Carpe noctem

Thing about the ‘ Batman ‘ title is that there isn’t one singular Batman calling what should and shouldn’t be. Yeah, there’s some ground basis for what Batman should stand for but there wasn’t exactly a singular rule of what’s going to be running the name. If that were the case then there will be a long line of Batmen from various multiverses in line.

That would be fine if not for how many times he had to make sure that the one their calling ‘ Batman ‘ was him and the current crime get together wasn’t tipped off by another Bat.  Other then that? Sure. Another cryptid in the city is fine. Maybe it’ll convince the one’s who think they can get away with crime to think again. 

Few moments of quite from Batman, thinking this over before speaking. 

“ Alright. Any info on where this guy is? If your correct on this it also means there’s blood that they certainly don’t need “

Well, while Kirk isn’t against some scientific chit-chatting, the multiverse related talk will have to wait, besides, he’s lucky to be accepted (or at least, not-so-hated) by the other bat, territorial or temperamental as the man (whose face he still has not seen and knows probably won’t see anytime soon) can be.

‘sides, Kirk’s isn’t really a crusade of righteousness and ideals, but a mere case of “getting rid of those that are bigger monsters than me” and eating. 

“My plan was to do some social engineering. Ask some questions to the managers of any of Jacob’s stores, maybe snoop around the charities he tends to associate with” He sighs “Alas, I think that last thing would be basically impossible, logistically speaking” there’s only so much data he can access to, with ot without a computer, some databases aren’t meant to be broken in “I’m open to suggestions, boss man”

He pauses, gives the other cloacked figured a good look, then proceeds to look into the night once again.

At seeing the other remove their cowl there is a name that comes mind and someone that he kept getting calls about with many assuming it was a certain dark knight. Those encounters were always tiring to deal with. 

Batman shifts his stance listening. Either relatively low profile, plans haven’t started to brew into something city spanning dangerous, or just new to the city foolishly thinking they’ll be the next crime boss. 

“ Wouldn’t hurt to check to see if this information adds up against him. If he is all that then I doubt he’s going to be keeping quite for long “

Is he allowing killing the guy? No. But giving him a scare that may or may not leave him drained of blood to the point of dying of blood loss? Maybe.

Sure, reputation precedes him, but there’s only so much he could possibly say about that; He hadn’t sought the Batman title -the title had, instead, found him; And while inconvenient, the “bastardization” of the tile was, somehow, to be expected.

Kirk had began his vigilante “career” soon after his transformation and had found himself in dire need of blood (whether he was fond or it or not). Gotham’s actual Batman was rumoured to posess some kind of superhuman abilities to begin with...and thus, their images eventualy kind of merged (and while he’s fonder of the “Manbat” name, Kirk’s not against being called “Batman” every now and then as long as the work gets done).

Besides, it’s easier to call two cryptids by the same name instead of assuming they are subcategories of one thing or another, right?

“You are not fond of teamwork, I know” and yet... “Look, my info could be wrong, that would be on me and you could lecture me as much as you’d like if that happens to be the case. But if the info’s correct then I’d rather be there to help see the case to the end”

If he wants sympathy or more understanding then he should of encountered Alfred first. He didn’t have to deal with an onslaught of vampires wrecking havoc on his city and one ending up biting him on the neck for one last ‘ screw you! ‘.

Are vampires usually this snarky?

There’s at lest less intensity of bat’s glare at hearing this. Alright, that’s something and smooths the edges out at a tad bit. Or just enough that he’s not having to figure out how to get this guy out of the city sooner then later. 

Wait, Adrian Jacobs? Frown soon going to confusion at hearing the name. There wasn’t any Adrian Jacobs in the city, at lest in this one. 

“ Hang on. I haven’t heard of this Adrian Jacobs before. “

And as soon as the other man vampire lowers his guard, Kirk returns the gesture in kind, moving one hand in order to remove his cowl for a moment, as if intending to show some remnant of his humanity in the process.

Besides, if the other man uses the Batman title he may be able to find out his identity sooner than later anyways; Showing himself (as unrecognizable as he may be from any other albeit-really-pale-person) may help them both to build some trust while he repositions himself on the rooftop both have claim as theirs.

“Owner of a chain of hardware stores, ocassional volunteer at soup kitchens, kidnaps and tortures girls. You know the kind” or, judging the other’s tone, he doesn’t “Relatively low profile, may be why you haven’t heard of him before”

Then again...

There is a long list and with it being long he’s not going to be giving all the names. Why should he? With the city their in it’s already assumed there’s a bunch whose lives were cut short. Be it from supernatural means or simply a robber with a gun. 

Though, he is tempted to say that he died and took up the mantle of Boss since that did end up happening. 

“ This place is filled with crimes being committed and I already have enough on my plate to deal with. If your not going to be doing that, great “

Sure, that is a valid point, but of all the possible people we could find, he had hoped to find at least some solidarity if he were to find another vampire-

-and yet, the moment he finds one, he also finds the cruel reminder that there’s no such thing as honour sympathy among thieves vampires.That’s just his luck.

“A quality boss, you are, then” and, again, Kirk finds himself making the snarkiest remarks as if that could possibly help his case “I’m not interested in creating trouble, I’m interested in getting rid of it”

And maybe grabbing a bite in the procces.

“Are you going to be causing trouble in my city?”

What is being implyed is, to Kirk, almost obscene. Sure, vampires (and the ‘scientific abomination’ subgenre which he belongs to) are known to be territorial, and the older they happen to be, the less tolerant of other’s shenanigans they seem to be.

“Who died and made you boss?”

Petty as it may be, that’s the reply he settles in, mumbling it, after a moment of consideration. Sure, some intimidation may be the way to go every now and then, but he doesn’t quite fancy when said tactic is used against him.

“Oh yeah, pretty sure your eyes, complexion, and fangs point to you being the fruit and insect eating variety of bat. Nice try.” He rolled his eyes and took a knife out again.

“Not a loss if I prevent people from turning into you. Look, sorry you stranded and all, but not my problem. Get out of my city.”

Hey, that’s racist.

“So long for trying to chat things up” he sighs while adjusting his googles once more. The kid is as inteligent as he seems, no wonder he didn’t fell for that one -and he is already taking a battle stance again, so...

“You say that as if it’s a bad thing” it is “but I guess there’s no use in trying to reason with you, is it? Might as well make you useful in other way”

With that said, he jumps back into the kid’s side.

Wrong. Bruce Lee couldn’t kick Batman’s butt. 

“A gang? That a knock of some sort, pal?”

He totally could, maybe not the other Batman’s, though.

“Do I look like I’d have Bruce Lee as my sidekick? Dude would totally kick my butt.”

“I’m Green Lantern, pal. And you’re.. pretty out of touch, I’m guessing, if you don’t know who the Green Lanterns are.”

“...he could kick everyone’s butt, to be honest” Bruce Lee could kick his butt and he would thank him for that.

“I may be, yes. Also, the name doesn’t ring any bells, pal. Is that some sort of gang?”

What the fuck???

“You’re joking, right? You’re gonna cure people by making them vampires? Uh uh, no way, deal’s off. You’re obviously not that great a scientist if your cure involves giving the patients a new affliction.” Oh well, there went his hopes of bringing Owlman something tasty to chew on.

“You asked, I answered” The cure works, albeit the side-effects may indeed be too much “I guess that means you are not interested on the enhaced senses, the fact that the cancer was cured or the acquired strenght. Your loss”