//------------------------------// // The World's Greatest Detective Vs. The World's Deadliest Assassin // Story: A Dark Knight Over Canterlot // by Battwell //------------------------------// "COME ON!!!" Deathstroke shouted as he pulled out his sidearm and shot down towards Batman. The Dark Knight was already on the move, using his wrist gauntlets to deflect the bullets as he ran. Seeing an opening as Deathstroke was reloading his gun, Batman quickly took out his Grappling Hook and fired it at the red shipping container just ahead of the mercenary. The World's Greatest Detective zipped up to the container, quickly throwing three Batarangs from his Utility Belt. Quickly discarding his weapon, Slade slashed his sword in a downward motion, slicing the three projectiles clean in half. Deathstroke dashed forward as Batman landed on the snow covered container with a tuck and roll. Batman, thinking quickly, raised his arms and used his wrist gauntlets to block the strike from Deathstroke's sword. He then used his forearm to move the blade away from him and delivered a punch to the mercenary's face. Staggering back, Deathstroke quickly recomposed himself just in time to see Batman leap into the air, intending to kick him in the chest. Slade then rolled out of the way, throwing four throwing stars as the Dark Knight landed. The mercenary saw as the hero before him used his cape to block the throwing stars. Slade quickly got to his feet and charged towards Batman, his blade ready to taste blood. The Dark Knight quickly moved his body to the left to avoid Deathstroke's attack, he then ducked down as Slade tried cutting his head off. Batman then kicked the bottom of Slade's legs, sending the assassin down onto his back. Batman then leapt into the air and brought down his fist, but missed his intended target as Slade rolled out of the way. Slade quickly got back up and tried bringing his blade down on top of Batman's head, only for his adversary to catch it in between his hands. Batman moved the blade out of the way before kicking Deathstroke in the chest, sending him off of the shipping container. But as Slade was falling, he quickly pulled out a Grappling Hook of his own and fired it at Batman. Just as he planned it, Batman caught it with his hand. With a mighty tug, the hero of Gotham was pulled down along with him. The two marital artists landed harshly in the snow, quickly getting back onto their feet and resuming the fight. Slade tried hitting Batman with his sword, but no matter how hard he tried, the hero would not stand still. "Time to change it up." Slade thought to himself as he swung once more, missing again, except this time he quickly pulled out his second sidearm and pulled the trigger. Batman, anticipating this, deflected the projectile with his gauntlets and then proceeded to knock Slade back with a shoulder charge. Sliding to a stop, Deathstroke chuckled as he looked right at Batman and pointed his sword directly at him, "Y'know, before Luthor hired me to kill you, I had never once failed a contract. But then you and those brats you call sidekicks bested me. I never forgot that night, and I long anticipated the inevitable reunion between us." The two combatants circled around each other, the snow and wind growing harsher as they conversed. "You failed then, Slade, and you'll fail now." Batman responded coldly. Once again, Slade chuckled, "Not this time. Ever since that night I have watched you. Studied you. Learned whatever I could for whenever we would meet again." He revealed, with Batman remaining unfazed, "I will not be bested again, and I won't allow anything to interfere with our duel." Deathstroke then pulled out a remote device and pressed on of the multiple buttons that was on said device. Suddenly, two sentry guns popped up on top of the brick walls surrounding the Shipping Yard. "No doubt that the explosion from earlier has been called in by the locals," Deathstroke continued, regaining Batman's attention, "That means that the local police will be here shortly. If they get within ten feet of the Shipping Yard, then those sentry guns will open fire, and casket makers will be having a very merry Christmas." Batman clenched his teeth as his fists tightened into a ball, "You're going to regret this, Slade." He threatened in a low tone. "Yes, that is what I want to see! The fire that burns within you, the thrill of the fight!" Slade shouted as he prepared to charge forward, "SHOW ME!!!" And with that, he charged toward the Batman with an intent to kill. The Dark Knight quickly rolled to the left, avoiding Slade's strike before he quickly grappled away, dodging the barrage of bullets Deathstroke fired from his SMG. As he grappled into the air, Batman hurled three Batarangs down toward his foe. Deathstroke ran away, avoiding the projectiles as they exploded on the ground. Batman let go of his Grappling Hook and glided back down onto the ground, avoiding even more bullets fired from Deathstroke. As the hero landed, Deathstroke leapt into the air and brought down his blade, but not before Batman turned around and roundhouse kicked the villain in the chest. Slade tumbled across the snow, his sword flying out of his hands and sticking out of the ground where it landed. Batman walked over to the blade and removed it from the ground, snapping the blade in half and tossing the two pieces aside. The hero then rushed forward as his foe rushed toward him. Once they met in the middle, Deathstroke threw a punch, but Batman caught it with his fist. He intended on throwing a punch of his own, but was suddenly kneed in the gut by the assassin. Slade threw another punch, but the Dark Knight blocked it with his forearm and then proceeded to punch Slade right in the face. Staggering back and leaving himself open, Deathstroke received multiple punches to the face and knees to his torso. Batman threw another punch, but Slade ducked under the attack and punched Batman in the stomach. He then knocked the hero down with a sweep kick. Coming back to his senses, Batman quickly rolled away as Deathstroke punched the ground where his head rested. As the assassin recovered, Batman hurled a Smoke Pellet at his foe. Slade saw this coming and caught it in his hand, only for it to explode in the palm of his hand. Taking advantage of the confusion, Batman used the smoke to his advantage and struck Slade from multiple angles, not giving him time to think or recover. Unfortunately, Slade caught on to his attack pattern and tilted his head to the right to avoid a punch from behind. He then rotated his body around and punched Batman in the jaw, the smoke finally dissipating. The two stared each other down for a moment before resuming the fight... That would've been the case had it not been for a speedster who rushed into the Shipping Yard and punched Deathstroke when he wasn't looking. Rainbow slid to a stop across the snow as Deathstroke crashed into the side of a shipping container, creating a dent where he impacted the steel structure. The prismatic athlete turned around to see Deathstroke fall to his knees. Her fist shot up into the air in victory, cheering at how she knocked the villain down. Her celebration was cut short by a stern and authoritative voice, "What are you doing here?!" She turned around to see Batman looming over her, her ego no longer inflated by her dumb luck. Rainbow shrunk back at the gaze of the Batman, gulping a ball down her throat as she began to sweat nervously, "W-Well... It seemed like y-you needed help..." She stuttered before her eyes shrunk, "N-Not that you're incapable of handling yourself... It's just--" "You should not be here, Rainbow Dash," RD ignored the fact that Batman knew her name as he continued, "Get out of here before you get yourself killed." "Ugh, teenagers." The voice of Deathstroke caught the attention of the both of them. They both then noticed Slade pull out a detonator from behind him, "I hate teenagers." Deathstroke sneered before pressing his thumb on the detonator. Suddenly, the snow covered ground began blinking on and off with red lights. Knowing what they were, Batman quickly grabbed Rainbow Dash and grappled them both over the brick wall surrounding the Shipping Yard. As Batman and RD flew over the wall, the entire Shipping Yard was engulfed in an explosion, propelling the two of them forward, crashing into the snow covered road. Groaning, Rainbow Dash rubbed the back of her head and rolled onto her back, the sound of incoming police sirens blaring in her ear. She set her sights onto the now blown apart Shipping Yard, which had flames dancing around it. Her eyes widened in fear as Deathstroke slowly walked out of the blaze, his singular eye set on her and the unconscious hero beside her. Before she could move, Deathstroke pinned her to the ground. Dash tried struggling out of her predicament, but couldn't due to the weight of Slade's boot. Much to her horror, Deathstroke pulled out a gun and aimed it directly at her head. He reloaded the gun and prepared to pull the trigger, "Lights out kid." That would have been the end of Rainbow 'Miriam' Dash, had it not been for Batman, who had regained consciousness and hit Slade in the side of the head with a flying knee. Deathstroke let out a grunt of pain as his helmet shattered to pieces, the various pieces falling onto the snow. As Slade staggered back, Batman darted forward and punched the mercenary right in the nose, shattering it and knocking the villain out cold. This fight was done. Batman folded his arms as he stared at the unconscious form of Slade Wilson, "Sorry Slade, looks like I win again." "HECK YEAH WE WON!!!" Rainbow shouted as she jumped up in victory. Her celebration was cut short when Batman snapped around and gave her a glare that made her want to use the bathroom. Her form shrunk as the Dark Knight's menacing form shrouded her shaking form. As a bead of sweat trickled down the side of her head, Batman's eyes squinted, showing just how serious he was about the situation. Rainbow couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh, "Ehehehehehe.... Whoops."