[DC] Rewiring

[runespoor7]

Title: Rewiring
Characters: Cass, Barbara, Bruce, minor cameos of others (Babs/Dick, implied Bruce/Jason)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: David Cain decided raising a cyborg was a better idea than having a daughter. (The inevitable “Man vs Robot War” AU.)
Notes: For au_bingo, theme 'Future: Cyberpunk'. This is a Christmas tale. I started writing it after Christmas

Comments

[runespoor7]

I'm unsure about what Bruce would've said. Because yes, the mission comes first. But his relationship to cyborgs here is somewhat similar to his relationship to magic in canon, and he firmly takes a stand against that sort of unnatural, difficult to control stuff. Plus there's the fact that as shown here, as a cyborg he can no longer trust himself: his thoughts, memories, even personality can be tampered with, even if, Bruce being Bruce and brain chemistry still being something of a mystery, the changes made to his self try to reverse themselves over time.

Well, one day Batman died and Oracle found herself terribly, horribly short on manpower. It was after Dick had died, and Gotham needed a Batman. She was desperate. Robin and the Birds were doing what they could, but it was not enough. Tim didn't have enough experience, Huntress was an emotional rollercoaster at the time, and Black Canary operated a lot out of Gotham. And no-one would love Gotham or be Batman the way Bruce was. So she brought him back.

But I think Jason would never forgive Bruce for retiring him like that.

To be fair to Bruce, Cass doesn't know all about the Jason situation - mostly because I don't know the details myself. I know Talia was involved after Jason was blown up, but I'm not sure how. It's possible that Jason pulled a Nightwing, that he and Bruce had a falling out and he left to figure himself out. And then Bruce died and their relationship has been stuck in limbo/arrested development since then.

I'm glad you liked Cass! I looooove her and I love writing her, so yay for that.

[drelfina]

I wonder what would happen if Jason and Bruce DID meet now.

Except. I don't know! Bruce's memories could have been tempred with, but i doubt it, really. I bet Bruce is more or less himself, except cyborged.

And Cass is. So herself yet not. She's a cyborg and honsetly cannot understand humans, at least not at first. but now she's starting to understand a bit more.

[runespoor7]

When I have the slightest idea, I assure you the OpenOffice document will open itself.

He is, but if he knew it was possible for his mind to be rewritten without his knowing, he'd react badly. Not necessarily because he'd think Babs would take advantage of it, but because WHAT IF SOMEONE HACKS HIM AND GETS BATMAN WORKING AGAINST THE GOOD GUYS.

Plus there would be major icyness. Bruce trust Babs, and he'd take her betraying his wishes very badly on an emotional level. He'd pretend it's not personal, but of course everything's personal, with him (to quote Rucka).

[drelfina]

If Babs had an alternative, she would have.

The part about Dick is so poignant - but he's not Dick anymore. He's like a memory - which is why Babs doesn't leave him online for very long (That and Bruce doesn't know).

Poor Babs - she really is so very alone - possibly the only one out there is Jason, who might understand her? Or at least, knew her from before, and would't be pissed off at her.

Probably.

[runespoor7]

Babs was really in an untenable situation. For all intents and purposes, she's the Bat now - except that she can't be out there scaring the living daylights out of criminals. So she had to be more pragmatic than Bruce is, she's closer to Batman!Tim this way. As the Bat, defender of Gotham, if she has to use people and lie ruthlessly, she will. So she puppet-ified Bruce.

I think Tim would understand, too.

I'm not sure about Jason, because I write everything with Bruce/Jason in mind. He'd understand the concept of hard choices, and he'd be glad that it means Bruce is not actually dead, but. It's Bruce, dammit. (Pissed off and grateful would be a viable combination, I guess.)

[drelfina]

JAy would be pissed off and grateful and at least he has SOME version of Bruce who's close to the original to yell at.

Poor everyone.