Divination (Joker x Batman x OC)

Chapter 147

"Sure," Bruce answered Madame Twyla's question. Of course it had been easy to tell him that he wanted his wife back. As easy as making wishes on his birthday candles every year as a child, wishing for his parents to be alive again.

She smiled at him, or at least he thought she was smiling. It was hard to tell. Like looking at some dark and possibly evil version of the Mona Lisa.

"And she is dead," Madame Twyla said, her voice totally unsympathetic. 

"Yes," Bruce said, and began to back away towards the door. This woman was suddenly making him angry and he just wanted to leave.

"Perhaps," Twyla said, stopping him. "There is something you can do about that."

"Something about my wife being dead?" Bruce asked.

"Of course," Twyla responded.

Bruce frowned and took another step back towards the exit. "You can't bring my wife back to me."

"Well..." she said mysteriously. "I'm merely suggesting..."

"Suggesting what?" Bruce raised his voice a bit, tired of this woman's games.

"You are a very wealthy man. With resources," she said. "Exactly what it would take to make the impossible come true. Not everyone is so lucky."

Bruce clenched his teeth, waiting for her to explain.

"Resources...along with grief...and guilt..." she said.

"What?" he asked. 

"Oh, dear," she went on, her voice showing she had no empathy surrounding the delicate subject she was discussing with him. "I know exactly what killed your wife."

Bruce swallowed.

"A distorted ability...such a terrible fate," Twyla said. "Makes no sense, does it? It could have been an easy fix. I have known a few in her situation. A few have died...typically helping others. Putting off their own needs. What they need to live."

Bruce looked away from her.

"Oh, don't be ashamed," Twyla said. "You aren't the first one to use her kind and not realize when it's getting to be too late. But you may be the first with the potential to right your wrong."

"How?" Bruce asked finally. "How can you bring her back?"

Bruce though about Adriana. If it was possible...what did it mean? Would this Twyla woman bring back a zombie? A walking corpse?

"It can't be me," she said. "It must be you...but you must pay a hefty sum, handsome."

"Zombies and ghosts," Bruce asked. "You're truly demonic, aren't you?"

"Hahahah!" Twyla laughed aloud. "You're a comedian?! But I know even if that was the case, you would still want her back! Because your guilt and anger are destroying you right now! Haha! And that is why she is dead! You are selfish!"

Bruce didn't understand why this woman was laughing so hard. She was right, but his anger was brewing. 

"Not to worry dear," she said, still laughing. "The degree of anguish and regret you have is necessary. It takes that type of passion to make this happen. You are overflowing with remorse!"

It was true. Bruce felt he would never heal from demanding Adriana help him find out who was stalking, harassing and exposing the Batman's killing of Harvey Dent. He would never recover from their last moments together, arguing...the accusations he made.

"Make what happen?" he asked, through clenched teeth.

"The return to your past," she told him. "Your second chance."