Barong Means Good Fortune

Chapter 1 Two Timing Prey-Thief

"So, you're saying you saw this kid," Grayson's hand was on his hip, while the other sailed through the air leisurely. "And she managed to heal you with band-aids, and just like that your wounds were fixed?"

"I thought Father's previous lessons would give you insight as to how to process information efficiently." Damian moved closer to Batman, his eyes bore to one of the many medical plasters hovering inside the scanner. He then shifted his gaze to the icy blues of his 'brother'. "Apparently his lack of presence has degraded your mental capacity to that of an insect. "My condolences for your existence. "

Grayson quirked a brow with a frown marring his lips. "Yeesh, kinda wished she'd fix your attitude, too."

As Nightwing bantered with his youngest sibling, Batman muddled through the materials discovered by the bat-monitor. He pawed over the keyboards, clicking away to succession whilst pondering over the clues splayed to him. The machine beeped. Deep blue eyes scrutinized the screen to reveal the answers he had been seeking. Each sentence processed carefully with methodical thoughts and theories, when his brain clicked at the aforementioned information. There's chemicals associated with those band-aid Damian had been glued with. Components not of earth's dwelling.

His fingers flew, typing data's and other important revelations discovered from the cloth plaster. Batman snarled when he failed to compare it to other worldly elements. It really is 'alien' in every sense of the word. A silent huff escaped from his mouth. He took off his cowl and glanced at his boys.

"How long are you going to stay here, Dick?" Bruce asked. The father of four's nimble fingers peeled off his armor, then nabbed a swig of the ebony beside him.

Grayson sat on one of the available seats at the nearby meeting table, body relaxed but a grimace was once again, painted on his face. "One of the cases I was doing ended up with me being here." he answered while pouring a similar drink for himself. "So, I would say about a week max." His lips sealed a portion of the mug, sipping the heavenly caffeinated liquid. "What, you don't love me anymore?"

Batman smirked and went back to his project. At this point of time, Damian had sauntered to the elevator, and hiked to his room. The boy mulled over what had happened the previous night. The night when all hell had started to come loose. Green eyes closed in remembrance of the mask that plagued his mind. The blue beard, gold linings, and bulging red sightseeing organs, made from carved wood, haunted his dreams. He had only two hours of sleep from the previous night, for god's sake! And now this beast had decided to tickle his curiosity while he needed rest. The nerve!

Damian flips to his side, contemplating on doing exercises to wear out his body. But he had done so as Robin. The absolute problem would be the blasted wooden panther, scourging his prey, then had proceeded to heal him! Robin does not need help, especially from some two timing cat girl with Hello Kitty stickers as a complete-set medkit. He huffs in frustration, whilst memory lane snatched him back to the first meeting with the prey thief.

He recalled Black Mask setting up a heist in one of the warehouses in Chinatown, after Joker was locked up in Arkham again. The battle was short lived, but his interest peaked when he saw a figure in pale blue sherpa hoodie. It was open, his memories supplied, with a light blue short overalls, black sweater crop top, and pastel pink and white striped socks, riding up to the strangers thighs. The most obvious one was the mask. Stringed hair, with an equally similar color as their socks, strayed from their two rat tails hidden beneath a cat-eared cowl. Their (he guesses it's a 'her' because of the atrocious fashion choices. But then again, in his world nothing is really predictable, so an 'It' would be appropriate.) red combat gloves at ready for a strike, converse rainbow shoes rammed up a person's stomach, all the while throwing glitter at her enemies.

'Who was this?!' he said to himself, amidst KO'ing baddies. 'Joker and Harley Quinn's love child?!'

Amongst the unruly crowd of riffraff thundering their way towards the two cape crusaders, he had the chance to glance at his Father. There was a twitch to his frown, as if close to becoming insane himself. Damian thought at that time of how Batman nearly had an aneurysm. He had known if the circumstances were far too bazaar, then there was a high chance shit will hit the fan. At least the two rogues connection had ended with their clothing and not-

Oh, they just had to pull out a mallet, from a plush bunny backpack of all else. Fantastic. Cue the pain, cue the migraine, his Father's aneurysm, and let the metaphorical feces of 'doom' spread upon the universe! Damian had been dealing with insomnia for the past three days. At this point, he just wants to sleep.

"So, do we fight the pink freak, or what?" He asked his father, whilst backhanding a henchman.

There was static until Batman replied. "No, just follow my lead."

Damian hummed, his body twisting in ways only professional fighters could achieve. His fist landed into one of Black Mask goons, while his legs surging with power as he positioned it for a strike.

He didn't make it though, because someone had decided to butt in. A gaudy pink wooden hammer slammed into the side of the goon he was fighting with. Then another blow was delivered to the one behind him. The figure back flipped until they were facing him. Their head quirked to the side, shrugged their shoulders, and shamelessly sprinkled glitter onto his prey's body.

"Who the hell- what the- who does that?!" Damian screeched in his mind, contemplating on whether to argue with the prey-stealing thief or not.

Either way he didn't get the chance because they just flew comically into the air. Like, legit seriousness. This freak just took out a freakin umbrella, and Mary Poppins out of here. As if they were some kind of movie mythical being.

"Tt, this is ridiculous."

He hadn't stayed much longer, because his mission had called to him. Batman had ordered Robin to take out the truck heading it's way downtown, while he was busy with the task of destroying the generators. Damian recalled how Black Mask was making and exporting illegal goods, and they weren't the usual narcotics either.

From what he and Batman had gathered, it was a potent serum made to control its victims, annihilating their decisions and competence, whilst rotting their body inside out. At first, the wonder duo had thought Scarecrow was the one pulling the strings on this new chemical agent. But apparently Black Mask was the one doing the work. He had somehow gotten the recipe from Paraguay, specifically from a PhD doctor named Sheldon Osprey. On the face of it, it had seemed as though the braggart doctor was just another sitting duck, waiting to be captured and eaten. But no, the man was hell bent on world domination, as any other mad scientist with a god complex would have done.

This moron had decided to 'hire' Joker, but was killed. And since Joker is currently in Arkham, the power vacuum for the title of 'dominant top dog' in Rogue country is unfortunately still going on. But throughout the calamity of it all, Black Mask was smart enough to snatch it out of the hunted clown's hands, and use it for his own means. And that was how they came into this predicament. A joy ride with a wanted criminal, and two vigilantes.

The large vehicle was apprehended by the time Batman was done with his duties. He cracked his neck, then sauntered over the looming Bat.

"What you do have?" Robin drifted closer to his father, glancing up at his arm monitor.

"The documents were secured regarding-" Batman clicked away, but was interrupted when a loud pain filled-bellow ricocheted through the warehouse. Both hero's seized to move, before the dynamic duo launched their grappling hooks, and flew into the direction of the sound.

Batman pressed his comms, "Alfred, send the information to Gorden regarding Black Mask and the chemical compound."

The butler radioed in, "Good choice, sir."

In four minutes tops, the duo arrived at a grizzly scene inside a hidden generator room. Well, as grizzly as it gets with glitter poured all over the floor. Damian regald that after the event of last night, he would never see glitter the same again. There was blood trailing from three individual slashed necks, punctured hearts, and open fractures littered their bodies. Miraculously, the goons, most likely scientists because of their coat, were still breathing, somehow alive from the tortures that had befall them.

Batman examined closer, and was confused at the- were those Hello Kitty bandages? His eyes scanned at the aforementioned cat. One way or another, these things were slowly healing their victims, causing them not to die outright. Whoever had the means to this, was seriously powerful in their own right. This was essentially an inhumane way of extracting info from enemies. Damian longed to investigate more on those band-aids, when a shout coming from the back of the room pulled him closer.

His father and him lurked in the shadows, and discovered the pink freak breaking one of the gophers arm. They stalked over to the fools back, messaging their shoulders as if this whole meeting was anything but relaxing.

Their hand began to move, signing in ASL. "So tell me again," they ambled in front of the goon, looking down at the unfortunate soul. "How did the good doctor get his hands on this elixir?"

"I said I don't know!" He cradled his broken limb, shaking in fear whilst the predator prowled around him. "The last thing Black Mask told me was to make it using-"

Bulging red wooden eyes could be seen hidden under the blue sherpa cowl. They cocked their head. "Oh, don't give me that bullshit." the masked vigilante squatted down, intimidating the chemical worker with their presence. "You worked with before you got squandered off to Joker's team."

The scientist trembled, and the blue sherpa wearing carnivore stood up and backhanded their victim. "Don't be lying to me, Dr. Gregory Sphinx." They signed. "I don't like it when people withhold information, very valuable information, from me."

Rainbow converse shoes now splashed with blood, kicked the pathetic moron in the stomach. Damian was close to intervene, only to have his father null his action. Domino mask covered emeralds lingered over concealed blue. This person was going to kill the man, and his father was willing to let them? Absurd! He wouldn't-

His father tightens the grip on his shoulder, making Robin swivel his head so he can observe the individual. Their hands waved through the air once more.

"Six people had it in their hands. All were killed except for you." A zip could be heard behind the mask individual. Their arm reached back and nabbed a butcher cleave presented to them. Their fingers twirled expertly. "Now let me ask this once more, this time for your sake," they signed, " How and where did the good doctor get those chemicals?"

"2851 North First St. on Bellaire Blvd, Houston, Texas," He stammered. "Osprey got his hands on it there; a merchant!"

"The merchants name?"

"U-uhh," a knife whizzed by his head.

"C'mon, none of that funny business." They signed.

"R-ri-Ricardo Alvarez!" Gregory's hand fidgeted, nervous at what he was going to say next. Because at this point, it's better to redeem himself now when he knows he is going to die. Gregory then told the mask figure of the contract he was under. It was ordered to nullify disobedience against all odds, that means the signer needs to keep its secrets, by all means necessary. He told them he was dying, his body rotting, and that he has nothing to hide anymore. Because all of this had stemmed from the lives of innocents he had taken in the name of his own worthless soul.

The last employee that had worked under Dr. Osprey spits out blood. The scientist could feel his bones starting to degrade, his muscles and organs slowing its functions, as he struggled to take in damp air.

The mask figure shrugged their shoulders. "Well, since you are under a Key contract, there's not much else I can do."

Gregory stared at those dead red eyes. "Then kill them for me!"

The air froze as cold murderous intent engulfed whatever warmth was left of it. Damian had felt the chill creeping in, and watched the silent predator looming over their victim.

It was more of a growl than anything humanoid; laced with insanity and rage to the point where even Batman could taste it on his tongue. He could hear a tear of skin coming from behind the mask, whilst a soft raspy voice echoed throughout the room.

"I .Don't. Care."

And the man gurgled his last breath and died.

Once the death rattle ceased to exist, it was then they asked the both of them to step out. The figure had been watching the duo in the shadows, and demanded why they were watching. The capture of Black Mask was finalized, wasn't that correct?

Batman only answered with his own question. If that was the case then they wouldn't be here. But now, the mask figure had revealed something the Bat ought to know. They scoffed and said whatever they had here was done, only for a batarang to fly out to the targeted demon mask.

The person gracefully dodges, and quickly flash-stepped to them.

"You're making things really difficult." They signed. That was the last thing both Damian and Bruce had remembered before they were knocked out. They woke up five minutes later, covered in cloth plaster healing their wounds, and two minutes to spare before GCPD came barging in to Black Mask scene.

The scion of Wayne Industries shifted loser into his bedding, a blanket over his shoulder, while gazing into the embers of the fading flames in his fireplace.

Damian closes his emerald eyes, and Morpheus finally pulls him into his embrace.