Chapter 7: Chesha Neko
More chapters on my (P)atreon at Saintbarbido.
::-::
(Davian's P.O.V)
We know ourselves best when there is nothing to shield the truth from us. When we can't hide behind the white lies or unspoken secrets. When we have no choice.
The environment around me was blackened from burnt grass. Smoldering skeletons halfway out of the grave and others caught in the flames while attacking me laid around. The fire was dying down but the damage was extensive. One of those trees with multiple eyes kept popping as they exploded from the heat.
A dark cloud covered the sky, adding more gloom to the area. I coughed out blood, something that had steadily become a routine. The pain was yet again not as bad as it should have been. Which was great for me because of the state my body was in.
I was missing a hand, blood pooling under my body. One of my eyes was taken out along with a massive scar going down my face. The cut on my ear, having been split into two, was healing. In fact, all my injuries were steadily healing.
My soul seemed to regenerate any injury in a few minutes. I suspected it was due to the fact that I was in my Inner World.
The healing far outstripped what my physical body could do. It made me wonder if I could somehow take advantage of what allowed my soul to regenerate so fast and apply it to my body. Making sure I didn't die was top on my list for this new life.
I crouched back, the small of my back leaning on a broken gravestone. Chesha Neko in its Shikai form lay next to my hand, caked with blood. The blade had changed completely.
I had thought it would change forms into a Cross blade, the same one the spirit had attacked me with earlier. But this blade was different. In its sealed state, my weapon was a simple Longsword, the most outstanding thing being the decorative symbols on the sheath.
In its Shikai form, it was bigger. A Greatsword, with a metal that glowed a deep purple sheen. Its reflective side seemed to shift light and almost meld into obscurity. Then if you turned it around again, the reflective side would bounce back light in a brief flash that could blind the enemy.
That's not to mention its main Shikai ability.
Releasing My Shikai seemed to have dealt with most of the issues with my abilities. I had back access to my Reiryoku and wielding it felt much easier.
The negative aspect of it was somehow still there though. Even to my own Reikaku, my spirit energy felt evil. And Chesha Neko had refused to say a word even when I had called out to him. I could sense his presence. Just like I could sense my inner world much more clearly.
speaking of which, Gordon was...somewhere far to my left. About 4 miles away. My fight with the Spirit had destroyed a large part of the Cemetery. The Gravestone I sat on overlooked a crater. At the center of that crater, he lay.
A boy of 19, his chest rising up and down shallowly. My final attack had speared past the Spirit's Saketsu and with a massive explosion of power, Reiryoku had rushed out of the wound, wrecking the surroundings in a burst of purple plasm. The energy then found its way to the sky in the shape of a wide beam, spearing past the mist and clouds.
Then I felt it, the separation between Chesha Neko and the Unnamed Zanpakuto was over.
A bright sun had momentarily shone. The energy broke apart into sparks of light, like fireworks lighting up the sky.
I could still see wisps of blue embers falling through the gloomy clouds.
"I have nothing...in this world."
I told him, looking down at his broken form. A face that was so me, it was almost disturbing.
He said nothing. Then again, with his spirit energy slowly leaking out into the surroundings...I would expect the same. I got up, the worst of my bleeding now slowed down and walked towards the crater, almost tripping at the loss of balance due to my missing limb.
A brief survey of the crater and I saw the blackened stump of flesh that was my hand, just a small distance away from the Spirit. The limb was burned to crisp.
Fuck.
I had no idea if I could regenerate a limb but given the fact that my destroyed eye could now spot blurry images of things...maybe I was worrying for nothing.
I reached him and knelt on the ground.
"No family,"
I explained, before shrugging.
"Maybe two friends. One is a hot psycho clown,"
The description was pretty obvious. Everyone in Gotham knew Harley Quinn.
"...and the other is a Goth, she's even more anti-social than I am."
I laughed thinking of Raven. She really needed to loosen up.
His fingers trembled. A sigh escaped me.
I gently grabbed his palm in mine.
"You were never separate."
I told him.
"I can see it in your eyes. You know what I'm talking about."
His eyes remained far off. They were the same brown I saw when I looked in the mirror. What I called 'The Spirit' was basically the part of Davian that exists over the edge of Self-control. The other side of the coin. The darkness that wins if we gave up.
Nick helped me stop my Darkness from winning.
This Davian hadn't had a Nick. But he had been strong enough to try to fight back. A piece of him had died. The one that remained was the Dark side.
His eyes widened.
A trail of tears fell down his cheeks. My eyes burned as well but I refused to look away from his pain.
"Goodbye Davian."
I whispered.
He gave no reaction.
Alright, it was time to finally end this. I grabbed Chesha Neko and pressed the end of the pommel onto his forehead. My eyes closed as I turned my attention inwards.
Push and pull.
Push and... pull.
Reiryoku roared in my veins as Chesha Neko's whole broad side glowed.
Nothing happened.
I tried again and the result was the same. What was I doing wrong? Or rather what was the right way to do this? I wondered, holding Chesha Neko in my hand.
"...Sheath."
He muttered, almost too low for me to hear.
Sheath? What could it have to do with...oh.
Oh! How didn't I see it before? When Batman showed me the Clip of Davian destroying an entire building, Chesha Neko had been a cross blade. Basically a huge Scissor sword.
However, we had established that somehow Davian's own power had melded with mine and with the Zanpakuto spirits fused like they had been...what if the weapons had done exactly the same? Two blades. The Sheath and Chesha Neko had both been fused into the Cross blade.
That made a lot of sense actually. Still, all this was pure speculation. I could poke holes in the theory quite easily but if I was right then...
I nodded, grabbing the sheath strapped to my hip by a very thin patch of Reiryoku and placed it flat on his chest.
A green shroud covered his body, head to toe. I pressed Chesha Neko onto his forehead once more and this time, something immediately happened.
Even without coaxing, my Reiryoku roared to life, rushing through the sword. I gasped at the beauty of it all.
"Save...the kids and... Gordon."
He exhaled with a gasp.
"I can...I can see..."
The Zanpakuto spirit/Davian closed his eyes for the final time.
I clenched my jaw, staying in that position and looking on as his form slowly broke into motes of blue light.
Where would he go? The real Davian had died over weeks ago and now the piece of his soul that had remained behind, holding onto hate and the unfairness of life was released to rejoin the whole. I felt like I needed to say something to honor his memory.
In the end, I didn't. I used Chesha Neko to push myself to my feet, then the grid manifested around me, a string holding up the Sheath. I pushed the weapon in, my form falling out of Shikai.
My body was immediately hit with a feeling of dizziness. I stumbled, losing balance.
"I got you."
A voice said from behind me. Then a long furry tail wrapped around my midsection, holding me up.
"Oh dear."
A playful voice intoned from over my shoulder.
"Missing a hand, an eye; though that particular injury seems to be closing up quite beautifully, you must have run afoul something nasty."
I took a few seconds to catch my balance before answering.
"Thanks."
I told the furry blue cat floating in the air around me.
"Where were you?"
I had called for him after the fight but he'd been silent.
Cheshire Cat phased through my body, his form from neck down disappearing to leave a head with a wide grin.
"Missed me?"
I sighed, turning to leave the crater. I needed to find Gordon so that we could see about getting out of here.
My Zanpakuto spirit appeared from a grave stone just as I reached the top. He stared at his claws.
"I wanted to give you some privacy. It looked...personal."
He answered, his tone heavy.
"Yeah well." I looked at the sky, not knowing what to follow up with that.
"I need to find Gordon."
I turned and begun walking towards the direction I knew the Police Commissioner was on.
"You know I can warp space and take us there right?"
Cheshire...no.
I stopped and looked at him in his turquoise eyes.
"Hey what do you think of the name Chase? Chesha Neko might reveal your abilities to our enemy and Cheshire Cat is..."
"Shameless Plagiarism?"
Chase asked with another wide, unnerving smile.
"Chase..."
He muttered before I could reply, flying ahead through the sky, swimming as if he was under water.
"You like it?"
I wondered as I kept on walking. This being my inner world, I could also probably appear where I wanted but...after everything that had happened, I needed a walk to clear my head. Plus, I didn't want Gordon to see me injured like this. By the time I got to him, most of my injuries would already be healed, but that was if I chose to walk.
'Can't say the same for my arm though.' I thought looking at the stump.
"Mmh Very Well, my wielder, I shall accept the name, Chase."
Cheshire Cat or rather Chase said.
"With that out of the way..."
Suddenly he was in front of me.
"You can feel it right. Your soul feels...bloated."
I rubbed my chest. He was right.
"It's nothing."
I stated, moving through his illusory body.
"You were not ready for the Shikai release, Davian. Usually a Soul reaper goes through 6 years at the Spirit Academy, then decades after before they can release their Zanpakutos."
Chase quietly explained.
I stared at him as he sat on my shoulder.
"You know about that?"
"Of course I know about that. Who do you think you're talking to?"
He snorted.
"And stop trying to change the subject."
I stopped. More gravestones marked the flat landscape, the fires hadn't reached this far. The cemetery seemed to stretch out further than the eye could see. Past the hill in front of us and we would be back where it all started.
"I'm not trying to change the subject. I already know what you're going to say." I told him.
"You want to suggest I stay here for a couple more days while my soul gets used to the higher Reiryoku I seem to have awakened?"
Chase floated.
"Wrong. I suggest you stay here for no less than 6 months as your body and soul adjusts to the Lieutenant level Reiryoku reserves you now seem to possess."
"6 months!"
I asked in surprise, grabbing him from my shoulder by the back of his neck.
"That's way too long!"
His body exploded into mist as he popped up above me, palm flat on his cheek.
"That. Was demeaning. Please never do that again or I will gouge out one of your eyes as you sleep."
He threatened with a sadistic smile.
I smiled.
"I can see it in your eyes, you would actually do it."
He exposed his claws.
"Try me."
The mood became tense then we both burst out laughing.
"Still..."
I ran a hand across my face as the laughter ended. My hair was matted with blood. I've always wondered why I was born with silver hair...
"6 months is a long time, Chase."
I told him.
He popped to my shoulder.
"Then you're in luck." I looked at him as he smiled next to my ear.
"I happen to have an idea."
(Davian's P.O.V)
Cheshire Cat's idea had more to do with his sadistic tendencies than actual help. You see I had to spar with him. Constantly and without rest.
What this would do was force me to a position where I had to exhaust my reserves over and over again without stop. My soul would then adapt to the increased difficulty each time I replenished the Reiryoku.
The plan was working. I felt a difference each time I woke up from my near death state. One thing I'd come to learn was that I was weak. Or rather, Cheshire Cat was powerful. And cunning.
Already my battle awareness was on a whole other level. The spars were enough to curb any growing pride over my win against Parallel Davian's Zanpakuto spirit. And that was because, even with my notable progress, I was still unskilled, and my Zanpakuto spirit had an uncanny ability to exploit those openings.
I knew how to shoot. I knew how to street fight and I had taken boxing lessons back in the day. But fighting with superpowers was a very different affair.
I lacked that fine-tuned skill to chain attacks well. Not to mention, energy wasn't like throwing a punch. There wasn't a... physical heaviness. It was harder to control.
"Mind the face!"
I shouted as I leaned back, escaping a large paw with claws the size of daggers. Shunpo had been getting easier to perform. A burst of purple jet explosions propelled me away from the position, evading a sink hole created by spindly black vines. The black vines were tightly woven purple strings joined in huge and sharp tentacles.
The surroundings passed in a blur and my position changed to behind Cheshire Cat in almost an instant.
My foot slid on the sandy ground of the desert as I slashed out with Chesha Neko, a very basic attack but it was fast. The air literally screamed, the blade moving quickly towards the damn Cat's neck.
There was no resistance.
His body and head separated, the head popping to the sky.
"Oh look at that, you got me."
He stated with smile on his face. I mirrored the expression. A chance! Damn cat was being too smug.
"Getsuga Tensh..."
Boom!
His headless body exploded into a million threads flying across the desert in a whipping motion. Blood escaped multiple injuries across my chest and hands before a green bubble appeared around me for protection. I huddled and touched the sheath on my hip.
'That was too slow.'
I thought, crouching inside the dome, sharp threads slashing and failing to breach the shield.
A laugh bubbled out of me, at least I didn't lose a limb this time. Regrowing one took days. I opened and closed the palm of my left hand in quiet reminiscing. That had been close.
"Watch the ground."
Chase voice came from all around me.
Sharp strings exploded from the sand under my feet.
Push and Pull.
Almost instinctually, another Shunpo escaped my feet, the Shield around me disappearing as I was launched into the air. My trajectory was brought to a halt as a winding string managed to grasp my ankle, pulling me to the ground and ripping through my pants.
"Watch the sky."
Chase' smug voice this time rang from behind. I turned, deploying the shield when over a dozen flaming yarns of strings, the size of a baseball smashed onto my body. The shield fizzled out as they blew right through my chest.
The world flipped around me, a sand dune appearing above, moving awfully fast as I clashed onto the ground. Hard.
Oh I forgot to mention, to make the training more efficient, I was only limited to Reiryoku manipulation and Physical skills. Chase on the other hand could use the Shikai and his own strange weird powers.
A groan escaped my lips as I woke up about a half hour later. My body felt sore, especially the neck.
"He got you again."
Gordon muttered, staring up at the moon above us. He looked better. His soul chain had stopped dissolving into the air. Chase had done something to slow down the erosion.
Gordon was also a big part of the reason I didn't want to give up. I had promised to save him. We had been doing this for over two weeks with only an hour a day to rest. Gordon occasionally watched from a far distance whenever he wasn't at his grave Stone. I was worried about his mind. He spent an awful lot of time there.
"You're like a racing horse."
He muttered, spitting on the ground as he chewed on a straw, a shadow cast over his eyes. His hands trembled ever so slightly.
"Hey are you okay?"
I questioned in concern, sitting up.
Gordon looked at his trembling hands and hid them inside his trench coat.
"Smoking addiction, guess it affects even the Spirit."
I sighed.
"Hey man, I never meant for any of this to go down the way it did. Just give me a couple of days and I'll get you out of here, okay?"
He looked at me and chuckled.
"It's okay. This is not my first Rodeo with superpowers, kid. You just do what you need to do."
I looked at the soft embers of a flame burning in between us, most likely Chase's work. The color of the fire was purple. I had an hour before that lunatic showed up.
"What did you mean when you said I was like a racing horse?"
I asked him, pulling Chesha Neko to me. I was trying to make meditating a daily habit. It was supposed to improve the connection between a Soul Reaper and his Zanpakuto.
Bankai was pretty far away into the future for me, but it didn't hurt to begin meditation.
"You put the blinkers on." Gordon answered, chain links ringing as he stocked the flames with a stick.
"If you focus too much on what's happening before you, you lose sight of your blind spots and then the enemy, strikes. Like a racing horse, you have your eyes firmly stuck on the finish line."
"Ah."
I pulled a leg towards my chest, placing a hand on the knee. I guess I could sort of understand what he meant.
"And with you too focused on the enemy, you don't give yourself space to react to sudden ambush. Basically, you're thinking too much."
I but my lip, pulling onto my Reiryoku.
"I wonder if I can use Reikaku like Observation Haki?"
Reikaku only helped when the opponent could manipulate Spirit Energy as well. Otherwise, just about everyone else was blind to me.
Pesquisa had a more general use but I was yet to master any Hollow skill besides Hiero which was a thin layer of compressed Reiryoku that protected hollow skin from getting injured. Mine was more a crude application of my Reiryoku than actual skill in the ability.
"What?"
Gordon called out.
I shook my head.
"Nothing. It's just an idea I have."
"Mmmh." Gordon hummed.
"You know, one thing I've realized over a long career of fighting bad guys, your body reacts. You forget the moves."
He looked up.
"Trust in your gut."
He raised a hand, his finger's shaping themselves into a gun, aimed at my forehead.
"Don't hesitate. Hesitating gets you killed in Gotham. You have to match the ferocity of the other guy or you will lose."
I frowned. Don't hesitate? I breathed out. Okay.
"I was wondering about something Commissioner..."
The words dried up in my mouth.
I could sense something. Evil Chi aimed at...not exactly me but the area around me?
Chase popped up just as I got to my feet, a serious expression on my face.
"What is going on?"
Gordon asked nervously, looking in between us.
"You can feel it then?"
Chase enquired, floating about in the air. I fastened my Zanpakuto then stared at him, brown eyes meeting turquoise globes as I stood in defiance.
"I need to wake up."
"Stubbornness. Humanity's most annoying attribute."
Chase clicked his tongue.
"Wake up?"
Gordon got to his feet, his face lighting up with hope. I smiled slightly, one hand on my hip while the other snaked out to capture Chase by the neck as he popped behind me.
The cat growled in annoyance while I brought his face closer to mine.
"Put. Me. Down."
He snarled.
"Not until you listen."
I shook him slightly.
"How do I get out of here, Chase?"
He phased through my hand, blinking over to Gordon's shoulders. The Police Commissioner stiffened as Chase glared at me.
"You owe me an eye."
He stated, reminding me of the promise he had made.
"And you can get it after I save my friend."
I was a fool. I should have foreseen this happening. With so many people after me, it made sense that no matter where we hid, they would find us. This was DC after all.
I only hoped Raven was okay. The teen didn't deserve any of this, she already had a lot on her plate.
I grabbed the handle of Chesha Neko and unsheathed it.
"Come on Chase, don't you want to see the results of your labor? Don't you want to see how strong I've become?"
"Fool." He shook his head.
"You push yourself too far and your Spirit pressure will stun, if not kill anyone around you. You are not ready."
He insisted.
"Then make me ready!"
I could feel it. They needed my help.
Chase and I stared at each other for a few more seconds before his owlish eyes blinked.
"Perhaps..."
He stated.
"Perhaps what?"
I asked jumping into his line of thought.
Cheshire Cat smiled.
"It's going to hurt..."
(Later)
I underestimated the pain.
My body felt like locking up as I unhooked the medical devices on my body.
Gordon's spirit hangs next to me like a long shadow, still invisible to anyone else's eyes.
"It actually worked. You look bigger."
He told me as I sat up, hand gripping Chesha Neko.
The feedback from all my sensory organs hitting me at once became almost too overwhelming. My body felt sluggish. But that was quickly changing. With a burning sensation inside the veins in my body, I could feel a surge of power.
Chase' idea was to create a grid of small treads along my veins that would actively shovel excess Reiryoku to my flesh, organs, blood and bones. Feeding them energy directly.
Hence the size upgrade. I got up, looking around at the strange room. Then...I felt it.
A ball of negative energy approaching...Raven!
My body moved, two steps pushing me through the window and out into a yard of some sort. My body smashed down onto the ground, in-between Raven and someone else.
A Getsuga Tensho left my blade, the energy slamming onto a humanoid snake mutant that was approaching the two.
What the fuck was going on?
(General P.O.V)
"The security guards are down."
Shimmer spoke into her comms, foot laid on the back of a blue uniformed man.
"I have control of the surveillance room. Your call, Cheshire."
Black Spider called in.
The lid on the ventilation chamber was silently pushed out as a lithe body dressed in green, and a white mask, landed inside a hall way that read Sub-level 11, the R and D department.
A huge metallic door, as thick as a safe blocked her way inside.
She tapped the side of her mask and a red grid of lasers appeared in her vision. She snorted, then removed a small can from one of her pockets. She first shook it and then sprayed it at the grid. More scarlet lasers appeared, these ones humming ominously.
"Impressive."
She said, one hand on her hip.
"How did you get here so fast?"
She addressed a shadow at the corner of the room.
Batman dropped from behind her.
"Cheshire. What are you doing here?"
He growled.
The Assassin turned around to him.
"I don't suppose 'sight-seeing' is a believable enough excuse, is it?"
Her hand struck out and Batman quickly blocked the Sai she had thrown on his wrist guard. The weapon clattered away. Cheshire followed up by lobbying the can in her hands towards the lasers.
There was an explosion of smoke. Batman quickly crouched, shielding himself with the cape.
The smoke cleared away as Batman sounded the security alarm. He had stopped them from getting inside but something didn't add up. On the ground before him was a playing card.
He grabbed it off the floor and read the message.
[Wayne has a package we need. You know where to find me. P.S: Did you know that the Gotham Zoo has the third largest reptile section in North America?]
Batman's eyes widened as he turned it around.
On the other side was the picture of a bird.
A robin.
Just at that second, a prompt appeared on his wrist computer.
(Sentinel Program initiated.)
'Smart boy.' Batman thought as he ran towards the R and D department, he now knew what they were after.
Luckily there was a Zeta tube relay deep in Wayne Tower. He had to get to the Manor quickly, they were going to kidnap Robin.
(Elsewhere)
"Robin to Batman, come in..."
Dick frowned, biting his lip as he hid outside the window to Bruce's study.
There was the sound of shuffling feet inside. A shadow moving through Bruce's things, looking for something. A tiny almost inaudible click rang out as the guy stepped in front of the book case.
'Oh no.'
Robin could only watch as the intruder found the entrance to the Batcave and opened it.
'Crap. This is bad.'
He tapped his wrist computer and cursed again. The communications were still jammed.
'Standard Operating Procedure says, I try to reach out. With the comms down, I have no choice but to engage.'
Robin thought, narrowing his eyes at the blurry figure though the window pane. The figure was still standing at the entrance to the Cave, not moving in.
Now was Robin's chance. He couldn't wait for Batman to realize that something was wrong. Realistically speaking, these were professionals and if it wasn't for Raven fighting the other; owing to the sounds of battle happening, he wouldn't be able to hold them back. However,...if he could slip inside the cave first, then he could think of a few ways they could fight back.
The door to the study swung open just as Robin was coming up with a plan. Alfred walked in.
"Shit."
Robin bit out, moving to the left side of the ledge while preparing to intervene.
The Old Butler and Bronze Tiger froze, staring at one another wordlessly.
"Don't."
The mercenary warned, holding up his sharp claws for Alfred to see. Alfred's hand went for an old sword placed inside a case near the entrance of the study.
"This is private property. I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
Alfred chided with a stern glare before smashing his elbow on the case.
The sound of breaking glass covered the noise of the window latch being opened.
Robin kicked in with his foot aimed at Bronze Tiger's neck. The mercenary struck out like a snake, his forearm raised up to block the attack. The short boy felt his heart rise to his throat as his opponent lashed out with his other hand, aiming to grab him by the neck.
Robin put strength on his left leg, pushing off Tiger's arm to create more distance between them. Bronze Tiger was relentless, reaching out towards the Boy Wonder with his palm in the shape of a claw.
Then Alfred was there, slashing down at the offending hand. A kick aimed for the Butler's chest was instead received on his shoulder as he leaned to the side.
The glancing blow was still powerful enough to push Alfred away, his body smashing on the book case along the wall.
Then the whole room was filled with smoke as Robin threw down smoke pellets to cause a distraction.
Bronze Tiger looked around, his forearm placed over his face to avoid inhaling the smoke. Both Alfred and Robin were missing. He quickly turned to the entrance of the Batcave just as two birdarangs dug themselves on the ground below him.
"Shit."
Bronze Tiger said, ducking under the desk just as a massive explosion occurred.
(Davian's P.O.V)
I could feel Raven's shock. Her eyes probably widened at my back.
"You're...up?"
She said asked.
"Fuck this shit. I never signed up for you."
Deadshot cut in, hoisting his rifle and releasing shots towards Raven. The ground under me cratered from a hasty Shunpo as I appeared in front of her, my own body blocking the bullets.
"Cheap move, Deadshot."
I told the Merc who was already running away.
My skin smoked as the metal bounced off it. The Reiryoku being funneled through my skin and body blocking every single bullet with only minimal puncturing.
"Azarath metrion Zinthos!"
A black cloud of flame washed out from beside me, cutting off the mercenary's path. Deadshot cursed and jumped away. The black flames unfortunately turned the immaculate lawn into a blackened patch of land.
From behind a tree, I could hear Deadshot hiss in pain. Raven took to the skies.
"Don't carve him up too bad."
I called out.
"I make no promises."
She answered, then immediately staggered as something hit her on the side. There was an explosion and Raven fell to the ground, body smoking.
My heart stopped. I stepped and appeared in front of her, a green shield already deployed around us.
"Hey! Hey you okay?!"
She groaned, coughing slightly while cradling her side.
"Let me..."
I told her, pulling her arms away. A sigh of relief escaped me. The skin was blistered and burnt but luckily there was no puncture wound. The only thing left would be to see if there was any internal bleeding.
"How did you even survive that?"
I asked, part in anger at the one responsible and awe at the fact that this hadn't taken her down.
Sweat already matted her forehead. She tried to say something but it came out as a whimper of pain. I clenched my jaw, leaving the Sheath on herbchest while straightening up.
"Stay here. Then Shield will protect you."
I walked out of the dome while twirling Chesha Neko.
Then I roared,
"Show yourself coward!"
Something lumbered out from the darkness, a hiss escaping its scaly form.
"I'll kill... you. Ssss."
The mutant snakeman promised, body coiling in tension as his muscles bunched up. Getsuga Tensho seemed to have left a large slash wound from his shoulder to his hip. Oh and also made him angry.
Chesha Neko's broad side received the smack of its tail, only pushing me back slightly due to my lesser weight.
"Are you the one who did this?"
I asked it, staring deep into the serpentine eyes.
"Kill you..."
It grunted, tongue slithering out into the air.
"I guess not."
I ducked a fist and twirled Chesha Neko, digging its hard pommel straight at the side of the Snake man. It hissed in pain, blindly throwing both its hands around me, pulling my body close to try and squeeze the life out of me like a Python.
Even had your nose flattened by someone's forehead? Yeah, I'd rather take a gunshot instead. The adrenaline keeps you going before you notice the pain. A broken nose on the other hand? It's loud and it's agonizing.
A spray of blood exploded out of its nose as it staggered away from my forehead landing on his face. Hard.
I stepped up closer, the blade in my hand twirling in preparation to end this. I wasn't like Batman or the League. Leaving your enemies alive only had the prerequisite that you were okay with them getting revenge on your ass.
It wasn't about morality for me. No, it was about getting rid of the problem at its root. The Snake man's eyes widened underneath his pain, fear coursing through him as I stalked up to him like he was prey.
"Say your prayers..."
I advised and he swallowed.
"No... pleassssee... don't kill me."
He begged.
"Too late for that."
My words only made him shiver some more, especially the purple shroud of energy that started roiling above my skin.
A gun was pointed at the side of my head as I loomed over the fearful creature.
"I can't let you do that, friend." Deadshot told me, his costume a ragged mess of burnt fabric.
"His death will create problems for me with his people."
"The Snakemen?"
I wondered, not really aware of all the minor c list villains in DC.
"What?" Deadshot briefly blinked in confusion and I jumped on the slight opening.
Then a bullet rang out, my palm was enclosed over the gun as it went off a few centimeters above my head. Strands of my hair fell down. Deadshot and I stared at each other.
Then a foot connected with my knee, tripping me up during my step. His own knee rose up to connect with my chin in a devastating blow. The knee brushed past my cheek as I rolled onto the ground.
Bullets rippled through the ground of my previous position as a Shunpo, quickly threw me away. Chesha Neko dragged onto the ground as I ran around Deadshot.
"Why are you here Deadshot?!"
I shouted as he took a picosecond to reload and start blasting shots at me, that I ducked and dodged through the trees.
"I should be asking you the same."
Rifle fire ate away at most of the back of the tree next to me as he tried to find my location.
With Chesha Neko in hand I wanted until he stopped to reload, knowing how many mags were usually used in a rifle like that and counting.
'Now!'
I sprang from my hiding spot and quickly Shunpo'd to behind Deadshot. My sword cut through the air towards Deadshot's unsuspecting back, when an explosion from the side of the building produced a shockwave that messed with my footing.
"Raven!"
My feet hurt as another Shunpo took me to her. Luckily the shield held. Unluckily, Deadshot seemed to be gone. The snakeman as well.
I sighed, turning my gaze to the burning side of the manor. I could hear the sounds of fighting even from here.
'You should probably go check that out, My wielder. We still have no idea where you are.'
Chase spoke to me from my inner world.
I looked down at Raven. The shield would protect her.
"You're right."
I responded while standing up.
"Besides, Gordon seems to have disappeared. I gotta look for him before the chain wears out and we have a hollow situation."
(General P.O.V)
[Green Lantern Corp headquarters]
"Everyone ready?"
Lantern Stewart addressed his teammates behind him. They all stood on a lift off pad, the huge Green Lantern structure looming over their heads.
"Do it."
Zatara spoke up for the rest. He hated staying away from his daughter for too long.
"How's our passenger?"
He asked Hal, who was standing next to a levitating stretcher. Inside lay a young man with blonde hair who was dressed in a white baggy outfit.
Jordan's ring pinged.
"Barry Allen's vitals are stable."
Hal smiled, patting the side of the stretcher.
"You heard the ring. Sleeping Beauty here is fine."
"Good."
Wonder Woman said, stepping forward.
"Then it is time."
She gave the go ahead.
Light left Stewart and Jordan's rings as around them, a ship begun to materialize. The inner workings forming around their forms. Instantly the noise from the outside disappeared. Hal sank his weight onto the flight pilot's chair.
"Well then, let's go home."
(Elsewhere)
"The explosion collapsed the entrance but I'm not too sure that will keep them away for long."
Boy Wonder informed the older man as he jumped over the railing to get at the Batcomputer.
"He seemed to know about this place Alfred."
Boy Wonder informed the butler as he quickly moved down the stairs, headed towards the Batcomputer.
Alfred on the other hand, passed the huge Dinosaur on a display along with a massive mecha and arrived at a bar section.
"That guy managed to find the entrance to the Batcave on his own."
Dick added, wondering why his caretaker was quiet. He turned to see Alfred behind the bar.
The young boy frowned, pausing his fingers as they moved through the console.
"Huh Alfred, what are you doing?"
Alfred smiled, pressing something. The liquor shelf withdrew into the wall as a new section, filled with weaponry of all kinds appeared. Alfred grabbed an SA80 and begun to arm it.
"Not to worry sir." He replied to Dick.
"These are rubber bullets."
Dick blinked.
"Oookay." Robin turned to the computer. "Anyway. We have an information leak. Someone knows Batman's true identity." The young boy said gloomily.
"I'm hoping you won't mind if I take charge of the situation?"
Alfred sighed.
"Master Bruce left you in my care. However, seeing as this is something you were trained for, do you have a plan?" Alfred then quickly added,
"A safe one."
Dick's fingers flew over the keyboard of the batcomputer.
"Already ahead of you. The comms are down but I am working on disrupting the jammer signal. In the meantime,..."
The young boy narrowed his eyes, pressing a button.
"I have a little surprise for our intruders."
[ Sentinel Program initiated]
The batcomputer signaled.
"And what would you have me do sir?"
Alfred wondered, hoisting his weapon as he approached the console.
Dick pressed another button on the wall next to the Batcomputer, before turning to Alfred.
"The police use an analog security alert system. I just signaled to them on the home invasion. If we can repurpose the system to accept my...Duck!"
Robin yelled suddenly.
His young body tackled Alfred to the ground as Bronze Tiger landed in between the two, claws flashing and digging onto the ground.
Birdarangs cut through the air but the mercenary simply blocked the projectiles with his claws while straightening up. Both birdarangs dug onto the wall of the Batcave before exploding. Dust covered the surroundings as Dick and Alfred got to their feet cautiously.
A shadow flashed before Alfred's eyes.
"Master D..."
Alfred went silent as Dick jumped over him to block the claws with his deployable staff. He hadn't seen the mercenary even move.
"Alfred! get out of here!"
The young boy shouted in urgency.
His distraction cost him when a foot was rammed onto his belly. Spit exploded out of his mouth, air leaving his lungs. Robin's chest burned. His eyes then widened when a hand managed to grab onto his throat.
"Master Dick!"
Alfred shouted, letting loose a few bullets that missed their mark when Bronze Tiger hid behind the back of the batcomputer, turning his grip into a chokehold. Robin found himself helpless against the man's superior strength.
"Keep struggling and I will break your neck."
The mercenary warned Robin, who immediately ceased moving. Strangely enough, Boy Wonder didn't seem to be afraid.
Alfred got to his feet, creeping to the left to find a good angle to shoot. A chop to the back of his neck and his body slumped to the floor. Out from behind him, Deathstroke appeared.
Bronze Tiger frowned, rising to his feet, hand still held around Robin's neck.
"I should have known Ra's would never trust me. I feel insulted, he should have known to trust in my skills, at the very least."
"You have to admit." Deathstroke replied, the two men facing each other inside the Batcave.
"This is a very sensitive...matter."
"Regardless." Tiger snarled.
"I refuse to be made a fool of. This is my mission, tell Ra's to keep his end of the bargain instead of sending a babysitter."
Deathstroke narrowed his eyes at the blatant dismissal.
"As for you..."
The Tiger themed Merc addressed Robin.
"Oh don't mind me." The young kid smiled, trying to talk through the vice grip on his throat.
"I'm just trying to stay whelmed."
Just then, Deathstroke's instincts screamed at him. The Merc felt something hard connect with his back in a blow whose force was only lessened due to his quick reaction. The mercenary allowed his body to go slack as he was thrown away by a metallic fist.
He hit the ground and rolled, standing up next to the staircase with his swords drawn out of their sheaths.
"Who dares?"
Two glowing white eyes emerged from the darkness. Something huge stepped around Alfred's unconscious body, standing at 7'0, the Batbot glared at the two mercenaries.
"A robot?"
Bronze Tiger wondered out loud. It was a collection of grey metal panels covering electric inner components in the shape of a human. A glowing bat symbol took up most of its chest. It radiated power, an electric charge humming around it.
"Not just any robot. The Sentinel. A robot programmed with Batman's ability matrix. His skills and martial arts."
Dick was quick to answer.
What Robin refused to tell them was that the Sentinel had an adaptive fighting program. It was the last resort in case the cave was ever compromised by hostiles.
"You're trespassing."
Batman's harsh voice sounded from the bot.
It raised its hand and shot something towards Deathstroke's general direction.
The one eyed mercenary growled as he diverted the attack with his swords, a clash of metal ringing out around the room.
"You missed."
Deathstroke gloated.
"No, he didn't."
Robin said, slapping the electric buzzer he had concealed on Bronze Tiger's wrist. The electric charge made the mercenary's body spasm.
Deathstroke turned to see what the Boy Wonder meant, spotting a line whose end was rammed onto the massive figurine of the Dinosaur on display. The huge structure begun falling on him as the Batbot pulled.
Robin managed to slip out of the hold. Then he slammed his feet onto Tiger's belly. His young flexible body extended into a flip which would shift into a roll and a cartwheel to get him out of range. The plan failed as the next second Robin knew pain when his back met the ground in a devastating blow. He passed out immediately.
Bronze Tiger watched the young boy go unconscious, his palm flat on the boy's chest. He had used it to slam Boy Wonder into the floor.
Deathstroke on the other side, sprang out from the dust with a snarl, swords flashing as he tried to decapitate the robot. A blade extended out of the Batbot's wrist, blocking the skillfully executed attacks from the flurry of slashes. Electric energy begun dancing along the Batbot's blade. Deathstroke grunted, his suit was fortunately resistance.
One of the swords was discarded as his hand went for his handgun. Then his feet were pulled out from under him before his body was launched off into the air, swinging from a zip line attached to the ceiling of the cave. He had been baited, Deathstroke realized.
The Batbot looked up.
"Make yourself at home."
"I like the way you think."
Light clapping could be heard from Bronze Tiger. The robot turned and its eye holes seemed to narrow somewhat. Robin was slung over Tiger's shoulder.
"See, I Know you Bruce. I knew that no matter how prepared we thought we were, breaking into the Batcave and getting what we want was almost an impossible task."
Tiger spoke up.
"It was a complicated set of guidelines and plans that would have probably never worked. No, what we needed was a sure fire way to get the other half of the code. A guarantee. A bargaining chip. Threatening to expose your identity is not enough."
"Turner, let the boy go. You and I have no quarrel."
The Batbot demanded.
Bronze Tiger's jaw clenched.
"Really? Would you say that to my face if she was here? You're programed to think and act like Bruce. Does that mean he truly believes he's blameless?"
Up in the air, Deathstroke uncapped a small pen, revealing a red dial at the top.
"Hey, you forgot something."
He called out, bringing attention to himself.
"This isn't the first time I've fought Batman."
With that, the Merc pressed on the dial and the Batbot's side exploded in a shower of metal and wiring.
"I guess he didn't feel the bomb I placed on him."
Deathstroke chuckled, blade flashing through the zip line to deposit him onto the floor.
"We don't have time to argue. We need to leave before the real deal gets here."
Deathstroke then proposed, sheathing both of his swords.
"Real deal? I hope you guys are talking about me. I feel like I need a bump in my street cred."
Standing on top of the staircase, Davian looked down at the two mercs with his sword gleaming dangerously.
"You."
Deathstroke muttered, hand going for his gun.
"Me."
Davian twirled Chesha Neko. He knew these two. He knew how dangerous they could be.
"Come forth from the weave of eternity, Chesha Neko: Release."
(Davian's P.O.V)
Everything was messed up. Raven was out for the count and the second I stepped through the opening left by the missing chunk of the manor, I cursed myself.
There was a portrait behind the study that had remained unscathed despite the wreckage around. The portrait was of a young Bruce Wayne with his father and mother flanking his sides.
I could recognize that chin from anywhere. And although his mask covered half of his face, the blue eyes left an impression on me. It was like De javu, a half remembered memory.
I sat on top of the broken desk, Chesha Neko held loosely in my hand. There was a doorway that was half covered by debris from the book case; ruined books and shattered glass.
Someone had attacked the Wayne manor. Better yet, someone had attacked Batman's hq. The same Batman I wouldn't have minded seeing choke on his morals. But I like to think, I was past the unreasonable hate. Bruce might have done me dirty but if there was a chance of Alfred or whoever Robin was, getting hurt...
I sighed. I can't let it happen.
"You don't need to look at me with such judging eyes, Gordon. I can see past my grudge." I addressed the Spirit as it hovered around me.
"There are two of them, Deathstroke and Bronze Tiger. Mercenaries who only go for top dollar. They are highly trained and highly dangerous."
He warned as I stood before the entrance to the Batcave.
My palms were sweaty. This would be a real fight.
"Hey Jim, I gotta ask."
I turned to the disembodied soul.
"Did you know that Bruce Wayne was Batman?"
"I do now..."
He answered as his form faded from the room.
'Mmh, did you see that? Someone is getting really good at manipulating their soul.'
I noted, addressing Chase.
'It's more instinctual yes, but you're right. After more than a week exposed to your Reiryoku, it would be more surprising if he didn't attain a small measure of control over his spirit energy.'
Chase answered.
(Elsewhere)
Deadshot managed to get them both to the van without a tail. The huge form of the Snake man lay unconscious back in the woods after Deadshot had tried to carry him and failed.
Shimmer would not be happy. Deadshot on the other hand gave zero fucks. He was definitely getting out of here.
"I traced the jamming signal here."
A voice could be heard from outside the car window. Batman's glare made Deadshot's heart skip.
"Oh fu..."
The glass shattered as he was roughly grabbed out of the car through the window. Deadshot bit down a scream, his hand wrenched out of its socket before he could aim his wrist gun.
"We need to talk."
The Dark Knight growled.
(Davian's P.O.V)
Purple light bloomed from my sword, the Zanpakuto going from a generic longsword to a long bastard blade with a violet metallic sheen.
Similarly, my body underwent changes. Reiryoku boiled inside my Saketsu, filling me with increased strength and speed.
A long white sleeveless shihakusho clad my body tightly, held together by a couple of purple strings above my chest. My belly was left open, showing strong shifting muscles underneath the skin. The Shihakusho flapped in a non-existent breeze, the only item of clothing unchanged being my pants.
"We don't have time."
Bronze Tiger told Deathstroke.
"Can you handle this?"
Shunpo placed me in-between them, Chesha Neko flashing out towards Tiger's neck at fast speeds. There was a clash of steel on steel as my blade was blocked by his claws. I flexed, throwing him away towards the huge Batcomputer.
His back smashed onto the screen as Robin's unconscious form was ripped away from his shoulder.
A shot rang out, whizzing under my chin, only missing my neck by a few inches.
"How?"
Deathstroke wondered, surprised he had missed. His wrist was tightly grasped by a very thin wire that went over a metal frame above us before falling down to the pointy end of Chesha Neko.
"One move and you'll lose your hand. And then you'll be the one eyed, one handed Deathstroke the Terminator."
I smirked.
"Not really threatening, is it?"
And that's when he saw it. All around him, strings sharper than any ordinary blade and tougher than tungsten carbide. Chesha Neko's Shikai, millions of thin threads made up of reiryoku, glowing in the almost dark cave, all connected by the tip of my blade.
The strings also held Robin aloft in the air above, far from both Merc's hands. Yay, my first hero gig and I wasn't messing it up.
I straightened, watching Bronze Tiger rise to his feet, murder in his eyes as he held his shoulder.
"You'll pay for that."
He promised, pointing a claw at me.
"Ooooh I'm so scared."
My response was followed by a small pull on my sword. The tip glinted with thousands of strings before they seemed to blend into the environment.
Tiger stopped, foot raised as a wire hummed right before his neck. We held gazes. His challenging look meeting my unyielding eyes.
"You have no clue who you are messing with. Leave before this gets dangerous."
Said Bronze Tiger.
The nerve.
"I respect that you're badass enough to say that with something sharper than a skinning knife, placed right under your balls."
He looked down, frowning at the thread going in between his legs.
"That sword."
Deathstroke called, his body stiff and motionless like a statue in the middle of a jungle of strings.
"It's what you're using to create these strings."
He touched one with his finger and a cut appeared on his skin. Blood dripped.
"I don't need to warn you to stay put or get sliced apart right?"
I asked.
Deathstroke burst out laughing.
"Oh you think you got us huh? Trust me boy, many have jumped to the same conclusion."
His smile sent an uncomfortable feeling across my spine.
Bronze Tiger's silence told me this was off the script.
"We knew coming in that things would not be easy. This is Batman himself after all. A code was broken. We brought the fight home. Made it personal."
A voice inside me was screaming to kill them and be done with it. These two were not enemies I wanted to leave alive.
"You're stalling."
I realized.
"It's quite simple. We were on a deadline. And that deadline just passed."
I felt it through my strings. A hum that pushed them away from a zone in space. There was a loud ping of noise as a yellow portal manifested right behind me. Without a second thought, I pulled on my strings and collapsed the grid around the two mercenaries. I'd rather face an angry Batman than let the two of them leave here alive.
A whoosh of displaced air, blasted right past me as something moved in speeds that I could NOT react to. Shunpo was designed for mostly linear trajectories. At higher levels I could use the skill to push myself in omnidirectional paths but for now, Shunpo was just a grounded instant leap. It couldn't hold a candle to a real speedster.
The grid compressed into black spools of strings that converged on both mercenaries' positions.
The speedster moving in a blur of scarlet and yellow saved both of them. They stopped and I looked down to find my Zanpakuto gone.
"What is this?"
I heard Bronze Tiger demand from my back.
"A change in your initial contract."
A female voice answered.
I turned around to face them, making a small annoyed grunt at the back of my throat.
Then my breath hitched. My eyes widened and I couldn't keep the surprise out of my eyes. A raven haired woman stood next to Deathstroke and Bronze Tiger. Next to Tiger however...
"You have no fucking clue what you've done."
I shook my head at their stupidity.
Standing beside her was a man with a huge cranium, the top of his head was transparent, revealing his brain. On the other side...was The Flash.
Barry Allen. His eyes the color of red. Red lightning seemed to flash around his boy. Lightning the same color as Reverse Flash.
"Oh and why would you assume that?"
The woman asked, stepping closer to me, Chesha Neko held in her grip. She was beautiful in a deadly way. Smug too. But the way she held herself...she was a fighter.
"I don't know what's going on." I began, also running my gaze around. Deathstroke had his hands crossed over his chest, Bronze Tiger was expressionless but the tightening of his jaw told me that this was something he hadn't anticipated.
"But believe me, whatever this is, you have escalated things. They will come at you with everything they have. 'He' will come at you with everything he has."
I told her.
There was no fear in her eyes, instead a look of excitement flashed in them before she hid her emotions behind a lazy smile.
"I can hardly wait."
"Talia...what is this? The deal with your father..."
Bronze Tiger was silenced by a mere snap of her fingers. Wait, Talia? As in Talia Al Ghul? This shit just got too complicated.
"My father has been offered mandatory retirement in his reclusive island. The League of Shadows is under me now. Under...Leviathan."
She replied.
"We should get going."
Deathstroke informed her.
"Get the boy."
She ordered and the Flash wordlessly complied, lightning flashing across his body.
Only to slam into a wall made up of compressed strings.
"You can phase through a lot but what about compressed spirit energy?"
My question was followed by a massive pressure slamming down onto all of them.
They all sank to their knees, groaning at the load of Reiryoku acting on their souls.
"How is...this... possible..."
Deathstroke ground out, glaring across the room at me.
I stood on a single wire, staring down at the group.
"I only let you think I needed the sword in my hands to control the strings."
I held my palm in the air and Chesha Neko, still on Talia's hands unraveled into energy. The strings around me formed the Zanpakuto anew in my hand. I wrapped my finger around it's hilt, pointing it at them.
A serious look appeared on the woman's eyes.
"I don't like Batman."
I said.
Somehow that sounded wrong.
"I hate Batman."
I amended.
"You ask me, he's an egotistic bully who looks out for the little guy but does it in a way you can't help but despise the dude."
Strings tightly bundled each one of them up. They had to have used something to portal in... I found it clutched in the Cranium dude's hands. My strings folded over the small rectangular device. I kept my face blank but inside my mind was running at lightning speeds.
The device was alive. I had gotten good at sensing disembodied souls. And the device had a strange soul. Its consciousness felt artificial yet not.
And then there was something about Cranium dude that bothered me.
"So yeah, I hate Batman. However, I sorta hate you guys more. You disrupt the peace. You make it so people like Batman are a necessity. Basically, you're done. Whatever this...scheme was meant to be, I'm spoiling it."
None of them could speak now.
'Be careful, they look ready to pass out. I'm not too sure killing them inside the Batcave will make your host happy. Especially the woman."
Chase said from inside my mind.
"You have made one very big mistake."
A voice stated from the ceiling. Batman seemed to glide down to the space between us, landing with his cape clasped around him, his hands hidden under. He loomed down like a dark cloud.
My fingers twitched. He was so close to a string...
I narrowed my eyes.
"Chase, is it just me or does he seem unaffected by my spirit pressure?"
I asked of my Zanpakuto.
"Mmmh...look deeper into his body... he's possessed. Those are two souls."
He replied, a note of curiosity in his tone.
"Two souls?"
I said, sending Reiryoku into my eyes while also activating Reikaku.
The answer came in an instant,
"Gordon."
Jim Gordon's apparition was like a blue cloak of energy around Batman's body.
"How is that even possible?"
I wondered.
Chase snorted.
"This is not Bleach. It makes sense that the universe would react differently to Spirit Energy. Especially in a world with an abundance of mysteries."
Gordon knew I wasn't a big fan of Batman. And he also knew my skills. It was a betrayal. The bitter pill was hard to swallow.
The Dark Knight seemed to ignore me completely, facing Talia and her group in palpable anger.
"1 hour ago, there was a security breach at Wayne Enterprises. 50 minutes later, I lost communication with Wayne Manor. 35 minutes later, the Flash was mysteriously kidnapped from his home as he healed. Talia, what HAVE YOU DONE?!"