Life is as tedious as twice-told tale, vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man.
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Batman Beyond Season 4Episode 60: King's Court
Author James the Lesser
I do no own the Characters, names, villains, so forth
A/N This takes place after Batman Beyond Return of the Joker so yes that movie happens in this timeline/series
Terri and Max are flying over the city going to a disturbance. "I'm not seeing any thing below." Terri lands the Batmobile. "Bruce who called it in?"
"They didn't give a name. Said some one on a giant flying card was attacking some one on the street."
"The King is out?"
"And the new Queen."
"I thought they had been transferred to Quandum Prison."
"Paperwork got slowed down and they were in Arkham awaiting transfer." Terri and Max exit the Batmobile.
"Max you take the lead. I'll stay back and only help if you need it." She rubs her back.
"I'm still hurting from the last time you had me do that."
"Well keep an eye on every one when you stop a gang initiation beating." Terri flies over to a roof and sees a flash of white. "I think I found them." He flies towards where he saw the person go.
He goes around the corner of a building and sees the Royal Flush Gang Queen. "No, Ten?" He lands. "Ten!" She turns and sees him.
"About time! I called like twenty minutes ago." She flies over to Batman. "What took you so long?" She flies close getting in Batman's face.
"What are you doing? I thought you left this behind."
"I did. But the King and the new Queen kidnapped my brother Jack and told me I better join them or they'd execute him."
"And you thought this was the best way of contacting me?"
"Well I went by your apartment as Melanie but your mom said you weren't home." Batman pulls away.
"I, I don't know what you mean." She reaches over to him and grabs his arm.
"Terri I figured it out months ago. I haven't told any one, not even my brother, who you really are." He knocks her hand away.
"I don't know what you're talking about Ten. I don't know any one named Terri."
"Really? I gave you that note for Terri, remember?" Terri does remember the note and that he threw it away with out reading it. "I knew it then too. I just didn't let you know in case I needed a trump card."
"So you're blackmailing me?"
"No. I'm asking, begging, for your help. But if you won't help me save my brother then I'll do any thing I can to make you help me."
"That sounds a lot like blackmail too me." She gets close, lips almost touching his ear.
"Please Terri I need you." She sees Batwoman land behind Terri and pulls away from Terri. "I, I didn't know you had a Batgirl."
"Batwoman." Max activates her shock pads.
"And we're just friends." Terri holds his hand up signaling Max to stand down. "I am Batman and I help people in need. If the King and Queen have your brother we'll help you."
"What? Batman she's a criminal."
"No I'm not. Dana? No, she was white, Asian, mixed?"
"I, I don't know what you mean." Melanie flies over to Max.
"I know who Batman is. And I know that he works for Bruce Wayne like the old Batman once did. But I don't know who you are."
"No idea what you're talking about." Melanie laughs.
"Don't worry I'm not telling any one. I like Terri too much to hurt him." She sees no reaction from Max. "So you two are just friends huh?"
"Batman are you sure we can trust her? She could be leading you in to a trap."
"I'm sure. We can trust her." He goes to Melanie. "After we rescue your brother we'll talk." He looks at Max and winks.
As they fly in the air Terri connects directly with Max. "Stay back. If this is a trap, I doubt it is, but if it is then I'll need your help."
"Can we trust her? And how does she know who you are?"
"I didn't tell her. I swear. I suspected she knew when she gave me the note but I have no idea how she figured it out. I'll talk with her later."
"If this isn't a trap. Terri, Max, if she knows and this is a trap then the rest of her family knows. But the King would normally not be this subtle." Bruce checks the security cameras.
"Why I think it isn't a trap. She cares for her brother and if he's been kidnapped they can use that against her. She called the police so she could contact me. They could have attacked me at home or at school when I wasn't wearing my suit."
"Why I don't believe this is a trap. But be careful both of you." He sets the security for Alert Mode.
Ten flies a little slower. "I heard part of that convo. Who are you talking with? The original Batman? Is he even still alive? Or is it Bruce? Did he do that for the old Batman?"
"You don't know what you are talking about."
"Sure I do. Terri once I figured out who you it wasn't that hard. I mean heck the original Batman had all that fancy stuff and that fancy stuff costs money. Who could afford all that? Bruce Wayne. And I read up on him and found out about his parents and stuff. So it makes total sense he'd create some one who would go out and fight crime. All that money and access? He goes out making business deals while who ever it is fights the bad guys."
"So you have an idea." Terri looks ahead. "Where is he being held?"
"Penthouse of the Royal Casino Hotel."
"So we just bust through the windows? What kind of security is there? Did they activate Ace? Any others things we should know about?"
"No Batgi, er, Batwoman. And my idea is I bring Batman in with his hands cuffed behind his back. Be all See? I bring you Batman." Max scoffs at the idea.
"Yeah, not happening."
"It's not a bad idea Batwoman. Ten is right it would get me inside with out fighting."
"Yeah, cuffed."
"Not that cuffed. He's Batman he can get his way out of them." Ten flies a little faster taking the lead again. "And you'll be right outside in case this is a trap."
"Yeah that's reassuring." Batwoman glares at Ten. "I'll kick your ass if this is a trap."
"Then I'll make sure this isn't a trap." The three near the Royal Casino Hotel.
Ten flies to the window with a knocked out and bound Batman. "Hey, let me in." The window opens and she flies in.
The King looks down at the incapacitated Batman. "Well Ten it looks like you did it. Ace, bring Jack out." Ace carries a bound and gagged Jack in from another room.
"Please, let him go, let me go. I don't want this life any more." She steps away from Batman. "Find a new Ten and Jack. Make a new family."
"That is not going to happen." The Queen walks over with a sword. "Should we take his mask off then kill him or just cut his head off and then take the mask off?"
"Neither!" Batman throws a batarang and knocks the sword out of the Queen's hand.
"Traitor!" The King points his scepter at Ten and hits her with an energy blast square in the chest.
"Aaaa!" She smashes through the window and falls to the ground below.
"Get her!" Batman watches as Batwoman flies down and hopes she can catch Ten before Ten hit the ground.
"Monster!" Jack had gotten the gag out of his mouth. "I'll kill you if she dies!" Jack fights against the rope but can't get free.
"Both of you have betrayed the King's Court! For that the punishment is execution!" The King aims at Jack but Batman kicks him hard from behind.
"The death penalty has been illegal for years." He pulls two batarangs out and throws them. The King blasts one with his scepter but misses the other one. It hits the ceiling above the King.
"Your aim is off peasant."
"No, it wasn't." The batarang explodes. The pool on the roof of the casino comes cascading down in to the room.
"Help!" The Queen can't fight the tide and is sent flying through the shattered window.
"Batwoman will catch her." Batman turns his attention to Ace who had grabbed a support pillar and was attempting too rip it out and use it as a weapon. "A new toy for you." Batman throws the batarang and right before it hits Ace it sends out an EMP blast. Ace shutters for a few seconds then collapses.
Batman flies over the water and grabs Jack. "My sister, check on my sister." Batman looks for a place to put him but with the water coming in and the support pillar broken the floor was starting too cave.
"You may have escaped us this time but we'll get you again!" The King jumps on a card and flies through the shattered window.
Batwoman punches the Queen. "I save your life and you attack me? Idiot!" She dodges a kick. "I should have let you splat."
"Slag this." The Queen throws some thing in Batwoman's eyes. It foams over blocking her vision. "I would kill you but you did save my life. Consider the debt repaid." The King flies down and picks the Queen up leaving the blinded Max on the ground.
Batman lands nearby with Jack. "My sister where's my sister?"
"She's fine." Batwoman pulls at the chemical gel on her mask. "It won't come off."
"One second." Batman pulls a small scalpel out and cuts the foam from around her eyes. "Where's Ten?" Max points at a roof. "Is she ok?"
"Yeah she's fine." Batman picks up Jack after cutting through the ropes and flies for the roof.
Batman lands where Batwoman had put Ten. "Sis!" Jack hugs her.
"I'm fine Jack. Batwoman saved me." She hugs him back.
"Batwoman?" He looks over at her. "Hey, uh, thanks." He smiles and looks her over.
"No problem." Batwoman turns to Batman. "We better get out of here."
"Ten, where we met before, midnight." She nods.
"Got it Batman." Batman and Batwoman take off.
The two land near the Batmobile. "What are you going to do Terri?"
"She knows about me. Bruce what did you do when some one found out about you?"
"They didn't."
"Some one did no way you went all those decades with out some one knowing."
"I made sure either no one believed them if they said so or they wouldn't tell any one. Ten, Melanie, may not be some one you can trust." Max rolls her eyes.
"D, followed by UH."
"She could have told the King. She could have told him and saved her brother with out getting me involved. She didn't."
"For now. Terri be careful. You have been Batman for barely a year now. If you are found out it means I am found out."
"She just thinks you fund Batman."
"Keep it that way. Terri I can't make this decision for you. I will help and guide when I can or think you need it but this is some thing you may come across in the years after I pass. Figure out what you should do now so you know what you will do in the future."
"Uh, thanks?"
"I think you should make sure no one believes her."
"And how would I do that Max?"
"I don't know. Give me the suit and I'll save you on camera or some thing."
"No. That might work but no. I can trust her. Take the Batmobile back to the cave I have a meeting." Terri takes off leaving Max behind.
Terri stands underneath the clock. Soon he sees Melanie walking up in her civilian clothes. "Thank you Batman." She kisses him on the lips.
"I help people no reward needed." He takes a step back. "Melanie how did you figure it out?" She steps towards him putting a hand on his arm.
"I did, don't worry how I did. And I'm glad I did. I was so scared."
"The King and Queen escaped. Will you two be safe?"
"I don't know. We'll both be on watch for them now."
"If that's all I better go." She grabs him tightly.
"No. Terri, I, I swear I won't tell any one. I know I threatened you with that but I swear I won't. If you had turned me down I don't know what I could have done but I wouldn't have told any one about you." She looks up at him with tears in her eyes.
"Melanie I'm sorry." He pulls away from her. "I trust you with this. But I don't know if I can trust you with other things."
"I know I hurt you Terri and I can't fix that. But maybe one day you'll forgive me. If things with Dana don't work out..." She looks up at the clock as she turns her back on Terri. "You know where I live."
"I do." Terri reaches towards her then stops and lowers his hand. "Melanie, be safe." He activates his rockets and takes off.
Terri lands outside of Dana's window and knocks. She looks up from her desk then looks at the time. "I must have fallen asleep." She yawns as she walks over to the window. "What do you want Terri?"
"Can I come in?"
"I guess." She moves out of the way and Terri climbs in. "So what do you want?"
"To apologize."
"For?"
"Every thing. Melanie, not telling you about this, and more. I know it is hard but I care about you Dana and I can't risk you getting hurt. I want too be with you but I can't think of you getting hurt by the Joker or Blight or any one else because of me." He sits on her bed and she keeps her distance.
"And who is Batgirl?"
"Batwoman. And guess."
"Max?" He nods. "So she can get involved but not me?"
"If she gets hurt I, I'd care, but not like I do with you. If she gets hurt I'd feel bad but she knows the risk and the old man sort of pulled her in to it. I wouldn't want you being Batwoman."
"Terri it is too much. I sit at home wondering if you're ever coming back to school. Or if you die if we'll even get a body or you'll just disappear. I can't make you quit but I can ask."
"I can't Dana. This city needs me. I need this. Blight is still out there and until I put him down I can't rest."
"Fine. Throw him in Arkham and quit."
"I don't think it is that easy. He could escape. I left him at the bottom of the ocean and he lived. He would always be a threat."
"That's just an excuse. You love being Batman don't you? You don't care you might die leaving your mom with another loss. Leaving me with a loss."
"Dana I do care about that but this is more important."
"Being Batman is more important than me? If that's the case then get out."
"Dana please I," She points at the window.
"Out."
"Ok, see you on Monday." He leaves through the window.
A/N So a bit short but I liked the idea. And it got us away from the Jokers and Blight for a bit of a fresh breath. What will happen next? We must wait and find out!