The Silhouette and The Forge
Interlude 1
Fires burn across the city, lighting up the night sky as smoke intermixes with the dark clouds above. Gunshots can be heard everywhere. Looking like a warzone, the smoke makes the sky even darker than it normally is. Hell had broken loose within this city. My city.
Gliding down with a kick straight to the head of a gangster who was bringing his shotgun up once he spotted the shadow above.
Knocking him back with spit and teeth flying from his mouth as he collides with three others, before getting shoved out of the way. With a flick of my wrist, three batarangs knock the weapons from their hands. Capitalizing on their hesitation, I sprinted forward in the dimly lit alley and brought my fist down on the first to look back, being sent into the brick wall with a crack.
The other two had gotten over their surprise, one bringing out a bowie knife, the other bringing up a wooden board from off the ground. The one with the knife charges first desperately slashing at me with no form, sidestepping him and placing my hand on his wrist snapping it.
Dropping his knife as he cries out in pain, I abort my punch to his jaw to dodge the other with the board, bringing it down on the fallen one's shoulder.
"What the fuck J!" He yells cradling his shoulder and laying on the ground as 'J' takes on an apologetic look. One that is quickly replaced with a pained grimace when my fist meets his face when he turns. Turning when I see movement before moving back. Years of honed martial arts and instincts drilled into me, saving me. Sloppy on my part, I always need to be aware.
Looking over I see the man whose nose I had broken and hit the wall. Standing unsteadily as he shifts about regaining his balance holding a brick in one hand. Another set of steps can be heard. Glancing over at another one that should have been incapacitated. Blood stains both of their faces. One has no visible wounds, the other…
Watching the skin and tissue around his nose reform and knit itself back together. The teeth I had knocked out have even grown back when he gives me a smirk showing his teeth, some covered in blood, and the newly made ones clean. The others are getting back up, except for the one I had kicked who is still knocked out, the one with the broken wrist is using it again as he picks up his knife.
My eyes narrow, making them flinch if only slightly as the smile is wiped off his bloody face, noting how they clench their weapons harder. Similar to the other gangs I had to deal with when the gang wars reignited, setting Gotham on fire. Potentially becoming one of the worst gang wars in its history. I can't let that happen. I won't.
"Give up. This is the only warning I will give you." I tell them, hoping they do. Laughter and insults are all I get in response. They were warned.
The other gangs just had methods of enhancing their strength, pain nullification, and reflexes. These people have regenerative abilities. Let's see how good they are. The one with the Brick was the first to attack, dodging his strike and taking advantage of him overextending. Both hands slam into his ears, disorienting him further as he drops his brick, cradling his head.
The others run up, swinging wildly trying to hit me. Ducking under a telegraphed punch I stop holding back like I have all these years. My arm blurs forward with far more force and speed, knocking several teeth from his mouth and breaking his jaw as he is sent flying.
Bringing my elbow back, planting it firmly in the chest of one behind me, feeling the bones cave under it. Thrown on his back as he heaved trying to get air back in after I felt several cracks in his chest before I dodged a knife thrust.
One more slash before I grab his arm, knocking the knife from his hand and pinning his arm behind him against the wall. Hearing rapid steps, quickly dislocated the man's arm before evading a punch that hit the brick wall.
The man grasps his hand looking at the now broken hand before the fingers begin popping back into place and the skin knits back together. A bloody grin forms on his face before he and the other one with his arm fully functioning again are ready to continue fighting. And the last one is no longer on the ground covering his ears.
"You're finished, Batman! With this healing stuff in our system, we can keep going forever."
I've seen enough and learned enough to know what I am dealing with. Time to end this. Before he gets to say anything further, I move faster than any of them could react, with my fist meeting his face once more. He flies into the brick wall head first before falling and not getting back up as the other two move to attack me. Brushing a fist out of the way before retaliating with multiple rapid punches in the man's face before I stop.
He takes several steps back before falling with his eyes rolled into the back of his head, motionless on the ground, the rise and fall of his lungs the only indication he is still alive. "What? How!" One yells, fear evident in his eyes when he realizes they are far from invincible.
"You can heal most wounds, but it has limitations. Such as several concussions."
He roars before charging me. Sidestepped his punch, grabbing his overextended arm. Pulling before throwing him into a wall where he falls. Walking up I grab him and pin him against the wall. "Where did you get the drugs from?" I say leveling my glare at him.
His hands holding mine in a vain hope of freeing himself. Eyes wide as he hyperventilates. Likely realizing the situation he is in. "I won't ask again." I growl out, finally making him talk.
"Someone called Silhouette. They do business through the freemen and other groups on the side. It's all I know, I swear." He cries out raising both hands in the air.
Having heard enough I grab his throat and slam his head against the brick wall, knocking him out with the force of it. I don't like using this much force. Especially on people like this, even if they are criminals.
Some guilt worms its way into my heart, seeing that they may have brain injuries after this, even with the regeneration. Crushing the feeling before I grapple up to the roof. The Wayne Foundation will help them with medical expenses as they get sent to Blackgate. That's all I can do for now.
That much force would have severely injured if not outright killed someone, it's why I hold back. If I don't, people will get hurt far worse compared to my usual methods. This Silhouette needs to be stopped. Gotham and its people hinge on it. If small-time gangs are getting access to this, then what about the bigger ones?
Just like the other groups I took down, gathering information on their capabilities and what they knew of the one supplying it all. All of it paints a grim picture. A new villain is in Gotham. One that can supply drugs that can make even small-time gangsters into lethal monsters. Ones that I have to prioritize now. Gordon and the police are overwhelmed, and I worry how many have died from this.
Running and leaping from roof to roof, before the communicator comes to life. "Any good news on this war happening sir?" Hearing the voice of Alfred calms me, if only slightly. The grappling hook shoots out, hitting the side of a building. A rush of air as I ascend it to get a better view of the area. "None. Make sure the men I took down get properly treated for the injuries I gave them."
Silence for a moment, spotting the large-scale gang fight at the apartment complex I need to stop. "Sir, was it that bad?" Alfred asks, and I take note of the concern he has.
"Yes. Small-time gangs have managed to get ahold of drugs that have been flooding Gotham's streets for over a week. Dangerous enough that I stopped holding back on some of the men who took them."
A tense silence goes on for a moment, while I continue running across the rooftops towards one of the hotspots in the area. Jim and his men are being crushed under the amount of fighting that is happening right now. They can't do it alone, even if they are just dealing with the smaller gangs.
"Sir, stay safe. I will make sure those men get their healthcare expenses taken care of. When you get back, dinner will be ready for you." Alfred says helping calm the fire in me, if only so slightly with his confidence in me making it back in one piece. He had his doubts about my path in life, but he has supported me all the same.
He is the only family I have left. A ghost of a smile graces my face at the memories of the past, before fading away when that ever-present feeling of loss returns. Coming closer, I see a shootout between two smaller gangs.
Why is Silhouette selling such powerful drugs to everyone? To drive up sales distributing the drugs onto the streets, giving everyone a taste of what they can give them. Possibly. The problem is most of them could only afford so much due to the materials needed to manufacture the drugs.
Unless the resources were readily available and they had the means of producing them in large quantities. All of which nets them more profit. For what purpose? Is the money the only goal they have or is there more to it? The money could be another tool for some overarching plan that I am not seeing.
Dropping that line of thought for now, I leap from the building's edge, my cape gliding me down to the building. Seeing my entryway, and everyone having been accounted for, I dive.
Breaking through the rotted wood of the ceiling, slamming down on the unsuspecting gang member knocking him unconscious with a swift hit to the back of his head.
A few stopped shooting and looked back to see what happened. Seeing me above one of their own, before they can open fire, I sprint for the closest while throwing two batarangs.
Not stopping, I knock his gun aside, pick up the gang member and slam him down, the floor cracking at the force and how old the wood is. Taking down each of them with quick, debilitating strikes one by one, each done in the blink of an eye. Seconds later, over a dozen unconscious groaning men remain in the room as gunfire is heard echoing across the area.
Quickly moving into the shadows, I find myself in a decrepit living room after dealing with more gang members, taking down both sides as their numbers are steadily going down, now only one gang remains. Steadying my heart rate and breathing as I feel my overexertion taking a toll on me. A box TV that has static playing, the only light illuminating the room sending long shadows everywhere.
Looking up at the opposing wall with a wooden door. I aimed my grapple gun at it before pulling the trigger. The grapple cord flies through the door. Quickly entering the room, I stopped my momentum with a kick sending the man flying into the opposing wall and through it. Several of the men stare in shock before some get a hold of themselves and fire at me.
Running across the floor and diving behind a knocked-over couch just as gunfire tears into it. Pulling a pellet from my utility belt, I toss it across the room before a loud booming sound goes off with a bright light.
Leaping to the man closest to me with an inhaler in his hand as they stop shooting and are covering their ears while blind. Making quick work of them in seconds, prioritizing those depending on who has what drug, before the sound of gunfire forced me to dodge with bullets tearing through the wall I knocked the other man into.
…
"Did we get him?" One of them asks.
"I don't know. Go check. Hey, is Carlos alright over there?"
"Of course, he isn't. He just got thrown through a wall without any of the drugs in his system."
"He didn't take any?"
"He wasn't considered worth it to be given one."
"Wow, Bill is a dick."
"Thanks for the update Captain Obvious, you think we don't know that after what he did to Jerome."
"Oh yeah… that poor guy."
"I can't take it anymore, I'm going to kill that son of a bitch!" One of the members who was silent but shaking in anticipation runs up and breaks through the wall with splinters raining on everyone. They all stare with their mouths hanging open.
"Can I get what he got?" One asks before the sound of a shotgun pumping gets their attention and the cracking of wood. A loud crash follows, sending up dust and cobwebs making them cough and cover their mouths from the smell.
*boom**boom**boom**boom**boom**boom*
One jumps back as a random part of the floor gets a hole blown into it, almost taking his foot off. All now looking at each other on what to do. "Fuck this I'm out."
"Hey! You can't just leave."
"Watch me. This is some horror movie shit. My black ass is outta here the instant this turned into a horror movie with the Bat of all things hunting us."
"Oh please Tyler, everyone knows that's a myth. And we have super drugs for fucks sake. How can you be scared when we have those?"
"A myth-" Before he can even finish what he was saying, the very nightmare that haunts all of Gotham's criminals makes itself known.
Just as Tyler stepped one last time the floor broke apart, and before them all was a black figure with white soulless eyes. Tyler couldn't even scream before he was grabbed and dragged down below into the newly made hole.
Standing there stunned at what just happened. A piece of wood falls, like a signal snapping them into action. Quickly reloading their guns as they separate to different parts of the hallway.
Two of them move up and take a look down into the hole. Pitch-black darkness greets them, not able to see anything but what little light gets through. "You see Tyler?"
"Shhhhh!" The other says back with his finger held up to his mouth. He makes a zip-it gesture as he motions to the hole. Gulping at the implication he just let the Bat know where he is at.
Turning around to get the others to stick together he stops dead in his tracks. "Where did they all go?" He whispers out, taking a few steps back. "Hey, we need to leave." I whisper back, but not getting a response. He turned around to see what he was doing, but he was now gone too.
Gun rises as he shakes in fear. Backing away from the hole trying to keep an eye over his shoulder and jumping at every shadow he sees in panic. Moving further down the hall, taking out an inhaler that may be just enough for him to survive the night, against Batman himself.
Just as he grabs it, something black wraps around his throat his finger pulls down on the trigger in a panic as it shoots into the floor. Eventually stopping, only clicks are heard. All he sees after a few seconds of struggling is darkness.
…
Laying the man down after dismantling his rifle, and making sure he is secured against the radiator in the hall, I move further into it. Quietly moving further into the building, sticking to the shadows. The criminals have always been superstitious and cowardly. My time as Batman has only further proven this, but also how much more of an impact I have on them.
I made my way further down the hall, dwelling on how many have died here alone because I wasn't fast enough to stop them. Fear helps, considering that criminals hesitate at night when they are about to attempt a crime.
I can occasionally handle them in the day, with what little of my schedule is taken up with the mask of Bruce Wayne allowing it. Needing to keep up appearances when it is needed. But I can't be everywhere at once. What attempts I have made as Bruce Wayne, while helping the city, ultimately proved useless in the end. As Batman, I have had more lasting results.
So much corruption on so many levels makes the effort meaningless when any charity funds or other resources get taken by all the corrupt individuals and only a fraction gets to the individuals that need it. Removing the mask and becoming Batman, I was able to find those individuals and many more, removing them from power.
The problem is just how many there are. Seeing a few dead bodies lying on the ground. Leaning down and checking their pulses. Pulling away as my hand turns into a fist, you can hear the creaking of the armored gloves with how tight the grip is. All dead, with numerous gunshot wounds across their bodies.
My eyes closed for a moment, letting my grip loosen as I stood back up and carried on. I swear I will find you Silhouette. I will stop you for what you have done to this city and the people in it. After that resolution and promise, I moved from room to room, quickly dispatching the few criminals that were left as I came across the room with the last one in it. The sound of an inhaler draws my attention before I move.
Numerous bullets come far closer to hitting me than any have before. Running along and slamming into the doorway to a bathroom. Running into a hallway, courtesy of the hole in the wall as steps can be heard running after me.
My pursuer just breaks through the wall sending a shower of wood flying as he brings his twin AK-47s up and aims at me. Dressed in jean pants, and a gray tank top with holes along it with blood stains around them. A Caucasian man with a bald head with a brown goatee with some piercings along his nose and ears.
The triggers being pulled, I run as the gunfire almost makes contact with near-perfect accuracy. The initial burst missed, but after he managed to hit my armor with a few grazing shots. Ignoring the pain in favor of running into an open doorway just as he uses up the last of the magazine's ammo.
Tossing one rifle aside and pulling out another magazine to reload. "You know Batman, once upon a time I was scared shitless of you. You know that? Probably did with how you almost seem all-knowing." He says loud enough for me to hear him across the multiple rooms I have moved through from where he last spotted me.
"But now, with the city on fire and me being given the keys to my kingdom in this city, I realize how wrong I was. You are only a man in the end, and today is the day you will die. My name is Bill, and I am going to be crowned this city's king with you being my ticket to the crown. Everything I have endured, and sacrificed has led to this moment."
Now in the vents moving along to intercept him as he monologues. He looks around, unlike the other criminals, far more calm than he should be. Cold and calculating he checks his corners quickly and efficiently. More drugs, or something else?
His back turned to me as he took out an inhaler, and an opportunity presented itself. He whirls around to my shock, eyes widening having left the vent from above, coming down at him. A gleeful smile greets me, tossing the inhaler aside as he brings his rifle up, batarangs flying at him. Opening fire, each shot hits them out of the air before aiming at me.
A few bullets make contact, sending up sparks as they scrap along my armor, tucking myself in and controlling my descent by moving to the wall. Legs touching it, before leaping off it and to the floor rolling along it as his shots go wide. The inhaler from my short time fighting the few criminals who used it, gives a small but powerful initial boost to their reflexes and ability to process information.
It does have some weaknesses. As time goes on its strength fades, the initial stages are when it's at its strongest, but with time that will weaken. But they still have enhanced reflexes, however faded compared to the initial boost, which for a normal person would still be a threat. In a minute to two, its effects wear off quickly.
His has worn off just enough for me to evade him far easier. Clicks are heard after my roll has stopped. "Shit." He yells out tossing the gun at my charging form before batting it aside and closing in on him. He reaches behind himself for another weapon.
More. I need to move faster. If it wasn't for the drugs in his system, I would have taken him down long ago. But as it is, he will reach it in time. Pushing myself to move faster, a batarang is sent flying at him.
Bringing up a Glock in a near blur, he aims for a fraction of a second and shoots it out of the air with a metallic clang that sends sparks flying, lighting up the dark hall briefly. Now aiming the gun at me, he pulls the trigger, narrowly moving my head to the side having preemptively dodged, the bullet missing.
His eyes widen as he gets desperate, more bullets follow each one closer than the last. Using strength that I use only for the likes of those that can handle it, like Killer Croc I push on, grabbing the end of the gun and bend it.
Letting go of the pistol, the man pulls a switchblade making a stab for my throat. My hand grabs his forearm, slowly pushing away at his arm with the knife, struggling far more than I have with the other criminals I have dealt with this night.
Far stronger than he appears, we struggle against one another as his other hand grabs the back of my head, trying to pull me closer to the knife. Putting my other arm against the arm to loosen his grip, to no avail. A savage smile forms as he chuckles. "This is the end, Batman! Your time is over, my time as the new king is just beginning." Gloating at me, he fails to notice his coming loss.
Sweeping my leg into the side of his own, forcing him down to a knee as he grunts, realizing too late what just happened. Disarming him of the knife, I grab with both hands on his shoulders and twist, sending him face-first into a wall. Breaking through as he lands on his back in another room.
He laughs as he looks back at me, "Hahahahhahahah! You think throwing me through a shoddy wood wall is going to put me down?" He says with laughter mixed in, rising as he looks at my form in the shadows. Then the floor cracks when his hand lays upon it wiping the smile off his face. It breaks apart from the force of his landing. Bringing my cape up to cover my face from the dust and debris rising into the air.
A loud crash is heard across the building. Cautiously walking up, peering down to see a pile of debris, with Bill under it with his hand sticking out of the pile. The debris moves, shifting as his hand placing itself on the pile for leverage, lifts as his form rises out of it. Covered in dust and stood out as a stark white contrast to the darkness of the building.
He turns and looks up just as my kick connects, sending him flying further down the hall, landing with a grunt and groan. He rises again as I contemplate why he isn't going down. That kick should have been more than enough to knock him out. "Wondering why I ain't out cold? I don't just have regeneration." He says with a chuckle as he gestures at the holes in his tank top.
"What I was told, it also increases one's vitality. In other words-"
"It takes more than usual to bring you down. Simple enough." I finish for him as his smile fades at being viewed as far less of a threat, replaced with a scowl.
He glanced to the side, over to another room for a brief moment. I take notice, charging him. Dragging up a loose wooden beam caused by the crash, he lifts it with some difficulty before swinging it at me with a roar. Leaping over it I drop kick him in the chest sending him tumbling to the ground and his weapon clunks to the ground. He coughs, laying on his stomach before lifting his head in time for a swift kick to his head sending him sliding back.
Rising once more, he charges me with a snarl as blood covers his mouth, painting the white red. Throwing a punch I step out of the way, kicking the back of his leg and making him kneel on the ground. I get behind his kneeling form, placing him in a chokehold. Fighting me every step of the way, as he backs up forcing me into the wall I feel some pain but ignore it, dust raining over us.
Trying to slam into the wall once more, I dig my foot into the back of his leg forcing him down again and keeping his leg pinned there, the strength slowly leaving him. Finally, after several seconds longer than it should have taken, he goes still. I stand over his downed form. Walking to the room he had glanced at after restraining him, I step into the doorway. I see a few drugs scattered about on a kitchen counter.
What has my attention is the glass vials of different colored liquids inside of them. Some had fallen to the floor, the contents staining the wood. New drugs. Enough to make simple gangsters into far greater threats. And these may very well be all over Gotham. A burning resolution burns in my heart. Silhouette has to be stopped. Too many lives depend on it.
As I go about gathering samples, Alfred interrupts me. "Sir, something is happening to the gangs."
Pausing as I process what I just heard. "What's happening?"
"That's just it sir, the cameras the Batcomputer has hacked into observing all the major gangs have gone dark. The ones who had audio were even silent. From what I have been able to gather, something is hunting them."
My eyes narrow as a deep frown forms on my face. Fear and anger take hold of my heart, thinking of all the possibilities of what this could be. All lead to nothing good. "Where is the closest area with a surveillance blackout?"
…
I scan yet another crime scene as I look upon what is left of the gang members. A bifurcated torso, severed at the hips. Another was decapitated. These were the least severe of what I have seen by this point. Whoever is responsible for this is as efficient as they are lethal. Nine men died this time, my hands clenched into fists. "When did the cameras come back online?"
"After thirteen seconds sir."
Opening a panel on my forearm, I start typing rapidly into it, sending information and commands to the Batcomputer. Getting a quick response, I ascend to the rooftops quickly moving across them to the area that was indicated to be a likely attack. "Keep an eye on this area's cameras, if they or any other surveillance devices go down then I need to be there."
"Very well- the cameras have just gone dark." At Alfred's surprised response, I move faster in hopes of catching the ones responsible for this.
Random gunshots are the first thing I see from the top of the building. A lone man wearing Anarky's insignia, a man I intend on dealing with after this. This is going to be a long day. Leaping down into the shadows, the man notices nothing despite spinning around and aiming his gun with shaking hands at anything. A plastic bag caught in the wind brushes against a dumpster. The man turns and shoots the dumpster.
I move closer to take him down but before I can reach him a spray of red hits the trash and pavement of the alley. The man's body falls with a metal blade sticking out of his mouth. Upon hitting the ground I see the handle of the weapon has an owl design to the pommel sticking out of the base of the man's skull where it meets his spine. I look upon his executioner, a space with only droplets of blood suspended midair.
"What is that?" I hear Alfred ask aloud as he watches from my suit's camera.
Charging forward tossing a capsule that the faint outline side steps, but not the blast. Impacting the ground behind it sending white powder into the vicinity. The perpetrator of the murders stands before me now, most of the upper body and part of a leg covered in a fire suppressant powder.
A form-fitting uniform, with guards around the forearms and a belt around the waist with numerous daggers adorning it. Then the mask with a few decorative markings. They look down at their hand as it twists it about before their figure is fully revealed. An obsidian black bleeds into reality, some type of optical camouflage. So black that it can be seen under the fire suppressant. "It can't be… the Court of Owls."
The Court… a local myth. Or so I had believed. Using my cloak to hide my arms I toss another capsule out as the figure doesn't run at me, but just becomes a blur. The capsule explodes, sending out a blinding light followed by a deafening blast as the figure stumbles slightly before it continues its charge. Narrowly avoiding a punch, tilting my head to the side I bring a knee up to the Owl's stomach.
It stops all of its momentum, a few inches from my knee before backing up a few steps just out of reach. A trio of batarangs is sent flying, the figure moves a hand out deflecting each of them. Firing the grappling hook at them but they avoid it with a metal ping being heard behind them before they charge forward again. The Owl drew near, and with a click of a button, the grappling hook motor whirs pulling back the dumpster.
Realizing something, the Owl turns around just as the dumpster knocks them into my fist. Feeling pain in my fist when I hit the Owl it only knocks it back a few feet. Just as it almost falls on the ground its motion stops, a macabre form of limbo with its ankles bent in such a way that it's the only part of its body standing up. Then it straightens itself out seamlessly with no imbalance. What are you?
Raising its hands in a combat stance it leans lower. I bring my arms up in preparation. We stay like this for several tense seconds watching each other. It breaks the silence as it runs forward at me, moving to sidestep its punch but it stops mid-swing and reorients hitting my arm that I bring up just in time. The punch shouldn't have much force with them redirecting it, but it knocks me back several feet. Not having time to register the pain, they are upon me once more pushing me into a wall with a flurry of blows.
"You need to get out of there! Run!" Alfred is frantic, seeing what I am through my suit. Throwing out a capsule that makes smoke appear suddenly my attacker is not deterred and is still charging right at me despite having no visibility. More batarangs are thrown, all deflected with contemptuous ease with it catching the last one between its fingers. I raise my arm and shoot a grappling hook.
I rose several stories into the air only to see a batarang cut the cord to my shock. Falling back down using my cape to slow my descent, my eyes widen upon the oncoming form. The Owl tackled me, sending us tumbling to the street outside the alley.
Raising my legs and kicking out with them throws them off of me. I fell back into a roll upon landing, rising back up to see them running with two others joining them. Bracing myself for the coming fight I bring up a hand with metal knuckles that are wreathed in sparking electricity from my belt. They stop suddenly and just stand there. Watching me.
Ragged heavy breathing is the only thing I hear until they start backing away. The one still covered in white leaps up to a sign off a building, before leaping again to the top in a matter of two seconds. The other two fade away as they become one with the environment. "Sir, you need medical attention. I'm sending you transport back to the cave."
"I'm fine, just a few bruises. I need to stop Anarky. Have the Batcomputer track any camera outages across the city that also have to do with the deaths or disappearances of all known criminals." I argue back while giving out instructions that will give me some leads to follow up on. I can still prepare for a fight in the future and investigate them. Checking myself to see the damage, nothing broken, just heavily winded and bruised.
Several moments go by before Alfred responds, "Very well Master Bruce. But after this day has passed you are taking time off from your nightly excursions. It's time for Bruce Wayne to come out of the shadows."
Knowing I am not going to be able to argue against Alfred when he has set his mind to something, but thankful he is willing to compromise with me. Looking back over the remnants of the fallen man's body, I think of how I am going to combat the Court in the future. They were holding back. That much is obvious with how they have massacred all who have encountered them. Yet I am still alive. I will be ready next time.
Hopefully, you all enjoyed the first interlude, not going to lie about how I struggled to try to keep Batman in character. At least how I view him with the various media we have depicting him. Also, interludes don't count towards the word count for a roll, so I don't have to sweat the possible power-scaling nightmare that is the forge. And I don't like being cheesy, just not my style!
Also don't know why the formatting got screwed up but hopefully it's fixed now.