Divination (Joker x Batman x OC)

Chapter 142

"I appreciate this, Harri," Bruce said as he and Harri packed.

Bruce thought it would be best for him and Arsenio to move to Wayne Manor. He could no longer stay in the penthouse. It felt like the energy of the place had become so heavy and sad for him, he had to leave. 

"How about these?" Harri asked Bruce.

"No..I don't need to bring any college memorabilia," he said. "Just essentials."

"Got it," Harri said and picked up a small vial in Bruce's desk. "What 's this?"

Bruce looked up from the box that he was taping shut. Harri was holding a small vial of ashes.

"Oh..." Bruce said. "I'll carry that."

He came over to Harri and took the small vial, looking at it as though remembering a lifetime of memories.

"It's ashes," he said.

"Whose?" Harri asked, looking at the tiny tube.

"A close friend of mine.." Bruce said. "She passed away a couple years ago."

"I'm so sorry," Harri said.

"I'm not even entirely sure that these are her ashes," Bruce said.

"Why not?" Harri asked. "Who gave them to you?"

"No one.." he answered, not wanting to tell her too much. "I...collected these from where she died. The building burned down."

"There was a fire?" Harri asked.

Bruce looked at the vial. There was an explosion and Rachel was killed. Enough gasoline around her for her to burn alive in seconds.

"Yes," Bruce said. "A fire.."

"That's awful," Harri said.

"Yes," Bruce nodded. "I keep this close...to remember her."

.

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Once again, there were riots and protests in the street every day. Video footage of the Batman killing Harvey Dent was played on repeat on all news stations. The video had gotten out. Everyone is the city was aware of the fact that the Batman had killed Dent, but now a short video clip showed the Batman pushing him and sending him falling off a building to his death.

It had been a couple of weeks, but the citizens of Gotham would not let this go. The Batman had to vanish again. 

Commissioner Gordon was sure that the people of Gotham had once again turned on the Batman so easily, despite all of the good he had done over the past couple of years, was because they believed they had an alternative. Shade.

The people loved her. She had been missing in action for a couple of months, but it had happened before and the people of Gotham knew in their hearts that she would return. They knew they would see her on the subway, dashing through the streets, in their local neighborhoods keeping them safe. They were hopelessly wrong, but the faith made their opposition to the Batman even stronger.

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"Stella...Marcus.." Bruce greeted two people at the fundraising ball he was attending alone.

He was polite. He felt incredibly fake. An emotional armor had been built around him, because he knew that everywhere he went people looked at him with pity. He was a young widower and had only begun attending public events again very recently. No matter where he went, he felt people staring at him.