2017.01.06 - The Overture: Ganymede Heals Batman
The night sky is hidden by low hanging clouds. The sky seems to alternately attempt to spit freezing rain or snow flurries down on Gotham City. Perched high above the city streets, Batman waits and watches like a sentinel. His dark cape whips in the wind, seeming to want to escape him and fly off to live a life of its own.
The freezing rain isn't enough to keep the newest Amazon of Themyscira out of the night sky. Initially meant to just test the new costume he and Diana had made together, with a little help from Io, the black unitard was swiftly found to be not quite enough on its own for the wind and rain, and has been augmented with a midnight blue, crimson red and white cloak, stars spangling the trim in the darkness. He hadn't intended to travel over Gotham City, not meaning to go so far from home during the night... but something drew him here, to the city's rooftops and darkness, the youth landing on a nearby rooftop, looking out over the city sadly.
The Dark Knight is quick to notice Ganymede's arrival. Anything flying in this weather was sure to garner his attention. A moment of calculation and then he sets off, using leaps to bridge the smaller gaps between buildings and his grapple gun for the larger spaces. Soon enough he shares the same rooftop as Ganymede.
Purpose seems to guide Batman's steps as he approaches the Amazon. But there is also no small amount of caution in the distance he keeps from the youth. He is well acquainted with Wonder Woman and her extraordinary abilities.
"What are you doing here?" he asks bluntly without any preamble.
"I am not sure." The slim young man admits, seemingly unsurprised to find Batman nearby. He turns to look at the Dark Knight, grey eyes calm but heavy with emotion. "She is beautiful, you know. Your city." His accent is weaker, but still pronounced. "She is a warrior, I think. Old, tired, but unwilling to lay down her weapons, that she might protect her loved ones." He smiles, but there's a great sorrow in his eyes as he does. "I think I understand why you fight for her."
Batman nods curtly. "She is beautiful and dangerous and mine to protect," he answers succinctly, a note of possessiveness edging his words. "You seem to be learning more English."
There's a slow nod from the Amazon. "We learn quickly. I learned a very small amount from Diana when she would return home, when I was younger..." The rain seems to slick easily from his cloak, which is mostly closed over his clothes. "I do not wish to intrude, but something pulled me here."
The Dark Knight studies Ganymede in silence, his expression unreadable and his mouth seemingly set in a neutral line. "What has Diana told you of this place?" he finally asks.
"That it is... yours?" He asks, brow furrowing slightly. "That most other... heroes do not come here. That you do not wish to share the city with them." he shrugs slightly, seemingly unbothered by sharing this. He's very truthful, after all.
"Well, she got that much right, at least," Batman agrees.
The distant wail of sirens can just barely be heard and Batman looks down toward the city streets very far below. But whatever it is does not seem to be enough of a disturbance to warrant his direct involvement at this time and he turns his attention back to Ganymede.
"Why don't you get in touch with Superman? See if he wants any help? I think Lois Lane of the Daily Planet has an inside track to him," he informs the Amazon.
"Why would I get in touch with Superman?" Ganymede asks, brows furrowing slightly. "I have already met him. He brought me pie." The slim youth steps a but closer to Batman, hands clearly visible as he pushes his cloak back. His slim form is on display, now, in a skin tight costume of black and silver, with a silver stacked 'w' emblem on his chest and a double point belt, his boots matching both his bracelets and the metal bits of his costume, somehow. "I have a costume, now. Diana has named me Wonder Boy... but hopes it does not cause confusion with your own Robin."
"Pie?" A soft snort escapes Batman. "That figures. And I thought maybe you could help him keep an eye on Metropolis. He's pretty amazing, but he's not omniscient. An extra set of eyes and ears could help keep Metropolis safe."
Batman pauses for a moment then says, "The costume suits you. So does the name. And I'm sure we can clear up any confusion regarding the Boy Wonder versus Wonder Boy. I bet the Daily Planet is just itching to interview you."
Shaking his head slightly, Ganymede frowns. "Why would they wish to interview me?" He asks softly, drawing the cloak closed once more. "Diana is the one worth speaking to... I just wish to help." A slight shrug, and he gestures toward Gotham. "This city needs help, Batman. And if you do... I hope you will reach out." He smiles, and while it's not got the full force of one of Diana's, he's clearly been touched by the Gods. "I will come if you call."
"I don't need your help," comes the automatic reply from Batman. The downturn of his lips is the only visible indication of the frown on his face.
"Want." Ganymede replies. "You do not /want/ my help... You are afraid of... escalation, Diana calls it. You bring a knife, they bring a sword. So you bring a spear, and they bring a gun. You get a bulletproof vest... And they get armor piercing rounds." Ganymede shakes his head, stepping a little closer, into Batman's space. "I mean no disrespect. But there are times when even the Gods must call for aid..."
Batman automatically slides away from Ganymede. It's a reflexive movement ingrained in him for self defense. Never let an enemy get too close. And at this point, it's not quite been determined whether or not Ganymede is friend or foe.
"Same difference," he says tersely. "I don't want your help. I don't need your help. Gotham City is mine to protect."
The slim Amazon shrugs slightly, grey eyes just a little hurt. No one has ever acted like he meant them harm, before, that's very clear. "There are more ways to help than fighting." Ganymede points out, raising his hands. They begin to glow, faintly, like moonlight behind clouds. "Should... you be seriously injured... I can aid you. Please, at least consider this."
"You can heal?" Batman asks. Unbeknownst to Ganymede, the technology in Batman's cowl is silently analyzing the Amazon and feeding a stream of data to the Dark Knight.
There's a slow nod from the Amazon, and he steps forward, slightly, reaching his hands out to their fullest extent. "I think you are suffering from multiple strains, a broken rib and perhaps a torn ligament in your leg." Ganymede states seriously. "You favor that side ever so slightly." He explains. His heart rate is steady, even. "I will allow you to bind me. I am powerless while bound, save for my healing abilities." His heart rate doesn't jump even slightly, the youth drawing his lasso from his side. "My lasso is as unbreakable as Diana's. You may ask me anything." He says softly.
Again there's that automatic withdrawal by Batman. It's almost a dance that they're doing up on the roof. But the offer of healing was tempting... very tempting.
"Bind you?" he asks. He was familiar with Wonder Woman's amazing lasso. Was Ganymede's a duplicate item?
The young Amazon nods, setting the lasso down on the ground in front of Batman, then kneeling, wrists crossed. From the little the world knows of Amazons, Batman should understand how important, even symbolically, it is for one to willingly allow themselves to be bound. Their bracelets are a symbol of their bondage, and a reminder to never forget it, after all. "If it will let me safely render you aid, I will submit to you."
The moment seems frozen in time as Ganymede kneels there before Batman in a pose of surrender while the freezing rain pelts down on them both, the wind tearing at them. Then Batman is stooping down to pick up the lasso and pass it expertly around the Amazon's wrists.
Maintaining a grip on the remainder of the lasso, Batman considers Ganymede in silence for several long moments. "Why are you here?" he asks, hoping that the power of the lasso to compel the truth will work as equally well for him as it does for Wonder Woman.
The same moonlit glow lights Ganymede's lasso as Batman uses its power to force the truth from the youth. He looks up at Batman, lips parted slightly. "I came to Man's World because I want to help. Because I no longer felt... at home... In Themyscira. I am here, now, because I wish to help you." The lasso's light doesn't change, doesn't pulse. It could be a ruse, a simple trick with his own magics... but he sounds truthful.
Batman considers Ganymede in silence. Was it the truth? He had seen how Wonder Woman's lasso worked before. What other purpose could the youth have? He seemed almost painfully naive.
"All right," Batman says in a carefully neutral tone. "What do you need to do to heal me?"
"I need to touch your skin. Any skin, so long as I can place both hands on it." Ganymede says, seriously. "If I touch your skin, I can work to heal you."
Skin? The only skin available was the little bit of his face that showed beneath his cowled mask. But the lasso was still in effect and Batman took it as truth that Ganymede could indeed heal him with a touch.
"All right," The Dark Knight agrees cautiously, motioning with his free hand for Ganymede to stand.
The Amazon is almost compelled to stand, but he does without effort, rising gracefully, hands raised and still bound, eyes gentle and innocent. He really does just want to help, it seems.
Batman stands there like a statue, seemingly unaffected by the combination of freezing rain and snow flurries that pelt down from the heavy clouds overhead. He waits, his attention trained on Ganymede.
He reaches forward at last, raising his hands to gently brush at Batman's face, his own reddening ever so slightly. It's one thing to touch someone on the arm or shoulder when they're injured, it's another to touch their face, almost like a lover. But the moment skin to skin contact is established, the healing touch spreads from Ganymede into Batman, the glow a soft, subtle warmth, slowly easing aches and pains that the Dark Knight may not have even known he carried. Slowly, the ribs knit back together, though much faster than human healing, Ganymede's face beatific as he shares his gift.
A quick intake of breath is the only betrayal of Batman's surprise at the feeling of warmth and well being which suffuses him. The cracked and bruised ribs mend as does the torn ligament in his knee. He takes a deep breath, finally able to do so without the sharp pain in his side.
Older wounds, partially healed, or healed wrong, start to work their way toward healing properly as well, now, old scars that impede movement seeming to soften, though the short contact with the Amazon can't fix everything. He smiles up at Batman, suddenly shy and sweet, inches from the man. "You are very strong." He finally says. "And very handsome." ... well, that was the lasso. Oops.
"That's enough," Batman says, pulling away from Ganymede's touch. He unties the lasso, freeing the Amazon before he drops the lasso to the roof. "Robin needs healing, too," is the last thing he says before he moves away and climbs the short wall which surrounds the edge of the roof ostensibly as a safety measure. Without another word he steps off, his dark cape flaring out like the wings of his namesake. The grapple gun fires, securing a line to another building and he swings effortlessly through the air to make his way along the rooftops and back to his lair.
Gathering the lasso up, Ganymede almost misses Batman's departure, smiling slightly. He's not sure if he's made a friend... but he's hopefully shown he's not an enemy. The lasso is coiled easily, then hung once more at the Amazon's hip, and then he rises into the night sky.