20 Chapter 18 Non interference

[3rd Person POV]

"You know, I've been meaning to ask. You have such power and abilities. But you choose not to use them against crime...

Why not?" Asks Bruce.

Ven ponders for a bit before answering.

"The bigger picture. I know things Bruce. Lots of things. That are going to happen in the future. I don't want to say how I know them and what I know. Because if I speak of it, if I do too much, then it causes a chain reaction. 

It's what time travelers and science fiction would refer to as the butterfly effect."

Ven pauses for a bit before continuing.

"Human lives are connected to each other. Based on their decisions and actions. Cause and effect. And a series of coincidences lead to another. The more lives they touch, the more important their roles become. Sometimes even the most horrible events can lead to a greater good.

You are an example as well. If that night, I somehow was able to prevent your parents from dying, the Batman would never exist. And all you would have saved would be lost. 

This is the problem with knowing even a bit of the future. If there is good in the future, then the present must be kept intact. If something is changed, there is no way to tell if the resulting alternate future would be as good or even stable. 

Not many time travelers would be able to pull that off. In fact, I only know of a handful. And because of my knowledge, if I interfere with your journey, I risk killing those you would have saved.

You may think I could save a lot of people. Sure. But I risk killing more because you and a certain group of individuals are too important. For you, and their development, its better for me to have very limited interference. It's important for you all to go through these trials and events. " 

This surprises Bruce and Alfred who was driving the car.

"Hold on, you said certain individuals?" Bruce asks.

"Lets just say that you and that certain group of individuals will determine the fate of this planet sometime in the future. And in order to keep that future intact and get a 'happy ending' or at least a decent one, you will need to go through your journeys. No matter how difficult or desperate you become, some events I can interfere, some I cannot. 

You have my word if I can make a better ending, I will move. If I think My interference would make it worse, I will stand aside. I know that just by creating a company I have already made very big waves or changes. But I am still able and willing to compensate for my changes and adjust it to still somehow keep the major events the same. But being a full time hero like you, that's way too much change that I would be able to keep track of." 

Ven says then goes silent.

This whole conversation made Alfred think that despite his protests of Bruce becoming Batman, he agreed to merely support him but didn't realize how important he would become until he heard all this.

Now he feels proud that Bruce will become needed. Proud that the boy he raised would do right by his parents memories and not let the darkness rule his heart.

Meanwhile Bruce himself, being a very intelligent man, quickly understood the ramifications of what was said. He imagined a world without batman wouldn't be that different since he considered himself as just one man, one symbol trying to do what he thought was needed.

But Ven's words made him think of his role in all this. He only now realized how his seemingly insignificant actions would affect so much. 

He also thought Venom was just an alien of sort or inter dimensional being trapped here. He didn't think it would also know of the future.

But he still asks." But how can that be when I'm just one man. These other individuals, I'm assuming they are these Meta humans you mentioned. what's one guy dressed like a bat compared to them?"

"It's not about what abilities you have or don't have Bruce. I can't say too much. But I will tell you that your mind will be very important. Your mind to strategize and ability to lead. Which is also why I am not bonding with your mind. I do not want to leave even a small trace in your mind to influence you. 

Anyway, long story short, I want to make changes sure. But I will do so when I think it won't alter your journey too much. In case I do, which I probably will anyway, Then I will step up to compensate these un-foreseen changes. Then I would course correct. For now I only intend to make non metahuman related changes. But know that there are unavoidable things I need to do, to ensure our survival. You may not even agree with some of them." Ven says this as he thinks about the criminals he needs to permanently take care of.

"But it is for this world to be safe. I'm not noble enough to dedicate myself to saving it. But unfortunately as someone already quoted once before, 'I'm one of the idiots living in it'." 

Ven becomes silent and they all ponder on the way back to the Manor.

Despite saying all that, Ven understood that his actions as a game developer was already a big enough wave to make certain changes. Yet he still wishes to do so. He hopes that his copying of other abilities would be enough to compensate for the changes he will make. He intends to make a move if he becomes needed. 

----

A few days later and the climax for the Batman film starts to pick up. Pretty much follows the film so far. 

Ra's al Ghul reveals himself in Bruce' party, the manor burns, Ra's Attacks Gotham and chaos ensues. 

 Ven chooses not to participate but he gave his word to Bruce he will protect Alfred at least as they stay in the cave.

Alfred and Ven monitor the situation in Gotham through the computers while Batman does his thing, confronting Ra's al Ghul and stopping his plan. 

By the time batman returns to the cave, Ven and Alfred start making calls to arrange for the reconstruction of the Manor. Like the movie, Alfred mentions improving the foundations for the cave.

While the regular workers fix up the manor, Ven uses his new powers and kryptonian strength to improve the foundations for the cave. With the ability to duplicate and have superman powers, he was able to do all his construction faster than the team up top.

Just as he thought, superman would have made a great construction worker. 

Ven also returned all the sentimental items from Thomas and Martha Wayne back to Bruce which he was then extremely thankful for. Even Alfred teared up a bit. 

Now that the events of Batman Begins have ended, Ven knew that it would be a while before the Joker makes his appearance in the Dark Knight events, So he would have at least that much time of unpredictable events yet hopefully, relative peace in Gotham. 

From the looks of things, Batman's progression was rather spread out and slow. For now he still remains much like an urban legend. If it was something the cops could handle, he would stay away.

Now he had time to monitor Smallville events. While an entire season of Smallville took a year in his old world, he knew that was due to the time it takes for producing those episodes. In this reality, each episode happens every other day so time moves fairly fast. The 10 years that it took for Smallville to finish 10 seasons won't necessarily take 10 years before Clark becomes Superman.

He figured out the time difference by looking through the news. Smallville does have a surprisingly long list of murders and accidents all through out the show. 

From the looks of things, it's already at that episode where there were two people able to use abilities of persuasion via direct contact. With Ven's abilities, it was fairly easy for him to visit, copy the ability and leave before he was properly noticed. It might be a rather dark and non consensual ability, but he might need this someday so he still copied it regardless. Besides if he didn't copy them now, he might never get the chance considering how short the villains life spans were in the show. 

Anyway since he got used to the superspeed, it was now super easy to go in and out, barely an inconvenience. 

Though Ven did the superspeed more than he should have. He enjoyed the wind on his face.

He couldn't do the flying yet. He assumed maybe it needed a certain mindset or he didn't have enough solar energy yet. Either way, he wasn't in a hurry. He simply enjoyed the speed yet being careful not to be seen by anyone or other speedsters.

There was one more ability he wanted to copy before leaving though. He went and copied Justin Gaines' telekinetic ability for the heck of it. Not that he'd ever need it either but because as a former human from a world without powers, it was one of the more interesting or favorite ones along with Superman's or Spider-man's. 

 After that, there wasn't anything left noteworthy for season 1 events. Ven planned to properly introduce himself to Clark when he started questioning his Kryptonian heritage. It was after all, one of the things Ven wanted to learn. Kryptonian tech was a vital part of his plans. 

But that wasn't going to happen yet. He had to wait for quite a while. For now, its time to finalize Xenogears.