Gotham Knights Chapter 8
It was fate.
Only that could have brought us together, forcing us to help each other, to trust each other.
Not for these "avengers", but Blanco and I would have been met with more suspicion, more distrust had everything gone a different route.
I know a little bit about fate.
Fortunately in this life there is no need for me to pretend to be a man to fulfill destiny.
Looking to Blanco, I am amused to see him in a heated whispering discussion with Petro during class. He is visibly annoyed at the constant harassment by him. As at every opportunity he questions Blanco on magecraft. He was disappointed to discover my own lack of knowledge on the subject, as my focus was more practical than theoretical.
Petro is completely ignoring the class lecture being given, the teacher's twitching vein in his forehead an indication he had noticed this lack of attention.
I was finding all of this highly amusing.
It was fate …. Blanco's muttering at times about trolling wizard's notwithstanding.
A paper ball hits Petro at the back of his head …. hard.
He looks around, then guiltily tries to resume looking at the teacher attentively, spotting the thrower's stone faced expression, Tasha does not look happy with him. She and Stephen are sitting in desks across from us, looking like put upon parents with unruly children to look after. Jade is ignoring us all, busy writing away in her notebook, looking the very image of a studious Academy student.
Despite Petro's obvious obsessing with magecraft, we are attempting to keep a low profile. While not avoiding each other we are trying not to seem as a group socially.
It was Tasha that pointed out the cameras everywhere at the Academy, berating herself for not spotting them sooner. This new life having made her lax applying her skills, a fact she insists would have gotten her and everyone killed in her former life, but have no doubt exposed us to both heroes and villains.
Tasha has assumed the leadership role in subterfuge, in a move no doubt to sharpen her old skills in espionage, the goal to not be discovered. To give us time to make our own choices.
Blanco reassured her he had dealt with them, destroyed them and their recordings, after Jade's re-empowerment
While glad that we managed to destroy them, she makes clear that we had placed a spotlight here at the Academy. Any investigators will not just be seeking a green giant, but also those capable of covering everything up. Tasha was not taking any chances hence our "no group socializing" rule. Most of them seem to trust her judgment, so Blanco and I have as well.
Trust.
It is not easily given by people such as us, but surprisingly she appears to be giving it to me and Blanco, the rest of the group following her lead. So have we, as we find ourselves in a more comfortable atmosphere in class with each other.
The bell rings and its lunch break, I see Blanco look at me and I give him a little shake of my head. He understands and heads off to get us a table for when I join him at the cafeteria later, while I head to the newly restored chapel. There is no need for him to accompany me every time as he does not understand why I go, and does not believe as I do. Surprisingly Stephen follows me as I leave the classroom.
"You heading to the chapel?" he asks me as he falls in next to me.
"Yes, how did you know?" I ask.
He flicks his head in its direction "Just a guess , I heard it was repaired "
He looks to Petro as he is once again trailing Blanco, but this time Tasha and Jade are behind them. He gives me a thoughtful look, "It's also where we all met."
I nod my head as I respond to his unasked question, "I attend the chapel regularly, while many find it old fashioned, I find strength and solace in my faith." I reply to him. In Blanco's reality marble he had the presence of a much older man; I think he will understand what I mean. The returned nod and soft smile I get at my words brings truth to this feeling.
"It's a reflection of the times, where people with godlike powers are plentiful, and you can see there failings." He states to me as we walk out of the building.
"People lose faith in God, as they mistake having godlike abilities for being God." He shares his thoughts. "But I didn't follow you to discuss theology; Tasha would like us all to meet tonight at you and Blanco's Academy residence."
"I see no problem with this, but why our residence?" I ask him surprised, I had thought she would select a more neutral ground.
He chuckles as he answers "The Crowne's are known as a bit of a peculiar, reclusive family, and we don't think your family allowed cameras to be placed inside." He gives quick glance to me, to no doubt see if his remarks on my family's eccentricities had offended me. "Also you are the only ones with a residence to yourself other than the senior staff and we are all in the dormitories, with roommates and cameras"
I shrug my shoulders as I look to him "My family is a bit peculiar, while other influential families wanted dormitories, libraries or activity halls to hold their names to show their patronage, my ancestor just insisted on one Crowne residence at the Academy. To be used by family members should they attend here."
"How exactly are you and Blanco getting away with cohabiting?" Stephen asks.
I laugh softy "I think some are under the mistaken impression that I am a boy Stephen, an effeminate one."
I see him shift uncomfortably while delivering this bit of information. At least ten years and he still does not seem to have made peace with his current form." I hide my grin, as I find it amusing after a lifetime pretending to be male. My habit of wearing the Academy's uniform, more out of being comfortable than a need to be seen as a boy.
"Others think we are siblings, Blanco being unacknowledged," I see him understand my meaning immediately, "while the last know the truth, merely ascribing it to being a Crowne, and ignoring it."
We arrive at the chapel, beautifully restored and still as ostentatious. I did not however come to view this; I go to the front and kneel facing the cross on the altar. Stephen is next to me as we reflect and pray, also preparing myself for the discussion that will happen tonight, on the decisions we will be making for our future.
"Petro also comes here as well, you know?" Stephen suddenly speaks up next to me, "He lights up candles often for his Uncle, Aunt and others from his past life." I see a thoughtful look in his blue eyes, as he continues "Tasha doesn't always go with him, but she did that day. What are the odds on all of us being here together to help Jade."
I look to the cross voicing my certainty as I answer him "No odds, just fate."
Z-Z
It's close to midnight when everyone finally arrives, Pedro arriving with Jade holding onto his back while web slinging with Tasha next to them. Stephen had arrived not long before, also moving silently and invisibly through the night, avoiding security personnel and cameras.
"Sorry tried to be here sooner, but we had to wait until the teacher at Jade's dormitory finally went to sleep before we could grab her and go." Petro explains as they all settle in at the table Blanco had placed everyone around, feeling the exact moment that the bounded field is activated. I see that while they do not know how it works, they have come to trust that we can provide a means for a private conversation. Sitting directly across from me, Tasha takes control of the meeting with the following words to me and Blanco.
"Natalia Romanova, Black Widow, and an avenger" she states, then looks to her brother.
"Peter Parker, Spider-Man, and an avenger", he responds at her look.
"Steve Rogers, Captain America, and an avenger", Stephen says lastly looking to Jade.
"Jennifer Walters, She-Hulk, and an avenger", the diminutive girl speaks up.
They wait expectantly on us after this planned re-introduction of sorts.
"What is the point of this?" Blanco says dismissively, "We have no idea what those names mean, so why tell them to us?"
Tasha faces him and with emphasis points to herself and then to the rest "They mean something to us, and tells you how we still partly think of ourselves." She stares at him, waiting.
"Shirou Emiya, Third rate magus, and freelancer." He says to her, while avoiding looking in my direction, as he knows my expression would have shown my disapproval to what he was including and omitting.
"Artoria Pendragon, King of Knights, and Heroic Spirit" I say, while leaving them a bit of time to think on our replies.
It is Petro that asks the question, "Don't you mean Arthur Pendragon?"
I shake my head at him "No, my name was Artoria."
"Wouldn't that make you the Queen of Knights?" he persists, clearly confused.
I smile at him as I reply "Not if they thought I was a man."
"You mean King Arthur was a woman?" Petro asks incredulously.
"I was in my reality, I cannot speak to here" I tell him, Tasha and Jade smiling in amusement.
Jade looking at Blanco and I states firmly "You were both heroic spirits". At the rest of her friends questioning look she explains, "Spirits of heroes who achieved great deeds in life, becoming objects of worship after their deaths."
It seems that she retained some memories of Herakles that were not just about controlling the rage and madness. I see them look to Blanco, a silent rebuke for his omission.
"He doesn't consider himself a heroic spirit" I tell them, as I lean closer to him and squeeze his shoulder in understanding.
"I made an unwise decision, and it was my punishment" he comments with a flat, grim tone, leaving no room for follow up on this statement.
"Well it seems we were all heroes, in one form or another, for whatever reason" Stephen says trying to shake off the awkward atmosphere left by his tone "Now what should we do now?"
Tasha gives a snort, showing her derisiveness on the question, "As if there was ever a real choice, I had to hold this idiot back from getting involved in dangerous situations in our previous neighborhood before he got his abilities back." She indicates at her brother who shows an affronted face. I see however that he does not deny her accusation.
She takes a long look at each of our faces as she asks the question that really matters. "Is anyone of us going to step back now that we have the option of using our abilities again to do good?"
It's not really a question that needed answering, the answer plain to see in each of us, but also uncertainty and hesitation to take the leap from some.
The memories of a past life, past mistakes and past pain ever close.
"Can we be heroes here?" Blanco asks them, getting a puzzled look from the group.
"What do you mean?" Petro asks.
"I wanted to be a hero of justice, I wanted to save everyone, then I found out I couldn't save everyone", he continues speaking softly, looking at his young, unblemished hands, "That in order to save many lives I had to sacrifice a few. I became the killer of killers so that the innocent may live; I have blood on my hands".
"How can I become a hero here?" he looks around to everyone "They don't kill their villains they just lock them up"
"Then the villains break out and kill again, and the heroes here just catch them again, and round and round it goes," he gestures.
"After a lifetime of killing a few to save many , I don't know if I can be that type of hero here or even if I want to be", he ends his words grimly.
Silence follows as he lays bare the collision between the youthful, idealistic persona of Shirou Emiya against the jaded, cynical one of Archer; the struggle within the soul of Gabriel Blanco.
I do not envy him this conflict in personas, as my memories of my corrupted aspect had given me a bitter taste of these conflicting thoughts and values. "They aspire to be that ideal hero of justice here, even though they fail at times, they always strive for it." I speak up.
"The public trusts these heroes because they are not acting as judge, jury and executioner, but allowing their country's laws to judge these criminals on their actions and sentence them on their crimes." I voice my opinion.
"They appear to be working along side the law, not above it" I continue. "It's allowed them a great deal of independence and cooperation from most countries."
"I don't know about your old world, but in our one the more permanent solution lead to division among our team, and the people we were protecting" Jade states, with Peter nodding "It made a grimmer world, not a better one".
"It created PROJECT INSIGHT" Stephen speaks up, with a look between Tasha and him, "A world where the punishment would have come BEFORE the crime."
I speak my next words firmly, as I look at each of them at the table "It may be naivety,but I would like to follow that code".
"A noble knight's code?" Jade asks me with a smile.
They can see my sincerity as I answer "Yes", not understanding the regret that comes with it, as I remember my shattered sword: Caliburn - Golden Sword of Assured Victory.
The sword I shattered when I broke my code, my rules of chivalry.
As I look around the table, I see the resolve from everyone to strive to be better than they were in the past. This we can do together, a shared goal worth pursuing.
Then I reach deep within my soul and magical core and I bring it forth.
While never as close to my heart as Caliburn, it has become my most powerful weapon: Excalibur - Sword of Promised Victory.
It can be seen in all its brilliance, as I lay it on the table infront of me, their eyes widening in shock and awe as they feel what it symbolizes, the promise it gives to our goal.
"Will you join me in my quest?" I ask them openly and honestly as I am no longer the confident, aloof, unapproachable king. I am like them, learning from my past mistakes, trying to be better.
It is Stephen that moves first, reaching across the table to touch the sword. He glances back to me and with a slight nod of his head, louder than any words, shows he is with me. They all reach out one by one, some with words and others with nods joining me in my …. our quest.
Blanco is the last to touch Excalibur, and for all that he was with me from the beginning in this new life, I was unsure if he would follow us. Then he closes his eyes and I feel his Od flare as he starts to materialize it around Excalibur, its scabbard: Avalon - The Everdistant Utopia.
Showing what to build towards in our actions, what to strive for in Gotham, and the world.
A promised victory in obtaining a golden everdistant Utopia.
"Okay, no more holding back, you have got to teach me how to do that!" Petro exclaims with a face of wonder as he gazes at the scabbarded sword.
"Focus!" his sister says while softly hitting him at the back of his head open palmed with her hand. He starts rubbing the back of his head and glaring at her as she continues speaking.
"Well people, how do we start?" she says, ignoring him, leaning expectantly forward as we begin our planning.
Z-Z
A FEW MONTHS LATER IN GOTHAM CITY PARK:
Batman is annoyed.
Usually he is calm, composed and calculating, but if you knew where to look you could see it. As I am doing right now, while both of us is standing next to Mister Freeze. Who is all wrapped up in spider webbing and attached to a big, tall tree…upside down.
I am impressed with the webbing, strong enough to hold him and withstand subzero temperatures. All attempts to analyze it proving unsuccessful as it dissolves suspiciously quickly once you start analyzing it or try to take a sample of it.
"Batman and his boy wonder," Freeze says with a grimace, the webbing holding him upside down slowly swaying. "Frankly I was underwhelmed when encountering your latest side kick, but soon paid for my error in judgment as you can see."
I remove the note pinned to the ice villain, and read the message left by one of Gotham's newest crime fighters.
"Dear Gotham PD, I spotted Mr. Freeze cooling everyone down at the park on such a lovely, warm Independence day. Felt he was misbehaving and gave him a time out swaying in the breeze, leaving him to see everyone heat up again to enjoy this fine sunny day. This all compliments of your friendly neighborhood Spider-man." I read out aloud, while Freeze starts chuckling.
"First a flying rodent, a little bird and now an insect," Freeze says with sarcastic humor, "what will Gotham come up with next?"
"Spiders are not insects, they are arachnids," Batman replies, but I can see it was an automatic correction, his thoughts elsewhere. We have been encountering similar types of scenes a number of times now, though he is the first super powered villain. The others involved Gotham's usual assortment of muggers, thieves and armed bank robbers.
"My mistake, though if you want be pedantic Spider-boy is more accurate than Spider-man." Freeze says with a bitter tone.
At those words we both focus our attention on him, trying not to show our interests. Every other crook that had encountered these new vigilantes has been very lacking on proper descriptions or information of any kind. The skills they show in not being seen until they strike or covering their tracks rivaling Batman's.
"He is no doubt like all children, eager to grow up, and be considered an adult," Batman responds, with a glance in my direction which Mister Freeze catches.
A smirk forms on Freezes faces "Oh? Poor little bird it seems you are being replaced with a tiny arachnid, though I have to admit he is a striking figure with that red and blue armor." He has a thoughtful look on his face, as he seems to notice our focused attention on him, then a realization.
"He isn't one of yours is he Batman, if he was you would have that type of armor" A loud laugh following that comment. "It shook off the effects of my freeze ray effortlessly," he continues, while shaking his head, "No you would have definitely obtained one for yourself if he was". After that we got nothing more, Freeze staying silent throughout the process of removing him from the webbing as it starts dissolving and while accompanying him all the way to Arkham Asylum.
Now we are finally on our way to the Hall of Justice, Washington D.C. to meet up with rest of the sidekicks and their mentors. All of us joining the Justice League and becoming official league members. I have been looking forward to this for awhile, but the information Freeze let slip is bouncing around in my head.
"He's a kid, like me" I say to Bruce as we travel to D.C in the batplane.
"So Freeze thought, but he could be mistaken and also the others spotted could be adults." He replies.
"Like me and you?" I ask him, "How many do you think they are?"
"Three or Four, and they are working as a whole team." Batman replies as he stares ahead holding the controls, busy piloting. I am not fooled, the plane is set on autopilot and the sky is clear off traffic on our set course. Batman is not just annoyed but also concerned about Gotham's latest crime fighters.
They never cross our path.
Which is unusual in the city since Batman tends to randomize our nightly patrol. New players also tend to want to meet us and proudly show off their crime fighting skills, making no attempt to hide their real identities from us. All to be acknowledged by Gotham's most famous vigilante. Those that don't care or are shy to meet us, we quickly track down and observe. Just to make sure of their motives and get their secret identities to be used as leverage against them if they ever step over the line themselves. Hypocritical of us, especially with how closely we guard our own identities, but Bruce is a firm believer of the Russian proverb "Trust, but verify".
Most don't last long.
Stopping when they either get disillusioned, once they understand the real cost of this lifestyle, or killed.
A few go bad.
The path of crime fighting littered with so much temptation to step over the line, with them not knowing or caring in the difference between fame and infamy. Them we stop, putting them behind prison bars alongside those they fought against not so long ago.
These new vigilantes have however proven to be very elusive, better at avoiding us than we at tracking them down. Forcing the Batman to go so far as to allow a few petty crimes to continue, all in order to lure them out and hopefully follow them back to their base.
Nothing.
They however seem to know exactly where we are during our patrols, it's the only explanation on how they can avoid us so effectively. It has increased Batman's paranoia to the nth degree with more electronic sweeps of absolutely everything of ours done regularly.
Nothing.
The caped crusader does not like being outmaneuvered, and in his own city no less.
This observation by Mister Freeze adds a new piece to the puzzle, our task to figure out just how it fits, enabling us to track them down.
I am starting to get annoyed myself by this cat and mouse game.
I wonder how long it will take before annoyance turns to frustration in Batman, if we don't solve this mystery soon.
A quick grin makes its way onto my face, as a stray thought enters my mind.
It may just push Batman to do the unimaginable.
Ask for help.
