Chapter 96: A Bat Hidden Within (1)

---

"Do you always want to live hiding behind the mask you put up for the sake of others? You're you, and there's nothing wrong with that."

– Ymir, (Attack On Titan)

---

<(Bruce Wayne POV)> 

"Are you ready for the neural link initiation, goshujin sama? These memories will be packing quite a punch, so you might be feeling some slight headache as well." Cortana warned with a straight face as she closed the bounds of the Soul Translator machine. 

It was a special machine that I had designed for stuff like this where one needed to artificially dive into their or someone else's subconsciousness. One can almost say that this was a pro plus ultra version of the Full Dive with technology that was at least two generations ahead of the Amusphere model. This would not only make this entire process of assimilating old Bruce's memories a lot easier and faster but due to its various built-in failsafe it would also make sure that nothing goes wrong with my mind like developing dual personalities or a fractured mind.

"I am literally going to go into a semi-dead condition to dive into the deepest corners of my subconscious while hoping that I don't have a freaking ghost hiding inside my mind, so no, I don't think I can be more ready than this... Oh and lock all the entrances to the cave before you start. I don't want any of the girls or Alfred finding me half-dead on the table and assuming the worst while I deal with the original Bruce's leftovers." I ordered while releasing an annoyed sigh. 

Truthfully, even though I appeared annoyed from the outside, I was really nervous and worried on the inside. I had done my best not to show my anxiety and put on a brave face but my false bravado wasn't fooling anyone since Cortana was too smart not to read even the tiniest of the microexpressions on my face. She knew that the one thing that I feared more than death was not being me anymore, not having control over my own body and thoughts. That was why I always hated mind control stuff so much.

"Yeah, of course, sir. I know you will be back soon enough, maybe even in time to pick up Deathstroke and his new team after they return back to Gotham from their final training montage." Cortana calmly responded in a relaxing tone as she did her best not to question my anxiety.

"Yeah... I'll be back..." I murmured as the machine's sci-fi-looking headgear tightened around my head. "better than ever." I replied.

"Soul Translator online! Connecting to server. Uploading filtered memory folder titled 'The Original Bat Brat' to subject's memory." Cortana's monotonous voice declared as the darkness slowly etched upon me.

"Complete Full dive in 5..., 4..., 3..., 2..., 1"

***

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH *pant* *pant* Gosh, I thought I was dead... *pant* That was the most harrowing experience I ever had. I don't think I'll ever go through that again." I complained aloud before I took a peek around me, trying to find out where I currently was.

It didn't take long for me to find out as a few glances were all it took me to recognize the place I was in. Turns out I was back at the Wayne mansion, lying on the cold floor of the living room of the estate.

However, this was neither the real world nor the mind palace that I had designed under Ras Al Ghul's training. In fact, this was not even my subconscious mind in the truest sense of the term. This place was actually my... unconscious if that's even a word. It was a segregated section of my mental domain located in the deepest part of my mind inside my own subconsciousness where I had chosen to download the old Bruce's memories. It was not only a safe place that I could keep disconnected from my main subconsciousness if anything were to go horribly wrong but also the place where going through the old Bruce's memories would be the easiest.

"The Wayne mansion, I guess this is to be expected. This would be the most prevalent one in his memories."

"Bruce, where are you? We are getting late for the show. We need to go now." A female voice resounded as a beautiful middle-aged woman with a kind face, dressed in luxurious clothing went towards his old room in a hurry.

Unable to control my curiosity, I also followed the woman. Whatever memory this was, it must be something important if it was the first memory that had started playing on its own.

"Honey, everyone will be there, you won't get bored. Trust me, it will be an amazing experience." The woman whom I could now clearly identify as Martha Wayne encouraged me with a big smile on her face.

"But I don't feel good today. Can't we just stay back and watch a movie at home instead of a silly play?" The younger Bruce who was already dressed in a tuxedo complained as he looked at his mother with his big puppy eyes.

"I am sorry honey, but this is important to your father. He is the guest of honor in the play, you know. Plus, he will be meeting a lot of other important people there too. It won't look good if we don't go... Okay fine, how about this, if you don't like the play, then I promise that we can just leave it halfway and return home." The older Wayne lady offered.

Her words suddenly made me realize something. This was the night that Bruce and his parents were shot. 

"Really?... Okay then, I agree. I guess I can go with you." The young Bruce grinned while affectionately caressing the watch his father had previously given him, almost like he was trying to prove himself responsible.

"Goody. I will tell your father to get the car ready then. I love you my little cupcake" His mother lovingly kissed her son's forehead, then turned around, and left the room in a cheery mood while softly humming to herself.

"I can see some minor signs of mental instability in her." I wondered aloud as I stared at the direction she had just left. 

"No, that's just a mother loving her son." The sound of the young Bruce suddenly speaking up out of nowhere surprised me, making me look at 'my' younger self who was directly staring at me with his unblinking eyes.

"The fuck?... You can see me? No, I actually have a better question. You can talk? You aren't just a memory?" I asked, not believing my own ears as I looked at the boy who most definitely didn't look like a memory. "Shit, my biggest fear turned out to be true. I have a goddamn ghost residing in me."

"I am not a ghost, just a fragment of the will and ego of the previous Bruce Wayne that still hasn't been absorbed by your own soul." The boy clarified as he went back to fiddling with his watch. "The actual me died that night. I am only an echo of him who was told to wait here until you are ready."

"Told? Who told you to wait here?" I immediately asked with a deep frown. 

Maybe the being who had communicated with the previous Bruce was somehow involved in my transmigration as well. I no longer had any hope or even a wish to go back to my previous world but knowing why and how I was sent to another world could be pretty useful.

"You don't know him. He said that he would reveal himself to you when the time comes, but not sooner than that. He only appeared to me during the last few moments of my life. He told me that he could help me realize my unfulfilled dreams and wishes if I wanted. He wanted to make a deal. I accepted."

A sleazy guy who fooled an unassuming dying kid into making some stupid deal, why the hell does he sound like some alternate cosmic version of the Devil?

---

(A/N: Sorry for a smaller chapter today but the next chapter needs to start exactly from where I left off in this one to maintain the flow of the story. Plus, as you guys know, I always make up for smaller chapters with extra long chapters.)

GIVE me POWAH-STONES💎💎💎. 

Also, you can check out my Patreøn page to read ahead or to support your fantastic author.

Right now I have about 12 chapters in advance there. 

(My Patreon uses the new billing method which means if you pledge on the 15th of this month, you will have to pay again on the day you pledged, i.e., the 15th of the next month. So whenever you subscribe, you will get a whole month.)

patreon.com/God_Doom