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StrongGuy159-Thanks. Hope you continue to enjoy this.
Now on with the story!
The Audience continue to watch Batman v Superman. Amber gets kidnapped and brought to Merlot's tower in Atlas. Merlot then has a conversation with the Man of Steel and forces him to go to Mantle to fight the Bat to the death.
The Batman waits for Superman at his light in the sky.
The Son of Krypton goes against the Bat of Mantle.
Cast
Bruce Wayne/Batman: Qrow Branwen
Lex Luthor: Dr. Merlot
Lois Lane: Amber Autumn
Clark Kent/Superman: Oscar Pine
Anatoli Knyazev: Tock
Martha Kent: Kali Belladonna
Perry White: Coco Adel
Jenny-Velvet Scarlatina
The first thing the Audience sees is Batman standing in an abandoned building, dressed in a heavy duty battle armor suit with glowing white visors. He looks up to the skylight with a long bundle in hand. He walks a couple of steps, metallic footsteps clanking with every step in sync with the thunder claps outside before he pulled the cloth off, revealing the Kryptonite spear. He hefts it up before stabbing it into the concrete.
The Batman theme kicked in as the Dark Knight stood on the roof. He pulled a tarp off a large spotlight and pulled the switch down and the Bat Signal powered on, casting its light on the dark thunder clouds above as rain poured in sheets. Batman stared up towards his signal.
Across the bay in Atlas, Merlot stood on the roof of his tower and sees the Bat Signal in the Mantle sky. He holds up his Scroll to his ear. "The Knight is here."
Many jolted at seeing the face of Bat-Qrow combined with the sound of thunder and the music playing.
A few grew interested at seeing the armor Batman was dressed in. "Based on my observations, that suit increases his strength while slowing him down." Penny stated. She turned to the Host. "Correct?" she asked.
It was times like this that Darth Anarchus forgot Penny was an android in disguise. He nodded to her and got an beaming smile.
Many felt awe as Batman activated his own Bat Signal as they remembered Superman's warning and the Dark Knight was turning it on himself. Either he did have a death wish or he was a lot more fearless than they gave him credit for.
Most of the adults narrowed their eyes upon seeing Merlot and his reaction. Hopefully they'll find out what his plan is.
Jazz music plays in the background as Amber descends on a escalator. She spots a janitor cleaning the floor up ahead of her. She turns to walk one way before pausing and turning to the janitor. She furrows her brow and walks forward. "Excuse me, do I know you?" she asked.
She got her answer when the janitor turned around to reveal herself as Tock Knyazev. Amber's eyes widened before a man grabbed her from behind arms. "Hey!" she cried out and tried to pull away before she was lifted off her feet. She tried to scream for help before her mouth was covered. She tries to scream again as she is carried out of the building to the back of a white van.
Like Amber, many felt Deja vu upon seeing the janitor onscreen. But then they saw that it was Tock Knyazev.
"Oh no! Amber!" Most of the students exclaimed when they saw Amber being kidnapped.
"Oh come on!" Amber herself muttered to herself in frustration. She relaxed when her father figure, Qrow hugged her close with one arm. She looked up to him and saw some worry in his dull crimson eyes.
The Host half grimaced. Amber did not seem to be nothing but the damsel in distress in these viewings, didn't it? A blood slave in the Dracula viewing and now a reporter that always seemed to end up in perilous situations? Granted Lois Lane (Amber) didn't give off damsel distress vibes in other parts in the DC Multiverse but he did enjoy her character in this universal viewing.
The scene changed to show Amber sitting in a Bullhead that flew over Atlas towards MerlotCorp. When the Bullhead lands on the platform, she steps out and is greeted by Merlot himself.
She watches the Bullhead fly away before Merlot speaks to her. "Ambers glowing in the morning sun." he said as she turns to face him with a glare. "Leaves fly in the Autumn wind." He stands with his hands on his hips. "Amber Autumn."
She stares at him warily as he breathes deeply. "Come see the view." he suggested and guides her with his arm. She tries to pull away but he holds her tightly while humming "Uh-uh."
"Now the secret to the height is the building material." Merlot explained as he walked her to the ledge. "Light metals that sway in the wind." He turns around to face her with a knowing smile. "But you know all about MerlotCorp Metals, don't you, Ms. Autumn?"
"I've proven what you've done," Amber declared defiantly.
"Wow, you're feisty." Merlot laughed in amusement. "Unfortunately, that will blow away like sand in the deserts." he added.
"You're psychotic." Amber said to him bluntly.
A few rose an eyebrow at Merlot's greeting before tensing at seeing him lead Amber's counterpart to the ledge of the building.
"That's one word to describe him," Yang muttered when Amber called Merlot psychotic.
"That is a three syllable word for a thought too big for little minds." Merlot stated before tapping a finger on Amber's forehead. She pulled away with a grimace. "Next category, circles. Around, round and round they go to find Superman." Merlot said, walking around Amber. "Hmm, wrong category. No triangles, no. Yes, let's triangulate and equality."
He gets behind Amber. "The shortest path between two points is a straight path." He said, leaning in close. " And I believe the straightest path to Superman is pretty little road called Amber Autumn." He whispered, taking a deep breath before he turned Amber around to face him just before shoving her off the rooftop.
Amber gasped before screaming in fear as she plummeted to the ground. "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
A few deadpanned at Merlot's response, Amber herself frowned when Merlot tapped her counterpart's forehead.
Many rose an eyebrow when Merlot spoke about circles and finding Superman.
"AMBER!" Many of Ozpin's Inner Circle cried out when she was shoved off the ledge.
Suddenly Oscar was in front of her as Superman. She gasped in surprise as the Man of Steel caught her in his arms. He smiled to her reassuringly before slowly descending down to place her on the ground while carrying her bridal style.
"You came back." Amber whispered as she hugged him before looking up, caressing his face. "You came back." Amber repeated. They stared at one another before Amber stood on her toes to kiss Oscar on the lips. He returned the kiss before pulling back. He silently flew up to the rooftop of MerlotCorp tower with an angry expression as he glared at Merlot.
Many sighed in relief when Superman showed up and caught her. "The Man of Steel is back!" Nora cheered.
Both Oscar and Amber blushed when seeing their counterparts kiss briefly.
"Yeah, he did," Ruby nodded with a smile. "He came back as Superman." She felt a twinge of jealousy at seeing Oscar kissing Amber but dismissed it.
"Boy, do we have problems up here." Merlot said with a smile as he sat cross legged, and setting an egg timer in hand. He stood up, looking up to the Kryptonian Man of Steel. "The problem of, of evil in the world. Uh, the problem of absolute virtue-"
"I'll take you in without breaking you." Oscar said angrily. He recalled what Amber had tried to tell him earlier with the Capitol Bombing. He reached his own conclusions same as his girlfriend. "Which is more than you deserve." He added.
"What the-? Why does he have a timer?" Coco asked. The Host held up a hand and silently told her to wait.
"Damn right," Qrow said in agreement with Oscar's counterpart when he said that he will not break Merlot.
"The problem of you on top of everything else. You above all!" Merlot said, pointing to Superman. "Ah, 'Cause that's what God is." He sighed.
"Horus, Apollo, Jehovah, Oz-El, Oscar Aaron Pine-Belladonna." He listed names of different gods known throughout Remnant, before adding in Superman's Kryptonian name and his Remnantian name. Superman's eyes widened as he landed on the roof. "See, what we call God depends on our tribe, Oscar A PB." Merlot went on before pointing to the sky with a smile. "Because God is tribal, God take sides."
Slowly, everyone's confusion at Merlot's antics turned to shock when he said Superman's real identity. "Oh no," Oscar muttered.
Both Ozpin and Salem snorted though when Merlot said that God is tribal and that he takes sides. Based on their experiences with the Brother gods of Light and Darkness, they feel a bit inclined to agree with Merlot.
But then Merlot stopped smiling, "No man in the sky intervened when I was a boy to deliver me from Daddy's fists and abominations. Mm-hmm." He said, shaking his hands, his right hand bandaged. He gestures left and right as he went on saying, "I figured out way back, if God is all powerful, he cannot be all good. And if he is all good, than he cannot be all powerful. And neither can you be." He said to Superman.
"They need to see the fraud you are." He declared with an angry or crazy look in his eyes. He gestures to his eyes, adding. "With their eyes. The blood on your hands." He holds up his bandaged hand at the last sentence.
A few felt sympathetic when they heard from Merlot that he had an abusive father.
"So, wait, that's why he seems so against Superman?" Glynda asked. "He hates the idea of viewing him as a god when he hates the idea of god?"
Darth Anarchus nodded. "He also doesn't like the idea of Superman doing what he thinks is right and forcing humanity to obey him." he explained. "But he doesn't see that most of his actions makes him want to be in position of being a god."
"What have you done?" Superman asked.
"Mm, and tonight, they will." Merlot went on and walked past the Man of Steel. "Yes, because you, my friend, have a date. Hmm, across the bay!" He pointed dramatically to the Bat Signal over in Mantle.
"Right fruit, his hate. Two years growing," Merlot went on, turning around. "But it did not take much to push him over, actually."
"Wait, what?" Many exclaimed at the end.
"Little red notes." He said, holding his hands as if he was holding the paychecks himself. "Big Bang, You let your family die!" He shouted dramatically.
"You mean it was him, this whole time?" Blake exclaimed.
The Host nodded. "He intercepted Mr. Keefe's paychecks, wrote the messages himself and sent them back to Branwen Enterprises." he said. "The amputee was unaware of this and lead to think his former employer didn't give a damn for people like him."
"So, he didn't know that there was a bomb in his wheelchair?" Pyrrha asked sadly. Darth Anarchus shook his head. "Amber herself found out about that in her investigation." he said. "Suicide bombers don't groceries before they go bomb buildings." he added.
"And now, you will fly to him." Merlot said to Superman who narrowed his eyes. "And you will battle him to the death. Black and blue. Fight night. The greatest gladiator match in the history of the world. God vs Man." Merlot declared as thunder clapped at his words near the end. "Day vs Night. The Son of Krypton vs Bat of Mantle."
"Okay, you got to admit, this is hyping us up." Mercury said.
"It would if it was a fight that wasn't rigged by someone like Merlot!" Ruby protested.
"So, it would be better if they were fighting of their own free will?" Mercury asked.
"No! I mean, in a friendly spar, not to the death!" Ruby replied.
"But where's the fun in that?" Tyrian asked with an insane grin.
"Not everyone wants to see two superheroes kill each other," Ruby retorted. "Y-You maniac!"
Tyrian rose an eyebrow. "Am I supposed to be insulted?"
"You think I'll fight him for you?" Superman asked in disgust.
"Mmm. Yes, I do." Merlot said with a smirk. "I think you will fight, fight, fight for that special lady in your life."
"She's safe on the ground." Superman replied with a quick glance with his X-ray vision to check on Amber before looking to Merlot, "How about you?" he asked, as if briefly reminding him that he was standing near a ledge.
"Close, but I am NOT talking about Amber." Merlot replied without missing a beat. He walks around Superman. "No, every boy's special lady. . . is his mother." Superman's eyes widened at the implications.
Most of the students scoffed at Merlot's confidence that Superman would fight the Batman. But then many of their eyes widened at Merlot's next statement.
". . .What?" Blake whispered.
Gasping dramatically when Superman took a step, Merlot pulled out a handful of photos of Kali with the word WITCH on her forehead. Superman stopped in his tracks. "Hmm, Kali, Kali, Kali." Merlot mused. "Now the mother of a flying demon must be a witch. And the punishment for witches, what is that? Oh yes, death by fire."
Merlot threw the photos at Superman's feet one by one as the Man of Steel fell to his knees. He reached down to pick up one photo of his mother's face. His hands shook before he looked up to Merlot. "WHERE IS SHE?!" He roared with his hazel eyes glowing like red flames.
Many of the students gasped as they imagined their own mothers in Kali's position. Though in Oscar's case, he was thinking about his aunt. They felt the same horror and anger going through them.
"Mom!/Kali!" Ghira and Blake exclaimed in worry and horror. Kali herself covered her mouth in shock.
"She was kidnapped too?" Oscar asked in worry. Darth Anarchus nodded silently.
Many jolted and felt fear shoot through them as they saw Oscar's eyes glowing red.
"I don't know! I would not let them tell me." Merlot declared with his hands on his hips. He waved his finger in a 'No, no" gesture in front of Superman's face. "Now, rrraahh. If you kill me, Kali dies, and if you fly away, Kali also dies." He did some gestures of Superman flying away. He held his finger up as he says, "But if you kill the Bat, Kali lives." he curls his fingers into a fist.
Superman glared up to him before closing his eyes and lowering his head. "There we go, there we go." Merlot said softly, running his hands through Oscar's hair. "And now God bends to my will." He declared sinisterly.
"Oh, clever, Merlot," Salem muttered. "Very clever indeed."
"Damn," both Oscar and Qrow said under their breaths.
"Now the cameras are waiting at your ship for the world to see the holes in the holy!" Merlot declared. "Yes, the almighty comes clean about how dirty he is when it counts. To save Kali, bring me the head of the Bat." Superman rose his head to glare up at him.
"Oh! Mother of God! Would you look at the time?" Merlot declared as he pulled out the timer. "When you came here, you had an hour. Now it's less." He pointed to the timer, showing to Superman. The music in the background rose in crescendo as Merlot walked to the Bullhead behind him and it left shorty after.
Many of the good guys glared at Merlot while some of the older villains couldn't help but respect the man. As he said, now, Superman, the god-like being bends to his will.
"This is why secret identities are important for superheroes," Darth Anarchus said. "Because you never know when a sociopath is going to come along and get the drop on you."
The scene changed to the Daily Planet. Velvet and Cardin were watching the office TV as footage of the Kryptonian ship was shown. "Baldwin is on the scene, Brooke you're live on the air, what do you see?" A reporter asked.
"There's something happening at the ship." Velvet said to Coco as she walked out of her office and she glanced out her window to see bolts of lightning at the ship, even from this distance. "It's sending massive power surges."
Robyn was shown walking up a flight of stairs and sees a TV on the news. "We're trying to get a little closer to find out what's going on." Brooke reported as Robyn watched the screen. "It is absolute chaos. You can see that lightning. . ." The lights flicker and the building shake, causing Robyn to look around with wide eyes. "And it's getting stronger by the minute."
"Oh, that's not good," Jaune said when the Rabbit Faunus spoke about the Kryptonian ship.
Robyn narrowed her eyes at seeing her counterpart. "Come on, do something," she whispered.
"Daily Planet," Amber said to a cab driver urgently. She opens the back door and moves to step in.
"Amber," She paused and turned around to see Superman looking at her with an urgent and desperate expression. "I have to go to Mantle to convince him to help me." He stated.
"Who?" Amber asked in worry at his tone.
Superman looked to the side, sad and desperation written all over his face. "Or he has to die."
Amber's eyes widened at the declaration. What happened up at the roof? Her mind raced for an answer. What did Merlot say or do to her boyfriend? "Oscar. . ." she stepped forward but Oscar began to fly.
"No one stays good in this world." He said sadly before flying away. Amber watched him fly away.
Many felt sympathetic for Superman and his predicament. His mother was kidnapped by the man who had framed him and dragged his name through the mud and forcing him to kill the Batman.
"It's going to be fine," Ruby whispered. "It's all going to work out in the end."
Isn't that the sad truth, Both Ozpins thought to themselves at Superman's sad statement before he flew away.
"I need a Bullhead to Mantle!" Amber declared as she ran through the Daily Planet.
"A Bullhead? We can hardly afford a bicycle!" Coco declared, half confused why she wanted to head to Mantle of all places. "You want a story? Amber, get to the ship. That's your story!" She pointed to the TV. "Superman's probably there already!"
"Coco, it's not for a story." Amber said to her sternly.
". . . Get her to the Bullhead." Coco stared at her before understanding and realization seemed to dawn on her. She turned to one of her workers. "Put it on the roof, Autumn. On the roof, Autumn!" She called to Amber as she jogged away.
On the roof, she was greeted by the pilot. "Where to?" he asked. Amber pointed over to the Bat Signal. "There!" she said urgently.
Amber nodded in agreement as she had a hunch of what her counterpart was planning. A few respected Amber. She didn't understand her boyfriend's situation yet she was willing to follow him to Mantle and help him.
I just hope I'm not too late, Amber thought.
The Batman was shown staring up at the sky, ignoring the rain pouring down on him. Then the lightning flashed and Superman was hovering thirty feet above him. The Man of Steel stared down at the Bat who stared back. After a long moment, Superman landed on the ground in sync with a thunderclap.
"Well, here I am." Batman said, spreading his arms out slightly, his tone sounding close to cocky.
"Qrow, please!" Superman said in a pleading tone. He walked towards Batman who began to walk backwards. "I was wrong. You have to listen to me. Merlot wants us to-" His right foot stepped onto a hidden button and suddenly two large cannons appeared at his sides and blasted sonic waves at the Man of Steel. Superman grunted in pain as his super hearing was bombarded with sonic wave after sonic wave.
Many grew tense at seeing the Dark Knight and Man of Steel staring each other down in the rain.
A few grew confused when Superman knew Batman's secret identity before remembering that he had X-ray vision.
All the Faunus in the room grimaced and covered their animal ears in pain when the sonic cannons appeared. Zwei himself whined and shook his head. Ruby and Weiss gasped and hugged the corgi close in comfort.
The Bat smiled slightly as he watched the Man of Steel in pain. He reached down and picked up a manhole cover. He tore it in half before throwing each end at the cannons. "You don't understand, there's no time!" he said impatiently as he walked to the Batman who walked up to him as well.
"I understand!" He growled before Superman suddenly sent him flying back with a shove as if he was made of cardboard. The Dark Knight was sent skidding across the ground thirty feet away from where Superman stood.
"No you don't!" Qrow shouted to his counterpart. "Just stop and listen for a second! Oh shit," he said when Superman sent his counterpart flying back. A few couldn't help but chuckle at the flex of Superman's strength when he sent Batman flying without effort.
The Kryptonian took another step before four 50 caliber guns popped out of compartments around him and unleashed everything they had at the Man of Steel. Superman instinctively braced himself before his body was pelted with bullets.
After a moment, he flew into the air and destroyed the guns with his heat vision. He looks around with his eyes glowing like flames.
"Damn, good thing he's bulletproof or he would have been shredded like paper," Yang said when Superman was bombarded with heavy gunfire.
"That's a menacing shot," Sun said in awe and fear at seeing Superman with red eyes. Many nodded in agreement.
Batman rose to his feet, growling in anger as the fire reflected off his armor. Superman landed in front of him and walked to him and then picked him up without any strain despite the armor the Dark Knight was wearing was well over two hundred pounds. He then threw the Bat fifty down an alleyway.
As the Batman struggled to get to his feet, the Audience saw Superman appear in front of him faster than a blink. Superman walked around him before frowning, losing patience. He then tackled Batman through the wall of the building behind him. They flew out of the roof of the building and Superman threw Batman down to his Bat Signal.
The Dark Knight bounced off the spotlight and landed at the far ledge of the roof, the impact causing the edge of the roof to collapse. Batman gritted his teeth and pushed himself away from the ledge. The Kryptonian landed on the roof. "Stay down!" Superman ordered sternly as Batman rose to his feet. "If I wanted it, you'd be dead already!" And it was true, the Man of Steel could have punched the Bat's head off if he wanted to.
A few grimaced at seeing Superman throwing Batman around like he was weightless.
"Damn, all that time working out and he can hardly do anything against Superman," Mercury said as a few remembered seeing Bat-Qrow working out earlier.
"It wasn't for fighting Superman," the Host said. "It was so he could move around in that suit of armor."
"Please, Qrow, just stop and listen." Summer said to the screen in worry.
Batman pulled out a grenade, waved it at Superman before pulling the pin, releasing gray smoke before tossing it at Superman's feet and a large cloud formed between them.
Superman furrowed his brow as he saw that he couldn't see through it. That meant it was mixed with lead particles. He flew through the smoke only to see Batman was not there. Then he heard a CLICK behind him. He turned around and saw the Batman aiming a gun at him. The Batman then pulled the trigger and a black grenade shot towards Superman.
The Man of Steel caught it like it was a baseball. Like seriously, what was he hoping to accomplish when his 50 caliber bullets bounced of the Kryptonian's skin? But then a cloud of green gas shot into his face.
Instantly, Superman's throat and lungs burned. His eyes watered and he felt dizzy. He began to cough harshly, falling to his knees.
"I don't get why he's using weapons like that when he knows they're doing squat against Superman," Roman stated with a shake of his head.
"He's doing it so that Superman lets his guard down," Darth Anarchus explained.
"For what?" Ruby asked in worry. The Host simply pointed to the screen just as Superman caught the Kryptonite grenade and it exploded in his face. Many gasped, they had admittedly forgot the Bat had those grenades.
"He made him think that all he had were normal weapons," Sienna stated as realization dawned. "And his guard would be down because he would think that the grenade was just a normal grenade."
"Add on that they are in cased in lead," Darth Anarchus explained.
Batman smiled and hooked the Kryptonite gun to his belt. He watched Superman cough and wheeze in the Kryptonite gas. "Breath it in." He said to the Man of Steel who coughed and hacked. "That's fear." He added.
"You're not brave." He stated with a shake of his head. Superman looked up to him with a glare and watery eyes before shooting to his feet. He threw his fist to punch the Bat, only for his fist to be blocked by the forearm of the Batman.
"Men are brave." Batman declared. After all, it was easy to act tough when you knew that you were bulletproof. Superman looked at his fist in shock. He threw a couple of more punches but they were blocked by Batman before the Bat headbutted him, causing him to stagger back.
"Oh no," many said in unison when Superman was getting weakened and his fist was blocked by Batman.
". . . Damn, talk about a badass motherfucker." Winter muttered in a mixture of awe and respect before she realized that she just complimented Qrow Branwen.
"Normally I'd take the compliment, especially since you rarely give any to me, but now's not the time." Qrow stated dismissively, his eyes on the screen.
"Fair enough." Winter shrugged.
Batman reared his right fist back and punched Superman in the face. He blocked another punch thrown by the weakened Kryptonian before elbowing him in the throat, which Oscar grabbed at his throat, and then the Bat was back kicking him in the chest. Superman was sent flying back from the kick and he landed a glass skylight. He groaned in pain as the Batman walked towards him.
The Bat roared as he jumped high into the air and slammed his feet down on Superman's chest and pushed him through the skylight. They fell to the next floor and Superman landed on his back with Batman's metal boots digging into his chest.
He rolled onto his side, groaning in pain as Batman stepped off him, only to kick him in the ribs. He stumbled to his feet before he was punched in the face, followed by an uppercut to the jaw. Batman suddenly grabbed him by the throat, headbutted him and then shoved his face into concrete. He jabbed him in the face and then into his diaphragm, drawing the air out of him before throwing a cross punch that knocked him off his feet.
Oscar gasped as he felt pain course through his chest and face. Realization slowly dawned on him. This whole thing was a trap. Merlot didn't send him here to kill the Bat. He was sent here so the Bat could kill him.
He rose to his knees just as Batman swung his leg to his head. He rose his hand and caught the appendage. His arm almost buckled, but he managed to grip it with both hands before he spun around and threw the Dark Knight through the wall.
"Uncle Bat, don't do this!" Ruby cried out.
"His mother is in danger!" Oscar shouted. "He needs your help!"
"Gah! It's more conflicting than I thought it would be," Yang said, pulling on her hair. On one hand, it was her uncle but on the other hand, Oscar was a good guy and his mother was in danger. She just can't bring herself to root for one of them more than the other.
"You know there's some irony here?" Mercury suddenly said. "Superman grew up on a farm and Qrow grew up rich." he said to Emerald. "This is technically a fight between a rich kid and a poor kid. A rich person and a hard worker."
"Except Superman hasn't needed to work hard for anything," Emerald said. "He just stands in the sun and it makes him as strong as he is."
Cinder nodded. "If any of them is a hard worker, it's Batman."
Batman was sent rolling across the room before his back collided with a wall. He groaned in pain as he landed on his front.
Superman looked up at the hole in the wall in surprise and shock. Did that mean his powers were returning? Batman lifted his head and saw Oscar rising to his feet.
The two heroes charged at one another, Superman ran through the wall like it was tissue paper. But then Batman caught him by the shoulders, spun around and slammed him against the wall.
Many gasped when Superman caught Batman's leg and sent him flying. "Okay, you got some distance," Tai said. "Maybe explain yourself more."
"Or beat him more and take away his Kryptonite gun!" Cardin said.
"Ooh! Does this mean the effects of Kryptonite just temporary?" Penny asked.
"Oof, I don't think so," Sun grimaced when Batman slammed Superman against the wall.
Batman began to punch him the face. But then slowly, Oscar stopping flinching from the hits until he hardly budged from the fifth punch and a metallic CLANK! echoed through the room. Batman froze from throwing a sixth punch and looked at his fist in shock.
Superman's lips curled slightly upward as he tilted his head in a smug manner. The Dark Knight held up a hand as he took a step back and Superman rose into the air before tackling the Bat through the floor.
Batman groaned in pain as Superman rose to his feet, grabbed onto his armor and then threw him through ten concrete pillars and metal stalls in the room. Batman grunted in pain as he skidded to a halt. He reached to his belt and pulled out the Kryptonite gun. He frantically started reloading it.
"Actually, I take it back," Sun said when Superman didn't flinch from the punches.
Qrow chuckled nervously. "I don't suppose you have interest in talking this out?" he remarked to bring some humor to the situation.
"Unfortunately not." Oscar winced when his counterpart tackled Bat-Qrow through the floor and then threw him through the pillars and stalls.
The Audience's view focused on Superman's fist clenching before Oscar let out a yell of rage as he charged to where the Batman laid. Batman managed to reload another Kryptonite grenade before he aimed at Superman just as the Man of Steel jumped into the air, ready to deliver a Superman Punch. He pulled the trigger and fired at point blank range at Superman's face.
But not before Superman punched him in the face.
Superman bounced in one direction, covered in Kryptonite gas, Batman went spinning in another. The Bat landed on his stomach and gritted his teeth as his left eye was exposed from the damage done to his cowl. He stood up as the light visor covering his right eye flickered off, revealing his other eye. He stood up and glared at the coughing and hacking Superman on the floor before he walked over to a sink and pulled it out of the wall.
Superman coughed as he tried to pull himself up. Breathing like an angry beast, Batman held the sink above his head and brought down on the weakened Kryptonian. Superman was out cold before he hit the floor.
"And Batman hits Superman with another dose of Kryptonite gas," Port said like a spokesperson of the Vytal Festival.
"But not before Superman gave him a Superman punch to the face." Oobleck stated.
"Ha! Superman punch!" Yang and Tai laughed in amusement.
"And he's using a sink," Roman said, mildly surprised when the Batman ripped the sink out of the wall.
"No, Uncle Bat, don't!" Ruby cried out before Batman slammed the sink down on Superman's head.
Oscar winced and rubbed the back of his head.
Batman tossed the sink aside before kneeling down. He grabbed Superman by his hair before flipping him upside down and onto his shoulder. The music rose dramatically as the Bat carried the Man of Steel over to the ledge of a stairwell. He then threw Superman down the stairwell and he landed on a pile of metal plates and crates.
The impact caused Oscar to cry out in pain.
Batman pulled out his grappling hook and then aimed to a wooden beam on the ceiling above him. Jumping off the ledge, he descended down on the grappling line before landing a few feet from Superman.
". . . Strangely, I thought he was going break his back," Cardin said blankly.
"Oscar!" Most of the students cried out when Superman was thrown down the stairwell. They all winced when he landed on a pile of metal and he cried out in pain.
The Bat rewound his grappling hook before unwinding it, tossed the gun aside before walking over and tying the hook and rope around Superman's ankle. Superman lifted his head before dropping it down in pain. The Dark Knight then walked back to where he tossed his grappling gun, picked it up and started dragging Superman from the rubble. "I bet your parents taught you that you mean something." Batman said, his voice modulator sounded distorted, as if switching between Qrow Branwen and Batman. "That you're here for a reason."
Superman weakly reached to his ankle. "My parents taught me a different lesson." Batman said as he stopped walking in the middle of the room and turned to face the Kryptonian. "Dying in the gutter for no reason at all." He then slammed his hand on the grappling gun and the line snapped, pulling Superman into the air and Batman spun him around in the air before slamming him face first into two concrete pillars. Batman let out a yell as he finally let the grappling line release Superman and threw him like a rag doll face first into a pile of concrete.
"They taught me the world only makes sense, if you force it to." Batman said with an almost mad look in his eye before he reached down to the Kryptonite spear and pulled it out. The green tip began glowing like a ball of green flames.
Outside of the building, the Audience saw a Bullhead arriving. Then they see Amber jumping out before the airship landed completely. She saw the damaged guns and the hole in the building. Eyes widening, she ran in through the door.
A few looked at Bat-Qrow with sympathy. He had been through a lot, seen the worse of humanity and now that trauma and fear of what potential danger Superman can possess should he go rogue was all clouding his judgment that Super-Oscar was a genuine good person with good morals trying to do the right thing as a superhero in the world he was in.
Many grew horrified and worried for Super-Oscar when the Kryptonite spear came into view.
"It's going to be okay," Ruby said to herself. "It's all going to be okay."
Amber felt some relief at seeing her counterpart arrive. "Come on, you're almost there." she whispered.
Back inside, Batman approached Superman. "You were never a god." He said as he kicked Superman onto his back, placed his foot on the Man of Steel's throat. "You were never even a man." He growled with a trembling lip in rage before he dragged the Kryptonite spear head across Superman's cheek, cutting his skin and causing him to groan in pain.
The Batman then hefted the spear above his head, ready to plunge it deep into Superman's chest. But then Oscar let out a strangled cry. "You're letting him kill Kali. . ."
The Dark Knight faltered and blinked in confusion. ". . . What does that mean? Who's Kali?" He asked, briefly glancing around in confusion.
"Find. . . him. . . Save. . . Kali. . ." Oscar wheezed in a begging tone.
"No, Qrow, don't!" Many called out in protest when Batman held the Kryptonite spear up, ready to plunge it through Oscar's chest.
Speaking of Oscar, the boy started hyperventilating. The memory of being shot by General Ironwood in his timeline surfaced on his mind as he saw Qrow, someone who is his close mentor in his timeline hold a spear with the intent to kill him.
"Oscar?" Whitley asked in concern. "Is everything okay?"
Ruby looked over and saw Oscar's panicked expression. "Oscar?" she asked.
Oscar's breathing rose higher as his heartbeat rang in his ears. Oscar, breathe, breathe, Ozpin said within his mind.
Ruby placed her hands on Oscar's shoulders. "Oscar, it's okay. You're okay." she said reassuringly. Oscar's eyes seemed to focus on her and his breathing slowed. He took a deep breath before smiling at her gratefully.
"What was that?" Whitley asked in concern.
"Sorry," Oscar shook himself. "First time I'm seeing someone aiming an axe at me." He said sheepishly. And that person happens to be a close friend.
A few members of the Audience gave him concerned looks before hearing Batman speak.
"Who's Kali? Who's Kali?" Batman asked.
"Save. . . her. . ." Oscar rasped.
"Her?" Batman demanded. "Who is she? Who is she?"
"Please. . . save her. . ." The Kryptonian wheezed.
"It's his mother," Summer said pleadingly.
"Just get off his throat and let him explain himself!" Roman snapped.
"Who?! Who is she?!" Batman shouted. This got Amber's attention when she ran inside the building. "WHO IS SHE?!"
"OSCAR!" Amber ran to Oscar's side. She looked up to the Dark Knight. "Stop, please!" she pleaded.
"WHO IS SHE?! WHO IS SHE?!" Batman demanded. Amber furrowed her brow in confusion before looking to Oscar.
"She's in danger, Qrow!" Tai said urgently.
"My counterpart has to know," Amber stated. "She can explain!"
". . . Kali. . ." He wheezed.
Realization dawned on Amber as her eyes widened. "Kali. . . Kali is his mother!" she said to Batman in frantic desperation. "Kali is his mother."
Batman blinked and turned to Amber. ". . . Mother?" he asked. Frantically, Amber nodded to him.
It was then that most of the adults remembered what Ruby's counterpart had said earlier. Amber was the key. Ozpin's eyes widened as he looked to the screen.
Tragic music began to play as the word echoed in Qrow's mind. His mind flashed back to when he lost his parents. How he and Raven were helpless as they watched their parents shot and killed by a random thug on the streets. His father, Thomas Branwen tried to swing his fist at the thug after pushing Qrow and Raven away from the danger. But the thug was faster, he pulled the trigger and shot him in the chest. Their mother Martha tried to wrestle the gun out of his hands but she was easily fought off and the gun was caught on her pearl necklace. She looked to him pleadingly before the trigger was pulled and her necklace broke, the pearls sent flying. During this, the Audience caught glimpses of Qrow falling down a shaft while screaming.
"Mother!" Raven was faintly heard as she knelt down to her dying mother. Thomas reached towards his wife, his final moments was seeing his wife dying beside him. "Martha. . ." he whispered before the life left their eyes. Qrow did what any child would do in a situation like this. He screamed.
Bat-Qrow remembered how years later he made a vow to make sure no one lost their parents to a random thug with a gun. That was why he became the Batman. But then he lost his sister, his niece and son. And then two years ago, he met a little girl who lost her parents, no older than he was when lost his parents.
Unlike him, the girl's mother was taken by someone with a name and face. In his mind, it was Superman. And he spent months training to kill a heartless alien, yet hearing Oscar beg him, the man who's ready to kill him, beg not for his life but for the life of his mother. Then another vision played in his mind, this time he was visioning himself as the thug, his Kryptonite spear replaced with a gun pointed at an innocent woman and he had the option to kill her and the man who saw her as a mother or not.
Many gasped at seeing Qrow and Raven's counterparts loosing their parents. Sure tragedies like that were quite common in their world, mainly with the Creatures of Grimm, but it was rare (In the students' mind.) to see it happen with the cause being humans. Both Raven and Qrow grimaced, they had lost their parents at a young age as but they were less affected at their deaths onscreen. But they would admit, this saddened them when it looked like they were having a good night together and that their father tried to protect them.
Velvet wiped her eyes with a sniff. "This music sure makes it more impactful." she muttered and many students nodded in agreement. The music playing in the background was making the scene more emotional. Props to whoever composed it.
"Almost every Batman variant have this backstory," Darth Anarchus explained. "They loose their parents to a random thug with a gun at a young age, and that trauma fuels them to become Batman to fight crime."
Hearing it out completely, the Audience understood Bat-Qrow more when he was so hellbent on fighting Superman. His parents were killed by a nameless thug, he saves a girl who lost her parents in the Black Zero Event and in his eyes, the killer was Superman.
"Wait, every Batman?" Weiss asked. Her question got the attention her family, even Jacques, and their butler. Saphron and Terra also grew curious as they thought back to Bat-Jaune.
"Yes, but there are two exceptions." Darth Anarchus replied. Jaune and Whitley felt a little saddened at their counterpart's, and the Batman's story in general, fate. "One is from what is known as the Flashpoint Timeline. It is a universe with little slight changes to the time line and the people in it. What kind of changes, you all shall see later. So, no spoilers. The other is a young teen who lost his father."
More than half were interested at the mention of the Flashpoint Timeline. Both Ruby and Jacques strangely felt connections to the brief explanation but didn't understand why.
While saddened at the reminder of the Black Zero Event and the damage caused, Oscar smiled slightly at his counterpart's selflessness that he was begging Batman to save his mother.
He stepped off of Oscar's throat and walked backwards. Horror and regret dawning on him. ". . . Oh God, what have I done?" he whispered.
"He ended up standing in the same position of the thug," Salem said. "Tragic irony," she mused. Qrow didn't like it, but he agreed with the Grimm Queen. It was ironic that his counterpart was standing in the same position as the thug that took his parents.
He stared at the Kryptonite spear in hand before sneering in self-hatred before he threw the spear as far as he could.
The spear landed on the concrete with an echoing CLANK!
Many sighed in relief at seeing Bat-Qrow throw away the Kryptonite spear.
"Now, all that's left is to save Kali," Ghira said in relief.
"Oh, there's more than that," Darth Anarchus said. "Oh there is MORE than that."
So yeah, for anyone who have seen Batman vs Superman know that I changed the Martha exchange. I know that there are some who (pardon my bluntness) have their brains turned off when the scene happens.
I myself didn't get it, but that was because I was around 12 years old at the time the movie came out. (Wow, I feel old.) But now that I'm older, I understand it more. But I still changed it here because I calculated that I would have to explain to my Audience here about it because realistically, they would not understand the logic that Batman is suddenly friends with Superman when their mothers have the same name. My change was that Martha Branwen/Wayne stayed the same while Kali Belladonna was chosen as Oscar's adopted mother (Martha Kent) here.
Now I written the explanation already in the content/reaction but I'll say it again.
In the Black Zero Event, which happened after he lost his remaining family, Bat-Qrow saw the dangerous potential beings like Superman can do to populated areas when they're fighting each other or if they decide to take over/destroy the world when humanity has nothing to stop them. And Merlot's manipulations painted Superman as a merciless god that decides who should live or not. Hence why I included the first scene in the desert from the Extended cut. Bat-Qrow's fear boils into rage and he takes it out on criminals like the sex trafficker, Shay D. Mann, branding them with the Bat Brand, which terrifies everyone in Mantle and angers Oscar when he sees no one wanting to stop the Dark Knight out of fear. And Merlot takes advantage of that by hiring other inmates through Tock to kill those with the Bat Brand. My theory he also bribes the news network and others in Mantle to spread the rumors that Batman is acting as judge, jury and executioner. These rumors lead to Super-Oscar confronting Bat-Qrow both in the party and after his car chase in the Batmobile.
And then Bat-Qrow has a premonition of Superman ruling Remnant as a tyrannical dictator and then the Flash (Ruby Rose) tells him that he was right about Super-Oscar. He doesn't think anything of it at first but it starts to feed his view of Superman being a danger to Remnant and its people. But then the Capitol bombing happens, Qrow and half of the people think that Superman knew about the bomb and did nothing but he also receives messages planted by Merlot that pushes him over the edge.
So, creating Kryptonite weapons and heavy duty battle armor, Bat-Qrow waits for Super-Oscar to show up, unaware that he is forced to by Merlot who kidnapped his mother Kali. Being stubborn, judgment clouded, Bat-Qrow fights Super-Oscar until it goes into his favor but then the Kryptonian begs, not for his life but for another. The Bat is confused and so is Qrow. Who is Kali, a woman that the alien apparently cares more than his life? When the answer is given, he realizes that not only Oscar is humanized in his view, he is now standing in the same position as the random thug with a gun was when he was a boy.
(Takes a deep breath.) Okay, I'm done.
Coming Up
Three of the remaining mercenaries rush Batman from different directions.
"Take them down, Uncle Bat!" Ruby cheered, punching some jabs in the air excitedly with her sister.
"Damn, he's a Beast!"
Followed by
"Ancient Kryptonian deformity. Blood of my blood. Your Doomsday."
"Okay, it can't be that bad, right?"
They see Doomsday.
". . . Nevermind, it IS that bad."
Next with
"I've killed things from other worlds before."
Superman looked to Batman confused. "Is she with you?"
The Dark Knight looks to him, just as confused. "I thought she was with you."
"Is now a good time to ask who this BAMF lady is?!"
"Students, Teachers, Huntsmen, Huntresses, Civilians, Schnees."
""""HEY!""""
"Terrorists, General, Soldiers, Farmer, behold, Robyn Hill. Daughter of Amazon Queen Hippolyta and King of Olympus, Ruler of the Sky and God of Lightning, Zeus. Wonder Woman."