Chapter 3: Superhero Meeting
While Paris was recovering from the chaos that had been caused by Ape-Man, the villain who had started the whole thing was standing alone in his lair with a horde of butterflies surrounding him. Hawk Moth's gaze had narrowed, full of rage and anger at how miserably Ape-Man had failed. How many times would he have to try this thing in order to get the Miraculouses?! One would've thought he'd have succeeded by now! Hawk Moth banged his cane down against the floor, sending the butterflies scattering in fright. They danced around him almost like fairy lights in the semi-light of the moon that beamed through the window.
"I was so close...so close!" the purple-clad Miraculous wielder ranted, "I would've gotten those Miraculouses if Ape-Man hadn't gotten distracted earlier! And now one of the Justice League is here, possibly investigating me!"
He growled angrily. The fact Batman, the World's Greatest Detective, was here in France just made things even worse. He had heard much of Batman and the Justice League and had hoped he wouldn't catch their attention. Of course, nobody knew what he looked like so nobody would be able to track him down or identify him if they were to go looking for him but Batman was notorious for working out even the trickiest of crimes. The Dark Knight could find him and ruin everything! Glaring up at the moon above, Hawk Moth sighed.
"I may have to lay low, maybe until Batman leaves so he doesn't come after me..." he thought, "Or maybe I could get one of my akumas to corrupt someone and have them kill the Batman before he can probe around looking for me. Decisions, decisions..." he purred, a sadistic grin creeping across his face.
But then another thought came to his mind as he looked back on the events of the night. While he mostly saw Batman in newspapers, this was the first time he actually gotten to see the full view of him and seeing him in action. A question escaped his lips as he smoothed his masked chin in thought.
"I wonder...could he have a Miraculous? Master Fu's box might only have a certain amount...but the book could show me more. I need to take another look to see what exactly the other Miraculouses are capable of..." he clenched his fists as another dazzling thought entered his mind: if Batman truly was another Miraculous user, then surely the skills he displayed that night were thanks to his Miraculous!
"If that man of justice is another Miraculous wielder, I can obtain and be even more powerful! Combine that with the Ladybug and Chat Miraculouses and I'll be even more powerful! And then nothing will stop me from becoming a God! Not even Superman will be able to stop me! HeheheheHAHAHAHA!" he laughed loudly as the window's door closed, encasing him in utter darkness.
Not too far away, the heroic trio were busy helping the Gorilla return to the Agreste Mansion. Unsurprisingly, he didn't say much, which made Batman assume he wasn't much of a social person at all. Ladybug, however, was quite surprised with how gentle Chat was treating the Gorilla. He was mostly like this with much younger akuma victims, but often tried to cheer others up with his cheesy humour. Something seemed odd about him this time.
As soon as the trio had approached the mansion, the allowed the Gorilla to continue forward by himself. He trudged the rest of the way, climbing up the steps towards the mansion. The muscular man looked over his shoulder, his face still full of concern. Cat Noir just smiled back at him, trying to reassure the Gorilla.
"Don't worry about it. Everything will be OK big guy." he insisted.
The Gorilla wasn't entirely sure if he believed that himself but he couldn't ignore the kindness in the black-clad hero's words. They were greatly comforting to him and give him a shred of hope that he'd be fine. Nodding, the Gorilla turned and walked into the mansion. As soon as the door closed behind him, Ladybug put a hand on Cat Noir's shoulder.
"You seem awfully sympathetic towards him." she noted, "Is there something wrong Cat?"
Cat Noir fell silent for a moment, wondering how best to answer the question. Of course the true answer was because the Gorilla was his bodyguard but saying that would just give his identity away. He thought of something to say and came up with just the right thing. He shrugged.
"He just seemed awfully upset and afraid about what he did." he replied, "I'm just trying to assure him it'll be fine that's all."
"That's very considerate of you Cat Noir." Ladybug said approvingly, "Very noble and generous of you. I'm sure the press would like to hear what a big heart you have."
"Not as big as the love hearts that come to my eyes whenever I see you." Cat Noir snickered teasingly.
"Heh, nice try feline boy." Ladybug retorted, shoving him playfully.
Batman had watched the whole thing with curious interest. He was pleased to see that the two teen heroes lived up to their reputation as good-hearted, strong-willed and selfless heroes but watching them interact brought him pleasant memories of Robin and the youthful energy he used to bring to his career when he was his sidekick. It also made Batman think of the Teen Titans too. Ladybug and Cat Noir would fit right into the team if they ever met, that much was certain. He put his thoughts aside as he remembered the reason why he was in France. He had to tell them now for their sake.
"If it's OK with you two, I'd like to have a little talk." Batman announced, "I've got something important that you need to hear."
Just as they turned to him and were about to reply, a pair of bleeping sounds were heard, alarming the two magical heroes. Out of instinct, Ladybug went for her earpieces while Chat went for his ring. Batman raised an eyebrow in slight confusion.
"Mind if I ask what that is?" He asked in his normal stern voice, though trying hard not to push it. Ladybug gave him a sorry look.
"That's our Miraculouses. They do that when they're nearly out of energy" she explained shortly to him.
"Basically if we don't get moving in the next minute, you're gonna find out who we are, and the same goes for me and M'Lady" Chat added on.
That seemed to surprise Batman. For a while he just thought they were wearing spandex outfits that they made by themselves, so to see that they had a certain amount of time to be their heroic alter egos came as another bit of surprise news for the Dark Knight, who gave them a respecting nod.
"I understand. Can you recharge them and meet me elsewhere?" he requested, being ever so patient with the two youngsters, both of whom nodded.
"There's a school nearby, we can meet on its roof over there" Ladybug said quickly as she began to creep into the shadows, clearly nervous about Chat Noir and Batman possibly seeing her true self.
"Sounds fair to me. I'll see you there" with that response, Batman gotten out his grappling gun and fired it at the rooftop ledge opposite the Agreste mansion, zipping up it shortly after.
After Chat watched him go, he turned to see Ladybug retreating further into the shadows, her Miraculous beeping frantically. Part of him wanted to urge her to stay so he could see who she truly was under that red mask of hers, but given they had a visiting superhero, and Ladybug was always insistent they kept their identities a secret from each other, he felt it was best not to push it. Instead, he flashed her a charming smile and a quick bow.
"See you there soon, M'Lady." he bid as he turned around and crept into the nearest set of shadows.
Ladybug watched Cat Noir leave before disappearing herself. A part of her wanted to reveal who she was for she'd often wondered how Cat Noir would react if he knew. But in the end, it was for the best. If they didn't know their identities, it was easier to keep the secret up.
As Batman swung away from the Agreste mansion, he briefly turned back and noticed that Ladybug and Cat Noir were gone. He turned away, knowing that he would meet them again very shortly. As he aimed his grappling gun, he realized just how much these two heroes were like the heroes he knew. They were not only selfless and courageous but they had a strict rule of never exposing their identities. It reminded Batman a little of himself for he often stressed the point of never letting anybody know who he really was. But Ladybug and Cat Noir seemed even stricter about that rule. Batman had allowed his sidekicks and closest allies find out who he really was and share the secret between them but the insect and feline-themed heroes kept their identities so secret they didn't even let each other know them. Over time, Batman had come to learn that not all heroes operated the same way and he had grown to accept it. Why did it matter as long as they got the job done?
His thoughts now over with, Batman fired his grappling gun and swung off into the night. It wasn't over yet and he knew it. He hoped that Ladybug and Cat Noir would take the news well and prepare for The Riddler's possible attack...
Speaking of the riddle-obsessed maniac, he had finally reached his safe house. It was located near the River Seine just north of the Eiffel Tower and looked very inconspicuous. The person who had built it for The Riddler had been instructed to make it look as uninteresting as possible so that nobody would ever think of looking for him here. The building had a very generic appearance with nothing interesting about it whatsoever. There were few windows and they were darkened so nobody could look into them. There was a door but other than that, the house was very featureless on the outside. That's what made it the perfect hiding spot for The Riddler. Nobody would ever think to look for him here since he was known for being very unsubtle about his hiding places and methods. Usually The Riddler felt the need to advertise himself and make as big a scene as possible. But not this time. The Riddler had learnt from this mistake and now relied on hideouts that looked very ordinary.
As soon as he'd arrived, the question-loving criminal walked up to the front door. The front door looked old and rusty but was in fact very strong and more hi-tech then it looked with a solid metal lock that slid into place to lock the door whenever The Riddler was away. There was a "welcome" mat which served a whole new purpose from being a decoration. There was a sheet of glass underneath the mat and under the glass was a sophisticated scanner that read the soles of The Riddler's feet. The scanner was so powerful that it could detect feet and provide 100% accurate and detailed scans despite the fact a straw mat was on top of it. The door itself had a hidden scanner in the frame that read The Riddler's features from his facial structure to his frame and even his DNA. The scans registered positive, it was The Riddler and he was allowed in the house. If anybody BUT The Riddler tried to get in, the scans would've picked up and activated a defence system that would see the would-be-intruders fried to a crisp. The puzzle-master knew that Batman would find some way around it but he had the defence systems installed just to make sure anybody else couldn't get in.
The door unlocked itself and opened, allowing the house's owner to walk inside. Smiling to himself, The Riddler walked in.
"Man that Edison guy wasn't kidding when he said the safe house's features were top-notch..." he purred.
It certainly looked very stylish, like a completely newly built living room inside, decorated with a touch of 19th century decorations of dark paint, a golden chandelier, with a world globe sitting next to an armchair, a bookshelf holding multiple books, and a decent fireplace in the centre of the room. The Riddler was a man with a taste for history and knowledge, so he had a fair mix of that with this room.
Instead of setting his briefcase down, however, the riddling man made his way into the next room that the current room connected to. Flipping the light switch, he smiled in delight as the light cast his favourite colour to give the room a more fantastical like atmosphere: the colour green. Often such a mixed received colour, sometimes seen as a sign of illness or poison, while others saw it as a beautiful representation of nature. For the Riddler, green was the colour designated for smart people like himself. He hated to admit it, but he was glad a bizarre looking man like the Joker was indeed very intelligent, to the point the Riddler saw his green hair as a gift from the power being's of intelligence.
This room was set up in the mix of a workshop and a lab, with multiple construction tools lying about, while the stereotypical scientific tools laid about, like measuring tubes, bunce and burner, fire extinguishers, and many more. For the Riddler this was the closest thing he could get as a full blown Christmas present. Grinning like the nasty man he was at heart, he set the briefcase on the nearest table and flipped it open to gaze upon its contents.
"Now to set up one of my many planned puzzles to perplex the Dark Knight with..." he crowed.
The briefcase contained some tiny question mark shaped robots that were all equipped with helicopter rotors. Anybody looking at them would've assumed they were just another example of The Riddler's fanatical obsession with puzzles. But only the quiz-master himself knew their true purpose. He picked up the first robot and admired it through his purple glasses. What a feat of marvelous engineering this was! And to think he'd come up with the idea behind the robots.
"And people question my genius..." The Riddler muttered, "Well we'll see who questions who's genius when I put my killer puzzles to the test!"
He then used some tweezers to pick up something very small from the briefcase. It was a circular disc that looked almost like one of those circular batteries you could find in shops. Carefully, he attached the disc to the first question mark robot. The disc was magnetic so it stuck to the robot's metal casing without any problems.
"I wonder who's phone will go off with a bang when I send all these out?" he crooned menacingly, "What I wouldn't give to see Batman's face when he fails to figure it out like the dim-witted nimrod he is!"
He rubbed his hands together in an excitable fit, almost picturing the Dark Knight's stunned expression. Villains these days rarely ever gotten a chance to humiliate the Dark Knight, the last person ever pulling off such a feat was Bane, who famously crushed Batman's spine that fateful night a few years back. The Riddler, however, rarely gotten a chance to beat the Dark Knight with his genius skills, but the following days would soon change that and he would hope it would haunt the Dark Knight for the rest of his life...
Meanwhile, Batman had found the school that Ladybug and Cat Noir had told him about. He had used his grappling hook to swing over to the educational establishment and he now stood on the roof, allowing the night breeze to play with his wide spreading cape. He often enjoyed the way it felt when it blew about in the wind.
The school was large, clearly suggesting it had many classrooms and establishments for the world of education and high up so nobody had any chance of overhearing the conversation that was soon to take place that very night. Little did Batman realize was the school he was standing upon right now was the school that Ladybug and Cat Noir attended when they weren't too busy saving the world. In a sense, it's what made the meeting point so appropriate. To Batman, it just seemed like somewhere very convenient to meet up.
As Batman waited for the local superheroes to appear, he gazed out at the sights before him. France was such a beautiful country and Paris was a very beautiful city. Gotham couldn't possibly compare to the beautiful sights of Paris he was looking at now. He could see all the landmarks from the Eiffel Tower to the Notre Dame Cathedral, the setting place for Victor Hugo's literary masterpiece The Hunchback of Notre Dame. He even saw the River Seine and many of the city's amenities such as restaurants, shops and more all around. It made Batman feel a little sad inside. Why couldn't he just be here and enjoy the view for a change? He didn't often wish such things but for now, he wished he could be here just to make the most of France as opposed to being here to hunt down a runaway Gotham criminal. He had to give The Riddler credit though, he sure picked nice places to hide. But that just made finding him all the more important.
"I won't let The Riddler cause any chaos in this city..." Batman vowed, "He's caused enough trouble in Gotham, I can't let him spread his tyranny here too."
He was snapped out of his thoughts by the distinctive whining sound of a yo-yo launching out and wrapping around something. Batman didn't even turn around as two people climbed up onto the school's roof and approached him. He already knew who they were.
"You took ten minutes to recharge. That's impressive." he complimented, "Not many heroes recharge so quickly after using their power."
"Let's just say that we're lucky that our Miraculouses don't require a particular power source." Cat Noir joked.
"And the fact that said power source is something edible and readily available." Ladybug added.
She glanced out at the scenery around them, glad that she had chosen this spot for the meeting. The lovely sights made everything more pleasant to her.
"Sure is a beautiful night isn't it?" she asked contently.
"Very." Batman replied bluntly.
"Are you usually this stoic?" Cat Noir jeered, "Seriously dude, I heard you were a closed-off fellow but surely you can lighten up a bit?"
"Cat, don't wind him up." Ladybug said firmly, "Not everybody's as laid back as you. So then Batman...you wanted to tell us something?" the spotty heroine asked.
The Dark Knight nodded, finally turning to them both as he began to talk.
"Yes, I do. I'm not here to meet you two, exactly. I'm here for a proper reason, and it's something I cannot leave be" he said as he went for his utility belt, this time pulling out a small rectangular object that he could slip into the palm of his hands.
Clicking a button in the side, however, the object increased in size, the sound of electronics coming from inside the device as it slid into multiple sections, getting bulkier by the second. Ladybug and Chat Noir watched on in stunned silence as it finished its transformation, revealing it to be a pad of sorts.
"I want one of those..." Chat whispered, a hint of jealousy in his voice.
Batman had to resist the urge to chuckle. It was rare he met someone new, but back when he first met the likes of Robin, Spoiler, and Flash, he would always get this kinda reaction when he showed off his incredible gadgets, like he was the boy with the coolest toy in the toy store and he just purchased it.
Back to business, though. This was a serious meeting. He went into a certain file that held info regarding his rogues gallery. Opening the file that said "Vanished from Gotham" he scrolled the screen down to a link and clicked on it. Just a second of loading and an image of the Riddler appeared. He turned the screen around for Ladybug and Chat Noir to see.
"I'm looking for this man. He calls himself the Riddler, but his real name is Edward Nygma. He escaped from Arkham Asylum recently, but I've managed to track him here. He might look...weird, but don't let his appearance underestimate you two" he explained to them, his voice as stern as always.
"No need to tell us about underestimating him. We've had enough experience that's taught us to never underestimate our enemies, whether they look serious or not." Ladybug replied as she and Chat took a good look at the Riddler, "So, judging by his name, and from what we've heard that goes on in Gotham City, he uses riddles to try and beat you from solving a crime." the red clad hero assumed, to which Batman nodded.
"Very much so, and not all of my battles with him have been that easy" he replied, his voice dropping to a grim tone as he remembered having a few close shaves with the Riddler.
"But why has he come to Paris of all places?" Chat questioned, his green eyes sharp with curiosity.
"I presume he's here to hide." Batman murmured, "I had my former sidekick go in disguise at Gotham Airport to see where he was going and he informed me he was flying to Paris. So that's why I'm here now. The Riddler is a cowardly man but a very dangerous man at the same time thanks to his great intelligence and his insanity. If he's here in Paris, he's either resting up for his next meeting with me or he's planning on turning this city into a big game to prove his intellectual superiority to the world."
"So in other words, if we don't catch this guy, we may well be asking the question of "What happens if The Riddler terrorizes Paris" right?" Ladybug asked.
"Yes." Batman replied, "I'm sorry that I have to bring all of this to you two, The Riddler's my responsibility and his brand of craziness shouldn't be brought here."
The two French teens looked at each other as if wondering what the other was thinking. This was possibly a nightmare about to come true for them. One of Gotham's worst criminals was actually here. In France! And possibly waiting to make his move! Hawk Moth was causing enough trouble in France as it was, they didn't need another villain causing chaos! They didn't know The Riddler so he was going to be a completely different monster altogether when they challenged him. Batman of course would be their trump card since he knew The Riddler very well. With any luck, the super-trio could stop him before he asked his first riddle. But then another terrifying thought came to Ladybug's mind.
"Oh no...what if..." she gasped, "Batman, what if Hawk Moth sends out an akuma and akumatizes The Riddler?!" she shrieked.
"I had the same thought myself..." Batman murmured grimly, "I'm not familair with akumas and Hawk Moth's abilities like you are but from what I've seen, I don't wanna think about what will happen if The Riddler gets corrupted by an akuma. That reminds me..."
He took another device from his belt. It was a miniature recording device that had a design that made it more fitting for Batman's utility belt. It could fold up for easy carrying and he pulled out the microphone section. He held it in front of Ladybug and Cat Noir.
"The Justice League has been concerned about this supposed Hawk Moth for a while and we need to know everything you can tell us about him." he explained, "I need to record your explanations so I can send it off to some friends of mine." he added, motioning to the recorder device, "So do tell me if you wish, what do you know about Hawk Moth and what are the effects of his akumas?"
He switched on the device, a red light flashing to show it was now recording. Ladybug and Chat Noir were at first a little taken aback, not expecting this at all. Part of them both wanted to shrug this off and claim that Hawk Moth honestly wasn't seeking worldwide domination...but they didn't know that. For all they knew, Hawk Moth was plotting his own world domination schemes at this very second! That, and Batman did help them out in defeating the Ape-Man, so it was only fair they return the favour in giving info to the Justice League regarding Hawk Moth and the akumas.
Ladybug spoken first "Well, first of all, we have no idea where he is in Paris, but he definitely is in Paris. Whenever we've had spare time we try to look for him or seek out our own clues, like interviewing former akuma victims and see if they saw what direction the akuma came from. But we sadly couldn't find much..."
She trailed off, a hint of guilt in her voice as she often felt they could've done more in trying to find Hawk Moth, though Chat comforted her with a rub on the shoulder.
"I see...how exactly do the akumas work, though? We didn't really get down to that earlier" Batman pointed out.
That made Ladybug look up at him with a glint in her eyes, realizing what she would provide next would be valuable.
"Well, the akumas target those who have a sudden wave of negative emotions, like if you gotten angry, upset, or hurt about something, Hawk Moth will sense it and send out an akuma. The akumas are actually butterflies, but he fills them with negative magic to spread onto the victim" she explained.
"Yeah, and as you saw tonight, it can totally transform its victim into a much more stronger person, giving them magic powers or enhanced strength and flexibility" Chat added on, having grown observant in his time of battling Hawk Moth's minions.
"We have these charms called Miraculouses and they come with their guardians, or hosts if you wanna put it like that. They're called Kwami, little creatures that represent the animals we're dressed as. My one, Tikki, looks like a ladybug" Ladybug further went on.
"And my Kwami looks like a cat. His name's Plagg" Chat added in.
Batman nodded in response to this, getting quite pleased with the info. It was getting somewhere, so he allowed them to continue after he asked another question "Do you have any idea on what Hawk Moth looks like or what are his exact motivations?"
"He seems to crave world power for he wants mine and Cat Noir's Miraculouses." Ladybug answered, "As for what he looks like...we're not sure. There was a time where a bunch of akumas came together to form an image of his face but that's not much to go on. We really have no idea."
"Unfortunate...thanks very much you two, you've been very helpful." Batman said softly, switching off the device and putting it away, "I'll send the message off to some of my friends to see if they can narrow down the search by what you've told us. Batgirl in particular may find clues that could make it easier to track Hawk Moth down."
"That's really awesome!" Cat Noir cried excitedly, "What will happen when you find out where he is? Will you arrest him?"
"Of course, and we'll take away his Miraculous, if he has one, so he can't cause trouble again." the Gotham vigilante announced.
"No more akumas from him then when that happens." Ladybug said brightly.
"In the meantime, I oughta keep on my toes while I'm here." Batman noted, "I'm quite full of negative emotions myself. Given...my troubled past, I could be easy prey for an akuma if I get pushed in the wrong direction. I'm potentially a danger in that regard so I'll do whatever it takes to make sure I don't fall victim to any akumas."
Ladybug nodded. She did not want to know what it'd feel like to fight a Justice League member. Rumour had it that Batman had managed to fight off enemies even while sick and dying. If Batman got akumatized, Hawk Moth would have quite possibly the best minion ever!
"We'll help you stay positive." the insect themed heroine offered, "That way you won't ever get akumatized!"
"You remind me much of Robin..." Batman mused appreciatively, "He was always right there when I needed him...plus his youthful energy really balanced out my darker side. I think you two will have the same positive impact on me."
"Aw, thanks." Cat Noir said modestly, "Anything for a fellow superhero!"
"Now it's my turn to ask a question." Ladybug suddenly cut in, "So Batman, do tell us...what's the source of your power?" she asked curiously, "Like, do you have a Miraculous of your own or something? Must be a Bat-Miraculous or something! How does it work? Which item is your Miraculous? Is it your belt? What's your special power?"
"You don't mind telling us do you?" Cat Noir asked.
Batman was almost tempted to laugh at the questions he received. He should've expected something like this from Ladybug given his costume's animal motifs. He supposed he did look like a "Miraculous holder" to them. Grinning humorously, he answered.
"I should've expected a question like that." he responded, losing the smile to avoid looking like a jerk, "I'm sorry to disappoint but I do not have a, as you call them, "Miraculous". I'm not a Miraculous wielder and I don't have powers either. I'm just a man in a suit with gadgets at my disposal. I know it sounds underwhelming but that's the honest truth. Not all heroes are Miraculous wielders. Many get their powers from other means like science or radiation. Though I do very much understand why you'd think such a thing about me. I do kinda have that "Miraculous holder" vibe given my appearance."
Ladybug and Chat Noir were stunned by what they were told. Not in a disappointed sense, but really in disbelief. There was no way that he was pulling off all those moves with his own human strength...surely he was lying. He had to be an enhanced human, or at least a super soldier...
"You mean all those moves you were pulling off...no magic to back you up or any special steroids? That was all you?" Chat asked in utter amazement.
Batman gave them a modest nod, trying not to come across as an asshole to the pair of them.
"Normally I'd go into more detail, but it's true. No superpowers or any strength enhancing drugs. I'm just an ordinary human, in a mask, with a lot of training. That's all." he explained, a tiny hint of pride in his voice.
While he was trained by a certain insane ninja and his own league of justice, Batman couldn't help but be grateful for the training he received as it turned him into the powerful human he was to this day.
Ladybug and Chat Noir were almost jaw dropped again, then their faces broke into impressed grins. Batman truly was an impressive person.
"That's...um, w-wow, that's impressive, sir" Ladybug stammered, trying her hardest to hide her Marinette side.
"M'Lady's right, that's just awesome! I mean, I take fencing lessons and I'm sure Bugaboo hits the gym, but what we've seen you do tonight is just totally awesome!" Chat exclaimed, struggling hard to hide the fanboy in him.
Though Batman was a little surprised at these responses, he actually was glad and settled. Already he felt to be a great distance of being harmed from the akumas thanks to the bright attitudes of these two young heroes. And something told him he would be a lot safer during the day. He could already tell that these two spread hope and life throughout Paris whenever they were around or had just saved the day. But then something occurred to him: the hotel! They'd be getting suspicious of why he hadn't turned up! That and he'd need to set up more equipment to help him find the Joker.
With that thought crossing his mind, Batman pocketed his tools and gadgets, to which Ladybug and Chat Noir took notice of.
"I guess this means goodbye for the time being, huh?" the former asked, being polite so as not to step on a nerve.
Batman gave her a quick nod, "I'm afraid so. My associates will be wondering where my alter ego is, so I need to get moving. But this won't be the last time we'll be seeing each other. As you mentioned, Ladybug, it's goodbye for tonight. But we'll see each other again tomorrow night" he replied as he neared the ledge of the school building.
"How about we meet here again tomorrow?" Chat Noir offered, "I mean, you are after the Riddler, this is our city, and you did help us deal with the ape guy tonight. It's only fair we return the favour." he explained a little further.
Batman glanced to him, deciding a few seconds would be okay to spare before he would go to the hotel. "That is a fair point. Something tells me I won't be able to handle this alone, and I'd be idiotic in not accepting your help. If you both happen notice anything strange tomorrow, then contact me"
At this, he gave them two slightly bigger batarangs. Looking down at them, however, the two Parisian superheroes noticed there was a slight opening down the sides of them. They shortly discovered that these ones flipped open, revealing it was like a mini handheld computer, coming with a built in keyboard and a mini screen in case they were to have face to face conversation.
"Alright, we'll keep our eyes peeled. Have a good..." Ladybug trailed off as she and Chat looked up to see there was no trace of the Dark Knight, not in the slightest. Almost as if he was like ghost, who had vanished into the thin air of the darkness. That sent a small chill down their young spines.
"Evening." Ladybug finished, taking another glance down at the bat com once more, before turning around to Chat Noir.
"Well kitty, things seemed to have gotten interesting alright." she noted to him, receiving a curt nod in response.
"Yeah. Seems like the whole world is finally at our doorstep." he replied as he gazed up at the sky, thinking if the Watchtower was looking down at them wherever it was now in the atmosphere of the Earth. Ladybug could tell, however, that something else was on Chat's mind and it was greatly troubling him.
Wanting to see what was unnerving the feline like hero, Ladybug smoothed his arm, bringing him out of his trance.
"Chat, what's wrong? You've been acting odd tonight." she pointed out to him.
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, not sure how to put it to Ladybug without giving anything away. Knowing he couldn't stay silent forever, though, he found his words.
"It's just...that bodyguard, he works for Gabriel Agreste, and he's quite a hard man. I'm just worried that the guy will end getting fired by him, and that's the last thing I want for the big dude" he explained, his tone full of deep concern for the Gorilla.
Ladybug nodded understandingly. She had met Gabriel during the time Simon Says had attacked. He hadn't been the most pleasant man she'd met and she had heard rumours about his cold attitude. But she was optimistic that the Gorilla would be OK and she put a hand on Cat Noir's shoulder.
"I'm sure he'll understand." she said reassuringly, "Gabriel ended up nearly dead because of an akuma but he knew it wasn't Simon Says's fault. He'll understand that the Gorilla wasn't at fault tonight."
"Maybe he will." Cat Noir said hopefully, "I'll go over there to testify for the big dude should he need it. Be seeing you M'lady."
"Have a good night." Ladybug said cheerfully.
With that said, the two heroes departed and headed off into the night. And they both knew that tonight was going to be a night they'd never forget. Batman himself had come to Paris! That alone made this a night to remember! But they both knew that Batman's presence wasn't all good news and that they had to help him capture the runaway Riddler. The next night was going to be full of hard work, that much was guaranteed...
"Well, well Master Bruce, that is quite a story." Alfred said in awe, "You're in Paris for five seconds and already something happens! But some good came out of it at least. Meeting the famed Ladybug and Cat Noir themselves is a double bonus!"
"I know Alfred. It was fortuitous that I came across them. They could be very helpful in finding The Riddler since they know the city." Bruce Wayne reported.
Upon arriving at the hotel, he had changed out of his Batman costume and unpacked his luggage. He had brought extra supplies in case his stay had to go on longer than planned so he had enough for his little "holiday" in Paris. The hotel room he had was very spacious and had some very pretty wallpaper that gave it an attractive appearance. There was a large bed that looked more appropriate in a king's castle than a hotel room and a bathroom that was big enough for a whole family. The hotel was a waterfront hotel, standing proudly by the River Seine and it was called the "Hotel Le Louis", a fitting name for a French hotel given France had had many kings named Louis. It was said to be as luxurious or even more so than the hotel Mayor Bourgeois owned. Bruce had not booked a place there for he didn't really like Mayor Bourgeois. He had met him once and disapproved of his aloof attitude and how much of a brat his daughter was. So he had come here instead.
Upon settling in his room, Bruce had opened up one of his Bat-coms and had told Alfred the whole story from his arrival to meeting the local heroes.
"The two are very good kids Alfred, full of valour and spirit. They definitely live up to their reputation." the billionaire said, "They also gave me some info on the mystery man known as "Hawk Moth" to which I've recorded and I'm planning on sending it to anybody with expertise in psychology and computers. If they can find any psychiatric profiles that match Hawk Moth's motives and agenda, we could narrow down the search and pinpoint his location."
"An ingenious idea Master Bruce." the butler approved, "And I suppose you told Miss Ladybug and Mr. Noir about The Riddler?"
Bruce nodded "I couldn't hide it from them, Alfred. This is their city and they had a right to know why I was actually there. The Riddler is a dangerous man and I'm not giving him a slightest chance in hurting the people here, and as I mentioned, Ladybug and Chat Noir know the city much better than I do, so I would be grateful for their help." he explained to his butler, who hummed in agreement from the other end of the Bat com.
"It's rather funny, isn't it? Almost five years ago you weren't that open to working with Mr Kent and Mr Queen, but now you're more open for help than ever before." he noted to his long-time friend, who made a tiny smile in return.
"They're my friends, Alfred, and they helped me realise that you, me, and the rest of my family can't work alone. We're all in the same boat, fighting for freedom and justice. I'm not the same man I was five years ago, Alfred, and I'm glad for it." Wayne replied.
Alfred smiled approvingly at his employer.
"You really have changed for the better Master Bruce." he said brightly.
"It really does help to meet the right people." Bruce replied, nodding agreeably, "I'm gonna send the recorded information off to the others and then I'll be resting for the rest of the night. Tell Dick and the others how I'm doing."
"Will do. Have a good night Master Wayne." Alfred replied.
The Bat-com switched off, leaving Bruce alone to carry out his one last task before bed. As he got out the recording device, he thought a few things to himself.
"I'll find you Riddler...and then I'm going to help Ladybug and Cat Noir find Hawk Moth." he declared, "Paris will not end up like Gotham while I'm here..."
That was a promise he intended to keep...no matter the costs.
Back in the United States, we now go to the slum side of Gotham, the very place where Ragman was born and began his quest on fighting crime. Because of the increasing numbers of the Bat-Family, Ragman decided to go to Europe to help put any communities under any threats of crime. While the crime rates in Gotham's slums have lowered a bit, a few criminals were still at large.
In the south end of the slums, a run down house only had a small amount of lights were on, yet it gave off a very gloomy feel that matched the city's very atmosphere, especially at nighttime. But it certainly didn't bother the occupant inside, as it was just enough to focus on his precious little dolls.
The man in question was a disturbing Gotham criminal known as The Dollmaker. He was so called because of his obsession with dolls, often kidnapping children so he could turn them into cyborg dolls in an abandoned toy factory. Almost a victim of his serial killer father in childhood, he had grown up to become one of Gotham's most disturbing and frightening criminals of all time. Part of his freakish nature was the fact he wore a broken doll mask which added to his creepiness.
And yet he was about to receive a visitor, something that didn't happen very often. A lot of people, even Gotham's worst criminals, didn't want to be anywhere near him. But somebody did tonight. The Dollmaker looked up as somebody strode into his place of dwelling. His cold eyes narrowed as he saw a man in a purple coat with green hair and red lips walking towards him.
"I wasn't expecting...company." the doll-obsessed man said, his voice calm but menacing.
"Hehehe, oh Dolly-boy, you should always expect a visitor, specially while I'm still around!" the figure said as he stepped out of the shadows, revealing it was none other than the Joker, who continued to grin like mad.
The Dollmaker's attitude and posture greatly changed, his figure now creeping back into his desk and his voice trembled nervously.
"Wh-What do you want!?" he demanded, fright still clear in his voice.
His past encounters with the Clown Prince of Crime were not very good ones, often having been on the brunt end of the Joker's cruel tricks, often getting him caught into trouble with Batman, and often had to be extra careful in avoiding making a mistake. He lost four teeth once after he messed up a new look for the Joker.
"Oh why so nervous, Dolly? I was expecting you to be a lot jollier in seeing an old acquaintance tonight. After all, we had some good times, didn't we ol' boy!?" The Joker exclaimed joyfully as he leaned on the table and elbowed the Dollmaker in the side, sending out an electric shock to the creepy masked criminal, who yelped in surprise and pain as the sudden amount of electricity went through his big build, making him drop to the floor.
The Joker laughed like he was watching a comedy sketch show.
"Ohhohoho, my new toys are the best!" He giggled as he then plopped himself down on a nearby seat and kicked Dollmaker in the side.
"On your feet doll-lover, I've got something that needs doing for me!" the clown-criminal snapped.
The stunned Dollmaker slowly picked himself up onto his feet, wobbling slightly as he tried to snap out of it. The shock had sapped some of his strength but he was a large man with huge muscles so he still had some strength left in him to get back up. He shook his head and looked over at The Joker.
"So what do you acquire...?" he asked nervously.
"Oh just a disguise so that I can sneak out of Gotham and fly over to Frenchy old France!" The Joker declared, "I have important business to take care of there!"
"France...?" The Dollmaker mused, "That's unexpected. Why there?"
"Don't ask questions you living mannequin, just do what I ask you!" The Joker snapped viciously.
Dollmaker jumped back in shock, realising too late it was best to never ask the Joker what his business was. With that, he went to the nearest cupboard and opened it up to find the essentials to help out the Joker. Part of the big man wanted to grab the Joker and toss him out of his house, but he knew better. He saw what the Joker could do to big men like him, and he honestly didn't want to end up like the rest of his victims. The guy was a walking, talking booby trap for goodness' sakes!
Trying to relax his nerves, Dollmaker turned to the Joker and laid a paint board down on the table next to him.
"Uh, what look are we going for this time?" He asked, trying his hardest to be calm.
The Joker smiled and clicked his fingers.
"The usual, grey hair, fair skin, the old gentleman look" he explained.
Dollmaker made a mental image of what he wanted, so he gotten out some blushers and other make-up tools to put to work.
"Hope you like your look." the doll-making criminal said feebly.
"If you aren't dead when I'm done with you, you'll know that you've succeeded in pleasing me." The Joker purred.
He sat back in his seat as The Dollmaker prepared to give him his makeover. When done, he'd be on his way to France...and Batman would never see him coming, nor would those teenage wannabes he'd seen on the news...
So now Ladybug and Cat Noir are informed on The Riddler and Batman's going to help find Hawk Moth. Neither mission will be straight forward but they may succeed.
But The Joker is on his way to France...all hell is about to break loose! 0_0 What will happen when he arrives?!