Volume 8: The Fourth Impact Chapter 26 The Day the Bat Corps Was Founded: The Alliance between Batman and Batman
"You look upset?"
As they left the prison cell in the Scarlet Keep, the Queen of Justice glanced at the silent Mason and said:
"Is it because of the unhappy things you just heard? I have to tell you that these words were heard from your enemies. You can't trust them.
At least be vigilant.”
"I understand this principle. I am just combining my own considerations with the 'truth' told by others and trying to reach a relatively correct conclusion."
The captain rubbed his aching forehead and said:
"I believe that what Magneto said was sincere, but therein lies the problem. Even if he was an eyewitness to that period of history, it is impossible for him to reach a completely correct conclusion through his personal perspective.
Not to mention the strong personal emotions contained in those descriptions.
Those things that he didn't notice but were there in the background were the most important elements of the truth."
"Do you think that Utopia has its reasons?"
The Queen asked:
"Have you already chosen to join their camp?"
“No, it’s just a partnership.
I don't like the atmosphere there, and Magneto is right, I'm a clone, and given the current trend there, I won't be recognized as one of them."
Mason looked at the badge of the Honorary X-Knight in his hand and shook his head.
"So, the situation now is that I am still a free man, I can still freely choose my own camp, but I don't want to take a firm position on either side."
The captain paused, sighed and said:
"Once you have a position, you will also have enemies. As for the current situation, I hope to have as many friends as possible and as few enemies as possible."
"Thinking like that can easily make both sides your enemies."
The Queen of Justice advised:
"If they are already in a life-and-death relationship, then if you are involved you have to choose a side. It is not a question of whether you want to or not."
"Yes, you are right."
Mason nodded and said:
"But we have to confirm whether they are really at war with each other?
If you look at the hostility between the two sides from a third-party perspective, it is not difficult to find that some things happen too coincidentally. They are in the game and cannot see through it, but I know very well how difficult it is to take a piece of Phoenix Force away from Utopia.
There are some mysteries about Madeleine that have not yet been cleared up. Perhaps my "sister" knows more, but she is obviously unwilling to say it.
Forget it, let’s not think about it for now. If we can survive this impact, we will have time to explore these things slowly.”
He looked back at the Queen of Justice and said:
"Then I will send people to your world to take away those 'cute little ones' who are reading books and newspapers, raising cats and watering flowers in Arkham Asylum?"
"Hey! How can you be so calm?"
The Queen of Justice said in surprise:
"This is a big mystery related to your life experience, how can you suddenly change the subject like nothing happened?
If I knew that I was not a demigod of the Olympian pantheon but the product of a prank by a Norse god, I'm afraid I would go crazy.
Should I say you have a big heart?
Or should I say that you really don't care about your origins?"
“It’s both.”
Mason grinned gently, pushed his glasses and said seriously:
“I never waste time on things that are over and cannot be changed. No matter where I come from or why I was involved in the dispute between the two races, it cannot change the fact that I have my own life and pursuits.
The present and the future are what matter most.
For example, I have to feed my two little cuties right now, or they will be so bored that they will blow up the castle for fun. "
After saying that, Mason gestured goodbye and was about to leave, but was stopped by Queen Diana.
"One more thing, about my son..."
She lowered her voice to Mason:
"Bruce and Clark talked to me and said they didn't want me to have the baby, but they didn't realize they had terrible problems themselves.
Our Clark is a moral tyrant who always responds to violations of his rules with the most direct and efficient execution when he crosses the line.
I can't let my children learn and grow with him.
As for Bruce, the problem is even bigger.
I dare not imagine the consequences of letting a lonely old man in his forties who wears a bat costume, is used to walking around in caves all day, and likes to hide in the shadows and think about all kinds of dark problems raise a child.
Our world has a lot of work to do and we have to deal with the impact together with you. I won’t be able to rest for a long time. I have to find the most suitable nanny and nanny for my child..."
"Why are you looking at me with such expectation? Do you think I am a suitable candidate for a babysitter?"
Mason stepped back, waved his hands and said:
“Thank you for your favor, but my twenty-four hours a day are already precisely controlled, and I don’t have any time left for a little baby who can only express various meanings by crying.
but……"
The captain blinked and said to the Queen of Justice:
“I do have a very suitable candidate here. If you are worried, when we return tomorrow, please go to Osborne Tower with us as the representative of the Lord’s World.
I will introduce them to you, and I believe you will feel comfortable leaving your son to them.
I can guarantee it!
When all the suffering is over, you and your children can enjoy a peaceful time together."
…
It was nine o'clock at night, on the tower of the Scarlet Castle.
Mason and Selina hid secretly at the edge of the tower, covering their bodies with the invisibility cloak that had not appeared for a long time, making them perfectly hidden in the shadows.
This contact is too intimate, but neither Mason nor Catwoman takes it seriously. Their relationship is quite complicated, but what is certain is that there is no sexual factor mixed in their relationship.
If I have to describe it, it's probably similar to the relationship between an adoptive mother and her godson.
"They are coming."
Selina grabbed a pocket watch and looked at the time, then said to Mason beside her:
"Are you sure the listening devices you've put in place won't be noticed?"
"I didn't."
Mason curled his lips and said:
"At this point, I'm not absolutely sure that I can hide this from Bruce, let alone two Bruces, so the best way to avoid being discovered is to not do such dangerous things.
But I brought this.”
He took out two tubes of medicine and gave one bottle to Selina, explaining:
"This stuff extracted from Lawyer Ma's serum can temporarily enhance hearing. The place where we are hiding can ensure that even if two Batmen fart during their conversation, you can accurately capture it."
"Great description! There's nothing wrong with it except that it's disgusting."
Catwoman curled her lips, unscrewed the lid and took a sip, then pursed her lips and said:
"It's orange flavored. It tastes good."
"That's right. I'm an alchemist now. Taste is also an important criterion for all products of the Mason Potion Group."
The captain smiled and drank the passion fruit flavored potion in his hand. After a few seconds, his already very powerful Isu senses were further enhanced. With the trembling of his ears, he caught every movement around him.
Catwoman 's breathing, the sound of her hair brushing against her ears, and the gurgling of her stomach...
"What did you have for dinner today?"
Mason whispered in surprise:
"Isn't that a very unseemly sound for an old lady?"
"You're the only one who talks too much!"
Catwoman, with a sullen face, patted Mason on the head, but the two of them fell silent the next moment.
There was a faint sound of a cloak passing through the night sky, and then the master of the Gotham world landed silently on the edge of the tower, right where the moonlight and shadow met, hiding half of his face perfectly.
As Mason and Catwoman watched with suppressed laughter, the old man who had landed did his usual search, feeling around every nook and cranny to confirm that there were no listening devices, then he took out an instrument to test.
It fully proves his instinct in this area, and fully proves that even Bruce Wayne can't be handsome 24 hours a day.
Just now, the master's behavior of sticking his butt out and grunting as he searched for the bug was enough to prove that he could also have his unseemly moments.
"Come out! I see you."
The master suddenly said something, and the only response he got was the whistling wind in the night.
This is a fraud.
Mason and Catwoman would definitely not fall for this trick, but the master's scolding really had an effect.
The next second, when the optical stealth was removed, the figure of the gray bat from the Lord's World appeared on the edge of the eaves of the tower. This guy folded his arms and let his cloak flutter in the moonlight, which was also a classic pose of Batman's appearance.
Two pretenders!
The thought occurred to Mason and Catwoman at the same time.
Batman in any world are surprisingly consistent in this respect. They protect their own image in all aspects. Maybe Batman has to pose even when going to the toilet to avoid being secretly photographed?
"Clark will not eavesdrop on this conversation. This is an agreement between him and me."
The master took the initiative to speak:
"But your Lord Superman is a pragmatist."
"I have a jammer on me."
Gray Bat stroked his armor belt and said:
"He can't hear."
"Very good, then let's get down to business."
The master gathered his cloak and retreated into the shadows, looking at the gray bat and said:
"You want to know about Mason?"
"Um."
Gray Bat answered bluntly:
"As the initiator and host of this joint operation, it is necessary for me to know everything about Mason Cooper in order to use this as evidence to determine whether he is credible."
“We trust him.”
The master replied, but the next moment another master said in a low voice:
"Is it possible that he wants you to trust him? And how can the word 'trust' come out of Batman's mouth? Either you have been disturbed by him, or you are no longer suitable for this job.
But no matter what the result is, you are no longer a qualified Dark Knight."
"I admit it."
The master did not refute.
In the silence of the night, he said to his other self very seriously:
"I'm a little tired of this life, I want to settle down and pass this mantle to the next person. I spent the first half of my life in loss, but now I have a chance to embrace a perfect life.
By the time I had this thought, I was no longer a qualified Batman.
Have you ever completely trusted someone?
I gotta tell you, it feels pretty good.”
Gray Bat did not choose to answer this question. He just stretched out his hand, and the master threw a bat-shaped hard drive over to him. The hard drive contained all the information about Mason.
It was obvious that he already knew what Gray Bat wanted to talk about before the appointment and had prepared in advance.
Although these two people come from different worlds, they have completely understood each other's personality and behavior patterns based on their understanding of themselves.
"Your Lord Superman is a potential danger."
The master reminded in the darkness:
"If peace really comes, his set of rules of justice must be constrained, but coercive methods will cause new conflicts. After Louise's death, Lord Superman has dedicated himself to order, and he will not allow anyone to destroy his plan for the world.
The problem is, he's not always right, and Kryptonians tend to be pretty extreme in their personalities ."
"Diana and I will restrain him."
The gray bat said in a hoarse voice:
"I also have an 'anti-Superman strategy', just like you. But in my opinion, a Batman who is no longer determined is the biggest threat to the Justice League.
You're getting soft, Bruce.
It’s not a bad thing, but it’s not Batman’s way.”
"This is also your weakness."
The master retorted:
"When I saw the protectiveness you showed when you held your child, I knew you were dealing with the same issues I was dealing with. We were both Dark Knights forged by pain and loss, but we both had a reason and a chance to embrace life.
What I am thinking about now is what you are hesitating about.
The identity of Batman will be abandoned one day, and we will return to our lives as Bruce Wayne, me and Selina, you and Diana...
That's the best ending.
But before that, we still have to fulfill our final duties to our companions and the world. We are all becoming soft, and as you said, this is a terrible weakness.
so……
Unite, Bruce."
The master paused and said:
"A problem that Batman cannot handle can be solved by the cooperation of two Bruce Waynes. We should form a small group, a small group that belongs only to Batman."
"I have a better idea!"
Gray Bat leaped and landed beside the master. He lowered his voice and said to the master:
"We both have some doubts about this alliance, which stems from the insecurity in both of our hearts. To reassure each other, we have to hand over our treasured things to each other, not to mention jointly dealing with such a major event as the Fourth Impact.
Identity swap!
Before the impact ends, we exchange identities to protect each other's world. This is the best way for both parties to cooperate with confidence.
This way, you can protect your son and I can protect mine."
"I agree."
The master nodded without any hesitation.
He already had this idea in his mind. The conversations between him and himself were always so smooth and easy, and the two of them could not hide their true thoughts from each other.
They exchanged a set of bat suits with each other, and then quickly changed clothes in the dark. This scene was completely seen by Mason and Selina, who looked at each other with indescribable strangeness on their faces.
"One last question!"
Gray Bat, who had changed into the master's classic attire, put his hand on the master's shoulder and said softly:
"About my child..."
"There will be the perfect person to watch over him until you can truly embrace peace and you can take off this suit."
The master replied:
"I pledge my life to you that you will accept this advice from the bottom of your heart, and you can see it with your own eyes. But I doubt that our identity exchange can be hidden from Mason.
So if he asks, don't hide it.
It's not easy to gain his trust, but I believe you can do it.
He's the most perfect Robin you could imagine."
"Your trust in him scares me."
The gray bat said in a hoarse voice:
"It's like a knife that you hand over to the person behind you. It can pierce your heart at any time. But I also want to remind you that you need to be strategic when dealing with Lord Superman."
"I understand."
The master retreated step by step into the darkness and said:
"If you can get him to trust you, then so can I. Good luck."
"good luck."
The two said goodbye to each other.
Then one of them disappeared in the light and shadow of the optical cloaking, and the other one shot out a flying claw and disappeared into the darkness, leaving only Mason and Selina hiding on the edge of the tower.
They waited patiently for two minutes.
After the Master and the Gray Bat reappeared one after another to confirm that no one was eavesdropping, they moved away under the protection of their invisibility cloaks.
"This is so exciting."
Mason complained:
"It sounds incredible that two Batmen would swap identities and protect each other's worlds."
"I think it's quite interesting."
Selena put her hands on her hips, licked her lips, and said:
"You tell me, should I take this opportunity to try out other Bruce's..."
"If you're not afraid of getting hacked to death by the Queen of Justice or having your Bruce heartbroken."
Mason rolled his eyes and said:
"I know you have nine lives, but please, sister, don't commit suicide in this matter."
"I was afraid that my Bruce would be taken advantage of by Diana. With his small body, the Amazon Queen would not be able to resist if she wanted to force him.
Also, look at that cheesy smile on your face."
Catwoman also complained:
"Why? Does it feel so good to be trusted by Bruce?"
"That's Batman!"
Mason snorted and said with a smile:
"Just the fact that he trusts me is enough to make me proud. Don't blame me. When you heard the master tell his other self that he wanted to give up the identity of Batman because of you, didn't you almost cry?
This kind of silent confession is the most romantic, right? These second-generation rich people are really good at picking up girls. Look, you have been taken advantage of by him and there is no escape.
Although this means that he has just set an incredible flag, I think you will have a happy ending. "
