Chapter 5: Acceptance

2004 A.D.

Hidden Location, Gotham

"Interesting."

Apollyon's eyes gleamed with excitement. A girl. A mere little girl was his target. But the target for what? To be destroyed? She could see him, which meant she was about to die. But by whom?

His father sure had a fucked-up sense of humor.

"Who … who are you?" Asked the little girl.

"I'm a friend. Little human." He patted her head.

She was so adorable. Too bad it would not be for long. Surprisingly Death of the Endless was nowhere to be seen. One would think that if it was important enough for Apollyon to be here, it should be important for Death too.

Unless he was sent here to save her. The idea itself was funny, he almost chuckled.

'Sending angel of destruction to do a rescue. Don't be ridiculous.'

Apollyon was sure that his Dad was not so senile to send him on a duty that not only suitable for his set of skills but also a polar opposite of his assigned role. Well, unless this was one of the cosmic level bird his Dad ever flipped.

Actually, that would be more understandable.

Accessing the situation, he found something troubling. The little girl was sad and scared, and it was not because of him.

Apollyon didn't do sympathy. Yet, he thinks he might make an exception this time. Something deep down told him that this small, petty, easily-broken, girl was very important. Something that could be just his gut feeling or just plain old manipulation dear old Dad.

Decided that he wanted to calm her down and put her at ease, he took her hands. "Don't be scared. Everything would be fine."

The girl was skeptical. She hesitated for a long while before reluctantly gave him her hands. He had to admit, being nice and caring was harder than he first thought.

So much for ranting about getting family back together for billion years. It was so easy being in the role of the one being taken care of.

… Family. Care.

'Is that what Dad wants me to experience? Being the head of a family. Seeing things from his perspective?' He stroked his chin thinking. 'Nah. Probably not.'

"What … What's your name?" The little girl asked. It brought his attention back to her instead of within his head.

"My name is Apollyon. You can call me Lyon. What's yours?"

"Artemis. Artemis Crock."

He felt that she was opening up to him. At least, he thought she was. Truthfully, he had no idea what he was doing. He was winging it and let his angelic charm took care of the rest.

"That's a hook(er)…" He caught himself before saying something very inappropriate to an eight-year-old.

"That's a hoo! … a beautiful name. Regal. Strong. Majestic. Exquisite."

Nicely saved. Apollyon mentally cheered. 'Now. Now. Don't get cocky. I need to figure out what to do next. Chitchat maybe?' He shook her hands up and down. 'Come on. Come on. Come up with a topic before this is getting awkward.'

"So. Why are you so sad little Artemis?"

"Errr." She hesitated. Her innocent eyes met with his dominating, yet warm gaze and she could do nothing but surrender to his demand.

Angelic charm. Well. At least the type that would be expected from a fallen angel.

"My mom was hurt really really bad. She got caught and was sent to jail…"

Apollyon lifted his brow. 'Interesting.'

"Then Dad gets really angry and being really mean. Jade run away and leave me with him."

The little girl was sobbing. The memories were painful for her young and naive mind.

Apollyon gave her a sincere nod of understanding. He acknowledged her pain, as he wasn't too different. Neglected by his parents, abandoned by siblings, punished for the crime he didn't commit. He knew her pain.

The moment didn't last long, however, because they were interrupted by a loud and angry yell.

"ARTEMIS! Where the fuck are you? you little shit!"

'So. An abusive drunk father, huh?' The fallen angel wondered. 'Probably a criminal. Scum that beat his family when things got rough.'

He shifted his glance at Artemis only to see she was curling in terror. Then he put two and two together. His conclusion was certain. That's how she was about to die. Beating to death by her own father.

'No, you fucking didn't.' He internally screamed. He hadn't felt this much rage since … since …

Since he was unjustly cast down and put to hell.

He sprouted his wings and formed his halo. He might not be a punisher. That's was Lucifer's job. Still, he was the one this little girl needed right now. A protector. An avenger. A better parent that she sorely needed?

Nah, probably not.

"Artemis. Do you believe in God?" He turned to ask her.

He found that she was in awe at his divinity. That was normally an effect on mortal when they saw it for the first time. One glance of divinity was enough to turn a lifelong atheist into a faithful follower, let alone an innocent child.

"Yes."

"Then consider your prayers had been answered. Consider me your guarding angel."

Her eyes couldn't be more delightful. Somehow Apollyon felt satisfied and craved for more. It was like when a crippled was miraculously cured. It was like when a girl was getting the thing she wanted as a birthday present.

A present from … from a dad whom she adored and loved very much.

Fuck!

'Why am I so attached to this little mortal? What am I gonna do with her? If she was saved she couldn't see me anymore.' He internally cursed himself. 'Dad. If you are listening and this is your sign. Well, fuck you.'

His train of thought was interrupted, however, by a large bang on the door. The little girl father was here. There was only a small thin wooden door between him and that scum.

He was going to enjoy this. As long as he didn't kill a mortal, it should be fine. It's time to set his nasty side loose.

"Artemis …" He confidently said. "Close your eyes, plug your ears and count out loud to ten."

She agreed to do so right away.

"One." Apollyon skinned paled. His eyes cracked and burnt with hellfire. He walked to the door and waited there. The banging was harder and more frequent.

"Two." Blood seeped from his halo. Locust sprawled from his chest. His hand engulfed with eldritch power. The banging stopped.

"Three." He unlocked the door and swung it open. Meeting Artemis's assumed father with his hellish gaze. The scum was a man in his late-thirties. The man was taken back by his terrifying sight. Good. This would be so easy.

"Four." He grabbed the man by his mouth and squeezed hard. It was hard enough to prevent it from moving but soft enough not to break the bone. The man was stunned by his strength and speed.

"Five." Before his victim could react, Apollyon lifted him up and moved with blinding speed. A strong wind blew into Artemis's room and then only the little girl remained. Apollyon and his victims, on the other hand, was on the other side of the hideout, far away from the little girl to notice anything.

"Six." He slammed the man's head through the wall. The scum was barely conscious when he released his grip. Good. That's mean he could have some more fun.

"Seven." He pulled the man up and kneed him on his belly. Then he gave him three consecutive jabs to the ribs. He heard some bone cracked. The fallen angel smiled. The man face was full of terror. Well, who wouldn't?

"Eight." With two quick chops, he dislocated the man shoulder. With one quick twist of his wrist, he broke the man right arm. It let out a loud crack noise that was made the angel felt a little bit better.

"Nine." He grabbed the pitiful scum by the ears and headbutted him so hard the man's light immediately went out. Job's done with one count to spare.

"Ten." Artemis opened her eyes only to see Apollyon smiling at her in his human form. She was overjoyed, and he was too. Somehow, he couldn't explain why seeing her happy made him happy.

"It's over. You are saved from him now. Your abusive father will never hurt you again. I promise." The fallen angel extended his pinky out. Artemis did the same and intertwined with him. A pinky promise had been made.

It's over. She would freak out when he disappeared as she was no longer close to death. Well, he did a good thing today. Hearing a little girl screamed and freaked out would balance that. It would make his day.

Excepted it didn't. The girl blinked and looked at him like she was waiting for him to do something else. When he turned to look at the window, so did she.

WAIT. WHAT.

"How could you still see me?"

"Because I have eyes?" She innocently replied.

This was going to be very awkward.

…

Batcave, Gotham

The night was young in the crime-ridden city. Everything was fine. There was a minor crime here and there but that was nothing the police couldn't handle.

To Batman, this was too quiet. And when thing went too quiet in Gotham, shit always happened.

Then his phone rang. His personal, emergency-only, phone not for Batman but for Bruce Wayne.

The dark knight picked it up. 'This better be very important.' His eyes widen as he realized who was on the other side of the call.

The content of the call was short. In fact, it was only 14 words.

"Sup, Batsy. Track my location and get your tight & firm ass here ASAP."

One could say that shit just got real. The man tried his best not to freak out. No, Batman tried his best not to freak out.

10 minutes later

"Alfred. How do I look?" Nervously asked the dark knight. An uncommon sight for the perpetually brooding superhero.

"Looking good, Sir. What's the special occasion, Master Bruce?"

Well, as good as anyone who dresses in spandex to look like a bat could be. But telling a hard truth was not required for Alfred's job. One could say he didn't get paid enough, nor had any intention to hurt the man's feeling.

"I am meeting one of my martial art tutors. The one that was very strict who went beyond the word perfectionist. He is also …"

He paused. A flashback of not so wholesome memories played right before his eyes. He remembered bruises and scars on his young body from the mistake he made during his practice. What's the mistake? It called not being perfect.

"Immortal, invincible, neigh-omnipotent, and a real bastard in every sense of a word."

A crude summation yet all of them were true.

…

######## Hideout, Gotham

15 minutes later

Swung down from the rooftop, the Gotham's dark knight landed on the entrance of an ordinary looking house. He didn't know why he was summoned here, but he had a few guesses. The most likely one was that Apollyon wanted him to meddle with mortal affairs in his stead. So, basically, he expected to act at the angel's proxy in the matter. The idea of doing other people bidding was not sitting well with Batman, but there was always an exception to the rule. This happened to be one of them.

Because there is no point to resist the being such as Apollyon. Also, he owed the angel for his training and counsel.

The world's greatest detective couldn't believe how wrong he was when he swung the door open.

He found a man who had been horribly beaten. Broken ribs, fractured limbs, severe head trauma, you named it, he had it. On closer inspection, he noticed who the man was.

Lawrence "Crusher" Crock. AKA. Sportsmaster.

The poor sod didn't even know who or what happened to him. Still, it was very perplexing that a costumed criminal like this could hide in an ordinary house in Gotham. It was right under his nose, and he didn't like it. In his mind, Batman planned to adjust his surveillance routine to account for a hideout like this.

But that was not what he was here for. The crook was badly beaten, but still alive. If this was Apollyon's work, then he would still be alive by the end of the day. There was no doubt in that.

Because, in the fallen angel own's word, "Beings such as I are forbidden to take a mortal life. Unless I was ordered to by Dad."

A criminal beating to the brink of death aside, Batman knew it was not the fallen angel style. Apollyon once told Batman that trivial matters such as crime, war, and seeking justice was not the fallen angel concern. If you want him to make a move, it better be an event of cosmic importance.

So, Batman wondered, what event of a cosmic importance transpired in this house? And why no one in the justice league noticed anything.

…

What Batman see when he searched the house was even more intriguing. Nothing was untouched and there was no sign of fighting. It was just an ordinary house as anyone in Gotham could have.

Then he heard laughter. Not from a psychotic clown. Genuine laughter that signify joy and happiness. But who would do it here of all places? He was sure that Apollyon would not giggle like a little girl.

In silent, he moved toward the source of the noise. He reached for the door and opened it.

…

5 minutes earlier

Even though Gotham was Batman's territory, he was still but an ordinary mortal. No amount of gadget or skill would make you travel to your destination in an instant.

Well, there was a boom tube, but that's not the point.

After a minute of silence, 8-year old Artemis decided to do something unthinkable. She asked the fallen angel whether he had a playing card with him. It was obvious that he didn't, but that didn't mean he couldn't will one into existence.

An action that he told her was a magic trick that no one could replicate.

"Do you have any four?" The fallen angel nicely asked. He was so intrigued that this so-called card game would be this complicated. Not complicated to play, that part was easy. Why was a game of pattern and probability so hard for him to win?

Really. Where Uriel when you need him.

Oh. Right. Stabbed by Azrael's blade. May peace be upon his … well … whatever left of his soul after its obliteration.

"Nope. Go fish." The little girl replied.

"Awwww." The angel groaned.

The girl giggled. "You are pretty bad at this." She added.

She giggled again after seeing him pouted.

Their little card game was interrupted by a door creaking noise. Out of it came the protector of Gotham himself. The girl suddenly tensed up. It was understandable since he was responsible for putting her mother behind bars.

Only when comforting wings of the fallen angel sheltered around her did she be at ease.

"Ahhh. Batman. It's about time you show up. I start to think that you are getting lost along the way."

"I came as fast as I could. Sire."

"That not how it's work. You suppose to last as long as you could." Another feminine voice echoed the room. The voice that unfamiliar to Batman but not Apollyon. And for that, the fallen angel tried his best to hind his grin.

"Oh. you mean come as in transportation. My bad. My bad. Hehehe." The mysterious woman continued.

"We are in present with mortals. One of which is a child here, Delirium. Please. Tone down the filth." Apollyon nonchalantly demanded.

He found the youngest of the endless lying on his lap, stroking his chin. As an opportunity presented itself, He leaned down and whispered. "Save that when we are alone."

"Sire …" Batman readied his Batarang.

"At ease, Batman. She's a friend." Apollyon put his prize pupil at ease. He needed to before Batman made a mistake of attacking an entity that could destroy the world with just a thought.

"Now. A pleasant unexpected interruption aside. Let's talk business. Delirium, dear, would you mind taking care of little Artemis here for a while? And by taking care, I mean play some games and I expected to see her in the same condition when I left her with you."

"Start acting like a dad now, eh? Sure. But that will cost you a favor." She smirked.

The fallen angel internally let out a heavy sigh. 'I'm gonna end up raising this kid by the end of this, aren't I? Fuck it. Why not? Are you happy now, Dad?'

…

Apollyon left the room with Batman, leaving the two women to their own devices. Closing the door, the fallen angel shifted his stance. There was no need to be nice in front of a little girl anymore.

He wanted answers. He wanted results. And Batman would deliver it to him.

"So. What can you tell me about the girl's father?".

"Laurence Crock. He is a costumed criminal known as Sportsmaster. Most of the time he was a muscle for hire for a crime syndicate. Thanks to you, he won't be active for a while, probably forever."

Batman tried his best to remain calm. Trying his hardest to keep his normal posture. It's hard, especially when the one questioning you was the strictest and the most sadistic teacher you ever have.

"And the girl's mother who is currently in jail?"

"Paula Crock. Also, a costumed criminal named Huntress. She broke her back during the last mission with her husband and took the fall for him. Right now, she resides in Belle Reave."

Apollyon laughed at his pupil's answers. It was well detailed and organized. An obvious sign of Batman's obsessive behavior. "You are keeping tabs on them, aren't you?"

"Sire. I keep tabs on everyone."

"Sure you do. I'm quite proud of the man you had become, Bruce. No one I had met in my long existence committed to the cause they swore to themselves as much as you are."

"Thank you, Sire."

Apollyon swore he caught Batman smiled for a few milliseconds. Good. It meant that his silly behavior started to rub off on the man.

"Okay, last question. What will happen to the girl after you hand that scum to the police?"

"She would have been transferred to an orphanage and lived there until she was 18 or when her mother finishes serving her time. Either of which is bad. An orphanage is not a good environment to grow up in, especially the one with a criminal tie like her."

Apollyon went silent. He was thinking hard and it showed. It showed so hard that start to make Batman panicked.

Of course. Why would a fallen angel who had never care about anything suddenly care for a mere mortal? What made this little girl so special? What would happen next?

So many questions that he was sure would go unanswered.

"Sire. You didn't entertain an idea of adopting …" But he asked anyway.

"I do. And I don't have to explain you anything. It's a perk of being me." Apollyon double tapped his pupil's shoulder. "Get the document ready by tomorrow afternoon. We are going to Belle Reve to talk to Miss Crock in the morning."

It was not a question. Not an explanation. It was a command. One that Batman couldn't refuse.

"Sire. The time frame was too short to set up your identification …"

He couldn't refuse but that didn't mean he couldn't point out the flaw how stupid the idea is.

"Well. I just willed one to existence. Lyon Morningstar. Age 24. An owner of a secret nightclub in Gotham, Masak Mavdil. Billionaire, Philanthropist, Entrepreneur extraordinaire."

Apollyon secretly hoped that his Dad didn't consider this cheating. The last time he changed reality like this, Krypton blew up.

"What are you waiting for Bruce? Chop Chop. Get to work."

…

There. The 5th chapter. Hoped you like it. The next chapter will start with a conversation between Artemis and Delirium.

By the way, Happy new year.