The Other Side

The Article

"The Asylum has been open since 1921 when Dr. Arkham committed his first patient, Martin Hawkins, who was also known as Mad Dog," the floor manager informed her guest, a reporter from Metropolis.

The reporter was about to ask his next question when he saw an older, well dressed man walk up the hallway. The man stopped in front a cell door, removed a key from his pocket to unlock the door. The man was not wearing the uniform that the employees of the asylum wore.

"Who's that man who's unlocking the cell over there?" the reporter asked, nodding towards the man who was now entering the cell.

"Oh, that's Mr. Pennyworth," the floor manager said. "He's one of the few who can handle Bruce Wayne."

"You have Bruce Wayne here!?" the reporter exclaimed.

"Yes," the floor manager said with a sigh. "He's been here since his parents were murdered when he was nine. What interest is it to you, Mr. Kent?"

"Just curious," Mr. Kent said. "You said that Mr. Pennyworth is one of the only ones that can 'handle' him?"

"Yes," the floor manager said skittishly. "Now I don't want this getting in the papers, you here? But I'll tell you."

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you," Mr. Kent said earnestly.

"Bruce came here so young, so he responds best to people he knew before. He was closest to Mr. Pennyworth, with exception of his parents," she said. "And he's one of the few who he positively integrated into his storyline."

"Storyline?"

The floor manager looked hurriedly around. "I do not want this getting out, but after his parents death, he retreated into his own world."

"Does he not know his parents are dead?" Mr. Kent asked.

"Oh he knows, it's the driving point! No, he made it a motivation. He created a world where he works to fight crime in his parents memory, to avenge their deaths."

"What a place to create," Mr. Kent remarked.

"Yes, he's made two personas. One is himself, Bruce Wayne.   A Billionaire playboy."

"Well, he is a billionaire," Mr. Kent said with a light laugh and a smile.

"True," the floor manager said. "But he sees that as a cover for the other persona. Batman. A vigilante who works to do what the police can't do. Also has a no kill rule."

"How long has he been 'Batman'?" Mr. Kent asked.

"Let's see." The floor manager began to count on her fingers. "He has told the story to his age, so he went through 'school' til eighteen. He 'traveled' to learn for three years. So about eight years of being Batman," the floor manager said.

That was crazy. 'He is in a mental institution, Clark," Mr. Kent thought to himself.

"The.. strangest.. thing is that he integrates people into the narrative. Mr. Pennyworth raised him and is his butler. James Gordon is his Police Chief and friend."

"What about you Ms. Quinn? How does he perceive you?" Mr. Kent asked.

Ms. Quinn laughed. "Me? Oh, he doesn't like me one bit. I came here three years ago and he integrated me as a crazy former psychologist who turned evil. I am also the abused girlfriend of his greatest villain, the Joker. Or so he thinks."

"Is Joker based off anyone?"

"Not that we can tell. Our best guess is that is himself."

"A third persona?"

"Not directly. More like a manifestation," Ms Quinn said.

"Are there other manifestations?" Mr. Kent asked.

"No, most other are names of other workers, inmates, people he knew before, random names that he has latched onto and added a character to. Most end up as villains in his city," Ms. Quinn said with a frown.

"May I meet him?" Mr. Kent asked abruptly.

"I don't see why not," Ms. Quinn said. "But I'll have to talk to Mr. Pennyworth, he's still legally responsible for Bruce."

She walked to the cell, Mr. Kent followed her slowly. As he drew near, he heard Mr. Pennyworth say, "I want to meet him first."

"No problem," Ms. Quinn said. "Mr. Kent?"

"Clark Kent," he said introducing himself, offering a hand which the other man took.

"Alfred Pennyworth," Mr. Pennyworth said. "I hear you wanted to see Master Bruce?"

"Yes, though I won't put any of this in the article that I'm writing for the Daily Planet," Mr. Kent promised.

"Good," Mr. Pennyworth said. He gestured to the open cell door. "A warning though, he'll probably see you as a new villain."

"I understand, Mr. Pennyworth," Mr. Kent said as he walked into the cell of Bruce Wayne.

The man on the bed reacted to the sound of someone entering the room. "Who are you? What are you doing in my city?" he growled.

"I'm Clark Kent," Mr. Kent said introducing himself.

"Where do you come from?" the man demanded.

"Metropolis, I'm a reporter there from the Daily Planet. Though originally I'm from Smallville," Mr. Kent said.

"Why are you here?" the man demanded.

"I'm doing an article on Arkham Asylum. Did you know that it's nearly a hundred years old?"

"It keeps the prisoners in terribly. I can handle them myself. I don't need the help of someone like you," the man said forcefully.

"Who are you?" Mr. Kent asked.

"I am Batman. And I want you out of my city," the man said.

"I'll be going then," Mr. Kent said as he got up and left the room.

Outside, he shut the door and turned to the other two. They were staring at him in shock. "I've never seen him react that well to someone new!" Ms. Quinn declared.

"He told me to get out of his city," Mr. Kent said in confusion.

"Yes, but he also told you that he didn't need your help with the criminals," Mr. Pennyworth said. "I think he saw you as someone else, a peer even."

"We will have to wait and see if he mentions anyone new!" Ms. Quinn said in excitement. "Oh, this may be the best interaction yet!"

So...

What do you all think?   Should I continue this?  

I definitely have another chapter planned, but beyond that... who knows...

Is it really all in his head?

Who will be brought into the storyline next?

Who did Bruce perceive our reporter as?  

Will the world ever find out about Batman?

~Doorkeeper