Master Bruce — Roleplayer Guild

Also, a little unrelated, but as much as I love shit-posting, I find it almost refreshing to talk openly about what we have planned in the OOC thread. It's nice to discuss ideas with people out in the open rather than in PMs or on Discord. I know we all like to have the element of surprise (and I know I certainly fetishize "reveals" a little bit) but it can sometimes be a little isolating to see people posting day after day as if ideas come to them like manna from heaven, when really it's because they thrash everything out behind closed doors.

We should do that out in the open more often, I think. Inbetween the GIFs, memes and dick jokes, obviously.@Morden Man

Well... since everyone here knows how much I love talking about Batman, I suppose there are a few teases I can make here and there that don't spoil any of the major beats that I have planned.

Obviously, I'm playing a very early Batman who hasn't figured out what he wants to be yet. The entire point of Bruce rallying the people of Gotham behind hating and fearing him is supposed to reflect that he doesn't quite understand the city's need for an outright hero, and that he has to learn Batman should be a symbol of hope as much, if not more, than something to fear. This also ties a bit into his psychosis, which I'm playing as more unstable than most iterations, with Bruce borderlining schizophrenia and having a bit of trouble with that. 

He fears losing himself to the beast, as it were, and I'm toying with having his Batman episodes actually end up being blackouts at some point that Bruce doesn't even remember. This is because I fully intend to exploit the idea that Martha Wayne was a member of the Arkham lineage, which offers a great deal of hereditary insanity. The way he's going to fight this is by gradually becoming more of the classic Batman with a stricter moral code who values allies like Alfred and the yet-to-be-introduced Oracle - along with perhaps the adoption of a certain boy from the circus that forces him to start leading a better example.

Beyond just the character work I want to do, some may have noticed I'm not leaping at the chance to have Batman fight his bigger rogues gallery in every post. This is intentional, because I want events to take shape that inspire more of these people to come to the forefront. I already introduced Ed Nashton, and you can't not expect The Riddler to follow at a certain point. (Unless you're @Byrd Man, whose legendary run with a version of Nygma in another game was so good that I don't even want to try and touch it.)

That's how I intend to set up a majority of the villains. Introduce a primordial version of them, play out a reimagined version of their origins, and have the experience shape Bruce into a better hero. So people like Two-Face, Catwoman, The Penguin, the aforementioned Riddler, Ra's Al Ghul, and the like are all getting the slow burn treatment. 

And this is especially going to be true of The Joker, who I want to save for last as a huge reveal, given that my concept for him strays quite a bit from the beaten path and sets up a great deal of Year Two. I daresay my version of the clown may prove to be a bit controversial, but I really want to swing for the fences and deliver a wholly different type of evil than just a gleeful criminal mastermind.

Oh, and I'm getting a Batmobile soon, I guess... if you're into that type of thing.

Shit. I got carried away again, didn't I? Oh, well.

Gotham City, Unity Square
The Narrows
7:58 PM

"Take a good look at this image. I want you all to remember it as you go home tonight, perhaps thinking to yourselves that this is an exaggeration not meant to be taken seriously. That the individual this image represents is somehow a 'myth' created by either myself or the members of the Gotham City Police Department to deter criminal activity. I can personally promise you that it isn't. He is very real, and he's the reason you're all here tonight."

With Selina leaning into my shoulder, trying to stifle a laugh, I stare up from amongst the crowd at the crude painting that was drafted of what the public perceives me to be. It's as much an exaggerated piece of fiction as anything else that has tried to depict him, to be sure, but it's one that is brought up perhaps the most frequently. The image first appeared on the front page of the Gotham Gazette two weeks after I took out a smuggling ring led under the orders of Selina's father, Carmine 'The Roman' Falcone, operating out of the East End docks. That was the first night that I utilized the persona that the papers would eventually label The Batman, and I never imagined that news would spread as wide as it did about a winged vigilante terrorizing criminals across the city.

I had hoped, honestly, to be perceived as nothing more than the myth that Harvey's trying to dissuade at this very moment. But with the metahuman outing after the Metropolis Superman's arrival, it wasn't long before the public started to take notice of any potential superhuman figures among them in their paranoia of a growing phenomena. Thugs that I had beaten into submission talked, and in contrast to my beliefs, the police took their claims seriously. Given that my methods are intentionally meant to ensure my enemies believe that I am something out of a nightmare, the train of logic isn't hard to follow from there. They believe me to be a metahuman aswell. I made the mistake of poor timing in choosing my initial strike against the crime families, which is exactly why I need this rally to reinforce the idea that The Batman is something to be feared instead of championed. Because with all metahumans, there seems to be a growing division: Those against and those in favor. 

"I'm sorry, it's just... this is so ridiculous.", Selina whispers, trying to contain herself. "They actually believe he has fangs. I mean, the claws and giant wings I could at least buy. And even the fur's even a bit arguable. But fangs?!"

I smirk, playing into her jovial outlook. 

"Well, you've never seen him. For all we know, he does have those."

"Oh, stop."

Harvey indicates the mural and stares back at the audience. Admittedly, he's getting alot of them more worked up than I thought. He's actually pulling his weight for this, playing the part of dutiful public servant.

"When I was elected as your District Attorney, I made a promise to the people of Gotham that I would rid this city of the corruption that the five families represent. We all knew the names of these individuals, and yet no one was willing to act against them. It became my personal responsibility to see them brought to justice, no matter the cost. But this? This is something my office was never expecting to have to contend with. A man who takes the law into his own hands, night after night, without any regard for the law. A man that both you and your children live in fear of!"

Dent takes the microphone from the podium and begins walking along the perimeter of the stage, trying to engage the audience on a more intimate level as they cheer on his every word. I'll admit, were I not someone whose opinion could be considered heavily biased at best, even I would be calling for The Batman's head.

"Since January of this year, reports have flooded my campaign headquarters of sightings. Firsthand accounts of this man's brutality. Ordinary citizens, even if they were acting in the interest of criminal misconduct, being put into traction by an individual who openly defies civility every time that he puts on that cape! This is a man who not only poses a danger to us all, but someone who refuses to be held accountable. This is a land of laws, and Gotham is no different! Your police and politicians are meant to be the ones to enact order, not the dangerously unstable who hide themselves behind masks!"

Pointing to a random individual from the crowd, Harvey holds out the microphone. 

"You, sir! Allow me to pose you an honest question! Were you left trapped in an alleyway with a gang of muggers, unable to defend yourself or your family, would you want the police to intervene and arrest the perpetrators? Would you feel safer knowing that they were off the streets, unable to harm anyone else? Or would you prefer that they be beaten half to death by a man who believes he gets to decide what punishment befits the crime?!"

"THE POLICE!", the man yells back, drawing further applause. 

"Exactly. The police. Not a man whose very identity is hidden from us, who takes upon the moniker of The Batman to ensure his own personal freedom at the cost of everyone else! These criminals that he assaults, do you know where they end up after he's done with them? Back on the streets! More aggressive than before, and looking for revenge! Batman only breeds further hostility, and in these troubling times, how is that what's needed for Gotham? For our city? For your city!"

I look around at the crowd as they each start vigorously clapping in solidarity. In truth, Harvey's being a bit overdramatic, selling them on a reality where I only cause retaliation. On the contrary, I've made my enemies too afraid to go out at night. Some have left town altogether, while others have pleaded to stay locked up in jail. Despite a number of setbacks that could've hindered these results, my mission is so far a success. 

But the public doesn't need to know that, or the fact that if Harvey were able to speak his mind on these issues, he'd likely be championing The Batman as a much-needed shot in the arm against men like Falcone and Sal Maroni. 

Then again, Harvey's always been good about keeping a private face seperate from his public one. It's why he and I have gotten along so well, over the years, despite what relatively little he actually knows about me. 

"Right, because the police are so trustworthy in this town..."

I glance over at Selina as she shrugs. 

"Hey, someone had to say it."

"And I'm sure the crowd would love to hear it, Selina."

She rolls her eyes. 

"You don't have to be condescending."

I smile as Dent proceeds back to the podium.

"I stand in alignment with you, Gotham. For too long, The Batman has been allowed to operate without jurisdiction and without a system of checks and balances. His methods may be an effective band-aid for the problems we face at hand, but they're only going to make things worse if he continues to remain unchecked! That is why I am using this opportunity to petition Commissioner Loeb and the Gotham City Police Department, in conjunction with my office and the office of Mayor Thorne, to authorize a task force designed to reign in The Batman once and for all! With the swift arrest of this dangerous criminal, we will finally be looking at a brighter tomorrow! My campaign ran on the promise that you can believe in Harvey Dent. And that promise extends to my policies, so when I say believe in this, you can take me at my word! Gotham City doesn't want a vigilante running rampant! Our city doesn't need The Batman!"

With a round of thunderous applause, Harvey nods to his campaign organizers so that they can take the stage from him, indicating the event's activities and refreshments. All sponsored by an anonymous donor, of course, given that I've yet to gain a seat on the board of directors for Waynetech. An unfortunate reality that I hope to change with Dent's help in exchange for giving him the money do this, among other favors he's begrudgingly come to me for. 

In addition to helping me create an enemy for the public to latch onto, Harvey's office has needed a new target to distract people from his momentary inability to touch individuals like The Penguin, who revel in leaving him looking ineffectual. I want Batman to act as a cover for something that's completely out of his control until we can both make definite progress in shutting the five families down for good. 

"Thank god that's over.", Selina says, breathing a sigh of relief. "Now that the boring politics are out of the way, maybe we can grab a drink and make the night a little more interesting. Care to take me up on that, Wayne?"

Laughing at the offer, I indicate Harvey as he steps off of the podium. 

"I think he would find it more than a little rude if we skipped out this early. But go ahead if you want to. I'm sure Alfred would be willing to drive you to a bar."

"Oh, no you don't. You're not ditching me that easily. If there's anything I hate, it's drinking alone. And if you're going to spoil my fun, why I should let you have any?"

Shaking my head, I glance back at Harvey as he extends a hand to me. 

"Thanks again for doing this, Bruce. You don't know how much it's gonna mean to my staff. They've been on my ass to do something about this guy for months, and I didn't know where else to turn."

I shake his hand, brushing off the comment. 

"No need, Harvey. Anything I can do to contribute to the excitement of hunting criminals without actually putting myself in their crosshairs is a genuine pleasure."

"You've got my vote, Harv!", Selina interjects, faking enthusiasm. 

"Oh, wait. You already ran for office, didn't you? It was so hard to tell, given how hard you were trying up there."

I'd wince at that if I didn't know how well Selina and Harvey knew eachother. If memory serves, they actually used to date back in college. She enrolled in his senior year, right after I left the country. And judging from the way Harvey used to talk about her, she made quite the impression. It's the only reason I was willing to give someone so closely associated with Carmine Falcone a chance. And so far, she hasn't disappointed me. Underneath the snark, Selina seems to be one of the only genuinely good people left in Gotham.

"If you weren't the daughter of the city's worst crimelord, I'd have you served for that.", Harvey quips back. 

"And come on, Selina. You know as well as I do that you've gotta work the crowd sometimes. This is all just for show, just like anything in politics.

"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't.", Selina contends. 

"Still, don't you think it's a bit much? The big canvas, the fear mongering? You're just giving this masked idiot the attention he's probably craving."

"Even if that is the case, it's a small price to pay for civility. I say let him have the publicity, as long as the GCPD has him in cuffs by the end of the month."

"So you're really deadset against this guy, then?", I ask. 

"You know, I thought it was all an act, hating Batman as passionately as you seem to."

Harvey shrugs. 

"Well I mean, hate is a strong word, Bruce. I can't exactly deny that he's going after the type of people that could stand to have a few bones broken. But there are two sides to everything. Am I weeping over the victims he puts into the hospital? No, but I'm not gonna say that I'd love to go and shake the man's hand for what he's doing, either."

Having just shook mine, the irony isn't lost on me in that statement.

"Fair enough, counselor."

Selina leaves my side and playfully cozies up to Dent. 

"So, now that you've dazzled the crowd with your Anti-Bat speech, care to take me up on an offer the infinitely boring Mr. Wayne just declined?"

Harvey looks back at me with an amused look. "Do I even want to know?"

"You really don't."

Selina shoots me a glare. I shrug. 

"Hey, someone had to say it."

Harvey pulls out his phone. 

"If you're asking me to engage in your crippling alcoholism, I'll have you know that there's a lady expecting me back before dawn. Which reminds me, I owe her a call..."

Just as Selina whispers something into his ear, inciting a laugh between the two of them over some private joke, I start to speak up - only to notice something out of place out of the corner of my eye. 

In the reflection of the back casing of Harvey's phone, something's revealed from the top of the overlooking roof that lies on the building just adjacent from the site of the rally. A figure, watching over the scene. 

Immediately, I look back and narrow my eyes, scanning the darkness - only to recognize the outline of a weapon I've stared down the barrel of many times before. A high-caliber sniper rifle. 

My eyes widened, I immediately move to warn Harvey and Selina.

"GET---!"

BLAM!

The crowd screams and pandemoneum immediately sets in, with everyone running in opposite directions. I hear the bullet richochet off of something in the distance, but Harvey immediately falls back, with a perfect line of blood spraying the air beside his head. Before he can hit the pavement, I dive forward and catch him, preventing his head from hitting the pavement. At first, my heart races thinking that it's a contact wound, or a headshot. But I think the bullet only grazed him. My suspicions are confirmed upon examination. 

"HARVEY!"

Selina rushes to his side.

"Oh my god! Bruce, is he alright?! Is he dead?!"

"No.", I reply sternly, grabbing her hand. 

"Stay with him. I need to get the paramedics here before he bleeds out."

"But..."

"Selina! He needs somebody to stay. You're as much his friend as he is mine. Can I trust you to do this?"

Her expression turning from scared to intense determination, she rips herself from my grasp and grabs Harvey's hand.

"Come on, Dent, you're not done with us! Don't you dare pass out on me!"

I stand up and immediately race for the car, parked just beyond the venue. Whoever the shooter was, I didn't see them as I got back up. But they're very unlikely not to still be in the area given that they took the shot from the rooftops. I don't know why someone would be out to try and assassinate Harvey in full view of a crowd of pedestrians, but at the moment, I'm not exactly in the mood to care about motives. The man who did this needs to be stopped right now. 

Alfred gets out of the car as I approach.

"I heard the shot from here. What happened?!"

I practically rip open the backseat door and climb inside.

"Dent's been hit and he needs medical attention. Make sure that he gets it."

"Certainly, lad. But what about you?"

Hitting a hidden button from behind the driver's seat, I click open and remove a panel drawer hiding a specific set of gear for such an emergency. Harvey may have just rallied the public against him, but if there's anyone who can make sure his assassin doesn't escape custody, it's certainly not going to be Bruce Wayne.

"I'll be preoccupied."

Gotham City, The Rooftops
The Narrows
8:07 PM

The assassin leaps ahead to the next roof and rolls as he lands, his uncanny agility keeping him a step ahead from plummeting to the streets. Reloading the cartridges of his weapon right away, he tosses the rifle over his shoulder and runs straight ahead. The police, he surmised, won't arrive for another two minutes at most. If they even care enough to get to Dent's position in time, given the amount of dirty cops known to work in this district. That gives him enough of a window to get to his getaway van a few blocks ahead and disappear without a trace. 

Only one thing vexes him as he catches himself just barely beginning to run out of breath: Why wasn't it a killshot? He had set it up perfectly, and he'd timed pulling the trigger to whenever Dent entered directly into his line of sight. It didn't make any sense, especially coming off of his own personal track record of kills. The District Attorney should've been on his way to the morgue, not the hospital. 

"Dammit!"

Realizing that this meant the already dubious contract with his employer was now null and void, the assassin wanted to take a moment and kick the concrete below his boots out of frustration. He knew what failure meant, and it was far too steep of a price for him to pay. Now he'd have to think of an alternative to make things right, or ensure that Dent didn't make it to the hospital alive. And there was bound to be complications in pursuing the latter option. 

Pulling out his own phone, the assassin held it to his ear as he continued running.

"I didn't get the shot! He's still in the clear! But I'm gonna..."

Before he could finish his sentence, the assassin was caught off guard as his phone was knocked out of his hand by a razor-sharp projectile that lodged itself into the back of his knuckle. The assassin fell hard on his own shoulder against the gravel, grasping the now bleeding hand as he yanked the projectile from it. 

The shape of a Bat. The assassin immediately knew what that meant. 

"Oh, hell."

Hearing leather whip against the wind as he stood to his feet, the assassin couldn't even see the attack coming as The Batman sent a hard flying knee to the side of his jaw. Slamming against the scaffolding of the roof, the masked would-be killer Harvey Dent leapt to his feet and raised his hands, revealing a pair of wrist-mounted devices that looked not too dissimilar from the type of hidden automatic weapons that military vehicles employed, modified in size to fit atop armored gauntlets. Batman growled as he dove forward, tackling the man before he could get a proper shot off. 

BA-BLAM!

The sound was deafening against Batman's ears at such close range, as he writhed in pain upon both men collapsing. By the time that he was able to get back up, the vigilante felt a hard kick slam into his chest, knocking him backwards into a stumble. Hearing the warning click of a gun's hammer be pulled back, The Batman recovered just long enough to find himself on the other end of the second wrist-mounted weapon. 

"Move and you're paste, freak."

Immediately diving down, Batman slammed his shoulder into the man's arm and kicked hard into his leg, causing him to drop to one knee. The assassin was quick to counter, however, spinning off of his other leg and using the momentum to slice into Batman's side with a hidden blade. Despite his heavily armored costume, the vigilante still had plenty of exposed areas to hit. He grasped the area in pain as blood began to seep out of it, realizing that the gunman had managed to hit one of them. Distracted, Batman looked up to see a fist clock him directly in the face, knocking him to the ground. 

By the time Batman looked back up, his attacker was perched onto a higher section of the roof and brandishing a much more lethal weapon. Unintimidated, Batman rose to his feet and allowed his cape to drape over him, hiding his wound.

"Gotta admit, I didn't even think you were real until just now.", the assassin mocked. "And wow, that is dedication to a theme. You get that suit custom made, or is there an online store?"

Batman prepared three batarangs behind his back.

"Who are you? Why did you try and murder Dent?"

"Because I was paid to, genius. That's what I do."

"The name's Deadshot. And if you so much as move an inch this time, I'm gonna blow half the roof away along with you."

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