AN: I own nothing, especially not Batman, Young Justice, or anything DC.
Chapter 2: "Here to Stay"
A Few Months Later
It's been some months since Jason became Batman. He started by first dealing with random crimes dealt with by random people since they were the most numerous. Next, he targeted the Mobs, taking out the small guys and then the bigger guys, before targeting the bosses money since that's where it all stems from.
Currently though, we follow a rich elderly woman entering her penthouse with her pug, "Mummy's just come from the most awful party, princess. The catering was a disaster. The Guests were strictly 'B' List. And Carrie would not shut up about her trip to New Zealand!", she says to her dog before setting the dog on a table in her bedroom, with the pug barking happily, "Mummy needs a long, hot bath", she takes off and sets her feathery scarf on her chair before taking off and placing her expensive thick golden necklace with a upside-down pentagon diamond hanging in the center, into its case.
Princess the Pug whines as the woman enters her bathroom.
The window opens, drawing Princess' attention. She approaches the open window with the drapes blowing in the window before snarling and barking at the possible presence.
This caused the woman to open the bathroom door to toss her shoe at the pug, "Hush, Princess! Mummy has a headache!", the dog stops and whimpers before looking back at the window.
Sitting there is some kind of owl with reddish eyes before flying into the room, scaring the pug into running under the bed's side table. The lamp on the side table falls as the owl steals the necklace and flies out the window.
The crash of the lamp caused the elder woman to come out of the bathroom in a towel with her hair also wrapped up in a towel, only for her to see the diamond necklace missing and the slight mess from what happen. "Ahh!", she screamed.
Later
The police have arrived on the scene and were investigating the robbery.
"Third high-rise this week, all with the same MO. No prints, no forced entry, no physical evidence of any kind", said the lead detective, Renee Montoya to her elder partner, Det. Harvey Bullock.
Renee Montoya is a hispanic woman in her mid to late-20s, she has tan skin, black hair, and brown eyes. She worked for a time as an officer in the GCPD before finally becoming a detective this year. She usually wears sneakers, blue jeans, a button-up shirt, with a leather jacket and her police gear. Fun fact (in this story), she is bisexal but usually gets with woman.
Harvey Bullock is a heavy set caucasian male now in his 50s. He has brown hair and brown eyes. He was kind of unkempt with his unshaven face and messy clothes. He usually wore suit pants and dress shoes, with a leather belt where his police gear was set, he wears a button-up shirt and a red tie, he also wears a brown trench coat and a matching hat. He showed great disdain for Batman throughout his career but has come to an understanding.
"I'd say it sounds like Batman if he were a burglar", Bullock sighs. Though he has come to trust and understand Batman over the years, he still will give him shit at any time.
Renee just shrugs before they leave the room, turning off the lights. Renee looks back in the room for a second as Harvey leaves before she closes the door. A second later, Batman arrives outside the window.
Batman stealthy enters through the window into the high-rise's bedroom. He assesses the room before using his ultraviolet eye camera to look around before finding light scratch marks on the dressing table wear the necklace was, taking a picture of the scratches. He then notices some grey veiny thing on the ground by the same table, grabbing it with tweezers from his belt. He looks to the nearby grey scarf to see if they match, but sees that they don't before putting the evidence into a vial on his belt.
The door then opens for Bullock and Montoya to walk in a again, "I thought I set in on the..", Renee spoke before seeing Batman about to leave out the window. He gives the duo a nod before jumping out the window, grappling and gliding away. "Go bats", Renee sighs/cheers.
Later, in the Batcave
Jason was unmasked but still in the batsuit as he looked at the evidence when Bruce and Alfred came done from the manor.
"Hey, Bruce, Alfred, check this out", he says to the elder duo as they approached him, with Alfred holding something. "Strix nebulosa laponica. A rare species of owl native to China. According to the Batcomputer, these scratches from the victim's dressing table match the owl's talon span. Someone has trained a bird to preform burglaries. Though, its not the first bird to commit crimes", referring to Oswald Cobblepot aka The Penguin.
"While I'm happy that you are doing your own detective work without needing me", Bruce began before Alfred took over.
"May we remind of the fund-raising gala where we also announce your return", Alfred finished before holding up the items in hand, revealing Jason's suit.
"Oh, I thought that was tomorrow night", Jason remarks. Working as Batman can do that to someone, especially Jason who currently has no life outside of that.
"Tonight is that 'tomorrow night'", Bruce remarks with a sirk, having done similar to Jason before getting into the groove of things.
Jason sighs before getting dressed in the other suit. It consisted of Black dress pants and jacket, a greyish dress vest, black leather dress shoes and leather belt, along with a crimson red button up shirt, the top buttons of which were unbuttoned to allow Jason some breathing room.
The gala was being held within Wayne Manor with the red carpet rolled out while news casters and paparazzi were hanging along the outside of it. Jason was hidden as Bruce and Tim talked with the guests and more of them were arriving.
Even the aforementioned Oswald Cobblepot, though known for his crimes, he was still a rich socialite that went to these events. He had two masked geishas with him and they continued to follow him into and throughout the gala.
"Alright, everyone", Bruce calls out while dinging a glass, "I have an important announcement to make that has nothing to do with charities but my personal life. Many of you may know that years ago I had a son that passed away named Jason. That was a lie, the truth is he was nearly killed in the incident so we had faked his death for his protection and he was sent into hiding. Recently, his attempted killer was caught and Jason has returned to home to Gotham. So let's all welcome him home", before gesturing to Jason who walked out of the shadows as everyone clapped.
"Hello, I don't really like long winded speeches, so I'll just say I'm happy to be back and I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening.", Jason says before everyone went back to what they were doing before, respected reporters were wanting to interview them about the details. Among them being Lois Lane and Clark Kent.
While Lois talked to Bruce, Clark approached Jason.
"Jason, you're really...", Clark spoke, looking like he may go in for a hug, but Jason raised his hand in a stopping gesture.
"Easy Clark, no hugs, are civilian personas don't really know each other", Jason quietly tells him, so Clark calms down. While as civilians they didn't know each other, as Superman and Robin, they cared greatly for each other. It really kicked off when Batman and Wonder Woman, with him as Robin tagging along, went to the Fortress of Solitude to meet Superman for the boy scout's birthday, only to find the Man of Steel passed out on his back with some kind of alien plant on his chest that made him live a great life he wouldn't want to leave. While Batman and Wonder Woman fought against the one responsible, Jason was the one to free Superman of the plant known as Black Mercy.
After taking a calming breath, Clark asks, "So Jason, how are you here? I mean... you did die, right? I doubt Bruce would've faked your death and then keep from his friends and family."
"Off the record? I did die, but Talia didn't like how here 'beloved' lost a loved one due to her father's schemes and brought me back to gift to him, but I was beyond pissed due to dying and being thrown in the Lazarus Pits at the time and began my own training with Talia's help. Bruce somehow found me, like he does, and we made up along with him deciding I would be his successor should anything happen to him, from dying to his heart condition", Jason explains to the bespectacled man.
Clark nodded before the duo went through a more official path of questions for the Daily Planet.
Elsewhere in the gala, Cobblepot approaches Bruce, "Bruce Wayne, king of the castle, ruler of the roost. How does it feel to have your little chick return to your hen house?".
"Pretty good, Cobblepot", Bruce replies, keeping a civil and cheery demeanor around the criminal for appearance sakes.
"You know, me and you actually have a few things in common. Rich, handsome, one of the last few of the founding families. Even a son in hiding.", the shorter man tells Bruce.
That last part actually took Bruce by surprise, "Oh, I never knew..."
"About my kid? Yeah, I didn't either till his mother passed away. He never had schooling, so I sent him to the same boarding school I went to. Recently, I visited him on a tour of the orient, where I got my new assistants. But, let's keep this between you and I for now."
"Ah, I see", Bruce remarks. He and Jason may have to do research on this supposed son later. The self proclaimed short king left to mingle some more with his masked assistants following.
Jason approached Bruce after talking with Clark, "Highly likely he is involved with our owl thief", he remarks as Oswald did his iconic laugh in the background.
Jason then went outside for a breather as the paparazzi vultures had now left by this point only to see a car parked near front gate. Approaching it Jason sees Detectives Renee Montoya and Harvey Bullock. He walks up to the passenger window where Renee sat while Bullock was in the Driver's seat.
"Evening GCPD", Jason greeted to the duo.
"Jason Todd? But you're dead", Renee says in shock, along with Bullock, at seeing the alive street rat turned prince of Gotham. Bullock remembers the hassle the he was as a kid before Bruce Wayne took him in but understood that he was just trying to survive in Gotham.
"Faked for my protection at the time. All good for me now", Jason replies, "Can I ask why some of Gotham's Finest are hanging around outside right now, or are you trying to get into the party?"
"Orders", Bullock grumbles.
Montoya continues, "A string of robberies targeting high-profile individuals has been going on, we're watching over events hosting future possible targets".
"AAGH!", the trio heard a woman scream.
They ran from the car to find a blonde young woman on the ground.
"Are you okay?", Jason asked the woman.
"A bird attacked me", she responds. Jason spots what appears to be a golden ankh with a ruby on it near her.
"I'm sure it just thought your rubies were berries.", Jason says after picking it up and inspecting it.
Within the manor, Bruce and Alfred were talking to the Penguin about his name not being on the guest list. With Cobblepot saying it was an oversight.
"No doubt sir, but this is a charity gala, you need to make a donation if you wish to continue to be here", Alfred informs the infamously stingy man. The Penguin grumbles before tossing him a roll of ones before leaving with his two assistants as Jason returned from outside.
Later
"Bruce, Jason, during the gala, i've overheard how the Cobblepot Matriarch had currently cut ties with The Penguin due to his criminal activities bringing shame.", Alfred informs the Bat Duo while Tim had already left to work with Young Justice.
"It would be a shame if you didn't get some sleep Alfred", Jason remarks before heading to the Batcave.
"And you two, sirs", Alfred inquires.
"The Batman is going bird-watching and may need another set of eyes from the cave", Bruce informs him.
After the dup left through one of the many secret entrances to the Batcave, Alfred was looking around the empty gala room, "I don't believe it, my serving tray has gone missing. That waddling homunculus pilfered it just to spite me!"
Jason suits up as Batman, gets into his Batmobile and drives away into the city while Bruce sits at the Batcomputer with comms and cameras ready.
In Gotham
Batman sat atop a building overlooking the city while looking around. In the distance, he sees golden glints in the sky. Taking out his binoculars, he sees various kinds of birds flying in the sky carrying jewelries of all kinds. There were crows, owls, vultures in this thieving swarm.
Batman had equipped a jetpack with retractable bat-wings with his cape stored in it, as his normal gliding may not be fast enough yet, before he then gave chase as the birds flew by. Staying focused on one bird, he followed it to Gotham's Southside district. He sees as the birds dropped the jewels into back in the trunk of a car before it was closed by what looked to be one of The Penguin's geisha assistants.
"One of Cobblepot's girls", Batman says as he flew in closer as he looked around, "Where's kabuki twin number two?", only for the other one to appear above him and slash the pack on his back.
Now going in for a crash landing, Batman ditched his harness and pack, his cape unfurling as he lands gracefully as the twins surround him.
They twitch and move unnaturally while doing some creepy whispers as Batman analysed them. Suddenly ditching their green yukatas and styled black wigs revealing red full body suits with the exception of the kabuki masks they still wore, along with three long deadly blades on each hand that they moved like fingers. They kind of looked like puppets in a weird way.
"Whoa", Batman remarks as he prepares to fight.
The one behind him jumped up and over while the one in front began slashing at him, to which he easily dodged. He then sees the one that jumped falling down to attack him, to which he jumped away from as her right hand claws pierced the ground.
Both then began their assault on him, launching kicks and slashes with Batman dodging and parrying the attacks before grabbing one by her arms and she sent him flying with her powerful drop kick, into a dumpster. Both cartwheel to him as he mutters, "Great, double trouble", and slides past them, parrying their spin kicks before jumping over them and pushing the duo away.
As they recovered, he pulls out two batarangs and throws them at the Kabuki Twins. One slices a batarang while the other catches hers and throws it back. It veers and cuts throw a nearby fire-escape.
Batman dodges the falling metal while the twins got in the car. The twins drive forward to run him over, but Batman easily jumps over it as the Kabuki Twins continued to drive away.
"Come in, Agent B.", Batman says over the comms.
"Here Batman, looks like The Penguin is behind this. Most likely because he was cut off like Alfred said", Bruce tells him.
"Maybe,but we need more proof or to catch him in the act, since this could easily be the Kabuki Twins working for themselves", Batman rebuttals.
Next Day, in the Batcave
The bat duo were overlooking articles of robberies through outasia with a similar MO to what has been happening in Gotham.
"This just makes it more obvious since Cobblepot mentioned going through an orient tour", Jason remarks.
Bruce remembers something near the end of the gala with Penguin, he had grabbed the guest list and quietly tucked it away in his jacket, "And he used my guest list as a checklist for his recent caper", he smiles before pushing a button, "Alfred. Alfred?", but no response.
"Is he out running errands", Jason asks as he goes to call Alfred with his phone.
Unknown to the duo, Alfred had headed into Gotham to retrieve his serving tray from Oswald within an old rundown building in Lower Gotham he found via rumors and is currently trying to stealth his way out with his tray before his phone rang from the call.
To which Penguin notices, "who's that? Whose trespassing in my ship?".
Alfred quietly ran before ending up in some kind of bird sanctuary within the ship. A massive tree holding various cages housing the various birds.
The Kabuki twins then landed before Alfred and he tripped on some bird seeds, he turned and landed on his front before looking up as The Penguin stabbed his umbrella in the dirt before him.
"Well, well, well. Come to help with the dusting, Jeeves?", Penguin asks as he held another umbrella that released a torrent of flames.
Alfred was having none of it though and stood up with a scowl, "Actually, I just popped in to reclaim some missing property."
"Fine, you can use it to serve my some more shrimp puffs", Penguin snarks as he walked around.
"The day a Pennyworth serves a Cobblepot have long since passed", Alfred clarifies, to which grumbles about Pennyworths, "The only reason I don't wallop you soundly is the shame it could bring the Waynes for hurting a broke man".
"Broke? I am going to restore my former wealth!", Penguin states.
"Hmph, if you intend to do so by pilfering, it may take awhile", Alfred snarks while waving his tray in the air as to use it as an example.
"Not as long as you think, old man", Penguin sinisterly gestures to the mountain of golden hidden in darkness with his blazing umbrella. A crow flies by as Alfred figures it out.
"You? Birds? Oh, dear", Alfred despairs, "Uh... allow me to fetch those shrimp puffs right away.", he goes to escape but the Kabuki Twins stop him, "Ergh, unhand me, you harridans!"
"My pets haven't been fed this evening", The Penguin laments, "and they are famished. But why feed them seed, " he gestures to a large bird feed, "when they can feast on a treat of meat?".
The Kabuki Twins have strapped down Alfred to the ground and Penguin turned on spotlights aimed at the tree and opened the cages. The various types of bird flew around as Penguin released a less annoying evil laugh.
The birds swooped down to Alfred but Batman jumps in the the tree skylight.
"huh?", Penguin cries out in surprise as Batman lands and blocks Alfred away from the birds, "Batman!?"
Batman looks to Pennyworth, "What are you doing here?"
"Long story", the butler replies.
The birds continue to swarm and attack as the Penguin laughs. Batman then grabs a device from his belt that releases a high pitch noise that sends the birds into a frenzy and flying out the shattered skylight.
"Oh, no, no", Penguin calls out at the lost of his birds, "Come back, my pretties"
"Jolly good", Alfred quietly cheers.
Batman turns off the device and turns to his quacking foe and the twin slashers.
"Batman. New suit? Like the red, though I prefer a more bloody shade", Penguin snarks before sending out the Twins to attack him again.
Batman takes a quick look around a notices some bigger cages.
"Those bigger bird cages, they might hold the twins.", Agent B said to Batman over the comms.
Batman dodges one of the twins' diving stab before moving away to the downward piercing from the other, with the blades barely missing Alfred.
'Dammit', Batman thought to himself at the danger surrounding the old man.
He jumps in the air with the twins standing before one open cage where he shot his grapple gun and pulled it forward. It fell onto the two and rolled, shutting the door. Batman then quickly jams a batarang into the lock before the Kabuki Twins stuck their arms through the bars to slash at him but he backed away from them.
Batman began to look around as he hears the Penguin's laugh as he hides in the shadows, which is kind of weird since he is the Batman and does this to others. But he had to protect Alfred until he can free him from his restraints.
"Just one question, Batman. How'd you find me?", Penguin asks from the shadows.
"You left a trail of breadcrumbs, Penguin.", Batman sates before turning around to see the shorter man dual wielding his umbrellas. He does a backflip dodge as Penguin launches a flaming blast. Batman gets to his feet as Penguin then bicycle kicks his chest, sending the Batman back some.
"My word!", Alfred breathes out.
Batman dusts off his chest, "You get better at fighting, Penguin."
"A few tricks I picked up in the orient", Penguin gloated and laughed, right umbrella on his right shoulder and the left umbrella standing like it's his cane, before Batman sliced the right umbrella and his hat before it came back to him, stopping Penguin's joy.
"Still doesn't compare to my tricks", Batman cals back.
Penguin enters a martial arts stance, "Bring It On, Rodent!".
Batman goes in with some overhead hooks, due to his superior height. With penguin slashing with his remaining umbrella and jumping up with more kicks The duo fought with Penguin surprisingly keeping up like he was Yoda against Dooku.
"Huh? Watch where your stepping.", Alfred grunts as the duo narrowly miss him as they fought.
"Ahh!", Penguin growls with a smile s he backs up to the tree before jumping from branch to branch with Batman following. Penguin slices the rope hanging one of the cages before kicking it to Batman. Batman is hit and falls to a lower branch. Penguin slices another and it falls on Batman. Batman gets up before Penguin uses his umbrella hook to swing down from another branch and kicks Batman down again. Batman swings around another branch, just missing Penguin's stab before Batman kicks him though his swing and Penguin falls to one of the lowest branches.
"Stay down Penguin", Batman says from his position on his branch, his cape around him for a somewhat dramatic look.
"Hah! And have you miss what's coming next?", Penguin snarks before whipping his umbrella forward. It's unique feature was an energy whip before Batman dodges and it slices off a branch behind him.
"Let me guess. A little something you picked up on the orient", Batman says before pulling out to batarangs and wields them like double sided knives.
"I've sharpened my claws", Penguin tells him before attacking again.
The Batman dodges before Penguin gets a lucky swipe and Batman loses one batarang, lucky for Batman, it flies down and lands next to Alfred Pennyworth, freeing his right hand from his strap.
"Right, then", Alfred says with determination before using his now free hand to grab the batarang and begins freeing himself.
Penguin grapples up with his whip umbrella and goes to kick Batman's chin but Batman blocks it. He jumps back but Penguin is able to wrap him up with the whip. Batman bits his tongue at the pain from the whip's energy before purposely falling back on his branch, using his heavier weight to drag Penguin off his branch using the whip. Batman breaks free from the chain whip umbrella and lands a solid punch that launches the Penguin into the giant bird feed container and falling to the ground. Batman lands next to the now completely freed Alfred.
"There's a nice cage waiting for you, Penguin. In Blackgate", Batman states to the black and white dressed criminal as he groans in pain
"As thrilling as it was watching you work, sir. From hereon out, I shall leave the sleuthing to you", Alfred laments to the new Caped Crusader.
"Waah!", Penguin gets up with his bladed umbrella to attack Batman.
"Watch out", Alfred calls out and throws his serving tray like a batarang but Penguin ducks it and dives for Batman but is swiftly side kicked back to the ground under the bird feed. The tray bounced around and hit a lever that released all the feed on top of the pointy nosed crook.
"Argh!", he cried out as he was buried in the bird feed while Alfred and Batman covered their eyes from the kicked up dust. Thankfully, Penguin's head was out side of the feed pile so he won't suffocate.
"Hmph", Alfred Pennyworth harrumphs at the fallen socialite.
"Police will be here to pick up this bird", Batman says aloud.
"And what of the other birds", Agent B asks through his comm.
Batman looks to the circular cage to see the twins missing, only their kabuki masks remain, "They flew the coop", he replied.
Later
Alfred had to stay behind for his statement with the police while Batman headed back to the batcave.
He drove the Batmobile into the cave to see something He'd rather not see right now. A gathering of his fellow superheroes that he knew before he died.
He could see Kaldur aka Aqualad, Conner aka Superboy, M'gann aka Megan aka Miss Martian, Roy 2 aka Will aka Red Arrow, Artemis aka Tigress, Zatanna, Donna aka Troia, Mary aka Sergeant Marvel from his time on the team, Young Justice. Beast Boy, Kid Flash 2, and the real Roy aka Arsenal have also tagged along to meet him. Nightwing, Batgirl, Robin were also back off to the side of the groups.
Then there were the Justice League heroes that he interacted with as Robin. Clark aka Superman, Barry aka Flash, Orin aka Arthur aka Aquaman, J'onn aka John aka Martian Manhunter, Oliver aka Green Arrow, Dinah aka Black Canary, his buddy Billy aka Captain Marvel aka Shazam, Red Tornado, and his old favorite hero Diana aka Wonder Woman.
He had a feeling that he wasn't going to like this.
Chapter End
AN: Again, I'm a procrastinator, i'm trying to be better. This chapter is based on THE BATMAN 2004 S1E2 "Call of the Cobblepot".
PS My Gotham City will be based on the Gotham Knights game map except Arkham Island which will be based on Batman Arkham Asylum. As will it be in all of my stories.
PSS also, because of the original villains of batman still being active, Batman Beyond ones will not show up for a while. Such as Derek Powers aka Blight.
