Prince of Gotham
Disclaimer: This is my perspective on characters that belong to DC comics.
So all rights and stuff go to them except for the character(s) that I make
Up.
"Time." Manticore said, in a meditative pose. He sat on the floor, cross legged in front of the temporal machine.
"You're making me angry." Harvey Two Face Dent said.
Manticore ignored him.
Two Face flipped a coin, "I say we move things along." He said, "Batman is going to show up soon."
Manticore smiled, his eyes still closed, "If you wish to get away with the loot, you should have been gone." He said, "I'm counting on Batman showing up. I've got a little trip for him."
"Trip? You're insane, he's going to take you down!" Two Face said, "What about our plan?"
"All will go according to plan." Manticore said, "With Batman away, the criminals will be able to play."
There was a rustle of a cape.
"Go." Manticore said softly.
Two Face ran in the opposite direction.
"It's almost done." Manticore said, singing the syllables.
Batman ignored it.
"Oh, come on, it's no fun unless you interact with me." Manticore said, "Tch tch tch."
"Put your hands in the air." Batman said.
"Tempora." Manticore said, turning and waving his hands at Batman, who threw a Bat-a-rang that connected, causing Manticore to fall back into the portal he had created! He spiraled backwards into the unknown only to fall to the ground with a sickening thud and ripped off his mask to reveal himself to be Phoenix, "Dammit." He swore.
"What the..." A dark figure said.
"Holy shit."
"Who are you?" The Dark Figure asked.
I looked around at what appeared to be Gotham, but it was more high tech than my time, so I immediately figured out it was the future.
"Hello." The figure said.
"I'm manticore." I said, "Who are you?"
The dark figure stepped into the light to reveal a batsuit with a red bat on the front, "I'm Batman."
I sighed and rolled my eyes, "Oh crap!" I frowned, "Batmen are really starting to piss me off."
"Are you a villain?" Batman asked.
"Take me to Bruce." I said.
Batman looked at me oddly, "You know about Bruce?" he asked.
"I'm from the past, sparky." I said quickly, "To the Bat Cave!"
-
"Gotham's a lot different." I said.
The Batcave didn't change much. Neither did Batmen apparently. He was quiet and kind of creepy, but the costume was a major turn on. A couple of times, I felt him watching me.
"What's so..." But Old Bruce stopped dead in his tracks, "You!"
"Me." I said.
"You know him?" Batman asked.
"Still recruiting?" I asked.
"What are you doing here?" Bruce asked.
"You're from the future, you tell me." I frowned, "I was..."
"About to send me here?" Batman asked.
"Actually yeah." I said.
"He's a villain?" Batman asked.
"Yes."
Bruce said, "He's dangerous, why did you bring him here?"
"He knew who you were." Batman said.
"Terry, he's from the past." Bruce said.
"Me? Dangerous? That's not true." I smirked, "I'm kind of sad I'm not living here."
"What do you want? Help? I can't help you." Bruce said, revealing just how old he was.
"You really don't like me, do you?" I asked.
"You have a lot to answer to." Bruce said.
"And I'll get right on that, but first I really need to get back to my time." I frowned.
"Are we going to help him?" Batman asked.
"Where am I?" I asked.
"What?" Bruce asked
"This is the future, where am I?" I asked.
"Dead." Bruce said.
"Is he...is he Phoenix Rainer?" Batman asked.
"Yes, I am, Terry." I smiled.
There was a multitude of beeping.
"What's that?" I asked.
"Some friends." Bruce said, typing something in on the computer.
"Friend?" I asked.
"My name is Warhawk." Warhawk
said, coming out and taking off his helmet, "You can call me Rex."
I took a minute to admire his handsome face and it was very obvious that he wasn't black or white, but both. For a minute we stared at each other, my hand on his, then we cut it.
"So, where am I?" I asked.
-
I stood at my own grave, reading what it said over and over again. Beloved son and brother, a real hero. I couldn't wrap my head around it all. I didn't have a brother. Bruce was still alive, hell, even Dick...
"If it helps you, you died nobly." Bruce said, cane in hand.
I looked up from the grave to him, my mouth hanging open in shock.
"I guess it doesn't." Bruce said, "You undid all of this."
"I've worked so hard..."
"But you weren't built to do evil." Bruce said.
"How would you know?" I asked.
"You got confused." Bruce said, "You were lost."
"I need to get to a temporal amp." I said, "That's the only way I can get back."
"Come back to the base, we'll search and you can wait." Bruce said.
"Did you...were we..."
"You died in my arms." Bruce said.
I nodded, "So it wasn't a fun affair." I asked as we walked away.
-
"So, we found the temporals but they're far away, it'll take some time to get them." Warhawk said. We were joined by Saturn Girl, Cosmic Boy, and Lightning Lad, apparently they were the future justice league and they stared me down pretty good.
"The Legion of villains are in possession of it." Saturn Girl said.
"Seriously?" I asked, "There's seriously a legion of villains? You guys couldn't have trademarked the name?"
"This is serious." Cosmic Boy said.
I looked to Bruce.
"This is his serious." Bruce said grimly.
I walked over to the nearest chair, "I'm gonna sit this one out. Getting here was pretty much all I can afford. Wasn't supposed to be me, but..."
"We have to get him back before time is interrupted." Bruce said, "This is a low-key mission."
"Find and not destroy." Lightning Lad said, "I think we got it."
"If you got it, why aren't you gone?" I asked.
Lightning Lad looked at me oddly.
"The sooner the better." Saturn Girl said.
"Chop, chop! The Secret Life of the American Teenager is on and I'm missing it." I said.
Bruce nodded and the Legion disappeared along with Warhawk and Batman.
"Cute kids, I see you don't discriminate in these times." I smirked.
"Someone had to save the world, all the heroes are long dead." Bruce said.
"What's the truth about my death? Was it seedy? Was it long and painful...something AID related?" I asked.
"You died saving the world." Bruce said.
I just stared at him for a minute, "Get the fuck out!" I said, "I saved the world? Was I high?"
"You were brave. You fought off the darkness." Bruce said.
"Something you could never manage to do, huh?" I smirked, "Who's that."
Bruce looked over his shoulder, "Karate Kid." He said.
"No, really." I said.
"That's my name." Karate Kid said, extending his hand, "Val Armorr."
"Manticore." I said.
"That's your name?" Val smiled.
I smirked, "Phoenix, Phoenix Rainer." I smiled.
"The Phoenix Rainer?! White Witch would want to meet you, if she wasn't on a mission." Val said.
I looked to Bruce.
"Val, we don't want to change the past." Bruce said, "Can you bring up the case files?"
I stood, "What does he mean? The Phoenix Rainer?" I asked.
"I don't know what you mean." Bruce frowned.
I crossed my arms, "Try and dig deep on this one, Bruce cause the wrong answer could make me angry. You really wouldn't like me when I'm angry." I frowned.
"I remember the temper." Bruce said, "Your mastery of your own abilities made you one of the most powerful beings on Earth."
"So, I became the Big Bad? Did a Willow on the world?" I asked.
Bruce looked at me darkly, "The plan you set in action is the one that killed you. Your own mania is what made you human." He said.
"You're wrong. I'm a bad person. In the end, you killed me. Heroes killed me. I'm not supposed to win." I said.
"Listen to me! You're not a bad person. That's not why things keep happening to you." Bruce said, "The world is cold because you have no coat."
"What?" I asked, "Look, don't get all huggy with me! So, what, I'm supposed to go back and cry it out? I'm supposed to give up on my nefarious plans of world domination? The wheels are in motion, babe."
"You banded the villains together, it's imperative that you do this." Bruce said.
"You son of a bitch. It was me!" I said but he didn't break our eye contact, "This is the point where I turn my life around. I go back and change the future, fight the good fight?"
"It was meant to be you." Bruce said, "I've waited years to tell you this."
"Was it good for you?" I asked.
"One of the best defense mechanisms I've seen since...since you died." Bruce said, limping over to a costume. It was a tight set of leather pants, a dark red shirt, and a black leather jacket with combat boots. He brought over the shorts and held them out to me, "You told me that you touched these. It was all the proof you needed. Hurry up."
I reached out and stopped, "Why..."
"Do it." Bruce said.
I did as he said and a quick flash moved through my mind, me standing in front of a giant machine, not budging and the machine was doing something weird and I still had my hands in the air, siphoning energy from me!
"I knew it'd end like this!" I smiled to someone.
"There's still time." Batman shouted, "Take my hand."
"Sorry, Batty, I got a job to do." I smiled, a pained expression on my face as the machine overloaded and my particles dispersed!
I recoiled my hand, looking at him oddly.
"You died saving the world. Anything else you think is a total fabrication." Bruce said darkly.
"I...My death brings about something good, but I'll never be able to get to the machine, it's being passed around by the villains and no one knows who has it or where it's going next, that's the genius part of me." I explained.
"I know you can do it." Bruce said, "I don't remember everything, but I remember toys."
"Thanks." I said, "But first we need that time thingy."
"And you will not get it." Time Trapper said.
"Who in the Hell is the sheet?" I asked.
Before I could move, it was like time skipped and Time Trapper and Bruce were in different places.
"Did he just freeze me in time?" I asked.
"Do not worry, it will not take long." Time Trapper said.
"Nope." I said, throwing my hands up at him, causing him to fly backwards and smash against the wall!
Time Trapper got up and was about to do something to me, but I quickly began to chant and space around me lit up. I had to think fast and I began a chant, a transportation spell! I concentrated hard, trying to move myself and Bruce, but the spell stalled.
"Just go!" Bruce yelled.
I closed my eyes and concentrated on myself and suddenly I was falling! I landed smack dab in the middle of a battle! The Legions were clashing! I found my wits quickly, barely avoiding stray lightning. So much for the future, I thought pulling on my mask and moving along the battlelines. I quickly spotted the temporal and headed to it. I placed my hand on, immediately feeling something course through me, a sudden jolt. I concentrated, pulling at the recesses of time, trying to push myself backward! Suddenly, I opened my eyes to see people staring. It was day time! I took off running until I reached my penthouse.
·
"Where is he?" Robin asked.
"He just called and said for us to meet him." Batman said, "I hope everything is alright."
"Everything," They both turned to see Manticore, "Is far from..."
"What are you doing here?" Nightwing asked, joining them.
Manticore stripped the mask from his face, revealing himself to be Phoenix.
"What..." Nightwing said.
"I've done some bad things." Phoenix said, "We..."
"You've been doing all those crimes, helping the villains?" Robin asked.
"Yes, but..."
"Get out." Batman said.
"What?" Phoenix asked.
"Get out of my city." Batman sneered, "And don't come back."
"Batman!" Phoenix called, "Bruce..."
They all walked away and Phoenix found himself standing on the roof alone.