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The Silhouette and The Forge
Chapter 39
Jaina waited in the elevator not knowing if it was moving at all feeling no motion or movement from it. The weight on her legs shifted with the change in her emotions. She was nervous yet her resolve had never been greater.
She was eternally grateful to William for looking out for her like he had. The device he had given her had made it far easier to pursue the grandmaster. Most in the Court would have called her a fool for giving chase but she wasn’t about to let them get away and come back sometime down the road to exact their vengeance.
They already proved how insane they were for even trying to do what they hoped to accomplish. After what felt like an eternity, the doors opened without a sound. Stepping out, she saw a half-finished floor to what she realized was Gotham's newest addition to its collection of skyscrapers owned by the more powerful businesses.
Vanaver Enterprises’ new headquarters…
Hearing someone talking she slinked forward sticking to cover with plenty of construction materials and tarps to hide behind.
“--To think the Court had turned against me. Well, it doesn’t matter now. They will all die with the rest of the city’s trash thinking they are all safe with them dismantling my purifiers. It’s why I am glad I managed to have you on standby.”
Glancing around a half-finished pillar with rebar sticking out of it eyes widened in horror.
Vanaver Tower was supposed to have an advanced water filtration system to help the city…
It wasn’t publicly disclosed but enough people talked for the right ears to catch wind of such things. She had completely forgotten about it with the more pressing concern of the immediate threat. How did they get the water purifier schematics?
They rambled on the machine whirring to life with pipes and tubing coming from it like it was some kind of life support for the building. More like a cancerous tumor that needed to be excised.
A step closer but bad luck decided it favored Jaina even more today than it already had. It wasn’t enough to have her coronation in the Court be marred by a civil war or for Gotham to be embroiled in a plan to kill most of the city's people.
One would think that alone would be enough until the bad luck had run its course. Nope. It was decided then and there that a piece of rubble so tiny that it went unnoticed by Jaina placed just perfectly around the corner.
A crack despite how small and quiet it was may as well have been thunder within the room.
The former grandmaster stopped checking over the machine before whirling around pulling out a Glock from their suit.
No preamble or warning they immediately shot in her direction Jaina yelped before diving back behind cover. Glancing over the bags of cement seeing them stay near the purifier chuckling, growing into a grand laugh.
It was a little obnoxious. Like something you would see out of a random villain of the week in a kids’ cartoon thinking themselves the master of the universe. When they were, if anything a speed bump in other people’s lives.
“So glad you could join me, Jaina. It wouldn’t be fitting if you missed Gotham's final farewell.”
Gritting her teeth not retorting despite so desperately wanting to. Knowing it will give her location away. She instead chose discretion over valor sneaking around with them focused on the pile of concrete bags they had last seen her at.
Her heart hammered in her chest but she knew she couldn’t run away knowing what they planned to do with that machine. Most of Gotham would think they were safe after dealing with all of the air purifiers.
They wouldn’t be ready for someone to poison the water supply when their guard was down thinking the threat had been dealt with.
Even if it doesn’t get all of Gotham it will kill too many people. Jaina would not let that happen.
Moving around getting closer and closer. The suited figure is looking all around having realized she was no longer where they last saw her.
“Your parents would be so ashamed of you.”
She froze mid-step at their words, eyes narrowing. Unconsciously clenching her hands balled them up into fists.
“Your father or mother would never have been proud seeing you become a member of my Court. One could only imagine what they would think if they saw all the things you helped us do.” They said wistfully.
Her fury grew by the second. Instead of doing what they wanted her to do, she used that anger as fuel and motivation.
Stalking around them their voice echoing across the room exposed to Gotham's elements. Glancing down she saw a piece of bent rebar and she picked it up feeling that the weight was acceptable.
Peering around a corner before ducking back when they almost spotted her. No shots or any sign they did.
She was looking forward to wrapping her hands around their throat with a grim anticipation. Taking the bent rebar in hand, tossing it to a far-off corner out of sight.
It clanged against the concrete drowning out whatever they were saying.
Bang. Bang.
They shot the pistol twice, the gunshots briefly bringing light to the darkness around them. Seeing the opening Jaina closed the distance with them turning around just in time to have the pistol knocked out of their hands shoulder tackled into the machine.
Falling to the floor picking themselves up to see Jaina smirking down at them. They look at her then the pistol further back well out of reach.
“Not surprised you can’t fight without your gun. Especially when it’s just another typical rich asshole in Gotham.”
Hands curled into fists she lets them get up. They stand warily hands raised but they look unsure despite the anger and indignity they felt.
Jaina confidently stepped closer, hands raised in a stance Ted had all but drilled into her head. They stepped back shaking their head then moved closer to her.
Jaina wasted no time throwing out a probing punch. A test that did more than she was expecting when it slid right past their raised hands knocking their head to the side.
Stepping back out of the retaliatory strike that was more a series of slaps than an actual attempt to punch her.
“Ha ha ha!” A bark of laughter left her lips. Jaina couldn’t help it. This is the person who wanted to wipe out most of Gotham?
“What’s so funny?!” They demanded.
Eyes half lidded, a cocky smirk graced Jaina's lips. “You fight like a pussy. Never had to fight your own battles?”
They fumed breathing ragged shoulders bobbing up and down. Charging right for her throwing a wild yet easily telegraphed punch.
Stepping aside it sailed past her. Left wide open Jaina didn’t hesitate to throw a mean left hook that hit their shoulder getting a grunt, then another into the side of their ribs followed by a groan mixed with a growl.
Turning on their heel just sent punch after punch yet most were blocked or dodged. Jaina was a professional dancer moving around with grace and precision against what amounted to a raging chihuahua who couldn’t do anything except take the punishment.
Realizing they had no chance they instead became more defensive trying to block her punches. Jaina had to fight not to scoff at how easy this was.
Jaina was no fighting prodigy like some of those old cartoons she loved as a girl. The reason she could do what she did now was because they had no clue how to throw a proper punch let alone how to fight.
Her fist smacked into their braced arms coming up to block just in time.
“Ha! Blocked your-- Agh!”
Their arrogant remark was stopped courtesy of her knee smashing into their stomach. Doubling over wheezing for a moment backing away one arm held out in a vain attempt to keep her away.
Taking advantage of their vulnerability Jaina ran up twisting halfway through with a spin kick right to their masked face breaking the mask with them knocked off their feet landing a meter away from her.
Wincing feeling the sharp pain of using her foot with that much force but Jaina couldn’t lie. It was satisfying.
They were sprawled across the floor groaning but still not done with the fight. But Jaina paused. Their voice…
“Uuughh. You Bitch!” At first, the voice fluctuated. Growing and shrinking like waves on a beach.
Masculine at first then more machine-sounding. Slowly a hint of a woman’s voice crept in. One that sounded familiar.
They froze halfway off the ground realizing she could now hear their voice. Pieces of the mask fell to the floor like old paint chips.
“You're going to pay for that Jaina.” The suited figure turned around the grandmaster was now revealed before her eyes.
Samantha Vanaver.
Blood dribbled out of her mouth with a nasty bruise forming on her cheek. She gripped the edges of what’s left of her mask, pulling it off and tossing it aside in a fit of rage.
“So Silhouette was right. You were the one in charge of the Court.” Jaina said in disbelief not having expected her to be the one in charge all these years.
She never managed to find out if she was part of the Court. A part of her had believed she was but never managed to find anyone amongst the Court's ranks that fit her physique.
She had accepted she wasn’t a member to her relief in the past but now… her fists tightened knuckles turning white.
Samantha gritted her teeth, eyes narrowed. “I am still the grandmaster of the Court.”
Jaina snorted at that, making the woman turn all kinds of shades of red. “Not according to the rest of the Court. Now since I am your grandmaster and if you don’t want a beating of a lifetime you will shut this machine down.”
Everything went quite beyond the soft hum from the machine. Samantha merely stared her down, her face in a perpetual scowl glaring daggers at her.
Jaina wasn’t much better. Her face may as well have been chiseled from stone when dealing with Samantha. At least now she had power over her and she got to smack her around a bit.
That and she usurped her position which made her feel all kinds of delightful things.
Then it snapped. Like a rock thrown into a glass window that was already cracked and fragmented. Shattering it into millions of little pieces.
Samantha laughed. It came out of nowhere. A bubble of laughter broke through the mask of stone that was her face. It changed from a simple one to a mad cackle not far off from a witch’s.
Having had enough of this and with it being Samantha further tested Jaina's patience. Closing the distance slamming her fist right into her face ending the madness that seemed to consume her.
Jaina smiled when she felt Samantha’s nose break against her fist. Like a dodge ball thrown into a hard wall, her head bounced off the metal of the machine leaving a small dent.
Samantha was wide-eyed, tears running down her face mixed with plenty of blood coming out of her nose. Both eyes started to blacken before she snarled.
Jaina made to move but she pulled something out that gave her pause. It looked like a detonator.
“Samantha I am ordering you to stand down and shut this down now. I won’t warn you a second time. In case you haven’t realized it you have lost. It’s over.” Jaina said with finality.
“Oh, it’s over alright. You see this?” She gestured to the detonator in her hand, thumb hovering over the red button. “Safe to say even a servant like yourself has seen enough action movies.”
Jaina's blood froze. Even without Samantha saying a thing she could already make an accurate guess as to what it would activate.
“The purifier…” She said aloud.
A bloody smile that widened was all the confirmation Samantha gave.
“Now that you understand that I think I can for once in my life agree with you. It is over.” She said like she had all but won.
But Jaina wasn’t giving up yet. A step forward had Samantha held it out making it abundantly clear she would press the button. Seeing the unspoken threat Jaina took a step back.
A shake of her hand holding the thing that could kill so many people Jaina stepped several steps back. A pleased smirk graced Samantha’s face but with her blackening eyes and the blood smearing her face, it made her look like a monster.
“That’s more like it. Like a good dog, you obey your master.”
Jaina almost moved to attack after that insult.
“Ah ah ah!” She wagged her finger..
She stopped when she looked like she was about to push the button.
“Now be a good slave and step further back over by that pillar.” Jaina stood at her spot not wanting to give her any more space. “I said move!”
Samantha’s breathing was wet with the blood coating her face and clogging her nose. Jaina would take pleasure in knowing she broke her nose if it wasn’t for the pure rage she felt. Doing as bid no matter how much it rankled her pride.
The people of Gotham were more important than her dignity or pride. Especially when lives were at stake.
Her back pressed up against the pillar she looked for any opening however small to get that out of her hand. With that removed Gotham could rest easy.
“What do you hope to do if you manage to activate it? You do realize the entirety of the Court has removed you from your position and your civil war to maintain power has left you with nowhere to go in Gotham Samantha, never mind the rest of the world. Why keep doing this when you can just give up while you still have the chance?” Jaina tried to reason with her. It was foolish but maybe just maybe she could get her to see reason.
Even with their animosity and differences in the past surely she could see the folly in continuing down this path. Despite how much she wanted this she should be capable of seeing what awaited her if she continued. Even if she succeeded it wouldn’t end well for her.
“You say this as if I have lost. I know you feel the tremors beneath Gotham. Most will believe them to be earthquakes. I can assure you that what’s causing it is far worse. A long time ago the Court had encountered something… beyond human comprehension.”
Jaina didn’t like where this was going. Knowing William is down there with whatever she is referring to. She hoped that he was alive and well, focusing her attention on what was in front of her for now. She can’t afford to have her attention divided when a madwoman holds an executioner's axe over Gotham's neck.
“It was an entity that went by the name of Klarion. He was drawn to our city a century and a half ago by the chaos of that era. Intrigued, he found our Court when they were the cause of the chaos.”
Samantha walked closer to the pistol. Jaina was about to take a step forward when Samantha was so caught up in her speech; she wasn’t looking directly at her but noticed all the same.
“Stay where you are. Unless you want your precious vermin of the city to get a nice taste of some poison.” She stared into Jaina's eyes with an indescribable yet intense look. She wasn’t bluffing but deep down Jaina knew she was going to kill them no matter what.
She grabbed the pistol while breathing through her nose. It was disgusting. It sounded like a pug with tissues stuffed up its nostrils. Samantha didn’t miss the look of disgust on Jaina's face, making her scowl deepen.
“It was eye-opening for the Court of that era learning that the supernatural wasn’t just folktales. Klarion didn’t stick around long and simply left after that. Skip ahead to modern day.” Samantha prattled on.
Jaina had no clue of where she was going with this beyond telling her that this Klarion she is talking about must be back down in the arena fighting William. Samantha goes on walking back to the machine, gun pointed at Jaina.
When she was disarmed Samantha acted like a cornered animal. With the tables having turned her confidence and bravado had come back in full force.
“The Court had through great efforts by yours truly managed to get the attention of powerful figures part of a bigger organization. Dare I say even bigger than the Court of Owls itself. I had managed to glean a favor from Klarion himself by helping the organization out now and again. They even showed an interest in my goals.”
Jaina let out a long tired sigh leveling Samantha with her best deadpan look to date. “You wasted all that time going into extravagant detail about some powerful supernatural entity you managed to curry favor with and whoever it is working with when that’s all you had to say.”
Jaina was just done with this day. It was nice beating Samantha up again and she even got to break her nose. But everything else happening back-to-back was just too much to deal with all at once.
Jaina's indifference to Samantha's long-winded story seemed to have hit a sore spot for the woman, her expression a mixture of displeased to anger.
“Do you want to test me? Hm?!” She said this like she was talking to a dog. “If it wasn’t for me you never would have become a member of the Court. It was because of me that you managed to become something among the elite of the city.”
Jaina was about to throw an insult back at her but paused digesting what she just said. “No you didn’t. I joined the Court of my own free will. You had nothing to do with me joining them.”
Jaina said all of this but a part of her is now questioning that. Questioning what Samantha knew and whether it was the truth.
Samantha chuckled before stopping looking like she was choking on something. She coughed before finally spitting out a glob of blood that hit the ground with a wet splat. Samantha narrowed her eyes at that reminder of Jaina breaking her nose.
The gun aimed right at Jaina, never once moving off target.
“Did you Jaina? Did you really? Or maybe I had orchestrated things to ensure you were under my thumb acting as my servant and slave. I felt it was a suitable punishment for attacking me in public all those years ago.”
Jaina's anger was growing by the second as she felt sorely tempted to test if Samantha was willing to use up the one thing keeping her from the worst beating of her life. But her desire to save lives restrained her for the moment. The same restraint that was fraying at the edges like a rope over a growing flame.
“You had me join the Court as your slave?” Her breath hitched thinking about all those years with them having her do the more menial tasks.
But the anger that would have come turned into a chuckle that confused Samantha but her next words explained her mirth. “Yet somehow the woman you made your slave has taken your position in the Court. How the mighty have fallen. A shame making me a part of the Court was all you could do to punish me for something you brought upon yourself.”
“Damn you! The worst part about that day was my father of all people siding with you and your family.” Jaina stopped laughing looking at her in disbelief.
“My father as far as I could remember adamantly believed in the Court's goals. My mother supported him wholeheartedly until one of his workers, a rat amongst many, saved his life when an accident happened at his factory. The worker was a piece of criminal trash making this city worse every day but it was only natural that he saved his better. My father didn’t see it that way after that event.”
“Sounds to me like he finally saw the truth and changed for the better. A shame he died with your mother like my parents did. Maybe if they had survived we wouldn’t be here now Samantha. You wouldn’t have become like this.” Jaina said solemnly. It was sad to hear her father had become a better person only to have his life cut short.
“No Jaina. You just don’t get it. Even if they had survived I would still be who I am right now.” Samantha said this like it was a fact.
Jaina was in disbelief because she believed it. How Samantha sounded and the confidence she had when she said that. She actually believed her parents couldn’t have gotten her to walk away from this insanity.
“To be honest with you Jaina I was expecting your attempt to usurp my position because of what I did all those years ago that led to you becoming my servant and slave.”
Jaina went silent at what was just said. For a long moment, she tried to think of what she could be referring to. Samantha merely watched on with what some might mistake for a kindly smile. The kind a grade school teacher had when dealing with a particularly dull child.
“You're lying. You're just trying to get in my head and not focus on ending this madness.” Jaina gave up trying to figure it out.
Either it was the truth and she spent years as her slave all because she said some mean things to Jaina and she hit her for it. When they were just kids! She made her into her slave for something so petty and childish…
But in the end, she got the last laugh by taking her power and position in the Court. Jaina knew that stung her pride.
Probably living rent-free in her head even now. Or she could be lying, simply trying to get her unbalanced and not focused entirely on stopping her instead making her focus on her words getting her angry and upset.
Looking around subtly trying to see if she could find something-- anything to get that thing out of her hand so she could let her know how she felt about endangering innocent lives.
“Eyes up here. I want you to look at me when I tell you the rest.” Jaina did as bidden when threatened yet again with that damn button. “That’s more like it. Next time around you won’t slip your leash again. Not until I am satisfied you are punished thoroughly for your crimes. You have damned yourself Jaina.”
Jaina laughed at that. She couldn’t help herself. It was just one big giant joke when Samantha, of all people holding the power of life and death over the city, tells her she is damned and must pay for her crimes.
“Oh, you think that’s funny?” She asked not pleased that Jaina wasn’t begging and groveling before her to not do anything rash.
Jaina knew that even if she did those things it wasn’t going to stop her. She knows that Samantha has fully committed to this and absolutely nothing was going to stop her. Or so she thought.
“Yeah. Yeah, I do think it is pretty funny coming from you.”
“Well then let me tell you something that you will enjoy learning then. After that incident with you proving to the rest of Gotham how much of a barbarian you are and my parents taking your side. I was rather… upset. So I had mine killed.”
Jaina's laughter abruptly stopped, realizing Samantha was dead serious. Samantha gave a smirk that made Jaina want to shudder if it wasn’t for how angry she was.
“You killed them all because they sided with me when you were in the wrong…” Jaina said aloud to herself.
She could never imagine someone killing their parents over something so childish and pathetic. Just the act alone of contemplating doing such a thing was horrifying to Jaina.
Yet further showed Samantha’s character or lack of one. A blackened heart belonging to a monster wearing human skin.
Samantha’s frown turned into a small smirk. She gave a girlish laugh that was ruined by her nose clogged with hardened blood.
“That’s not the best part. I made you my slave, remember? After I took care of my parents… well let’s say I felt that it was best to make things more even between the two of us.”
“… you had my parents killed.”
Samantha merely nodded a sadistic smile growing inch by inch at Jaina's dawning realization.
For Jaina, all sound had stopped. The machine, despite being on, was as quiet as a house on Christmas Eve. Samantha opened and closed her mouth yet not a word reached Jaina.
What Jaina heard was laughter. Playing ball with her father and mother. All the time they spent together. They would always make time to spend together. No matter what Jaina did they always supported it even if they were not interested in it. They would be interested for her.
To be there for her… the laughter, joy, love. One of the last things they did with her before the accident was reading Alice in Wonderland to her as a bedtime story with them stopping at the part where the White Rabbit appeared before she fell asleep.
Two people she loved were ripped away from her on the day the news was given to her. Years of heartache and pain at what she had taken from her when she was far too young. All of it was what spurred her on to try and start charities to help children in need.
To help those like her who had suffered and lost but continued to exist. To make that existence bearable and to let others know there were others like them and they were not alone.
Her thoughts focused solely on that empty void in herself. The void that managed to become partially filled with Raina when she first appeared a month after the loneliness grew too much and she found the old storybook.
She gave her the name Raina for how she looked nearly identical to Jaina beyond color changes to her skin and hair save for the floppy rabbit ears on her head.
Rabbit Jaina. Raina.
But that void she focused on in that moment had grown turbulent. Anger didn’t even begin to describe what she felt towards Samantha at this moment. Not even hatred could do it justice.
Knowing that this… demon had taken her parents from her for something they were not at fault for. For the most petty thing she took them from her. Then made her her slave.
At this moment all rational thought had disappeared for Jaina. The only thing she felt was fire in her veins, her hands itching to tear her eyes out, rip each tooth from her mouth forcefully.
Many different ideas raced through her mind to make her suffer. Jaina would even go so far as to say that even if she did suffer these things at her hands it wouldn’t be enough.
Not even being sent to Hell for torture would be enough to satisfy how much she wanted to hurt her. So much so she would resurrect her for the torment of hell still wouldn’t be enough.
So for now Jaina would simply settle for what she was going to do now.
“Ha ha ha ha ha! The look on your face is priceless. Years as my personal slave and you served the one person who took what you cherished from you… What are you doing?”
Jaina didn’t walk so much as she stalked forward ready to exact retribution.
“Get back or I will push the button,” Samantha warned, backing away with the gun in her hand starting to shake. Samantha saw the look on Jaina's face and it would forever be etched in her mind for how terrifying she looked.
“Get back. I said get back!” Samantha said shrilly, afraid and confused why Jaina was not listening. Not that she could understand the emotional storm Jaina was going through.
Pistol raised, she fired a single shot. In her fear and desperation, the shot goes wide whizzing past just below Jaina's left ear hair whipping about with the bullet impacting the wall behind her.
With the only shot Samantha would get missing Jaina was upon her. “Get off. I have the means to kill-- Agh!”
Jaina grabbed the wrist with the pistol slowly pulling with both hands. A crack and a snap before the pistol fell to the floor then knocked away in Jaina's fury and Samantha struggled to get her off.
Her wrist flapping about like a broken bird wing Samantha tried her best to reason with her. “I can kill Gotham so do as I--”
Her threat fell on deaf ears with Jaina cocking back her fist. One moment Samantha saw the fist watching in disbelief questioning where that crippling weakness of caring about the vermin in Gotham went.
Then it changed to pain. Pain. So much pain. Blood spilled out of her mouth from the furious blows fueled by an intense burning rage that made Samantha’s injuries and the pain that much worse.
Before she could say or do anything another punch this time sent towards her already broken nose.
Her nose felt like it was bent sideways. The pain from it made her want to curl up into a ball. Punch after punch each one getting worse and worse.
Unlike all the others Jaina put everything she had in this one. Using her dominant right hand like Ted had taught her to use for big heavy hits. She throws it at Samantha’s blood-covered mouth with a river of blood pouring out of her nose.
It slammed home into her jaw. Jaina felt no satisfaction, only more anger wanting her to suffer more than she already has. Spit, blood, even a tooth flew out of her mouth with Jaina wanting to take a picture of the moment to forever remember the look of horror on Samantha’s face.
The punch was strong enough to make her fall, the back of her head banging against the machine ringing like a gong. Scrambling to get up, Jaina stalked forward. Hands scrambling around for something-- anything to help save her. Any thought of using the activation device was the last thing on Samantha’s mind.
Jaina was so absorbed in her rage that even she wasn’t thinking about that, only putting this monster through as much pain as possible even if it all ultimately paled to the suffering she had endured at the loss of what she held so dear.
Hand brushed against cold metal before Samantha grabbed it in desperation. Jaina was so caught up in her rage and Samantha’s body hiding the newly gained weapon didn’t see the blow coming.
Samantha whirled around her eyes desperate like a cornered animal fighting for its life. Jaina had enough sense to raise her arm. A throbbing pain in her bicep made her step back Samantha swinging wildly. Despite wishing to continue beating her, Jaina knew she needed to back away.
Her anger was back under control and her reasoning was regained after that nasty hit to her arm. Knowing it was going to leave a bruise she chided herself for getting so caught up in her anger but she let it go knowing the one who took her parents stood before her.
Glancing around while Samantha breathed heavily heaving in lungfuls of air body shaking like a leaf. Her face was nearly unrecognizable. Blood poured out of it, yellow and purple blotches on her skin with lumps taking form. Jaina even spotted a missing front tooth.
Jaina couldn’t find the detonator anywhere. It didn’t help that it was so dark but her eyes had adjusted enough, spotting a red button shouldn’t be this difficult.
“L-l-lo-looking for this?” She leaned down picking up the device, her sole eye wide with tears running down it. But unlike all the other times she had something else that made Jaina wary.
It looked like the few images she had seen of the inmates of Arkham. Madness.
“I’m done playing games Samantha. Go ahead and pull the trigger then.” Jaina meant it too. She wasn’t bluffing. After learning of what became of her parents and how she had a hand in it she swore she would not live past this night.
“I will after that. You animal!” She slurred out struggling to pronounce each word and even speaking looked like a struggle for her. Yet somehow she managed to get the words despite going through what had to be several concussions and a missing tooth.
Laughter. Jaina couldn’t help it. It was a mixture of this high-stress situation, the pure raw anger she felt towards her alongside a myriad of other reasons. It was a cold thing lacking any mirth or joy. Samantha’s lack of empathy or understanding of others showed itself yet again making the wrong assumption.
“Lolth-- laugh it up.” She said swallowing spit and blood with it dripping onto the floor. “A dimple…” Sue cursed under her breath, “A simple press of a button a new order vill ve made dis night.”
She declared grandly holding it up in the air like it was the holy grail. “Sure you will. You're missing a crucial part. You won’t be alive to see it.”
Samantha slowly blinked. The act looked like it hurt far more than it should when she winced with several more tears forming in her eyes.
“No you von’t. I ave tis.” Jaina pointedly ignored the glob of blood spat out mid-sentence or the spittle accompanying it. Jaina couldn’t even take amusement in her all but giving up on trying to have some dignity and speak normally instead talking like an idiot.
“Yes. I know. What do you think will happen once you use it? You lose the only thing keeping you safe from me.”
An awkward silence formed after that. Samantha’s smile was quickly wiped off her face, her breathing still heavy like a workhorse after a long hot day. It sounded wet and disgusting. Each breath sounded like it took immense effort to breathe in and out from her mouth.
“… voesn’t madder. A new vorld order will be established dis night. I vill survive and get my revenge.” She struggled but managed to make some words clearer than others. It was rather impressive.
It made Jaina hate her even more.
Holding her arm aloft, thumb about to press down on the button. If Raina were here this wouldn’t be happening. If she were there and not her they would be alive. Jaina had been weak all her life. Gifted, but never truly strong where it mattered.
In her heart she asked forgiveness from her parents, Silhouette, and all the people of Gotham she had failed this night when she could have saved them.
Had she not let her anger get the better of her this wouldn’t be happening. Jaina accepted her failure knowing that at least she could take Samantha down to make sure she could never hurt anyone ever again.
Just when all hope seemed lost a rumble erupted shaking the entirety of the building. Rebar rattled along the floor like the chattering of teeth. Loose pebbles danced along it dust rained from the ceiling. Jaina stumbled alongside Samantha.
In the blink of an eye, a red beam of energy broke through the floor under the purifier outright destroying every piece of it. Not dented or melted down. There wasn’t even any ashes.
One moment there the next it was gone. Along with the walls, part of the unfinished ceiling, and the floor.
Just space with the clouds covering the sky now blown away like dust before a storm.
A boom followed by a rush of wind broke windows across Gotham setting car alarms off. Jaina and Samantha were both stunned. Neither one could think of a thing to say. Until Samantha realized what had happened and what was now gone.
“No.” She slumped to her knees near the edge of where the rest of the building and the purifier were. Jaina now realized it wasn’t just this floor. Half of the building was gone. Or so she assumed if the state of the nearby buildings was anything to go by.
Jaina was utterly baffled by what had just happened. A lump formed in her throat staring wide-eyed at what must have been a mile-long hole where the streets should have been.
William…
Looking at Samantha with narrowed eyes about to hurt her even more for the possibility that she had taken yet another person she had grown close to. Jaina wouldn’t call it love just yet but she had grown close to him. Closer than anyone had in her life after her parents' deaths.
Before Jaina hit her the rustle of fabric gave her pause when the two of them looked up to see something so surreal Jaina believed it was a hallucination.
A boy. Couldn’t have been no older than fourteen.
Black hair cut short besides two points sticking up reminiscent of Devil's horns. He was skinny. So much so he looked unhealthy. His skin was pale. He wore a suit with a high collar holding a cat whose eyes and gaze seemed to have far more intelligence in them than something like it should have.
“Well well well. Looks like someone beat me to it, Samantha.” He said condescendingly.
“… why?” She asked, sounding utterly defeated. Were it not for her trying to kill so many people alongside her many horrific deeds, Jaina would have felt bad for her.
Now she just felt satisfaction seeing her so broken. Physically and mentally. She looked just like the stories she had heard of someone losing everything in Gotham. It was a fitting punishment if there ever was one for her. Just like she had done to Jaina.
“Why? Oh, I don’t know… maybe I am getting old but I could have sworn someone said a new world order? What do you think Teekl?” He asked, looking down at the cat.
It looked up at him meowing yet Klarion seemed like he understood the animal. “Yeah, I agree. As nice as the chaos was, your Court has long since lost its touch. Another here in Gotham has gotten my interest since he knows how to bring some chaos into the world.”
Jaina merely watched on. Unsure if she should do or say something but she restrained herself not wanting to pick a fight with someone who could create a mile-long hole in Gotham.
“Now I could do some horrific things to you. Like turning your fingers into snakes, your hair into spider legs.” He said aloud musing over what form of torture to inflict upon Samantha who looked terrified.
That was until another deep voice spoke.
“How many people did you just kill Klarion?” Batman growled standing off to the side with a young girl if the curves of the body were anything to go by.
Klarion merely tilted his head, a playful smirk on his face pondering the question. “Hm… none! Or at least none that matter.” He said with a devilish smirk that grew far wider than what would be considered natural. Even his eyes had changed, turning into red beads.
“Look Teekl the little flying rat is upset! What do you think he will do? Kick me or punch me?”
Both Samantha and Jaina were at a loss for words. Neither knew what was even happening anymore. One thing Jaina knew was that whatever that kid was he wasn’t human.
Batman for his part merely stood stoically cape flapping in the wind with Klarion listing off guess after guess. After several attempts to get a reaction out of Batman, he started getting annoyed.
“Well? Do something!” He exclaimed looking like a kid upset at not getting what he wanted.
“I did.” Batman calmly retorted.
Klarion glared at him with a less-than-pleased expression. “You know what? I’ll make you do something~.” He said in a sing-song voice, hands raised glowing red ready to unleash them on Batman.
“You have around twenty seconds,” Batman stated calmly, unfazed by Klarion's attempts to get a reaction out of him.
The energy gathered at his fingertips fizzled out. Klarion was bewildered by what was just said. “Twenty seconds until what?” Even his cat had perked up giving Batman its full attention.
“Now thirteen seconds until the Justice League gets here.” All heads snapped to Batman, even the sidekick was looking at him.
“What?!” Klarion looked like he wanted to strangle Batman. Until the cat meowed. He visibly calmed so quickly going from murderous to pleased and content it was surreal for Jaina.
“Yeah, you're right Teekl. We saw enough for today. No need to make too much chaos all at once. After all, I do have someone entertaining me that knows how to make one hell of a show.”
Everyone visibly relaxed knowing that whatever Klarion is he would be leaving. Jaina glanced over at Samantha with a gaze filled with so much hate it was a surprise she didn’t burst into flames under it.
Klarion looked over at Jaina not failing to notice the glare she leveled at the back of Samantha’s head. “Plus I think the current situation meets my standards. Have fun!” He laughed cackling like a witch sliding back into a red portal.
Just like that he was gone. The only sound now was the wind howling across the city. That was until the sound of metal scraping against concrete had Jaina running towards Samantha with a piece of rebar.
Jaina heeded your advice +50
Manage to successfully stop the Court's insane plan +100
