The Chancellor of Gotham University was what I had expected him to be. A man enjoying the amenities and power for a position like his while having some kickbacks on the side courtesy of certain students’ influential parents making sure their kids get passing grades and have a fun and easy time on the campus.

His room was decorated with so many valuable things it just goes to show how much the parents or other influential people in Gotham pay him off. Hell he doesn’t even bother hiding his expenses simply because the people in power that should be keeping an eye on people like him just didn’t care. 

His floor has a bear skin rug with a couch with wood engravings along it with silk pillows and that’s not getting started on the items on his desk. 

“So what can I help you with…” His opens his mouth but his eyes are dull telling me he just doesn’t care what I am here for.

“My name is Daniel. The same name your secretary told you over the phone?” I say not liking this man in the slightest. 

The man himself looks like he could lose a few pounds. His expensive suit looks like it barely can hold the fat stored behind it and is barely hanging on. The man’s Rolex watch is almost submerged in a trench of fat on his wrist. Then that horrifying mustache makes him look like a blubbering walrus.

He leans back and lets out a relaxed sigh in his chair before taking a sip of what is alcohol going by the smell coming from it. “Ah yes Daniel… What is it you needed to talk to me about? Keep in mind boy I am rather busy with running this university so I don’t have much time for you.”

Ignoring the lazy jab of calling me boy and how he is supposedly so busy despite having no paperwork on his desk and no one coming in or out of his office as I sat for over an hour just to get in here despite my appointment being when I got here over an hour ago.

His secretary was nice eye candy though but I think with how this guy looks it is not a coincidence she looks like a blonde bombshell. Nice woman but it’s not her personality or skills as a secretary is why he hired her…

“I’m here because I don’t want to waste anymore time. I came to Gotham University to get my MD as quickly as possible without wasting years here. I have the skills necessary to prove it, let me take the test and I can be out here.” I say holding back my growing frustration with the man who is giving his best is this kid serious look while chuckling to himself shaking his head.

Wish I hadn’t seen it since his double chin jiggled in ways that were sickening. “Dylan you can’t-”

“Daniel.”

He stops for a moment as he processes what was said before continuing unbothered. “-just take an important test like that so early when you haven’t even been in the University for a month! Sit back and relax and enjoy what is around you. Hell if I was your age I would be…” 

“And why not? Other students have taken the test to prove themselves early and get their degrees. So why not me? If I can’t pass it then I wasn’t cut out for Gotham University.” I say placing my hands on his desk and the look of annoyance he gives me before it disappears tells me how he doesn’t like someone he deems lesser touching what is his.

“Well! Well… look you just can’t do it Daniel. It is final and I say so. So if you don’t mind I have an important appointment that I must-” He says abruptly standing up as I am ready to dig my heels in and fight this before the door opens cutting the human walrus off.

“Edgar, we need to talk!” The voice of none other than Kirk Langstrom himself says as he stomps into the room like a man on a mission with anger in his eyes.

“Oh for the love of God what now…” The walrus mutters to himself as he stares uncomprehendingly at Kirk.

“Why has my funding been cut to ribbons?!” He demands as he taps one foot on the bear skin rug that the walking heart attack glances down and up getting annoyed. 

“Kirk it is in the best interest of the University to cut your funds for your research. You are taking far too long to get results to make it worthwhile investing those funds into you. They have been instead diverted to Jason Woodrue who is close to making a breakthrough in his own research.” 

What a dick…

“What? Why? I have only been here for a month! I even told you and the board it would take some time for results to be shown. You all even agreed and said you understood!” He says exasperated and anger can be heard bleeding into his tone.

“Well things have changed and we need results sooner Kirk! Woodrue has shown great promise with his research but has given us results fairly often and has proven more reliable than you have been as of late…” He says this in a polite tone.

As I watch on as Kirk’s grip on the table makes his fingers turn white as the pillsbury doughboy adopts a thinking pose as he looks between me and Kirk.

Clapping his hands together as he makes a smile. “Tell you what, Kirk! I can get you a fraction of the funding you had lost back if you would be willing to take Doug-”

“Daniel!”

“-under your wing as an assistant. He wants to try for a Medical Degree now but I see he is not ready. With time under your tutelage he will be capable of it one day years from now.” A warm smile is plastered on his face as he says this as Kirk and I look to one another on just what the hell we heard.

I look into his now utterly defeated face as his shoulders slump and he looks back to the man that I am growing to dislike more and more but hide it from him and Kirk. The whole point of me taking up the test and getting the grant was to just take the test for my degree, become a doctor, make a name for myself and introduce things like addictol and stimpacks into the medical industry.

It would be a means to make some form of legal revenue albeit one that would take time. Now it just got several years added onto it! Like I want to waste that time in college of all things…

Shoulders slumped Kirk speaks to Edgar drawing me out of my thoughts. “You do realize I am a geneticist? A medical degree to become a medical doctor… you are trying to be a doctor right?” He turns to ask me.

“Yes.”

He gives me a slight smile. “Good on you Daniel, always aim high.” Then turns to the Chancellor, “But he wants to be a medical doctor Edgar, our field might have some overlap but ultimately he won’t learn much from-”

“Oh but that is where you are wrong Kirk!” He interrupts him as he gets out of his chair with some effort and circles around his desk and gestures at the two of us. “He can learn much from you and if he stays as your assistant for a year, maybe two at most and he can be allowed to take the test if he still wants to get his degree.”

Kurt rubs the bridge of his nose before he levels a half lidded gaze at the man. “If Danial is fine with this how much of my funding can I get?”

Most would get offended or even angry that Kirk Langstrom didn’t step up to defend them or fight tooth and nail against this embodiment of both gluttony and greed. But my counter is this– what is he going to do? The man has him bent over a barrel as things stand, he has no leverage nor connections to deal with this guy, never mind personal power to beat him.

He was so desperate to even take a position as a teacher at the University just to get a chance at a lab to continue his research. I had done my fair share of digging into the man’s life and did feel bad for him. Anyone and everyone would take advantage of his name and all that comes with it but when it comes to helping him with his research.

Like right now with the university. Not much different from the research universities or even regular ones from my old life. Bring in someone famous from a field and have them as a teacher to draw in more students. But they at least had the decency to not screw them over on their funding for their research.

So no, I am not angry with Kirk simply because there's nothing he can do about this and so far he has shown that he is only willing to do this if I want to do it. He isn’t assuming things with me especially if it’s not something I want to do let alone have any interest.

And to be honest I would rather this man not go down a dark path like the vast majority of stories involving him. The only two versions I am familiar with are Batman the Animated series and The Batman from 2004. The latter being more knowledgeable than the former.

Even with perfect memory it can’t help me remember something I never watched before with the first animated series. 

“We will discuss this as soon as Dunning decides if he wishes to take this deal and study under you.” He says this as if there would be much of a choice for a simple student. I could refuse it. But I won’t simply because it is an inconvenience that is not insurmountable. That and he is putting me in between a rock and hard place when it comes to screwing over Kirk if I am reading between the lines correctly.

If I don’t take the deal Kirk probably won’t get any of the funding back. And I won’t get my chance to take the test. That is of course if this walking talking blob upholds the other end of the deal which he so far has proven he will go back on something if it is convenient…

“I’m fine with working under Kirk. I will see you near your room?” I say rising out of my seat.

His head snaps to me worth a grateful smile on his face as he nods to me. “Y-yes, just let me discuss the rest with Edgar here and I will meet you there.”

Closing the door as Kirk and the blob go back and forth on how much of his funding he will get back. Walking past Stacy and quietly thanking her as she nods and smiles back before going back to reading her book that she has cleverly hidden beneath her desk making it look like she is focusing on her computer.

Sad she has to play into the stereotype about blondes but one has to do what they have to survive and thrive. 

It may be considered foolish to work under Kirk as an assistant while knowing the Chancellor can go back on anything agreed but I know his type. Greedy, lazy, and desires money above all else. I just need to help Kirk out enough to get some results for them to see that it is worth giving him his funding and then some.

Stopping near his door leading to his room for teaching and I thankfully don’t have to wait for long before Kirk power walks down the hall to me. He looks tired and worn down but unlike before he has some energy in him as he sees me.

Extending a hand out to me which I reciprocate at his enthusiastic shake as he ushers me into his classroom which is currently empty. “I can’t thank you enough Daniel for doing what you did. If it wasn’t for you agreeing I would have been in a bad situation…” He says lowly shaking his head before perking back up.

“You won’t regret it, I promise you. I will try my absolute utmost to teach you as best as I can and help you get your degree.”

Smiling appreciatively at the man’s honesty and genuine want to give back to someone who has helped him. Especially when they are not exactly at the bottom of the barrel in society. 

“It’s the least I could do, Kirk. It helps you, and it also helps me. So how are we going to do this? Since I am your assistant now, what do I need to do to assist you?”

He stops and looks like he is having a blue screen moment as he catches up to what I said and frantically moves to his desk pulling out a paper checking over what looks like a schedule but it may as well be a jumbled mess with no real organization to it. 

“How far is your personal understanding of genetics?” He gets out looking over the paper before scrambling through the rest over the mess that is on his table and that is only getting worse. 

“Collegiate level and up. Nothing like what you know but far from ignorant of the subject.” My reply is calm and smooth as the man looks up and smiles.

“Good good! Saves a lot of time then. You just might have a future in genetics if trying to be a doctor doesn’t work out for you Daniel. Alright well the next day I will be teaching a class and I would like you to be there for the lesson so you get used to me lecturing and how to teach a class yourself. Then after that I will show what we will be doing when I am resea-”

He is cut off by the door opening and a twig of a man with a beard that needs some serious trimming with how wild it looks with his brown hair on his head looking unkempt as he confidently strode into the room like he owned the place.

He spoke with a voice that felt like oil against my ears and I felt the need to wash myself. Thoroughly.

“Kirk you managed to weasel your way back into my research room. What did you do this time? Beg?” He says as he looks me over and turns his nose up at me. 

“I take it you were responsible for Edgar doing what he did?” Kirk growls out but doesn’t move to do anything to what I can’t even bring myself to call a man. More like a rat, yet that would be insulting to rats being compared to this… thing. 

“This entire hallway was supposed to be for me and me only! You took what was mine!” The man’s face turned into an angry sneer as he pointed a finger at Kirk as if a fire lit up in his eyes as they widened with an intensity to them.

“Jason-”

“That’s Woodrue to you.” He snarls but Kirk despite the man’s animosity appears calm yet still has a tenseness to his breathing and movements.

“-I took nothing from you. The school offered the room and the other one for research purposes. If you have an issue with that, discuss it reasonably with Edgar and the board without trying to ruin another colleague's research among other things.”

The now named Jason Woodrue huffs and puffs as he stares daggers at Kirk as he deflates, chuckling before laughing. Slapping his knee wiping away a fake tear from his eye. “You must think me a fool Langstrom if you think I will just let you continue to occupy my classroom and room for research. You should have told Edgar and the others that you would take another room instead of what was supposed to be mine!”

He adopts a smug grin before continuing. “But that will soon be corrected since your research is nothing but trash you use to get in the good graces of the wealthy. I have provided results with my research. So enjoy the time you have left in my room. It will be even more enjoyable when I get a picture of your face when you and your… assistant realize your deal with Edgar amounted to nothing and you both are kicked out of the university.”

With that he turns on his heel and slamming the door shut behind us. Turning and looking at Kirk with the utmost seriousness. “I want to kick his ass.”

Kirk just laughed at my blunt honesty. It eased a lot of tension as his body sags in relief falling back into his chair behind the desk as he relaxes and just keeps laughing. 

“Sorry Daniel but I needed that… it's been something else dealing with all of this stress then Jason doing what he did. It felt for a moment there that I was going to lose everything and it would all spiral out of control…” Kirk said, shaking his head.

“That won’t happen. Now I am even more invested if it means rubbing ol’ Woody Woodpecker's face in it when we take his funding instead with your research.” 

At my motivated tone Kirk looks up as a smile slowly forms on his tired face. “Now that is something we can both agree on.” With that we got to setting up a schedule when I need to be there for his lectures and help out with teaching and telling me when to be there for his experiments. He didn’t show me inside the lab saying he wanted it to be a surprise for me.

…

Nearing the meeting point under the guise of Silhouette as the old subway tunnels interconnected with the sewers are like an intricate labyrinth beneath Gotham. If it wasn’t for my perfect memory I would not even know the way to get out. The enhancements I have gotten would help but if it simply came to finding a way out without brute forcing it they could not help. It speaks volumes when you think about that.

Makes me think of a few cities I had visited on road trips and the naming conventions or lack thereof for the streets and how the suburban parts of it become a maze to navigate. Sad to see that even in a world of superheroes and villains that drunks or idiots still design these ridiculous things in cities… 

Stopping and seeing a childlike chalk outline of an owl perched on a branch near a wall and stop. Not long after waiting there for a moment the wall silently slides back revealing a dark tunnel with several talons behind it and several more coming behind me out of the shadows. The drones I had managed to get into the tunnels helped a little but most of them I had no idea they were there. 

Something I don’t like even with my hearing being amped up I still couldn’t hear them. They move closer as we walk into the tunnel. We walked for several minutes after they had checked me over and took any weapons they could find. They obviously didn’t get them all but they don’t need to know that. 

After some time and several turns we end up getting to an end to the tunnel with light coming from the end. Stepping through and being greeted by an audience of people wearing white owl inspired masks. Besides the masks they wore suits, dresses, all of varying kinds. All of them have their gazes fixed on me as I and my escort walk down to the large podium dominating the center of the massive room. 

Standing on it is a white suited figure but unlike the other owls they don’t show any skin or hair for that matter. So it could be a man but it may not be as well. Trouble in the ranks maybe? 

The figure standing next to them is the Talon I would assume. Unlike the other talons I have seen till now they are equipped with far more weapons and the armor looks of much better quality than the others. Must be the high commander of the owls forces. 

“Silhouette we have heard you would like to join our Court?” The suited figure says with a voice that sounds completely neutral. Neither masculine or feminine. 

“Yes. After having so generously donated many of my potions and other assorted drugs to the Court it felt only fair for me to be granted something in return.” I say with a sweeping gesture of my hand to the rest of the court as several of the people seated in the numerous seats across what feels like an amphitheater stir and talk between one another. 

Despite how quiet each of them are, the sheer number of them makes it far louder when they are all doing it. “Order in the room.” The figure says as the Talon by their side never takes his gaze off of me and I keep them in my sight as well. Not directly looking at them but I rather not get blindsided by a super assassin. 

I could take them and the other talons but it is not how I want this to go. It would be a waste to just get in here and have to fight them after sinking an investment into the Court. 

The crowd grows quiet but their attention is now fully on me. 

“As much as we appreciate your generosity in aiding us it will take more than that to become a part of our Court.” They raise their hands up in a grand gesture of the room before me with portraits of owls and old nobles that look to be from several centuries ago with statues of the talons in the far off walls and corners of the room. 

“And pray tell what would it take?” I say folding my arms at the small of my back tilting my head at the figure who stares down at me. 

The Talon beside them stalks forward, looking to move to a blade as the figure turns to partly face them stopping them in their tracks. Turning back to me they speak, “Proof of loyalty. To show that you are willing to do what it takes to push the Court's goals no matter what. That you are fully with us all the way.” 

Now they have caught my interest. I never fully expected to get a seat at the table with the Court even with the massive donation they got from me. It was merely to get my foot in the door. 

And now I am going to either have them open the door for me… or find other avenues to get entry I think to myself as my eyes dart to the side seeing the figure of Miss Forest as her dark skins stands in stark contrast to the vast majority of the lighter skin tones of the people in the room.

Her companion I note is farther back near the top of the room as he looks to have an arm in a sling. Fighting off a chuckle at the man being taught a lesson for his arrogance and hubris. His hand is clenched into a fist as his gaze never leaves me. 

“How do I prove my loyalty beyond what I have already shown the Court?” 

“By undoing the chaos you had unleashed with your product entering Gothams streets. The one known as Anarky had taken and used such things to sow chaos and attempt to bring us down. Destroy them and show us you are not only loyal but resourceful enough to be a part of the Court of Owls.” 

Clapping my hands slowly at first stopping any murmurs from breaking out again amongst those gathered before the claps pickup in speed as I laugh. This goes on for a moment as the speaker tilts their head at me before abruptly stopping.

“Then you and I are both in agreement then. I was already going to deal with Anarky for dragging my name down into the mud for pulling his stunt. I firmly believe that those who have the power and capability should have a position matching what they can do and if another sullies what they can do there is a price to be paid.” I say a lie and yet a truth at the same time. The lie I don’t believe in at all, but for people like this a person's image is an important thing especially when it will be used to fool others. “And in Anarky's case he has proven that what he can do is only detrimental to anyone and everyone. A cancerous parasite that must be destroyed.”

“... You will have no resources from the Court to accomplish this.” The figure says after a moment of processing what I had just said as I idly note the posture and body language of Miss Forest as she seems to take an interest in me now. 

“Well I would expect as such since this is a test and all. What would be the point of a test such as this if you merely handed me the means to fix the problem I had unintentionally created? Expect them to be dealt with within the month.” 

Swiftly turning around as the room erupts as several of the Owls point and gesture at me as the leader and Talon simply stand their watching me walk away like a boss as my coat flaps behind me and the talons follow me as several more meet me at the top leading me out of the maze of tunnels at a completely new and unknown area before my suit connects with the Batcomputer having been cut off from it within the tunnels.

Glancing down at what most people wouldn’t notice, a small gnat sized drone flies around coming out of the sleeves of my jacket. Now for them to go home and be none the wiser…