A throbbing ache echoed in Samuel's skull as he woke up to the symphony of dust particles dancing in the dim light coming through the high window. As he drove away his drowsiness, and senses came in check. He could soon notice the cruel reality of being strained in a damp, concrete warehouse. His wrists were bound behind his back, the rough hemp rope biting into his skin.

It was at this moment that Samuel remembered what happened to him. Those henchmen, they…kidnapped him. He did his best to fight back, but this was his limit.

Now he realized the situation, a sense of danger clawed into his throat. He tried yanking the rope his arms were tied by, but they didn't budge. His perception was meaningless too, since this warehouse had nothing in it. No Cameras, no henchmen. Only the numbing silence and the weight of Samuel's own helplessness.

Then, a sound pierced the silence – a high-pitched, manic cackle that sent shivers down Samuel's spine. A single spotlight flared, illuminating a figure that emerged from the shadows with a flourish. The figure had sickening green hair with a grotesque parody of a smile drawn on his face. His face, and body, were covered with white makeup.

It was the mad clown of Gotham himself.

Tidying his dark purple shirt, Joker stared right into Samuel's eyes. A crowbar, gleaming under the harsh light, was clutched in his gloved hand.

"Well, well, well. Look who finally woke up!" Joker cooed. His voice was raspy yet high-pitched, which was disturbing enough to make Samuel flinch. "I thought I had to kiss you to wake you up!"

Samuel's voice, when it came, was raspy and devoid of urgency. "Untie me," he stated, the words flat and emotionless.

Joker's grin widened, his eyes sparkling with unreadable ideas. "Untie you? Well that's just not so fun, isn't it? You know I brought you here for a reason. You're a surprise gift! For Batsy!"

"Hostage…" Samuel muttered. "I'm nothing special. Batman will treat me the same with every other… Gotham citizen out there."

Joker's laughter filled the warehouse, a chilling sound that bounced off the concrete walls. "Oh, but you are special, little kid! You got that little thing inside you that reminds me of the good old days…And that meta gene too. How interesting. I've never seen anything like that before…Why, it's a long time since I ever got myself a sidekick. Batman's got that boy wonder, so why don't I get myself a Robin too!'

Samuel's expression remained impassive, but a flicker of something – confusion, perhaps – darted across his eyes. "Robin?"

"Why yes!" Joker exclaimed, his voice dripping with mock enthusiasm. "Just like Bats has his little birdie, I need a partner in crime! Someone young, spry, with a taste for the…unconventional." He brandished the crowbar, its metallic glint sending a cold shiver down Samuel's spine. "After all, a bit of chaos is so much more fun with a playmate, wouldn't you agree?"

Samuel remained a statue, a silent rejection etched on his face. He then looked elsewhere completely, ignoring the clown. The air crackled with unspoken defiance. The Joker's smile faltered for a fleeting moment, replaced by a flicker of annoyance. Then, with a theatrical sigh, he raised the crowbar.

Before the crowbar descended, Joker's face twisted into another sick smile. He dropped the crowbar, which hit the floor with a loud metallic clang.

"…We've met before, haven't we?" Joker said, grabbing Samuel's face and peering closer. "Yes, we did. I wasn't so sure, but… you're her son, aren't you? The doctor."

Samuel glared at Joker, a reaction that only widened the clown's sneer.

"Ah yes. The doctor. Gotham Hospital, I remember. She was patching up Bats when I showed up. She didn't have to do it—it was the middle of the night—but she saved his life. And wasted hers."

Samuel remained silent as Joker erupted in maniacal laughter, smashing the ground with his crowbar, unable to contain his twisted joy.

"See, kid… can't you see? You were meant to join me. I can help you get your revenge on Bats! He's a hero, all noble and justice-leaguey, yet he let your mom die. Doesn't that frustrate you? You're a good son, I know it. I've seen you staying near your mother's dead body even with a gun pointed at your head. See, I killed her, yes. But that's just because I'm the villain! Don't you feel angry seeing a hypocrite like Batman hailed as a 'hero' when he was the cause of your mother's death? So join me! We can do so much together...don't you think?"

Joker's eyes gleamed as he watched Samuel closely, noticing the flicker of anger within him. He had found a trigger. All he needed was more emotion, more reaction, to break down Samuel's mind.

But then, as quickly as it appeared, the anger vanished. Samuel's face became a blank slate, devoid of any trace of the burning emotion.

"…What? Seriously? Kid, don't you feel mad? At Batman? Even at me?"

"…Yawn."

Samuel's response, a single, dismissive word, cut through the air. He didn't actually yawn; he just said it.

Joker's face twisted with irritation. His plans to use Samuel as an emotional weapon against Batman were crumbling. This kid was different. He seemed to have no anger or will left.

For a brief moment, a slightly visible holographic bubble appeared from Samuel's nose and floated upwards, but Joker didn't notice it.

"Oh, you killjoy…"

Joker grabbed his crowbar and swung it at Samuel's head—or so he thought.

-Samuel used [Protect]!

"…What? Oh, right, the meta gene…wait, I thought it was supposed to unleash energy after getting hit…?"

Joker's crowbar was stopped by a greenish transparent barrier that materialized just in time to block the attack. Joker felt something was wrong. His vision blurred, and a wave of drowsiness washed over him, gentler than Batman's usual knockout blows. It was irresistible, even after all the resistance he had against somnifacients.

"…You…What…did you…?"

Samuel stood up, unfazed, looking elsewhere as Joker fell to the ground, consciousness slipping away.


Name: Samuel Schulze

Level: 14

Current Moves:

Normal | Pound (33/35)

Normal | Tearful Look (19/20)

Normal | Rage (9/10)

Normal | Bide (10/10)

Normal | Recover (2/5)

Ground | Sand Attack (7/15)

Normal | Protect (5/10)

Psychic | Agility (27/30)

NEW!

Normal | Yawn (9/10)


Samuel tidied up his body and tied Joker to a nearby cellar with the rope as tightly as he could. The clown prince of crime was still sleeping, but Samuel wasn't sure for how long. It was lucky that he got that skill after defeating the goons since most of his other skills were mostly used for debuffing or buffing people.

But just as he was about to find an exit and finally, finally go back home...

"...We have to talk."

Two figures with capes landed on the ground out of the darkness. He didn't notice them, but soon he saw the window of this abandoned place was open. Samuel backed up.

"...Samuel Schulze."

"...Batman..."

And the Dark Knight of Gotham stared enigmatically at Samuel's expressionless eyes.