A story from the Amalgam Universe featuring Batman.
As long as I'm in this current comic book stage, here's a little something I put together last night The comic book characters used below belong to DC and/or Marvel Comics.
In the Bat of the Claw by Bill Hart
Batman stared in total disbelief at the incoming results on the BatComputer's screen. It had to be an error.
He'd lifted the print himself at the scene of that new criminal's latest crime. He couldn't have possibly made an error. He was Batman; Batman never erred.
As soon as he'd seen what was on the screen, Batman had sent Robin home. Stephanie Brown, the newest Robin, was still a little too wet behind the ears to tackle any of this nonsense. Batman knew he'd have to check everything out in order to find the actual error.
Once Stephanie had left the BatCave, Batman reran the fingerprint analysis again. The result was impossibly the same.
He checked the optical scanner; it was in perfect working order.
He checked all the wiring; he found no flaws.
He then redirected the signal from the BatCave toward the Justice League satellite. After the electromagnetic carrier had bounced successfully back, the BatComputer detected no differences between the fingerprint it had just received and the one it had sent. Somehow he wasn't surprised.
There was nothing wrong with the BatCave's communications network. He didn't really think there had been one.
Batman removed his glove, then scanned his index finger. As he sent his own fingerprint off for identification through the network, he hoped the returning result would be wrong.
A heartbeat later, the words "POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION" once again flashed on the BatComputer's giant screen. That was swiftly followed by "RIGHT INDEX FINGER, SUBJECT: BRUCE WAYNE".
Batman stared at the results. At least that was correct. However, he'd still discovered no problems with any of the equipment. If all the equipment was functioning normally and he never made a mistake, then why did that unknown fingerprint keep coming back the same way time and time again?
Batman ran the print once again.
Once again the words "POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION" flashed on the BatComputer's screen. And just as impossibly as all the other times, that was followed by "LEFT RING FINGER, SUBJECT: BRUCE WAYNE".
It was impossible. Tonight was the first time he'd ever been in that shop. How could his - that is, Bruce Wayne's - fingerprint have been there. There was just no way that someone could have duplicated his fingerprints exactly.
On their other hand, there might be one way.
Magic.
There were several possibilities Batman could envision. Mxyzptlk was normally Superman's foe, but he'd been known wreak occasional havoc among his friends before. But that mad fifth dimensional imp didn't know his secret identity. Of course, he hadn't seen his very own extra-dimensional troublemaker BatMite in several years.
"You should leave the imps out of this, Bruce," echoed an eerily familiar voice from the shadows. "They aren't to blame."
Batman looked up, more annoyed than surprised or worried. "Who's there!" he barked. "Show yourself."
"There's no need to be angry with me." The man who had spoken stepped out of the shadows. He was dressed in a costume that might have been Batman's if it hadn't been so gaudily overdone. There was definitely too much cape. And the dull yellow cowl with those dark, overly large bat ears was almost comical in its appearance.
"Who are you?" asked Batman. "How did you get in here?"
"In my world, I am known as Dark Claw," replied the man. "Your BatCave and my Burrow are spatiotemporally co-located. A little applied magic and here I am."
"You're from an alternate reality where magic is functional." It wasn't a question. "Is that how you duplicated my fingerprints?"
"You're too suspicious of everything, Bruce." Dark Claw reached up and removed his cowl. "I'm Logan Wayne. I didn't need to use magic to duplicate your fingerprints, Bruce. We're synchronous dimensional counterparts. My prints and your prints are and have always been the same because we are relatively the same person."
"What are you doing here?" asked Bruce, as he removed his own cowl. The two of them could have easily been brothers.
"Evil has triumphed in my world, Bruce," scowled Logan. "An ignorant power-hungry fool opened the portal to that dimension where Nommo, King of Kor and Guardian of the Mystic Flame of Life, had banished the Foul One millennia ago. The name Demagnus Drachae would have lived in infamy forever had my world only survived."
"Why are you here, Logan?" asked Bruce cautiously.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to continue my fight against Evil and the Foul One from here." He looked at Bruce. "You're more than welcome to join my fight, Bruce. This will be the perfect new base of operations for me." Logan paused for a moment. "I lost everyone I ever held dear because of the Foul One. I'm determined to pay him back for what he's done."
"You'll need to find another place, Logan," said Bruce. "I can't let you put this reality at risk. That's what will happen if you stay."
"I thought you'd understand," snarled Logan. "If the Foul One finds this world, it won't survive. You must realize your world will fully accept me once I've assumed command here."
"The BatCave is mine, Dark Claw," replied Bruce. "I'll defend my territory if necessary."
"You don't want to fight me, Bruce," replied Logan calmly. "A little magic used here and there will make everything all right. The world will readily accept me as the one and only Batman after that."
"I'm Batman, not you. Why should you be the one in charge?" asked Bruce. "This is my world, not yours."
"I'm better suited to lead the fight than you are," replied Logan. "I heal far faster than you. My adamantium skeleton is superior to your calcium one." He began smiling. "And what do you think of my adamantium claws?" he asked, as his claws abruptly extended outwards from his knuckles.
"Impressive. A most formidable weapon," replied Bruce. "If I refuse to serve you, are you going to kill me, Logan?" he asked in a rather matter of fact manner. "You won't be any better than that Foul One of yours if you do."
Logan glared angrily at Bruce. "Would you kill me if our places were reversed?" he asked calmly. He didn't need to wait for an answer. They were so much alike; he already knew the answer. "My parents John and Elizabeth Wayne were killed in the Crime Alley of my Gotham City just as your Thomas and Martha were. I've never killed anyone in my life; I don't intend on starting with someone who might have been me."
"Then we're left with a dilemma," replied Bruce.
"I still want your help, Bruce," said Logan. "We'll be stronger fighting together."
"I still must refuse. You can't come into my world and expect to take over. I won't allow it," snarled Bruce. "If we're truly synchronous dimensional counterparts, then we can't remain in the same reality. However, if you feel the need to imprison me, then do so."
"You're too stubborn for your own good, Bruce," replied Logan. "I have no intention of locking you away someplace. You're too valuable a resource to waste. There are far better alternatives available than that," he smiled. "I will have your help."
"Not in your lifetime," snapped Bruce. "I'll fight you every step of the way."
At that moment, Stephanie Brown returned. Bruce wondered why she'd returned, when he hadn't been expecting her. He wasn't used to having Robin, especially one still in training, disobey him. He tried to speak, but couldn't.
"I'm back, Batman," said Stephanie to Logan, much to Bruce's surprise and chagrin. "And right on time too."
"You'll make an excellent Robin with the proper training," said Logan. "I've asked someone here tonight that will help you master the martial arts, Stephanie. Do you recognize our guest?"
"I sure do," replied Stephanie excitedly. "That's Katra - master extraordinaire of the martial arts." Stephanie bowed deferentially toward Bruce. "I am most honored to meet you, Master Katra."
"Go change into your Robin attire, Stephanie," said Logan. "I expect your workout with Katra will be long and fruitful."
Bruce could only watch as Stephanie scurried away. She'd acted as if Logan had been Batman. She acted as if he were the stranger. That couldn't possibly be a good sign.
"Although you would have no way of knowing, she is a lot like my Sparrow," said Logan. "Stephanie is, however, further down the road to womanhood than Jubilation Drake. Nevertheless, I suppose I'll come to accept your Robin in her stead."
"What do you think you're doing?" asked Bruce defiantly. "Who the hell is Katra?"
"I told you I would have your help, Bruce," grinned Logan. "Didn't I?" he grinned. "Stephanie knows exactly who Katra is. Are you sure you don't know who Katra is?"
"No, I don't know. I've never heard of Katra before," snapped Bruce. "I wouldn't have bothered asking the question had I known."
"You said it yourself," said Logan. "The two of us cannot long co-exist in the same world. That must soon change if you are to continue assisting me in my fight against the Foul One." At that moment, Bruce felt a sudden inexplicable chill pass through his entire body. It didn't take a genius to realize Logan was up to something. With magic at his disposal, Bruce didn't think he'd like anything Logan might do.
For some unknown reason, Bruce slowly raised his hand. He couldn't believe what he saw. How had he failed to notice the changes? He was wearing purple gloves that came up to his elbows. His upper arms were inexplicably bared.
A downward glance revealed more surprises. He was now somehow also wearing knee-length black leather boots with no appreciable heel. His upper legs, more slender than they should have been, were also bared from the waist down.
The purple sash tied about his waist matched the color of what might have easily been described as a one-piece swimsuit. Only the shoulder of what would have been his bow arm was bare.
Bruce didn't know what was happening to him. He was, however, convinced he should have noticed immediately this total change in his attire long before he had. As he slowly shook his head, he felt his long black hair swish about his shoulders and tickle the tops of his breasts.
The tops of his breasts?
Bruce's hand shot quickly to his chest. There was no denying what his hand found there. When had he gained the twin mounds of firm flesh that now hung proudly there? He turned angrily toward Logan. "What are you up to, Logan Wayne? Why did you use your magic to turn me into a woman!"
"It will be much better this way. You'll see soon enough," replied Logan. "In your new form, we are different. We can easily co-exist here now. It was simpler than I imagined; it was just a small change. We're no longer the dimensional equivalents we once were. Too much has already been lost to me; it's time something was regained. There will be only one Batman now - me." He smiled at the transformed Bruce. "I will be able to take my place in this world as Bruce Wayne easily now. There will never be embarrassing questions asked. As you are now, no one would ever believe you were once he."
"You're insane if you think you can get away with this, Logan." The sound of his own voice was disturbing. "I will fight you." Bruce absently brushed his black hair away from the front of his face.
"You may fight if you like. Although I may not be as adept as Strangefate, I still have magic on my side; you have none," smiled Logan. "However, if you really believe me mad, then by all means tell me who I am."
"That's very easy. You're Batman, of course," replied Bruce. He was stunned by his own response. It wasn't what he'd meant to say. Even though he knew that Logan was really the mysterious Dark Claw from a totally different reality, he'd still called him Batman. Stephanie had also called him Batman. Even worse than that, Bruce's mind, unperceived by him, had also begun thinking of Logan as Batman. Even that odd name Dark Claw was rapidly fading from his conscious mind.
"Very good. It's begun," smiled Logan. "Now who am I in my civilian identity?" he asked.
The answer came easily and quickly - far too easily and far too quickly - from Bruce's lips. "That's also a very easy question to answer, Batman. You're actually Bruce Wayne, millionaire industrialist, philanthropist, and playboy, of course. Who did you think you were?"
Bruce shook his head sending his long black hair swirling madly about his head and shoulders. Something was wrong... very wrong... with this. He had to fight back. He was Bruce Wayne. But at the same time, how could he possibly be Bruce Wayne if Batman were really Bruce Wayne? He knew they were one and same, so he just couldn't be him. However, if he wasn't Bruce Wayne, then just who was he?
There was confusion spreading rampantly throughout his mind. Things were different now. Too many things were no longer as they should be.
What was the truth?
What was a lie?
Why did he feel so strange?
"Do you know who you are?" asked the new Bruce.
With the asking of that one question, thoughts abruptly began swirling as they totally rearranged within his mind. Any conscious thoughts that he might be or might have ever been Bruce Wayne had been shunted over alternate pathways that no longer interacted with those thoughts now more appropriate.
"Of course I know who I am, Bruce. Why wouldn't I know?" replied the now former Bruce Wayne. "I am Katra, sometimes cat burglar, sometimes assassin. In any event, I am always mistress extraordinaire of all the martial arts."
"Excellent," smiled Bruce. "What is your civilian identity, Katra?" he asked next.
More thoughts swirled and altered. New pathways formed; old pathways dissolved. She felt a need to fight, but didn't know what. Katra began wondering why Bruce kept asking her all these silly questions for which he already knew the answers. Even for him, Bruce was acting very strangely. "I am Elektra Kyle, of course," she replied. "I really hope we're through playing these silly little games now, Bruce. There is still a great evil we must fight together."
At that moment, Robin returned garbed in her costume. "I'm ready for my first lesson, Katra," she said eagerly. If Robin noticed a change in Katra, it wasn't apparent. "I think you'll find I'm a quick learner."
"We shall see how quickly you learn, Robin," replied Katra. She turned and looked over at Bruce. After another momentary bout of confusion, she suddenly smiled at him. "When I've finished giving Stephanie her lesson, I'd like a few words with you, Bruce." She had that look in her eyes that Bruce immediately recognized. "In private, of course," she purred.
"Of course, Katra. Whatever you say," smiled Bruce. He was fairly certain he already knew exactly what she wanted. He had felt it too. She had returned to him just as he'd always known she would. Her return from the other world was their first victory over the Foul One. It most likely wouldn't be their last one.
Bruce only hoped he could wait patiently for Katra to finish with Stephanie's lesson. From his standpoint, it had already been far too long since he and his beautiful wife had been together.
THE END