Peter moved his arm, feeling drained after the kind of the day he and Twilight had. With everyone set for staying in the Hall of Justice, it allowed him and Twilight to get some well-deserved sleep. 'Man... It's been a long day... I hope Mayday's fine at home with the others.' his mind raced, 'But I know I can trust the guys. They'll make sure no one gets hurt while we were gone.'
The young man stretched his limbs, carefully moving out of the bed as to not wake Twilight. "Sorry, honey. But now I need a snack. Hopefully Superman keeps a fridge around here." he joked quietly, sneaking out of the room quietly.
Wandering about, Peter saw Logan leaning on a wall, his eyes closed. 'Huh. So the guy is capable of sleeping. I probably shouldn't wake him right now.' he mused, walking past the mutant. He saw Johnny and Bobby sleeping on the floor, while Barry rested on the sofa. 'I think the others are in the spare rooms. I pity the hero who has to clean Wade's mess, if he made one.' he made a turn, seeing a door slightly open. Curious, he looked inside for a split second.
He saw Miguel sleeping on the floor, his costume draped over his body and Sunset resting on the bed. 'Huh. Wonder why those two of all people would share a room.' he shrugged, 'Ah well, it's not my concern. I gotta find the fridge.'
Peter marched on, wondering where Luna, Felicia and Scott were. But he assumed they were in some other rooms. 'Let's see... Monument room, computer, ah, a fridge!' Peter thought, looking around the room for what he seeked. He opened the door and peeked inside, seeing what was inside. As fast as he could, he pulled out a slice of cheese. 'May not be much, but I can worry about microwaving food tomorrow. It'll feel good to have a burger or hot-dog.' his mouth watered at the thought, 'Maybe even a taco. God, now I sound like Deadpool. What's next? Me begging for a chimichanga?'
"You hungry too, bro?" asked Ben, eating his own sandwich on the ceiling. Peter clenched his chest in surprise, seeing his clone hop down in seconds.
"Jeez, Ben. You master Pinkie's strange arts or something? I swear, one of these days I'm gonna die of a heart-attack because of you two. Or Wade." he whispered.
Ben chuckled, "Sorry, Pete. It's just... I can't sleep! I'm in another world! It's almost like you described it to me." he sighed, "I just wish we were here under better circumstances, and not when we're trying to save the world."
"I know, Ben. At least we can get a small break though. Things are quiet right now, so we could just chat until we get tired." after Peter said that, the communicator he carried with him vibrated in his pocket, prompting him to pick up.
"What's up? It's Spider-Man." he wondered.
"Spider-Man..." began a different voice, "I don't know if you remember me, but it's Robin, y'know, Batman's partner." revealed Robin.
Peter rubbed his head, "Yeah, I remember you. What's wrong? I thought you Batfamily people worked with only each other."
"I'm not as anti-social as Bats." Robin joked, "Listen, while you were in that dimension, some of Gotham's worst foes got together and began plotting to stop Batman. He left earlier and hasn't come back. I wa hoping you would come to lend a hand."
Peter nodded, "Of course, dude. You mind if I bring someone else along?" he asked.
"Sure. I'll meet you on the roof of GCPD building. I'll debrief the situation there." Robin said before hanging up.
"Someone needs our help?" Ben asked.
Peter answered, "Yeah. A friend of Batman's. Suit up and follow me. We gotta find a way to Gotham City. He said he'll explain everything once we get there."
So, after getting their costumes, Spider-Man and Scarlet Spider arrived at the hangar. Where they found a spare jet to borrow. Peter sat down in the pilot's sear of the two-seater. "Okay, Ben. I'll be honest. I've only ever flown one of these things like once in my entire lifetime as a hero. Let's see if I still got it."
"What what?!" Ben almost shouted.
A door opened up as Peter started the jet, it hovering in its spot. Spider-Man pushed the stick, moving the vehicle forward, where the door closed behind them as they left.
Gotham City...
The jet lowered itself on a building, where it landed safely. Spider-Man and Scarlet Spider stepped out of the vehicle, the first thing they saw was a spotlight, showing Batman's symbol. "Huh. Seeing the Batsignal's making me nostalgic honestly. And it's not even mine." Peter joked to his clone.
"Holy hell. How many costumed people are there?" and older man joked, Spidey seeing him leaning on the spotlight. "You brought them over, huh kid?"
"I did. I'm sure you've heard of Spider-Man." Robin said.
"I'm Spider-Man, that is my... brother, Scarlet Spider." Peter introduced.
"Nice to meet you. I take it you're here to solve our little problem?" the elder man wondered.
Robin nodded, "Yeah, Commissioner Gordon. Bats has been gone all night after I gave him my intel."
"Intel? What kind?" Ben asked.
Gordon continued for the Boy Wonder, "Ever since Batman left, some of Gotham's rogues have banded together: Bane, Killer Croc Penguin, and the Mad Hatter. The four of them actually got their act together for once, and we assume that they caught Batman off-guard. For what reason? Possibly to kill him."
"Well then." Spider-Man crossed his arms. "Did he say where he was going?"
"He said it was some warehouse by the docks. That's where all supervillains go it seems." Robin explained.
"You're telling me." Peter commented. "The two of us will help in anyway we can."
"Thank God." Gordon sighed, "Last thing we need in this city is another uprising."
"Another uprising?" Scarlet Spider asked, "What goes on in this city?"
"You must be new here." Gordon joked. "But you three should go now. Good luck and welcome to Gotham." he extended his arm, prompting Spider-Man to take it.
"Thanks, Commissioner. We'll save him." Spider-Man replied, facing Robin. The three heroes looked at one another before hopping off the roof, using their own methods to swing around the city. Gordon sighed to himself.
"So many freaks in this world." he chuckled, "I gotta keep myself sane sometimes."
"Jervis did his job well. We got the Bat at last." the Penguin laughed, holding his umbrella over his head. "Gotta say, it was a little too easy this time. He got drugged up in a matter of seconds." he said, looking at Batman, who was tied up and locked in a cage, his utility belt removed from his waist.
"You won't win, Cobblepot." Batman growled.
"We've already won, Batman." Bane responded, cracking his knuckles after speaking. "Your absence has weakened you. Now I shall break you again."
"I will feast on your bones." Killer Croc hissed.
Batman scowled, "In your dreams, Jones."
"I will let you do the honors, Penguin. After all, it was you who proposed this alliance." Bane offered, "But I will be the one that ends him. Do I make myself clear?"
Penguin laughed again, "Of course." he raised his umbrella again and opened the cage, hitting Batman in the face without a reaction. The Dark Knight snapped his head to the side in response, feeling the force of the attack.
Killer Croc roared, grabbing Batman and tossing him to a wall. The vigilante grunting in pain as he felt his back collide with the wall. "I'll get out of here. And I'll stop you." he declared.
"Very unlikely, Batman." Croc grunted, "No one else knows your here. You will die alone!"
Bane stepped forward, wrapping his hand around Batman's throat. He used his other hand to turn a dial on his shoulder. The tubes strapped on his back, connecting to a container began to flow a strange green liquid, making his muscles bigger and allowing him to lift the Dark Knight effortlessly. "Now it ends, Batman!"
"I will never die, Bane." Batman spat.
The large man laughed, "You deny your fate. A smart way to cope. But it is a hopeless battle!" he used his other hand to grab Batman's legs, lifting him over his head.
"HERE WE GO!"
The glass window above them shattered, revealing Spider-Man, Scarlet Spider, and Robin. "Wow, Bats, and I thought my Rogues gallery were freaks!" joked Peter, shooting two strands of webbing in Penguin's direction, the crime-lord using a small blade to cut apart the webbing before it could reach him.
"Who the hell are you freaks? Did the boy decide to form his own group of morons?" Penguin asked.
Scarlet Spider was the first to land, lunging after Penguin. "I dunno. Look who's calling the kettle black." he joked.
"Run that mouth of yours! Let's see where it gets you!" Penguin hissed, moving backwards, using his umbrella as a gun to shoot bullets at the Scarlet Spider.
"Yeah. It gets me victory!" Ben joked, giving Penguin a right hook to the chest. "Aw, you make a penguin sound." he commented, uppercutting Cobblepot in the face, launching him in the air, making him release his umbrella. "At least I don't shoot webs from where the sun don't shine." he added, kicking Penguin while he was in middair.
Peter hopped up, tying up the unconscious Penguin and leaving him hanging on a ceiling light. "One down. Two to go... Wasn't there a fourth guy?"
"Tetch served his purpose. He left after the fact." Bane revealed, charging after the Spiders.
Robin pulled out his staff, vaulting himself over the villain and whacking Killer Croc. "Big mistake, Bane. There's still three of us here, and we're not pushovers." the Boy Wonder commented.
"Why are you here? I had this under control!" Batman shouted, spitting blood as he spoke.
Spider-Man leaped behind Batman, untying him. "That's a strange way to say thanks. Robin called us here and we were the only two to answer. Twilight's not gonna be happy if she finds out that I woke up for this, but I'm not letting any of you die under my watch."
"You told me to call in case something happened. Well, something happened." Robin reminded his mentor.
Scarlet Spider backflip-kicked Killer Croc, the mutated human unflinching to his attack. "Mommy..." the clone gulped, feeling Croc grab him by the leg, tossing him aside. Ben screamed in pain, flying through a wall face first. "Son of a..."
Meanwhile, Robin used his staff to whack Bane's chest, shoving him back slightly. Spider-Man punched the villain next, "You know. Drugs are bad for you. It's like they say in that old cartoon, knowing is half the battle!" he lectured.
"G.I. Joe!" Robin sang and finished the reference for Peter, earning a laugh from the wall-crawler.
"At least someone gets it!" cheered Peter, his Spider-Sense warning him that Bane is charging in his direction. In response, Spidey shot a ball of webbing in Bane's eyes, blinding him as he moved forward. The webslinger dived to the side, seeing Bane run through a wall, in a seemingly painless manner.
Batman groaned, holding his aching joints as he spoke. "That won't hurt Bane. You only made him angrier. The tubes connecting to his back give him a performance drug known as Venom." Spider-Man seethed at the name, "You have to disconnect the tubes connecting to his neck, and he'll be weaken."
"Got it." Robin said, "Spidey. You should go help your bro fight Killer Croc. Bane is mine."
Peter shrugged his shoulders, "If you say so, Robin. Once you're done, you could lend us a hand."
Robin smirked, "No problem."
The Boy Wonder saw Bane rip off the gossamer on his face, turning around. "I will break you, then the Bat."
"Gotta get me first."
Bane roared, charging after Robin. He reared his fist back, wanting to land a punch on the teen. But Robin jumped out of the way in time, using his grapnel gun to reach higher ground. Away from Bane's grasp, Robin jumped back down, divekicking the enhanced villain in the face as he landed.
The Boy Wonder noticed that Bane was reaching for him. "Too slow, big guy!" he taunted.
"You will suffer, Boy Wonder." Bane mocked.
Robin smirked, punching Bane in the face, pushing himself off his shoulders. "Yeah right!" he grabbed a tube connecting to Bane's neck, yanking it off with ease. Green liquid poured out as Bane began to shake in his spot.
"N-No... The Venom..." groaned the villain, feeling himself grow weaker. His body shrunk down, and he lost his strength. Robin uppercutted Bane, following up with a horizontal poke with his staff before ending the battle with a kick, knocking him unconscious.
"Looks like I broke you." Robin joked. He swore he could hear someone 'boo' in the background, but he couldn't tell if it was Peter. Sighing, he ran to help Spider-Man and Scarlet Spider fight off Killer Croc while Batman is left to find his utility belt.
Meanwhile with the others, Spider-Man took a punch from Killer Croc, the wall-crawler yelling in agony. "Ow, dude." he said, seeing Scarlet Spider jump back into action.
"You kinda look like the Jackal if he had Atrocity's body." Ben joked.
Spider-Man punched Killer Croc's chest with a right hook. "I was gonna say the Lizard with steroids, but I can see where you're getting at." he joked.
"You dare insult me? I'm not a monster!" Croc roared, grabbing Peter's face, slamming on the ground.
"We never said you were a monster, but you're certainly starting to act like one." commented the Scarlet Spider, using his webs to pull back his arm, freeing Spider-Man. "Now let him go!" he ordered, yanking Killer Croc so hard that his arm was raised.
Peter sighed, "Thanks, bro." he flipped back on his feet, shooting more webbing into Killer Croc's eyes. The mutated man tried to use his claws to remove the webs on his face. So, it allowed Ben and Peter a moment to assault him as much as they could. Each punch they pushed him back slightly. "Go down!"
"Never!" growled Croc.
Robin jumped in, using his staff to vault himself atop Croc, hitting him in the neck, a certain sweet spot that Batman taught him sometime ago. Killer Croc roared in pain, feeling the attack. "Now you two!" he shouted at the Spiders, seeing that they were near the cage. He hopped off, ready to assist the duo.
Spider-Man and Scarlet Spider nodded, uppercutting Killer Croc's jaw so hard that a crack was heard and he collapsed on his back. Suddenly, a strange object landed next to Croc, releasing some form of colored smoke. Peter turned around, seeing Batman with an arm stretched, his utility belt on his waist. "It's a nerve gas. He should be unconscious long enough for the police to detain him."
"Of course, Batman had to save the day again." Peter joked, the four of them on a nearby rooftop, seeing police cars and Swat trucks park right outside the scene of the crime. "Good to see you're alright. I bet you want us two back at the Hall of Justice, huh? This being your city and all." he wondered.
Batman paused, "Not quite."
Scarlet Spider raised a brow, "Hold on. You actually want our company?" he blurted out. "That's a new one."
The Dark Knight gave the two a thin smile, "Anyone could use my small injuries to their advantage. I should be better in the morning once my wounds are treated, but..."
"You want them to help?" Robin finished.
"Yes."
The two Spiders looked at Robin, "So, you cool with that Robin? It'd be nice to work with you." Peter said.
"You kidding? Of course. We make a great team." Robin replied.
Scarlet Spider chuckled, "Heck yeah, we do. Criminals should just give up once they see us."
Later on, an explosion at a bank was heard. Two goons were seen walking out before speeding away in a small car. Behind them, a familiar black car was trailing them. It seemed as though it wanted to follow them, not stopping them in the slightest.
Thinking they were safe, the two thugs made it to the roof of another building. Instead of finding Batman like they expected, they saw him, Robin and the Spiders. Batman scowled, seeing the robbers pull out their guns. Batman threw a batarang, forcing them to release them. Spider-Man used his webs to pull the guns away from their reach, scaring them at the thought of having four vigilantes after them.
Batman lunged forward, tackling the first goon, making him fall on the floor as he flipped back on his feet. Robin knocked him out while Scarlet Spider webbed him up. The Dark Knight swerved to the side, dodging a punch from the last thug before punching him so hard he flew across the roof. Spider-Man webbed him up as well, and they all fled the scene in time for the police to arrest them.
The four stood on the roof, posing as lightning struck behind them, scaring Peter and Ben, but not Batman and Robin. "How does that not scare you?!" Ben asked.
"Practice." Robin answered.
"Right." sighed Spider-Man, "So, ready to patrol some more? Gotta say, it's fun having a team-up like this. Two Dynamic Duos protecting Gotham!" he cheered.
"Don't get too excited. I want you both at the Hall of Justice once the night ends." Batman reminded him. He jumped off the roof, opening his glider cape.
Spider-Man and Scarlet Spider released some webbing swinging off the roofs while Robin used his own cape and grapnel gun to gain some altitude. For tonight, there were no worries. No Legion of Doom. For once the heroes could take it easy, and for Peter, it sort of like old times, to the days of patrolling New York. He savored every moment he could, for at some point, he'd have to part ways with the two worlds for good, but he chose not to worry about that.
Central City...
Within a normal home in the suburbs, a man was sleeping soundly in his bed. He stirred as something woke him up, frightening him slightly as he turned.
'Clariss. The Flash is back... It's time to wake up!'
A voice startled Edward Clariss, and he hopped off his bed. "W-who's there?"
'It's time... To meet your destiny. The Flash is here... And your true power shall be known. You have no rival.'
Edward turned his head, hearing the annoying sound of glass being scratched. It wasn't just random scratches he saw, though, "Oh my God..." he muttered, seeing that a word was being spelled out on his mirror.
The message read: ALCHEMY.
