~Jobab Agar!~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jake was staring at the ego blade in his hand. The holy sword no longer burned, since there were no demons to slay. Hearing Valor call out his birth name startled him and broke him from his reverie. He couldn't figure out how his sword had returned to his hand. He had no memory of picking it up. With a thought, he put it away in ring storage before looking around.

 

 

He was surrounded.

 

 

The Justice League was standing around him in a semi-circle. Behind him was J'onn in his usual Martian Manhunter appearance. He was holding Megan in his arms protectively. She had returned to her human appearance, but her skin was the same shade of green as J'onn.

 

Everyone was looking at Jake. He did not like the way they were looking at him. It was uncomfortable for some reason, but he couldn't quite figure out why.

 

Jake blinked a few times as he looked at everyone, "Wow. You guys move fast."

 

Plastic Man looked to Batman, "Fast?" Batman returned the look, only to shake his head slightly, implying O'Brian should drop it.

 

Jake smiled cheerfully, "Well, that was fun!" He took a deep breath, "Smells like... Louisiana?" He looked at Ire, "Are we near Louisiana?"

 

Ire was quiet for several seconds before he spoke, "Master, are you-"

 

Jake cut the ring off, "Yeah. I'm sure of it. Always wanted to visit Bourbon Street." He looked up at the sky for a second before he started walking off, seemingly at random.

 

He wiped at his face and sniffled. His face was oddly wet and his nose felt stuffed. He rubbed the wetness between his fingers as he walked, "Huh. Allergies must be acting up."

 

A hand grabbed Jake's shoulder. He spun around to slap it away. Wonder Woman stood there. Jake still couldn't figure out her expression. She squinted as she asked, "What's wrong?" Jake backed up and held his fists up as if he was expecting to be attacked.

 

Nothing happened.

 

"What's wrong?" Jake instantly relaxed and looked casual, "Nothing's wrong. I'm fine!" He smiled brightly and cheerfully, "Everything's fine! It all worked out, didn't it? Everything is sunshine and kittens. Happy as a clam. Never been better!"

 

For some reason, the entire group just stared at him, except Megan.

 

She looked downright horrified.

 

Jake turned to leave when Batman spoke up, "Hold it. You're still in Justice League custody. Technically, this little stunt was a jailbreak."

 

Everyone turned to look at Batman, including Jake, "Excuse me?"

 

Batman ignored everyone else, "It's a paperwork issue. You understand. You'll need to come back up to the watchtower until we sort things out. Should only be a few hours, then we can boom tube you anywhere you want."

 

Every fiber of Jake's being was telling him to run, but as he tensed up to bolt, Batman asked, "Please." and offered a hand.

 

Jake stared at the hand, then knocked it aside, "Fine. Let's get this over with. I got an itching to scam some people at eight ball." Batman started speaking into his communicator.

 

Jake was still feeling a sense of disconnect. He couldn't figure out what everyone was thinking, or the atmosphere. A boom and a short walk later they were in the main travel hub for the station.

 

It was empty.

 

Not a single employee was present. Something was wrong and Jake could feel it but he didn't know what. Everyone was strangely quiet. Before Jake could ask what was going on, Megan spoke up, "Thank you, and it's okay."

 

Jake froze. He felt a growing pounding behind his left eyebrow. His brain was starting to hurt. He rubbed the spot as he tried to figure out what happened, but Megan broke his concentration when she gently touched his arm. He jumped away as he snapped his head around to look at her. His expression made it clear he thought she was a madwoman, "Excuse me?" He squared off so he could take her head on, "What's... okay?"

 

She looked at J'onn, who looked back. She turned back to Jake, "You gambled and won." They both spoke in unison, "Thank you."

 

Jake felt like he was going to fly into a rage, but oddly enough, for once, Ire was holding him back, ~Jacob, they're trying to help.~

 

Jake shouted at his ring, "HOW???" He looked at the two Martians, "HOW CAN YOU THANK ME???" He pointed at Megan while shouting at J'onn, "I WAS GOING TO KILL HER?" He pointed at his chest, tapping it repeatedly with a single finger, "That wasn't a bluff, Manhunter! I was going to kill her! I was. Do you understand? DO YOU?"

 

J'onn nodded, "Yes. And it would have been the better choice if I had not found the strength-"

 

Jake got right in J'onn's face, "Better CHOICE???" Jake smacked himself on the side of his head several times, "Did I screw up my hearing? BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO COMMIT GENOCIDE ON THE LAST TWO MARTIANS IN EXISTENCE!!!" He smacked J'onn upside the head, "Are you DERANGED? I dug up the very worst moments of your life and WEAPONIZED IT AGAINST YOU!"

 

J'onn either didn't notice or care as Jake smacked him. He stared at Jake stoically, "Yes. And if you weren't willing to do it, I wouldn't have believed that Megan was in danger." He squinted slightly, "If you had not reminded me of how I failed to save my family, I wouldn't have found the strength to push Furnas out." He shook his head slightly, "I don't think YOU understand. It would have been easier to tear my arm off than force that demon out. I wasn't in pain. It was peaceful. My family was there. I knew it was fake, but I had everything I ever wanted."

 

J'onn's jaw tightened for a moment before he continued, "I had to give all that up... and I wouldn't have if you had not reminded me that they were already DEAD because I couldn't save them." He put a hand on Jake's shoulder, "Thank you." J'onn glanced at Megan before continuing, "Thank you for giving me a chance to redeem myself."

 

Jake just stared in utter bafflement, his jaw hanging open. Abruptly he swung his arm up to slap J'onn's hand away and backed away like he was about to be attacked, "Something's wrong. It's still inside you, isn't it?" He pointed a trembling finger, "You're INSANE!" He slapped his chest, "I'm the BAD GUY. I'm the VILLAIN around here! I'm as bad as Lex Luthor! I don't belong HERE in this goodie-two-shoes world! I'm the ruthless monster who does whatever it takes to win! You Need Proof?" He held up his rings and waved them around, "RIGHT HERE!" He looked to Guy for validation, "Tell Them!"

 

Guy looked uncomfortable and looked away. He took a deep breath which he let out as he ran his fingers through his hair, "You don't remember anything you said after the demon died, do you?" He turned his back to Jake but kept talking all the same, "I'm a simple guy. I see a problem. I hit it. It stops being a problem. For me, all my problems go away as soon as I win." He put his hands on his hips and took a deep breath before turning back around, "I got no idea how to help you... but I want to."

 

Jake snorted once as he backed up, then kept snorting and he continued backing away. He started to shake his head while he waved his hand in the air dismissively, over and over, "What I said? What'd I say? I don't remember... While I was punch-drunk? Bah!" He let out a weak laugh, "I'm... I'm just playing you. I do that. I-" He turned away, "I'm going to the med bay to sleep. Finish the damn paperwork so-"

 

Jake froze in his tracks as Batman called out, "There is no paperwork."

 

Batman stepped away from the group to close in on Jake, "I lied. If you wish, you are free to go. We won't stop you." He came to a halt, staring at the back of Jake's head, "But we all think you need to stay."

 

Jake almost turned around but seemed unable to. He kept nervously snorting as if dismissing everything going on, "What? because of my useful knowledge? Because I'd be a great addition to the TEAM?" He finally turned around to sneer at Batman, "I work about as well on a team as Jason Todd."

 

Batman's jaw tightened for a second, "Why did you save Hawkgirl the way you did?"

 

Jake's head jerked around as this twist in the conversation caused him whiplash, "Huh?"

 

"She was going to die in the vacuum of space. Guy was out cold. There was nothing we could have done to get to her in time to save her. You saved her, but you didn't have to pull her back inside the way you did." Batman took a step closer, "It would have been more effective to fight him on the station and you are smart enough to know that." He loomed over Jake with a judgemental glare, "What you did was practically suicide."

 

Jake's lips twitched before he asked, "I can leave, right?" He pushed past Batman and started stomping towards the boom tube controls, "Then I'm leaving."

 

Batman didn't turn around, but he was clearly addressing Jake, "You know my name, don't you?"

 

Jake stopped and gave a most confused glance over his shoulder, "Excuse me?"

 

The caped crusader turned around and locked eyes with Jake, "Say my name."

 

Jake blinked and blinked HARD. He looked around the room at random, "What? I already told you. You're Bruce Wa-"

 

"NO."

 

Batman approached Jake in a fashion with what could only be described as a soul-crushing level of intimidation. Jake reflexively retreated a step as Batman got right in his face.

 

"Say."

"My."

"Name."

 

 

Jake stared unblinkingly back at Batman for as long as a normal man could hold their breath while remaining perfectly still. Abruptly he stepped off to the side to point at Wonder Woman.

 

"Diana, amazonia princess. People call her Wonder Woman, but to her, that is nothing more than an affectionate nickname. Made out of clay, magic, and the wet dreams of the horniest god that ever existed, she is quite possibly the most perfect woman that ever lived. But at the end of the day, she's just Diana." The Amazonian looked a little puzzled but didn't act like she thought anything Jake said was wrong

 

Jake pointed at the android, "Back in The Fortress of Solitude lies a recovering Clark Kent, ace reporter, and corn-fed farm boy. He may be from another planet, but he sees this world as any other man of the land. He plants crops knowing not all of them take root, but he tries all the same."

 

He turned back to Batman while continuing to point at the android, "To him, Superman is a disguise he puts on to protect the lives of those around him. Superman isn't real. He's just a symbol. Superman means nothing more to Clark than any other... farming tool. He respects his tools, but they are just tools. And so with his tools, Mister Kent plants dreams in the hearts of men, hoping they'll find fertile ground." He turned to look at the Android with a sad smile, "But at the end of the day, he's just Clark."

 

Jake turned to look Batman dead in the eye, "Your name is Batman..."

 

 

"and that's it."

 

 

The rest of the Justice League looked at each other, a little confused.

 

Jake slowly walked back towards the dark knight, "It doesn't matter if you are walking around the slums of Gotham as the scumbag arsonist Matches Malone, or throwing a fundraising party as the billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne. Both of them are equally real to you. Which is to say..." He came to a stop, face to face with Batman.

 

 

"Not at all."

 

 

Jake looked away to avoid eye contact, "In the end, you are completely dead inside. You want nothing, You are nothing. You have nothing. The only thing you have, live for, and care about is the mission." Jake laughed lightly, "There IS only the mission. There will only BE the mission. There has only ever BEEN the mission. At the end of the day..." He finally looked up to return Batman's gaze.

 

 

"You are just an empty shell named Batman."

 

 

Guy's ring flared for a second as he spoke up, "Alright, asshole. Enough is enough."

The Flash was in Jake's face in the blink of an eye, "Now you listen to me-" Poking Jake in the chest with every word.

Wonder Woman just shook her head while defending Batman, "You couldn't be further from-"

The Android shook its head, "Look, You might THINK you know us, but you do NOT know-"

 

"ENOUGH."

 

Batman's voice carried through the room. He closed his eyes for a moment, then looked past his teammates into the middle distance, "He's right."

 

Silence.

 

Batman turned away as if he was unable to face anyone. To the rest of his team, this spoke far louder than the soft words that followed, "Everything he said is true." He half turned towards Jake, speaking sideways at him, "You've been right about a lot of things." The dark knight reached up to grab the top of his mask so he could pull his cowl up over his head, exposing his face.

 

"Bruce Wayne has been gone for a long time."

 

 

 

 

Jake turned away and started to shake as those words struck a little too close to home.

 

 

 

 

"You were right about Damien."

 

With a look of surprise, Jake returned Bruce's gaze.

 

"I investigated while you were recovering in the med bay. I don't know where he is now, but I found a picture of him. As of a year ago, he was at the Bangladesh International Airport with his mother, Talia. If I know her, he's still alive. Judging by the picture and the one time I was trapped on that island with Talia... I am certain I-" His voice cracked

 

He turned to the android and gave him a half smile, "Bruce Wayne has a son."

 

Batman turned back to Jake, "I can find my son, that is only a matter of time..." He ran his fingers through his hair, "But I have no idea where Bruce Wayne is." Bruce rubbed his face as he turned away, walking a few steps, "I need to find him. I need... I need to find Bruce. I need to get him back. A boy needs his father. I... I needed my father. He needs his father, but I have no idea how to find him."

 

Jake's face slowly became twisted with sympathy, horror, and worst of all... understanding. He wiped at the corner of his eye before clearing his throat, but before he could say anything, Batman leaped for Jake. Grabbing both of Jake's upper arms and holding them tightly, He stared deep into Jake's eyes in desperation.

 

"How? How do I find him? I have no idea. I don't even know where to start. I got nothing. I have nothing." He shook Jake, "But you? You... went deeper than I ever have been." He let go to back up a step, "You told me your story on that balcony.. and I RAN. I was disgusted by you. How? How could you claim to have done all those horrors in my name? I thought I would NEVER do ANY of THAT."

 

Batman jerked his head to the side as if trying to shake a thought out of his head, "But the more I thought about... If those things happened to the Justice League, the more I realized I WOULD do everything you did. I would do those things and MORE. There is no oath I would not break, no line I would not cross if it meant getting revenge for my friends... and saving the world."

 

Bruce lowered his gaze to stare at Jake's chest, "Then after I had won... when everything was finished... after I found a successor... I would return home." He looked up at Jake with burning eyes.

 

 

"Then I'd Kill Myself."

 

 

Jake started to tremble.

 

"That's why you are going home, aren't you? You're going there to die. Because that's what I would do If I was you."

 

Jake was silent.

 

Bruce grabbed Jake by the shoulders and gave them a shake, "ANSWER ME!"

 

Jake couldn't look Bruce in the eye, but he did nod.

 

Bruce nodded as well, "I... get it. But there is one difference between you and me." Jake didn't respond as Bruce continued, "I ask myself, 'What would Clark do?'."

 

The android looked shocked as Bruce continued, "Even after everyone else was gone, I'd still be able to ask myself THAT. No matter how far I was gone, no matter what I had done, or how far I had fallen, I don't think Clark would ever give up on me, although I have no idea why he hasn't a dozen times already."

 

Bruce grabbed Jake by the face with both hands and made him look back. Eye to eye, Bruce continued, "You said I helped you. You said you saved a world because of the Myth of the Batman. I think you owe me. So I'm cashing in."

 

Jake looked utterly baffled. After a moment, he nodded once in agreement.

 

"I need you to find your way back."

 

Jake just stared.

 

Bruce moved his hands back down to Jake's shoulders, "I need to find my way back, but I don't know how. I need to. I... NEED TO. Bruce Wayne has to come back. So if you can find your way back from the tenth circle of Hell... I know I can."

 

Jake looked away, "I... don't-"

 

Batman shook Jake's shoulders. Jake looked back as Bruce continued, "I know. It's a big ask. I need this. Because I tried so hard to make sure I didn't have any children. I knew it would only distract from the mission. And I was right. but to find out from someone..." He paused to swallow as he let go, "To find out from someone who is my... heh." He smiled softly with just a hint of irony, "My logical conclusion, well, it changes everything."

 

Jake just stood there. Nobody spoke. Eventually, he turned to look at the boom tube controls.

 

To everyone's surprise, they activated.

 

Out of the ethereal tunnel was walking a man. He was dressed in a red flannel shirt with bandages somewhat noticeable underneath and a pair of dusty blue jeans. He wore thick-rimmed glasses and walked with the help of a Superman Android. A very pale-faced and sickly Clark Kent had arrived.

 

Everyone started talking at once making it obvious that he shouldn't be here. Clark ignored everyone to push his way through to Bruce. Bruce looked confused right up to the point Clark abruptly hugged him.

 

"Bruce, you are the dumbest genius I know."

 

Just as quickly he let go to hold Bruce at arm's length, "I know where Bruce Wayne is. He's right here. I just didn't know he was hurting this much, and I'm sorry. I am a terrible friend for not seeing it sooner." Bruce started to speak, but Clark held up a finger, "If my father was here, he'd hit both of you." He looked from Bruce to Jake and back, "Everyone needs help, even me. Stop doing this alone. Let someone else save YOU for a change." Bruce looked away, more than a bit embarrassed, but still responded with a nod.

 

Jake finally spoke, croaking out a single word, "How?"

 

Clark smiled and shook his head slightly, "You make a choice." He jogged his head toward the controls, "You leave, or you stay. If you stay, you'll have to let someone save you and... I can tell you, it hurts. I'm not on your level, but I am..." He tapped the side of his head, "Doomsday has me rattled. I'm... not in a good place. I should have lost. I should be dead. I..."

 

Clark shook his head a little bit, "Doesn't matter. I learned something. If you want to get better, the first step is you have to want to get better." He made a sweeping gesture to include everyone in the room, "You might be surprised how good we are at saving people." Everyone smirked for a second. Clark's smile faded first, "But you have to want to be saved. We can do everything else, we can carry you as much as you need, but nobody can save you if you don't WANT to get better."

 

Bruce and Clark glanced at each other. Bruce looked thoughtful, then gave Clark a curt nod. Clark smiled as he put a hand on Bruce's shoulder before turning to Jake, "Well? How about it?"

 

 

Clark offered his hand to Jake.

 

 

Jake's eyes went from the hand to the boom tube controls and back again several times.

 

 

 

Eventually...

 

 

 

Jake made his choice.