Song: Come Little Children (Lyrics)
POV: ?
What is love?
It was an interesting concept. The term was understood and contemplated in many different forms. A love of life. A love of freedom. A love of loyalty. A love of sacrifice. A love of attention. A love of justice. A love of religion. A love of God. A love of family. A love of friends. A love of a loved one. However, for Satou Matsuzaka, she never understood any kind of love by theory or concept, except by experience. The love that was "love". The "love" she learned from her aunt.
But it didn't feel like love. It was painful. It was misfortunate. It was suffering. But that was all she ever knew. A child who barely if ever knew her parents, having lost them at a very young age due to an accident that most people wouldn't tell her about, not even her aunt.
Her mama and papa were no longer around.
The only family she had left was her "aunt".
But for many years, it was a never-ending hell.
Love? What kind of love essentially allows various strangers, that this dubious aunt would invite to her house, to physically abuse her in ways that Satou would not want to describe? Though, what else could she do except surrender to this "love"? And, her stuffed toy, one that was a cute Hello Kitty stuff toy, it was love, her aunt would say, when the latter ripped it apart with her own two eyes. She loved that toy. It was the only comfort she knew. Even that was taken from her. She did not recall when she last cried, but she did remember crying when she saw her precious toy torn apart.
Why? Nothing, except introduction and reintroduction to this "love" that her aunt keeps instilling into her. What kind of love was this? Getting touched on through the various parts of her body, without care or remorse. She recalls every one of their faces. The ones who violated her for "love". Love... Love... Love... In her heart, she hated that word, to the very bitter core of her soul.
If this was love, she didn't want anything to do with it. Her heart, as time passed, only grew colder and was aimless. Satou thought that this would be her fate forever, to be nothing but a tool for abuse, for all kinds of "love". Her childlike innocence was shattered, nothing remained. It made her believe that the very thought of loving everyone equally - family, friends, and others - they were not "love". Thus, in her aimless heart, she craved and searched for something to latch unto.
...And it found someone.
Someone, who had offered her a helping hand. At first, she thought that this person was a nuisance, yet another one of the men who would give into her for "love". But this person didn't do that.
"...My name is Kudo Shinichi, a detective."
Her dearly beloved Shinichi Kudo. Long before the young man was a famous high school detective admired by the nation of Japan, Satou had known him since his very humble beginnings. He was only starting out, but by the time Satou met him, he was already solving cases.
Call it fate. Call it destiny. All Satou knew was one fateful encounter, when she was staying in an alleyway, not wanting to go back. She was a first-year middle schooler around that time, and she was being abused, not just in her home, but also in school. She wanted to earn enough money to make herself a living, to eventually escape the clutches of her aunt that taught her "love". The thought of her stung her, gnashing her teeth. It made her bitter when she looked around, seeing the happy faces and smiles of families and friends that all explicate "love". A "love" that she does not understand. Nor does some part of her want to.
That boy - a first-year middle schooler - he encountered her, at her lowest moments. He was not like any of the others. He offered her a place to stay. His home. His parents were abroad around that time, hence he was living alone, and his guardian was a fellow neighbor, who was a professor and inventor of many gadgets. For what felt like the very first time in years, she was offered love.
She did not recall the last time she cried. But she did recall crying in front of her savior. That savior, who saw her plight, started to do his own investigation. Those eyes, that held a cold indignation, directed at her aunt and those who hurt her. It touched her. Even more so, this savior had gathered enough evidence, with her assistance and testimony, to put her aunt and all those who abused her, to be sentenced in prison, and her aunt placed in that infamous forensic asylum.
For what felt like the first time, she was free. She felt free of the shackles that had been imposed upon her. She had new horizons, a new lease on life, a new path that she could carve. And yet, in her heart, she carried "love". That "love" sparked when she thought of her savior.
She loved him. She loved him with every fiber of her being - body and soul. And it was because she loved him that she wanted to become better. She wanted to be perfect, just for him. She changed her own style, she made herself into an attractive and cute girl who eventually sparked popularity among her peers, she focused on honing her intellectual prowess because she wanted to stand by the side of her savior - in fact, she was proud to state that she would solve some cases by herself, cases that relate with "love", even if being a detective wasn't really an occupation that she was personally interested in, other than how it related to her beloved savior.
She, people thought, was becoming a better person, coming out from her experiences.
It was all for him.
But...
Her savior's heart seems to be directed to someone else. A friend that he had since childhood. She was a fellow classmate, and... "friend". Yes, she willingly befriended her only for the sake of her savior. The girl was too kind, a reflection of genuineness and compassion, the girl - Ran Mouri - who felt like the complete opposite of her. Her kind and encouraging smile, her willingness to help, her good looks that seem a bit better than hers, her physical prowess, it seems that this girl had it all. She had all of the "love" that theoretical concepts of love were understood of. A family. A good social circle of trusted friends. Even her savior.
...She hated it.
She once smashed a random window out of frustration, by throwing a rock that she found on the nearby river. What did Ran Mouri have that she didn't? She had everything, didn't she? Why couldn't her savior look at her?
But, she kept up appearances. She kept up a smile. She kept everything. All of her beloved savior. It wouldn't do for her to be a bad girl. As long as she'd be a good girl, as long as she wouldn't be a burden to her savior, she would be fine. She will eventually have him in her arms of "love". She just needed to wait. She just needed to be patient.
Then, fortune seems to favor her, as there was a young little girl that she found sleeping in the alleyway, abandoned, lost, bruised, alone, and something felt attracting her to the girl. She didn't know why? Was it "love"? She didn't actually know, nor fully grasp. All she ever thought was taking care of this abandoned child, who she saw as something of a reflection of what she could have - the childlike innocence that she had long since lost. The girl had no memory of her family, and yet carried this sensational and carefree innocence that contrasted with her condition.
At first, Satou did not know what to make of this. Then, came a passing thought. Something, deep inside, put into her head. A child. She now has a child to care for. She wondered. And... the child in fact would call her "mama". That was the first word that the girl uttered. Odd. It felt...oddly uplifting, and encouraging. Was this "love"? That seems to be. It just felt right.
And the girl would even call Shinichi "papa". She didn't know why. The little girl seems to feel naturally at ease with her beloved savior. It only gave credence and support to her idea.
Over time, she began to enjoy taking care of this child, like a mother hen protective of her cheeks. She already has a part-time job in the Cure a Cute cafe, so she isn't lacking in supporting herself. Plus, there are the benefits of scholarship that could be gained for someone who attended Teitan High School. She had enough finances to support a child.
Her savior had discussed with her oftentimes of trying to look for her real family. She nodded obediently and meekly, though there was a fear that deep down, the girl who she considered to be her daughter, their daughter, would be taken away. And Satou never had much hope, if at all, of finding the girl's family. The girl was abandoned, and there were clearly bruises on her body when she found her. Whoever the girl's family was, they did not deserve her.
The girl was happy here. That was obvious to her. Nevertheless, she would agree obediently to her beloved's investigations on the matter. Though, occupations and other cases kept somewhat delaying that.
"...Hmm. Hmm. Hmm."
Satou Matsuzaka gently touched the hair of the sleeping child who was under her care while singing a sweet lullaby to soothe the latter's dreams. She tucked the child in bed, like a very good mother. Yes, a good mother. A good parent. Nothing like her aunt. Nothing like the girl's family.
My sweet little child. My precious little daughter. I will never allow anyone to make you feel unwanted again. She thought.
A common fate, she believed, was bestowed on her when she found that child. It was fate. The little girl was abandoned and alone just like she was. They were two of a kind. Like mother and daughter. And they were a family. Them and her beloved savior.
"Where's papa?" The girl would ask.
"Hmm. I'm sorry, Shio, but papa has work to do. You know how he is," Satou would say with a carefree and gentle smile, as her crimson eyes that carry the same sentiment, hid something else.
Her thoughts grew darker on this very night when recalling her savior. Because she was reminded of what happened today. She found her dear papa with someone else whom she didn't recognize. Holding hands. The way they held hands. It was grating. It was twitchy. Something snapped.
Who was that woman? Where did she come from? She had never seen her before with her beloved. She knew plenty of girls that were interested in her beloved, noting every one of them down in her mind. But she didn't know who this girl was. For what felt like the first time, she felt threatened. Not even Ran Mouri could invoke such a feeling compared to that woman that exited the house of her beloved.
Underneath her exasperated smile, she hid a desire to get rid of that woman. That woman... She was very beautiful. Even more beautiful than Ran. Even more than her. Thoughts of damnation and curses came upon Satou as she wracked her brain for information. Did she miscalculate? What did she just miss? This woman wasn't computing. The brief interactions that her beloved and that woman had were a complete eyesore. She wanted nothing more than to stab that woman to death. An encouraging line of thought, yet reigned in by her "reason to love".
No, she shouldn't. She shouldn't kill. Otherwise, her beloved would hate her forever. Her beloved shows no mercy to anyone who has killed and taken their hands to murder. That was why she didn't want to kill, even if there are times that there were tempting prospects to do so. That shouldn't do. That shouldn't do at all.
What made this woman very different from other women was the way her beloved was acting? He wasn't like the carefree spirit that he was. He was serious, and always seemed to be far away from her grasp. She felt like she was looking at a different person underneath the face of her beloved. What had happened to them, she wondered? She suspected even more when she saw the way her beloved confronted the pathetic pieces of trash that were harassing their fellow classmates who were espers. The way he knocked some over, and caused some to feel their broken bones. And she saw the terror that came out from these bugs.
...And she could feel that same terror, despite it not being directed towards her.
At that moment, she didn't know why, but she felt like she wanted to run away from there. She felt like she was facing something that wasn't her beloved, but something... dark... An anti-thesis of "love". A figure that inspires terror amidst compliance. She wanted to run away.
But somehow, she still kept her facade. Perhaps it was because the glare wasn't directed at her. But if it did... she didn't know what had happened. The scene of her beloved knocking over the thugs kept repeating throughout her mind almost every hour of the day. She could not help but spot the major glaring difference. She knew that what she saw wasn't her beloved. But why? What changed?
...That's right. Perhaps the woman from earlier, the one who came out of that house, had something to do with it. It would explain why the boy she "loved" was acting differently. Yes. Perhaps that's it.
...No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.
Please don't leave me!
As she gently caresses her child, she bit her lips, trying to control herself as tears flow gently into her eyes. No, she musn't allow herself to be noticed by her daughter. Keep her happy. Prevent her from worrying. No, remember why she is doing this. Always be the perfect girl. The perfect confidant. The perfect woman. The perfect mother. Everything has to be perfect.
She had passed through several trials for the sake of "love". What's one more for the sake of "love"?
She was okay. She was doing a little better. There was slight progress. All she did, was to remain close to her beloved Shinichi. It didn't matter what she had to do. She wanted to be the perfect girl. Appearance-wise. Intellect wise. Womanly wise. Motherly wise. She wanted to be everything for her beloved Shinichi. She gave this picture-perfect smile. She would even "tolerate" her beloved having the affections of many women. She befriended some of them in fact while acting cordial around others. She wanted to get to know more about his life.
She followed all of his exploits. She followed all of his accomplishments. She knows all of her cases down to the last.
She was happy when people praised the man she loved. When he was happy, she was happy.
That's why she's behaving. She's a good girl. She's a good woman. She's a good mother. It's all for her beloved. She doesn't want to add too much to his burdens.
...Yes, I'll be a good girl for you, papa. For you. For our daughter. For our family.
That was the way it ought to be. And it's staying that way.
POV: Bruce Wayne/Batman.
As the rain kept falling down, causing splashing echoes on the ground, followed by a cold ominous thunder that rumbled on the clouds, watching from afar was The Batman. Using an advanced hearing aid device that was attached to the fifth floor of the apartment building where Satou Matsuzaka lives, Batman begins to follow whatever conversations were happening inside the apartment room.
Room 5-G.
Reports from some of B.A.B.E.L.'s Spec-Ops who had been on standby, staking out around the corner, hidden in one of the apartment rooms that was on the third floor, were useful. The hearing aid device that he installed would also allow him to remotely control it, to roam freely around the apartment without deterrence, passing through an opening in the front door. He used the device to scan for any traces of evidence. On the surface, the apartment room was normal. Tidy surroundings, denoting cleanliness and industriousness - note: relation to Matsuzaka's desire for motherhood and marriage.
Passing through one room, the device would scan for a certain object. A notebook. He begins to turn on the Detective Mode scanner and activate one of its functions. Highlight the object in question. A diary. He would use the device to picture through every single thing written underneath. No need to even open a notebook by hand. When it came to his line of work, oftentimes, the indirect approaches are much more preferrable and require the aid of technology to avoid tampering evidence. Even the simplest touch would dislocate evidence.
...Based on the collected evidence so far, and what I've reviewed on Kudo's phone, it would only be about a few three months that Satou had taken in the child whose first name was Shio, but whose last name was unknown. Satou had found her in an alleyway, about a few 15 meters away from this current location. I would have to pay a visit to the alleyway and scan traces of where the girl's last known location. The girl's footprints that have been scanned by the Bat-Probe (*1) would provide me with the needed input - taking into account of a three-month time differential.
Shio, from what was noted by Kudo, suffers from retrograde amnesia, and appeared to suffer light bruises that were examined, implying physical abuse. The one who checked up on the girl was Professor Hiroshi Agasa, the next-door neighbor of Shinichi Kudo. Aside from being an inventor and scientist, he's also a recognized medical doctor, though he doesn't officially work in any hospital or clinic. I would have to pay a visit to him too, as that's long overdue...
Batman scrunched his eyebrows as strange flash memories suddenly crept up into his mind upon thinking of Professor Agasa. Various memories, flash forward, of a boy who looks like Conan Edogawa, making use of gadgets. One was a silver belt that, when the top left button on the center was pressed, allowed for the creation of a newly inflated soccer ball. Elementary school shoes, red and white, that allow for various kicking powers and maneuvers - probably to compensate for the lack of physicality within the shrunken form, a skateboard that has a multi-purpose use. It could stay on wheels, or it could hover on the ground without wheels so long as it maintains a 1-meter altitude.
Then the flash future memories went away. Batman closed his eyes, breathing a sigh.
These flash memories - past or future - still continuously haunt him. He is well aware that there is the potential mental capacity is not of 110% as it ought to be. There was this worry. A hindrance. An idea. Of a conclusion that he did not want to draw from. The murder of Shinichi Kudo. How did he end up in this body? He valued the fact that he got a second chance, but he was also conflicted by it, because he stole the potential life of another.
And the strange angel who told him about his identity crisis. The Batman needed to take the place of a gaping hole in history. Of the lack thereof of Shinichi Kudo. Darkseid's death affected reality, that much he knew, but he felt that there were other things that the angel did not fully disclose about. He had hopes at least that Rip Hunter's investigations in the past were more fruitful here than the ones in the present.
He didn't like to think about it. He didn't want to confront the possibility that, maybe, there are two.
One. He truly is Shinichi Kudo. But that still didn't explain things. Only, a loss of identity, the destruction of a personality and the replacement of his own, reawakening. It was disturbingly reminiscent of something that Batman learned from the Doctor (*2). A process that allows one to hide one's own essence inside an object, in the Doctor's case, a fobwatch, and what remained was an entirely new personality that inhabited the body.
Two. He isn't Shinichi Kudo. But the boy was truthfully dead, and Bruce Wayne - The Batman was inhabiting a dead corpse of a fallen loved one, for whatever reason, one confirmed aftereffect of Darkseid's Omega Beams.
Both thoughts didn't harbor any comfort to the Dark Knight. He looked at the lightly created puddle, which reflected his cowl-hidden face. As the thunder illuminated the clouds, the brief flashes would let him be reminded of a shadow.
Of a high school boy's face.
Of Shinichi Kudo.
Of Conan Edogawa.
Silent reigned on the rooftop. The Bat-Probe, once it's done its job to scan the apartment stealthily, returned to its owner, and kept it inside one of his pouches. He stood up as his cape blew from the strong yet light and cool winds.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Batman raised his left arm to activate the holographic projection screen. Appearing from the screen was Koichi Minamoto, the supervisor of The Children.
"Batman, I just thought to inform you that Shark Bait had been successfully transferred to Miyakawa Hospital Prison with no further incident," The man said.
"That's good. Based on what I gleaned from his profile, it would need to be updated in light of newly acquired powers compared to before, and I would also advise that the man be cross-examined for any additional enhancements and, while continuing his proper therapeutic treatment there which had been halted upon his escape, I'd ask that you give me the follow-up reports."
"Consider it done," Minamoto nodded.
If there's one of the cons that could be found within his new predicament, it's that Batman and Bruce Wayne - not having any form of connections in this world by any concrete measure, could not personally attend to those who had life-bestowed misfortunes on. There's no Wayne Enterprises, and it had many connections established throughout the world back home. Hence, Bruce Wayne was essentially a non-entity, a nobody that no one would listen too.
Batman's reputation at least would be remediable. He would hope at least to establish enough of himself to be able to reach out to even hardened criminals and supervillains, especially those with unchecked and unresolved traumas. His usage of the identity of Shinichi Kudo is even more limited. As far as this strange organization who "killed" him was concerned, Shinichi Kudo is dead, hence he cannot just flaunt it unjustifyingly. And his identity as Conan Edogawa is also of equal limitations. Most people wouldn't take the word of a six-year-old child seriously, no matter how intelligent the latter could be.
Japan as a nation is rife with biases, unhealthy conformities for the sake of saving face or keeping power, lack of quick applications of law, and various problems that range throughout and affect all walks of life. Mental impairment is treated like a plague here, and hardly addressed adequately. Educational institutions are hardly safe from it either, and cases of bullying - a first step closer to discrimination, is a rising problem.
Non-logical factors? Or is someone or something manipulating the perceptions of individuals? It did not need superpowers to turn people against people. Humanity always had its uglier sides. His experiences with the mutants of his world more than qualifies to ascertain it. All it takes, is someone pulling the trigger, to set everything toppling down.
"Minamoto, do you know of anyone associated or connected with B.A.B.E.L. who is a trusted and recognized professional with expertise in the fields of therapy and psychology that can be useful for addressing both the cases of Matsuzaka Satou and her adopted charge, Shio?" He asked.
"There is such a person that I would like to suggest. Her name is Dr. Takamoto Aoi. She studied and was heavily versed in diversified medical fields, including psychology, parapsychology, and therapy, and obtained many degrees, and graduated summa cum laude from Viktor Chondria University. She's also someone that your, umm, wife knows - having once confirmed her to be a reincarnator, which is considered classified information."
Batman would get a look at her profile. A woman in her thirties. Dark brown hair, usually tied to her back in a ponytail. Blue eyes. He was impressed by the various accomplishments that were summarized on file. Her status has the words "REINCARNATOR" which is a generic term to describe people from other worlds reincarnating in this world. Upon searching, it seems this phenomenon has been documented, mostly through official authoritative sources with expertise in mystical and supernatural backgrounds.
According to the files I reviewed. She's the current head warden of Miyakawa Hospital Prison - though the duty of administrating the latter often falls majorly to her assistant head warden, Dr. Saori Hayaka, since she has other tasks that require much attention. In addition to therapeutic and psychological expertise, she also has an understanding of parapsychology and of the criminal mind, as well as an accomplished surgeon, who would be called in when it comes to more difficult operations. She sometimes has a habit of overworking herself, hence she at times requires assistants to remind her to balance her time and regulate her resting periods.
She's also a leading authority and public voice addressing the various nationwide concerns relating to public and mental health, many of which are undergoing slow developments due to unfortunate obstacles.
One of her public opponents in the political spectrum is Kotaro Shimura, the current Minister of Quirk Affairs, known for his views on proposing and pushing for regulation laws for quirks and espers as a way to keep them in check, and has a public distaste and progressive criticism for those categorized as "heroes" in general, whether if its the Pro-Heroes, or those associated with government organizations like B.A.B.E.L., or independent but recognized and beloved heroes like the PreCure, or others. I may need to keep an eye on him and his movements and do research on his backstory. His type tends to make things worse in the long run.
Batman thought with dry exasperation on the last part due to personal experiences. There were plenty of people that he could think of with negative views on heroes that either ended up as villains to fight, or people that caused unnecessary problems which a few heroes or the entire superhero community would have to deal with anyway.
"...By the way, Batman," Minamoto sported a grim expression. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you about after thinking over the discussions we had in the Kudo Mansion."
"The one about Shinichi Kudo's "disappearance"," Batman said.
"Yes. This is merely a hypothesis that I've thought of, but I have some suspicions that the ones who drugged him could have originated from, or at least have a connection of sorts with the dark side."
"Dark side?" Batman asked.
"It's a generic term used to describe the secretive criminal underworld that is rumored to control the entire nation of Japan, and it's all determined to be centered around Academy City, a landlocked metropolitan city sovereign state within Beika Ward, known for its self-governance and administration away from the ordinary Japanese government. As the city's name suggests, it's home to several schools and institutions of higher learning, from kindergarten to university level. It's considered to be an international bastion for scientific progress and is the home of about 6 billion espers in total. The city-state also, per international agreement, around the year 2000, has some manner of control and hold over Beika Ward - with it becoming described as Academy City's Outer Layer, hence why Academy City's law enforcement - Judgment and Anti-Skill, can also be found all around Beika and often help and assist the police and Pro-Heroes in esper-related affairs, at least so long as it's within Beika Ward. If it's anywhere else, they wouldn't have any authority unless they have permission from the Japanese Government or if it concerns an international-related threat."
"But that's not all there is to it, is it?" Batman noted.
"No," Minamoto's tone was grim. "B.A.B.E.L. has a presence in Academy City, and also operates in a secretive yet semi-official capacity upon permission from the Board of Directors. We can't exactly intervene in matters normally assigned to Judgment and Anti-Skill, but we do at least have inspection protocols for the sake of looking into daily life and affairs of an esper-centered capital city."
"Undercover operations," Batman answered.
"That's right," Minamoto nodded. "B.A.B.E.L. has only managed to receive authorization for entry since the same year of 2000, and for most of the 20th Century since it's founding, Academy City wouldn't really allow our organization or other organizations to do any inspections and handle itself by self-policing and self-governance in light of treaties and recognized sovereignty. A few of our undercover agents within the city have personally informed B.A.B.E.L.'s Director that there have been some operations have been identified to have disturbing implications."
"What kind?" Batman asked.
"Missing students who never seem to come back - and these were usually identified as students who have either been abandoned or given up by their parents or guardians they came from, and are residents of the city for most if not all of their whole life, undisclosed scientific projects and experiments that carry dubious and unethical standards, corruption within local police ranks, and there are all kinds of rumors floating around that city, some of which are confirmed while others are hard to determine," Minamoto explained.
"And from where this topic is going, I would guess Kudo Shinichi was involved in investigating any cold cases relating to Academy City," Batman surmised.
"That's right," Minamoto nodded. "Most people within B.A.B.E.L., and even members of The Children, don't know about it. B.A.B.E.L.'s Director, Tsubomi Fujiko, personally requested his expertise and assistance on the matter at least one year prior, and had provided ample results, though we couldn't exactly leak these findings to the public due to foreseeable issues in the political spectrum and pressure from governmental higher-ups."
"Have there been any important connections that he made in Academy City around that time?" Batman asked.
"At least one person. Shokuhou Misaki. She is one of the 7 Level 7s of Academy City. She doesn't really work for B.A.B.E.L. and doesn't fully trust us. Though, she does seem to have some level of confidence and professional correspondence with Kudo Shinichi via SMS messages and reports," Minamoto explained.
"Shokuhou Misaki. I saw her name in the contact list on Kudo's phone. I would probably try to make contact with her at some point, as Kudo Shinichi," The last part left a subtle yet bitter taste in Batman's mouth.
"I would of course advise some preliminary precautions when trying to deal with her, Batman. Shokuhou-san's not exactly the type of person to trust any other person easily, even if it were someone from BABEL. She usually checks the person out herself, and oftentimes, personally via her abilities. And considering your condition, it's very probable that she would almost immediately figure out that you aren't Kudo Shinichi, which would keep her on guard," Minamoto explained.
"That doesn't surprise me," Batman said, looking at Shokuhou's files on the holographic projection screen. "And if the dark side that you described does happen to be centered around Academy City, she would exhibit a level of paranoia proper to the setting. Minamoto, have you at least considered telling any of this information with The Children?"
"I have been internally debating about it for the last few years, along with bringing it up to my superiors," Minamoto answered. "I personally didn't want The Children getting involved any more than necessary because I'd rather that they'd get to live as much of a normal life as they possibly can without having to deal with much of the darker and more complex sides of our country, which is a broad topic by itself. They may be officially recognized superheroes under B.A.B.E.L.'s employ, Batman, but they are still teenagers in high school at the end of the day."
"That may not be something that could be controlled in the long run," Batman said as he recalled his sons and daughters of the Bat Family. "Take my advice based on experience, children and teenagers happen to be smarter than you give them credit for, and keeping secrets with them may not be good in the long run."
"...I would consider it," Minamoto said, pondering.
"And I would like to suggest that Sannomiya Shiho would know first. Among The Children, I find her to be the most capable and professional in handling more mature topics," Batman answered.
Batman imagined Minamoto smiling a little when he spoke. "You seem to have taken a liking to Shiho in just one day of meeting her, Batman."
"...She does admittedly remind me of my kids back home," Batman explained, his eyes turning soft upon recalling. "I've read her file and listened to my wife's account on the subject, which informed me of everything I needed to know about her."
"Then you probably already know that her childhood was stolen from her at a very young age," Minamoto said grimly. "Her father, despite his rank, had been pressured to give in to the demands of his peers and higher-ups, and the result was at least roughly a couple hundred cold cases being solved simply by Shiho's power of psychometry, and the true culprits being arrested and taken to custody. I'd assume that you'd plan on her tagging along with you once you would try to enter Academy City and make contact with her."
"Having one of the most powerful native espers in this world around one's side wouldn't hurt, along with her experience at least with the darker sides of human nature," Batman said. "That being said, we may have to discuss a little of what happened at the warehouse."
"Ah, the one where I've heard from Shiho saw something when encountering these... Zombie BEDs? That's what Eraser Head described them when I asked him," Minamoto said.
"Did Sannomiya describe anything of what she saw?" Batman said.
"No. She didn't really want to talk about it, and I didn't push the issue. She and the other members of The Children deserved some rest after this night," Minamoto answered.
"That, we can agree on. I'm about to head towards the alleyway where Satou found Shio. I may not find much due to the time differentials and factors, but it doesn't hurt to try to retrace steps."
"Hmm. Then, I'll end this call from here and not disturb much of your time, Batman. Good luck, and if you want to ask for more information, I'll be happy to provide more information," Minamoto said.
Then, the call ended, with Batman deactivating the holographic projection screen. He took one last look at the apartment building, with a grim expression, before he made use of his Grapnel Gun to bring himself across a hundred meters upwards, before letting go and making use of his cape to act to glide across the air. He would use his cowl's artificial networks to hack into radio frequencies that would allow him to be further updated on potential crimes in progress.
"Hey, Kazuki, you ever heard of that new guy who helped out with that shark-headed villain a couple of hours ago? The one who looked like a bat?"
"Yeah, what about him?"
"What was he called again? Bat-Man? Like, what kind of Pro-Hero's name is that?"
"Hell if I know. From what I heard, he did a pretty job in rounding up those Pumpkin Heads, though many of them happen to have a few broken bones here and there."
"Woah... Brutal much?"
"Hey, I ain't complaining. The guy pretty much saved me and my unit from getting gunned down by those Pumpkin Heads. If you asked me, they got what's coming to them."
Turning left, Batman eventually found himself landing on the alleyway in question. It was quiet and narrow. Beginning his analysis with the help of Detective Mode, he would use the foot imprints of Shio to trace her last known location.
Hmm, reconfiguring factor equations and conditions to about three months time, and there. I've found a trace. All I have to do is follow it, and it would lead me to where the girl's last known location was before coming into this alleyway.
Using his Grapnel Gun, he flies straight through the air and takes flight. With a few crosses and glides, with some help from the Grapnel Gun's trajectory aiming, he eventually finds himself around the suburban neighborhoods that lay between Districts 7 and 10.
"...!"
Batman notices a commotion going on in one of the suburban apartment houses. It appears that someone is trying to aggressively break down the door. Someone's in danger. He would glide down close to a nearby rooftop.
"Come on out, my lovely Ai-tan! Please! Please notice me!"
Observing the crazed individual who was pounding through the door. He appeared to have dropped a set of flowers. His dark brown hair was covered by the hood of his jacket. But what appeared noticeable was... a chainsaw blade materializing around his right arm. A Quirk!
With one slice, he would slice the door blocking his path, and he would demonstrate his casual strength by sending the two halves of the door away with a kick. He heard a scream coming from inside. A female voice. From the corner of his eye, he would see a young woman with starry eyes, and dark blue-purple hair. She was seen protectively hugging two blonde children, a boy and a girl, who were lying down with her.
"I found you... Ai-tan!" The crazed man exclaimed with laughter.
Something flashed before Batman's eyes, as he sees the children looking at the hooded man with the chainsaw in terror. The thunder in the clouds rumbled at the same time.
"How mean of you?! You think you can forget me so easily?! Huhhhhh-Krk!"
By the time the deranged man exclaimed, Batman was already launching himself off of the nearby rooftop and initiated a wide-open kick, that would send the deranged hooded man to the ground. Batman wasted no time to send him to the ground with a quick tackle, as the latter had a late shocked expression, his face planted to the floor. Before the man could even struggle to escape, he was knocked out with a hard punch to the face, and as a result, the deranged man was knocked out, with his chainsaw arm banging across the wooden floor, disappearing to reveal a normal arm.
Batman begins to bring out a pair of shock handcuffs from one of his pouches. In the event that the deranged hooded man would regain consciousness and turn aggressive, the handcuffs would automatically shock him, knocking him out. Then he would make contact with Minamoto through his comm.
"Minamoto, this is Batman, I managed to capture an assailant and confirmed Quirk User for attempted murder. The current address and location is at the 2nd Intersection, between District 7 and 10."
"Copy that, Batman, a B.A.B.E.L. Spec-Ops unit is on its way to arrest and contain the threat. ETA: 10 minutes."
After making sure that the man was unconscious and subdued, he would glance at the woman and two of her children. The two children looked terrorized and frightened, grasping their hands at the woman. As for the woman, Batman would immediately recognize her.
...Hoshino Ai. One of the students of Teitan High School and Kudo's senior in his third year, and the lead idol of B-Komachi. And... these two children...
Batman would recall the notes jotted down from Kudo's notes. Ai Hoshino secretly had children. Twins. The father was unknown. Hence, she was a single mother raising two children, while trying to maintain her job as an idol. He slowly stood up, as his towering shadow engulfed them.
"...It's alright," Batman spoke softly, his hands raised upwards in a gentle gesture, looking at Hoshino and her two children. He didn't draw near, not wanting to scare the mother and children. "Don't be afraid, it's over now."
"...Who...Who are you?" Hoshino muttered, her arms wrapped around her two children, her eyes hesitant and trepid.
"...I'm Batman," Batman reassured. "And you and your children are safe, you have my word."
OP Song: Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo Opening 3 Full『Kimi ga Iru Kara』by Yui Nishiwaki with Lyrics
Next Conan Hint:
* Story: Happy Sugar Life
Trivia For Chapter:
(*1) - One of the inspirations behind the Bat-Probe were through fellow superheroes. Two main examples were: Ray Palmer, also known as The Atom, a superhero with the ability of miniaturization and microscopic stability; and Hank Pym, also known as Ant-Man, a superhero who through the use of what is called Pym Particles allows him to shrink and grow in size.
(*2) - The Doctor refers to a mysterious alien traveller in time and space who travels in an advanced space-time craft called the TARDIS, and is recorded to have multiple faces and respective companions - humans or otherwise. He is the best friend of fellow superhero, Reed Richards, also known as Mister Fantastic. He is a close associate of Doctor Stephen Strange, and often defers to the latter for the more mystical and supernatural threats, while the latter defers to the former for the more scientific threats. He is the Chief Scientific Advisor of S.H.I.E.L.D.., and has been associated with the organization since its founding in World War II (Earth-616 - Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths Timeline).