RWBY: Batman Begins

Chapter XXXV

Bruce found Lucius.

He was pouring wine into his glass. Getting to him wasn't easy with how many guests were in his way, and wishing him a happy birthday as he went. But Bruce pressed on through the crowd.

"Happy birthday, Bruce."

"Thank you," Bruce nodded, stepping up next to Lucius. "Thanks. And thank you for that item.

Lucius looked up to Bruce. "You're welcome. I know you'll put it to good use."

"I already have. How long would it take to manufacture on a large scale?"

"Weeks. Why?"

"Somebody's planning to disperse the toxin using the water supply."

Lucius shook his head. "The water supply won't help you disperse an inhalant."

Suddenly, he paused, as he started to realize what could be happening.

Bruce noticed it. "What?"

"Unless you have a microwave emitter powerful enough to vaporize all the water in the mains. A microwave emitter like the one Wayne Enterprises just misplaced."

"'Misplaced'?"

"Earle just fired me for asking too many questions about it."

Bruce looked out into the party. Of course Earle had fired the faunus. He had always been that kind of human. He turned back to Lucius to make eye contact.

"Go back to Wayne Enterprises now and start making more of that antidote," he ordered. "The police are gonna need as much as they can get their hands on."

"My security clearance has been revoked."

Bruce smiled. "That wouldn't stop a man like you, would it?"

Lucius smiled back. They hadn't known each other for long, but Bruce seemed to get him. "I suppose not."

Bruce walked back out into the party. He wasn't sure what to do next. A part of him wanted to go back to the Batcave, but he still needed to keep these guests occupied.

"Bruce, there's somebody you must meet!"

Bruce turned to see an old woman, whose name he believed to be Delane.

"Not now, Mrs. Delane," Bruce said as she pulled him to a blonde woman.

"Now, am I pronouncing this right?" Mrs. Delane said. "Miss Salem?"

Bruce halted, looking at the blonde woman who stared at him. He observed her form. She was the same size and build as the woman he'd once known as Salem. Her hair was styled the same. But her face was very different from the old Salem.

"You're not Salem," Bruce said. "I watched her die."

"But is Salem immortal?" Bruce knew that voice. He turned around, and found himself face-to-face with Cinder, his old mentor. "Are her methods supernatural?"

Bruce glared at Cinder, as the pieces started to put together in his mind. How Salem died in the fire. Why Crane was dumping the toxin into the water supply. Everything made sense.

"Or cheap parlor tricks to conceal your true identity, Salem?" he said.

Cinder, or Salem as he now knew her, smiled, proud of her student for putting the pieces together.

"Surely a man who spends his nights scrambling over the rooftops of Vale wouldn't begrudge me dual identities."

"I saved your life."

"I warned you about compassion, Bruce."

Wayne looked around at the constant guests, who were completely oblivious to the danger they were in.