Chapter 13 | Team up

Early October, 2002.

On another one of my nightly patrols, I found myself getting slightly sleepy. Due to having to go to school in the day. Deciding to take it easy today, I sat atop a water tower and close my heightening my senses to the max, paired with the emotion detection of my mask. Using my mask I filtered out all the non extreme emotions and concentrated on emotions that reach a certain threshold, though I still allowed things like fear or anxiety and so.

In this state, I could sense a quarter of Gotham, par extreme emotions, which I could sense from about a tenth more. After all Batman's got to do something too, so today he could handle the rest of Gotham. Using this ability to the maximum, I rested my back against the water tower and used Shunpo to quickly appear in alleyways and quickly incasing muggers, thugs, or rapist in Ice and leaving their phone beside their head to let them turn themselves in.

I continued to do this for an hour or two until I heard an explosion, turning my head to the source I notice a burning factory far in the distance. Rushing over with Shunpo I begin to hear gunfire, using my emotion sensory ability I notice a large group of men's in a formation, all of them on dopamine highs while also having a growing sense of fear. There was also another person who's emotions where calm, moving around wildly. Quickly painting a picture, I realize Batman is hitting up this factory.

If Batman's here that means theirs something fishy going on, if the gunmen wasn't already an indicator. Quickly stopping in my tracks on the roof of a building near by, I use emotion detection to look for other signatures. Soon, I find agitated and afraid signature coming from someone rushing out the back alone.

Stopping, right before I go after the person trying to get away, I deliberate if I'd be getting in the way. A memory of a scene in a movie of another superhero capturing a bad guy and batman chastising them for doing so, because he was using him to find the headquarters.

Deciding to take note and keep track of the retreating individual, I Shunpo into the factory and head towards batman, who seems to be struggling with some of the gunmen. Truthfully, it was impressive he's doing this well on his own considering he doesn't adopt the first Robin till after 2006 and he'd only been active for a few years at most, and lacked a lot of experience.

Arriving in the room, I quickly slashed, Hyōrinmaru and a Chinese dragon rushed out from my blade. The dragon quickly made it's way around the room freezing everyone in the room except for Batman, even the already fired bullets froze mid-air an dropped to the ground. Batman, noticing the dropping temperature of the room and the sound of guns silenced, cautiously looked over the barrel only to see me sitting atop a pile of corps-shivering unconscious bodies.

''Need a hand?'' I asked and even though I'm wearing a mask I'm damn sure he could see my shit-eating grin.

''I was handling it.'' He grunts as he dusts off his cape and getting up.

''Yah, handling it from behind that barrel, while under fire.'' I sarcastically spat back.

''...'' Not saying anything more he walked passed me, seemingly forgetting the conversation.

''Looking for the guy who was running away?'' I asked and he stopped in his tracks.

''You shouldn't have interfered. He was my only lead to-'' Batman started talking with an angry yet calm tone only he could pull, but I cut him off.

''Lead to the headquarter, secret hideout, their leader?'' I finished his sentence with the three possible scenarios I could think of off the top of my head.

''Their supplier.'' Batman said calmly as he glared at me.

''Oh, that's good since I'm currently tracking him.'' I say back.

''...What's your game?'' He asked after a few seconds of contemplating.

''I know the Batmobile's a two seater. Give me a ride.'' I say with a straight face and calm tone but Batman gives me a look as if I'd gone crazy.

''Why?'' He asked back. Finally getting the question I went off on a damn rant.

''I've been patrolling and stopping crimes. For. Three. Days. Straight. I haven't had any proper sleep. For. Three. Days. Straight. So give me a ride, I'll help you take care of this and you can get back to work and I'll go take a nap, no?'' I explain making sure to emphasis the three days straight part.

Hearing my little rant, Batman stares at me for a good minute or two before he sighs and presses a button on his utility belt. Walking to the outside I follow him in silence, I could swear I heard him say 'annoying kid' at some point but ignored it, finally we reached the exit. Suddenly, the Batmobile pulls up at the front and it's top pops up, revealing the two seats.

'It actually is a two seater. Robin's not hear yet, so is the other for Alfred?... cute.' I think to myself as I appreciate the work of art that is the Batmobile. Hopping over the hood, Batman sits in the driver seat and turns to me.

''Hop in.'' He says and I excitedly Shunpo into the car, momentarily surprising him. After I get in Batman presses one of the many buttons on the Batmobile and the roof closes. Holding in a squeal of excitement, I jitter around. But we don't move, turning over to look at batman confused.

''Put on your seatbelt.'' He says some how saying the least Batman thing and most Batman thing at the same time.

''Really?'' I asked staring at him.

''Really.'' He replies and I begrudgingly put it on.

Starting the Batmobile, Batman immediately presses a button and we get propelled forward, the equivalent of Nitrous.

''Tells me to put my seat built on and then starts driving like a drag racier'' I mumble and I'm pretty sure he heard me.

''Which way?'' He suddenly says and surprised by his question I answer dumbly.

''Huh?''

''To the one that escaped.'' he clarifies.

''Oh! Take a left, he heading to the docs on the north-east of uptown.'' I answer, after checking the root being taken by the escapee.

Driving in silence, I decided to ask about the car.

''So you got a radio?'' I asked and he replied flatly.

''Only a police radio.''

''Ok...so... how much horse power this thing got?'' I asked an he just turned to me for a minute or two. Turning back to look at the road he didn't even look at me.

''About 700 horse power.'' He said curtly after a moment of silence. Hearing the number I unconsciously whistled as that much horse power would be considered a luxury at this time.

''Damn, what's it's engine?'' I asked once again.

''V8 engine.'' He replied and I nodded in appreciation of a mans tastes. Though after that he refused to answer any more question, I guess he just needed to get the berried up desire to talk about his ride out of the way. Just another sign that this Batman's still a baby compared to OG batman, I mean a quick google search will tell you Bruce Wayne hasn't even reached his mid 20s.

Reaching an empty doc, we found a car hurriedly parked in a corner. Batman, being Batman quickly found a trail leading to one of the warehouses. Sneaking in from the roof Batman cut the glass and infiltrated the building, I just upped my transparency to the mask an and used Shunpo.

Not wanting to steal his thunder, I just waited till Batman finished his stocking- I mean preparations and followed him.

'Looking around, the barrels look to be filled with different types of drugs, I guess this is a drug ring.

''Don't touch anything.'' Batman said as I was reaching for a panel full of buttons.

''Tch'' I said retracting my hand.

''You handle everyone here and cause a distraction, I'll go for the leader.'' He said an started walking a different direction.

Pulling out, Hyōrinmaru the temperature dropped a little.

''and don't destroy any of the evidence.'' Batman added and I begrudgingly sheathed Hyōrinmaru.

Turning towards the workers I walked out of the shadows and caused a scene.

''Freeze! This is a robbery!'' I said and everyone in the factory took a second to deadpan at me, at the absurdity of what I'd just said. A second later, everyone snapped out of it and took out a gun and aimed towards me.

''You could have just said no...'' I mumbled and raised my hand casting a Bakudō I've really wanted to cast.

''Bakudō #1. Sai.'' I casted and everyone dropped their guns with their hands behind their back.

''Aghhh!'' A few people screamed, trying to escape but only ended up toppling over.

''That was easy.'' I thought and then realized Batman wanted a distraction. Looking around no-one had even fired a bullet.

''Oops.'' I mumbled and than racked my brain for an idea. Luckily I came up with an idea.

''If they can't fire the guns, why don't I?'' I said and started firing into the ground with an submachine gun I found lying around. This should work.

And low and behold, a bunch of people rushed in with guns drawn. Smiling that it worked, I decided to take care of the next group more loudly to add to the distraction. Dodging the bullets, I used Shunpo to appear in another place and they opened fire their. An idea popped up in my head and I used Shunpo to disappear and reappear and wait for them to shoot at me and Shunpo the last minute. This little game went on for about 30 minutes, until Batman suddenly appeared with someone in his grip.

Noticing the new arrival, the gunmen tried to turn and start firing at the new target, who they hopped they'd have better luck with. But I quickly incapacitated them.

''Bakudō #1. Sai.'' I said and all the gunmen dropped their guns with their hands to their backs unable to resist.

''You done?'' I asked Batman, who stared at the struggling people with their hands behind their backs.

''Magic?'' he asked looking at the men with their hands behind their backs.

''Kinda.'' I replied nonchalantly, but instead of asking questions he nodded and dropped the subject. But I'd be damned if I didn't think he'd taken note of it and was going to research everything from my chant to the origin of the words.

''It's useful.'' He said as he dragged someone to the Batmobile.

''So who's the new guy?'' I asked pointing towards the guy incapacitated and being dragged around by Batman.

But Batman didn't reply.

''Ok, then can you at least tell me who's behind this.'' I asked another question, but still got no answer.

''Come on! I helped you!'' I said angrily and after securing him in the Batmobile, Batman turned around to me.

''I appreciate the help, but I work alone.'' He said, but I could only think he was trying o sound cool.

''Oops, my bad. I could've sworn I was dealing with an adult.'' I chided in annoyance but he didn't reply and only drove off.

[I think it was a good burn.]

'Not now Aroura... but thanks' I thought as I turned around and Shunpo'd out of their. 

''dick.'' the last words I left their, as I disappeared the next second.

Less than four months until the Appellaxian invasion.