[Feat Achieved! Owl Season]
[+1 Golden Gacha Ticket]
"That's my stuff!"
My feet wobbled as I struggled against the firm grip holding me back.
I could hear Bruce saying something, but my mind was far too preoccupied with this utter tyranny.
"I ripped that belt off myself!" I pointed a finger and raised my voice for all to hear. "Have you no shame? It's called FINDERS KEEPERS!"
The heroes present just stared back at me. No doubt my voice had been so mighty that it rendered them speechless. The empty bar had become rather crowded, since several Justice League members had shown up after I beat up the cheap Batman knockoff.
More importantly, there was the case containing Owlman's costume and utility belt.
It was being whisked away for "evidence."
Were they going to steal the stuff I had rightfully "reappropriated"?
As if!
The Goonion would have its rightful due.
"Did you kick his balls in?" My eyes scanned some of the greatest heroes on Earth without fear. I raised my chin and scoffed at them. "NO! So give 'em here, or else—"
"I think that's enough craziness for one night." Bruce stepped in front of me and patted my shoulder. "I'll handle things here, so how about you head home?"
"Of course not!" I straightened at once. "I'd never leave you with such terrible company! Who knows what dastardly things they would do to you, Bruce!"
The heroes I recognized—Flash, Martian Manhunter, Wonder Woman, Hawkwoman, Green Lantern, and even Superman—all turned their heads away, their shoulders shaking.
Bastards!
They couldn't even look me in the eyes.
No doubt proof of their nefarious intentions toward Bruce Wayne.
I glared at the assembled heroes. "I'll take you all on! I won't let you filthy minions of BATMAN lay one finger on the Wayne crown jewels, I swear it—"
"Jean."
A heavy hand turned my shoulder.
Bruce had a strained look on his face as he grabbed one of my hands and gripped it tightly. "I'll be all right. I'll deal with the League." Slowly, I could see him form a smile, his face twitching with such emotion. "That's what friends are for, right?"
True tears came to my eyes.
Bruce Wayne. A man among men.
"I… understand!" My vision blurred as I grasped his hand. "I won't forget your sacrifice tonight, Best Friend!"
"Now let's not be hasty—"
I wrapped Bruce in a bear hug as tears and snot streamed down my face. "NEVER FORGET!"
Bruce simply went stiff. No doubt he was terrified of Batman and his insidious Justice League, but he dove in anyway, all for me.
How could I ever repay him?
"You'll rue the day you crossed the Goonion!" I shook my fist at the heroes. "I'll make sure of it!"
Bruce simply stood there, emotion no doubt flooding his soul.
"WAAAHHHH!" I forced myself to turn away as I ran from the bar. "You'll pay for this!"
[Rolling Gold Gacha Ticket]
[Inventory DLC]
|Rare Trait|
You get your very own Inventory Page added to your system! The Inventory DLC allows you to store objects inside the System as long as their weight does not exceed what you can carry under optimal conditions. Items originating from the gacha are exempt from this and can be stored without issue.
I couldn't appreciate the new trait at all.
My feet carried me toward the elevator as emotion filled my soul.
The doors opened, and the tiny form of the Simmy greeted me.
An exasperated song reached my ears as the doors closed behind me.
"You don't understand the hearts of men, Simmy…" I wiped the tears from my face. "Bruce Wayne is a real hero."
Her tiny eyes rolled at my statement. A phone floated up at her behest, text appearing across the screen.
Bruce Wayne is—
"No, not now!" I shook my head. "There's no time for scheming. It's time to get to work. I need to repay Mr. Wayne, and what better way than cleaning out this damn city?"
And one day, I'd take on even the Bat and make him apologize.
A long-suffering song brushed against my ears, but I ignored it.
The Goonion marched at dawn.
—
Bruce stared pensively at the bar's exit.
Only when no explosion followed, and no other insane Batman copy came barreling through the doors, did Bruce finally relent and turn away.
Even if it was… fortunate that his alternate-universe counterpart had been disabled so quickly, that didn't change the fact that he now had another potential invasion force targeting Gotham.
He was very tired of everything right now.
But the mission always came first.
Bruce had dealt with enough alternate universes to know the risks. The harsh lessons he had learned from facing some of his less savory counterparts over the course of his career had more than shown him the dangers of underestimating them.
There would not be another Justice Lords fiasco on his watch.
Half the reason he had called in the League founders was to avoid that.
Regrettably, their quick arrival had allowed them to witness… that.
Surely some of the greatest and kindest heroes in the world would act maturely.
Surely.
"How could you!?"
Flash appeared next to him, draping an arm around Bruce's shoulders as the speedster stared at him with a wide grin.
"How could I what?" Bruce ground out, glaring at him.
The Flash gasped dramatically, even miming wiping a fake tear from his eye. "You cheat on good old Flash and make someone else your best friend? How could you, Batsy?"
Even knowing the futility of it, Bruce's hand shot out to slap the back of Flash's head.
Despite obviously being able to avoid the hit, the light slap managed to connect.
Flash dramatically collapsed to the floor. "Batman's even hitting me now? Guess what, they say about hanging with the wrong crowd is true!"
Hawkwoman and Green Lantern both snickered.
Bruce glared at them.
"Enough." Diana's voice cut through the laughter. "We shall not continue to harass Batman."
"Aw, maaan." Flash slowly pushed himself up from the ground.
"Thank you, Diana." Bruce sighed in relief. "Let me get some tools from the cave—"
"Fear not, citizen Bruce Wayne." Diana's voice was austere, with only the faintest hint of schadenfreude as she interrupted him. "We shall treat you with the utmost respect as Batman's minions, of course."
Bruce's face fell as he turned and looked up.
A shapeshifted J'onn, currently in the form of Batman, sat perched on Clark's shoulders as Superman slowly descended toward the floor.
"Bruce Wayne," J'onn said in an obviously terrible Batman voice.
There was a moment of silence as all the founders simply stared at Bruce.
He could handle this.
He would not react and give them the satisfaction.
"I've come for your balls."
All his fellow founders absolutely lost it.
Bruce dragged a hand down his face and let out a long, tired breath.
"…Fuck."
***
Comments and Thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Likes are like a drug to me and boost my creative juices.
I have advanced chapters on Pa tre on/daisyberry if you wanna read ahead.