Batman and the Justice League

Finding Family Pt. 1

The reeking water greeted me first. The splash of my feet echoed throughout the tunnels. Grime covered the dim lit walls, but I expected as much. Lifting the small light higher I halted by an ulterior tunnel entrance. Claw marks and pieces of what seemed like scales lay scattered across the old walls. A smirk tugged at the corner of my mouth.

"Gotcha."

A month had passed since the Riddler's "Zero Year" as he called it. Gotham was cleaning itself up, but there was so much to be done. Most subways were still flooded, and vines encased entryways. Being Bruce Wayne I played a part in the reconstruction, but Batman was just as busy. After something so drastic and traumatic the filth of Gotham never slept on their crimes. I had to stop several burglaries and muggings on the very first day back to 'normal'. The next few weeks reports came in of alligators in the sewers, nothing but myth, until bodies began to appear. The latest, a male Tyrees Smith in his mid-fifties, was discovered at the southern Gotham harbor port. His limbs were torn apart and distinctive teeth marks sawed through his neck. More reports of a large reptile figure were seen by additional water openings. The trail lead to an ancient Gotham sewage tunnel. Carved owls were etched across the entrance, but nothing else to note until I came to a fork in the passage. Grinning I stealthy continued the path of claws and scales.

I honestly had no idea what to expect. Rumors of these 'meta-humans' had arisen all over the world, especially with figures like the Flash and the Superman, but I never thought for here in Gotham. So yes, I might have faltered when I saw that large scaly humanoid crocodile...that can talk...

Jumping to the side with a batarang in hand, the killing crocodile charged towards me smashing the wall behind. Grappling to the other end of the tunnel I sent a smoke pellet towards the beast. I unceremoniously hit the wall and immediately went for a flare. The beast seemed to dislike any sense of light.

"Agh!" My scream echoed throughout the channel as large teeth ripped into my shoulder. Jabbing a batarang into the beast's leg I stumbled away barely blocking another swipe. Dropping an explosive, we were both blasted back into opposite ends. I slammed down to the stone earth as water engulfed my figure. Quickly jumping to my feet, I was able to gather my near bearings. This part of the passage was different. Cloth hung in rags across the ceiling and jewels of all kinds lay scattered amidst the grunge. Stepping deeper into the sanctuary I was drawn to a large opal gem. There was something captivating about it. The sparkles and color it omitted as it danced in the fire's light. It was as if my body had gone on autopilot. My hand reached forth gingerly stroking the fine cut rims. I stood in awe for what felt like forever. A part of me knew I needed to move, that the beast was behind me, but it was so...beautiful.

"hsssss...get out of MY HOME!!!" Claws dug into my back knocking me out of my stupor. I winced at the blood flow but quickly acted in tackling the monstrosity only to be thrown into the pile of jewels. "I will KILL you batssssmansss" The creature advanced. I grabbed the closest thing to me. I didn't notice the opal gem in my hands only having eyes for the beast.

"I'm taking you out of Gotham Harbor you-" Before I could finish my sentence a blinding light penetrated the room. I raised my arm as a shield, but soon found that difficult. It was as if a thousand daggers had suddenly pierced my body and it took a moment longer to discover I couldn't breathe. I opened my panicked eyes to the pitch black. The room seemed to have vanished all together as I struggled to latch onto anything wriggling in the abyss. My sluggish mind finally caught on, that I was in fact drowning. Bubbles gurgled out in my struggle towards the surface. My numb fingers clawed for any hold and finding nothing. Bursting forth to fresh air I was greeting by the piercing night gasping for life. There was a light in the distance and I struggled fiercely towards it fighting my numbing body. Wading closer, the light of Gotham Harbor greeted me, and I reached towards what little docks there were. Clambering onto the cold boards I lay there heaving. Chills and shivers consumed me in small convulses. My damp cape was useless in aiding my needs.

"C-cave..." I tapped my comm. "C-cave t-this i-i-sss B-bat-m-man...cave..." I was met with only static. My heart sank. A sense of desperation and fear took over. Heaving to my shaking feet my best bet was to make it to the installed inner-city bunker. My shaking legs collapsed on the first try, but eventually I was hobbling across the docks and into the streets. It wasn't until I had collapsed into an alley that I finally realized everything was wrong. Gasping with ragged breaths in a pile of garbage I could see the vapor of the air. Looking around snow and ice encased the landscape. Specks of white softly fell from the sky landing on my cold face. This was very, very wrong. It was the middle of summer! How was I in the sewers and then suddenly in Gotham Harbor? Questions circled my sluggish mind causing a headache to form. I groaned lightly closing into my numb body. The wet suit did little to warm me against the frost-bitten air as it seeped through the tears in my back. It was getting harder to think, to feel, to stay awake. Some part of me knew I was falling into hyperthermia and I hastily rose towards the bunker. Collapsing a couple times on the way, several blocks later I could see the black glass tip. Joy engulfed me at this, so close, so close to warmth, to Alfred, to home. Just as I took another step my legs gave way hurling me to the earth again. I groaned, angry at my incompitant 'transport'.

"Hey, B-man, you okay?" A voice softly spoke. I snapped up greeted by a silhouette of a man on the roof above. "Oh, silly me." The figure jeered jumping onto a fire escape and swinging to the earth with ease. "Batman need help? Why, that never happens!" The figure stepped closer chuckling.

"S-stay...awayyy..." I slurred attempting to growl. The man paused.

"Hey, it's me. You don't need to be a grump all the time." Stepping into the dim lamplight I was able to make out the man. He was tall with raven hair and a suit to match. A bright blue bird lay imprinted across his chest with a matching blue domino mask. Two escrima sticks protruded from a holster on his back. He stood with a grace to him, but fully capable to jump into action if necessary. He gazed down upon me with a look of...fondness, familiarity? I slumped there at the mercy of this man, and I did NOT like that. Growling I stood, painfully, to my full height.

"W-who are you?" I rasped.

"Oh now you've really lost it." He trailed off rubbing his neck. "Here, take my arm and I'll drive us home." The man advanced upon me. I took a shaky step back. I think, if I was not mistaken, I was afraid. I had come to rely on Alfred, on Jim, every night that I set out, but now...now I was truly alone. I most certainly was falling into hypothermia. I feared I could no longer defend myself, that the mask would be pulled, that my crusade...my purpose...Alfred...it would all be stripped away just as I had started...

The man reached for my arm. With the little strength I had I shifted my body thrusting my forearm to jab into his. The man snapped back a look of hurt shot across his face. Slowly his mood shifted becoming grimmer as if something dark had dawned on him.

"Wait..." He reached for his escrima sticks. "You're not Batman..." Something like a stab of pride erupted within me at that. How dare this little punk think he landed with a phony! He was probably just a boy playing and man. He had the audacity, me a twenty-six-year-old master of all forms of martial arts and criminology, to be illegitimate.

"Who are you?!" He demanded. I smirked. This kid was in for a treat.

"I'm Batman." With that I lunged forward shifting into a roundhouse followed with two quick jabs. The man flipped away twisting in the air. I narrowly dodged an escrima to the face. My skin pricked up indicating an electrical current running through the tips. Seething, I nailed his face and barely heard the crunch as he landed against the brick wall. I paused a moment catching my breath. My chest was tight, and fatigue overtook my body. The hypothermia was getting worse. Swallowing the rising panic, I stumbled towards the limp man. His head lulled to the side and his fingers twitched still holding one baton. I stamped my boot on his wrist receiving a groan. Kneeling closer to the man my shallow breathing was all that could be heard. The snow fell between us as everything stilled. I was slipping away and fast. In my sluggish thoughts an overwhelming sense of pride consumed me. A pride at beating this man. A pride at proving this man the better, that I was who I said I was. A smile spread across my frost-bitten lips. I leaned in closer. The man was coming to, erecting his neck. I chuckled at his attempt. My vision was growing dark, but I didn't care.

"I am Batman." With that I knew no more.