the man stood in front of her "They both know who you are...and have both committed crimes against the League of Shadows, even though I did not take their lives...there will be others out there who would easily silence them both. Even if they somehow survive...they will use their knowledge of your identity against you...they can ruin you and jeopardize my father's prophecy for us..." she tries to warn the man.
"Nyssa is the only problem, her friend. Owlman as he was called...I have that handled. He is just a scared kid...he didn't ask for this. Nyssa used him, manipulated him into becoming a monster. He deserves to have a second chance" Batman replies as he looks down to the streets below "Nyssa is not a citizen of Gotham...she belongs with the shadows, right? You are taking her back to Nanda Parbat to face judgment their?" he observes as he can feel Talia give a single nod.
"The blood of the al Ghuls runs through her veins, thus she shall face justice appropriately," Talia tells Batman.
"You are planning to kill her, aren't you?" he questions, already knowing the answer to his question.
"You are more than welcome to try and stop me, Bruce. But you only just recovered - Father always spoke of the dangers of using the Lazarus so soon after its previous use, apparently...it can drive you mad" she walks over to him and places her hands on his shoulders "Though I do like to get a little crazy...especially after a heavy workout...what do you say, lover? For old times sake?" she whispers in his ear. The stoic figure remained still as his eyes narrow.
"Take Nyssa and leave Gotham...and never come back" Batman orders.
"About that...I have come to be attached to this city...it is very...intriguing. I already had my people in the shadows set up a place for me to stay in Gotham. The League of Shadows will be dealing with Nyssa...they say that my sisterly love may interfere with my judgement...so I won't get the honor of finishing her off myself" she walks in front of him and places her palms on the man's face "So it looks like I will be staying here for a while...you know, to enjoy the sites, getting to know the locals...the usual. There is no need to worry, my love...I'm not getting involved in the petty crime of this city...that is all yours..."
"What are you staying here for?" Batman doubts her words.
"Maybe if you are a good boy...I may tell you...you may have to ask me nicely...if you catch my drift..." she leans in and plants her lips on his "But...I'm planning on being a bad girl..." she coos before parting away from him and smiling "You won't be seeing much of me though...from this point...you are on your own...farewell for now...my love. We will meet again one day soon...and when we do. You will accept your place as leader of the shadows - and you will not be able to say no" she blows a kiss his way as she jumps off the building; leaving Batman stood alone as his cape slowly moves in the gentle breezes of the wind as he looks down to Jim, Barbara and their daughter who seemed to be hugging and smiling together.
"I must say, Mr Wayne..your taste in woman is quite something..." Lucius comments from the other end of the call.
"And there it is" Batman groans at the man's words.
From the ground. Jim turns his view up as he sees Batman stood on top of the building. Barbara Lee Gordon saw her father's actions and did them herself. She looks up to the dark knight as a smile forms on her face "Daddy...he is a hero" she tells him.
"I never doubted him for a second" her father replies with a smile.
Gotham Central Hospital
Gently knocking on the door to the room, Jim Gordon enters as he sees both Harvey and Harper awake "I came as soon as I heard. Sorry that I couldn't come sooner, but I uh...well you know" he tells his partner. The commissioner walks until he is stood next to Harvey as he sees that Harper was awakened as was smiling at them both.
"Jim...you was right...Harper told me everything" Harvey pats his partner on the back.
Harper nods "The bat-guy tried to stop the guy who did this to me, he may have even saved the lives of so many other officers. Please tell me you got that owl-looking bastard in lockup" she asks the commissioner who slowly shook his head.
"Batman stopped him. Batman saved us and made sure that Nyssa and her partner would never do this again. He didn't kill them, but I trust him enough to make sure that they will never think about returning to Gotham again" Jim honestly answers.
"Batman? Now...that I like...it has a ring to it. How did you come up with that, partner?" Bullock asks.
"I didn't. I heard him call himself it. He saved my little girl...Barbara and Alfred. He is a hero. One that Gotham in desperate for...I finally have hope that Gotham will be able to change now...maybe it can become a better place for us..." Gordon answers.
Gotham Docks
Batman's eyes focus on the man stood in front of him, his clone, his doubleganger, his reflection of what he used to be. The man wasn't wearing his costume and instead was dressed in a black shirt, jeans and a black overcoat as he held a bag over his shoulders. Batman could barely look at the man as it reminded him of the day when he left Gotham himself, the man looked identical to how he looked on that day that would go on to define him "You're leaving? And without your costume" Batman asks.
"I saw you tonight, Bruce...the rage in your eyes. It finally gave me a clear idea of what I was trying so hard to become. I realized that I never want to become like you. It's nothing personal...it's just that I can't trust myself to control my anger as you can. The self-control that you have...it's nothing like mine. Knowing me...I would just end up killing over and over again if I was to follow the path of a hero" the doubleganger spoke softly to Batman.
"You are welcome to stay in this city. I can arrange for a place for you...I can have my company start working on a cure for you. You don't have to keep living at death's door. I can help you have a normal life as you deserve. You don't have to feel like you don't belong here..." Batman tells him.
"Sorry, but Gotham doesn't need me. It deserves you...someone who can choose between right and wrong, someone who will never give up on the people that he loves...Bruce...I became a killer...I took lives...they may have been criminals...but I should still feel bad, but I don't. I don't feel any sympathy for the men that I have killed...for the criminals that I murdered. That's not what a hero would do...I'm not sure that I could stop killing if try to be a hero, that's why I am leaving Gotham. The city gets to you...change you...but not you. You are really the one who will save it..."
"If you are planning to leave...where are you planning to go? You need the Lazarus pit to stay alive" Batman tried to remind him.
"Whilst I trained with Nyssa, we travelled all around the world, thus I know of all of the Lazarus pits...there's a city not too far with one...Bludhaven. I'm going to try to find something to do with myself...something where I can find meaning in living. Just like you have...I want a reason to go on, and I just feel that Bludhaven is calling out to me...plus I hear that crime has been picking up there in recent years...so if I ever do continue the hero-gig...at least I won't be bored..." he turns his back at Batman and heads towards the boat placed at the end of the peer.
"Wait, what should I call you. 514A can't be used for someone trying to keep a low profile" Batman comments.
"Name? I never thought of that..." the doubleganger stops in his tracks "But now that I am thinking of it...I do like the name...Thomas. It feels...right..." the now named Thomas looks back to Batman with a smile as he salutes "Thanks for...knocking some sense into me...both figuratively and well actually punching me, then it's the thought that counts...Bruce, do you think that I can earn redemption for what I have done?" Thomas asks.
"It's not about being worthy of redemption...just do what you feel is right. If truly are able to be redeemed...you have nothing to worry about - take care, Thomas. I'll be keeping an eye out for you" Batman calls over to Thomas who smiles as he starts walking to the ship.
"Wish me luck then..." Thomas shouts back as he climbs up the stairs to the ship.
"Good luck..." Batman whispers.
One Week Later...
Wayne Tower R&D Division
"What's up, Lucius. You don't usually call me up out of the blue to meet you. I don't know why you couldn't tell me this over the phone" Bruce stood with his arms folded as he looks to the man stood on the other side of the table who appeared to be holding a small lead box in his hands. Lucius placed the box down onto the table next to Bruce.
"Over a month ago I deciphered one of the strongest encryptions that I have ever seen over any kind of transmission. It was far more complex than any military equipment that I have worked on in my time. I took I rook almost a week to decipher it...and a lot of coffee. Anyway when I finally managed to decrypt the message it showed me coordinates to a small town in Kansas that over twenty-three years ago...was hit by a large meteor shower..."
Bruce lifts the box from the table flips the lid. His eyes widen as he sees a small rock-shaped object that seemed to be glowing green "You called me here for a meteor rock? Hey, Lucius. I'm all for exploring outside of our own world, but there are already plenty of these things to choose from on the planet..." Bruce studied the rock.
"The rock is the least of it. The transmission when it was fully translated sent quite the message..." Lucius looks as Bruce closes the lead box and places it back on the table "It said...with this rock...the last son will die. I traced the origin of the transmission, but the furthest I got is in the city of Metropolis. I think whatever the person behind is planning to cause some serious trouble especially since the radiation of these rocks are far greater than I have ever seen..."
"If you are worried...then that means that worrying is warranted. Okay, Lucius. I need you to try and learn more about the signal...I will make my way to Metropolis as soon as I can. A fundraiser is sure to drown all suspicion for my sudden choice to go to Metropolis..."
"Understood" Lucius replies.
Chapter End.
And that is Chapter 9 done and with it is the first part of the story. I mainly chose this storyline to fill in the gaps that the show had left open (which is more than I originally thought)
Also for chapter 10, as previously mentioned, the new storyline will begin. This one should only be a few chapters in comparison to the 9 used to write this storyline. It will focus around the first meeting of Batmam and Superman in the Gotham universe. This will help expand the world of this story and will make way for what is to come down the line.
Also should I continue on this story or begin a new story as a follow up to this one for second storyline? I have been thinking about it and it will help the stories feel unique to each other. Anyway let me know what you think.