... ~ And the Legend begins ~ ...

Batman is now born, and the populace of Gotham city has another new vigilante overlooking them from the darkness.

It feels like it’s only a few months ago that Gotham city had a vigilante known as “The Vindicator”, which is Matthias’ accidental alias in his way to at least dwindle the number of thugs and gangsters roaming around Gotham.

But now, a new figure emerges; a lot scarier, intimidating, terrifying.

Some had witnessed this new vigilante appearing in pitch-darkness, attacking the lawless and unjust with the darkest night behind him.

In just a few months, news of this new vigilante stopping a midnight mugging, robberies, and even stopping an attempt of assault has been rapidly increasing.

Gotham newspapers and television broadcast has been hunting the truth of who this vigilante that runs rampant around Gotham, and the witnesses all tell their stories.

This new vigilante wore black, moves faster than the human eye can see, and is seen to have black wings on his back which is why few of the witnesses has told the news that the vigilante is capable of flying.

But one thing is consistent throughout the stories; it’s that this new vigilante appears in a figure that is similar to that of a bat, with its black wings and pointy part on the side of the head that looked like bat ears.

More rumors appeared trying to figure out who this vigilante is:

• Some say he’s the same vigilante as “The Vindicator”, but with upgraded look,
• Some say he’s a different vigilante, acting as a replacement for “The Vindicator” because of his disappearance for about a year.
• Some say he’s just like “The Vindicator”, another individual who works in the dark to protect Gotham.

People of Gotham have started to find a suitable name for this new vigilante, and they have collectively called him, Batman, the dark knight of Gotham city.

...

Commissioner Gordon sat on his office, drinking his premade coffee to at least soothe his weary body. New calls have been made after the appearance of this Batman, and he’s both grateful and furious.

“Dammit, just one year ago the Vindicator started beating up thugs hiding in abandoned chemical factories, and now this?”

As a true enforcer of the law, the Gotham commissary can’t let the new vigilante run rampant.

“Batman, huh? His actions have proven beneficial to the people of Gotham. He did not kill, just like the previous vigilante... I want to know what’s in the mind of these ‘superheroes’.

With that, Gordon just shuts his mind for a while to rest his head. The poor commissary needs rest, it seems.

...

In the Batcave, Bruce Wayne, still in his batman armor but without the cowl, was accessing the computers. Matthias silently approaches his brother from behind, but...

“You need to work on your stealth skills, Matthias.” Bruce says, still staring at his oversized computer monitor.

“Tch, why is it so hard to sneak behind you now. In the past, I can even sneak two plates of cake from under your nose.”

“The past is in the past, Matthias. And don’t think I don’t actually know you’ve stolen those cakes when you were young. I’m just acting as if I didn’t know, back then.”

“Well aren’t you sooo cool, brother?”

“Aren’t I, Matty?” Bruce finally turns around and flashes his smile to Matthias.

Matthias sees the smile, and inwardly thought that Bruce has been smiling much lately. ‘In the comics, my brother was never depicted as someone who would genuinely smile that much, aside from his persona as a playboy philanthropist.’

Matthias has yet to realize it was because of his existence that Bruce Wayne’s personality softens; the existence of another surviving Wayne blood and a younger brother figure.

Matthias made an exaggerated frown, “You’d be a lot cooler if you allow me to go out there with you.”

Bruce shook his head, “No can do, brother. You may be strong, but you’re still very young. What sort of brother would send his own younger brother to beat up criminals?”

“Eeehhh, good point.” Matthias said with an exaggerated shrug.

Bruce turned his head back to the computers, “Now be a good kid and go to sleep.”

“Is there a game in the Batcomputer?”

“No, there isn’t. And what did you just call it?” Bruce turned to Matthias again, this time his face’s full of confusion.

“Uhhhh, isn’t this thing called Batcomputer?” Matthias asked.

Bruce then ponders a bit, looks at the computers, then back to Matthias, then back again to the screen, and then back to Matthias.

“Good idea, let’s call it that from now on.”

“Wait~ wait! You didn’t name your computers, ‘Batcomputer’?” Matthias asked, his eyes wide open.

“No I didn’t, but that’s a good name.” Bruce smiled, and turned back to the compu—ahem, the Batcomputer.

Matthias was flabbergasted. He did not expect that the computer doesn’t actually have name yet, and the one who named it “Batcomputer” was him.

“Well, uhhh, I’ll be going to the surface, now.”

“Good night, Matty. Don’t forget to brush your teeth, okay?”

“*Siiigh*, please stop treating me like a child, brother, and good night.”

Matthias then went back to the Manor via the elevator, and towards his room.

He closes his door and locked it, and then he did a bit of self-training.

After a while, Matthias can feel his body surging with power. He can feel himself stronger and faster, more agile, and his mind is also a lot quicker at processing things.

‘Hmmm, as I thought, I’m getting stronger. For some reason, my brother’s action as the Batman increases my relevancy. Maybe it’s because some people thought my persona as the Vindicator and my brother being the Batman is the same person, and not at all two different people. This is good, my power has increased significantly.’

Matthias has a good feeling that this power will continue to grow in the future.

‘This power of mine, I’ll continue using it for good.’ Thought him, as he dresses up and prepared to sneak out.

‘It’s a good thing I hid my ability at sneaking away. If I’m serious, I can even sneak behind my brother easily without him noticing anything.’ Matthias inwardly thought. It’s true, his ability at sneaking is a lot better than a well-trained assassins of the League of Shadows.

‘Let’s check out one last Chemical Plant. I hope that’s the one the Joker might originally be born from.’

Matthias silently jumps off his room window, carefully closes it, then sprints towards the darkness.

~

The Ace Chemical Processing Plant is a prominent chemical factory and warehouse that was located in Gotham City.

Originally known as Kane Chemicals and owned and run by the Kane Family, the factory and company was sold to another owner and was eventually renamed "Ace Chemicals."

“What a large Plant this place is...” Matthias muttered. He deduced after months of scouting all of Gotham city’s chemical facilities, this one is the one where Joker might be born.

“My senses are tingling... like Spiderman... I feel like this is the one.”

Matthias is currently walking in disguise. Using his disguising ability, he has scouted this place for about a week. He has made one final conclusion... He can’t enter, yet. The place is heavily guarded.

‘Let’s head back for now. I can’t just simply bust myself inside that plant.’

Matthias then sprints home. His inhuman stamina and strength thanks for his continuous increase of relevancy have made him able to sprint for many hours without resting. But he knows that this ability can’t win battles without proper preparation.

‘If my intuition is correct, there will be a moment where my brother would one day be around this factory as Batman.’

Matthias planned to keep sneaking away to silently observe his brother in case he would one day bust inside the Ace chemicals, stopping whatever criminal activities inside.

‘Now it’s waiting time.’

... ...