A blast echoed the air as the portal spat out Jason Todd. Before he even touched the ground he tucked into a roll and jumped to his feet with his guns held out defensively. “All right kid, give back the… the fuck?”
He was no longer in the cave and the intruder was nowhere in sight. He stood in a wasteland, rows and rows of buildings in ruins, windows broken, scorched marks etched onto its sides. The marks looked like… bodies. He pushed off from the ground. It looked eerily familiar. He couldn’t image why until one ruin in the distance stopped him cold.
At the center of the city where it always stood was Wayne Enterprises decayed beyond repair. The broken W.E atop the building was still recognizable. This wasteland was Gotham.
“How…?” Jason was lost for words as he shook his head in disbelief. “How could this happen? Why…?” He pulled off his red helmet, his face still masked with a domino mask. His breath shook as he closed his eyes it was painful to see Gotham in ruins. “WHY?” He gave a tortured yell as he raised his cracked helmet to smash it to the ground, but a voice stopped him.
“You want to know why this happened to Gotham?” The intruder spoke.
“Where are you, kid?” Jason glared to the empty air around him and raised his gun cautiously.
His question was ignored. “This is what happens if Batman killed the Joker after your death.”
“What?” He said in disbelief. “How? How could the death of one man destroy Gotham? It makes no sense!”
The other was silent.
“Just what did the Joker do that was so important that it could’ve prevented this?” Jason snapped when the other didn’t reply. “ANSWER ME!”
“…He interrupted a government project. One that was meant to destroy Batman.” He replied
“… He saved Batman?”
“Inadvertently, yes.”
“…He saved…” Jason’s shoulders shook as he gave a broken laugh.
“What is so funny?” The voice asked.
Jason pressed a hand against his eyes. “I wanted him to kill him so badly. I did everything to make it hell for them for not killing him!” His laugh became strained. “Well, I’ll be damned. I get what I wanted in this world, but it fucking destroyed Gotham. Isn’t that nice?”
“…” The voice was silent again.
“… It doesn’t matter.” He muttered, defeated. His foot mechanically moved one in front of the other as he dragged himself through the ruins.
He didn’t know how long he walked. It must’ve been hours. This alley, that alley, every part of Gotham he used in the past, everything was in ashes and ruins. Every now and then he would spot grass peeking through the cracks of broken concrete.
“What are you doing?” The sun was over his head when the kid spoke again.
“… What do you want? You’ve took the mother box already and I can’t see you to do shit.” He griped.
A moment later the little intruder materialized before him with his arms crossed. “The box is back at the cave.”
“Back in the…” He gritted his teeth. “So this was a ruse for you to show me this world’s decrepit Gotham?”
The other turned his head aside and sighed. “You should really read more. Given Arkham houses a handful of Lewis Carroll fans, one would think you’d know better than to chase weird creatures into portals.” He paused and grinned. “But yes, I did wanted you to see this.”
Jason’s shoulders shook as his laugh echoed the barren city bitterly. He laughed until he was out of breath, laughed until his head felt light from the lack of oxygen.
“… Why are you laughing?” The other was disturbed. “Is the destruction of Gotham that funny to you?”
Jason settled down sadly and opened his arms, welcoming whatever scrutiny or violence to his person. “I’m laughing at the miserable irony of it all. To think… I actually wanted to save Gotham.” He dropped his arms and sighed.
“… If you want to go back to your own dimension, I have a way for you to go back.” The small bat figure offered.
“… Why are you telling me this?” Jason asked cautiously.
The other shrugged. “It’s my fault that you’re in this world instead of ours. Do you want to go back?”
Jason was silent for a moment before a wry grin touched his lips. “… You’re an odd little kid. I chased you to another dimension trying to kill you and you offer to help me?”
Said kid tilted his head curiously. “Is that a problem?”
“Heh.” Jason snorted in amusement. “All right.” He flourished a hand. “Lead the way kid.”
“Sure, but after I get some sleep.” He held back a yawn. “It was 4 am when we left the cave, I’m a bit sleepy.”
Jason stared at him in disbelief was this kid fucking with him? But no, the kid really was tired. It wasn’t like he had anything to do in this dimension. He had nothing to lose.
“Fine, go sleep.” He said.
They found shelter in the ruins with a roof over their heads. It was just like before Bruce adopted him, sleeping in abandoned buildings hiding from the rain and cold. He was surprised to see the kid curl up and the corner and sleeping in the matter of seconds. He was a street rat just like him. Drake or Grayson would’ve tried to dust the area and sleep on their capes, but the kid just slept without a care.
He certainly had guts. He fell asleep with a known killer not even four feet away from him. If he couldn’t scare a little kid like him, how was he able to scare the criminals of Gotham with what he was doing? Was his help even needed?
After an hour of silence the angst was getting to him. The kid still slept, but his small form shivered from the drafty grounds. The ruins did little to shield them from the autumn winds, the only certainty they had was shelter from the rain, if it rained. Jason sighed through his nose as he unclasped his cape and draped it over the kid. He could keep warm better compared to the kid.
o.o.o.o.o
Hours after he drifted off, the soft shuffling of noises alerted him the kid was awake.
“Awake?” Jason asked without opening his eyes.
“Yes.” The kid replied as he bundled the cape and tossed it back to its owner.
Neither of them spoke for hours as they traveled out of Gotham. There were no cars, no trucks, nothing. All roads to Gotham were sealed off. The two spent the majority of their time maneuvering through overgrown shrubbery. When they finally reached some semblance of civilization, it was a suburb. The kid was quick to find a garden hose and took a long drink.
“You’re going to get sick drinking from that.” Jason commented.
“Don’t have money on me and I don’t feel like stealing.” He drank until he was satisfied.
“Suit yourself.” Jason crossed his arms and glanced to the night sky. “How much longer before we get there?”
“Until we get to Metropolis at least.” He replied as he turned the water off.
“Are you always this quiet?” Jason grumbled in annoyance as they continued on their way.
“Nothing to talk about.” Batboy shrugged.
“No questions? No wise cracks? Anything?”
“Not interested.” The boy said bluntly as they walked.
The silence drove him nuts. “Taaaalk!” Jason huffed in annoyance.
He could see the little Batboy struggling to hold onto his composure. Jason sighed and crossed his arms as they continued on their way to Metropolis. He knew he sounded childish.
“So how did you get so familiar with this world? Obviously, you’ve been here before. Did the monitors send you here to help them or something?” Jason asked. He needed to hear something, anything. Silence was his worse enemy.
“Or something.” He glanced back curiously. “What’s a monitor?”
“… You really don’t know what it is?” The former Robin looked at him skeptically.
“If I knew, I wouldn’t be asking now would I?”
“… You sure you’re from my world?” Jason paused.
“Yes! I’m from your world!” The kid replied exasperatedly. “It’s not like dimension traveling is all that rare in our world! Members of the Justice League probably end up in a different dimension every other week!”
“True…” A thoughtful look crossed his face as if he recalled something.
“So, what’s a monitor?” The kid asked again.
“It’s a—” Jason was about to answer when a loud grumble caught their ears. “I’m guessing you’re hungry.”
“It’s been more than twelve hours since I last ate.” He retorted as he glanced around. “We should probably find something to eat before we continue, there’s still quite some way before we get there.” He spotted a grocer and moved towards the store, but paused when the Jason followed him. “Why are you still here? Go get your own food.”
Jason raised a brow at him, his domino mask crinkled at his movement. “You seriously think that I’d trust you not to ditch me if I went off looking for food.”
Batboy sighed. “Fine! You’ll still have to get yours after I’m done! I’m not looking for food for you too.”
“As if I need a snot-nosed brat like you to find food for me.” He snorted.
Between the two, they took an hour scavenging through the garbage of the grocery stores and delis in the area. Food that was a barely a day old or a day over expiration were gathered. From bread to canned goods, they found themselves atop a roof as they sorted through their findings.
“I’ll trade you a melted chocolate bar for ham.” The kid said as he danced the crinkled package at Jason.
“I’ll give you extra if you add the bruised apple.” Jason replied as he glanced through what else the other had. Scavenging, trading food, it was the norm among street rats. Neither gave it a second thought with their trades as they ate.
“Do you still want to know what a monitor is?” Jason asked as they ate.
Batboy perked up and turned to him intently. He was interested.
“I guess they could be counted as realm guardians of sorts. There’s supposed to be one in each dimension watching and guarding. At least until one went nuts and tried to destroy all the other worlds.” He shrugged. “I named one of them Bob.”
“… So… did this Bob monitor take you to other dimensions?” He asked as he took a bite out of his ham.
Jason waved his half eaten chocolate bar. “It was a wild goose chase hunting down Ray Palmer. Do you know how annoying it was to find him? Not to mention there was probably a version of him in every world. The man could shrink to a size the eye can’t even see!”
“Hmm…” The kid hummed as he continued to chew. “How were the other dimensions? Any major differences? Vampires? Magic?”
“What are you a sci-fi geek? There was a number of them it’ll take forever to go through each of them. So how did you end up here?”
“Someone here needed my help.”
“Who?”
“…Batman from this universe.” He replied.
Jason stopped eating and turned to the smaller boy in surprise. “He’s… still alive? But Gotham’s gone! Dead! How is he still alive?”
“…I never said no one survived.” Batboy murmured behind a dark banana. “Who else would need my help to avenge Gotham?”
It finally clicked. “… We’re going to him now for help aren’t we?” He said quietly.
The kid glanced to him with a piece of banana poking out from inside his cheek. “Are you scared to meet him?”
“Psh.” He snorted. “As if I’m terrified of the old man.” Unknown to him, the kid spotted a small smile in his show of annoyance.
“You’re happy to see him aren’t you?” He grinned as he finished his banana.
“Shut up.” Jason punched his shoulder lightly.
After their meal, they left for Metropolis. Dawn neared and they needed to get out of public sight. He could tell the kid knew where he was going, if he were anyone else, he would’ve had trouble following through the back alleys and the fence hopping. He expected a cave, a hideout, something elaborate and password encrypted. But to his surprise, the kid took him to an apartment building… to a completely normal building in a middle-class neighborhood.
“…You’re shitting me.” He said bluntly to the kid.
Batboy ignored him and rang the bell. The next thing he knew, the kid was gone. The door ripped open and he was enveloped in the strong arms of the hero of Metropolis.
“Jason you’re alive!” The man said excitedly.
“Fucking kid!” Jason squirmed uncomfortably. “I thought you said you were taking me to Bruce! Not the god damn blue boy scout!”
“Kid?” The man of steel paused in his excitement and looked around likely with his x-ray vision and whatever visions he had. “Oh! You’re alive too!” He knelt down and latched an arm over an empty space with a fond hug. Jason could feel another figure pressed up against him as the man resumed hugging.
“Claaaark!” The kid’s voice came from the empty space. “Stop trying to suffocate us, we need a way to get home!”
The man smiled as he walked back into the apartment with them still in his arms. “How’s Conner? Is he doing well?”
“He’s fine, can you put us down please?”
Jason sighed in annoyance as he found himself trapped in the pleasantries between an invisible Batboy and an enthusiastic Superman.
“All right, either someone drugged me or someone killed me and put me into purgatory.” He muttered.
Clark laughed. “I see you still have your dark sense of humor. Sorry for ignoring you, why don’t I leave you with someone you’re more comfortable with?”
The man promptly carried him to one of rooms and placed him down in front of a familiar cowl face. With Dick Grayson as Batman for the past three years, he almost forgot how intimidating Batman looked.
“Bruce.” He knew the man before him wasn’t his mentor, but he couldn’t help the surge of happiness at seeing the man again.
A scowl crossed the dark knight’s face as he grabbed the red helmet and smashed it to the ground. “Of all the names, why his?”
“Because you—he didn’t kill him.” He crossed his arms and turned away. “…But I guess it was a good thing for Gotham he didn’t…”
“He was stronger than I was… As should you.” The man looked stoic as ever, but he could feel that he was upset. “What drove you to killing? Jason, what drove you to kill a defenseless child?”
Trust Bruce to make anyone feel ashamed and guilty. “You were gone.” He murmured quietly. “Gotham was plunging to hell. Dick and Drake weren’t aware of that. The kid… he was supposed to be a warning to them.”
“You’re trying to justify yourself?” Batman roared at him.
He looked straight into his eyes. “I’m a monster. I know. You don’t have to tell me or remind me. I know what I did and why I did it. You want to know why I took up his name? Because I’m doing what they can’t! What they couldn’t!”
“And what have you achieved Jason?” Batman glowered at him.
Jason was silent. “Nothing.” He whispered. “Each time I killed, two takes its place.” He barked with a harsh laugh. “I’m not you! I’m not Grayson! And I’m damn well not Drake! I…” He stared at his own hands. “I can’t turn back. And do you want to know what drives me crazy?” He buried his head in his hands. “Each time I do this, he offered to help me. Save me. Doesn’t that idiot know I’ve already gone too far?”
“You’re punishing yourself for your guilt.” Batman said solemnly. “Jason… Why do we fall?”
He laughed bitterly. “Bruce, don’t try to philosophize this. I murdered a kid. A fucking kid! He didn’t have weapon on him. All he was carrying were flowers. FUCKING FLOWERS! How do you redeem someone who killed children? I didn’t just shoot him once. I unloaded a whole fucking round on him! All he did was annoy me! I had no right to kill him!”
“Then what would make you forgive yourself?”
“I don’t know!” Jason snapped. “How does anyone forgive a murderer? Because I damn well haven’t forgiven the fucker for killing me! How could anyone I killed forgive me? I don’t deserve to be forgiven!”
A smile crept onto the dark knight’s face. “The fact you’re here talking to me shows that you are forgiven.”
Confusion crossed his face. “How the fuck am I forgiven?”
“There are only three people who knows I live here aside from Superman. Among the three, two are from your world. And one was killed by you.”
Jason frowned in thought. Killed by him? But the person who brought him here was a kid he couldn’t be older than… His eyes widened. “He’s… But how could he? I killed him! Why would he…” Utter shock and confusion crossed his face. He couldn’t phantom how could he possibly be forgiven.
A flicker at the corner of his eye and Batboy reappeared at the door. He tackled Batman in a hug. The man patted his head before he returned his gaze to Jason. “Terry, tell Jason why you forgive him.”
Batboy, Terry shrugged as he broke away from his hug. “There’s really no point in searching for revenge. I died, but I’m alive now. It was a second chance. I would be wasting my time if I were to plot out your demise. Besides…” He grinned with a joking air. “I had a chance to see dad again and I told on you like I said I would. What’s even better is this cool costume Bruce made for me.”
Jason stared at him in disbelief. “You are one strange kid.”
“Well, if I didn’t take my own advice, I’d be a hypocrite now wouldn’t I?” He tilted his head curiously.
“I see.” The former Robin sighed. “So how are we getting home?”
Terry turned to Batman thoughtfully. “The cuffs we used last time was right, but it was about ten to fifteen years off.”
“As long as it’s the right dimension, it could be adjusted.” The dark knight reasoned as he went to retrieve said items.
Jason stepped out of the room as the two perfected their way home. When he walked out he was promptly attacked with another affection hug from Clark.
“What the—!” He struggled against the hug. “Why the hell does he live with you?”
The man smiled happily. “I’m so glad that you came to visit!”
Jason struggled a moment longer before giving into the hug. “I should’ve stayed with them.”
“Just seeing you made Bruce very happy. Dick hasn’t spoken to him in ages.” Clark said as he released him and placed him down. “It’s been very lonely for him. If not, I don’t think he’d ever agree to live anywhere close to me.”
“… What happened?” Jason asked quietly. “They both lost Gotham, shouldn’t they be closer? Dick’s his golden boy! Why would he abandon Bruce?”
“Because he blames Bruce for Gotham’s demise.” Clark answered as he walked towards another room. “I have something to show you.”
“…” Jason glanced back briefly at the door before he followed him.
Upon entering he found Clark on the ground and pried open a hidden compartment under the floorboards. He stood up a moment later with a metallic sphere in his hand. “Bruce received this after Gotham was destroyed… sent by the person who ordered the destruction.”
The sphere glowed before the whole room was turned into one of the many streets of Gotham. Covered in smog and darkness, it look bleaker than it was when they were there.
“Hello Batman.” The voice sent chills down his spine. It sounded oddly familiar. “I’m sure you heard the destruction of Gotham by now, but I thought you would actually like to see how it happened. No need to thank me. Enjoy.”
The images that followed after was a slaughter. Civilians ran, but were caught in the flurry of bullets or consumed by flames. Superboy, Wonder Woman, Flash and a number of other familiar faces, donned in a strange uniforms slaughtered and destroyed whatever was in sight.
Jason watched as Superboy plunged his arm into Robin’s stomach, his arm pulled out innards and intestines as he pulled out. Tim fell to his knees as the super clone flew off and left Robin to his death. The next was Batgirl, unlike Robin she suffered a slow death as Wonder Woman strangled her. Even commissioner Gordon was skewered through the skeletons of the buildings’ ruins. One by one, the heroes in Gotham was taken down. When he saw Superboy approach Nightwing, he felt his fists clenched. There was no sound, but he could see how furious the former Robin looked. He roared at Superboy, threw weapons and attacked him, but he never got close as Superman appeared and pulled him back.
The two traded angry words, but eventually the man of steel hauled him up and out of Gotham as the uniformed group wasted the city. He couldn’t watch anymore.
“It really was a pity that your first Robin got away.” The voice chuckled. “But no matter, those who survives won’t do any better. Knowing that others didn’t make it would just eat them away. Oh, and one more thing. I know how much you adore your butler.”
Jason closed his eyes. “No…” He whispered painfully. “Not Alfred.”
“I made sure to have sound for this one.” He laughed.
Jason placed his hands to his ears as Alfred’s screams echoed the room. The light faded away as the recording ended.
“Dick hasn’t spoken to Bruce since. The only other time was when Terry and Conner came to help us. They haven’t seen this video. We lied and said Dick wasn’t there that day, it’d be too painful if they were to ask him about what happened.” Clark said quietly as he hid away the sphere.
He was speechless. There were no words to describe the agony he felt at their deaths, at Gotham’s destruction. He needed to speak to Dick. “…Do you have his number? I want to talk to Grayson.”
Clark smiled as he pulled out his cell phone and handed it to him. “He’s on speed dial number five.”
Jason flipped it open and pressed it as he left the room for privacy.
“Hi Superman!” A female voice greeted.
“Get the man-whore Grayson on the phone. Tell him Jason Todd is on the line.” He said bluntly.
Within moments Dick answered. “Did you come back to life? Or are you visiting from another dimension?”
“You’re still an ass and a man-whore regardless which dimension you’re from.” Jason replied as he stared out the window and into Metropolis.
“What do you want Jason?” Dick asked.
“Why did you abandon Bruce?”
“Why?” The other hissed. “It’s because of him that Gotham is gone! It’s because of him that Alfred and everyone else is dead!”
“That was out of his control.” He reasoned. “You know how he is. He’s blaming himself as much as you’re blaming him! He’s freaking living with the big blue boy scout! Do you know how far he has to fall to submit himself to living with that man?”
“Get to why I should care.” He said coldly.
“He’s family! He’s your family! He took you in he raised you! He god damn cared for you! And you abandon him? What is wrong with you?”
“He’s a murderer, he deserves to be alone. The fact Clark is living with him only shows how kind and generous he is to deal with that man.”
“Are you listening to yourself Grayson?” Jason snapped.
“It’s because he killed Joker that this all happened! If he didn’t kill Joker, the Terry from this world might’ve turned out like yours! Not the fucking maniac that killed everyone!”
Jason was silent. There was a chance that the kid could’ve gone off the end?
“I have all the family I need now. I don’t need him!”
“He is your family!” Jason snapped.
“We’re adopted Jason. Gotham was nothing but a vault of misery! And if you’re smart, you’ll give it up and find a family somewhere far from it when you get back to your world. Either you’ll die or those you care about will die there.”
“Fuck you circus boy.” Jason growled and snapped the phone shut and tossed it aside.
“… Hypocrite.” Batboy’s voice drew his attention away from the window.
“What do you want kid?” He scowled.
“You yelled at him for abandoning family, but you did it too. You’re a hypocrite.” He pointed out.
“I have no family.”
“And you just prove my point.” Terry crossed his arms.
“They’re not my family! I’ve killed! They don’t need a freaking killer!” He argued.
“You do know that I’ve killed, the previous Batgirl killed and the current Robin killed right? We were accepted just fine.”
“I tried to kill them. I actually killed you!” Jason snapped. “What is wrong with you? With them? I’m not part of the family! Family don’t kill each other!”
He shrugged. “We have contingency plans for everyone. Even if you do decide to try to kill us again, I’m sure we’ll have some plan.” He glanced at him for a moment. “…You’re in a slump.”
“Slump?” Jason frowned.
“You’re a crappy villain and a crappy anti-hero.” He chirped.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jason scowled.
“Simple, as a anti-hero, you created more villains than actually eliminate and as a villain, you make a crappy boss with your minions picked off at every turn. In either front you’re not really good or original. Even the Joker is better at keeping his minions loyal to him.”
Jason scowled as he jumped the younger boy and caught him in a headlock. “Like you’re any better, kid? You’re running around in your footie pajamas.” He growled and he delivered a knuckle rub to his head.
Terry struggled in his administration. “I’ll have you know that real footie PJs are not bulletproof! ARGH! Clark! Bruce! Help! He’s picking on me!” He whined.
Clark’s chuckle could be heard at the door as he watched while Bruce passed by with a casual line. “Jason, leave your little brother alone.”
He paused at Bruce’s words… He never thought of the kid as a brother before. In his moment of uncertainty, Terry broke out of his hold and hid behind Clark.
“What are you going to do now?” He stuck out his tongue childishly.
“Once Clark gets out of the way, I’ll tell you what I’m going to do.” He glared. “I’m going to catch you and…” Without warning he charged at the younger boy. “I’m going to tickle you to submission!”
Terry’s eyes widen as he fled from Clark and down the hall. “Bruce!” He cried as he ran, but Jason was quick to catch up and wrestled him to the ground. Within seconds, the apartment was filled with giggles and laughter from the young Batboy.
o.o.o.o.o
Between insulting Clark’s cooking, fearing Bruce’s cooking and messing with the young boy, three days passed and the cuffs were ready.
“There are some side effects of nausea, but other than that you should be able to get back with no problem.” Bruce explained as they cuffed the transporter on. He lingered on Jason for a moment. “What are you going to do when you get back?”
“I can’t turn back, even if the kid forgive me, I’m just not the same person anymore. I’m going to continue to work underground.”
Terry scowled. “You’re going to just go back to that? When the current Batman and Robin’s been mind controlled and Red Robin’s been disappearing to who knows where? Even the current Batgirl is a novice!”
“Hmph.” Jason snorted. “I said I’m going back to the underground, but I have no intention of helping them. I’m going to destroy them from inside.”
“… Do you need some help?” Terry tilted his head curiously.
Jason raised a brow. “An alliance?”
He raised a hand to whisper secretively. “I can get you non-lethal weapons from the family.”
“… But they don’t know you’re—” Jason paused as a grin touched his lips. “You’re going to steal it from them aren’t you?”
The other smiled. “They won’t miss it.”
“How do you suppose we meet? Keeping a phone contact would not be wise.” Jason commented.
“Your twitter account.” Terry replied cheerily.
“… Wait, how do you know it’s my account?”
“I’m good with hacking.”
Jason stared at him for a moment before a chuckle filled his lungs.
“Ready to go?” Bruce asked them.
“Yeah.” Terry replied with a grin.
Jason placed a hand on his head between the bat-ears on the cowl. “Yeah, we’re ready.”
No comments:
Post a Comment