Chapter 7 - "Annalise Blackwood"
Four Days Earlier
"Of course she can have one of puppies! Let her take two if she wants." Annalise Blackwood stopped mid-sentence, waiting for Joshua Smith to continue. The Indian descendant was busy trying to dissuade Annalise from allowing his daughter to take one of the pups from the litter of eight her pet retriever and Labrador had recently produced.
"Look, Joshua," Annalise said, one hand on her hip as she spoke into the cell phone. "Harriet can have the puppies, I'm sure. No, I'm not letting my emotions get in my way." She let out a chuckle, the dimples of her smile deepening. "All right. I'll be waiting for you to call. G'bye."
Annalise clicked an end to the call, tossing the phone onto a nearby desk in her bedroom, one of the chambers of the underground train station she had morphed into her humble abode. With a feel for the rustic, the train station had been reassembled to resemble a relaxing, beautiful home that seemed right out of the past.
As Annalise strutted past the mirror in her bedroom, she glanced at it to check her hair. Those pesky orange curls at her hairline were bursting free as usual, and Annalise contorted her mouth in frustration at the unruly hairs. Most of her long, orange hair was tied into a long, thick braid running down her back, but these few curls that loved to sprout free had always proven to be a problem unless bobby pins were brought into the picture.
"I don't know though," Annalise commented with a shrug. "They're kinda cute." Not that Annalise needed much help in the looks department; her smooth, lightly-tanned face was easily among the most attractive in Gotham, if not the world. She carried about her the beauty of an aristocratic heiress, for truth be told she was—in some fashion.
Annalise was not only attractive, but also athletic—the muscles were hidden beneath the fair appearance. She bore a lean body, with long legs and wide shoulders to offset and balance her figure's pear shape.
Annalise turned away from the mirror and sat on her comfy bed, taking in the spacious room provided by her personal quarters. As she sat, her tabby cat walked closely and purred. Annalise scratched the cat behind her ears. The cat had a . . . unique name, called Baba Yaga by her owner—out of affection, of course.
Baba Yaga wasn't the only cat, let alone animal residing in Annalise's restructured train station-home—she also owned a gray cat named Titania, a shadow cat named Bast (short for bastard—perhaps after the fact that Annalise's father was one himself, or perhaps because of the implications of such a name, she never told), a dog named Yule (likewise short for another crass terminology, which she only uttered when he warranted such punishment), a terrier-chihuahua cross named Chainsaw and a hellhound dubbed Buttons, and the two dog mates and their puppies.
Not to mention the more uncommon of animals: Annalise also possessed ownership of a shark named Susie, a goose named Horry (short for Horrible), a cow and her calf, a flock of teleporting crows (don't ask where they came from, Annalise herself has no clue), a glowing bird named Lightbulb (fittingly), Theophania the giant snake, and an eldritch creature who she had called Kyle. Oh, and perhaps the smartest of her animal companions, the monkeys Prince Ali, Aladdin, and Genie, the only ones to respond to their names when called.
Annalise, as most could ascertain, was fond of various animal companions. After all, one in her position could not just burst into companionship with regular people anytime she wanted to. Yes, she possessed a few close human friends, but no one close enough to know of her strange residence and the deep past she held secret. No one, actually, outside of herself or her family knew her past, and they all were gone in one way or another.
Annalise lay out on the bed as Baba Yaga began to purr and roam about the bed before hissing. Annalise sighed; Bast must've entered the premises. The two always fussed and spat at one another, despite being good friends. Must be the way they played, she assumed.
The phone on the desk buzzed, and Annalise slowly got to her feet. She smoothed down her floral-styled dress out of habit and made her way to the desk. She reached for the phone and picked it up. A playful grin appeared on her lips when she saw the caller ID. She accepted the call and pressed it to her ear. "Well, I consider myself blessed to be graced by your calling me."
It was a smooth, youthful voice that answered her greeting. "You know you're always free to give me the call."
Annalise grinned playfully. "It's more fun when the guy does the chasing."
Bruce Wayne let out a laugh. "You sure make it difficult to resist the urge to break our little vow, Annalise."
Since they had met two years earlier, Annalise and the young Bruce Wayne had become good friends. They had met at some gala held by Wayne Enterprises; at the time, Bruce was younger than he was presently, at the ripe age of twenty-two. Not the age most CEOs of such a renowned business as Wayne Enterprises would generally be, but it was what Bruce was. He was wise beyond his years, many people knew that.
But not so many got to know him on a personal level. Annalise and Bruce didn't have any serious relationship with each other, at least not romantically. When they first brushed into contact, the two did make eyes at one another, but as their friendship grew, they decided to be just that—friends. There was still a bit of playful flirting between the two, but out of jest and in keeping with the social system likely presented to two young, attractive, and affluent people as themselves.
"In all honesty, what is the purpose of this call?" Annalise asked. Their moment of banter had passed; onto the business end of things.
Bruce's confident, unfaltering voice picked up immediately. "A little Wayne Enterprises business. Nothing to do with the business itself, but we are indirectly involved."
"Sounds interesting." Annalise needed the details.
"The government has decided to allow for the creation of an institution focused on dealing with the corruption in Gotham that sprouts from the crime families. Wayne Enterprises was approached as one of the funders, and I mentioned how you had a knack for law and such."
A twinkle and smile appeared in Annalise's face. Among the discussions she and Bruce had had over the years as friends, debates over policies and laws had often come up, and Annalise made it clear that she was focused on such topics. She did, after all, possess a vast knowledge.
"Anyways, I thought it was something you might be interested in. I dropped your name to Commissioner Gordon, and he said that someone of your expertise could be of use to this institution."
Annalise twisted a finger through the orange curls of her hair. "You're so thoughtful, Bruce." In keeping with their playful relationship, she added, "I could just kiss you."
Bruce chuckled. "You'll have to wait a little bit to fulfill that promise. I'm actually about to head out of town for a little business trip."
"A business trip? With such an important 'institution' in the works?"
"I'm afraid it can't be helped. Besides, one of my top officials will be there to supervise. I'd trust him with my life."
Annalise nodded. "I understand. Well, I hope you enjoy your trip, good sir. I'll be awaiting your return to let you know how your little invitation and initiative pans out."
"I'll be waiting to hear from you. Take care of yourself, Annalise. It can get pretty dangerous out there."
"Why don't you look out for yourself, Bruce? I've got the experience I need to handle myself pretty well. It's the business world that houses the most sharks and cutthroats."
That elicited another laugh from Bruce. "You've got that right. I'll be seeing you." Annalise bid her own farewell before hanging up the phone.
As she dropped the phone again, she turned back to see Bast sitting on her bed. Baba Yaga was gone; he must've chased her off. "Did you hear that, Bast? Good ol' Brucie has invited us to a crime-fighting syndicate of sorts. Just the thing I've been waiting for."
The playful twinkle of memories of years' past returned to Annalise's eyes. This was just the thing she'd been waiting for.
You see, Annalise Blackwood was no ordinary girl. Not just because of her otherworldly beauty and charm, but there was so much more, that might explain some of those attributes.
While to all intents and purposes Annalise Blackwood was still in the prime of her youth, with the physical traits of a nineteen-year-old girl, she was actually five-hundred-and-eight. No Fountain of Youth was responsible, but magic was.
It all began in Wales in the 1500s. Annalise and her brother, Hendrick, grew up in a small village with their parents and the other village dwellers. Annalise's father was the son of a noble, but because he was an illegitimate child, he had not inherited the nobility of his father's rank. Instead, he lived as a woodcarver in a simple village, providing the means of livelihood for his family, especially his wife, whom he crafted tailoring equipment for.
Everything moved along smoothly in the life of Annalise and her family. She had formed a budding, innocent romance with the local blacksmith's son, David, and the two were going to be married when they were of age. Annalise still remembered the boy with affection, along with all her other childhood friends—they had all grown up together and were inseparable.
Then, a stranger named Moras Abolon came to the village and was warmly accepted. He lived as a trader and shared stories with the locals, and he became a regular for a time until he announced his departure. In truth, he did not leave; he lived in secret, mixing science and sorcery, before casting a spell across the entire village.
Chaos erupted. Many villagers died immediately, including Annalise's father. Her mother also fell ill, and she and Hendrick had to do their best to survive in a town of chaos. David also perished, mutated by some deadly inflection caused by Abolon's magic.
Before long, the entire village had become mutated, the villagers transformed into mad, inhuman creatures—all except Annalise and Hendrick. The two were instead mutated within, not on the outside. They both inherited their father's attractive, aristocratic features, but they also possessed magical powers. Annalise was able to control time itself, bending it to her will. She also was able to cast a variety of her own spells.
Hendrick's powers allowed him to absorb magic and energy from the world around him, giving him power. But it also is what gave him the will to live. Without absorbing life, he would die, as someone might if they never ate or drank for nourishment. He needed to absorb energy to survive.
The two siblings ran for their lives, escaping their mutated town and seeking refuge in Scotland. They lived their lives out using their magic in peace and for survival purposes only; Annalise became a medicine woman, and Hendrick a huntsman. He hunted animals and absorbed their energy to keep himself alive.
It was then that the two noticed Hendrick was not aging. The energy he absorbed was able to allow him to retain his youthful elegance, and they feared what would happen to Annalise if she continued to age. Would she die, leaving Hendrick alone in the world?
To stop the process, Annalise pressed the "pause button" of sorts, halting her aging process. She no longer grew older either, so the two forever retained their appearances as they were at the time; Annalise appeared nineteen, and Hendrick appeared twenty-two.
The two journeyed across the world, taking part in various escapades to pass the time. After all, they were blessed with what seemed to be eternal life, so why not use it to explore and live a unique life? They started out simple as fishermen, before joining a band of mercenaries, led a revolt, saved a young noble and served as aristocrats themselves, and usurped a corrupt leader of a land.
As they lived their lives, Annalise and Hendrick became careless and thought nothing of the attention they might attract. Little did they know that Moras Abolon himself was alive, and he was searching for them. He eventually discovered them, and an epic battle took place. Hendrick was able to absorb Abolon's life energy and kill him, becoming much more powerful in the process.
Annalise grew concerned for her brother. He could no longer live off of animals and plants to nourish him; he needed more energy to stay alive, after absorbing so much of Abolon's life. Annalise tried to pass on some of her own magic to keep him fulfilled, but it wasn't enough—if she gave any more, she herself would die. They then agreed they would take human life to keep Hendrick alive. Not innocents, just murderers and other scum who deserved death.
Eventually, the killing had begun to wear down Hendrick's mind. Yes, he was killing those who had murdered as a way of life, but so much bloodshed still tore at the innocence within. Hendrick eventually lashed out in a bar fight, and killed an entire town. Shaken by what he had done, Hendrick killed himself.
Abolon's life force would not be stopped, however. With Hendrick having ended his own life, he weakened his own will and gave almost complete control to the evil sorcerer. Hendrick's body was revived and he soon became completely emotionless, and Annalise had to make the moral decisions for them both. She still refused to take innocent lives, but she became completely desensitized to taking the lives of evildoers.
Annalise began to feel more and more guilty, her conscience tearing at her for taking so many lives—even those of the guilty. She tried to temper their lust for blood, but Hendrick would not be stopped. He began to kill innocents in secret, and the truth was revealed when he killed an order of good mages who had been their friends.
Annalise knew he had to be stopped. The two engaged in a great battle, but they were unable to defeat one another. In part because they knew each other so well, having been together for so long. But it was primarily because they both couldn't bring themselves to kill their own sibling. Even Hendrick's tormented mind was able to keep himself from committing such a heinous act.
Annalise was able to take control of the fight and turn it in her favor. When Hendrick was distracted, she sealed him in a pocket of time and he lay there in slumber, at peace.
Worn and beaten, Annalise placed her brother in an Icelandic fortress, where it was guarded by an order of powerful warriors who Annalise could trust. She placed a spell on them so they would never age, like her, and they stood guard at the fortress to this very day.
Without any family or friends, Annalise decided to put aside her life of hunting down wrongdoers. The killing had taken its toll, and she went to therapy. She had been able to snap out of the idea that killing anyone who was guilty was okay. She still felt the assurance that those who had taken innocent lives were not worthy of their own life, but she wasn't bent on killing just for the sake of it. Not anymore.
Through the ages, Annalise traveled the globe, learning all the crafts, secrets, histories, and skills she could. As she grew older (mentally, she still possessed the youthful physical beauty), Annalise began to let history take its own course and she simply viewed from the shadows. As capitalism skyrocketed, she made a few wise investments and had a strong financial foundation. She scanned the United States for a good city for wealthier individuals, and she moved to Gotham, where she lived for the next fifty years.
Annalise was still able to use her will against crime to stop a few illegal acts here and there, but she mostly operated in a social life. Her pride in collecting and investigating history allowed her to take a part-time job in a museum, where she authenticated different antique items. She even had a collection herself—when rumblings sounded of magical or historical items being smuggled into Gotham, she made sure she was nearby to try and get her hands on it. Either through an auction if it was legitimate, or through other means if it was not.
As Annalise snapped out of her recollection, she eyed the colorful, glowing tapestry on the wall of her bedroom. It had been crafted by her mother, detailing the Blackwood family's life. Annalise had taken up sewing, and she herself was working on what she dubbed a "sequel," another tapestry detailing the lives of herself and her brother. Primarily herself—after all, she had many more years experience after Hendrick had been incarcerated in Iceland.
Annalise sighed softly. She still missed her brother, even though he had done many unpardonable evils. Could he truly be blamed, though? Abolon had possessed his body, but at certain times Hendrick had still displayed signs of his old self. Was he truly there, and he had just allowed Abolon to commit such evil acts, or was he only able to flare his old personality on certain occasions?
Best not to think about it, Annalise had told herself continually. Hendrick had finally been put to rest. Now, Annalise had to live her own life. Keep building skills and a foundation—and now, with a smile, she thought of her new occupation. Crimefighter? She liked the sound of that.
Annalise softly got to her feet, gracefully moving to an old trunk in the corner of her room. As she easily unlatched the lock, she lifted the heavy lid off and dug around inside before she withdrew a black facemask. The goggles were avian in appearance, glossed in an orange sheen. Two hooks on the sides were to go over the wearer's ears, and they were able to connect with two magnets attached to a neck sleeve she owned.
The mask hadn't been worn in years; Annalise hadn't fought in combative situations in a while. Well, there were a few times when some inebriated business tycoon might've made a move on her, but she was able to take care of them without needing a whole uniform.
Annalise grinned as she rubbed her fingers over the orange lenses. "Could do with a little cleaning," she murmured, "but it'll look as good as new once I'm through with it." Quickly, she grabbed the mask and dug around in the trunk for a few more items before turning and jogging to her armory.
A/N: Hello everyone! Here's chapter 7, which introduces us to Annalise Blackwood, the oldest member of our team! What'd you all think of the character and her introduction? Also, we got our first glimpse at a primary character. What'd you all think of the chapter? Please leave your thoughts of the chapter in a review and let me know how you guys think of the story as a whole thus far! Until next time.