Chapter Text
Edward hated the plan and how much sense it made.
Edward was told to return to the elf's territory and tell them how he'd managed to convince the South King to join their side and wanted to throw a party to celebrate, an event that, unknown to the elves, all reincarnated would be joining since both Selina and Firefly were working alongside Riddler.
The hard part would be to convince the others to join him. Ivy was easy enough, she missed her plants and most of all her girlfriend so when Ed commented leaving this world she was ecstatic.
Victor was more difficult, he was loyal to the king who had given him a good position, one of respect, but upon mentioning Oswald's name his answer came almost immediately, he didn't know what was going on between his friend and Zsasz, just that the assassin felt an insane level of loyalty towards the kingpin, only lower than how he felt to don Falcone himself.
Then, of course, there was Tetch. Tetch was born a half elf like Edward, but a wood elf instead. He had not only a sister, but several siblings whomst he loved and was loved by. He adored his new life even more than Edward. Even Though they were friends, convincing him was extremely difficult. He even thought Jervis would betray him, until Ed mentioned Jonathan and how he was still waiting for him. That got Tetch to rethink what was really important to him.
With the three convinced, all he still needed was to wait for the party.
The event took place a week after his meeting with Oswald. During that time, Edward discovered where the portal was located thanks to Victor's help.
They had organized it to happen in the palace with dozens of members of the elite, including the world leaders from other countries. The ballroom was covered in gold with furniture made out of the most beautiful black diamonds. Magical crystals illuminated the place, floating all around their heads while a catgirl singer stood on the stage, singing to the growing crowd.
Once again, Edward found himself in his room getting ready, but rather than nervousness, he felt a sense of melancholy.
"Look at you," he turned to look at his mother. Elves didn't age, so she didn't look any day older than her mid twenties. "Your father would be so proud of you," she said softly and ran her hand through Ed's locks, "my beautiful ambassador.
Edward forced a smile, "thank you, mother." He turned to look at the mirror, his smile disappearing.
The tall woman rested her chin on his shoulder, "what's the matter, dear?"
He bit his lower lip, "what- there is nothing the matter…" How could he tell her without raising any suspicions? Unless she already knew? No, that was impossible. The others wouldn't have told anything, right? It was their soul too.
"C'mon, Ed, don't lie to me. I know you better than anyone. You aren't just anxious, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were sad too."
He sighed softly, "mom… have- have you ever been in love?'
"Of course, dear. I loved your father. More than anything."
"But… how? Why? You knew people would look down on your relationship. You knew you could never be together, why did you fall for him?"
"Because that's just how love is, Edwik. It can heal you, it can hurt you, but it's the absolutely most important thing there is. Without love, we are empty and cold."
Edward ran a finger through his hair, "I had this- this idea that love is about sacrifice, but it hurts so much… I can't stand seeing the one I love with another. I should- I should just be happy for him but I feel my heart break whenever I see them together!"
She put her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. "Love is about being happy and making someone else happy, dear. It's not just about giving." The elf pressed her forehead against her son's, "do you think you can make them happier than who they are currently with?"
"I-" Edward hesitated. Could he make Oswald happier than Riddler? Sure, Riddler had been the one to save Oswald from Arkham, but Ed had been the one to tend to him when his mother died. He took care of him, he was the one who made sure Oswald won the elections fair and square so he knew he was loved. He had been the one on that couch with him. "Yes," Edward finally said, frowning, "I think- I think I could make him happy."
"That's my boy," she kissed his cheek, "I will let you get finished, make sure you come talk to me sometime during the party. I know you want to be around people your age, but your mother deserves some love too." She winked before leaving Edward alone.
The half looked at himself in the mirror. She was right. Oswald was worth it and he would fight anything and anyone for him be it Riddler or the whole damn world.
---
Oswald had been sitting in one of the tables away from the rest of the party. The other guests were too scared to approach, most just stared curiously at the odd winged creature among their realms, so he just stayed to the side while Firefly taught Khione how to dance and Selina went around pickpocketing other important people. He kind of recognized a few other faces, but they didn't really approach him, so he didn't approach them back, all except for one pesky bald man covered in scars that insisted on calling him 'boss' and speaking. Normally he wouldn't have minded too much, maybe would have tried finding out more about his past, however his head was aching since he woke up and all the loud noise was only making it worse.
Trying to drown the pain and the other's voice with wine, Oswald almost didn't notice the hand placed in front of his face. He followed it to find the same half elf he'd captured earlier- his name was Ed or something. "Would you give me the pleasure of a dance?"
Oswald glanced at the bald man who seemed as surprised as he was before taking the hand, "you know what? Fine, as long as you keep your mouth shut.
The winged person wasn't sure how he learned how to dance, it was probably something he carried from his previous life and he was damn good at it, definitely better than the tall man that kept stepping on his feet. Definitely better than that Zsasz individual rambling about whatever.
"So, uhm," the tall elf started, making Oswald look up at him. "Does- does Riddler make you happy?"
He faced down. Did Riddler make him happy? Well, yes. He did. He was a wonderful man. You asked him if you were thirsty and he would make an entire lake for you. That being said, Oswald did feel like something was missing. It was weird to think someone else was incomplete and yet that was how he felt. He loved Riddler, but he sometimes wished he didn't have to start most of their romantic interactions. He just felt like he missed a certain softness to him. Sometimes Oswald wasn't even sure if he really cared about him or just his power. "Yeah, I suppose."
"It took you a while to reply. Where is he anyways?"
Oswald sighed, "I love the dark overlord, but I'm not always sure if he feels the same and he will be arriving soon. He will send a signal."
"Ah," Edward said softly and bit his lips. He looked conflicted for a moment. "He does. Love you I mean. Riddler isn't… good… with emotions, but he does feel them no matter what he says. It's why we- he needs you. The truth is, Oswald, he used to tell himself that you needed him, that there you are the sentimentalist, but you are his heart. Without you he is just," he sighed and looked down, "a soulless machine."
Oswald listened to him and felt his heart pound faster. There is no Ed Nygma without the Penguin!
Perhaps, Edward, we really are meant for eachother.
"Edward…" Oswald whispered softly, "Edward Nygma…" he looked up at the high elf, "that's- that's your name, isn't it?"
Edward's face reddened to a tone that contrasted perfectly with his clad green tailcoat, their bodies still moving together slowly, "yes, yes it is."
"It was you, wasn't it? You once told me- you told me you'd do anything for me."
Oswald observed as his Adam's apple bobbed up and down, "yes. I did."
"Riddler… he saved me from- from somewhere. He was building something for me too, but it was you who found me first. You," he reached to cup Edward's cheek, "it was you I fell in love with first."
Edward's mouth opened, and yet no sound came out for a minute, then two. As he was about to speak, a man made his way towards the stage, Ed recognized him as his grandfather and King of the continent they were currently in. "Attention everyone," all guests stopped to look at him. "I'm happy to see that all of you have gathered here today and even happier to know you are never getting out." He snapped his fingers and suddenly all the other guests were on their feet, cuffing all of the Reincarnated, the ones on their side and not, with thick collars. They were electrocuted and fell on the floor.
"Edward!" Oswald yelled as he was pulled back by two large elves who grabbed his arms.
"Wait! You never said anything about this!" He yelled at the King.
"I know and it's a shame too, but I can't risk it, Edwik, especially with your little bird boy. I prefer to give your kind a good life, but I will do whatever I need to keep those I love safe, even if it means putting them in cages."
"No! Let him go!" Edward tried to pull the guards away, only to be shoved to the side. Oswald growled widely before his eyes opened and every single elf in the room was frozen solid. All except the king that created a barrier.
"I can give him to you, Edward, let you play with him for the rest of his existence as your personal little toy, you just have to help me capture him."
"Do you even listen to yourself?! What you are suggesting is sick?"
"Sick?" The elf laughed, "sick is letting billions, trillions of life forms die because you were born in a broken world. That 's sick. What are your souls compared to everyone else's?"
Oswald tried to attack the elf with an air blade, the blow was not only blocked but counteracted hitting the winged being across the face and eye. "AH!" he cried, falling to his knees while holding his wound.
"You are good, birdie, but not good enough to fight all of them." He raised his hand, suddenly all of the other Rogues began moving once again, their eyes blank. "Look at them, Edwik. You were so happy to have a mother, a family, are these people really worth all of that? Look at what your friend did to your poor mother." He pointed to the frozen gasping statue in the shape of his mother, "she is innocent, you know. They don't know about anything, so many good people… can you really just let them die?"
Oswald began getting to his feet when a jet of fire was sent his way. Firefly stared blankly at him using the magic type he was worse against. Fire. And she was a master of it too, if she was still as good as she was when awake he was in trouble.
"Oswald!" Edward tried to rush over. Zsasz blocked his way though and created a saber out of darkness.
"Fuck!" Edward barely managed to avoid the moves, "you are destroying a world too!"
"Much more slowly and your universe will die out too eventually. Entropy is a bitch, but we won't suffer from it. We are above chaos. We can live forever, so, Ed, don't we deserve to live much more?"
"Riddle me this," the voice echoed above them, "where does the end come before the start and the middle?"
Ed grinned, "in a dictionary."
"CORRECT!" The roof gave away to Riddler driving a large black structure better described as a robot made out of darkness, "also, who decided mechas can't exist in fantasy worlds? That is so lame."
"This is why no one wants to play dungeons and dragons with us, you know?" Edward said, smiling. He couldn't not be, especially as the other grabbed Victor with his claw.
"Nah, they are just too scared of our vast intellect. Let me guess. Mind control?"
"Yeah," Edward took a few deep breaths and turned to look at Oswald who was still flying around fighting the fire witch.
"Classic," Riddler went to pick her up, only for his claw to be interrupted by a giant vine wrapping around his metal wrist, "ah, hello to you too Miss Isley. This will be troublesome." Riddler reached for his pocket and threw his sword to Edward, "all forms of magic have some type of restriction, find his! Oswald and I will keep the others busy!"
Edward grabbed the sword that began glowing in his hand.
"Now, allow me to show you why they call me the dark overlord!" From the robot smaller figures began appearing, all of which were human shaped and holding blades.
"You fool mortals," the King laughed, "I'm the most powerful light user there is! As long as I am alive your friends belong to me!"
"Then I will just have to kill you!" Edward charged at the man with his sword. He blocked with his own blade.
"Poor little halfblood. To think I treated you as my own child." He elbowed Edward's nose, making him stumble back, "you could have lived the rest of your life as a king!" The elf headbutted Edward hard in the head, making the younger fall off the stage, "now you betray your people for the darkness, to destroy the world that gave you all you ever wanted. You ungrateful little maggot."
Edward chuckled, "you know, I do have a problem deciding what I want normally," he raised his hand to charge a green beam, "but I know what I don't want and I know I don't want to be without Oswald ever again." He aimed it at the king.
Once again, the shield reflected it, but the light was bright enough to distract the elf long enough for Ed to get close enough to stab him through the stomach. The king stumbled back grimacing and tossed the blade away, healing,"did you forget our people's natural ability?"
"Crap-" The king grinned, grabbing Edward by the collar. He tried to use more light attacks but they didn't do anything.
"That tickles. I have more resistance to light magic than any other. Let's see if it's the same with you." He began charging his own attack, his being yellow instead of Ed's green.
"Riddler! Oswald!" He shouted and both looked at him, "he can only be hurt with magical attacks and he can't block your magic if you are too close to him! Dark attacks are most efficient." He smiled sadly, "I hope I helped."
"DIE!" The king shouted before shooting Ed through the chest, leaving a large hole where his heart was.
"EDWARD!" Oswald cried out as Firefly threw a ball on one of his wings, forcing him to fall hard.
"Crap…" Riddler whispered as Edward's dead body hit the ground. For a second he was actually worried that Edward was gone, until he heard a voice in his ear.
"Aww you missed me~" Edward teased as his form appeared next to Riddler and Riddler alone.
"Quiet." Riddler growled. He hated when his other half was right. He would never let it go.
"Hah, ok. Well, I guess I'm the ghost now, huh?"
Riddler smiled, he did feel good to know he was the 'real one' now technically. "Can you still use magic?"
Hummed and concentrated before a small light appeared in the air, green as grass. "I can feel your magic too."
Riddler chuckled, "well then, my lesser half, it appears we must cooperate once more. I can finish off the king, but I need you to control the shadows and keep the others busy in the meantime. Do you think you can do that?"
Edward dissipated into the robot and four more arms appeared, "I think I got it."
[Skill Acquired: Soul Split]
Allows you to sit your soul into two and move one of its halves around as a ghost. Magic can be used.
"That's broken," Riddler laughed and looked at the king who seemed weirded out, "ah, I forget there are people who are not used to me talking to myself." He jumped onto the stage, creating a cane out of darkness, "now, shall we dance?"
The king growled, "fine! I will kill you all one by one with my own hands!" He swung his sword which Riddler dodged before it hit.
"You are nothing, I have killed beings much more powerful than you, you have nothing!" He tried hitting again.
"Maybe," Riddler blocked with the curve of his question cane, "but I do have something he didn't. Style." He moved the cane, which was attached to the blade's hilt and was then thrown away off the stage. "Should never bring a sword to a cane fight, you know."
The king stumbled back, "no matter! I will just do this to you!" He began charging once more.
"Ah, another reason why the dark is so much better than the light. We don't have to wait." A tendril appeared from the king's own shadow, wrapping around his hands and pulling him into the air, "let me show you what it feels like to be split into two," a second tendril appeared, and a third and a forth, some wrapped around the elf's top half while the rest around his lower one before starting to rip the man apart.
The elf screamed and struggled but with his hands tied up there was nothing he could do. He tried to call upon his minions, but Edward was keeping all of them busy. He knew what each of their weaknesses were, so of course, he had the advantage.
Riddler laughed maniacally as the king's insides were spread all over the floor as well as a small round object that looked like a red globe.
As the king died, all of the other rogues and the girl fell down, unconscious.
Edward watched the king's body for a moment and walked to his mother who was still frozen. He closed his eyes for a moment, praying for her soul.
Meanwhile, Riddler was walking from person to person, using the artifact on them to send them back to their universe. As he was about to use it on Khione, the girl opened her eyes slightly to look up at him, "lord?"
He smiled down at her, "hey… you shouldn't call me lord anymore, know. I'm just Riddler, I'm just your family."
The girl smiled a little, "so I can come with you?"
The man nodded, "of course. Oswald and I will see you in a moment. Try not to break anything until then." He kissed her forehead and then used the portal on her too.
Finally, it was only them and Oswald left. He rushed over towards the fallen monster, the injury on his shoulder wasn't too bad, but for some reason he wasn't moving. "Oswald? Oswald?!" He tried to shake the man awake. Still no response. His blood ran cold. "Edward! We have to go now!"
His other half rushed over, "what happened?"
"Oswald isn't moving… we- we might be too late."
No way! Nonononono he can't- not after everything!" He started to hyperventilate, tears coming to his eyes.
"S-stop! Crying won't help anything!" Riddler barked as tears came down his cheeks as well. He held onto Oswald with an arm and the artifact with the other before activating it.
Edward opened his eyes in the real world, blinking as he felt something soft and heavy on top of him. Oswald. He still wore the same clothes he did in the other world and looked exactly the same, but without the wings. The other rogues were also back to their original bodies and the clothes they were in the other world.
All but Ed, who was back to the exact same body he was before his death, had been kept in a freezer with the artifact. Jon could have given him some warmer clothes.
"Edward," Riddler said softly as the specter leaned down to check Oswald who still hadn't woken up.
Edward looked down at the man and brought his ear to his heart. It was definitely beating, he was alive. Relief washed over both halfs. "Oswald," he cupped his cheek gently, "I'm sorry about everything. I'm sorry for leading Batman to us and I'm sorry for letting you die," he looked up at the man's closed eyes, "but most of all I'm sorry about being so blind. I searched for love for so long, only to realize I already had it when I lost it. I love you, Oswald Cobblepot, I love you so much and I don't want to live in a world where you don't exist anymore, you are the only one that makes me feel complete. Please, Oswald, come back!" He pressed his lips against the other's and kept it there.
He was about to pull away disheartened when he felt those lips pushing back against his, leaning in. "Edward, Riddler," Oswald whispered into his mouth, "I love you too." Edward opened his eyes to Oswald's pale ones looking back at him, he was still weak, but he was awake. He was going to be ok.
Edward gasped and pulled him tighter into his arms, "oh, oh dear, you are awake!"
Oswald chuckled and put his arms around him, "you aren't getting rid of me again so soon." Khione walked in shyly and Oswald opened his arm for her to join in the group hug. The girl threw herself against his side and Oswald found himself comparing this to the first time he woke up in another world. It was much warmer than in an egg, that's for sure.