The Bane of Our Existence [The Dark Knight Rises]

26: As Cruel As This World

Bría had looked at herself in a mirror that morning before the football field, her complexion was changing. She had dark circles under her eyes even though she had been sleeping soundly, more so than she ever had before. It was a new dawn when she woke that day, not just the day itself, but the city of Gotham was facing something so different than it had ever seen before. It had had villains and crooks for as long as it existed, like a beacon to wild criminals. Bría found herself wondering if a city exactly the same as Gotham would rise from the ashes that Bane would reduce Gotham to.

She wouldn't be surprised, for history always repeated itself.

She pulled her brown hair into a high ponytail, making her forehead feel tight. Then she threw on a warm jacket and slid her fingers into the gloves she had recently purchased. She bore tactical pants that fit comfortably and not too tightly. Finishing her attire off with warm boots that reached just above her ankles, Bría stepped out of the room in which she had taken over, the place Bane used to sleep.

He was waiting for her, and she approached him slowly, though not tentatively. He reached his hand out and she took it, and she did not look back.

Hours later, after the orchestrated event at the football field, there was one more thing to do to remind the people of Gotham that this city was theirs for the taking. To make them believe that they had the right to do whatever they pleased, for four months they would think that the world changed and was giving back to them at last, but they did not know that they would all be gone by the time that bomb blasted. None of them knew it was a time bomb, just a bomb that could be triggered.

The trigger didn't matter.

They pulled up to Blackgate Prison, a place dripping with horrors. Stepping out of one of the massive vehicles that once served the Batman -Bruce Wayne- Bane towered over the citizens who had gathered to see. It was on television, he made sure of it somehow, and it would be broadcast to all those who were already hiding in their homes. But there was still a crowd, eager to see what was going on. Some people lived for this moment, to see the change in Gotham, while most cowered, terrified. For when all law was removed, it was the evil who rose to the top.

Bría actually felt an inkling of fear at the idea of releasing the prisoners inside Blackgate.

But Bane climbed out of the vehicle, and reached for her hand. She took it, climbing atop as well and surveying the world around her. She was going to be on television again, for the second time that day. The whole world would know that she had a hand in all of this, she had put a target on her back. But as she stood beside Bane as he began his speech about the prison, how men and women were put inside for their crimes, the Dent Act making the prison system better for those who were righteous and worse for those who were criminals.

Bría agreed with the Dent Act, but she did not speak of this.

"Behind you stands a symbol of oppression, Blackgate Prison. Where a thousand men have languished under the name of this man. Harvey Dent!" Bane lifted an image of Dent, as if anyone needed a reminder of who he was. "Who has been held up to you as the shining example of justice. You have been supplied with a false idol. To stop you tearing down this corrupt city!"

Bane ripped up the photo and let the pieces float to the ground like they were ashes.

"Let me tell you the truth about Harvey Dent. From the words of Gotham's Police Commissioner, James Gordon. 'The Batman didn't murder Harvey Dent, he saved my boy. Then took the blame for Harvey's appalling crimes, so that I could, to my shame, build a lie around this fallen idol. I praised the madman who tried to murder my own child. But I can no longer live with my lie. It is time to trust the people of Gotham with the truth, and it is time for me to resign.'"

Bría was shocked, but hid the emotion from being revealed. She had become very good at remaining neutral to everything now, as though she were numb to all things around her, all stimuli, except that of Bane. She ached to be closer to him, in ways she knew not possible anymore. He was closed off from that apart of himself, and Bría needed to be as well. She could not love in a world where everyone hated everyone else. She could not love in a world where the city she lived in was filled to the brim by the corrupt, it was built on lies.

"And can you accept this man's resignation? And do you accept the resignation of all these liars?! Of all the corrupt?!" Bane asked, the people in the crowds cheering, surely the prisoners who were viewing this just inside those grey walls behind them were cheering too.

"We take Gotham from the corrupt! The Rich! The oppressors of generations who have kept you down with myths of opportunity, and we give it back to you; the people. Gotham is yours. None shall interfere, do as you please. But start by storming Blackgate, and freeing the oppressed. Step forward those who would serve, for an army will be raised. The powerful will be ripped from their decadent nests, and cast out into the cold world that we know, and endure. Courts will be convened. Spoils will be enjoyed! Blood will be shed. The police will survive, as they learn to serve true justice. This great city, it will endure. Gotham, will survive." Bane waved his hand as he shouted his speech, and another military-grade vehicle turned its large gun, and fired a hole in the prison.

Prisoners had filed out by the time Bane was finished his speech, guns in hand, waving them as they showed their support for Bane. Bría shook slightly, clutching her hands together in front of her. She glanced at the cameras, knowing eyes all around the world were looking at her next to Bane, seeing that she was scared. Perhaps none of them would see it, they would simply see her as another terrorist, just wanting to world to fail.

But her mother would see it, her mother would know.

She encased herself in steel, stared down the lens of the closest camera, and she shut herself off to that part of her. In a moment, she was able to sever the tie she had with her mother. The connection was ripped to shreds inside of her, and it hurt. She felt her heart ache, and then suddenly, it stopped.

Bane sensed the change in her, and he placed his hand on her lower back, gesturing for her to step back into the vehicle. She hopped down the hatch, swallowed by darkness and then joined by Bane moments later. The vehicle began crawling along as Bane steered it through the crowded streets; although he wanted to be there to help guide his new recruits, he had his men to do that. He was the face of the revolution, his speech was enough to inspire those who were not cowards.

Bría needed a roof over her head, and he was going to give her what she deserved.

"You've lost something," he said.

"Yes," she replied, looking at him in the dark. "I made room for what was necessary."

"And what is necessary?" he asked.

"I needed to be as cruel as this world," she explained. "And so I had to sever the last part of my humanity."

"You are no longer... conflicted?"

She looked at him, and answered honestly. "No."

And yet, Bane was.

He did not want to lose her.

Ugh why is Wattpad being so funky? Give a girl a break. I'm looking at my Kylo Ren Story and the app says the order of the chapters is: Cast, Soundtrack, Prologue, Prologue, II, I, I, III.... Like what?

Anyways, this story will go back to being a bit more of its own thing soon! I had to do a lot of Bane's big speeches, but now that those are finally done, I have some more freedom again!