The moon hung high in the night sky, casting a silvery light over the darkened alleyway where a group of Merchants huddled together. The five men, stinking of sweat and weed, clustered around their next target: a lone woman walking briskly down the street, her heels clicking sharply against the pavement. She was in a hurry though.
"That one," grunted a scrawny man with a shaved head. He licked his lips. His slightly red eyes gleaming with malicious intent. "Grab her, rob her. Quick and easy."
Their luck seemed to shine as the woman, in her thirties and dressed in a smart, professional outfit, approached the alley's entrance. She had no idea what awaited her. The Merchants exchanged nods and moved into action. They acted quickly, their footsteps swift and silent. Within moments, they were upon her, dragging her into the shadows. One of them wrapped his hand around her mouth, preventing her from shouting or yelling.
"Shut up and gimme your bag, bitch," snarled the bald one, brandishing a knife out of his pocket and pressing it to her neck. She let out a startled cry, clutching her bag tightly. Another member of the Merchant, a heavyset man with a scar across his cheek, yanked the bag from her grasp and tore through its contents greedily.
"Fuckin' hell, hurry up!" another barked, his voice trembling with excitement. The adrenaline only fuelled the high. "And gimme those earrings, too!"
Before the woman could react, the bald one felt a sudden, sharp pain in his hand. He looked down, his drug-addled brain slow to process the sight of a bat-shaped metal object embedded in the wall beside him. He blinked in confusion, the weed delaying his reaction.
"What the—"
His words were cut off as one of the other Merchants fell to his knees and then face-planted into the grimy alley floor, his legs wrapped tightly in a length of black cord. The remaining three looked around in bewilderment, their eyes widening with fear and confusion.
"Who the fuck—" started the man with the bag, fumbling in his pocket for his Glock. Before he could draw the weapon, something dark and fast dropped from the rooftop above, landing atop him with a bone-crushing thud. He collapsed to the ground, wheezing in pain.
The remaining two Merchants turned to see a tall figure in a black costume and cowl, a bat emblem emblazoned on the chest in a slightly brighter shade of grey. The caped figure exuded an aura of menace. Even their stoned minds could feel the danger from this man. The cape's eyes were gleaming with a cold, unyielding fury. Pale white irises looking at them uneasily.
"Shit! It's a fuckin' cape!" one of the remaining Merchants yelled, panic rising in his voice. He lunged forward, swinging his fists wildly. The Bat themed cape, sidestepped the attack with ease, delivering a swift, brutal kick to the man's solar plexus. The Merchant doubled over, gasping for breath, before collapsing in a heap.
The final attacker, another wiry man with a face twisted in rage, charged with a roar. The Bat met his assault head-on, grabbing the man's punch out of the air and crushing his fist with a sickening crunch. The man screamed in pain, but the Bat showed no mercy. He followed up with a rapid series of jabs to the man's ribs and knee, each strike precise and devastating. The wiry man crumpled to the ground, unconscious and beaten to a pulp.
The bald Merchant, still clutching his knife, watched in horror as his comrades were systematically taken down. He slashed wildly at the Bat, but the blade glanced off the armored costume with a metallic clink. The Bat looked at him with something akin of a grimace and responded with ruthless efficiency, stomping on the man's toes and delivering a spinning elbow to his face. The force of the blow sent the Merchant crashing to the ground.
Without pausing, the Bat turned back to the woman, who was huddled against the wall, shaking with fear. "Are you hurt?" he asked softly. His voice was deep and steady. She shook her head. Her eyes were completely wide with shock and terror by the whole thing.
"Who... who are you?" she managed to stammer finally.
The Bat didn't answer immediately. Instead, he turned back to the unconscious Merchants. He took out some wires from his yellow gold belt and restrained the merchants. He made sure each one was securely restrained.
The woman was clutching her purse more tightly as she stammered while looking at him. "Tttttt--tthank yyyyyouu, sir."
"Just a friend," he said finally standing up to his full height. His 6'6" inched suit blending into the dark completely. "Get somewhere safe. Call the police and alert them."
The woman nodded, clutching her reclaimed bag to her chest as she stumbled away, her mind reeling from the encounter. The Bat watched her go, ensuring she was safely out of sight before turning his attention back to the thugs.
One of them, the heavyset man with the scar, groaned as he regained consciousness. He looked up at the Bat with a mixture of fear and defiance. Without a clear mind, he immediately spat what was in his mind.
"Fuck you," he spat, blood trickling from his split lip. "You ain't no fuckin' hero."
The Bat crouched down beside the heavyset man with the scar, his iris deficient eyes like chips of ice as he stared into the thug's soul. "Listen carefully," Batman growled, his voice a low, menacing rumble. "You and your friends here have a choice. You can either redeem yourselves, turn away from this life of crime, or face the consequences."
The heavyset man tried to maintain a facade of defiance, but the terror in his eyes betrayed him. "Fuck you, man," he spat weakly, his voice trembling.
"I will destroy your organisation."
The man's eyes widened in fear. "You're... you're bluffing," he stammered, but the uncertainty in his voice was palpable.
"Do I look like I'm bluffing?" Batman's voice was a deadly whisper, his eyes burning with a fierce intensity. He stood up, looking down at the bound thugs with a look of utter non chalance.
They all looked up, eyes widening in fear and confusion, as the imposing figure of Batman loomed over them once again.
"Listen carefully," Batman growled, his voice a low, menacing rumble now. "You have two choices. Redeem your ways or face the consequences. Spread the word to every villain in this city."
The Merchants exchanged nervous glances, the weight of Batman's words sinking in. The heavyset man with the scar, dared to speak again. "What... what do you want from us?"
Batman leaned in closer, his eyes burning with an intensity that made the man flinch. "Tell Skidmark," he said, enunciating each word with deliberate menace, "that Batman is coming for him. This city will no longer tolerate scum like you."
He straightened up, his cape billowing slightly as he stepped back into the shadows. The Merchants watched in terrified silence as they watched him vanish from their eyes.
As Batman disappeared into the darkness, he threw a small, unassuming cube on the ground in front of the bound men. Moments later, a brilliant light erupted from the device, casting long shadows across the alley walls. The Merchants squinted against the sudden brightness, and then their jaws dropped as they saw the source of the light.
Projected onto the clouds above was a massive, unmistakable silhouette of a bat, shining brightly against the night sky. It was clearly a message. A warning to all who dared to defy the new protector of Brockton Bay.
The heavyset man with the scar gulped, his earlier bravado shattered. "Holy shit," he muttered, his voice trembling. No this was far much dangerous than he had believed. "He's not fucking around."
One of the others, still groggy and bewildered, nodded slowly. "We need to tell everyone... Skidmark needs to know."
The scene was a mix of flashing lights and murmurs as the PRT troopers and BBPD officers worked together to secure the area. The bound Merchants were being hauled off to waiting police vans. Their faces were a mix of fear, relief and anger. Nearby, the rescued woman was speaking with a police officer. Her voice was shaky but she seemed to be grateful.
Assault chuckled to himself as he watched the commotion. "Looks like the BBPD beat us to the punch tonight," he joked, nudging his wife and teammate, Battery.
Battery gave him an unamused look. "Focus, Assault. This is serious."
Assault raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. Just trying to lighten the mood."
Battery shook her head and turned to one of the PRT troopers. "Any news on the parahuman who rescued the woman?"
The trooper nodded from behind his helmet. "The Merchants have been grumbling about a cape named Batman. They said he warned them to either redeem themselves or face consequences from him. He also left a message for Skidmark."
Assault let out a low whistle. "Batman, huh? Gotta say, I'm impressed with the name choice. Pretty bold."
Battery glanced up at the sky where the symbol of a bat was still projected onto the clouds. "And theatrical, too. He's certainly making a statement."
"Yeah. He also left his at the crime scene." The trooper showed a small bat shaped black metal thing with razor sharp edges inside of an evidence bag. "He's not just making a statement. He's backing it up with action. Those Merchants were terrified."
Assault smirked. "Well, I can't say I blame them. I'd be scared too if some guy dressed as a bat came out of nowhere and kicked my ass."
Battery elbowed him lightly. "Maybe it's a good thing. If he can scare the Merchants into behaving, it might make our jobs a little easier."
Assault shrugged. "Or it could make things more complicated. Vigilantes have a way of stirring up trouble, even when they mean well."
Battery sighed. "We'll have to keep an eye on him. If he's serious about cleaning up the city, he might just be the ally we need. But if he crosses the line, we'll have to deal with that too."
Assault nodded, his playful demeanor momentarily replaced by a rare moment of seriousness. "Yeah, you're right. Let's hope Batman knows what he's doing. I do hope that guy lasts. He seems to be a fun guy."
As the PRT and BBPD continued their work. The name Batman was on everyone's lips, and the message was clear: Brockton Bay had a new protector, and he wasn't afraid to take on the city's worst.
Battery watched as the last of the Merchants were loaded into the police vans. "Let's wrap this up and wait for Armsmaster. We have a lot to discuss until he checks on the device projecting the image to sky."
Assault nodded, giving one last glance at the sky. Standard protocols meant that they needed a tinker to check the small cube like box from the site. If it was tinker tech device, it was better confirmed and dealt by a tinker. "Batman, huh? Well, here's to new beginnings."
PHO Thread: "What's Up With That Bat Signal?"*
Thread Starter* *BrocktonBayFan01*
Date* 15/1/2011
BrocktonBayFan01* Hey, has anyone else seen that weird bat shape projected into the sky last night? It was there for hours. What's up with that? I thought it was some kind of weird prank at first, but it was way too big and professional looking. Anyone know what it's about?
GloryGirl89* Omg, yes! I saw it too! I thought maybe it was some new superhero or something. Or a marketing stunt? I mean, who does that? It was HUGE.
Vista4Life* I saw it too! But honestly, I was thinking it might be one of those new high-tech drones or something. You know, the ones that can project stuff into the sky.
UberAged* Man, I saw it too. My first thought was it was some kind of weird art installation or maybe a new advertising gimmick. Seems a bit over the top for that though.
LeetRite* Haha, I thought it was a giant bat-shaped lamp or something. My friend's little brother thought it was the new Batman movie promotion or some kind of crossover event.
VickyHate87* Haha, Batman? That's hilarious. I bet it's just some random weirdo with a projector who's trying to get attention. It's not like Brockton Bay has superheroes just showing up out of nowhere.
BrocktonBayFan01* I'm not so sure. It looked really legit. Like, whoever did it knew what they were doing. Could it be a new superhero trying to make a statement or something?
UberAged* Maybe. I've heard rumors about someone new in town. Could be related? The projection definitely had that "I mean business" look.
GloryGirl89* I've heard a few things too, but nothing solid. It's definitely not one of the local heroes though. They'd usually do something a bit more... conventional?
Vista4Life* Whatever it was, it was impressive. Even if it is just a publicity stunt or some kind of tech demo, it's pretty cool to see something like that.
LeetRite* If it was a new hero, they definitely have a flair for the dramatic. Maybe they're trying to scare the local bad guys into behaving.
UberAged* Well, if it was meant to scare the local scum, it seems to be working. I heard from some friends who work in the area that there were a few reports of criminals suddenly getting really cautious.
BrocktonBayFan01* Really? That's interesting. So maybe it's working as intended.
GloryGirl89* Yeah, and if this "bat" really is trying to clean up the city, then maybe we should give them some credit. I mean, it's not every day you see someone making that kind of effort.
VickyHate87* Or it's a really elaborate prank. Still, it's kind of entertaining, so I guess that's something.
LeetRite* I'm just wondering if we'll see more of these "bat signals" or whatever. Imagine if it became a regular thing. That'd be wild.
UberAged* Not sure if it'll become a regular thing, but if it does, I hope they can back it up with some real results. A big projection in the sky is cool and all, but it's the actual impact that counts.
Vista4Life* True. If they're going to make a statement like that, they'd better be ready to back it up.
GloryGirl89* Whatever happens, it's definitely keeping things interesting around here.
LeetRite* Yeah, I'm curious to see what happens next. Maybe we'll get more info soon or see more of this mysterious bat guy.
BrocktonBayFan01* Definitely keeping an eye out. If anyone finds out more, let us know!
UberAged* Will do. And if I hear any more rumors about this "bat signal," I'll post them here.
VickyHate87* Same. It's been pretty quiet otherwise, so it's a nice change of pace.
Vista4Life* Agreed. For now, I'm just going to enjoy the novelty of it.
GloryGirl89* Same here. It's not every day we get something like this.
LeetRite* Agreed. Until then, keep your eyes peeled and stay tuned. Who knows what else might show up?
BrocktonBayFan01* Thanks, everyone! I'll keep checking in.
Taylor sat in the darkened room of her Batcave, monitoring the buzz on PHO about her latest appearance. The cave's soft hum of machinery provided a comforting backdrop as she reviewed the various threads and comments speculating about the new vigilante, Batman.
The suit she had wore was the pinnacle of her Tinker work. It was the latest iteration of the increased kinetics Bat armor, designed for durability and efficiency. It was something, she had taken from Batman One Million and the original Batman and decided to blend it. The armor itself was sleek and black, its design meticulously crafted to enhance her physical abilities while minimizing fatigue. It was one of the most advanced suits she had ever engineered, and it offered superior protection and mobility. Moreover, it completely covered her skin, not even showing her mouth. Her pale irises only added to the intimidation.
The suit's internal systems worked seamlessly to reduce the wear on her body, making it easier to engage in prolonged combat without suffering from the usual physical strain.
She had observed how the armor not only amplified her strength and agility but also cleverly concealed her true stature. Standing at just 5'8", she knew that her physical presence was far from intimidating compared to the towering figures often depicted in crime-fighting lore. However, the suit's design made her appear much larger than she was, further enforcing the illusion that Batman was a formidable, imposing figure. The advanced voice modulation system in the suit added another layer of deception, perfectly masking her voice to sound deep and authoritative.
The result was that no one questioned the identity of the Batman they were discussing on PHO. The feedback and speculation about Batman being a mysterious, possibly male figure were exactly what Taylor had hoped for. The anonymity and the misdirection worked to her advantage, helping her maintain the double identity she had carefully constructed.
Taylor chuckled softly as she read the comments speculating on Batman's true identity. She saw various theories ranging from Batman being an ex-military operative to a reclusive millionaire or billionaire. Some even joked about Batman being a professional wrestler in disguise. The range of ideas was both amusing and flattering. She was particularly pleased with how no one had come close to guessing her real identity.
Her mind wandered back to the earlier events of the night. The suit had performed admirably, and the fear and shock she had instilled in the criminals were palpable. The way the merchants had reacted to her appearance and the subsequent discussion about the bat symbol in the sky were exactly what she had intended. It was all part of the plan to create an aura of fear and mystery around the Batman persona.
She ran a hand over the surface of her suit, feeling the smooth, resilient material. The suit's design allowed for maximum efficiency in combat while ensuring she wasn't burdened by unnecessary weight or bulk. The advanced technology integrated into the suit also meant that she could track her vitals, monitor her surroundings, and analyze data in real-time, all while remaining hidden from prying eyes.
'Yes, The Batman was finally operational.'
