I dream therefore I exist (Batman)

[dream]

It was a miracle that Savannah had lasted so long in the world like it was. Her entire young life had been spent locked away behind the walls of the nunnery where she had been looked after and loved by the Reverent Mother and the other sisters until the day her abilities manifested and she was thrown out onto the street. As a general rule she tried hard not to think about the past life she had had as it only led to her feeling sorry for herself and with the world in ruins like it was she simply didn't have the time to do so.

Looking about her she yawned slightly before running her fingers through the blonde mess of curls that was her hair before sitting up in her little hiding hole that she had managed to slip into during the night before she had gone to sleep- in the ruins of this place it was the best thing she had at her disposal and not for the first time did she regret leaving the island of Utopia where the Xmen had brought her to safety. She shook her head causing the curls to swing about her face, telling herself not to think about that right this second. She would think about it once she had found somewhere else to sleep...it was no use sitting around here all day as sooner or later one of the clones would find her and she simply didn't have the strength or will to go against such things.

Blinking she slipped out into what had once been a big city and looked about her in what was left of the sunlight. She must have been asleep longer than she had thought for it had been night time when she had slipped off into the land of dreams and although it was of little surprise to her now she wished once again that her body didn't betray her like it did. Grabbing the backback at her feet she slipped it on before nimbly jumping from rock to rock until she reached the ground and landing on the ground looked about her once again. It was dreadfully silent here...She cocked her head to the side as if she could hear something but as nothing came crashing from the trees to attack her she figured herself safe for at least a little longer.

She had woken today in her protector personality and it was with the eyes of Bête Noire that she took in the park she had come to in the night. Although it had been the other side of herself that had hidden here Noire was no stranger to waking up in strange places and it was with a small shrug that led her to just walk away from the hiding spot, glad that for once the good side of her had actually chosen a relatively safe spot to fall asleep in. Noire disliked her other side greatly and yet at the same time she was fiercely protective of her. She scowled at the dead plants on either side of her as she thought over the side she could not control and wished once again that things were back to how they used to be. It had been so simple back then but that man had come along and ruined everything...and then the clones had destroyed what had been left of her life. There was no Paris for her to return to now and the only home she might have had was left behind with the Xmen. She hadn't been able to settle in well with so many heroes when she herself was something of a villain.

"Perhaps today will bring something new," She grumbled in her pretty French (although she spoke English fluently) "Perhaps some new clothes..." For her boots were wearing thin and whatever her other side had been doing the night before had caused her jacket to become torn in several places that she knew had not been there a few days ago when she had been the dominant. "Bah, so unreliable and useless." Even though she spoke aloud she made sure that she wasn't so loud as to attract any unwanted attention as like she had pointed out to herself before she simply didn't have the strength right now to go against anything more than a hedgehog. Besides she never knew when her illness would strike her down...and she really didn't fancy having an episode in the middle of a fight. Talk about awkward.

[Deleted]

Wayne Manor was filled with people, but there was plenty of rooms left for people to stay. While that seemed like a good thing, Bruce knew that more people should fill the hallways of his home. Gotham was one of the hardest hit cities. Few people had lived the initial attacks. Those who survived likely were attacked by the inmates who managed to flee the Asylum soon after it was destroyed. Unfortunately, they didn't renounce their crimes and continued to be a plague to the city. The survivors were their first targets, and, instead of helping people in a similar situation, continued to victimize those who were in the come condition they were. Even more lives were claimed by these pathetic people.

These people had gotten to Bruce. Once upon a time, he never thought of killing people. Now, he almost saw it to be necessary. They had managed to nearly break his moral code. Several criminals had been beaten nearly to death and left for the clones. He still did not kill them. They would lay in agony until their ultimate defeat was handed to them. He'd never break that moral code, at least he never thought he would. The only person he had ever come close to killing was dead. The Joker had been killed in his hideout by one of the clones. As far as he knew, Harley was not in the hideout. Perhaps, if given the chance, he'd find her and try to fix her. The only person holding her back was gone.

The park was one of the worst places for clones to lurk. Many people perished when it was attacked. For some odd reason, civilians flocked to take refuge in the area. More and more people died due to this. Information had not gotten out about the disaster that occurred. It was not just the clones who were killing people in the park. Criminals knew that people liked to come to the park to be safe, and they also knew about the clones. It seemed that it had become the main hub for criminals, as they knew they could prey on the people who treated it like a safe haven.

Batman lurked in the shadows of the park trying to find one of two things: a major base of the criminals or a survivor. The former prison and asylum inmates were hard to find, as there was plenty of area to cover. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a woman walking alone. Talking to herself. She could either be an inmate or a civilian. There was no way to tell the difference. Hell, she could have just been a woman who had lost her mind after losing a family member. Despite all the deaths he had seen, Bruce had managed to stay sane. He'd be on the edge, though, for quite a long time. Learning the deaths of one of his friends, be it a family member or another ally, would push him over.

Keeping his distance, Batman approached the young woman. She didn't look to banged up. Several tears could be seen in her clothing, but that wasn't too surprising. Tons of people staying at his home wore clothing that couldn't be called 'pristine'. Although the woman didn't look too dangerous, no one could tell if a person had powers. More and more, he was seeing people with some minor amount of super powers appear at his door. Finally, he find himself within speaking distance. "Are you okay?" It was a fairly simple question, but it could tell several things about a person. It would show Batman if she was a threat or not. That was his primary concern.

[dream]

As a general rule it took quite a lot to make either of Savannah's seperate personalities jump in fright as both had been exposed to some of the most horrific nightmares the human mind could conjure and with what was happening in the world now it was getting to the point that even Noire -who existed for the sole purpose of creating terror- was disturbed by what she now saw. So, knowing full well that a clone could come crashing through the trees to attack her or some other person could attempt to take what she possessed she was more than highly strung and the voice that seemed to appear from nowhere caused her to jump slightly and utter out a small 'gah!' sound and she had to force herself to calm down before she was able to answer the question.

The first thing to note was that whoever it was was asking if she was ok which meant that unless he was insane he was not too much of a risk and was unlikely to attack her...which calmed her nerves somewhat but the fact that she could not see him was enough to set them back on edge again. What kind of weirdo stood about in the shadows anyway? Her eyes narrowed slightly as she took a step back, more than ready to turn tail and flee at a moments notice and unfortunately she was getting used to the flight part of her survival- She was evil, not stupid and there was no way in hell she was fighting against someone stronger than she was.

"Who is asking?" Her English was near perfect thanks to using it nearly every day since she was thrown out of her home but the accent she had never been able to lose and it was more than obvious that she was most certainly not from around these parts. In fact she wasn't entirely sure why she was even in Gotham. Between herself and Rêverie they had travelled for days each waking up to a new place each time and it was starting to wear her down a little but having decided that Utopia just wasn't for her what else were they to do? They had no home and knew no one outside the mutant community they had been forced into until they had left so running had just seemed like a good idea. Noire had decided that at least this way they would probably die a little quicker instead of having to wait around for it. It wasn't the best solution but so far they had been lucky.

Perhaps she should have stayed a little longer the island. She might have learnt a little more about the world about them and even though she had been running for so many years she was still so ignorant about things. She had heard of the protector of Gotham of course but she had never bothered to learn more about him although she supposed she might have crossed his dream path at some point or other but it was a little harder to recognise people this way once she was awake. She knew about the asylum of course and the people that inhabited it and had at one point laughed herself silly at the thought that maybe she should have been placed there. She might be safer than out here at least. No criminal she had come across in her time in this city had wanted to be near her after a night alone with her. What little senses they may have had before were long gone once she had entered their nightmares. If only the same could be said for the clones. Insane criminals she could deal with being one herself.

[Deleted]

The woman had pretty much jumped out of her skin. Two things about Batman usually scared people. The dark voice that erupted from his voice could frighten the strongest of men and break the best of wills. It was quite an amazing sight to see someone jump into the air from only a few words. It was nearly enough to cause the man who emitted the sounds to break down in laughter. The other frightening part about Batman was the costume itself. In the shadows, you could not see much. Only the outline of the costume. That was enough to give people nightmares for weeks.

Most people believed that Batman was much stronger than he actually was. Fortunately, he had created an illusion that he was just as strong as Superman. Due to the kryptonite ring that he kept in the Batcave, he could have beaten the man anytime. Now, they'd never get to have a friendly spar. As far as Batman knew, he didn't even need that damn ring. He was a superior tactician and could outwit the boy scout. In the entirety of Earth, he was most likely the most powerful hero. At least that's what people tended to believe.

At times, Bruce thought of leaving the Gotham to find other heroes. One woman in particular constantly entered his mind. Wonder Woman. Diana Prince. The only woman who had fully captured his heart. She had left for a short period of time to help some of the other powered heroes, but she had not returned. Shortly before she had departed, he had bought something special for her. A little gift that would bring the two of them closer for the rest of their lives. He wished that she would just return soon.

The woman quickly asked who the man was who was lurking in the shadows. That same question could very well be used against her. Outright asking who the woman was without answering her question could be seen as slightly suspicious. Which could lead to the woman retreating into the woods around the park and, eventually, to her own death. There was no reason to withhold information from her. He was the good guy. "It's Batman. Bruce Wayne," he said, still not use to saying his name while in his costume.

[dream]

The moment she had jumped she had known that she had shown herself weaker than the unknown male and she cursed herself for it but it was too late to change anything now and she would just have to go with it. However she was glad when he stepped forward so she could see his figure and it was with a raised eyebrow that he introduced himself as 'Batman'...well, that wasn't the bit that surprised her, it was the part where he gave his true name as well. She had always been under the impression that masked heroes wanted to keep their identity secret and even if the world was falling around their ears she hadn't expected them to change either. It was a little weird but it gave her the advantage for now she remembered the name.

Batman. The man who protected this god forsaken city for reasons known only to him. She admired the fact that he wanted to try and save a place that everyone else tried to ignore and with all the criminals running about she was not surprised that it had been taken over as quickly as it had been. Of course she did not know much about this man in particular as she had never stopped around long enough to hear about those who risked their lives for strangers. Such things did not interest her although she was sure her other self would probably know a little more...she was such a romantic little soul who did so love the stories but Noire was more settled in reality and had no love for such things.

She supposed she would have to repay the name in kind and it was with a slight movement that she relinquished the slight defensive position she had been holding, now no longer looking like she was about to hare off if he so much as sneezed in her direction. She had had plenty of practice in keeping herself cool under such instances and he was no more terrifying than meeting her first murderer. She wondered if she had seen his dreams before now and it was with a look over his costume that she considered that yes, she probably had. Someone who dressed like a bat must have all sorts of mental issues and she was sure she remembered a dream about the small creatures although it had been some time ago and she wouldn't be sure until she had the chance to stalk his dreamlands herself...she would not dare try now of course as she was awake (which made her ability very hard to use) and his mental walls must be greater than her own when awake...both things made it difficult. She would attempt it later on when they were both asleep. She wanted to see his nightmares.

"I am Bête Noire," She eventually told him, deciding that she had been rude enough for now. "And do not worry about those who call themselves criminals. None have been near me since my first night in this city of yours." She supposed he thought her either to be in need of assistance or someone to be locked away in his asylum. Perhaps it was a little of both but she did not need to tell him such things. She was not afraid of him.

[Deleted]

Was there a single person who actually wanted to help him, besides Wonder Woman? People had broken off contact with Bruce. Old friends were quick to abandon an old ally. After a certain point, he had almost wanted to ally himself with some of his old villains. They didn't seem to be around anymore. Petty thieves were now the kings of Gotham. Ruling from their fortress in the woods around the park. Preying on the weak who could not defend themselves. Apparently, the heroes of Earth no longer wanted to protect the weak of the planet. Nor did they want to help a person who had contributed so much of his time to being a hero.

At any moment people could jump out and ambush the two. Most likely, the criminals had put a bounty on his head. Perhaps, after gaining and finding a few new allies, he would lead an assault on the damn criminals. There was no telling what he would do to them. Before the apocalypse had hit, he wouldn't even let the thought of killing a human to cross his mind. Now, he was reconsidering this little part of his oath. They had harmed many innocent civilians who were in the same exact situation. No, they were no longer humans. They should not be treated as such.

The woman quickly dropped her defensive stance and gave Bruce her name. Odd name. Especially for a person who lived in Gotham. Definitely didn't sound like a name from a person who originated from the city. She most likely left her original place in search of a better life. No one moved to Gotham. Most had heard of the heroes abandoning it. They'd, at the very least, make their way to Wayne Manor. Word got around that it was the safest place, at least those outside of Gotham would get that word. No one could tell those in the city that the park was the worst place to go.

Quickly, Batman closed the cap between the two of them. Hands kept in the air. The woman no longer saw him as a thread, but he wasn't about to make her any more defensive. Nor would he show any aggression. There was no need to fight. He didn't want to. All he wanted to do was help her. Possibly gain an ally if she had powers. "You know, this isn't exactly the safest place to be. I can take you somewhere nice. I'm not a threat." Those words were said when he was in reaching distance, and he quickly dropped his arms to his side. If she was going to attack him, he'd want to be ready.

[dream]

As he moved towards her Noire had to keep herself from slipping back into the defensive stance she had adopted when he had first spoken to her. It was one thing to have reacted in such a way to start with but now that she knew who he was she wasn't afraid of him. There was little she was afraid of these days but all the same she wasn't about to act like they were allies or anything so dreadfully soft. She was not a good person and she knew it...she liked causing fights and creating nightmares that could make people mad, she was not a goody goody and perhaps that was why she had never felt welcome on Utopia (although her other side had).

She eyed him up as if deciding whether she should believe his words. Nice and safe? She did not believe such a thing as she knew that nowhere was safe anymore and surely if a hero held such a place they would be attacked at all hours of the day? And as for him not being a threat she disagreed completely! The few stories she knew about the man had been enough for her to hope never to cross his path in the dark and yet here she was standing face to face with the man in the bat costume. Perhaps going with him would be safer? She would never know unless she risked it and she was getting so very tired with running away from places...it also wouldn't hurt to have a decent bed to sleep in for that matter.

"You are a threat," She informed him eventually, "You are a hero and that makes me want to despise you for you are against everything I stand for...besides, if I were to go with you there is no promise of safety. There wasn't even that promise at Utopia." She reached up and ran a hand through her curls thinking that perhaps she should have tied them back a little better before leaving her cave.

She looked about her in feigned disinterest although she was really looking out for anyone (or thing) that might decide they are an easy target and although she was a good shot with the gun she had hidden beneath her jacket she would never be able to run away thanks to her illness- although it did not affect her quite so badly as her other self it was still a pain in the ass to collapse at the feet of your enemy unable to do anything but listen to them cackle about their victory. She could probably use her own ability against any humans that came at them but again she would be useless against a clone and if the criminals in this particular area were anything like Bats over there then she was stuffed. "Perhaps a trade then." She decided eventually as she looked back to him. "I will go with you to this safe place. A bed and some hot water would be quite agreeable, in exchange for such things I will help you locate anyone you desire." Suddenly she gave a rather predatory grin, "And I would very much like to see your nightmares....Qu'en dites-vous?"

((Qu'en dites-vous? = What do you say?))

[Deleted]

Rumors had gotten around that women were mysteriously vanishing in the areas around Gotham. Despite his research into this problem, he still had no idea. There was plenty of speculation. Zarda was recruiting women by the day, or men were capturing them and take them into camps. As far as he knew, women were being specifically targeted. Perhaps that was why he had paid specific attention to Noire. Women were being targeted, and he to take them back to his home. At first, people would believe it was due to his playboy manner, but he knew more than a common person. Women in Gotham had to be protected.

Despite his love for Diana, it was hard not to find the woman just a little bit attractive. A few weeks had gone by since he had actually slept with a woman, as his lover had gone for some time. Seeing a beautiful woman only brought those urges back to him. With the situation they were in, he could do nothing about them. The woman in front of him did seem a little loopy, which allowed him to distance himself from her. He'd never cheat on Diana. There was not a single person on the Earth who could compel him to. Besides, if she ever found out, he knew he'd be dead in seconds.

The woman had traveled a very long distance. Utopia was on the other side of the world. No where close to the eastern city of Gotham. Although he never traveled to the city, he had heard that it was unscathed from the attacks. Still, the city hadn't gave any word to him. Storm had arrived one day, hoping to help the city protect itself. The next day, it seemed, she had vanished. Never to be heard from again. Another example of heroes abandoning their own. It was sad to see, as Storm had been one of the better heroes. Mockingbird had shown up, but she had also left the following day.

A bargain was placed. One that Batman didn't quite understand. Doubt lingered in his mind. Why didn't she just want to come to his home with him. People outside of Gotham knew of its safety. That grin didn't exactly make him any more confident in making a choice. There was no doubt that the woman was evil. Anger began to rise in the mind of Bruce. Why was she trying to take advantage of him? That was one thing he especially hated. Staring at the young woman, eyes betraying his look of anger. "I don't need help locating anyone. I'm more interested in your well-being. Nightmares? Don't you know me. Nightmares have nightmares about me. I am a man without fear."

[dream]

Noire could not see if confusion etched into his face thanks to the cowl covering most of his face but she could imagine it and it very nearly made her giggle in amusement although she kept it hidden down as she doubted he would appreciate her laughing at him. He didn't seem to understand why she was offering him a trade and his reply was enough to confirm that. He thought her evil perhaps? He wasn't far wrong if he did think such a thing as she was a very bad girl but her other self more than made up for her short comings and really, the only reason she existed was to protect the good part.

The eyes of the man she could see and now anger lit them up with an intensity that surprised her. Surely he did not think her to be doing anything but offering a trade for a room in his safe house? She hated being indebted to people and as a consequence had done many things even she was not proud of but she had been honest in her words. She had the ability to find anyone he so wished and as a hero surely he would want her to locate those who had survived the clones before they were killed off? Or even perhaps find some of the criminals who lurked in the dark shadows of the city. He was a strange hero not to be taking up the offer when it was so freely given. And as for the whole 'man of no fear' thing she could well believe he was afraid of very little but everyone had nightmares...the memories that were so deeply buried that you forgot about them.

"You may have little to fear but everyone has the dreams that plague them, but you misunderstand me I think," She tilted her head to the side as if listening for something although it was nothing he would ever hear- her mind was constantly alert to those who slept and suffered from the worst of dreams and for a moment or two she wished that she was asleep so she to could see what tormented them but alas she was awake and she still had this to deal with. "All I want is a good bed to rest my head to dream my dreams, I do not care particularly about being safe...and in exchange I offer only my help in finding anyone who might still be alive in this hell hole," She waved a hand around vaguely as if to emphasise her point.

"I am not a good person nor will I ever claim to be but I do believe in keeping things 'fair and square'. I would not feel right if I were to take advantage of your offer without offering anything in return." She eyed him once again and this time her smile was no longer predatory but softer and a little more understanding, "But I think perhaps you do not trust the words of someone like me...you will get along better with Rêverie."

[Deleted]

More and more people would have died had it not been for Bruce Wayne's hospitality. Both the criminals and clones would have killed nearly every innocent person in the city. No Justice League to save them, as they had pretty much abandoned them. The Avengers never had done anything to help the city, nor did they have interaction with Bruce. That Zarda had not done much but cause some panic in the United States. The government scrambled to protect itself from the onslaught of attacks from both the Amazons and the clones. There was no way America could get back on their feet. If Gotham could get back on its feet, he was sure that the city would become a city-state.

Metropolis, Bruce knew, had been hit hard. With Superman's death, the clones pretty much destroyed the city. There was no way that it could get back on its feet. Only a few safe places actually existed, and they weren't even safe. If enough people flocked to one location, the clones would surely pick up on their location. Utopia was safe due to huge amount of powered people that roamed. Mutants called it home, but they seem to have turned into to recluses. There wasn't any solid evidence if the safe haven accepted regular people into their city. It was the safest place to be, yet there was a chance it was exclusive.

Would Wanye Manor accept insane people into their ranks? The civilians wouldn't welcome them with open arms. It was almost obvious that they would cause some trouble, yet Bruce couldn't just throw them to the side. People like Harley could be rehabilitated, as could any other person with a mental disorder. The woman in front of him didn't just seem insane, she also seemed evil. No person could fix that. Only those will ill intent could change their own manner. He was not sure if he would allow the young woman into his home.

There had to be something about the woman that was redeemable. There didn't appear that the woman had any powerful powers, and, most likely, would not be a huge threat to Bruce and those at his home. Nor did she seem very interested in actually being safe. Why should he even bring her back to his home to keep her safe, when, in fact, she didn't even care. "I can agree to your terms, as long as you try to be a good person. That may be against your nature, but, if you try to harm someone, I'll leave you to the clones. Got it?"

(Bad post is bad. Sorry, it's like midnight here. Haha)

[dream]

Noire knew that he was not convinced by her words and really she couldn't blame him...after all she was evil and that just went against her before she had even said anything to him, but, at least he had agreed to the terms she had laid out. It wasn't much of a trade all things considering but at least she would have a roof over her head and a decent bed for the first time in months and although she could literally fall asleep anywhere she would much prefer a mattress.

His comment about her being good and not harming people was enough to nearly make her frown. Not because he had laid such terms on her- she was well aware she could behave herself in needed- but because with her ability to induce nightmares she did not want people thinking she had been the cause of any sleepless nights they might have whilst she was staying there. It had happened at one or two other places before now and she did not want to be accused of such things if it did happen...besides, if she had been the cause she would bloody well tell you! She was proud of who she was and if she had created a nightmare that stayed with you when you woke up she would want to hear about it. And failing that she would just ask you about it...she liked knowing she had the power to make people afraid of her when really deep down she knew that she was just as afraid of them. It was something of a vicious cycle but she would have to live with it.

"I know I'm a bad person but I won't go out of my way to hurt people. For one thing I'd admit it before someone could accuse me of anything but I will not have people claiming I am a monster for something their own mind creates." She frowned now, her eyes steely and she allowed him to see just how much she would hate such a thing. Perhaps she would allow the good side to dominate whilst at this safe house, at least then the most people could complain about is her sweeter than sugar nature...and the lovely dreams they have at night. Yes, that might work. "However, whilst I am in your care I shall revert to Rêverie...she is a useless thing and will suit your humans well."

Well, she might sound bloody insane but really she was just ill. Her illness was something that plagued Savannah often but it had been no fault of theirs. The man who denounced them as his had been the start of everything and had it not been for him she would have been at the convent still. At least then she might have died with people who had loved her instead of being stuck wandering about on this sorry plane.