Chapter 8: Jason's Call to Cthulhu

Summary:

Bruce finds Jason six years after his death at the Joker's hands.

Batman stood on the roof of GCPD with Commissioner James Gordon.

"To Robin." Batman Said, holding up a hip flask.

"To Robin." Jim Said, holding up his own hip flask. "This is the sixth year?" He asked.

"Yeah." Batman said.

It had been six years since Jason had died, no body had been found. The only body that had been found was Joker's. Bruce was shocked when the autopsy had come back. It looked as though Joker had just fallen asleep, never to wake up again.

"Have you seen the drop in crime?" Gordon asked, breaking Bruce from his thoughts.

"Yeah. I'm not sure what's going on, but I'm going to find out." Bruce walked over to the edge and jumped off.

Gordon watched and shook his head.

Crime Alley

Brace walked into Crime Alley to lay three roses. One for his mother, one for his father, and one for Jason. As he was leaving, he noticed a large man walking out of a building. He prepared himself for a fight in case he needed to.

The man walked out of the shadows and into the light. "Oh, Batman." He Spoke. "I'm sorry if I startled you. Do you need anything, a bowl of soup or a sandwich? We have coffee, tea, or hot chocolate to drink, it's a cool night."

Bruce was speechless. He was staring into the face of a ghost. It wasn't possible. How? But they'd never found a body. "Ja-Jason?" He asked. "Where have you been? I looked for you and couldn't find you."

"Who's Jason?" The man asked.

The blood in Bruce's veins froze as he tried to comprehend what Jason had said. "You are. You're Jason. Jason Todd." Bruce took his cowl off. "It's me. It's Bruce."

"I'm sorry." Jason said, pulling the cowl back onto Bruce's face. "I don't remember you. I don't remember much of anything. My name is ᚳᚪᛋᛟᚾ. Come inside, I'll get you something to eat, and tell you, my story."

Bruce staggered inside the shelter and saw people, some who were just homeless and others who were catatonic. Everyone was helping out, and some watched as Batman, the Batman, staggered inside the shelter with Jason leading him like an injured animal who could attack at any second, but Jason didn't care because someone was in need of his help.

Jason sat Bruce at a table and brought him out a bowl of soup, a loaf of bread, a cup of tea, and a pitcher of water. Jason sat down and looked at Bruce. "I don't remember much of anything. My earliest memories are from about five years ago. I woke up in a dungeon with my guardian. I hope you won't mind if I don't say his name. Unless you understand his culture, language, and species it drives most people insane."

"How did you survive? Joker killed you."

"I don't know. As I said, my first memories are of my guardian. He gave me an understanding of his culture, language, and species so I wouldn't go insane. He taught me many things, and I learned how to use his powers."

"What powers?" Bruce asked.

Jason touched Bruce's head. "Be happy."

Bruce smiled, but in the Batsuit he looked terrifying.

"I have psychic powers. I can do everything from manipulating emotions to completely mind controlling others. The ones who are catatonic are because they were attempting to hurt others or myself and I used my powers to make it so they wouldn't or couldn't hurt anyone else."

"You made them go catatonic?" Bruce asked.

"Yes. My guardian has a better way to deal with them. He would have given them money or cooked them food or even made them cheer on the person they were hunting. I can only make them go Catatonic."

"Can't you fight them?"

"I could, but what good would come from physically attacking them?"

Bruce felt like he'd been told that his entire life had been a lie.

Jason bolted up and ran to the back for picking a cat up from the floor and running up to the roof before holding the cat into the sky and began speaking in an unknown language.

"ᛗᛁᚷᚺᛏᛡ ᚳᛏᚺᚢᛚᚺᚢ! ᛚᛖᚪᚠᛖ ᛏᚺᛁᛋ ᚹᛟᚱᛚᛞ! ᛁ ᛞᛁᛞ ᚾᛟᛏ ᛋᚢᛗᛗᛟᚾ ᛡᛟᚢ! ᛏᚺᚪᛏ ᚹᚪᛋ ᚳᚢᛋᛏ ᛋᛟᛗᛖ ᛁᛞᛁᛟᛏ ᚳᚢᛚᛏᛁᛋᛏ!"(Mighty Cthulhu! Leave this place! I did not summon you! That was just some idiot cultist!)

"What was that?" Bruce asked.

"Some idiot cult tried summoning Cthulhu. One reason I was sent back was to summon Cthulhu and bring about the end of the world."

"What!" Bruce shouted.

"Don't worry. I'm only supposed to do it when I have no faith in humanity, and as you can see, I have plenty of faith in humanity."

"Then, what's with the cat?"

"Oh. This isn't a cat."

Bruce looked at Jason in confusion. "If it's not a cat, then what is it?"

"A goose." Jason said conversationally.

Bruce was even more confused.

"On earth they are called cats." Jason explained. "But where my guardian lives this is called a goose."

That didn't help Bruce's confusion.

"It would only confuse you more if I explained. Why don't we go back downstairs, and you can finish eating. I'm sure you're busy and have other things to do."

Bruce wanted to disagree but knew that Jason was right. "Why don't you stop by the manor tomorrow!" He asked.

"I was invited to Arkham Asylum tomorrow. Maybe if I get finished in time."

"Stop by whenever. I'm sure that Alfred will enjoy the company."

"Okay. Where is the manor?"

Bruce gave him directions and left to finish his patrol.

Arkham Asylum, the next day.

Hugo Strange was waiting for Jason when he walked in.

"Welcome Mr. Todd." Hugo said. "Thank you for visiting our humble establishment."

Jason could read Hugo's mind and with a wave of his hand he told Hugo, "You are the biggest problem for the recovery of the patients here, show your true colors today."

Hugo immediately began acting differently. "Mr. Todd. Might I interest you in a visit to our psychiatrist's offices? I like to gather information on visitors and patients so I can use it as blackmail material to keep patients here or extort money or favors from the others."

"I'm good, thanks." Jason said.

"I really must insist."

"No thank you. I'm not really up for that."

"Then you leave me no choice." Hugo said. "Guards. This man is unwell. Take him to his cell."

Two guards appeared and attempted to grab Jason, but Jason just pulled out of their grasp. "You want to take Mr. Strange to his cell because of what he has on you." He said with a wave of his hand.

The guards turned on Hugo and dragged him to a cell while he tried to escape.

Jason looked into the camera. "I'm here to check up on the patients, could you send a doctor to show me the way?"

By the time Jason had finished his tour, he'd found that about half of the people actually belonged in Arkham while the others were there because of bullshit reasons.

As he was leaving, he walked up to Amanda Waller and looked into her eyes. Never had he seen such cold eyes on a person before, that he remembered. He used his mind control to make her forget about her "Suicide Squad" and focus on other, more important things.

He left the Asylum with Harleen Quinnzell, Pamela Isley, and Edward Nashton, among others. They were going to help him at his shelter.

It took Jason some time before he made it to Wayne Manor, but eventually he made it to Wayne Manor, with Harley on his heels.

"Did I tell ya that Brucie and I went ta college togetha? He was training ta become a docta and I was training ta become a psychiatrist."

"Fascinating." Jason said. "Though, that is the fifth time you've told me that, today."

"Oh, sorry. I'm just excited to see Brucie again."

They arrived at Wayne Manor and knocked.

The door was answered by a smartly dressed butler who began crying as soon as he saw Jason.

"Hello Alfred." Jason Said. "I suppose I am home."

Alfred hugged Jason tightly and stayed like that. "We've missed you Master Jason." Alfred cried into his muscular shoulder.

Jason returned the hug. He was used to being hugged by people he didn't know, or remember in this case, sometimes people just needed a hug. "I hope you don't mind, but I brought a friend and colleague." Jason motioned to Harley when they had finished the hug.

Alfred wiped his eyes and looked at Harley. "Ah, yes. Miss Quinzell." Alfred said. "I remember Wild Study sessions with Master Bruce during College."

"Fun times!" Harley said. "And it's gonna be Mrs. Quinzell soon." She spoke.

"Oh. Who is the lucky partner?"

"Ivy!"

"Ah, yes. I'm sure that you and Miss Isley will make a wonderful couple."

"Thanks! I tagged along with Jason here so I could deliver the invitation personally."

"I believe the Masters are in the gym." Alfred said. "Shall I lead you there?"

"Yes, please and thank you." Jason said.

Alfred led the duo to a gym in the manor. "Announcing Master Jason Todd and Miss Harleen Quinzell." Alfred Said when he entered the gym.

Dick, who was struggling to push up a forty-five-pound bar, he'd been doing an exercise where Bruce and Tim added weight until he'd reached his max weight before taking the weight off until he was left with a bar that he could barely lift. He threw the bar onto the rack and sat up so fast that had the bar been a centimeter lower he would have hit it. Looking at Jason, his eyes filled with tears. "Little Wing?" He asked.

Jason looked at Dick and saw Dick's memories of him calling Jason 'Little Wing'. "I don't remember that name, but that is something you use to call me."

Dick was up and hugging Jason before anyone else could say anything. "Little Wing! You're Back! And not so little anymore." He looked at Jason who was taller than him and built like a truck. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure. I don't remember anything past six years ago when I woke up with my guardian, Thu thu."

"Thu Thu?" Damian snarked. "What kind of name is Thu Thu?"

"The name of my Guardian and you will show him the proper respect." Jason said. "Otherwise, I will make you think that you are a schoolgirl named Mary looking for your little lamb." He said with a nonthreatening smile that said he wasn't lying.

"He's terrifying." Tim said, drinking coffee from a cup.

"You should really get a solid eight hours of sleep and drink less coffee." Jason said with a wave of his hand.

"What, are you some kind of Jedi?" Tim asked.

"No. Thu Thu was a Mind Flayer. He trained me in their skills and abilities."

"Mind Flayer? Like D and D and Cthulhu?"

"Exactly. I was sent here with a pet Goose and instructions to summon Cthulhu when this world has reached a level of evil that I cannot stand."

Bruce, Dick, and Alfred looked at each other.

"I know that you must be confused and terrified by such news but believe me. I still have much hope for this world.

The next several thousand years went by agonizingly slowly. Jason attended Harly and Ivy's wedding and gave them Cthulhu's blessing. He watched as each person he met and helped grew old and died, leaving him alone. As he grew older, he grew weary, and one day, he lost his ability to love the world and his faith in humanity. He walked up to the tallest mountain he could, and summoned Cthulhu.

When Jason woke up, he was surrounded by his friends and family. Cthulhu had let him die and return to his family, with all of his memories returned. He felt tears run down his face as he cried. He hadn't cried in so very long, but he was going to be okay. He had his family.