Chapter Text
One evening in Gotham City, a family of three exited a theater. The Nocedas. Manny, a kind gentleman of a father. Camila, the devoted and caring mother. And their adorable young daughter, Luz. It may have been a normal day in the city. But to Luz, it was the best day of her life. She finally managed to see her favorite character on the big screen, the “Good Witch Azura”. Ever since Manny gave her the first book as a birthday gift, she became obsessed with the series. The poetic language, the lovable characters, and the fun yet perilous adventures. A world full of magic. She even dreamed of being a witch herself when she grows up.
Of course, seeing the film adaptation was a decent compromise. The girl was jumping around in excitement, making wooshing noises as she waved her arm around as if she was holding a wand.
“Do not underestimate me, Gildersnake!” Luz quoted. “For I am the Good Witch Azura, Warrior of Peace!” The parents chuckled, happy to see their daughter’s joyful expression. Then Camila soon began to worry.
“It’s very late,” the mother warned. “We should get going.”
“We’ll make it,” the father reassured. “The car’s not far.”
“The darn parking. I can’t remember if we locked it or not.” Camila and Manny took Luz’s hands as they crossed the alley. Luz was still bouncing with exhilaration.
“Now eat this, suckaaaa!” The child could not get that quote out of her head. Camila wished she shared her enthusiasm, but the darkness did not make their environment look any better.
“This place looks… sketchy.”
“I used to pass through here as a kid,” Manny again tried to ease his wife’s worry. “Just stay together.” His calm demeanor certainly rubbed off on Luz as she hummed the scores from the movie. Camila still protested. “We’re almost there.”
Suddenly, a man came out of the shadows. Despite the light that shined above them, his face was still hidden. He pulled something out from his coat, pointing it at the three.
“Wallets, now!” the stranger ordered. Camila gasped in terror as she pulled Luz close to herself. Manny raised his arms up, showing that he was unarmed.
“Woah, take it easy,” the father spoke softly.
“Wallet! Cash! Whatever you got!” The stranger grew impatient.
“Alright, alright.” Manny reached into his pocket. “Just don’t hurt my-”
A loud bang was heard. Manny dropped to the ground. By the time Luz’s ears stopped rining, a puddle of red formed beneath Manny. The stranger was gone.
“MANNY!!!” Camila screamed in horror. She knelt beside him, sat him up, hoping to help him in any way she could. But it was too late. Luz froze as tears formed in her eyes. She couldn’t utter a word as sirens were blaring.
Luz woke up, shot her body out of her bed. She looked around, back in her own room. She was six when her father died. Come next week, it would be eight years ago. The teen rubbed her eyes, accepting the reality she lived in. Though the dream did not help. She left her room, made her way into the kitchen. She was greeted by her next-door neighbors sitting at the dining table. Eda Clawthorne, a middle-aged woman with large gray hair and a gold-tooth. While Eda was older than Luz’s mother, she was still foxy for her age (at least according to Luz herself). Sitting next to her was her eight-year-old son Alex. Short with black hair. The boy preferred to be called “King”, which Luz happily obliged. Mainly because she thought he was too cute to be called anything else.
“Hey, kiddo,” Eda greeted after taking a sip of her coffee. She then glanced up at Luz’s messy hair. “Woof. Rough night?” Luz looked up, combed her hair with her hand to straighten it out.
“Saved you a seat!” King pulled out a chair next to him. Luz smiled as she sat down, thanking him. Camila served eggs, waffles, and sausages for the family.
“Thanks for bringing in the mixes and iron, Eda,” Camila said to Eda.
“Anything for my girls,” Eda smiled. Eda helped the Nocedas for a long time, ever since Manny’s passing. Luz practically saw her as a second mother, as she saw King as her little brother.
Camila looked at the news on the TV, with Jack Ryder as the host.
“Another break-in this week, this time at the Ace Chemical plant.” Ryder composed himself as he presented to the audience. He did not seem that surprised, as he was used to stories similar to this. In fact, Camila noted that it was the 5th break-in story in a major facility this week. “We’ve asked Commissioner Steven Barkin for comments.”
The scene changed to the front of the Gotham City Police Department, where a tall buffed man with a buzz cut addressed the press.
“This could be nothing more than a drug heist,” Barkin claimed. “Regardless, the GCPD are sparing any available united to keep a sharp eye out.”
“As if those cops are useful,” Eda snorted. Camila gave the woman a dirty look. “What?” Camila’s eyes gestured toward Luz while clearing her throat. “She’s getting older,” Eda said nonchalantly. “Luz can handle some harsh truth.” Camila, ignoring the fact Eda said all that out loud in front of the children, then gestured toward Alex. “He thinks whatever comes to his mind.”
“You think they’re trying to make some kind of mutant with all that stuff?!” the boy asked. “Chemicals can do that! Says so in my comics!”
“See?” Eda smirked.
“In other news,” Ryder continued, “it’s been nearly three years since the elusive ‘Bat-Man’ has been reported. Our audience are still unsure what to make of it. A protector of Gotham, or a monster that lurks in the shadows.” Camila sighed as she flipped through the channels. The Bat-Man was the last thing she wanted to think about.
Eventually, she stumbled onto an advertisement to Amusement Mile, still open for the season. Camila remembered the fun times she had with Luz and Manny. It wasn’t the grandest park in the city, but the memories were special to her.
“Why don’t we go there?” Camila suggested. “School’s almost back in session. Why not have some fun before you two go back to class?” The two kids smiled hearing that.
“I think that’s a great idea!” Luz beamed.
“YES!!!” King shouted in excitement. “One more day for fun before we go back to that godforsaken building!” Eda felt proud hearing her son’s description of the education system. Took a lot after her.
Later, at Amusement Mile, Luz and King looked around in awe. The boy was focused on the roller coaster, seeing the carts rising up on a hill, then hearing the screams in terror and delight as it rode down the rails.
“I wanna go on that one first!” he pointed at the ride.
“You sure you’re tall enough?” Eda teased.
“I am so!” the boy said, trying to stand on his tippy-toes.
“I don’t know,” Eda playfully hummed. “You haven’t been drinking your milk lately.” King struggled to stretch himself, then he was lifted in the air, placed on Luz’s shoulders.
“Now he can ride all the rides!” Luz proclaimed. King cheered of being tall as the mothers chuckled.
Throughout the day, the family traveled through the park, rode fun rides, played games, and won prizes. As the sun began to set, Camila and Eda were enjoying themselves at the snack stand.
“You feeling alright?” Eda asked gently. “It’s close to… That day.”
“I’m fine, Eda,” Camila replied. “Thank you. It was hard, but I appreciate your help. You’ve been good to us for a long time.”
“You checked in on Luz? How’s she handling it?”
Camila glanced at Luz, who was playfully fighting with King, using cotton candy as swords.
“It’s been rough with her the most. Ever since he died, she’s having trouble in class, hard time making friends. Every year, I hoped things would get better for her.”
“Hey, at least the little guy likes her,” Eda smiled, looking at the kids playing. “Plus, she’s pretty handy around the shop.”
“It’s not just that. She’s barely passing, acting up in class. She brought live snakes and fireworks for a book report!” Camila held her temple. Eda snorted over that last part. Camila again shot the woman a dirty look, quickly silencing her. Eda cleared her throat.
“Well, I’m a dropout, and I turned out just fine-"
“Hey!” an angry man walked up the Eda. “Aren’t you the woman who owed me money for that last card game?!”
“Isn’t that your kid trying to play under that rickety ride over there?” Eda pointed at the child, indeed playing next to a nearby attraction. The man turned around and screamed.
“OH MY GOD!!!” The man sprinted away from the women.
“See?” Eda turned toward Camila with a grin on her face. “Totally fine.” She looked up to the sky, noticed that it was getting dark. She shouted out to Luz and King. “Alright, kids, one more thing before we go home!” King looked around, and spotted the Maze of Mirrors.
“There!” he pointed. “Everyone looks so silly over there! Let’s go!” Luz picked King up, carried him on her shoulders and ran toward the attraction, with the mothers not far behind.
The four explored around a bit, with King occasionally bumping into some mirrors. Luz giggled, then she turned around to one of the reflections. Her head was shaped as a yam. King shook his head to collect himself, then looked at a different reflection. This one gave his hair a horn-like shape.
“Ooh!” he squealed in delight. “I really am the King of Demons!” Camila’s reflection gave her an hourglass body, while Eda’s thighs were enlarged.
“I don’t know whether I should be insulted or flattered,” Eda said as she checked herself out. Camila was unsure of herself too, as her reflection made her almost as thin as Eda. Meanwhile, in another reflection, King’s arms were huge!
“Check it out, Luz!” King called out while flexing as if had real muscles. “Take a load off your eyes.” That earned a chuckle from Luz. Outside, a man in a clown mask ran through the crowd.
“Out of my way!” he barked. “Move! He then ran into the mirror maze, hoping to lose his pursuer. He then bumped into the family. Before the any of them uttered a word, the man grabbed Luz by the arm, pulled toward himself. “I got a hostage!” Camila screamed for her daughter as the masked man pulled a pistol out, pressing it onto Luz’s head. “I’ll blow her brains out if you try anything!” He made sure whatever was out there heard him. His threat stopped Camila in her tracks, allowing him to step backwards, going further in the maze while Luz struggled.
“Let go of me!” Luz demanded.
“Shut up!” he ordered. The deeper they were in the maze, the more complex it looked. “That freak can’t find me here.” The man glanced around, noticing a shadow running across the reflections. “YOU CAN’T GET ME, YOU MONSTER!!!? The man started shooting at the mirrors in a panic. He failed to notice Luz taking the opportunity to pull out something from her pocket. A switchblade Eda got to her as a birthday gift. She quickly stabbed her captor in the leg, then elbowed him in the face. The man howled in pain. “AUGH!!! YOU STUPID LITTLE BRA-”
A pair of hands burst out from one of the mirrors, grabbing the man from behind. Luz heard nothing but a scream and loud thuds. She peered in, seeing a large creature hovering over the knocked out masked man. The creature turned toward Luz, its bright white eyes leered at her. The flowing cape, the pointed ears, the teen girl recognized it. The Bat-Man.
“You are real…” Luz barely believed it herself. The Bat-Man looked at Luz curiously. Very rarely had it encounter anyone who wasn’t afraid. “Can, uh… Can I have my knife back?” The Bat-Man looked down at the unconscious man’s leg, still had the blade stuck in his leg. The creature pulled the knife out, wiping off the red from the blade, closed it, and slid it to Luz. The girl knelt to pick up the knife. “Thanks. Oh, and-” Looking back up, the Bat-Man and the thug were gone.
Luz returned to her family. Camila immediately wrapped her in her arms, kissing her head as she squeezed the girl tightly.
“Oh, my baby!” the mother cried. Luz didn’t pay much attention to what Camila said, but she instinctively hugged back. “Are you OK?! He didn’t hurt you, did he?!”
“I’m alright, mom,” Luz answered. “He didn’t stand a chance.” Eda was astonished, then she noticed Luz patting her pocket. Eda and King hugged her.
“Proud of ya, kid,” Eda whispered.
“The plot against District Attorney Mason Pines has been thwarted as authorities have arrested several thugs,” Ryder announced in the evening news. “Sources has told GNN that they are part of a growing gang led by a man referred to as the 'Joker'. Eyewitnesses have also claimed to have spotted the Bat-Man, though the GCPD has denied his involvement. Hours before the assault, there was a scuffle at Amusement Mile. A teenage girl has been taken hostage by an associate of this Joker. And yet again, eyewitnesses claimed that the Bat-Man had rescued her. It seems we are seeing more and more sightings of this creature. But who is the Bat-Man? A hero, a monster, a vengeful spirit? And is he alone?”