Chapter 19: The Enemy of My Enemy
More chapters on my (P)atreon at Saintbarbido.
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(Davian's P.O.V)
"Stop or..." Artemis begun only for her trail off.
She swallowed, fear encroaching on her features as her hands trembled from the brief exposure to my Spiritual pressure.
She mewled, letting the arrow fly loose in blind panic.
I snatched it off the air as it headed for my neck, proceeding to pull on the Arrow's soul and crushing it.
The wood crumbled into fine gray ash on the inside of my palm.
I left it blow away into the night air while I approached Cheshire, passing over Artemis who fell to her knees, breathing heavily and staring at me with wide eyes.
"Ever since your control over Reiryoku got better, the rest of your skills show different results. Stronger results. You're quite handy with the Spiritual pressure, able to minimize or maximize its effects on a target."
Chase observed.
He was right, my spirit skills had shot up in both power and ease of control. Especially the power part.
And adjusting it to different settings of lethality was easily doable.
With Falcone and Zsasz, I had exposed them to about 70%, which had been enough to instantly send them to the afterlife.
With Artemis on the other hand, I kept the intensity low and then slowly upped it once I was past her.
She passed out soon after, her body keeling over. It was impressive she held on longer than most would have.
Goes to show that with a lot of training, this world's benchmark for peak human was much higher than my previous world.
So better control equals more power. Now I knew what other facets of my abilities I could train, besides what I needed to learn from Bronze Tiger.
"I wonder what would happen if I released a Hado 1: Shu at Cheshire's smug face?"
I mentally directed at Chase, entertaining the idea that I was more and more leaning towards due to the fearless smirk on the assassin's face.
The smirk had only been momentarily broken by concern for Artemis, the Assassin's eyes sweeping over her sister's unconscious form briefly.
Mmmh. A possible weakness I could exploit.
She was also out of her mask but that did not deter me. The wild hair, green costume and Sais could only belong to one person. The assassin Cheshire.
'And she's beautiful too,' a traitorous part of my brain whispered.
"She must have one hell of a bargaining chip for her to not be trembling under your gaze. Your eyes are the usual purple whenever you get angry."
Chase pointed out.
I landed a punch right by her face, my fist cracking the wall.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't paint you across this wall?"
I growled out at her, establishing eye contact.
A flash of fear went through her eyes before she smoothed over her expression, the smile on her face dropping as she became serious.
"Because you need me."
Cheshire answered calmly.
I tilted my head, lifting the bag in my left hand.
"I have 10 million dollars in untraceable cash right here, in this duffel bag and I can get more."
I continued,
"All I need to do is contact the Calculator or any other information broker and they could connect me with whoever I'm looking for. Ergo..."
I pulled in closer.
"Care to rethink your statement?"
Cheshire gulped as the thread's around her body begun to squeeze into her.
"What makes you think the Calculator would want do business with you? Especially when you're running around Gotham Killing Supervillains?"
She was afraid. But not too much to not shoot back petulantly.
It was kind of impressive. Whenever my eyes turned Purple, the subject of my ire would shrink back in wariness if not outright fear.
Chase speculated some of my spirit energy when agitated, would leak through my optical organs.
Even with the fear she carefully hid within, her confidence remained. And while I borderline hated the false bravado, Chase was the opposite.
The Zanpakuto Spirit chuckled from within my inner world.
"Hahaha I like her. Give her a chance, I want to see how she'll get herself out of this."
Chase suggested.
"Are you serious? She tried to kill me."
I mentally replied, my tone incredulous.
Meanwhile Cheshire grew desperate the more I kept silent.
She couldn't know I was talking to the source of my powers so my silence could have easily been taken as hesitation.
"She's smart. She knows that if you could Kill Penguin and risk Batman's wrath, then you could easily do the same to her."
"Look."
Her voice held a lot of desperation.
"The man you're looking for won't be easy to find. The Calculator is good but not that good. Lucky for you, I am."
She finished, craning her neck in a futile endeavour to stop the encroaching strings.
"I'm still not convinced. Why would I trust someone who has tried to kill me before? How do I know this is not a trick to get to me to your bosses?"
I questioned, crossing my arms over my chest.
"It's not!"
She gritted her teeth, anger marring her features.
"I risked showing my face to you. Even now, I'm risking not only my life but my sister's. Why would I go that far?! Why would I make myself vulnerable in front of a mad man!?"
She screamed out and with a click everything made sense.
"Because you don't have a choice, do you?"
I said in realization.
Chesha Neko's strings stopped squeezing into her, Cheshire fell to the floor while breathing heavily. The strings gathered around my left arm, seeping into the fabric of the jacket I wore.
I knelt next to her, tilting her head up by her chin.
One eye contact with her gray eyes and I knew I was right.
"Talk."
I growled out.
"There was a falling out with my 'bosses'. They gave me 2 chances to kill you and I failed on both accounts. Failure is not tolerated, repeated failure less so."
She explained, rubbing her neck from where the strings had left a few lacerations.
"You don't really care about the money do you?"
I chuckled in slight disbelief. And to think I'd gone to all that trouble just to secure it.
Cheshire shook her head.
"There's a hit out on me. I have managed to stay one step ahead of them so far, however sooner or later, they will catch up to me."
I got to my feet.
"Well good luck with that."
Yeah. I was officially done with this shit. This was clearly a bid by the powers that be, to include me in a stupid plot.
One day I'm gonna pull on the soul of whatever god governs fate and I'm going to do nasty things to it.
My decision to leave seemed to surprise not only Cheshire but also Chase, to the point both of them spoke out at the same time.
"I thought you wanted to kill her."
Chase said.
"I thought you would want revenge on the ones who sent me after you!"
Cheshire called out.
I sighed, deciding to answer my Zanpakuto spirit first.
"What's the point of Killing her when her 'bosses' will handle that for me?"
And then at Cheshire I snorted.
"So what, you thought of teaming up? This is the real world. An enemy of an enemy doesn't automatically make them a friend. Stay the fuck out of my way or next time we see each other will be your final day alive, assassin."
I told her, already regretting not snapping her neck when I had the chance.
Less annoyances that way.
"Wait! There's something else! I know how you can bring her back!"
She rattled off quickly.
I cut the activation of Shunpo. My back going ramrod stiff.
"What. Did. You. Say?"
My spirit pressure burst out, forcing Cheshire to open her eyes wide as cracks ran the entire length of the roof. Purple energy swirled around my body, making my hair dance in the air.
"I... I-I know...how to..."
She stammered, hands tightening on her knees, while trying to keep her head raised.
"Lower the aura before you crush her."
Chase advised.
I did so, pulling in my Reiatsu.
Cheshire turned to the side and immediately vomited.
"I hate that ability."
She vehemently decided.
"Talk or I promise you I'll do even worse."
I wasn't in the mood for her games anymore. Chesha Neko's bladed edge rested on her neck.
"Ok okay."
The assassin raised her hands.
"There's this thing called a Lazarus Pit. It can bring someone back to life. As long as you have the body, it's possible."
She answered.
"Chase, how much would you be willing to bet that she's referring to the corrupt pool of energy that had been below Gotham?"
I directed at my Zanpakuto.
"That or something similar. I don't like the implication. It feels... unnatural. Subverting. Death should be final. If she's right, then the person would come back insane or...different."
And he was right. Something within me harboured the same feelings about this 'Lazarus Pit.'
After what Trigon had achieved with the one in Gotham, I shudder to think what another mad man could do with something similar.
I guess that made the decision for me. I had to remember that I was now a soul reaper, a death god and if there were things out there trying to defy my core responsibilities then they had to go.
I stared down at Cheshire. Maybe she could be useful.
"Let's make a deal. Lead me to Bronze Tiger. Your safety will be in my hands until I'm prepared enough to deal with whoever is after you. Permanently. As payment for that, you will take me to this 'Lazarus Pit' so that I can destroy it."
I couldn't cancel my training to go after the Lazarus Pit. So destroying it and getting my revenge would have to wait.
"Why not deal with them now?! With your strength, we can do it!"
She suggested.
I shook my head, stepping away from her.
"Because I make the calls. Take it or leave it."
I told her bluntly.
Cheshire clenched her jaw.
"They won't stop coming after me. After us."
"Let them."
I threw over my shoulder turning to walk away. I needed a shower and some food in me. Oh and sleep. Lots and lots of sleep.
"You overlooked one small detail my wielder. She said they were after her. And they wouldn't stop coming."
Chase cut into my thoughts, stopping me in my tracks.
"Fuck. They're already here aren't they?"
And from the shadows, Ninjas clad in black outfits that let them blend in the darkness seemingly materialized.
How had I not felt them through Reikaku?
"The shadows. They seem to shield from all manners of detection."
Well. At least now I knew Reikaku's limitation.
In just a few seconds, we were entirely surrounded.
And I didn't need to wait too long to see the perpetrators of this whole thing. Or rather, the leaders of this excursion at least.
A dark portal manifested in front of us and out of it walked a woman I immediately tagged as bad news.
"Be careful."
Chase must have felt the same as he immediately warned me.
Cheshire stiffened from behind me at the sight of her.
She was tall, beautiful and held onto the handle of a sheathed Katana.
Behind her were a few Supervillains like the Black Spider, Hook and Shade, the last being a Villain who could manipulate darkness and create portals.
The shadows were his doing then.
"Jade, your 3-minute head start is over."
The deadly woman said, not even sparing me a glance. Then in a smooth motion, she unsheathed her Katana.
I think I'm in love.
(Cheshire's P.O.V)
Shit. Not her.
Anyone but her!
We're so fucked!
(General P.O.V)
There was a thing to be said about the freedoms, a non-physical form allowed.
One of them being that as long as he was careful, Deadman could slip in anywhere, anytime.
He'd been careful to keep his distance after Davian had threatened him.
And he was sure that this scary guy who could control spirits as if they were an extension of him had no idea he was being followed.
As a consequence of this stalking, Deadman had managed to witness the effect Davian's actions left behind.
From Killing Penguin, which had started a gang war, to going after Falcone and killing him and Zsasz... Deadman had arrived at each location too late to stop anything.
Even if he'd gotten there on time, Deadman doubted he would have intervened. Partly because his disembodied spirit was entirely vulnerable against Davian.
And partly because he was afraid.
But he couldn't put this off any longer. It wouldn't do to keep his patron goddess waiting.
So Deadman decided not to hesitate any longer.
With Davian and the other two surrounded by honest to God Ninjas, maybe jumping in to help fight them off would Garner some goodwill.
He passed through the concrete of the roof and immediately possessed the blonde haired girl who had passed out from Davian's Spirit pressure.
The next second he opened his eyes, he saw a ninja lunging at her with the sharp point of a blade headed for her neck.
The move was too sudden that the body he was occupying couldn't react at all.
Then the Ninja's head detached from its neck as a purple sword flew through him.
"You."
A growl sounded out, and Artemis head whipped to the side, her heart pumping in fear as Davian turned his attention to the spirit inhabiting Artemis body.
Deadman would have gulped if he had his own body. He settled for stammering.
"I... I-I..."
"Keep her safe."
Davian simply ordered, turning around to face his front.
Deadman jerked his head in a nod, knowing that were to fail, his head would meet a similar fate as the adversary on the floor in front of him.
Blood was still sprayed out of the Ninja's neck, pooling on the ground.
(Davian's P.O.V)
The Katana in her hand looked awesome as fuck.
And that was putting it lightly.
My nuts tightened at the way it seemed to reflect the light off its sharp edge.
Not to mention, the sex on two legs holding onto it.
Damn. I'm the one supposed to ooze out the rizz yet this milf baddie was on some other shit.
I mentally slapped myself out of the daydream that was playing out in my head.
Her riding on my pole and going 180 on it. Or slow if that's what she wanted, those hips and thighs could do things to a man.
Actually, I wouldn't mind if she took her time with me.
"Do I need to remind you that they are here to kill someone you just promised to protect?"
Chase pointed out dryly.
"Ugh..."
I sighed.
"Kill my fun, why don't ya?"
I stretched my body, in preparation.
"What are you doing?!"
Cheshire harshly whispered as she got to her feet behind me, warily staring at the Milf.
"Duh, I need to give a good showing."
I threw over my shoulder.
"And if you're thinking it's to impress the insanely attractive killer before us, you would be entirely right."
Cheshire blinked.
"Man has got his priorities right."
Black Spider gave me a thumbs up.
Finally, a bro who understands!
"Are you fucking kidding me!? Lady Shiva is one of the most ruthless assassins the League of Shadows has in their ranks. You literally can't do worse than her!"
Cheshire heatedly said.
So that's her name huh? Lady Shiva. It so badass. And fitting. And also sounds familiar.
For her part, Shiva's eyes narrowed as she regarded us. And then in the most beautiful display of that same badassery, she uttered a single statement.
"Kill them all."
Her voice was something else entirely. It sent shivers up my spine.
And the fact that she didn't waste time on a monologue like other supervillains added another point to her.
Like eager puppies, the Ninjas under her command descended upon us like flies to a corpse.
I stepped forward calmly, blocking their way before snapping my finger. This was the perfect time to test if my recent increased control had affected Full bring.
The ability to control the core state of anything was too overpowered not to use.
The concrete roof under our feet rumbled as spikes of hard cement and sand speared through the first wave of Ninjas, impaling most of them before they could even get close to us.
However, a few managed to evade my attack, with even one of them going after Artemis who was waking up and two of them coming at me from my sides. A fourth one jumped over my head to attack Cheshire.
"Your former friend is not the one in control of her body. That dead Spirit is back."
Chase informed me as I unsheathed Chesha Neko, blocking the bladed edge of a kusarigama before side stepping another attack.
The ground rose up again, the spikes spearing through the three ninjas, including the one who had jumped over me. How rude.
Blood ran down the concrete spiked as I turned my attention to Artemis.
"So, he finally decided to make a move huh? I was wondering how long he would keep up the stalking."
I snorted, throwing my Zanpakuto towards her position.
Chesha Neko decapitated the ninja headed towards Artemis, causing blood to splash on her before Deadman who was in control, could move her body out of the way.
The blade spun back towards me like a boomerang. I grabbed the handle off the air before it melded with the sleeve of my jacket.
Using my Zanpakuto on these guys was degrading.
"You."
I growled at Deadman. The spirit was scared shitless under my gaze.
"Keep her safe."
I ordered, hoping he understood how serious the repercussions of failing me would be.
Just because Artemis was still in the doghouse where I was concerned didn't mean I wanted her dead.
Just for the fact that she tried to help me out was enough for me to repay that favour by protecting her.
As for our enemies. All eyes were on me.
"You should really understand the concept of being outmatched.
I addressed them. Particularly Shiva who studied me with an interested albeit calculating gaze.
The shadows were wary now. They had seen what had happened to the first group and knew they would share the same fate if anyone tried to make a move.
"You're strong."
She finally commented, eyeing me up.
"And your men are weak."
I replied with a smirk, my hands inside the pockets of my pants.
My response did not go over well with her or her team. She jerked her hand and Shade, the guy with the control over darkness did something.
All the Ninjas around fell through their shadows. A second later the air was filled with the sharp sound of blades leaving their sheaths as I was beset by over a dozen murderous Ninjas.
"I can appreciate playing with food but you're wasting time."
Chase told me.
"Did you just make a cat joke?"
I asked him, counting the number of enemies about to kill me. Or try at least.
Still, he was right. This wasn't challenging at all.
Okay, final test for the day. How far can I push my mobility?
The fight with the possessed Flash had opened up new avenues for me.
Time to test out an idea.
I breathed out, pumping Reiryoku into activating Shunpo while still standing in place.
That probably makes no sense.
Shunpo was basically ejecting a lot of energy from the soles of your feet to push yourself forward at dizzying speeds.
However, it had a hidden component. It also increased your reaction speeds to be able to perceive things while moving that fast.
The Flash' superpeed was not limited like my Hoho. Without that final Power-Up, I wouldn't have been able to keep up with him.
With my increased control over Reiryoku, it stands to reason that Shunpo would get a better too.
I enhanced the effects of that second component and instantly, everything begun to slow down, moving at a snail's pace compared to me.
Everyone on that rooftop looked frozen in time.
I could kill them all so easily. In fact,...that is exactly what I am going to do, otherwise they will keep on attacking and that will grow tedious fast.
I needed to make an example out of them do that next time, they wouldn't send in weaklings to try and kill me.
So how do I do this? Gosh, I'm spoiled fir choice. With my new perception, it felt like I had all the time in the world.
I could crush a few bones, dismember limbs, test out a few Kido spells.
But ultimately, I found myself going back to Full bring. Apart from Chesha Neko's Shikai, I felt that Full bring was my most important ability.
The power to control souls...at the palm of my hand.
I waved a hand, this time instead of pulling on the soul of air, I pushed at it, causing a gale of tiny sharp winds to surround the Ninjas in the air.
There wasn't any sound, just a small tornado that sprung up around Artemis, Cheshire and I, tearing every enemy in close proximity into mulch.
The tornado dispersed, leaving behind no remains.
And time resumed once more. Or rather, I fell out of the super speed time. Ugh, that sounds terrible. Let's call it Flash time.
One second we were about to be attacked, the next Cheshire was looking around us in surprise.
"Boss, I'm thinking that maybe this job is a little out of our pay grade."
Black Spider stated, taking a leap towards the water tank on that same rooftop.
"Coward. Run away little spider."
Hook threw at him.
He was a large man with a hook where his left hand was supposed to be (the Wiki dive had suggested that the hook was his main weapon) like bruh...what are you doing with your life?
"Hey, you wanna get sushi'd like those other guys, be my guest."
Black Spider told him, crouching on top of the tank in a Spiderman pose. The message was clear; he wasn't with them anymore.
I decided that I was going to spare that guy's life.
"Lady Shiva, allow me to deal with this..."
Hook guy started but I was already tuning him out as my mind ran with ideas of other ways I could use Full bring.
I wonder what would happen if I pulled on someone's soul using Full bring.
Normally I would need to be in contact with them but that was easily solved by extending a very thin thread forward.
The thread wrapped around Hook guy's neck, too light to even sense. Then I activated Full bring.
Nothing happened.
I frowned.
Maybe I had to physically be in contact with the target?
Alas, more experiments would need to be conducted to find its limitations. For now, I had learned enough. It was time to end this charade.
The thin thread neatly sliced through Hook guy's neck, the string so thin that blood didn't immediately start spraying out like the first guy I had decapitated.
His head detached and fell right before Shiva's feet. It had been silent. And so fast.
Shiva looked at it, then at me.
I raised an eyebrow as a silent conversation happened between us.
Then she sheathed her sword and turned around. Her ass...whoa.
The darkness around them rose up.
Black Spider waved goodbye as he was swallowed by his shadow.
I like that guy.
The last thing I saw of Shiva was a small smile as she stared at me with the promise that she would find me again.
I was all for it.
"Wait. You're just letting them leave like that?!"
Cheshire asked, grabbing onto my shoulder after the darkness swallowed them, not even their dead was left behind.
I shrugged off the hold, falling out of Shikai in a burst of light, before I sheathed Chesha Neko.
"Let me make one thing clear."
I released my Spirit pressure turning to her.
"I make the calls. If you have a problem with that, tell me and I'll kill you right now and settle our score."
This time she flinched back from my gaze. Good.
"Was that necessary?"
Chase asked as I walked towards Artemis. I had an annoying spirit to exorcise.
"It was. She needs to understand who's in charge. A rogue element like her needs a firm hand. Otherwise she'll try to play tricks with me, use her femininity to try and manipulate my actions. I should know, my ex-girlfriend was like that. Too sure of herself for her own good."
(Davian's P.O.V)
I could hear Cheshire gritting her teeth as I left her there, headed towards her sister.
Artemis scrambled to her feet just as I reached for Chesha Neko. Her body then slumped over into my arms as Deadman popped out from her back with his hands raised.
"Calm down man! I was just trying to help!"
He cried out.
"That's the only reason you're not dead."
I barked out and glared at him, targeting my Spirit pressure onto him.
He didn't fall to the floor, he was pulled to it in a sudden jerking motion, landing on his hands and knees.
Brand looked up at me from where he was kneeling.
"What did I tell you the last time we saw each other?"
I asked him with a raise of my eyebrows.
"Nothing. You sent me to the core of the Earth!"
He bit out accusingly.
"Exactly. That was a message I was hoping you would understand. One that said, 'next time I see you, I'll do even worse.'"
The tip of Chesha Neko came to rest below his chin.
Normally that wouldn't work on him but Chesha Neko was obviously not a regular long sword despite what it's sealed form suggested.
"You think I wanna be here?!" He asked me, aggrieved.
"Watch your tone, it's 4 in the morning and people are asleep."
I pushed my Zanpakuto against his neck. Was I bullying him? A little.
In my defence...fuck the heroes.
"It would be incredibly foolish if he came of his own volition."
Chase begrudgingly supported him.
I also had to reluctantly agree.
Deadman struck me as someone who would do the bare minimum. He wasn't altruistic enough to come after me, when I had immensely expressed my displeasure at his presence.
It was a principle I could even live by. Avoid the annoying things.
Too bad I can't ignore this. There was always the option of Killing him but I was...curious what would cause him to come back after our last meeting went disastrous for him.
"Here..."
With the decision made, I handed Artemis over to her sister.
She took her out of my hands wordlessly.
"I'll take her to her room and then we can leave before Shiva comes back."
Cheshire said, carrying Artemis away.
There were no quips, no sarcastic comments...it seems she was finally understanding that I wouldn't hesitate to leave her to the wolves if she stepped out of line.
On the other side, I couldn't exactly blame her for being afraid.
Without my powers, Shiva wouldn't need to extend a lot of effort to kill me. I was just being realistic.
I wanted that level of self-sufficiency. I wanted to be able to handle myself in a world of Superheroes and Supervillains even if I didn't have access to my abilities.
Was that reaching? Maybe. Did I care? Not really.
There had to be a reason why I had gotten this chance at life. Not using it to better myself was an insult to what I was before.
An immature brat with dreams of making it out of the streets and doing something real with my life.
Something productive. That dream had been stolen away.
This time, I wouldn't and couldn't let that happen. I would get stronger, faster, smarter, sneakier, crueller... anything to ensure I never became weak again.
Bronze Tiger and Shiva were an example of what you could achieve with only your body.
I had more tools at my disposal than they did. So what excuse did I have to not WANT this? To not want power?
NONE!
"Pull back your Spirit Pressure before you kill him."
Chase' voice cut through my thoughts.
And sure enough, Deadman was entirely pressed onto the floor of the roof, mouth open while the whites of his eyes showed.
I pulled back my Reiatsu just as Cheshire came back, this time with her iconic mask and a small backpack on her shoulders. The backpack had an image of Hour man emblazoned at the back.
I raised an eyebrow.
That wasn't exactly Assassin-like of her.
"Take a picture, it lasts longer."
She said, cocking her head to the side.
I chose not to comment and turned to Brand who was slowly getting off the ground.
"Look, I don't want to fight." He chuckled.
"I couldn't even if I wanted to. You're literally my Kryptonite..."
"Eh? Oh...I see, so that's why you were resistant to my charm."
Cheshire commented.
I groaned, throwing a stink eye towards Deadman.
"Say something else confusing and I'll chop you up into tiny bits that I will feed to my cat."
"Hard pass. I have class, why would I want to play with food that's already dead?"
Chase remarked in distaste.
I ignored him.
In fact, I ignored all of them, choosing instead to create a green bubble shield around us.
It was clear that the sheathe was intricately connected to my Full bring. In fact, it was my Full bring. Its special abilities laid in support roles. Healing and creating shields I could control.
Cheshire ran her palm down the length of the shield and whistled.
"It's feels pliable...but whenever I try to apply pressure, my hand slides off."
No way I was about to explain to someone I didn't trust the way my abilities worked.
"Buckle Up."
I simply told them before the bubble shield rose to the sky, headed towards Park Row.
I couldn't exactly carry the duffel bag containing the 10 million everywhere I went. I needed an account and a credit card.
Something as mundane as that would be easy for Danny and the PRT to handle. There was also the expansion plans we had.
I would need a base once I came back. A territory under my control that I could use to strike against the villains and pull people to my side.
Right now, it was time to leave Gotham. The sky was only now getting a scarlet hue on the horizon.
A new day was dawning. A day of endless possibilities.
(General P.O.V)
Artemis came to her senses in an instant. It felt like her brain was forcefully rebooted as she sat up, heart pumping wildly.
What...where was she?
And what was this sticky stuff on her face and hands?
"You're covered in blood."
A voice stated in a matter of fact way.
Artemis, startled, immediately reached for her foldable crossbow under her pillow. Her hand wrapped around the handle before she pointed it at the stranger in her room.
Then she lowered the weapon.
"Batman?"
Artemis muttered staring at the dark knight who seemed to have undergone a change.
"You're...green?"
Batman stepped towards her.
"What happened?"
He growled out.
Artemis placed the crossbow within reach as she pulled her knees to her chest, the memories coming to her unbidden.
She couldn't exactly tell him her villain of a sister decided to come back home for a visit. Or rather, she was running away from the League of Shadows.
Nor could she explain that she had decided to help Davian, someone who was supposed to be the enemy.
"I... only remember flashes..."
So Artemis decided to lie.
Only for a green light to pass over her from a ring on the Batman's hand.
"No matter, I have what I need."
The Dark Knight said, looking unfocused for a second before hitting Artemis with a glare.
"You lied."
He simply said.
Anger surged within Artemis.
"Did you just read my mind?!"
She questioned in disbelief.
He was a hero! That was so unethical!
"Keep your voice down, you don't want to wake up your mother."
Batman told her, looming over her form.
Artemis took a step back, suddenly aware that she was alone in a room with a man she didn't really know.
"I scanned your memories as it was the most effective way to know how the events of this night played out."
He explained as a way to calm her down.
"Effective doesn't always mean efficient! What if you messed with my mind?! Changed something?!"
She shot back hotly.
"I accounted for all neurological side effects and you will be fine. Your memories before tonight remain untouched."
He told her, motioning with his chin towards her bathroom.
"You need to get cleaned up."
He told her.
Artemis looked at the bathroom door but once she turned back to face the Batman, he was gone.
Her window was open and the morning breeze caused the curtains to ripple and wave in the air.
Artemis got to her feet and headed towards the bathtub, still angry.
School was only a few hours away and she needed to make sure she wouldn't smell like blood.
(Elsewhere)
The Watchtower was equipped with top of the line surveillance tech. It's detection abilities were crucial as the Justice League was the first layer of protection against any unfriendly parties.
This time, the unfriendly party were gone before the Watchtower could even detect anything.
The second that Kilowog, leading the entire Squaldron of Green Lantern arrived within the Sol System, dropping out of FTL someone was already blocking their way.
Both parties faced each other right on the asteroid boundary of the Kuiper Belt.
Killowog took a second to study him.
The man blocking the way was glowing green, the environmental aura around his body protecting him from the harsh reality of space.
Batman floated steadily, his ring had not dropped its charge even once. It was always full, the willpower he could access was more than enough to power it.
"Well well Poozer. How nice of you to make this easy and come to us."
Killowog commented, facing Batman.
"Leave."
Batman addressed him, fearlessly. The glow from his ring seemed to be brighter than any of theirs.
The meaning was clear...he wouldn't hesitate to make them.
Killowog growled without saying anything. This human...this human was and had been always different from the others.
Too focused. In a way he shared a few similar qualities with Sinestro.
The only difference between them was that Batman was perhaps one of the only few people to actually embody the essence of Willpower.
Focused and tempered.
He would make a fine Green Lantern.
Batmite popped up on the Dark Knight's shoulder.
"See! I told you they would come! Now kick their asses!"
The Imp said, buzzing with eclectic energy.
Ganthet stepped forward, his eyes slightly widening upon seeing the Interdimensional creature on their newest Lantern's shoulder.
"Bruce Wayne of Earth, do you have any idea whom you're standing beside?"
The Guardian immediately asked, a serious expression on his blue face.
"I was able to access the Lantern database and find out."
Batman replied smoothly.
Ganthet sucked in a breath. The answer might have seemed innocent enough but only he could understand the implications.
"Secrets have a way of coming out whether you want them to or not."
Batman added.
'He Knows.'
Ganthet realized, closing his eyes with a sigh.
Killowog looked in between the two, his eyes narrowing.
"We are leaving. Abort the mission."
Ganthet finally said, snapping a finger and immediately teleporting away the entire group of Green Lanterns.
"That went better than expected. Ring cancel all contingencies. Plan A worked."
"Affirmative."
The ring answered, closing off the microscopic portals connecting the ring with a large construct.
The construct was a series of mirrors connected to a panel, floating around the sun.
The weapon was meant to send a concentrated beam of solar energy at the enemy and vanquish them in one feel swoop. Batman didn't kill.
However,...he could intimidate.
(General P.O.V)
"The last time we spoke Miss Cobert, you complimented my tie before proceeding to critique my mannerisms as slanderous."
The smooth almost oily voice belonged to Godfrey.
He was dressed in a navy blue suit, his hair slicked back with a slightly mocking smile on his face.
His guest, a beautiful green eyed woman leaned back with a soft smile.
"Oh my, . Are you still mad about that? Don't tell me my opinion matters that much to the G.B.S top show host."
The lighting of the room was soft and warm, designed to bring comfort and serenity to the occupants.
The fact was compounded by the presence of 2 comfy seats with a coffee table in between.
The host and the guest sat on both seats, facing each other for what was supposed to be an amiable conversation but was actually a volatile and charged war of words.
"It does when it's coming from someone like you. You are the public affairs officer of the strongest army in the world, the Justice League!"
He exclaimed dramatically.
Catherine Cobert frowned in distaste.
"I would watch my words , you're only proving my previous point, your show is slanderous."
She told him, putting emphasis on the tail end of her statement.
"Free speech my dear."
Gordon was quick to reply.
"A right you use only when it's convenient for you, like spreading propaganda and undermining the Justice League's humanitarian efforts."
Catherine shot back.
Gordon slapped the armrest of his seat.
"Exactly!"
He said with a smirk.
"And I will use this right, to say what has been going through the minds of every single American citizen, the Justice League needs to be held accountable!"
The screens on the backdrop turned on to show numerous disaster shots and aftermaths from places all across the world.
"When is this going to stop!?"
shouted pointing his hand at the screen.
"Are you suggesting that the Justice League has something to do with this?"
Catherine asked the shrewd Host.
"Inaction is the same as admitting it. We all know what happened to Gotham 2 weeks ago."
He said, the image of a destroyed Gotham with plumes of smoke rising up taking over.
And then Gordon snapped a finger and the city was back in one piece. Better even, at least in some impoverished areas.
"Gotham was destroyed and then somehow brought back. Millions of lives resurrected after many claimed to experience death."
He paused for a dramatic effect, facing the camera directly.
"Now as a religious man myself, such a miracle can only be performed by God or... the Devil. Maybe the League had God's providence. Maybe even a tool of sacred power."
His face changed as a sharp gaze fell upon Catherine Cobert, whose face remained tranquil.
"Or maybe they struck a deal with the other side. And that is the reason why Gotham was brought back."
He fixed his tie.
"Like I said... slanderous and mis-informed."
The Public affairs officer replied calmly, with a shake of her head.
's smile tightened.
"No comment then?"
He asked.
"About that? No. What I can tell you..."
She begun only to be interrupted.
"Is not any different from the official reports released to the public. The Justice League claim no responsibility for anything that happened. We've had it before during the Apellaxian invasion."
rolled his eyes.
"You know what I think? I think at the end of the day; the League are cowards. You brought back millions but couldn't finish the job. 10000 people remain dead."
He added snidely.
"Cowards?"
Catherine enquired.
"Would you like to call them that in the presence of the millions that they have saved?"
narrowed his eyes. She'd got him there.
"A mistake on my part, I concede."
The blonde haired host said.
"However, the facts speak for themselves. The average American doesn't care about a lot."
"He just wants that pesky hurricane to stop destroying everything he owns. And if it was somehow destroyed, then he wouldn't mind getting it back."
G. Gordon concluded.
"The League is not responsible for bringing back Gotham. That is all I can comment on that. Secondly, the Justice League and its Associates are in no shape or form responsible for the recent global shifts in weather and disaster events."
Catherine took over.
"We offer support and assistance to all, irrespective of age, gender, race and religion."
She declared amiably.
rolled his eyes.
"Yadda yadda yadda, miss Cobert please remember to whom you're addressing. No need for that over-practiced public relations spiel."
He pointed his hand at the Backdrop, which displayed an image of Oswald Cobble pot better known as Penguin, then the reel jumped to another image, this one showing two different pictures.
"Penguin, Victor Zsasz and Carmine Falcone, all criminals, all dead. And at the centre of all of this...him."
narrowed his eyes at what came on next.
The screen changed to display a grainy image showing a silver haired man dressed in a long black trench coat with a red mask on his face.
The Scarlet Devil.
Too late Catherine realized had led her into a trap.
"The Justice League claims to not be responsible for bringing back Gotham. And with their stance on never taking a life, are we to presume that the one responsible for saving the most crime ridden city in America is him?"
The host continued.
"Not to mention the effectiveness of his actions when dealing with 3 of Batman's most notorious criminals?"
smile was wide and malicious.
"No comment."
Catherine Cobert replied.
(General P.O.V)
There was a crash of falling glass followed by loud cursing.
Two men were robbing a jewellery store.
The noise had come from an overzealous swing of a metal bat.
"Load everything up! We need to go before the Batfreak shows up."
One of the men told the other as he swept his gaze across the street.
"You worry too much!" The first man chuckled.
"The Bat is busy dealing with all those insane Arkham Inmates who escaped after the Scarlet Devil incident."
That was what everyone had taken to calling it. One of the thieves had a cousin who had died in the initial explosion.
They had described the other side as nothing but a void of non-presence. Gotham had grown more dangerous. This job was their way out of the city.
The lookout spotted a couple of drunks coming from the end of the street.
"Heads-up we got some company."
He told his partner who stiffened and looked back.
"Oh just a couple of drunks."
His partner dismissed, turning his attention to the rings under a glass case.
He used the bat to smash the glass, the sound loud in the almost abandoned street.
The drunks shuffled away upon the noise, not wanting to be involved. The man on the lookout stopped reaching for the beretta in his pocket.
"Yeah you better run."
He muttered under his breath.
"They didn't run because of you."
A voice blared out from a speaker as something heavy landed on the sidewalk next to the store, cracking the concrete slabs.
With the flickering light of the streetlight above them, all they could see was a tall figure of grey.
A bat logo was on his chest and the signature long ears of the Batman shot up from the top of his head.
"Jesus Christ!"
The thief shovelling jewellery into the bag stumbled back in fear.
"It's Batman!"
The other one removed the gun and pointed it.
"So much for dealing with the Arkham Inmates!"
Then he pulled the trigger. The gun fired off but the bullet bounced off the chassis of the armour.
"Wait... you're not..."
The thief emptied the entire clip before swallowing in realization. The Batman wore armour but not a suit of metal armour. And... where was his cape?
"Raymond Phillips."
The Not Batman spoke up, calling the thief by his name as the logo on the Armour's chest glowed blue.
"He knows who you are! Fuck this! I'm outta here!"
His partner started running away with the bag of jewellery slung over his shoulder.
The tall armoured individual standing close to 7 feet, took a step forward, focusing entirely on Raymond.
"Fuck! He's the one running away with the stolen goods! Go after him you freak!"
Raymond's voice quivered as he looked around in fear.
The gun was useless and there wasn't a weapon in sight.
"You were responsible for the death of one Ashleigh Gardner, an 8-year-old girl."
The armoured Batman stated.
Raymond's face underneath the mask blanched.
"How...how did..."
"You have an ouroborus tattoo circling your wrist. The mother identified your general body build. How do you plead?"
The Batman Armour enquired.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! I was fucked up on Fentanyl and..."
As the thief started to plead for forgiveness, a room full of operatives were closely monitoring the incident.
"All systems at 100% functionality. The bullets failed to breach the outer panels."
An agent called out.
"The physical build scan matches the police report. It's him Ma'am."
Sasha Bordeaux informed her new boss.
Both of them stood on the deck staring at a screen that showed what the camera in the Batman Armour was picking up.
"Do it. One last paedophilic scum off the streets."
Another voice, this time male, gave the go ahead.
Back with the pleading thief, the hand sections of the Batman Armour unfolded, revealing the barrel of a gun.
"No, no... please no!"
There was a shot and the man lost his head, his brain was scattered across the pavement and blood seeped through the cracks on the floor.
"Order him to follow the other."
Amanda Waller said, her expression remaining impassive despite the gruesomeness of what was on the screen.
"Do it."
The same male voice commanded the operatives.
She turned to the source of the voice.
"I have to commend you, general Kane. The Batmen project seems to be a resounding success."
The man she addressed was wearing a navy blue uniform with numerous medals displayed on his chest.
"I'm glad that you see their value."
The general replied.
"With the number of Batmen we seek to deploy, city warfare will be heavily shifted to our side."
He smiled proudly.
"No battles we can't win when using the blueprint of the man who's always prepared for anything."
General Kane turned to the screen.
"This is how you save the world. Not through vigilantes who can't be controlled but by Batmen who can."
Amanda smiled. It wasn't a good smile.
"And I have the perfect first mission for them."
(Davian's P.O.V)
2 weeks would allow me to fully internalize the fact that Raven had been the best companion I would ever hope for.
Along with giving me a new hatred for the sea.
And what an eventful 2 weeks it would be!
(Davian's P.O.V)
Perhaps, I'm getting ahead of myself.
Before the fighter jets flanking our sides ready to attack in case we tried to escape, this hadn't been the first time things hadn't gone according to plan.
(2 weeks Ago)
After Cheshire had carried away Artemis, she quickly joined us, her signature white mask on her face.
Then we'd left, the two of us inside the bubble shield while Deadman flew outside of it, following us closely.
The first stop took us to Park Row where Danny and the rest of the guys were waiting for me.
It would take a day to organize everything I needed. A better phone for overseas communication, a passport, visa and a few more travel documents just in case.
Most of it would need to be forged however. This universe's Davian had also been an orphan.
Only difference is I had Papa Fred and a semblance of a family. I wasn't sure if I was the fortunate one or he was.
It would have been easy to go back to the orphanage he grew up in but unfortunately, I was wanted by not only the Justice League, but a few other interested parties.
Especially after what happened in Gotham.
I couldn't risk bringing a fight down on Parallel Davian's home.
The Park Row Ties left with the assurance they would have everything done by the evening.
While waiting, I decided to get a room at one of the high class hotels. Finally getting the chance to enjoy the upscale treatment.
I was a millionaire after all.
I slept for a few hours after breakfast.
Then woke up around 12. The rest of the day was spent organizing everything inside the Pocket Dimension.
The Red Gemstone seemed to be attuning to me more. I could move the things inside by intent if I focused on it.
This made things much easier. Dry rations, a few sanitary equipment's, tents, multiple clothes, ropes, I was stocked up on anything I might need.
Cheshire had similarly gone off to organize a few things and it would take some hours before she arrived.
We still hadn't exactly had a conversation about where she was taking me to find Bronze Tiger.
I hoped to remedy that the very second she was back. I hated not having information.
Speaking of,
I took that opportunity to have a much needed conversation with Deadman.
He had wisely decided to maintain a distance from Cheshire and I, mostly staying silent whenever the assassin was around.
In a way, I appreciated it. Still, that hadn't stopped the Assassin from picking up cues that I could apparently see or talk to ghosts.
She had spared me a couple of strange looks whenever I spaced out, when talking to Chase.
I finished cleaning Chesha Neko's sheath and placed it beside my Zanpakuto on the table before me.
My hair was wrapped up in a small towel from my recent shower and in 20 minutes, food would arrive.
Though I wasn't sure I'd have an appetite after this conversation.
It was... concerning that I had garnered so much interest from several different parties. Especially a goddess.
"Talk."
I stated into the wide room, folding my hands across my chest and leaning back on the recliner.
A ghostly form appeared through the T.V screen that was imposed on the wall past the glass table.
Deadman floated to the ground calmly.
"I..."
He begun but I cut him off.
"On second thought, let me see for myself."
Spirit Pressure had shown to have a few more different effects on disembodied souls than it did on souls of the living.
The former was more susceptible to my Reiryoku than the latter. An example being the instinctual control I had over shrouds and Deadman himself.
The first time we met, I had been able to look into the core of his being and see flashes of his memories.
There was no reason I couldn't do it again.
Deadman did not resist as my Spirit pressure poured out into the room.
I extended my Reikaku from simply sensing my surroundings into Deadman.
Maybe because he wasn't fighting it or maybe because I had grown better at spirit energy manipulation, his memories poured through slowly and in a controlled mess.
I released a sigh after going through them.
"So you want me to go halfway around the globe, to an island in the Himalayas called Nanda Parbat. For a meeting with the goddess who governs the scale of Balance and Karma without knowing exactly what she wants with me?"
I raised an eyebrow.
Deadman swallowed.
"Yes?"
Just as I was about to tell him to fuck off, my Zanpakuto interrupted, a genuine interest in his tone.
"Tell him you accept."
Huh?
I sank into my mind.
"Accept? Why? What if it's a trap? A goddess of Karma and Balance doesn't exactly sound amenable to someone who can control death to a degree."
Chase was silent for a while.
"What are you hiding from me?"
I enquired, taking note of his strange behaviour.
"There was something in his memories."
He told me, then an image of a creature with multiple limbs and a white mask on it's...
"Is that a fucking hollow?!"
I asked, standing up in alarm and rocking the table. The vase on it fell and shattered on the floor.
"That looks expensive."
Deadman commented.
I pushed my hand out and focused my Spirit pressure into a force that hit Deadman. His ethereal form phased through the screen but not the wall.
"Explain."
I told him calmly, pinning him in place.
"Okay, okay! I will!"
He quickly responded.
Then he started talking. And as he spoke, I could see deeper into his memories.
Vandal Savage and Klarion, a Lord of Chaos, the anti-thesis to Doctor Fate had collected a new type of energy.
One that was new to the universe. And they were trying to combine it with magic to create super powerful weapons and creatures of mass destruction.
Fuck.
FUCK.
Bet you a 100 million dollars that this 'new' energy was Reiryoku, MY ENERGY.
"Where can I find this...Savage?"
I absentmindedly directed at Deadman. My mind was still going through the risks involved with mixing the two energies together.
I hadn't managed to do so and for good reason. They couldn't and didn't want to combine.
The results of their attempts had produced an unstable but powerful hollow hybrid in the form of the Kraken.
If they kept on trying, eventually they would succeed.
"Vandal Savage has been around for the last 5000 years. He's immortal! Killing him is impossible!"
Deadman answered.
"Immortal or not, I don't..."
"Well this is... concerning."
Cheshire said from the open window.
I had been so distracted by the grim revelations that I hadn't heard her or even registered her through Reikaku.
She looked towards the wall, where I had Deadman pinned and raised an eyebrow.
"I have very many questions but I'll just settle for one. Am I traveling with a lunatic?"
She jumped into the room.
I snorted, lowering my hand.
"Gimme your mask."
I reached out towards her and grabbed it off her face before she could accept or refuse.
"Hey...that's rude."
She crossed her hands across her chest and glared at me.
"Chase..."
I called out mentally.
"Smart. We can upgrade the mask so that she can perceive disembodied spirits and souls. It will make you look less crazy"
He pointed out.
Less crazy? What's he getting at?
As mentioned before, Chase had more strange abilities than he'd displayed.
This particular power was the same one he had used to link the PRT masks to mine so that they wouldn't betray me.
I felt spirit energy leave my soul and cover the mask. Kanji flashed in its inner components.
There was a brief worry that Spirit energy would interact poorly with the technology outfitted in the mask. That worry was put to rest when nothing exploded.
A few seconds later, I handed her back the mask.
She snatched for it before wearing it over her face.
"What the..."
Cheshire called out towards Deadman, now able to see him.
Her Sais were immediately in her hands.
"Hi."
Deadman waved still pinned to the wall.
"Not the best way to make first impressions but... I'm Deadman."
Cheshire looked at me then at Deadman before sighing.
"I need a shower."
She said, dropping a bag that looked heavy on the floor before leaving the room.
Deadman and I stared at each other and the spirit gulped.
"Now, where were we?"
After that enlightening conversation, Chase and I ultimately decided to keep on pursuing our initial plan.
I couldn't go after Savage or Klarion because I had no idea where they were. Deadman was less of a help there.
I needed to find a teacher soon. But just in case it took too long, I would begin practicing my powers while traveling.
Starting by studying Raven's magical tomes and books for inspiration on creating more Kido spells.
Not to mention, I needed to learn more about Magic if I was to stop whatever Savage and Klarion were planning in the future.
Danny and the PRT made good on their assurance, getting me everything I needed.
Business was quickly wrapped up in Gotham and we left for a private airstrip that would take us out of the city quietly.
Cheshire was being pursued by the League of Shadows and I wouldn't be surprised if the entire world was after me.
"Well boys, say hi to the Lancer, one of Sportsmaster's favourite toys. Only ever been used for low risks but important missions."
We were inside a hangar, on the outskirts of Gotham, just a few miles away from city proper.
The jet was a matte grey that looked a cross between what a spy agency would use while still being ergonomic enough to be considered a luxury plane.
"This baby has a cloaking device, is able to traverse the highest levels of the atmosphere and is fast enough to move from Gotham to London in 3 hours."
She explained, caressing the paint job.
Now was as good a time to ask where exactly where we were headed to.
"You never said where we would find Bronze Tiger."
I spoke up and immediately her shoulders stiffened.
"Well that's the thing...I only have his trail. I can't exactly tell you his current position but I can tell you where he was last week. From there we can follow his tracks."
Her voice contained a slight tremble and I could see her favouring her right side as she prepared herself, probably thinking I was going to attack her.
I was annoyed that she had kept that particular tidbit of information from me but she was still my only lead.
And I wasn't a violent guy.
Okay, that's a lie. I was, but I wouldn't just attack anyone out of nowhere.
"What's our first stop?"
I instead settled for a neutral question.
Cheshire breathed out in relief.
"Hong Kong. I have a few contacts there."
Good, getting to Nanda Parbat would be easier. Killing 2 birds with one stone.
"Let's go."
I brushed past her, pausing near the stairs to the cabin.
"Next time you keep something like that away from me... I'm leaving you to the League."
With that said, I boarded the Jet.