[His whole life was changed. Gone was a police officer, the detective, the follower. John had thrown all that away with the changing of Gotham. He stood for something so much more now, something larger than himself. Batman had been a beacon of hope in the darkest hours and now the man that had been him was gone. But it was never about the man. It had always been about the idea.
And that man believed John to be the idea at the end of it all.
Stepping up beside a rather poised woman, considering her current state any way, John leaned over a bit, close enough so when he spoke, only she would hear him.]
I find it interesting... How Selina Kyle disappeared when Wayne did. What do you think happened there?
[ Oh great. The cop--detective. Selina would roll her eyes if she wasn't in a state of mourning. Who would have thought that she'd ever mourn for anyone? Let alone Bruce Wayne, the richest man in all of Gotham. Formally richest. Her mood is sour, but she quickly smiles, throwing on a mask just for the coy young man. ]
I think maybe you didn't look hard enough then, detective. [ Despite how she looks, her coy and smooth voice comes back. ] Selina Kyle was here in Gotham all along.
[John put his hands behind his back, hands clasped together. No move was made to touch the woman in anyway, just standing there in their shared secret was enough. They knew it all and to John, it was a burden he was happy to carry for the rest of his days.]
You didn't hear? I'm not on the force anymore. Found a different calling. [He can't suppress the smile in his voice.] Actually, she just disappeared off the face of the Earth.
[ Her eyes move over him before they shift forward again. The subway is filled with so much noise that there's no way someone can over hear them. Besides, everyone is talking about Bruce Wayne. Or Batman. The shock of Harvey Dent's true nature is still shaking the city, but, they seem to have embraced Batman for all that he's worth. Which, to Selina, is a hell of a lot. ]
I'm sorry to hear that. It looks like I'll need another nickname for you. [ Selina glances at him, but doesn't ask. She doesn't particularly care. ] Maybe she just died during the battle. You know how it is. People just misplace their paperwork all the time when hell breaks loose.
[He never would have taken up this sort of conversation with the woman if he knew it wasn't safe to do so. Batman was still, and most likely would forever be, on everyone's lips. Praise for the fallen hero, vilification of Dent and the late mayor who showed nothing but support for a liar.]
No need to be sorry. My new line of work is much more rewarding. [His brown gaze shifts to a couple by them, the woman fussing over the man's suit as if nothing had ever changed here.] One could think that but it was almost as if she never existed to begin with.
[ Batman may live on, but she's certain that they'll find some clever way of explaining how Bruce died. Maybe some accident. Maybe Bane killed him. Maybe it doesn't really matter to Gotham what happened to him. Just another reason for her to leave this city. The lies on top of lies just to keep a ridiculous secret. She still doesn't understand why he gave everything to these people. The ones who don't care anything about him. ]
Oh? It sounds like you're going to have your hands full. [ Her own head turns to look at a small child down the way. On his lunch box is a small chalk drawing of Batman's symbol. ] Maybe she didn't. I don't ever remember seeing a "Selina Kyle" in the newspapers. Just "The Cat."
[Batman became what Bruce always wanted him to be. A symbol that could have been and be, anyone. More than enough people were fine with the idea that the elusive Mr. Wayne had been killed in the purge of the elite at the start of Bane's revolution and not enough people had seen him when he arrived back to think otherwise.]
I will and I like the idea of that. [John was sure there were enough of the little bats he had made around the city to always be a constant reminder to the citizens.] Seeing as how I did apprehend her once and had her file in my hands...
[ He may be a symbol, but Selina doesn't think Gotham deserves it. They don't deserve a man who would die for them and they never know it. That is what irritates her. The fact he died for them. ]
You seem to like being a busy bird. [ Her eyes roll back to look at him. ] I don't see a file now, former detective.
[ She pauses and an expression of irritation moves over her face. ] If you want to know why and how, then, this isn't the best place for that, Mr. Blake.
[ Only people who can't stand on their own two feet need a symbol to raise them up. That's how she sees it. She did just fine on her own for a long, long time. ]
I guess I don't. [ Her eyes narrow just slightly. ]
[And those who are unable to stand? What do they deserve?]
I know I know a lot now. It's amazing what you can find when you go rock climbing. Also, the tracking device on those pearls kicked in again. It was easy to see you were still lacking them with where they clocked in from.
[ They need to learn to stand for themselves. Not everyone is going to have a Batman to come and save them. Not everyone has the luxury of having a hero stop the nightmares-- ]
Rock climbing. [ She sounds so very unimpressed, and then the mention of the pearls. Selina is a poised woman. She can handle pressure. She can even mask her own emotions. It certainly wasn't her who took them this time--though she has to wonder who did. Martha Wayne's pearls are lovely, but not even Selina Kyle steals from a dead man. She does have some form of morals. ] I didn't steal them. I know, I know. Why would you ever believe me? I could have just stolen them and sent them off to wherever they--
[ Bing Bong. The sound of an incoming message floods the station. ]
'The 4:30 train to Rapid City has been delayed due to military presence. All tickets can be refunded at the nearest desk. The 4:30 train to Rapid City has been delayed due to...'
And that man believed John to be the idea at the end of it all.
Stepping up beside a rather poised woman, considering her current state any way, John leaned over a bit, close enough so when he spoke, only she would hear him.]
I find it interesting... How Selina Kyle disappeared when Wayne did. What do you think happened there?
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I think maybe you didn't look hard enough then, detective. [ Despite how she looks, her coy and smooth voice comes back. ] Selina Kyle was here in Gotham all along.
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You didn't hear? I'm not on the force anymore. Found a different calling. [He can't suppress the smile in his voice.] Actually, she just disappeared off the face of the Earth.
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I'm sorry to hear that. It looks like I'll need another nickname for you. [ Selina glances at him, but doesn't ask. She doesn't particularly care. ] Maybe she just died during the battle. You know how it is. People just misplace their paperwork all the time when hell breaks loose.
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No need to be sorry. My new line of work is much more rewarding. [His brown gaze shifts to a couple by them, the woman fussing over the man's suit as if nothing had ever changed here.] One could think that but it was almost as if she never existed to begin with.
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Oh? It sounds like you're going to have your hands full. [ Her own head turns to look at a small child down the way. On his lunch box is a small chalk drawing of Batman's symbol. ] Maybe she didn't. I don't ever remember seeing a "Selina Kyle" in the newspapers. Just "The Cat."
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I will and I like the idea of that. [John was sure there were enough of the little bats he had made around the city to always be a constant reminder to the citizens.] Seeing as how I did apprehend her once and had her file in my hands...
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You seem to like being a busy bird. [ Her eyes roll back to look at him. ] I don't see a file now, former detective.
[ She pauses and an expression of irritation moves over her face. ] If you want to know why and how, then, this isn't the best place for that, Mr. Blake.
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You have no idea, cat. [He slides to the side, holding up empty hands.] You're very right there.
[He meets her irritation with another smile.] I don't need to know because I already know.
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I guess I don't. [ Her eyes narrow just slightly. ]
And what do you think you know?
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I know I know a lot now. It's amazing what you can find when you go rock climbing. Also, the tracking device on those pearls kicked in again. It was easy to see you were still lacking them with where they clocked in from.
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Rock climbing. [ She sounds so very unimpressed, and then the mention of the pearls. Selina is a poised woman. She can handle pressure. She can even mask her own emotions. It certainly wasn't her who took them this time--though she has to wonder who did. Martha Wayne's pearls are lovely, but not even Selina Kyle steals from a dead man. She does have some form of morals. ] I didn't steal them. I know, I know. Why would you ever believe me? I could have just stolen them and sent them off to wherever they--
[ Bing Bong. The sound of an incoming message floods the station. ]
'The 4:30 train to Rapid City has been delayed due to military presence. All tickets can be refunded at the nearest desk. The 4:30 train to Rapid City has been delayed due to...'
[ Selina stares up at the ceiling. Trapped. ]
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