[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/6KS31TB.png?1[/img][/center] [CENTER][color=darkgray][b][sub]Collab featuring [@Lord Wraith][/sub][/b][/color][b][color=BLACK][sup][h1]THERE'S TWO OF YOU?[/h1][/sup][/color][/b][/center] [color=black][b]G o t h a m C i t y[/b][hr][hr] [sub]November 18th, 2017 – 12:45am | [i] Near Gotham City Center [/i][/sub][/color] The night air was chilled. Fresh snow hung in the air, racing the dawn before the Gotham climate regained enough heat to ward winter off for a few more weeks. But the city knew the inevitable was upon it. Winter was coming. Holding Goliath's reins tightly, Damian watched the city pass by below as he made his way towards Robinson Park. The police prescence wouldn't be much of a problem, no one on the force knew the Batman quite like Gordon, and since he had retired, Damian was able to fool most officers into believing he was his father even with a different Batsuit. The cowl was all that truly mattered to most people. Goliath suddenly dove towards the city's ground level. The acres of green below alerted Damian they were above the park as let out a whistle for Goliath to stop as the dragon bat turned to circle the park while Damian departed the saddle. Diving towards the ground, Damian felt the rush as he was reminded of a conversation he had once held with Grayson while the pair were younger. He had asked Grayson, if he could have any power, what would it be. The older teen had paused, carefully wearing his option before replying. [B][I][COLOR=steelBLUE]"Flying is always the first thing that comes to mind, but I have to admit, Damian, I've learned to love falling."[/COLOR][/I][/B] Falling towards Robinson Park, Damian could fully appreciate what Grayson had meant when he had spoken those words so many nights ago. The rushing sensation was almost addictive as Damian allowed himself to feel before deploying the suit's wings and slowing his descent as the shock absorbing boots took the rest of the force the wings hadn't managed to slow. [COLOR=SILVER][B]"B-B-Batman!"[/B][/COLOR] A nearby GCPD Officer stuttered as Damian examined his badge. He was barely above being a rookie. A fresh face on the force, no doubt filling the ranks for the endless retirements that seemed to be parading out of the GCPD these days. [COLOR=INDIANRED][B]"The body."[/B][/COLOR] Damian's voice rumbled as he did his best to impersonate his father's own growl. [COLOR=INDIANRED][B]"It's over t-t-there."[/B][/COLOR] The officer said with a point as Damian slowly approached. He was stopped in his tracks by a familiar, if unwelcome,voice. [color=black]"That,"[/color] spoke the tinder-wood dry growl, [color=black]"is not Batman."[/color] The officer startled as a second form appeared, coalescing out of the night's shadows like a phantasm to form the huge, imposing figure of the one, true Batman. "Jesus H Fucking Christ!" The officer yelped, hand dropping towards his sidearm before he realised just what, or more specifically who, he was looking at. "There's t-t-two of you now?" [color=black]"No. There isn't."[/color] Batman's eyes were pointedly fixed upon Damian, fixing him in place with a glare that witnessed the fall of maniacs, psychopaths, and tyrants. The officer, displaying an excellant acuteness, backed off several paces without saying a word. The Dark Knight didn't spare him another thought. The Batman's chest was a roiling ball of twisting, treacherous emotions. Hurt, that Damian would try to usurp the cowl from him in such an underhand fashion; guilt, that he should have noticed this earlier, read the warning signs that had all appeared so obvious now; sorrow, that maybe this was a sign of things to come, a taste of 'tomorrow'. There was pride there too, the mixed, bittersweet pride that a man feels when he realises that his son finally feels ready to claim his place in the world, even if that means taking it at the expense of his father. All those emotions, all those conflicting feelings, paled in the face of the anger though. That cold, hard fury that rose from the pit of his stomach to coil around his chest and constrict tightly upon his heart. The cowl was [i]his[/i]. He [i]was[/i] Batman, whether Damian liked it or not. As long as the blood run hot in his body, the mantle would be his, never to be claimed by a usurper, well-intentioned or otherwise. The only outward sign of the Dark Knight's inner struggle was the slight narrowing of his eyes, and the shallow popping sounds his knuckles made as he clenched his fists tightly. [color=black]"Return to the Cave [i]Robin[/i],"[/color] The emphasis he put on the name was unmistakable, [color=black]"Burn that costume. I'll deal with this now."[/color] [i]And you when I get home,[/i] was the unspoken, implicit threat. [COLOR=INDIANRED][B]"TT."[/B][/COLOR] Damian was hardly phased by the appearance of his father. The officer he had previously spoken to on the other hand was giving off a rather unpleasent odor having come face to face with Gotham's own urban legend. [COLOR=INDIANRED][B]"I thought you had a stake-out tonight."[/B][/COLOR] Damian stated. [COLOR=INDIANRED][B]"Figured the Cauldron would keep you out of my way."[/B][/COLOR] He continued, ignoring his father's direct orders as he approached the body left for the Bat himself. [COLOR=INDIANRED][B]"The M.O. here doesn't match my previous victim."[/B][/COLOR] Damian's voice tried to mask his disappointment as he continued to look over the body. The Batman fought back a snarl. The boy ignored him. [i]Ignored him[/i]. It felt like a vein upon his forehead began to pulsate. He couldn't remember Dick ever being this difficult. The cocky brat brushed him off as if he had done nothing wrong, heading towards the body to begin his examination. The Dark Knight followed on his heels, intending upon [i]forcing[/i] the boy home before finishing up here. All those plans evaporated as soon as he glimpsed the condition of the corpse. [COLOR=INDIANRED][B]"Extensive lacerations cover his back and torso, spelling out words, an invitation to be exact. The lacerations were allowed time to heal, time to form scar tissue even. This man was not simply killed and dumped. This was pre-mediated, dedication and thought put into it. He was held and tortured."[/B][/COLOR] Damian stated, a snarl forming in his throat. [COLOR=INDIANRED][B]"Such an individual can not be allowed to roam Gotham."[/B][/COLOR] Batman didn't answer. He couldn't. His mouth wouldn't work. His body refused to. Even his mind fell into a still blankness, a quiet, static fuzz that refused all sense and sensation. Is this how the dormouse feels, when it looks into the hypnotic dancing eyes of the viper? Is this what terror feels like? It had been so long, he could hardly remember. . . The feeling passed quickly, though it left a bad taste in the back of his mouth, like sour milk. He returned his attentions to the body, but found it difficult to focus. Too many swirling, chaotic thoughts in his head. He dropped to his knees to better inspect the corpse, paying extra attentiveness to the mouth, the missing tongue, and the peculiar wounds behind the teeth. Almost as if someone had used a knife to force the mans teeth apart over and over again. Why though? Some sick parody of speech, forced upon the mutilated mute? It couldn't be [color=8A2BE2][i]him[/i][/color], could it? He'd been missing for so long this time that Bruce had began to hope that he was gone for good. The wounds upon the body certainly looked like the work of his sick mind, but then there was a dozen different killers in Gotham who were capable of the same depravity. Zsaz, for instance. [color=black][i]It wasn't Zsaz though. Or Amygdala, or even the Mad Monk. Call it intuition, call it foresight, call it whatever you want. You know who's responsible here. You're just scared to admit it out loud.[/i][/color] The Batman climbed back to his feet, feeling the full weight of his forty-nine years, and turned to face Damian. He realised that his hands were shaking uncontrollably, and thrust them into the confines of his cape before the boy noticed. [color=black]"Stay away from this Robin."[/color] There was no emphasis on the name this time. No heat. The energy had drained from his voice, until all that was left was the tired man within. [color=black]"I'll deal with it."[/color] [COLOR=INDIANRED][B]"So it is him."[/B][/COLOR] Damian stated, emphasising the word. [COLOR=INDIANRED][B]"TT."[/B][/COLOR] [COLOR=INDIANRED][B]"The Doctor was right, he does have a hand in this."[/B][/COLOR] Crossing his arms, Damian felt as though the Gotham air had suddenly gotten cold. [COLOR=INDIANRED][B]"Drake had mentioned the toll the Joker had taken on you, especially after [I]Todd[/I]."[/B][/COLOR] He mentioned the last word barely above a whisper. He knew the fragility of his father's psyche. The pains of dealing with a son rushing to adulthood, his father figure's failing mental facilities, the fact that every woman he cared about was no one to be found including Damian's own mother. The young man, could practically see Death's embrace reaching forth towards Bruce. His father may think he unobservant, but it didn't take the World's Greatest Detective to see the Dark Knight's hands were shaking beneath the billowing cape. [COLOR=INDIANRED][B]"I have to go."[/B][/COLOR] He stated breaking the silence. [COLOR=INDIANRED][B]"Robbery in progress, suspect is dressed as a cat."[/B][/COLOR] He added before whistling sharply. [COLOR=INDIANRED][B]"I believe it's family tradition that the men of the cowl chase women in tight leather."[/B][/COLOR] Damian stated, a small smirk turning in the corners of his mouth as he shoved his own worries back. No matter his age, his father could take care of himself. [I]Hopefully.[/I] Goliath suddenly appeared as Damian jumped to a nearby bench and launched himself on the back of the dragon bat in one smooth motion before the two took off into the night sky. Avoiding any further scolding from the true Bat himself. Batman watched the boy go. He tried to feel the anger, the pride, the sorrow, the guilt. Any of the emotions that had savaged him when he had first seen Damian wearing that costume earlier. But he couldn't. They weren't there anymore. All he could feel was fear.