Chapter Text
Another cold, dark, stormy and starless night; another lonely and relatively calm patrol (by Gotham's standars). This had been Batman's constant and life for the last month, a record in The Dark Knight's opinion, a month with no important breakout or any villain's big plan or crime or evil plan or power trip or apparition or hostage or terrible experiments or etc...
Batman was counting his blessings and waiting for the nuke to go off, as it would more likely go off any day now, it had to. The Dark Knight sighed in resignation and a glint of sadness this was the life he had chosen, for the sake of Gotham, doing his best to weed out corruption, help The GCPD, hunt criminal, send the super criminals back to Blackgate or to Arkham and hope (futilessly) that the system wouldn't screw up (it would).
The Dark Knight stood at the edge of a rooftop looking out to the city bellow him, feeling the rain fall against his armor. Batman took a deep breath through his nose, closing his eyes as he did so, then he released it through his mouth. Something had to change this pattern couldn't keep going on, forever or Gotham would never be safe, he needed to do something to change something, Batman needed a breaking point, a breakthrough, something that would remain when he wasn't here anymore (with the kind of life he was leading, that day was closer than Alfred was comfortable with) but what.
The sound of laugher reached The Bat's ears, he looked down, following the sound. The laugher came from a group of children playing happily under the carefully watch of his parents, that scene caused Batman's heart to hurt in a way no knife, bullet or vemon could make it hurt; the scene presented in front of The Dark Knight was cruel, not cruel in the sense that something terrible was happening in front of him but in the fact that, that simple joy, the joy of family was a joy Batman wished for with every fiber of his being but could never have. The Dark Knight's life was set in stone, due to a oath he made long ago, to serve and protect his city with everything he had, with everything he was; family... children... those things weren't in the cards not for him at least.
Batman tore off from the scen and took of running, he needed to get as far as he could from the scene, he couldn't handle it, it hurt too much, to see what he could never have... it hurt too much, even if it had been his own decision, some part of his heart still wanted it, perhaps all his heart wanted that, no matter how forbidden it was. Guilt a feeling he knew most intimately gnaw at him like a starving rat, guilt and shame for even longing after something he had forsaken willingly, he had no right.
The Dark Knight stopped running once he was short of breath, his legs ached and his lungs burnt. Batman looked around and realised he was in the forests 5 kilometers from The Mannor, in an area were your neighbours lived 20 kilometers apart from each other and and the city was 80 kilometers away this place was pretty wild and untouched and technichally belonged to him, it was practical having so much land to hide your secrets.
Batman did his best to compose himself, it was easy here, it was isolated and calm and peacefull, here he could allow his brain to just slow down. The Dark Knight looked at his watch, only 90 minutes left untill dawn, he may as well return to The Manor, he had little doubt Alfred had noticed his mad dash and was worried, if Alfred activated his tracker and caught him returning to The City when he was so close to home, Batman shivered, yeah, no, he didn't want that.
Suddenly the darkness and the stillness of the night was shattered by what could only be described as a enormous ball of fire falling from the starleess night sky. It crashed into the earth, creating a huge crater, making the ground tremble.
Batman rushed to the site where that ball of fire had crashed, it was nearby, he had not only felt the ground tremble underneath his feet but also the shockwaves. The Dark Knight did not even think about it, whatever that thing was.... it could be 2 things either something that was a threat for his city or someone in the need of help; either way he had to know and he had to act.
The Dark Knight arrived to an scene of fire, there was fire coming from the crater, burning the bushes and tress nearby; underneath the orange flames Batman could discern metal and make out a shape. The Dark Knight could not believe his eyes and even wondered if he had gone completely insane but it looked like what was burning was a... ship... from space... a space ship...
Batman shook himself from his revere, a ship even one from space meant someone had been operating it (flying it? sailing it? driving it?) whorever that was needed help . The Dark Knight entered to the burning space through a huge crack on the spaceship's hulk more than big enough for a man to walk in.
The constrat between the Gotham stormy and freezing night and the hellish hot flames engulfing the spaceship hit Batman instantly, any water he had on his person was evaporated instantly, it was difficult to breath but that wouldn't stop The Bat of Gotham, the flames ravaging the inside of the ship were just as intense as those raging in the outside, he didn't have much time, he would need to exit this place soon.
Batman did not pay any attention to the half-melted equipment scattered all over the ship, he never noticed how strange and outwordly they were, even if he had, he wouldn't have been able to take a single one.
The Dark Knight's gaze landed on two crates suspiciously untouched by the flames, big enough for someone to hide behind them; Batman rushed to them, he pushed one of the crates away! and found a weeping child. The Dark Knight did not think twice, he wrapped the child in his cape and ran out of the Spaceship just moments before it eploded, The Dark Knight dove for cover behind some trees shielding the child with his body.
Batman slowly got up, the child in his arms still wept softly, clinging to him as if he was their only lifeline (maybe he was); The Dark Knight glanced at the place where the burning spaceship was mere seconds ago, it was no more, there were pieces and scraps of still burning metal falling to the ground, there was nothing left of the spaceship; the fire would die soon, with no fuel, the firefighters on his way (Batman had bothered contacting them) and the storm it was bound to die.
The Dark Knight allowed himslef to relax a little, sitting on the ground as his back slid against the tree that had protected him and the child. Batman looked at his lap, opening his cape to finally propperly look at the child and almost had an stroke.
The child wasn't human, okay that fact shouldn't have freaked out as much as it did but for some reason it did, although maybe the reason he was so freaked out was because she looked like she was just 2 years old why in the name of the darkest night was a 2 year old child on board of a burning/crashing space ship?! something in Batman's brain crosswired as he looked at the child trying to process everything, it seems reallity does not truly assert itself untill you give it time to settle.
The child was humanoid (was that an insult? he would have to check if it was an insult) that much could tell, it was girl, it had orange skin with white marking adorning her whole body, the marking on her face were particularly adorable diamond-shaped and mimicking the shape of eyebrows; she had the biggest ocean blue eyes he had ever seen, she had some kind of blue-white striped horns and tails growing from her head and not a single hair. She was also, much to Batman's displeasure and worry, too thin and covered in ash.
The little girl was currently gnawing at Batman's gauntlet with pretty sharp teeth, a little too sharp, a clear sign this little girl's people were predators and hunters and more carnivours than humans, it didn't hurt but his gauntlet was receiving some minor scratching- "Stop it"- The Dark Knight told the girl gently as he used his free hand to try and stop the little girl from eating his gauntlet.
Batman managed to pry the little girl from his gauntlet, he was met with quite the resistance, fiery and spirited little girl. The little girl switched from biting his gauntlet to looking at his face (covered by his cowl of ocurse) and staring to the white lenses he had for eyes. The Dark Knight feared the little girl would start crying completely terrified of him or that she would jump and try to bite his face, instead she jumped to his neck and wrapped her little, chubby arms around it the best she could, nuzzling against his chin, smiling happily, a sound like purring coming from her.
The Dark Knight caught the little girl with just one arm, holding her close by innertia; his mind couldn't help but be amazed and marvelled by the fact that his way of looking could cause grown men to soil and pee on their pants, and yet this little girl was hugging her all happy and content- "What is your name little one?"- Batman asked, his voice gentle still, the little girl parted from him enough to look at him with a confused expression, of course she didn't understand him. Batman put the little girl on his lap, the little girl clung to his arms, clearly not wanting to be left alone, The Dark Knight smiled gently at her, keeping on strong hand on her at all times; by the shadows... his hands were bigger than her whole body. The Dark Knight pointed at himself- "Batman"- then he pointed at the girl- "You?"- he asked, it took him several tries but the little girl finally answered- "Soka..."- she answered almost shily- "Alright Soka"- The Dark Knight decided they had wasted enough time as it was in this place, she wrapped the little on in his cape, took his grapple-gun, shot it to one of the trees and flew through the air in direction of Wayne Mannor.
Alfred was going to give his boy a piece of his mind, it was almost dawn and the young man had yet to return home; Bruce had no excuse this time, the night had been fairly quite, he should have had dinner and gone to bed by now.
The old and loyal butler could tell the moment his adopted son's feet touched the floor of The Batcave- "Alfred..."- Bruce's voice sounded hesistant, well at least his boy knew he had done something wrong, good for him but it wouldn't save him- "Master Bruce-"- the old butler began his displeasure clear but Batman stopped him by opening his cape revealing the obviously allien child underneath, Alfred's eyebrow shot up to his hairline- "Alfred I promise I can explain".
After a long a detailed explanation, Alfred was feeling many things exhasperation amongst them- "And pray tell Master Bruce what made you think, bringing her to The Manor would be a good idea?"- Alfred asked, Batman looked down, Soka still in his arms- "I didn't know what else to do..."- Alfred sighed exhasperated, then looked at Soka, who looked at Alfred with her ocean-blue eyes, she smiled brighter at him.
Alfred walked up to The Dark Knight and took the little from Batman's arms- "Alright miss Soka, let's give you a bath and have a warm dinner"- Alfred told the child as she giggled- "She can't understand us Alfred..."- Alfred narrowed his eyes at Bruce- "That's all the more reason to talk to her Master Bruce, that's how infants and toddler learn"- Alfred chastised them, as he turnt around; The Dark Knight shuffled his feet- "I believe she is more carnivours than omnivours..."- he began, Alfred glanced back at Bruce- "Master Bruce, may I remind you, I have ample experience in the ancient art of child-rearing?"- Bruce looked at his boots- "No Alfred".