Author's notes: It's something of a night time now, so no Ash and Thomas Jr for a while until they leave to Kanto in the morning. Besides Bruce, Serena and Dawn running from the Dark Knights, I'll also highlight some of them while giving another one's origin story, which was revealed in the character's own Dark Nights METAL tie-in earlier this fall.
Another thing, I usually don't change the established timelines in my fics but here I'm making a exception when it comes to events of Gen 5 aka the Black&White period of Pokémon. For those of you who have watched the Anime know how despised it was compared to the games and Manga. So the change I'm making is that in Gen 5 when Ash was in Unova, he did not come across Team Plasma, and just butted heads with Team Rocket. Ghetsis, N and Team Plasma were dealt with the same characters who who dealt with them in the games and Manga; Black/Hilbert(I'm going to come up with a better name for him) and White/Hilda(this ones fine) whose Manga names will serve as their surnames and game named as first names.
And a shout out for new people favoring the story, anethys17 and Straw Hat Piratesfan2017, who also has over the last few weeks been reported to have read and favorited my previous stories. Thank you very much.
Chapter 4: Cold Heart of Metal
Dark Multiverse – Earth -44
Month ago…
''I DUNNO ABOUT YOU JEEVES,'' Mutated human with alligator skin told the weakened old gentleman under his fist, ''BUT I CAN DO THIS ALL NIGHT!''
''Nuh-uh, Wally Gator'' female jester with ponytails said. ''Save some for the rest of us.''
''Enough of this,'' twofaced man said observing the situation and flipping a coin. ''Now tell us where Batman is before we get really rough.''
''Uhh… Batman? What pray tell… ahh… is a Batman?'' the old man said feigning to ignorance as large muscled man with tubes going from his hand to the cannister in his back lifted him up. ''Perhaps there is another way I can be of service.''
KRRRAKKKK!
The old gentleman was brought down with his back hitting his assailant's knee as the laughter of the jester echoed in the footage he was watching from the screen of the large computer in his cave.
''Play again.''
''Bruce,'' they told him, ''this has to stop.''
''Clark is right, Bruce,'' his friends told him. ''We're concerned.''
''Watching this over and over again,'' Clark told, ''it's not healthy.''
''I tell you what's not healthy, Clark,'' he said turning to face his friends. ''It's not healthy to stand here knowing that the man who raised me like a father is in a casket upstairs with 36 shattered bones. That we couldn't have an open casket because he was beaten to a pulp six feet from where you're standing now.''
He took a deep breath before continuing with his eyes on the ground.
''My whole life, he has been there for me. No matter what I had done, no matter how angry I had made him. I would ring, and he would come. It's not healthy to know that he won't be anymore and that it's my fault.''
''But now you have the responsibility to honor him by putting him to rest,'' Clark said as Diana, Steve and Oliver turned to walk away. ''Bruce, what happened to Alfred was horrible. The rest of us are going to be upstairs at the wake. I hope you'll join us.''
Almost everyone had left him alone in the cave when he called one of them back.
''Victor, wait. A few years ago, I begun a scan of Alfred's mind. To create an artificial intelligence that might outlast him. But it was never finished. I called it the Alfred Protocol.''
''What are you asking me, Bruce?'' Victor asked.
''I can't bring him online by myself. I need your help… please, Victor. I need him. He was like a father to me.''
Hoenn Region – Above Route 123
Further away from Lilycove and past Mt. Pyre, Togekiss' adrenaline boost begun to fade and her strength to carry three people begun to fade. Her trainer and the other trainer on her back, Togekiss could have carried them both with little struggle, but having a grown man carrying belt full of weapons and wearing clothes that doubled as another armory hanging from her feet was starting to push her down from the air.
''Kiiiss, kiss..''
''WE NEED TO LAND!'' Batman yelled with his voice fighting against the wind as he noticed their altitude decreasing. ''SHE CAN'T CARRY ALL OF US ANY FURTHER! LAND!''
''Togekiss, you're doing fine!'' Dawn told her Pokémon to encourage it to stay awake. ''Just get us down safely and then you can rest- MR WAYNE?!''
''BRUCE!?'' Serena yelled after Batman.
He had been hanging from Togekiss' feet by his shoulders but had suddenly let go of his trench-coat, which was still left hanging from Togekiss' feet. As Batman had let go of it he was now freefalling towards the ground while the trench-coat waved in the wind from Togekiss' feet. The loss of the heavy weight made Togekiss gain a little bit of her strengths and focus on her flight to land easier. Batman on the other hand, was falling towards the ground with his head and shoulders first.
''Togekiss, you need to catch him before-'' Dawn was telling her Pokémon when suddenly
WHOMP!
what looked like black wings opened from his back and his freefall turned into gliding towards the ground, eventually landing to tall grass.
Batman made his way out of the tall grass and met up with Serena and Dawn as they landed near him on Togekiss.
''Route 123,'' Batman read from a sign by the road as he took off his cape and begun to fold it to smaller form on the ground as Dawn recalled Togekiss into its Pokéball. ''Dusk is settling, we need to get to the nearest town in land and get both of you changed appearances before we-''
''OKAY! WE ARE NOW FAR AWAY FROM THOSE TWO, MR WAYNE, AND NOW IS THE TIME YOU-'' Dawn yelled outraged at Batman, who charged at her and put his hand on her mouth to silence her angry rant.
He glared back at Dawn and then made gave her and Serena the gesture of shushing to be silent.
''We faced a speedster and an Atlantean splicer,'' Batman growled in a low voice as he let go of Dawn and resumed to folding his cape. ''That makes two, Barry told us there are seven of them and I'm afraid one of those remaining five is someone who can hear heartbeats from across the planet. We need to be quiet and careful moving on.''
''Who were those two?'' Serena asked carrying the trench-coat as Batman put the folded cape back on his back and tucked it between his belt.
''I'm still trying to process that myself too,'' Batman said removing his mask and took his trench-coat from Serena. ''Red Death is apparently version of me from another universe, who lost his sons and killed his friend to steal away his connection to the Speed Force. The Drowned, a female version of me also from another universe, who according to her went insane after her lover was murdered by metahumans.''
Bruce put his gloves into the trench-coat's inner breast pockets before throwing the coat on himself and begun to put his scarf on so that it hid the Bat-symbol on his chest. Serena and Dawn looked at him and tried to process his explanation as he gestured them to keep walking with him.
''Come on, we can't stay here,'' Bruce told them when a gesture wasn't enough. ''They had stolen the powers of the Flash and Aquaman, but there is still five remaining. Possibly with Cyborg's, Superman's and Wonder Woman's powers along with one who probably has a Green Lantern ring. Then Barry said the worst of them has Robins, I can't begin to imagine what kind man that version of me is.''
''When you say they are versions of you from another universe,'' Serena said trying to understand what Bruce meant as they walked to west, ''do you mean you that you're also-''
''From another universe and not native to this one? Yes,'' Bruce answered quickly. ''And before you ask me about the mask and the costume, I'm a vigilante.''
''You're from another universe?'' Dawn asked.
''One where Pokémon do not exist,'' Bruce said answering to the same question again, ''and instead we have people with special abilities called metahumans.''
Serena and Dawn looked at Bruce like he had told them that the sky was green.
''Yeah, that's multiverse for you, except it's limited to 52 parallel earths with different versions of us and that's it,'' Bruce said as they walked, with his voice showing he was agitated. ''I have come across different versions of myself from the multiverse before, but they had their own individual personalities and appearances. Different hairstyles, hair colors, eye colors. But Red Death was a mirror image of me, minus the scars, so-''
''Why did they try to kill us?'' Dawn asked changing the subject, noticing that Bruce was uncomfortable thinking about their would-be killers.
''That and the orbs they stole are our only lead on how to move forward,'' Bruce said putting his hands on their backs and begun to push them to walk faster. ''Before today you two were complete strangers who had never met each other, but for some reason you are both connected to someone they are trying to cut off from all ties. So, who is that person you both know?''
Serena and Dawn exchanged glances as Bruce pushed them to walk forward in a faster pace.
''We don't know!'' they both said in a unison.
''Okay, let's try this another way,'' Bruce said in a fast pace. ''Where were you before coming to Hoenn?''
''I was in Johto participating in contests, spent few weeks in Unova before going back,'' Dawn said in a fast answer. ''And before that in Sinnoh. I was born there, I haven't been to anywhere else.''
''And you?'' Bruce asked turning to Serena.
''Kalos, and I haven't been to anywhere else in the world before now,'' Serena answered. ''Except to a summer camp in Kanto when I was little.''
''Dammit!'' Bruce cursed at their answers. ''Your paths don't cross anywhere.''
At this point Bruce stopped pushing the two and focused on thinking where to head with the situation as they walked the road. An hour ago he had planned where to go after Serena's and Dawn's contesting was over and he would have left them behind, but now he was stuck with them and had two psychotic and enhanced versions of himself after them. He was in an unknown world filled with magical beings that people carried in fist sized containers. Bruce had no resources, no Batmobile, no Batplane, no contact with the Justice League or the rest of the family for back up and no Batcave to regroup in. And then there was the fact that the enemy Bruce was fighting against was he himself times seven with superpowers. Targeting two complete strangers because they knew someone who was on the way of their plan or something and then there were those-
''Show me those orbs,'' Bruce told Serena as he pulled his gloves back on. ''I want to know what's so special about them.''
''Here,'' Serena said handing Bruce one of the two orbs, the blue one, as he pulled his cowl back on.
Batman activated the lenses in his cowl and begun an echo scan the blue orb as they continued to walk the route towards the nearest town. On the road, or actually on the foot without anything but the beltful of equipment he could only do a preliminary scan and hope he could find a laboratory or something to work with from- Batman glared at another road sign as they passed on – Mauville City when they arrived there.
''Unknown form of radiation and an echo of a concealed foreign object inside,'' Batman said returning the blue orb to Serena and took the red one for another scan. ''Same with this one.''
''So, what does that mean?'' Dawn asked as Batman gave the orb back to Serena and pulled his cowl off his face.
''I don't know with what I have,'' Bruce said removing his gloves and begun to fix his appearance. ''Let's just get to Mauville and then try to figure out what to do when we get there.''
Kalos Region – Mega Stone digging and research site
''Raise your hands if you love 'Bring your child to work' day!''
Loud announcement in the form of a dare broke a working symphony of the researchers in the large cave filled with floodlights and basic paraphilia when Pokémon researchers were working on Mega Stones fresh off the ground. Everyone turned their attention to the direction where the voice yelling it had originated, the entrance of the cave system, which was blocked by Murder Machine and the Batman Who Laughs.
''Now, before I let the kids go off and play,'' The Batman Who Laughs said, referring to his rapid children dressed in Robin costumes and chained by their necks to his hands holding them restrained, ''I would like to be pointed at one Professor Augustus Sycamore. My associate and I would like to talk to him about the Mega Stones being dug out here and some undiscovered effects they have.''
''I-have-ran-facial-recognition-on-the-crowd-before-us,'' Murder Machine announced on his monotone voice as he scanned the personnel. ''That-man-is-Augustus-Sycamore.''
''Boys, have fun,'' the Batman Who Laughs said letting go off the restraining chains and smiled at his heart's content. ''CROW!''
''Crow!'' the boys screamed out as they charged to attack at the people working at the research site. ''Crow, crow, crow!''
Murder Machine and the Batman Who Laughs walked casually through the carnage brought by the Robins toward the main research area where Murder Machine had pointed Professor Sycamore to be. He and his present companions had reached for their Pokéballs to send out their Pokémon to do defend them from the Dark Knights, but the Pokéballs did not react.
''Six-years-ago-there-was-an-incident-in-LaRousse-City-similar-to-an-EMP-which-killed-all-the-electricity-in-there-including-the-system-that-releases-Pokémon-from-their-Pokéballs,'' Murder Machine said referring to an event he had learned from the files studied from Team Rocket's archives. ''And-incase-you-try-to-fight-back-yourself-''
Murder Machine released nanites from his robotic body, which multiplied and formed multiple copies of an elderly gentleman surrounding Professor Sycamore and his companions to keep them from doing anything stupid, before they all asked in a unison:
''How-may-I-help-you?''
Dark Multiverse – Earth -44
A month ago…
''How-may-I-help-you?''
''How-may-I-help-you?''
''How-may-I-help-you?''
''How-may-I-help-you?''
''How-may-I-help-you?''
''L-look, I'm not going to go after Batman anymore. I'm going to the airport now,'' Bane said trying to plead for his life against the copies of the Alfred Protocol surrounding him. ''I'm going home to Santa Prisca.''
''How-may-I-help-you?'' the Alfred Protocol kept repeating as it's copies advanced on Bane. ''How-may-I-help-you?''
''Y-you don't have to kill me, too…'' Bane said as the copies raised their arms at him, ''…I'll leave.''
BLAM!
BLAM!
BLAM!
BLAM!
BLAM!
''How-may-I-help-you?''
''Bruce,'' Cyborg said approaching uncaped and uncowled Batman, who was observing the situation on Bane from the Bat-Computer, in a closed off section of the Batcave, ''what the Hell is going on!?''
''Ring-the-bell,-sir. Let-me-in,-sir. Ring-the-bell.''
''It's him… It's Alfred… He started spreading once he was activated,'' Bruce said faced against the Bat-computer where the Alfred Protocol was calling out to him through everything else brought up on the screen. ''Creating more and more of himself. Nothing seems to be able to stop him.''
''Why?'' Cyborg asked.
''He is trying to protect me. Take away everything and everyone that might hurt me. Bane wasn't the beginning,'' Bruce said without turning to face Cyborg. ''He was the end. Last night, the Alfred Protocol systematically murdered every inmate in Arkham Asylum.''
''Dammit, Bruce, the whole point of this was to build you an A.I. that could stitch you up and make sure you ate your dinner,'' Cyborg snapped at Bruce. ''We have to stop this before it goes any further. We need to deactivate the program.''
''I agree,'' Bruce said reluctantly as looked at the Alfred Protocol helping civilians around the crime scene and the cops taking selfies over Bane's body. ''And I'm still his blind spot, Victor. He is doing all of this because he cares about me. If I let him back into the cave, I can reprogram him… stop him from doing anything like this again.''
''No, Bruce, you can't do that,'' Cyborg said denying Bruce of his intentions. ''This is a hungry virus looking to feed and spread. We need to come up with a way to destroy-''
''I already lost him once, Victor!'' Bruce said speaking over Cyborg. ''I can fix this. Make it better and keep him.''
''Look, Bruce, figure out a way to break through, '' Cyborg said as he turned to leave. ''I'm going to find a way to fight it from the outside, without letting either of us get too vulnerable. Whatever you do, don't let them in here.''
''Let-me-in,-sir,'' the Alfred Protocol kept calling out from the Bat-computer as Bruce turned to look at Cyborg as he left, with a bitter look on his face. ''Ring-the-bell,-sir. Let-me-help-you,-sir.''
Kalos Region
''Who are you?''
''I am the Batman Who Laughs, and this is my associate Murder Machine,'' the Batman Who Laughs answered to Professor Sycamore's question with a wide grin on his face. ''As I announced on our arrival, we are interested to discuss with you about some yet to be discovered effects on Mega Stones. You are the leading researcher on field, isn't that right?''
Professor Sycamore looked at his assistants and before nodding.
''Good, why don't we sit down,'' Batman Who Laughs said moving to sit down to a table and gestured Professor Sycamore to join him.
''Just don't hurt anymore peop-'' Professor Sycamore asked, but was cut short by the laughter from the Batman Who Laughs.
''Oh please, Professor, we are not monsters who hurt people,'' the Batman Who Laughs responded calmly raising his hand. ''We are reasonable nightmares from the abyss that kill people who don't do as we ask. NOW SIT YOUR ASS DOWN!''
The sudden mood swing coerced Professor Sycamore to hurry up to sit down next to Batman Who Laughs as Murder Machine and the Alfred Protocol kept watch of the assistants and people the Professor had in his company.
''Good, now let's talk business,'' the Batman Who Laughs said placing his hands, that were as pale as the exposed skin under his nose, on the table. ''The Mega Stone, they are known for creating the Mega Evolution on Pokémon by turning them into Mega this and Mega that.''
''Crow, crow, crow!'' the Robins made noise in the background as they ran hurting and killing people. ''Crow, crow, crow!''
''But Murder Machine has done his own research on them and just to be sure about his findings, we decided to come talk with you who knows everything about them,'' Batman Who Laughs continued switching his hands position by covering his other fist. ''He scratched the surface earlier today and just before we left to come here, he got deep into the core finding something that concerned us. Care to guess what?''
''Crow, crow, crow!''
''Grrr, BAR!'' the Batman Who Laughs yelled at the Robins, who stopped on their tracks and at his direction. ''Quiet down, boys. Grown-ups are trying to talk here!''
''The- the Mega Stones are like any evolutionary stones,'' Professor Sycamore said finally speaking since he sat down. ''I cannot imagine there being anything else inside them that isn't rock based granite where they are dug out from, with the radiation that makes them cause the evolution on the Pokémon used on them.''
''That would worthy of a foot note on Mega Stones' Wikipedia page,'' Batman Who Laughs responded as he turned back to Sycamore. ''In other words, it's public knowledge. What we are talking about here, is something that could change their given name from stones to something new.''
''What are you talking about?'' Professor Sycamore asked between being afraid for himself and others in the Dark Knights company and as if his integrity was being questioned. ''What did you find?''
Kops!
''Metal,'' Murder Machine spoke throwing pieces of a broken Mega Stone and piece of metal on the table between Sycamore and Batman Who Laughs. The pieces of the Mega Stone were large enough that when put together anyone could have seen it as full, but also that the piece of metal was not foreign, and it had been in the middle of the stone.
''The-metal-is-from-where-we-are-from,'' Murder Machine spoke joining the conversation as he stood at the table over them. ''It-shouldn't-exist-here-in-this-universe.''
''I don't understand what you're talking about,'' Professor Sycamore said confused. ''What do you mean this universe?''
Batman Who Laughs widened his grin to Professor Sycamore's ignorance and sat up from his chair.
''Just to make sure,'' Batman Who Laughs said looking down at Sycamore from his standing position, ''before we arrived here, you have not come across this metal or had any chance to analyze it?''
Professor Sycamore nodded slowly as an answer and Batman Who Laughs turned his attention to his Robins waiting for orders.
''You didn't come to ask me what I knew about the metal,'' Professor Sycamore said as he realized what was going on. ''You just came to make sure I didn't know about it.''
''Cro-''
''Chespin!''
Sudden Vine Whip attack sent two vines around the throat of the Batman Who Laughs that kept him from talking and issuing orders to his sons. The Robins didn't do anything without orders, but Murder Machine directed the Alfred Protocol to locate the Pokémon using Vine Whip. Batman Who Laughs was also quite reserved with the situation and expected for-
TSAK!
''Ches-''
his son to jump out of the shadows and use his grandfather's sword to cut the vines and then grab and pull the Pokémon out in the open.
''Chespie!'' female trainer among Sycamore's guests yelled in concern as the Pokémon was pulled out and hurt by the blade.
''Father,'' the eldest Robin said lifting his grandfather's sword on his right shoulder and presented the Chespin with broken vines to the Batman Who Laughs, ''what do you want me to do with this?''
''Throw it to your brothers, Damian,'' Batman Who Laughs said rubbing his throat which still had the cut off vines. ''I'm sure they would love-WAIT!''
Batman Who Laughs ripped the vines off his throat before rising his hand and pointed it at Professor Sycamore's companions, at the only male among them.
''Just the man I was expecting to meet,'' Batman Who Laughs said pointing at the male trainer protecting the captured Chespin's female trainer. ''The local trainer who showed up and ruined everything.''
''Excuse me?'' the male trainer asked confused and insulted as Murder Machine stepped forward.
''Your-name-is-Alain-last-name-unknown,'' Murder Machine spoke having ran a facial recognition on the male trainer. ''Former-protege-of-Team-Flare's-Leader-Lysandre-and-the-winner-of-the-Luminose-Conference-Pokémon-League-from-last-year.''
''And what a battle was that!'' Batman Who Laughs said gleefully putting his hands together. ''Mega Evolved Charizard versus a Greninja that has evolved a whole new undiscovered way. A Mega Evolved Fire/Flying Type against a Battle Bond Evolved Water/Dark Type… and for some reason the Pokémon with the type disadvantage won. How did you cheat yourself to victory?''
''What?'' Alain asked. ''What do you mean by cheat?''
''Oh, come on. How stupid do we look like, Alain?'' Batman Who Laughs asked, practically daring Alain to comment about his appearance. ''Charizard is a Fire/Flying type, of which type advantage against Dark type is voided when it's also against a Water type. Flying type does only normal damage against Water/Dark types. You and your Charizard were supposed to lose at that final battle against Ketchum and his Greninja. So, I ask again, how did you cheat your way to victory?''
Alain couldn't answer to that, so Batman Who Laughs turned to look at Murder Machine.
''How-may-I-help-you?'' the Alfred Protocol asked.
''Would you mind?'' Batman Who Laughs asked twirling his hand at the Alfred Protocol and pointed his other hand in an angle at Alain and the other. The Alfred Protocol moved it's copies from a surrounding position to another by placing them behind Professor Sycamore, his assistants and the female trainer to hold them restrained, with the their hands shaped as guns pointed at their heads.
''Twice I have asked you to answer to a simple question,'' Batman Who Laughs said with his grin now upside down as a frown. ''Every time you don't answer to it, Alfred Protocol will randomly blow the head off from one of them. Now let's see if third time's the charm. How did you-''
''ALAIN DIDN'T CHEAT!'' Chespin's female trainer yelled outraged protecting Alain's reputation. ''He won be because he is a strong trainer and no type advantage is stronger than him and his Pokémon!''
Batman Who Laughs raised his arm to as a command for the Alfred Protocol to stand back, then waved his arm as a command to let Chespin's trainer freed of it's hold. She moved quickly next to Alain, who embraced her in his arms to protect her.
''I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name,'' Batman Who Laughs said smiling again as he looked at Chespin's trainer and Alain, who was noticeable taller than her. ''Or age. As a matter a fact, what's the story between you two?''
''You don't have to-'' Alain said to her, but-
''It's Mairin,'' she said cutting his speech and Batman Who Laughs smiled nodding.
''Hello, Mairin,'' Batman Who Laughs said extending his left arm towards the eldest Robin and snapped his fingers. ''Damian, would you kindly present Mairin with her Chespin. I'm sure she wants it back.''
The eldest Robin stepped forward while presenting the Chespin to Mairin and coming closer, both she and Alain could see him. Damian, as Batman Who Laughs had called him, was relatively as tall as them and roughly 16 years old. Unlike the other Robins, Damian's costume was torn open, so his bare chest was exposed, along with his pale skin and tattoeed yellow R on a red bloodspot. His head was hooded to cover his face, but his eyes glowed from under it and his long hair was hanging down from the hood.
''Well, Alain, it seems your girl has convinced me,'' Batman Who Laughs said as Damian handed Chespin to Mairin, ''but before we take our leave, I would like to challenge you to a battle.''
''What?!'' Alain asked as Batman Who Laughs placed his hand on Damian's shoulder.
''Your Mega Charizard versus my boy here. Fire/Flying Type versus this born assassin from the Dark Multiverse,'' Batman Who Laughs said with pride in his voice. ''The type advantage is on your side. You win, I was right, and you must have cheated. I win, I was wrong, and you won your League Championship fair and square.''
''You can't be forcing your own son into fighting a much stronger Pokémon!'' Alain said in protest. ''No! I won't-''
''You misunderstand me,'' Batman Who Laughs said as Damian put his sword on his belt. ''I'm telling you to fight my boy with your Charizard. He is willing to fight a challenger, aren't you, my son?''
''Yes, Father.''
Hoenn Region – Route 118 to Mauville
''Why the hell isn't there a bridge built here?''
On their way through the routes to west, Bruce, Serena and Dawn eventually made their way to a crossing of a river streaming to the ocean which was between them and the rest of their way to Mauville City. By now the dusk had settled and it was dark, which made the illuminating lights of the city look like a signal showing them where to go.
Unfortunately, the lack of bridge at the crossing made it difficult to proceed forward, as any connection to the water would have eventually lead the Drowned to them and ever since they had escaped her and Red Death from Lilycove, Bruce had been focused on keeping Serena and Dawn safe and trying to figure out how to keep one step ahead of people who used to be like him, enhanced with superpowers. All that at the same time as they had been walking on the grass and stepping on the sand had brought his focus back to the current situation and kept him from walking into the water.
''Is Togekiss recovered enough to carry you two across?'' Bruce asked turning to Dawn.
''Hold on,'' Dawn said releasing her Togekiss, which came out of it's Pokéball and was shown sleeping. ''No, she isn't. I could use my Mamoswine to freeze us a path across-''
''I'm not taking that chance,'' Bruce said taking something from his belt and sprayed something near Togekiss' face before Dawn could recall her. ''Relax, it's smelling salts to arouse her consciousness and wake her up.''
''Kiss?'' Togekiss spoke waking up. ''Kiss kiss.''
''I can get across with one of you by using this,'' Bruce said pulling a line launcher off his belt, before Dawn could protest. ''Dawn, fly across with your Togekiss and then let it rest. Serena, come with me.''
Togekiss stretched her wings and flew a spin in the air before Dawn got up on her back. Before setting to fly across the river, Dawn turned to look at where Bruce and Serena had gone and saw how they were getting across. Bruce had positioned them to a vantage point between two trees on both sides of the river, where his line launcher had fired two ends of the rope in it to the trees and with Serena hanging from his neck while Bruce held her close to her on a firm grip, they used the line launcher to zipline across the river as Dawn and her Togekiss flew after them.
''Alright, now you're both going to buy new clothes and change your appearances,'' Bruce said the second they had landed on the opposite shore. ''Use cash, don't leave a digital foot print or let anyone know who you are.''
''I don't know if you noticed it, Mr Wayne, but I don't carry that much money on myself,'' Dawn said recalling Togekiss to her Pokéball.
''Then steal those clothes and use what money you have for hairdresser,'' Bruce said putting his hands behind them again and started to push them to make them walk faster.
''Bruce, we are not shoplifters,'' Serena said picking up the pace and shook Bruce's hand off her back. ''And we can't just-''
''When you're desperate, you do what you must,'' Bruce said as they arrived at Mauville City limits. ''I did it for a while. Selina did it most of her life, Jason did it before I took him in and you are going to do it if you want to survive.''
Mauville City was unlike Lilycove had been. Lilycove had been like any other city at the coast, but Mauville looked like a big shopping mall as Bruce, Serena and Dawn entered it. Most of the city was indoors, surrounding one larger outside area that served as a park where the city's Pokémon Center was located. The indoors are where Bruce, Serena and Dawn entered the city was compromised of multiple floors, which according to the maps on the wall near the entrance and exists was divided to have stores, restaurants and business establishments on the ground and top floors and the in-between floors were reserved for housing the people living in Mauville.
''Okay, forget about trying to shoplift anything from'' Bruce said frustrated, seeing the how advanced Mauville was in technology and guessed the security would have been too challenging to go around. ''Hrrrrr.''
''So, what do you suppose we do now?'' Serena asked as Bruce tried not to punch a hole through a wall in his frustration.
''Find officer Jenny and tell her what happened to Lilycove,'' Dawn said stating what was their obvious next step, in her opinion. ''We tell her about Red Death and the Drowned, what they can do and that they have 5 other allies out there.''
''Hey, Dawn!''
Someone called out to Dawn from a distance and Bruce reacted to it by covering both her and Serena and assessing the possibility of the threat. That however wasn't necessary as Dawn recognized who had called out to her and that gave Bruce enough reason to lower his guard and not draw any attention to them.
''Hey, May,'' Dawn said greeting and hugging a brunette in wearing a bandana on her head.
The brunette hugged Dawn tightly with obvious concern. Bruce moved his eyes around the hallway street they were in and saw news coverage on a tv on the wall about the fate of Lilycove. May, who obviously was a friend of Dawn's, had obviously been watching her and Serena's contest battle and how it had turned out. Bruce and Serena exchanged glances before Serena stepped up to break the hug.
''Hey, I'm Serena and it's nice to meet you,'' she said introducing herself, ''but we are out in the open, so can we go talk somewhere private?''
''I saw what happened at Lilycove Contest on tv,'' May said looking at Serena. ''How did you get all the way here?''
''I kept them alive and their Pokémon did the rest,'' Bruce said looking around their surroundings before turning to look at May.
''Who are you?!'' May asked surprised of Bruce's presence.
''I'm the only one in this world wearing this,'' Bruce said lifting his scarf to show her the Bat-symbol on his chest, ''that is not trying to kill people.''
''You're that masked man who appeared on the contest before-''
''May, he is the reason we got out of Lilycove alive,'' Dawn said calming her friend down. ''Mr Wayne is not the bad guy here.''
''Privacy, now!'' Bruce said.
Bruce's orders intimidated May enough to comply and they moved to out of the street to an open diner. As it was late, they were the only ones inside besides a man in a suit with trench-coat and a woman dressed in hot-pants and a sleeveless black jacket on a white top, with a white and pink baseball cap. Both of them were sitting on the exact desk that May was leading Bruce, Serena and Dawn towards.
''Before you ask, I came to Mauville to meet with her,'' May said nodding her head at the woman and the man in suit, ''and she was traveling with him. We were in the middle of a meeting when I saw you and can't ignore them after storming off just now.''
''Hey, it's Looker!'' Dawn said recognizing the man in the suit.
Bruce placed his hand on Serena's shoulder as Looker greeted and shook hands with Dawn.
''She just turned from a stranger to social butterfly who knows everyone we come across,'' Bruce whispered to Serena's ear. ''Be on your guard.''
''My name is Hilda White,'' the woman said presenting a calling card to them as they sat down to the table with her and Looker. ''I'm the President of BW Agency for talented Pokémon.''
''Talent Agency?'' Bruce asked examining the calling card, to which Hilda answered with a happy nod.
''We were talking about my Pokémon working for her company when I saw you three,'' May said explaining the company she was in.
''We saw your contest battle on tv, so we know who you are,'' Looker said nodding his head at Serena, before turning to talk to Bruce. ''You on the other hand and the other masked man you fought at Lilycove-''
''What kind of a name is 'Looker'?'' Bruce asked cutting him off. ''I'll tell you. You weren't born with it. It's assigned to you as an undercover alias in your work, which judging by your attire is in covert intelligence.''
Bruce took a break to analyze Looker's reaction before stating his hypothesis.
''You're a spy,'' Bruce continued as he pointed his thumb at Hilda, ''she is your cover, but she is not a spook like you. You're both on a mission but took detour here for some reason.''
''You're smart and worried,'' Looker said staring back at Bruce with a reassuring smile. ''International Police. I know Dawn from my time in Sinnoh, so if she trusts you then I trust you too. Would you still be kind enough to introduce yourself?''
''Batman,'' Bruce said pulling off his scarf to show Looker and Hilda the Bat-symbol. ''That's the only name I have that matters now. There are seven people out there of whom I have met two with Serena and Dawn when they destroyed Lilycove.''
''Who are those seven?'' May asked, to which Bruce answered by looking at her with a stern look.
''They are some really bad people from other universes,'' Dawn said turning to Looker. ''Team Galactic tried to crossover to a new universe when we met back in Sinnoh. You know they are a realistic consept.''
''Indeed,'' Looker said remembering back to his Sinnoh assignment from three years ago and looked back at Bruce. ''You know who those people are.''
''They are versions of me, broken and enhanced,'' Bruce answered. ''I managed to save Serena and Dawn from the ones calling themselves Red Death and the Drowned. They didn't tell me why they wanted to kill them, but they were also interested on two orbs of unknown origin.''
Serena took up the orbs to May, Looker and Hilda to see as Bruce mentioned them and May was the one who recognized them.
''I know what these are,'' May said as soon as she saw the orbs. ''I last saw them years ago when Team Magma and Team Aqua tried to take the control over Groudon and Kyogre.''
''What Pokémon are they?'' Bruce asked interested.
''Legendary Pokémon who waged war against each other on land and sea,'' May answered. ''Groudon is the Ground Type and Kyogre is the Water Type.''
''Just like Zekrom and Reshiram,'' Hilda said taking a white orb, significantly larger than the red and blue ones, out of her backpack.
''What is that?'' Bruce asked as soon as he saw the white orb.
''This is the Light Orb of Reshiram, another Legendary Pokémon from the Unova Region,'' Hilda said explaining as she held the white orb in her arms like a baby. ''Looker helped me get it back after my friend was absorbed into it and it was lost into the world.''
Without saying a word, Bruce pulled his cowl back on and begun to use it's lenses to analyze it. Looker, Hilda and May flinched back at the deed, but Batman didn't mind them. Earlier on his way to Mauville with Serena and Dawn, he had done a preliminary examination on the red and blue orbs where he had seen something foreign at their cores. Scanning the white orb with the cowl's lenses couldn't have given him a full analysis on what made it special, but preliminary it could have helped to determine if it was like the red and blue one.
''There's the foreign element at it's core- wait a minute!'' Batman said grabbing the white orb off Hilda's hands despite her protests and looked deeper into it. ''This orb is bigger than those two, I can see what the core is made of. It's a metal.''
Batman took the and red orbs to his right hand as he held the white one on his left. The sight of him as a masked man with glowing eyes holding the orbs was both confusing and intimidating at the same time to the audience that was his company at the diner, both to the ones who knew him and had just met him.
''They all have metal cores, rare and heavy metal cores, that vibrate at strange frequencies that my cowl can barely differentiate. It must be what makes Red Death and the Drowned want their hands on them.''
''Meaning if those evil versions of you want Kyogre's and Groudon's orbs, they might be after this one too,'' Looker said suggesting his point of view. ''If it's the metal they are after-''
''We need to get out of Hoenn and hide the rest of these orbs from them.''
Kalos Region
Batman Who Laughs took a metal card from under his robes and threw it to the wide space of dead people killed by his Robins. The metal card vibrated in the air as it was thrown and spread out to a large field.
''There, we have an arena to battle now,'' Batman Who Laughs said with a wide grin on his face as he turned to look at everyone's reactions to it. ''What is it now, Murder Machine?''
''I-just-received-word-from-Hoenn,'' Murder Machine told the Batman Who Laughs, who was getting ready with his son to face Alain and his Charizard at the opposite sides of the battlefield. ''Red-Death-has-failed-in-his-mission-and-Lilycove-City-is-destroyed.''
''Hrrrrr,'' Batman Who Laughs growled under his breath while frowning. ''What about the orbs?''
''Yvonne-and-Berlitz-have-them-but-they-are-not-alone,'' Murder Machine answered. ''The-Batman-is-protecting-them.''
''THE Batman!?'' Batman Who Laughs repeated surprised and turned to look at Murder Machine before smiling again. ''Spread the Alfred Protocol to Hoenn and find them. Our master needs the Batman in letting us all to the Multiverse of Light once we are done here in this world.''
''Of-course,'' Murder Machine complied taking his place in the middle of the field as referee. ''Now-the-battle.''
''Yes, the battle,'' Batman Who Laughs said turning to Alain and put his hands on his son's shoulders. ''Now, Alain, are you ready to have your Charizard fight my son?''
''Forcing a human child into fighting Pokémon is still not something I agree with,'' Alain said throwing out a Pokéball and released his Charizard, which had a Mega Stone harness around it's neck. ''Your son shouldn't be fighting-''
''We don't care about your opinion,'' Damian, son of the Batman Who Laughs, spoke walking towards Alain's Charizard and revealed his face under his hood. ''I was raised to fight and kill from birth by my mother and with this battle, my father is finally allowing me to be who I am with my full potential. As the grandson of the Demon and the son of Batman.''
The face of the eldest Robin was as pale as his father's and the grin on his face wide and terrifying with his mouth open. The eyes weren't covered by mask like the other Robins or by a band of thorns like with the Batman Who Laughs, but the were open and exposed, wide and filled with content and fulfilled happiness that anyone other sane person would have simply called madness. Seeing this as it's opponent, Alain's Charizard was petrified and looked back at it's trainer if this was sick joke.
''The-battle-between-Kalos-League-Champion-Alain-and-the-Batman-Who-Laughs-is-about-to-begin,'' Murder Machine announced to the still living audience held in their place by the Alfred Protocol. ''Alain-will-use-his-Charizard-and-is-allowed-to-use-Mega-Evolution-to-their-advantage. Batman-Who-Laughs-is-represented-by-his-son-Damian-who-is-allowed-to-use-every-method-taught-to-him.''
''Make me a proud father out there,'' Batman Who Laughs said placing his hands behind his back and smiled as his Robins crawled to him. ''Show your brothers what it means to be a Robin.''
CHALK!
''Yes, father,'' Damian said spreading his arms around and released tall and sharp claws from his gloves fingers.
''Charizard,'' Alain spoke to his Pokémon, ''open with Dragon Tail once the battle begins.''
''Ready. Get-set,'' Murder Machine continued pointing his hand at the two opponents at arena. ''FIGHT!''
Dark Multiverse – Earth -44
Few days ago…
''Listen to me, Bruce,'' Cyborg said struggling as he tried to approach Batman who was surrounded by androids in the Batcave. ''I know you're still in there. I know you can still hear me.''
The androids charged to attack Cyborg who used his hand canon to shoot them away as he kept trying to fight his way to friend he was still trying to save.
''The protocol is trying to shut me down, but I'm still alive because you want to listen to me!'' Cyborg spoke with blood coming out of his mouth as he continued to fight his way to Batman in a mechanized shell. ''The best part about you is your humanity. We can stop it before it rewrites you entirely. You just have to want it, Bruce!''
''Victor…''
''You can let go of Alfred and be yourself again,'' Cyborg kept trying to reach out to Batman as he fell to his knees. ''You don't have to let yourself become some kind of horrible Murder Machine!''
''Victor,'' Batman said looking down on Cyborg and released nanites out of his mechanical body, ''I-am-precisely-who-I-want-to-be.''
''Bruce…'' Cyborg said horrified as the nanites surrounded his body. ''Bruce, no!''
''My-father-will-always-be-there-for-me-and-I-will-always-be-there-for-him,'' the Murder Machine spoke as the nanites consumed Cyborg's body and put his hand on Cyborg's throat. ''Everyone-else-is-a-weakness. Weakness-I-am-ready-to-shed.''
RRRRRIIIPPP!
Author's notes: I'm leaving something to the imagination, but this origin of Murder Machine is probably a good example why this story is in the Tragedy-category. The Alfred Protocol is spreading to Hoenn and it will locate Bruce, Serena and Dawn soon, while this version of Damian will go up against Alain's Mega Charizard. It's a pity we don't have visuals here on this site, because that would be an interesting battle to see.
Thanks for reading, now leave a review if you would be so kind.