Universe: Earth-19
Gotham City
Bruce gazes the monument. The name Bruce Wayne is very well known at rock-bottom this Universe. Bruce doesn't know much about this Universe's history but it appears Bruce was a hero to Gotham.
"Surprised, aren't you?", Claire said.
"A little", Bruce replied.
Suddenly, a pair of robots alighted behind Bruce and Claire.
Both Claire and Bruce promptly half-turned when clanging punched hard behind them. Two robots with a symbol embedded on their chest. It says 'W'.
"Show me your identifications", one of the robots said in an assertive manner.
Frowned in a serious way, Bruce thought about how to flee from them. They are robots, and Bruce is not permitted to use what would've been an advantage. Perception laid upon a widening view of civilians curiously observing them, and frowned.
"Your identifications. Please. Or we will fire", the robot addressed, readying a blasted set to extinguish them.
A spiral awakening of a sun within their circular tubes situated on the top of their palms.
Claire secretly hid her hand behind. She begins casting a spell without speaking words.
As the robots are prepared to fire, they are suddenly enveloped in a foggy haze. The slight obscuration of the lower atmosphere blinds them, forcing them to withdraw their blasts. A monument is right in front of them, which they cannot risk firing at just to harm two individuals who can't show their IDs.
Unbeknownst to the robots, Bruce and Claire fled away, finding a place to temporarily hide in.
Into the blackness they united with as they want less eyes on them by robots.
Using Claire's powers, they managed to leap above the gate before them, before blasting full speed forward.
They ended up out of the alley, finding numerous robots on the street. Onto the elegance of Gotham's hundreds of citizens silently strolling.
Before they would choose to move, they visually perceived robots landing the area. A landing that spreads quite a vacuum as civilians mindfully walked away. It's as if this peaceful Gotham is more like a Gotham dictated by its powerful figure.
Bruce and Claire went back into the dark. They abstained violence from being brought to them, and the people in here. They watched, they listened. A great of deal of communications specifically regarded on them.
During the watch, Claire discovers a door next to them.
The latter tapped Bruce's shoulder. "In there", Claire said before whistling the words bound to generate a supernatural mechanism on the locked door's sudden opening.
Bruce turned. The door had opened.
The duo came inside prior to shutting the door behind them.
Reaching to a floor, they rayed widely across the area below. Long-legged robots continuing to fan out probably to find them. Hands off from the glass. Bruce and Claire's eyes continued peeling. Tall robots propelling cuts. There are beams discharged from their eyes. It might be for scanning.
"You've never told me where the energy to destroy the Universe originates from", Bruce said, remembering the only information he gained from her mouth is simply energy. Energy of what Bruce doesn't know.
"Everywhere", Claire responded. She denied looking though she noticed Bruce looking perplexed. "Some things you can't see with a mere glance. You'd have to sense the energy through Mana. This energy more like comes from fear emitted from beings who lost hope".
"So we're tracking down people who have fear?", Bruce questioned.
"No", Claire answered. "Natural fear barely impacts the Universe's transcend to give off leaks of this energy. They would naturally become part of this thing if one's fear is excessively worse than the entire world, hence setting forth undreamed actions, in other words, our worst nightmares brought to life".
"The only one who would give off that fear is...", Bruce said, thinking. He was nearly about to mention a name only to be beat by Claire to that name.
"You", Claire said, referring to her husband's doppelganger; this Universe's Bruce Wayne. "But I sensed the energy deep from this Universe, from this planet".
"Which means there is someone else who emanates enough fear to make the Universe endanger itself of destruction", said Bruce.
"Or worse succumb to eternal darkness", Claire muttered, turning away from Bruce because of not wanting to say it to his face, and not wanting Bruce to hear it. "Bruce we need to find this person before Harkness succeeds in finding it before us".
Bruce looks at Claire. His thoughts squeeze the inner corners of his eyebrows.
In a building far from where Bruce and Claire are...
The shimmering light grimaces the robots from the orbital glass windows. Light is faint in the shrouding darkness within the office. Light gleams directly as fringes implanted on every fearful individual in the office as their composure appears as though they are frightened of the devil's rise in power. Power in which treats them as mindless pets compelled to obey their superior. Their superior watches the open view of the jewelled Gotham.
"You have failed this city once again, mortals"
"We are very sorry Ma'am", one of the workers said. "Those two slipped from our grasp".
"Slipped?"
"Ah... what he means is they had supernatural powers", one of the workers said.
The superior one displays a keen look; a desire to know of what these supernatural powers are. "Define what you have seen from your recordings from your creations", the individual ordered.
"They created smoke", an employee disclosed.
"Smoke?", the powerful figure said, scowling indirectly toward their faces.
"Yes", a man said. "Which is why I advise we-". He instantly stopped when an instant beam erupted his cranium.
Everyone frowned, stumbling away from the corpse.
"I respond only to crisis situations", the figure said. Her eyes luminesced crimson colors spreading the office. "These hiccups are only handled by droids. Otherwise, why else would I create them? To carry my tasks 24/7?".
The remaining people who are still alive neared the wall behind them.
"Get your asses out of my office!", the being shouted. It immediately saw everyone leave the room.
The figure gently hammered her fists down the desk. It didn't care if it broke the desk. It afterwards stared a photo on the desk. A picture of itself and someone. Flickering ignitions of images popped into mind when it blindly stared at the photo. How long a period it's been the powerful being did not bother questioning. All that mattered was ensuring goals will be completed, and no one would stand in its way.
Bruce and Claire waited here until night.
Claire projected holograms from her palms. Ghostly images of certain events happening.
"Can you locate its exact point?", Bruce asked.
"Trying", Claire said prior to having an immense struggle as though a disturbance simply fried the connection. A static impulse shot Claire away. Until Claire swaddled under Bruce's hands. Despite the sudden bolt, Claire experienced no pain. It was rather a ticklish sensation. "The Universe itself is slowly getting out of control. From anger".
"Have you found our target?", Bruce said.
"Yes", Claire said. "She's not that far. She's in Gotham".
Claire subsequently moved to one point. She is form a gesture. Shortly after doing it, herself and Bruce are teleported. Teleported to where they feel great fear may embrace the eternal darkness.
A shimmering beam emerges on one of the top buildings in Gotham. Where Bruce and Claire instantly came.
Bruce swiftly became aware he's on a rooftop. But he looked at where Claire wanted his eye-direction at this way. A tall building, the tallest beyond all of Gotham. A beacon of the city Bruce recognised, and can't be unfamiliar, especially from a mere glance.
"It's never difficult to tell regardless of the state. But the name and the shape is enough to tell it's Wayne Enterprises", said Claire.
"Yes except it's Wayne Industries", Bruce said, reading the name of it from the company building. "My guess is this world's Bruce Wayne's successor currently runs the company, or to its consorts or another successor".
"A successor or an employee who has great fear", Claire said, reminding Bruce who they searching for.
Bruce turns his head to Claire's way. "Well?", Bruce said mildly.
"What?", Claire asked gently.
"Teleportation", Bruce said, thinking she might've forgotten she can use it to get inside the building; just like the various times Claire did to get to his office.
"Oh, that's the thing, I can't get inside", Claire said. She saw Bruce giving the wondering look. "I was spending a minute during your bird-watch trying to get us inside. It as though I'm being prevented by an invisible force".
"The only forces existed to make your shifts to its area a dead end is...", Bruce said, subsequent to hinting a realised look; eyebrows slight raised; horizontal wrinkles appearing on the forehead. "If what we're dealing is this then may the Light drive us away from the Dark".
"Considering the possible circumstances, we'll have to do this the old fashion way", Claire said. She straight away looked at Bruce astutely.
Bruce saw the look. He did not require asking for why. He understood the term 'old fashion' very clearly. He briefly emits a sound to express comprehension. He turns away, returning to the soft wavering light originally beamed by lightings shining the darkness of Gotham. Looking past the window, Bruce gazes the Wayne Industries building. If he learned a thing or two, perhaps inarguably more, about ways to sneak in, Bruce's ways are always the easier ones.
Wayne Tower
No windows, no beacon of light to faintly shine exposure, no lights in the room to hint a little light, nothing in the room providing a way to give an option of an on-off discharge of luminescence. The room became fully black. Blackness bestows the silent and cold treatment.
A door slide open via automation. The opening led illumination spreading the whole room. A strong emission of light firing the blackness as long as it the door's opening lasts.
The one person allowed to set foot here is the one to take away everything the former CEO of this building once had.
Beyond restricted stepping pavements lies the world's broken man securely hung in his own nightmare of only pain and torture. His very life taken away not just what's happening in life that's ridden, but also his body. His own mutilated body hooked up to a machine which is keeping his mutilated body alive. His life essence maintained by a machine. His prison. It's like
"A constant of our time it's been since watching you blindly stare into the darkness as though that is your ally", the incomer said gently. "I should offer condolences. But that's a human thing. I don't do human".
Parts of a dead body can only watch the world's dangerous threat walking closer to him whilst it speaks.
"I promised I would meet once my errands were dealt with", the individual said. "At rock-bottom, you have been silent. And yet today I wonder. Will this be the day that everything changes?". It finally closed the distance with its prisoner. A hand is placed upon the prisoner's mutilated face. "Will this be the day you finally admit the truth...". It sneered into the broken man's eyes no regret whatsoever on the causes befallen to the fallen knight of Gotham. "...Bruce?".
"An example to be set by becoming the world's true dictator?", Bruce said despite the eternal agony swirling.
"We all have intentions. If it were not for my role to remove all powers from all countries, millions would've died of such tragedy. If it were not for my presence, someone else could've taken your company", the individual explained.
"At least Derek Powers and Paxton Powers aren't playing gods all over Earth", Bruce said.
"In one timeline, they succeeded in merging your company with theirs to form Wayne-Powers Enterprises, using the company's resources for many illegal business transactions", the lady said. She slowly twirled. "So from a point of view, they are as dangerous as I am, considering the effort you put on Wayne Enterprises. That's why such measures needed to be taken... where you and every Bruce Wayne failed".
The Earth-19 Bruce Wayne could only glare at her. He is already horrified, he is already broken, he is already lost.
"So I have your approval?", the powerful woman asked scornfully. She sets five fingers at Bruce's face.
"You have my disdain-", Bruce growls only to be cut off by suddenly crying in intense pain. Intense pain stemmed from the lady crushing his head. He knew what creature this lady is. She could do anything to him.
"I could crush your cranium so hard my money would bet on your agony swiftly ending you", the lady said. In period, she hears his puffs. "Unfortunate for you, your agony shall extend as long as he desires, depending on your acknowledgements of our version of peace". She then blasts a red beam.
Bruce cries loudly in intense agony. "And what... about Dick... Tim... Selina... Alfred, and all the others? All the pain... you caused them?", Bruce spoke as though he has a sore throat.
"I did what none of you could. As the world tore itself apart... I kept the world standing. That would mean the price of permanently removing its greatest heroes. It is a good price. After all, you all ruled by partial codes, half measures", she said.
"I didn't rule at all", Bruce replied.
"Because you were too frightened. I am a believer in his methods, his example, and now we are what the rest of the world only wishes to aspire to", she said. "You only need to say it. Once you do, you shall have his permission to have peace find you".
"The Batman... this city needs... is the one strong enough to save it in a crisis", Bruce declared. "Your master, whoever you call him, is weak, paranoid. He's just as fixated on Gotham as the rest. And he will fall".
The lady smirked evilly. She is amused. "You're slipping into your fantasy world, old man. Find a hobby, and revivify that world. Your world is dead. Accept it", she said. Having said enough, she turns away from Bruce, finally ending their conversation.
Security guards covering the corridors.
While one of them swings legs forth on a new passage in the building, he hears indistinctive voices coming nearby. Somewhere around him. His senses engaged on, unfurling his wide ears to detect the reflective sounds.
When he realises where the noise came from, he storms into that door. Opening it, he comes across something that becomes pretty awkward for him. Glanced upon two individuals kissing in the cleaning office.
Lips passionately pressed on one another.
"Hey!"
A voice instantly caused the kissers to split, laying a new composure: sturdy straight as though standing like a soldier even though it wasn't necessary.
"The fuck you two doin' here?", the security guard said.
"Uh...", the lady trying to think of something to say while putting a clear awkward smile. Every situation needs a façade to shake off one's hunch whether or not they're dumb. "...we were kissing...". She afterwards chuckled in a gauche way. "...and yeah... we'll get back to work...".
"Hold it", the security guard halted the duo's movement. "Why aren't you performing your duties?".
"Oh, it wasn't our time yet. Our shifts are about to start... right... now", the lady explained, preserving her outward appearance as long as possible.
"Well, get to work then", the guard boldly said before leaving the two.
What wasn't known to the security guard is he was deceived.
"It would've worked better my way, Claire", Bruce said.
"My plan involves getting through every room", said Claire. "Not wasting more time creeping through vents to get to every room". She turns away from Bruce, preparing to set foot out of the room. "Time is short for us".
Out of the room Claire and Bruce drew. They made sure to not make eye-contact or even look up. Acting as janitors, they moved along the corridors.
When they find no guard in sight, Bruce and Claire ditched their supplies in one room. They finally begin in taking a probe on the whole building.
Silent footsteps drumming along the wide and endlessly long corridor.
After a long while of extensive search, the two have reached their end by setting foot inside a room where it appears contained glasses marshalled in rows.
Claire at a stroke was stunned. Containers in each row are carrying within the bounds of glass trophies. Not exactly gold, not really antique trophies. Claire viewed them as trophies. She has an impression the gain of these items wasn't in a fair way. It is dark.
Bruce has witnessed disturbing things in life but he never saw weapons and suits placed as trophies in a room inside a Wayne company building. The crimson stain on each object implies these items weren't really handed freely. There was blood. A violent conflict, giving a hapless end to the owners of these prized items.
"Seems the CEO is a quite a collector", Claire remarked. She sauntered thoroughly on gaining every sight on every glass-view of trophies. "I recognise some of them. The barrel of German Heavy Gustav, parts of the Artillery, the Scarab, the tiara, the sword. It's as though these trophies are used to express the CEO's greatest victories in a pleasant way".
While turning glances right-and-left at stowed items, Bruce neared a locker. Something was calling out to him.
An empty office comprised of only one person: the CEO herself. She laid relaxed, sitting on the chair, though having some frustrations. A faint crimson light illuminating on her face; the lady gazing a hologram. "I sense through Mana two disturbing presences", she said. "They are in here. Somewhere. And I never sensed the Light Side. In fact, I doubt there is an existence of the Light Mana, or Dark".
"They won't stop us", the ghost-figure reassured the CEO without looking at her. "Everything is on schedule".
"You knew they would be here?", the lady asked.
"They are the catalyst to befall a significant key turning this Universe into eternal darkness"
The CEO sensed a grin from the redness of ghost-image sculpturing her curled lips.
The panel before Bruce; a code required for insertion. The code has six digits. Every Bruce Wayne shares similar traits. He guided his fierce finger on buttons. Bruce elevates from the deeper depths of his knowledge back into light, instantaneously pulling forth the exact numbers needed to be added. He pressed and pressed, and when he added the last number, buzzes seeped from the locker as it started opening.
Dwelling the metallic bounds of the locker is a container that lamps. Its light gently blew wider illumination coming at Bruce's face.
Bruce didn't know what it was. But it has bat symbols embedded on every side of that hexagonal prism shape.
Claire came to Bruce. "Found something?", she asked. When she saw light openly beaming over Bruce, she was keen to know what it was Bruce opened.
"Yes", Bruce said, sounding monotone as though he is being hypnotized by looking at the container. He slowly picked the object up, reaching it to his side. "This".
Claire took a brief scrutiny on the item. Ringing true the undoubtedness envelopes on that one object; technologically advanced; seemingly holding swarms of inexorable bees.
"Nanites", Bruce addressed sharply.
"Every machine has a function", Claire regarded. "A penny for your thoughts".
"Healing injuries, regulate bodily functions, destroy or fix structures, hack into systems. Whatever it is, the bat insignia around this container suggests it was meant for this Universe's Batman", Bruce said. He then looked at Claire. "If it was me who built it, I would use them to heal my injuries, regulate body functions, or either destroy or hack into systems".
"You're quite impervious to allowing others to join your crusade", Claire remarked. She doesn't know if she was alluding him or actually alluding other existing Bruce Waynes in the Multiverse. Nevertheless, it is factual her husband never expands his trust. He banks on his present abilities. Of course, not one enemy can kill the Bat. But psychological breakdown is one of the various processes to neutralise the best of men among billions.
"I don't allow others to enfold in my crusade", Bruce said. "Because they would eventually get themselves killed".
"Like her?", Claire asked.
Bruce lowered the container away from his eyes whilst being forced to reflect painfully on what happened to her. This 'her' Claire mentioned, Bruce wouldn't be stupid believing she was mentioning other women Bruce met these past few years.
"She wouldn't want you going it alone", Claire said. Connecting her conscious in Mana provides her over hearing cries of the woman.
"I failed my protégé", Bruce recalled. He looks up at Claire before standing up. "My life of letting people in ended right after what happened to her". He subsequently showed a disappointed look at Claire. "I spoke from experience. I expect my wife to understand what she talks should be speaking from experience too".
Bruce later walks past Claire, about to exit the room, taking the container with him.
Claire sighs prior to following Bruce on the way out.
Again among the passage. They stepped out, discreetly forgetting about what happened in the room except feeling disturbed by sights of trophies, and discovering a container of nanites secured in the vault.
Robotic voices originated nearby. Bruce and Claire prompts rotation of heads. Robots are metres far but they can reach them if they don't run. These robots told them to stay where they are. Logically, they didn't listen. They turned to the opposite.
They ran to their chosen direction. A long stride to take across in that passage. So while it provides more distance from them. Their energy beams and other abilities every robot should have would get in Bruce and Claire's way. A long barrage of steps swinging further and further. They moved one to another, all while searching for a room to hide in.
A minute they had to force themselves to absorb the scene of running. Away from the robots they had to do. Not in desperation; to not waste time.
Another few seconds of rumbling the corridors, Bruce and Claire ultimately stopped at one door. Surrounding walls on them; nowhere to hide or run toward. But it caught their strong attention for the door. The door's appearance large differs from the other doors they entered. Makes them wonder what's inside.
Once one foot is close to the door, the door automatically slid itself open. The door tore apart, revealing pitch-blackness.
Bruce and Claire came inside the darkness.
Inside blackness, sight is harder. Bruce and Claire experienced the feeling of the Dark Side stronger in here. Darkness is the complete absorption of of visible light. They barely see anything. They barely see the floor, and what may be in front of them. Despair attempts to mindlessly inflict them. The duo pushed past the boundaries of blackness. Step by step, they extended the path narrowly.
Following series of beats tremoring controllably on muscles of the floor, Bruce and Claire stumbled into lights fuzzing instantly from unknown places; sprayed emissions of light shooting from positioned spots. Light ridden the shadows that blinded Bruce and Claire.
Claire was on the verge of binging up light of her own. Light's eruption convinced her she didn't have to.
The ridden of shadows brought quick eyes flickering at a mutilated body. Both Claire and Bruce are shocked: a mutilated body. The head and the part of the body as far between neck and the stomach are the only things visible in perception. Perception also caught these parts of the body attached by tubes. A second would be enough to comprehend this mutilated body is hitched to a machine. The machine seems to be keeping the person alive; the machine prolonging this man's suffering.