Suit of Hearts
This is set after issue #15.
Bruce pulled himself back over the ledge and mopped his
brow. He’d just taken a long and dangerous climb down in
search of the Scarecrow. Just an hour ago the mad
scientist had plunged into the abyss below the Cave.
Bruce doubted anyone could survive such a drop, but if
there was a chance Crane survived, it was his
responsibility to find out - enemy or not.
“I miss my old suit,” grumbled his sidekick.
“I never liked your old suit,” Bruce removed his hard
helmet and dusted the dirt off his costume. “It was far
better suited to a catwalk than fighting criminals.”
Barbara was unconvinced. She swung her leg out into a
full kick and snorted. She stood there for a few more
moments studying her new costume. “I don’t know Bruce,
it’s just not, well, me.”
“Maybe it’s the attitude of the owner that needs to
change,” Bruce replied, “and not the suit.”
“Hey, that’s not fair!” exclaimed his companion, as she
pulled off the cowl. “What’s wrong with my attitude?”
“Our battle isn’t a style showcase!” he snapped. He
stood there momentarily and breathed in deeply. He
offered an apologetic and uncomfortable smile. “Although
that’s not really a convincing argument considering the
Technicolor menagerie of villains we have.”
Barbara winced as she studied the protruding chin of her
new Bat suit. Certainly wouldn't win her any beauty
pageants, however she couldn’t deny the suit was useful.
Very useful in fact, considering she could no longer
walk and spent her day’s wheelchair bound. Bruce had
told her the suit was a mix of technologies he had been
developing through his own resources, and some stolen
from unknown sources via his secret Project SEAMLESS
group. It wasn’t the application she resented. Its
ability to somehow integrate with her body and negate
her spinal damage was incredible. She wondered quite how
much of it was “unknown technology”. How much of the
suit’s power was based on Earth based technology. After
all, the practical applications were enormous. The
technology specifically integrated to support her back
could be used to further medical science. Maybe one day
they could totally rebuild entire spines on the same
basis.
Maybe one day she could walk.
“Bruce,” she said tentatively. Bruce was now standing at
the central computer studying cave schematics. “Is there
any chance this suit could heal my back?”
The giant bulk of the millionaire’s frame tensed
briefly. “No sign of the Scarecrow on any of the lower
tiers. Not to say his body couldn’t have been washed
away."
"That's not what I asked."
He turned to look at his close ally, his face a picture
of genuine concern. He sighed, brushed his hair back
thoughtfully and then addressed her question. “I don’t
know. In fact, there is a chance it could do more damage
in the long term.”
Her shoulders slumped dejectedly. “More damage?”
Bruce walked over and put a hand on her shoulder.
“Possibly, if it was used extensively. As it stands, the
suit can only last for short periods of time. The power
it requires prevents any excessive use. If we managed to
bypass that problem, the exertion on your back could be
very damaging.” He knew she needed to know the truth,
even if she didn’t really want to hear it.
She stood there looking at the dirt on the cave’s floor.
He gently lifted her chin to face him. Her unhappy eyes
met his own. “Barbara, the suit can't give you the full
mobility you deserve. I can’t offer any miracle
remedies. I can, however, give your life meaning again,
a cause. A purpose.”
Barbara pulled away from his touch and turned away.
“What if that’s not enough anymore? What if playing
sidekick to someone else’s mission isn’t enough?” She
looked down at the cowl once more and gripped it
tightly. “I love the thought of being able to fight the
fight again, but it’s not the same as it was. Before it
was an option, a choice." She turned and faced him
directly. "I will not accept this suit as being my
reason to exist, not like you do. I can’t, and won’t.”
She dropped the cowl on the floor. “This isn’t my life
anymore. It can’t be my life. In fact, it’s just a
painful reminder of what I lost. I can’t live my life
simply as an attempt to cling to the past. That’s not a
purpose, Bruce.”
She’d changed, not that it surprised Bruce considering
what she’d gone through. Nevertheless, it wasn’t
something he really expected to see. “I need your help
Barbara. I need your help finding our family.”
“You’ll get my help, I want our family back too, but
after that, it’s over. I need to find a new purpose
beyond this cave. I need to find a way of adapting my
life to who I am and not changing who I am to adapt to
the attitude of the suit.”
Bruce stood, his jaw firmly shut, a slight twitch in his
cheek. He watched Barbara turn and walk away. It was
rare that anyone truly stood up to him, and it was even
rarer when deep down, he knew they were right and he was
wrong. Somehow, he didn't mind that situation.
"Must be getting old and soft,” he muttered as he
started work at the computer. "Way too soft." |
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