Author's Note: It took me a while to write this story, but I've been busy with other projects and duties. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
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Archangel Xireon Chaos God: Just glad you like my story, I hope you enjoy this new chapter too.
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Story Arc: A New Bat in Town
Episodio 1: First day at work
Chapter 1: Five minutes to go until the show
Plot: Leonardo, aka Bloodfallen, is watching the scene, thinking about whether he should intervene or not. He eventually makes a decision that will have many long- and short-term consequences.
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POV Leonardo, alias Bloodfallen
Most of the heroes fall through the ceiling and defeat the bad guys with Kung Fu moves or extraordinary powers or sci-fi-level gear, all in less than a minute.
But what do I do to stop an armed bank robbery?
I climb over a building that offers me a good view, that isn't too far away or too close to the bank.
I lie face down in the cold snow, cover myself with a winter camouflage blanket, then use binoculars and a radio to figure out what's going on.
'This is why my father and mother worked so hard. So that I could be out in the cold, spending my hours spying on criminals like I was Dexter Morgan or Frank Castle.' I think with a bitter note, feeling a pang of sadness in my heart.
'A school life with constant attendance and commitment, three years of study at the university and almost two years of master's, have helped me in life. Look where I ended up on the rooftops of Gotham City.' He muttered in my head, going from bitter to dark.
I shake my head, trying not to think about family.
It's not enough to shake your head.
I take some must from the ground and throw it in my face, the cold and damp are unpleasant, very unpleasant, but they are better than any melancholic thought.
'Everything I did before Bloodfallen no longer matters.
Now I'm Bloodfallen, a blood-sucking ghost who lives underground with nothing better to do than be a hero and build futuristic shit.' I say in my head, pushing aside all the distractions of my previous life.
"My future, my work, and my purpose lies before me." I recite my mantra with confidence, keeping my binoculars trained on the bank.
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In front of the bank entrance there is an adult man with his face covered by a ski mask, winter clothing, armed with a machine gun.
Next to him is a woman around 25 years old, brown hair, pretty, wearing a uniform, probably works in the bank. She is scared to death, her mouth is covered with electrical tape, her hands are tied in front with tape.
On the street there are four police cars, all of them parked in front of the bank, forming a barricade.
Eight uniformed police officers stand behind the cars, all with guns in their hands and taking cover.
The older policeman is talking on the radio asking for backup.
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I put down the binoculars, I don't need to look any further to understand what is happening or what will happen soon.
Apparently the robbers moved too slowly, the police arrived and blocked their escape route.
Now the robbery has become a hostage situation, they will use civilians as human shields or bargaining chips, probably ask for something stupid like a helicopter.
In the meantime, while the criminals are thinking about what to do, the police will bring a large part of their forces here, special forces and surely also Commissioner Gordon, then Batman will appear... and I risk ending up in the hospital or locked up in some mental asylum.
Enhanced intelligence is something really useful, I understand everything in record time. Unfortunately, it applies to both good things, and bad things.
"Now that I have a clear picture, what should I do?" I ask softly, not knowing how I should act in this scenario.
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POV Narrator
Leonardo, aka Bloodfallen, while undecided on how to proceed moves like a snake away from the edge of the building.
He's definitely overdoing it in keeping a low profile and is probably creating a comedy routine for an invisible audience.
'Personal note, put more padding in the next suit, especially in the abdomen, next time I stand on cold, wet ground I won't feel so cold.' Leonardo thinks, feeling a bit annoyed by the snow that is wetting his suit.
'Getting back to serious matters, what do I do, wait for the cavalry to arrive? Do I stay on the sidelines and let the professionals do their work or should I act, since I am here facing a possible tragedy? Maybe I am making a mistake?' Leonardo thinks, starting to show signs of hesitation.
Just like a young actor who has learned all his lines, but when it comes time to go on stage his legs won't move.
Luckily, just like in the theater, there is a director or a mentor who is there to lend a helping hand or a kick in the ass to get the actor on stage.
Leonardo unwittingly activated his power [Simulacrum Advisor], a simulacrum of the great Jiraiya of the Sannin appeared near him.
"If you showed up to discuss the Robot-Girl in Tsunade's guise, the answer remains no. I'm not in the mood to argue with you, Jiraiya." Leonardo replies in a tense voice, remaining hidden in the snow and under his camouflage blanket.
"The two of us will talk about how humanity needs a line of machines that look like Tsunade and are dressed like sexy nurses, but not today." Jiraiya said, knowing when to be silly or serious.
Now is the time to be a serious Mentor for Jiraiya.
The Toad Hermit stands in front of Leonardo and sits on the floor, so that he can speak more or less on the same level as his "pupil".
"Why are you hiding under a blanket? Haven't you finally decided to be a hero, save the damsel in distress and take her home?" Jiraiya asks, putting a little humor into his words.
"I'm not hiding, I'm disguised to gather information, you Ninja too, do the same." Leonardo said, playing with the technicalities of the words.
For him, hiding can be interpreted as a sign of fear and cowardice. Therefore it is better to use the term camouflage or mimicry.
"It seems to me that you have gathered enough information, why don't you go and put into practice what I taught you?" Jiraiya asks, looking Leonardo straight in the eye.
"I remembered something important. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 TV series), the four Turtles and Master Splinter had a quiet life in the sewers.
But one day the Turtles came out of the manhole and their life became a madness full of every kind of adventure imaginable." Leonardo explains, having seen episode 1: "Things Change" hundreds of times.
The first adventure is paradoxically the most difficult and the easiest for every hero, after which things become gradually more difficult and complicated.
"The adventures of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are beautiful to watch, especially for a child who shares the name of the turtle who wields two katanas.
But I'm sure it's pretty awful to experience that kind of adventure first hand." Leonardo said, sure he couldn't handle that kind of crazy stuff like Leonardo the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.
By the end of the series, time travel and being stuck living with dinosaurs for months had become trivial or just plain annoying. Master Splinter preferred not to ask and avoid a headache.
"I've seen similar things before in Genin who were on their first serious mission.
Even if they used words and logic more understandable to a normal person." Jiraiya replies, sure that Leonardo could become his strangest student ever, surpassing Nagato and Naruto, which is not easy at all.
"I've always been a more unique boy, a daydreamer." Leonardo said, quoting his art teachers.
"Before you do anything, answer me this question: Why did you create a flashy costume and go through countless pains to build your equipment." Jiraiya asks, trying to force Leonardo to give himself the answer.
"Because I have nothing better to do. A third of my abilities are related to science, research and technology." Leonardo said, pointing to his head.
"My brain is no longer mine, not entirely, it's got primal Sarkaz instincts, advanced cybernetic implants, a mental archive full of sci-fi and urban fantasy stuff, all locked away in a psyche more akin to a computer than a biological being. I had to use my brain to do something, or I would go mad." Leonardo said, starting to swirl his finger near his head, the universal sign for insanity.
Not only was Leonardo's body altered when he arrived in Gotham City, but his mind underwent a change as well.
The most obvious and least complicated thing has been the increase in intellectual faculties, especially learning skills which are functioning at a record level.
A second key change is that your brain functions as a hybrid of biological and computational power, granting you enhanced cognitive and cybernetic abilities.
One of the biggest changes, a huge influx of encyclopedia-level knowledge of science and magic at frightening levels, a blessing and a curse at the same time for Leonardo.
Her "internal memory" was filled with impulses and talents [Tinker], followed by "data packs" on science from the following worlds: Cyberpunk, Arknights, Cthulhu Tech, Altered Carbon, Tokyo Ghoul, Dead Space, Girls Frontline, Detroit, NIKKE, I, Robot, Chappie, Alita, Vivy, Type-Moon, Punishing Gray Raven, Mamoru Oshii & Masamune Shirow.
Leonardo's first days and weeks in Gotham City were filled with migraines and random moments of "delirium."
Then, all this knowledge and impulses over time began to connect with each other, creating a storm of chaos in Leonardo's head.
Leonardo learned firsthand what Sam Witwicky felt like in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen when he touched a fragment of the All Spark and gained ancient Cybertronian knowledge in his brain.
Leonardo's first "survival crime" in Gotham City was breaking into a stationery store at night and stealing dozens of notebooks and just as many pencils and pens.
Leonardo ended up writing like a madman, filling a notebook every few days with ideas, projects and cryptic notes, this was a method to stabilize himself and avoid having moments of "delirium".
"I understand, at first working in the lab was an obligation for you, practically a necessity, but that didn't last long, you wouldn't have pushed yourself to create tools to deal with people, map the city and study how to use Chakra and other stuff I don't understand." Said Jiraiya, being only responsible for Leonardo's training in Ninjutsu.
"I had nothing better to do with my time than playing the inventor of machines and spells. Luckily, it's a fun game, like Minecraft or Lego or Factorio & Satisfactory, but in real life." Leonardo replies, with a small smile, having developed a certain pleasure and pride in his work.
"Boy, do you have anything better to do than helping the police save lives and put criminals in prison?" Jiraiya asks, seeing that Leonardo is becoming less tense and calmer.
"No, my schedule is as white as the snow that freezes my ass." Leonardo replies, having no other obligations at the moment.
"Come out from under that blanket, jump off this roof, enter the bank and show the world the teachings of the great Jiraiya. Finally, celebrate as if it were New Year's Eve!" Jiraiya exclaims giving one last encouragement.
These words convinced Leonardo to stand up, emerging from his winter camouflage blanket, revealing his clothing.
Leonardo wears a skintight gray and black jumpsuit, combat boots, and fingerless military gloves.
It's basically the Section 9 Tactical Uniform from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, but there are some tweaks and additions to the design such as micro-thrusters placed on the boots and shoulders.
On the back is a futuristic device with a display mounted on the spine. This is a RIG, aka Resource Integration Gear, an integrated health management and strength augmentation system that assists users in previously impossible and dangerous environments.
Attached to the left forearm is a small modular plug-in that resembles a grilled heat sink, the device is called the Kinesis Module.
Its purpose is to suspend and manage objects, both heavy and light, via an artificial gravity field created by the module.
Attached to the left forearm is a device similar in appearance to the Kinesis Module, this gadget is called, Stasis Module.
The purpose of this device is to be able to produce temporary time dilation, causing objects to move at an extremely slow speed for a period of time.
"If I win, I'll buy a huge pizza and a double hamburger, then take a hot tub while watching a Fast & Furious movie." Leonardo said, having a "party" plan by bookworm standards.
Jiraiya grimaces, on one hand he's happy that he convinced Leonardo not to back out, but on the other hand he's ashamed of his low standards when it comes to partying.
"For your first victory you could do something more special and wild." Jiraiya suggests, trying to push his student in the "right direction".
"For once I agree with you, Jiraiya, I should also have a milkshake and a three-cup ice cream and a mountain of cream." Leonardo said, expressing his idea of "overdoing it".
"I would have suggested going to bars to find a cute woman or to strip clubs, but do what you enjoy." Jiraiya comments, having a completely different line of thought when it comes to parties.
The Toad Hermit has realized that Leonardo has more in common with the Akimichi Clan when it comes to partying.
"I am I, you are you, each one celebrates in their own way. And now I have something to do." Leonardo said, grabbing the camouflage cloak and making it disappear into his pocket dimension.
The Vampire Sarkaz walks to the edge of the building, watching the bank entrance, watched by the eight defending policemen.
'It won't be a problem for me to get in, I wouldn't even have to use Magecraft, Ninjutsu or Originium Arts.' Leonardo thinks, having worked hard on a special function of his suit.
Before moving forward into the action, Leonardo's suit created with a combination of two tech trees (Ghost in the Shell & Dead Space) activates its last accessory.
Around Leonardo's head was a helmet with blue slits and a silver-plated visor.
"Good luck, boy." Jiraiya said, before disappearing, leaving his student to deal with the matter alone.
"My name is not boy, I am Bloodfallen." Said the Vampire Sarkaz, becoming invisible thanks to the special properties of the suit. Without fear of the gaze of the police or criminals, Bloodfallen leaps forward from rooftop to rooftop.
Continues ...