Chapter 19: Blood Brothers part 2
Authors Note: Whew long ass chapter. Okay here it is the climax of Shadow's story and the fight you've all been waiting for. Also if I'm slow with the chapters in October it's because I'll be working on a child's play fanfic for Halloween. Okay here's the next chapter enjoy.
Also did anyone see the Robot Chicken DC Comics Special?
Disclaimer: Do I really need to say it?
Hood reached into his coat and whipped out six razor disks and threw them both at Shadow and Batman. Batman deflected them by swiping his cape at them as Shadow cut them down with his sword. Shadow then reached up his sleeve and pulled out three small throwing knives and threw them at Hood. Hood dodged them and let Batman take the hit. One grazed his cheek while the other two missed. He then ducked behind a nearby dumpster and slapped two mini jets to the back of it and sent it launching towards Hood. Hood scaled the wall letting the dumpster smash head on into Shadow. Hood then jumped off the wall only to get his feet tangled by Batman's batclaw. Hood fell to the ground and let out a small laugh.
"Oh you and your gadgets," Hood chuckled before cutting the line with his knife and shocking the cable with his tazer. Jolts of electricity surged through the cable and sent Batman flying back a few feet. "You're not the only one with toys."
"I don't like gadgets." Shadow yelled on the far end of the alley. "I prefer guns."
He then pulled out two 9mm automatic glocks and fired them at Batman and Hood. The two hid behind the corners of the alleyway as the bullets zipped past them. When his guns were empty Hood ran out from behind the corner and charged at Shadow with his knife while he tried to reload. Batman took the opportunity to throw a few small frag bombs at them. They rolled between the two causing them to freeze mere inches from each other.
"Crap." The two said in union as the dived away from the small bombs.
They blew up and created a smoke screen from the rain. Hood jumped up and started scaling the walls with his knife. He then jumped over to a nearby fire escape and started to climb up to the rooftop. Batman followed him up the fire escape as Shadow did as well.
Hood eventually made it to the roof and was about to run off when Batman tackled him to the ground. Hood stabbed his knife into the end of his cape unknowingly and was stuck in place. Hood began punching Batman repeatedly until Shadow jumped in and landed a kick in the center of his chest.
Hood was sent back before he pulled a sword and began attacking Shadow the two parried for a bit while Batman ripped his cape and pulled out two Batarangs. He charged at the two and swung his batarangs at the two. Hood leaped over Batman and retrieved his knife that was still stuck in the ground.
Shadow brought his sword down on Batman but he swatted the blade away with his batarangs. Shadow took a swing at Batman's head but missed as the dark knight swept his legs knocking him on the ground. Hood began his attack on Batman and the two fought it out. Sparks flew between the two as they attacked one another. Hood stabbed his sword at Batman but only grazed his neck as Batman took a slice at him. Hood dodged his attack and crept around Batman and brought his knife between him and his belt. Hood cut the belt and took another stab at Batman this time landing a small cut on his cheek.
Shadow got to his feet and charged at Hood, Hood did a spin kick and knocked Shadow's glasses off and knocked him onto the ground. Shadow rubbed the bruise on his head and looked up to see Hood towering over him with his sword raised above his head. He was about to bring it down when Batman had tackled of the rooftop of the abandoned tenements and on the rooftop of a nearby church. Shadow quickly got to his feet and grabbed his sword and leaped across the roof rejoining his adversaries.
Hood was down on the rooftop as Batman stood over him. His blades were inches away from his body as Batman walked towards him. He grabbed Hood by the collar of his coat only for Hood to send his hand up to Batman's mask. He gripped it tight and yanked it off as Shadow rushed towards the two. Hood then spun around with his knife in hand and landed a cut on the side of his face cutting one of the straps of his mask as well. Shadow's mask fell off as he looked over to see Bruce without his mask as well likely feeling as exposed as Jayden did right now.
"Look at you two," Hood said as he threw Bruce his mask back. "I guess we should keep it even." He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black mask similar to the one he used to wear. He threw it to Jayden who caught it as Hood undid his helmet. It let out a hiss and deformed as Hood lifted it off and revealed his face.
"Jason Todd." Bruce said as Hood dropped the helmet.
"Yes." He said with a grin on his face.
"We don't want to fight you." Bruce said in a calm voice.
"All evidence to the contrary." Jason said.
"Please let me help you," Bruce pleaded. "I know what happened."
"Oh, you got to talking with Ra's have you?" He asked rhetorically. "Well does it make it easier for you to think that my dip in his fountain of youth turned me rabid? Or is this just the real me?"
"I talked to Talia and she said it was my blood that saved you." Jayden said as he put on his old mask.
"Talia, oh well yes she was the one that saved me after all," He said. "Your 'Adonis' power you call it reanimated my brain and fixed up all the damage and her father's pit did the rest. I've spent the past few years training with her so I could be an elite assassin. Just like my little brother."
"I'm an assassin of peace," Jayden growled. "I kill those who have no remorse for the actions they committed I do what needs to be done. I've seen what you did to those victims of yours. You didn't kill them with honor or respect you fucking slaughtered them!"
"Potato, Patato they all die in the end." He grinned as his veins glowed red and kicked his helmet over to Bruce.
He then pulled out a detonator and pushed the button causing the mask to let out a hum. Bruce had put on his mask and rolled out of the way as it blew up causing a statue on the roof to collapse on them. Jason charged at Batman and tackled him to the ground holding a knife to his throat.
Shadow then kicked him off and swung his sword at him landing a cut on his arm. Jason let out a grunt of pain as he ran towards Shadow with his own sword. They locked blades for a minute before Jason smacked his sword out of his hands and spun around him holding his sword to his throat.
"What bothers you most about me Jayden, that I was always better than you or that I'm a far better successor of Batman than you?" Jason asked.
"You're taking over gang territory and slaughtering people in grotesque matters. You're no better than Mask and just as crazy as Joker." Jayden growled.
"I'm what this city needs," Jason retorted. "You are no different than me. You've killed just as many people as me."
"I kill those who are evil and who have no desire to change." Jayden growled. "Freeze, Talia and a few others I see change. Joker, Mask and Cobblepot they are evil and deserve to be killed. I never claimed to be a hero but I am sure as shit not a monster." Jayden then spun around and grabbed Jason's wrist struggling for the sword. "You say you and I are alike? Not a fucking chance!"
Jayden then sent volts of electricity through his body and through Jason's only for it to have no effect. Jason grinned as head butted Jayden and sent him back.
"You forgot that it was your blood that brought me back. Didn't you think I would have obtained some of your powers?" He asked as he charged at Jayden with his sword held high.
With a flick of his wrist three spikes similar to Batman's gauntlets snapped out of Jayden's wrist and he proceeded to block with them. After a fifth his he locked the blade in his gauntlets and the two started at each other again.
"Nice little feature you got there." Jason complimented. "What else did you steal from Batman?"
"This move." Jayden grinned as Jason raised an eyebrow.
Just then Jayden pulled his wrist back and broke the blade between his gauntlets. Jason's eyes widened as Jayden leaped in and landed a barrage of hits to Jason's chest. Jayden was about to end it with a heavy hit to his face when Jason caught his fist and threw in on the ground. His veins were glowing as red as Jayden's as he pinned him on the ground. He knew that Jason would use his healing abilities from the Adonis to aid in his fight which is why Jayden had planned for it. Jayden broke out of the hold and pulled the suppressant he had gotten off Bruce and stuck it in Jason's neck. In a matter of seconds Jason's veins stopped glowing and Jayden took this opportunity to finish him.
He charged up his strength and delivered a punch to the center of his chest sending him flying ten feet away. Batman ran towards Jayden ready to take him down when he fired a bolt of electricity at him and stunned him. He then fired two bolts at Jason who let out a scream of pain as Jayden suddenly stopped. Jason was lying helplessly on the ground as Jayden walked over to his sword and picked it up.
Jayden was ready to end Jason but before he could Batman had him in a hold and stabbed his own needle into Jayden's neck. His power started to dull down as Batman wrapped one of his cables around him. Jayden let out a growl and a few swears at Batman before he ran off after Jason.
Jason swung his knife at Batman again but Batman ducked beneath his blade and knocked it out of his hands. He then sent a punch to Jason's face but he ducked underneath him and pulled a cable out of his jacket and fastened it around Batman's body locking his arms. He then pulled out his own grappling hook and pointed it at the church's balcony. He fired the hook at the edge of the balcony and attached it to Batman's cable hoisting him to the roof.
Batman landed on the edge of the balcony and quickly undid the straps. The second he unfastened the cable Jason pounced on him sending multiple punches to his face. Jason had Batman's left hand locked under his foot while his right hand was dangling over the edge of the balcony. Jason sent a few more punches to Batman's face before he lifted his right hand and grabbed Jason's wrist stopping his attack. He then wormed his left hand free from Jason's foot and sent a hard punch to the center of Jason's face knocking him back.
Batman quickly got to his feet and pinned Jason to the wall as he pulled a small metal stick from his glove.
"More hidden goodies," Jason chuckled. "You me and Jayden are just a few walking armories."
"Maybe so, but let's see how you do without you're toys." Batman grunted as his flicked the stick and ignited a small flame. He tossed at Jason's jacket causing it to burst into flames. Jason sent a punch to Batman's face knocking him off the balcony as he wrestled to get his jacket off.
Meanwhile, Shadow was currently rubbing the blade of his sword against the cable slowly. After a few more cuts he finally broke the line and regained his composure. He looked up to see Batman and Hood gliding across the rooftop and towards another building. Shadow pulled out his grappling hook and fired it at the building they and landed on the edges they were currently running on. Shadow eventually caught up with them as Jason jumped across the roof and into an abandoned apartment building.
Batman jumped across the roof and glided through the broken window Jason jumped through and landed a drop kick to his chest knocking his former comrade into an old tub. Shadow jumped across the roof as well with his sword held high. He went through the window and brought his sword down on Batman, but before he could land a hit Batman had grabbed him by the wrist in midair and flipped him over his shoulders slamming him down hard on the ground. Shadow let out a grunt of pain as he felt his body smash the tiles on the floor beneath him. Jason looked down at Shadow and back at Batman as he reached for Shadow's sword.
"Enough, it's over!" Batman shouted.
Jason got up and took a stab at Batman who stepped out of the way and grabbed his wrist lifting it over his head and landing a punch into Jason's ribs knocking him into the walls. His body bounced off the walls as Batman sent his fist into Jason stomach. He let out a gasp but didn't have time to catch his breath when Batman grabbed him by the back of his head and smashed his face into the tiled wall.
Jason let out a growl as he grabbed a broken piece of tile and took a few swings at Batman. Shadow got up and intercepted Jason by smacking the tile out of his hand and landing a punch into Jason's face. Batman then grabbed both of his former pupils by their heads and knocked them together.
The two let out grunts of pain before Batman punched Shadow across the face and kneed him in his gut. He then turned to Jason and elbowed him in the gut and then sent the back of his fist into his face. Batman then sent a kick to Jason's head and knocked him down but Jason landed on his hands and flipped back up to his feet. He pulled his fist back and sent it to Batman's face but the Dark Knight dodged it causing Jason to smash his fist into the tiled wall. Batmen once again punched Jason in the gut and proceed to wrap his arms around his neck Batman then threw him across the bathroom causing Jason to crash his head into the sink and the toilet.
Batman proceeded to overpower Jason enraged at the choices he made. He popped his ears sent a punch into his stomach before grabbing by the head and bringing his knee into his face and then crashing his head into Jason's face. He gripped him by the collar of his thermal shirt and slammed him against the wall and stared into his eyes.
"You say you want to be better than me but it won't happen." Batman growled. "Not like this!"
He then raised his fist and slammed it in the center of Jason's chest sending him through the wall crashing through the tattered wood. Jason tumbled back to the next room as Shadow raised his sword behind Batman.
He brought it down in a stabbing motion but Batman stepped out of the way letting Shadow stab the ground. His sword stuck in the ground as Shadow quickly let go and tackled Batman to the ground. He grabbed Batman by the collar of his armor and glared into his eyes.
"What makes you think you're so damn batter than me or Jason for that matter?" Shadow growled. "You fight that which can't be beaten and you let those who are evil live on and continue their evil deeds. At least with our actions we can stop them forever!"
"You sound exactly the same as when you were that angry kid all those years ago." Batman struggled. "Killing people isn't the way to bring hope to those who need it your causing just as much anger and wrath onto the innocent as any other murderer."
"You really are so naïve." Shadow chuckled as he pulled out his knife from his boot. "And I will finally put my demons to rest!"
Shadow brought his knife down but Batman swatted the blade away and brought his head up to Shadow's face. He knocked back Shadow a bit before Batman sent his foot to his chest knocking him off. Batman quickly got to his feet and garbed Shadow by the back of his head and slammed his face down onto the butt of his sword that was still stuck in the ground and landed one last kick to his chest sending him to the next room with his brother.
Batman slowly walked into the room and stood before his two former children. He looked at them out of pity regretting the fact that he failed to save both of them. He failed to save Jason from Joker and he failed to protect Jayden from the darkness of his vengeance.
"I know I failed you both," He said in a more calm voice. "And I tried to save you Jason, Jayden I left you the burden of watching Jason…" He couldn't finish that sentence. "I'm trying to save you now."
Shadow rolled away and pointed his gun at Jason as Jason pointed his gun at Batman.
"You think I hate you for letting Jason die or because I went where you couldn't follow?" Shadow asked. "No, I'm angry at you because you fed me nothing but bullshit when I was a kid. You told me that we did what no one else did and that we fight to protect. I am an assassin Bruce I kill people for peace. Not order or vengeance I kill to make sure…to make sure no child has to hold the dead bodies of their loved ones…twice."
Batman stared at Jayden with a pained expression on his face. All this time he thought Jayden was doing this to get back at him to prove that he was right. Instead he was just trying to keep the innocent away from the condemned.
"I fought you tonight to show you that I could handle myself that I don't need your help." He pointed his gun at Jason and glared at him. "I am no saint but I am no kidnapper. Now where is the girl?"
Jason glared at Shadow and walked over to a counter and reached down and picked up a tied up Sarina and threw him at the base of Shadow's feet.
"You know, I don't know what pisses me off more your gullibility or Bruce's stupidity." He growled. "First you both replace me, him a new Robin you a new Jason and now a new Batgirl and not just a new Batgirl but the daughter of Joker!"
Jayden had already undone the binds on Sarina's wrist and feat as she ran behind Batman. She felt safe once she was behind her other father.
"Bruce I forgive you for not saving me, but why would you ever have her as a part of our family!" He shouted. "She could be a damn agent!"
"She is nothing like him, she doesn't want to be like him and she is everything like Barbra. Actually she's just like Jayden." Batman said.
"Also, I'm not exactly proud of the fact that he's my father," Sarina snapped. "You want to know how much a burden I carry you think I don't wake up from having nightmares of slaughtering people and laughing manically. Hell I almost came close to killing myself one night, but I try my best to move on and leave Joker behind."
"She's not a monster Jason. You can count on that." Jayden said.
"Oh then why, why on earth," He then broke down a closet door revealing Joker to be hidden behind it. "Is he still alive?" Joker looked up at everyone and started to chuckle.
"Gotta give the boy points Bat's," He laughed. "He came all the way back from the dead to make this shindig happen. I also can't believe that Shadow the killer of killers was actually little Sparrow. When he told me I would have laughed my ass off if he wasn't already beating me with a crowbar and you." Joker said looking at Sarina who hid behind Batman. "I must say young lady I am quite disappointed in you. Wearing one of Batman's kiddie costumes is quite disgraceful."
Before he could go on Jason slammed him on the ground and aimed his gun to his temple.
"You'll be as quite as possible or I'll put one in your lap first." Jason said in a low voice causing Joker to pout.
"Party pooper no cake for you." Joker grumbled.
"Ignoring what he's done in the past. Blindly, stupid, disregarding the graveyards he's filled, the thousands of who suffered, the friends he's crippled," Both Jayden and Batman grimaced at that comment about Barbra. "You know I thought I would be the last person you'd ever let him hurt. If it had been you or Shadow he had beaten to a bloody pulp, if he had taken you from this world I would've done nothing but search the planet for this pathetic pile of evil death-worshiping garbage and sent him off to hell!"
"What you don't think I didn't try," Jayden said in a shaky voice. "You really insult me and our brother hood. I did everything I could to stop him but he got the better of me and put a round in my head. I was lucky I survived just like you. But I don't kidnap girls and I don't slaughter people like animals."
Batman shook his head in shame as he looked down at his former comrade.
"You don't understand," He said. "I don't think you ever understood."
"What, your own morale code won't let you? It's too hard to cross that line?" Jason asked sarcastically enraging Batman.
"NO. GOD ALMIGHTY, no." He said calming down. "It'd be too damn easy all I ever wanted to do was kill him. Not a day goes by where I don't think about subjecting him to every horrendous torture he's dealt out to others and then end him."
"Aw you do think of me." Joker cooed.
"But if I do that, if I allow myself to go down to that place I know I'll never come back." He said in a low voice.
"What about you," He said nodding at Sarina." You've been pretty quiet."
"Oh believe me I always think about wasting his nutty ass." Sarina growled.
"That's my girl." Joker swooned.
"See, this is why I don't do it. He want's someone to kill him. Every time he goes away for a devastating crime he's just waiting for someone to kill him. He wants to have someone come to his cell and just tear him to pieces, whether it's me or Batman he just wants to break one of us. You see in the end it's never about money or killing he just wants someone as good as me or Batman to find him and end him, and that's why I will never be able to kill him."
Shadow looked like he was taking what she was saying into consideration as Jason spoke up.
"But it's him, not Penguin, or Riddler or Dent him just him, because…because he took me away from you." Jason said.
"I can't do it, I'm sorry." Batman said in a depressed tone.
"Yeah, me too." Jason said as he picked Joker up and held him up in front of him. He then pulled out another gun and threw it at Batman who caught it.
"I can't." Batman growled. "I won't."
"I'm gonna blow his derange brains out and if you want to stop me then you're just gonna have to kill me!" Jason growled in a shaky voice.
"This is turning out better than I thought." Joker grinned.
"And you," Jason said as he turned to Shadow. "If you want to be an assassin of peace then you'll have to stop me from killing the kid!"
"You sick-she has nothing to do with this!" Shadow snarled.
"She's a potential Joker she said it herself, she has nightmares. She's just one kill away from becoming just like him!" Jayden then pointed his gun at him.
"I've spent the last seven years in torment for not saving you. Don't make me killing you be the new burden for the rest of my life!" Shadow roared.
"It's him or me and if Batman won't do it then the girl goes with him. You're the only person, who has what it takes to kill me, so do it!" Jason shouted.
"Jason!" Shadow growled as he pulled back the hammer on the gun.
Batman got both of their attention when he dropped the gun and turned leading Sarina out of the room. Jason let out another feral growl as he aimed the gun back at Batman.
"It's him or the girl, you have to decide," Jason shouted as Bruce remained silent. "Decide!"
"I've decided," Shadow said in a low voice causing Jason to look at him. "I've decided that you are just another killer who is incapable of change, and like all killers you must atone for your sins."
Jason then pointed the gun at Batman and fired. Time went by slowly as Batman dodged the bullet and Sarina dived into a corner. They both threw a batarang Batman at Jason and Sarina at Jayden knocking both their guns out of their hands.
Shadow was lucky as Sarina just knocked it out of his hand, but Batman lodged his batarang into the barrel of Jason's gun causing it to backfire burning his hand in the process. He fell back in pain as Joker started laughing.
"You did it, you did it you did it," He chuckled. "Just when all hope seems lost and there is no way to win you found a way to end it with no one dying. You crazy marksman you, you win while everyone still loses." He finished with another laugh.
Shadow looked over at Jason and his eyes widened as he saw him holding a detonator. Everyone started hearing beeping as they looked back at the closet to see a bomb with the clock slowly counting down.
"Jason, stop." Shadow said as Jason slumped down on the ground.
"It ends here," Jason whispered as he looked at his younger brother. "Goodbye…Sparrow."
Jayden quickly rushed over to him while Batman went for the bomb but was tackled to the ground by Joker. He wrapped his hands around his throat choking him while laughing manically.
"This is it, this is what I've been waiting for," Joker howled. "All of us together, my enimes and my daughter all going up in-"
He was cut off by a blunt force to the head as Batman looked up to see Sarina holding Jayden's magnum by the barrel after clubbing her father with the butt of the gun.
"God, even for him he talks too much." Sarina grunted.
Batman quickly grabbed her and Joker, after Sarina helped him over his shoulder and were about to escape when they forgot about Jayden. Batman fired his batclaw out the window and tied the cable to Sarina and her father. With a screech the two were sent flying out the window as Batman lunged for Jayden as the explosion engulfed him and his former comrades.
Sarina was currently dangling from Batman's line mentally cursing him as she watched the side of the building crumble down on top of them. She quickly tied her dad up and swung over to the building and began to frantically search. She pulled up as much rubble as she could before her other father finally rose from the rubble with Jayden in his arms.
"Bruce," Sarina exclaimed as she ran over to them. "Are you two okay?"
Jayden solemnly removed himself from Batman's grasp and slowly walked around the now destroyed room. After a few minutes of blindly wandering he let out a heavy sigh as he picked up his discarded weapons.
"Wait, Jayden where are you going?" Sarina asked.
"Where do you think," He grunted in exhaustion. "I'm going home."
"But what about," She was gonna ask about Jason but stopped as she felt Batman place a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at his grumpy but soft expression and decided to leave him alone.
"He's gone, not as in dead but not here," Jayden sighed. "As for where, I don't know…You two take care now."
Sarina nodded as they watched the lone warrior disappear into the shadows. Sarina and Batmna undid Joker's restraints as the Gotham P.D showed up. Sarina let out a heavy sigh as she collapsed into Batman's arms unconscious. His face broke out in a soft smile as he carried her bridal style to his car. He had one last thing to do and it was to get his friend home and in bed.
It had been a long night for everyone.