lfthinkerwrites

[lfthinkerwrites]

Shots Heard 'Round the World

Title: Downfall

Chapter Title: Shots Heard 'Round the World

Fandom: Batman

Rating: M

Chapter Summary:

Bruce and his allies scramble to move Edward, Penelope prepares her last gambit, and TYGER's force is fully unleashed on Gotham City.

AO3 Link

preview

Penelope nodded. "I can't leak everything that Edward and I uncovered, but I can put a member of the press on the trail. Janet Van Dorn is also now aware of our investigation, but it will take time for her to build a case, and that's not even taking into account how many people in the court system may be compromised." Given how quick Van Dorn was to assume the worst of Edward, Penelope wasn't sure how much she could trust her either. "Cassidy is gone. Sharp might still get out of any consequences for the TITAN project, but he will have to expend a lot of political capital to do it, and it will further undermine his public credibility. Now that Edward's incapacitated, Strange is going to escalate. This may be our last, best chance at throwing up a roadblock."

"And you're the roadblock," Joan said. She reached over to place a hand on top of Penelope's. "Even if this works and Strange doesn't retaliate...you know what will happen. Your reputation will suffer too. You could face severe professional consequences. You could even lose your license."

[lfthinkerwrites]

Some one liners I’ve written for future chapters. Guess the characters, lol.

“Tell me something: everything that you did for me, was that because you actually cared? Did you ever really believe in me, or were you just assuaging your guilt?”

“You’ve taken a bullet for her. Would she do the same for you? Can you look at me in the eye and say with certainty that she would?”

“Oh, you don’t think I’d do it? Lyle Bolton didn’t think I’d do it either.”

“I’ve been doing it your way, and now all my friends are gone.”

“You’ve got one advantage none of the other kids ever had: you know that every word that comes out of his mouth is bullshit. Every time Bruce Wayne comes by with a check, you’ll know it’s Batman and he’ll be expecting something in return. But he doesn’t know what you know. That’s your greatest weapon. So for now, don’t do anything. Smile at him. Tell him how grateful you are. Make him comfortable enough that he’ll turn his back on you. That’s when you’ll get the chance to stick the knife in, Kiddo.”

[lfthinkerwrites]

Confrontation

Title: Downfall

Chapter Title: Confrontation

Fandom: Batman

Rating: M

Chapter Summary:

Penelope confronts Sharp for the final time.

AO3 Link

preview

"Of course," Sharp responded with a wave of his hand. Penelope listened as the heavy footsteps of the guards retreated. Once the door shut, the Mayor's expression changed. His shoulders relaxed, and his eyes grew soft. "Penelope," he said. "My poor girl. My poor, dear girl." Chills of revulsion shot up her back. Thankfully, Sharp didn't take a step forward. "I can't begin to tell you how worried I was when I heard the news," he continued. "I am so relieved that you're safe." Penelope remained silent. She didn't trust her voice just yet. She looked at the Mayor, heard his sickly, hypocritical words, and wanted nothing more than to slit his throat. "I'm so glad that you wanted to see me, though I don't understand why we had to meet here. I've tried calling you," he said. "Gordon told me that you were in the hospital for evaluation. Are you alright?" His voice faltered at the cold silence. "Penelope?" he asked again. "Did you hear me? Are you alright?" He reached his hand out.

"Don't," she hissed. Sharp withdrew his hand back quickly as if he'd touched a hot stove. He looked scandalized. "Yes, I'm alive," she continued. "How inconvenient for you."

[lfthinkerwrites]

I’m pleased to report that Downfall has crossed the 7,000 hit mark!

Oh, you guys are going to want an update, huh?

Tonight or tomorrow morning. Promise.

[lfthinkerwrites]

First Contact

As requested, the winning oneshot

By the time she was set up at her terminal, Barbara was caught up to speed. The situation was dire, to put it mildly.

Protocol Ten would be unleashed in five hours. Helena and Kate were stationed in Crime Alley, helping the people Anarky’s group were breaking out of Arkham City. Nigma was alive and was leading Bruce on some wild goose chase in the prison camp. Bruce had been infected by Joker’s blood. Tim and Dr. Young were en route to Wayne Manor to begin synthesizing a cure. Reports were starting to come in from hospitals that people were becoming infected by Joker’s blood.

Worst of all, she couldn’t contact Dick, Cassandra, Jason, or Damian. All four were dark. Stephanie was on her way to their last known location, while Bruce continued whatever scheme he was cooking up with Nigma. If they’d been captured though…

“Nightwing,” she spoke into her communicator. “Black Bat. Robin. Red Hood. If any of you can hear this, please respond.” There was no sound. “Batgirl?” Stephanie tried to respond, but through the static Barbara could only vaguely pick up that TYGER had a hammer set up. She’d need to take it out.

Barbara slammed her hands down. “Can anyone hear me!?”

There was a rustling noise in her headphones, and Barbara’s heart lifted. Then a clear voice responded, one she didn’t recognize. “Uh…hi?”

Barbara frowned. “Who is this?”

“Yeah, we haven’t met,” the voice responded. It was a high-pitched voice, either a woman’s or a young boy’s. “I’m Enigma.”

The shock almost knocked Barbara back. “Enigma? You’re Nigma’s kid? How did you get this frequency!?”

“Steph gave it to me before she and the others went down into Arkham City. You’re Babs, aren’t you? I’ve heard Hood talking to you before. Or should I call you Barbara?”

She didn’t have time to unpack all of the implications of that sentence. “Where are you right now? Crime Alley?”

The next words the girl said were spoken in a rush. “No. I mean, I was, but Red Robin came back up and went off with Doc, I mean Dr. Young, so I went down-“

“Excuse me?” Barbara interrupted. “You went down? Down where?”

There was only a slight hesitation before the girl responded. “I’m in the subways. I’m heading into Arkham City.”

Oh Jesus God almighty. “Absolutely not,” Barbara ordered. “Turn around right now.”

“No offense, but you’re not my boss,” Enigma answered. “I’m not going back up.”

Barbara wanted to scream. “Listen to me very carefully,” she said. “You are going into an active war zone. People are dying down there.”

“And?” The girl answered, masking her obvious fear with an insolent tone.

"Do you think this is a game!?" Barbara shouted. "I'm not wasting my time babysitting you when I have people I care about down there!"

"Who the fuck asked you to?" the girl responded. "You fucking Bats, I swear to Christ. You think you're the only person who has people they love in Arkham City? My father is down here! Stephanie is down here! Hood is down here! As long as they're here, so am I!"

In the top right drawer of the desk in her living room, Barbara kept a purple stress ball that Steph had bought for her. If she had it in her hands now, she'd pop it. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm. A shouting match now could give away the girl's position, and she wouldn't let her die. "Enigma," she breathed out. "Ellen. Listen to me-"

"No," the girl interrupted. "You listen. I'm not asking for your permission to be down here. I don't have anything to prove to you. I'm here to find Stephanie and help her and the others. Either help me or get out of my way."

Barbara was silent, processing the girl's ego and the words she'd said. Stephanie? She was here for Stephanie? Not her father? She rubbed her chin. Was this girl really who Steph and Cass thought she was? Barbara looked to her monitor. She could send Helena down to get the girl out. She should, but that would take a vital resource away from Leslie. Ted, Alan, and Orpheus were busy in Gotham City, fighting off TYGER forces. By the time she could send anyone, Enigma would be long gone.

"Barbara? Are you still there?"

The woman who had been Batgirl sighed. "Ellen," she said softly. "If you die-"

"What, Dad will freak out?" Her tone shifted. "If I die, worry about Steph."

There was a wistfulness in her tone that Barbara picked up on. "You really care about her, don't you?"

"Of course I do," Enigma answered. "She's my friend." There was so much unsaid in those few words. How old was Ellen? Only 17, right? And yet, here she was. Tim had been wary of her, he'd been convinced that she'd turn on them, and Barbara had agreed, but here this girl was. Even after Jason. Even after what she and Bruce had almost done to her father. She loved Stephanie so much she'd followed her into Hell on Earth.

Barbara could never bring herself to trust the father. Maybe, maybe, she could trust the daughter.

"Barbara?"

Time to make a decision. "Stay where you are," Barbara ordered. "I'll contact Stephanie and have her meet you. When she gets there, I need you two to find Nightwing, Black Bat, Robin and Red Hood." God, Nigma, Cassandra, and Steph forgive her. "Where exactly are you?"

"I'm down-hold up." Barbara heard fabric rustling and a few quick puffs of breath. "Sorry," Enigma answered in a whisper. "Had to get out of sight. I saw a few TYGER guards. I think they must have a holding cell down here. I heard them talking about prisoners."

Barbara had picked up the signal Enigma's communicator was giving off and had her pinged down in the shuttered blue line station in the Bowery. Jesus, she'd gotten further than she'd thought. "You're not that far from the Arkham City processing center," she said. "What kind of equipment do you have?"

"Five smoke bombs, explosive gel, four flash bang grenades, my tonfa, and two butterfly knives." Barbara raised an eyebrow. Jason hadn't neglected arming her at least. "I'm gonna need more than that if I'm gonna break out the prisoners."

"You're not breaking out anybody," Barbara said sternly. "Stay hidden until Steph gets to you. The two of you together might stand a chance." Maybe. She had no idea what Ellen's skill set was. If she'd survived with Jason as long as she had, she couldn't be useless, but she was a blank slate. "How many guards do you see?"

"Just the two. They're going through someone's stuff now: wait."

"What?"

"What is that, a bandolier?" the girl asked, more to herself. "Are those-" She made a noise that sounded like stifled laughter. "No way. No Goddamn way."

"What?" Barbara asked again peevishly. "What is going on down there? Is it your father?"

"No," the girl answered. "Sorry Barbara, but I have to go dark for a few minutes. I'll check back in when I can. Enigma out!"

"Ellen, wait!" There was no response. Barbara rubbed her hands down her face. She wasn't looking forward to explaining this to Stephanie.

It was almost twenty minutes, and one screaming match with Stephanie later before a voice crackled from her speakers. "Hey Dad!"

"Enigma?" Barbara asked. "Where have you been!?"

"Lay off, Old Man," she said, louder than she'd spoken in their previous conversation. "Dad, you're never gonna guess who I found down here!"

Barbara arched an eyebrow. Who had she found? Why was Enigma calling her 'Dad'? "What's going on? Who's with you right now?"

"It's your old buddy, Digger Harkness!"

Barbara's jaw dropped. Harkness was in Arkham City!? When had he been transferred-he hadn't been. Strange had taken care not to import any criminals from outside Gotham. Waller had sent him here. And if Harkness was here, Lawton, possibly Flag, and who knew how many others may be lurking in Arkham City. Enigma had no idea just what she'd stepped in-

Barbara's stomach lurched. Ellen was alone with Digger Harkness. "Enigma," she said slowly. "Can he hear me?"

"Nah."

"You know who he is, right?"

"Yeah," Ellen answered. "I do."

"You know that he's a killer."

Ellen's next answer chilled her to the bone. "So am I."

A painfully familiar voice could just be heard. "Wot are you blabbin' on about!? Where's yer old man?"

"Settle down, 'Uncle' Digger," Ellen sassed. 'Uncle' Digger? What had happened while Ellen had been out of contact? "Dad's telling me where to go."

Now Barbara understood. At least, she thought she did. Ellen was either a very smart girl or she was very dumb. She took a quick glance up at the monitor. Stephanie was almost at Ellen's location. Ellen could keep Harkness distracted, Steph could blitz him, and the pair could interrogate him, figure out what Waller was up to-

Wait. Where was the rest of the Squad? They may not be too far. They may be lying in wait, watching what was happening. Barbara had no idea who else Waller had sent. There was no way Ellen could know about Task Force X, at least as far as Barbara knew, but she had to wonder if the girl knew, or at least suspected that Harkness wasn't alone.

"Ellen," she said finally. "What are you thinking?"

"Sorry, what was that Dad?" Ellen asked. "Where did you say you wanted me to go?"

Ellen wanted her to send them somewhere. Where?

Then she understood. Barbara smirked. Harkness and the Squad had no idea what they were in for. "The last location I had for Nightwing, Red Hood, Black Bat, and Robin at was outside Amusement Mile. Go back the way you came, then head north. I'll update you along the way."

"Got it. We'll see you there. Thanks, Dad."

"Oi!" Harkness' voice called out. "Let me talk to yer Old Man."

Barbara heard Ellen swallow hard. Didn't think this through, did you? "You want to talk him? About what? You want to bitch at him about what happened in Keystone some more?" Barbara felt the urge to slap her forehead. Careful, kid, careful! Mindboggler's fate was vivid in her mind.

"Mebbe I want to make sure you ain't tryin' to pull something, ranga." Barbara frantically began to type a command on her keyboard. Voice modulator. Voice sample. Edward Nigma. "Put 'im on, now!"

"It's alright, Enigma," Barbara said. "Put him on."

She could hear the girl take a breath, then a rustling sound. "Just don't stick it in your ear, you nasty old fuck!"

Harkness' voice was louder now. "Watch yer language! Oi, Ed! You there?"

Barbara pressed the command key on the voice modulator and spoke back in the brassy tone of Edward Nigma. "Digger Harkness! What a surprise! What exactly are you doing in Arkham City?"

"Never mind what I'm doing here," Harkness said. "What are you doin' lettin' yer boy runnin' around a prison camp? You outta be ashamed of yerself! That's some shoddy parenting, mate!"

Harkness calling Nigma out for being a bad parent? That was rich. Also, he seemed to be under the impression Ellen was a boy. Best not to correct him. "Yes, well, he is a rather willful little thing."

"And another thing! You need to teach 'im some bloody manners! If he were anyone else's kid, I'd beat some into 'im! He stole three of my 'rangs!"

And now Ellen had three of Captain Boomerang's weapons. Terrific. Barbara checked the monitor. Stephanie was maybe two minutes off. "Yes, I will be speaking with him about that. What can I say? He is my child, after all. My only child. I'd appreciate it if you helped keep him in one piece."

There was a snide chuckle. "Well now, that depends on you, now don't it?"

Barbara's eyes narrowed. Oh, you want to play that game, Harkness? Alright. Let's play. Now, which card? She wasn't sure what if anything Nigma knew or remembered about Task Force X. Given that they were officially disbanded, it was possible Harkness didn't have a bomb implanted in him.

Besides, Nigma was a petty son of a bitch. Threaten his child? He'd respond in kind. "Tell me, Digger," she said casually, as if Nigma was trying to pick something off a menu. "Have you heard from your son lately? Owen, right?"

All of Harkness' confidence seemed to disappear. "Y-you know about Owen?"

Barbara chuckled. "I make it my business to keep up with Rogues, in and out of Gotham. When I heard there was a new Captain Boomerang running amok, I just had to look into it. He's what, 18? 19?"

"Oi," Harkness warned in a low growl. "Don't talk about me boy, Ed."

"But it's alright for you to threaten mine?" Barbara asked, lowering her voice. "I've killed people for less than what you just said. Now you listen very carefully to me, Digger. I've given my son my location. You are to escort him to me safely. Then we can discuss whatever it is that you want to discuss. If anything, anything happens to him, even if it isn't your fault, I'm holding your son responsible for it. I may be here in Arkham City, but I can make his life so miserable, and there won't be a thing you can do about it-"

"Alright!" Harkness interrupted. "You win! I'll bring yer boy to ya! No need to get aggro! Here, talk to yer boy again!"

There was a rustling sound, and then, much to Barbara's relief, she heard Enigma's voice. "What did you say to Captain Fuckface? He looks like he's about to shit himself!"

Barbara switched off the modulator before responding. "You don't want to know," she said. She looked back up to the monitor. Stephanie was right above where Enigma's signal was coming from, and she was trying to raise her. "You need to get going before anything else happens. Stephanie's at your location."

"Yeah, I saw her," Enigma whispered. "I waved her off, but she looks so pissed."

"Yeah, I bet she is," Barbara said. "I'll fill her in and have her tail you. Start heading towards Amusement Mile. Watch your back, but don't let on that you suspect anything. Ellen, whatever you do, don't take your eyes off of Harkness. Keep him in front of you if you can."

"I got it. Barbara? Thanks."

"Don't thank me yet, kid," Barbara sighed. "You still need to survive this."

[lfthinkerwrites]

The people have spoken and the winner is Barbara Gordon. Interesting…

One shot on the way.

Which character should Enigma interact with in a oneshot?

[lfthinkerwrites]

Which character should Enigma interact with in a oneshot?

[lfthinkerwrites]

Which character should Enigma interact with in a oneshot?

[lfthinkerwrites]

Fanfic/Author Ask Game

Write a scene from [insert fic] in another character’s POV

Which of your fics is your pride and joy?

What are your top three most commonly used tags on AO3?

What are some words or phrases you feel like you overuse?

What’s something you learned while researching a fic?

Would you ever accept requests or commissions?

Coffee or tea while you write?

What is your favorite line/section from [insert fic]?

How did you get into writing fanfiction?

Is there a character or ship you'd love to write for, but haven't yet?

What makes a fic 'successful' in your opinion?

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Do you have an 'official' creative writing background such as a degree or previous experience publishing?

What makes you happiest? New fic comments, kudos, bookmarks, user subscribers, story subscribers, or Tumblr asks?

Does anyone you know in real life know you write fanfiction?

What do you struggle with most when writing?

What is something you recently felt proud of in your writing?

How many WIPs do you have and how many do you expect to finish?

How do you get over writer's block?

Share your favorite kiss scene from [insert fic]. If there's no kiss scene, share your favorite moment of intimacy (romantic or platonic)

What stops you from writing more in your free time?

Did you do anything special to celebrate finishing a fic?

What’s a story you’d love to write but haven’t even started yet?

Which scene/theme was the inspiration for [insert fic]?

Are there any moments in [insert fic] that feel "blurry" to you? Is this a stylistic choice, or would you go back and clarify the descriptions if you were given the chance?

Do you ever "prep" your fics with outlines or warmups before you start writing, or do you just dive right in?

Are any of your stories inspired by personal experience?

What's the angstiest idea you've ever come up with?

How many times do you usually revise your fic/chapter before posting?

Have you noticed your style change over time?

What fic meant the most to you to write?

A character you enjoy making suffer.

A character you want to protect.

What is your favorite fic to get comments/messages on?

Wild Card: Ask me something else!

[lfthinkerwrites]

Before I Change My Mind

Title: Downfall

Chapter Title: Before I Change My Mind

Fandom: Batman

Rating: M

Chapter Summary:

Ellen gives Red Hood her answer.

AO3 Link

preview

Ellen took a deep breath and paused, almost waiting for Mom to say something, anything. The only sound she heard was the sound of the breeze around her. "I don't know what to do," Ellen said. "I want to protect Dad, more than anything, but I never wanted to learn how to kill anybody." Her vision became blurry, but this time, she let the tears fall. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice breaking. "I'm so sorry, Mom. I didn't mean for things to go this far. I just wanted...I just wanted my Dad. I just wanted to know that I had one, and after you were gone...I wanted to know if there was someone out there who could love me as much as you did, and he does. I wanted to love him as much as I love you, and I do, but I never thought any of this would happen." She pulled her sleeve over her fist and wiped the tears and snot from her face before she continued. "Were you afraid something like this would happen?" she asked. "Was that why you never told me about him?" 

[lfthinkerwrites]

4, 24, 61 xx

Where do you find inspiration for new ideas?

Honestly, a lot of ideas come to me when I’m just fucking around on something or when I’m reading comics/watching something. I get a lot of inspiration from ideas that are unexplored in canon and my brain gets the urge to plug those holes or expand on something. Or I just like a character and want to put them into situations.

Worst writing advice anyone ever gave you?

No one’s ever really given me fic advice, so I have to think back to high school on this. I had an English teacher who wanted me in honors English but thought I was way too informal with how I wrote. Much as she tried to write more like an honors student would, I couldn’t do it. Moral of the story don’t worry too much about ‘da rules,’ just write naturally?

Why do you continue writing fics?

Because it’s fun, lol. I love the creative process and inflicting my ideas on the world.

[lfthinkerwrites]

Get to know your fic writer!

Do you prefer writing one-shots or multi-chaptered fics?

Do you plan each chapter ahead or write as you go?

Describe the creative process of writing a chapter/fic

Where do you find inspiration for new ideas?

Do you like constructive criticism?

Do you have your work beta'd? How important is this to your process?

How do you choose which POV to write from?

Do you prefer the beginning, middle, or end of a story?

Do you comment on stories you read?

Cltr+f "blinks" on your WIP & copy paste the first sentence/paragraph that comes up

Link your three favorite fics right now

how does receiving or not receiving feedback/support impact you?

what’s a common writing tip that you almost always follow?

how do you write emotional scenes? Do you ever feel what the characters feel? Do you draw from personal experiences?

How do you write smut scenes? Do you get very visual or detailed? How important is it to be realistic?

How many fic ideas are you nurturing right now? Share one of them?

What do you do when writing becomes difficult? (maybe a lack of inspiration or writers block)

Do you title your fics before, during, or after the writing process? How do you come up with titles?

What is the most-used tag on your ao3?

Have you noticed any patterns in your fics? Words/expressions that appear a lot, themes, common settings, etc?

Would you ever collaborate with another writer for a story?

Are there certain types of writing you won’t do? (style, pov, genre, tropes, etc)

Best writing advice for other writers?

Worst writing advice anyone ever gave you?

What fic do you wish you got more of a response on?

Which of your fics would you call your wildest ride?

What is your most and least favorite part of writing?

On average, how much writing do you get done in a day?

What’s your revision or editing process like?

Do you share rough drafts or do you wait until it’s all polished?

Do you start with the characters or the plot when writing?

Name three of your favorite fanfic writers.

Do you want to be published some day?

Five years from now, where do you see yourself as a writer?

What is one essential thing to remember when writing a villain? 

How do you write kissing scenes?

How do you choose where to end a chapter?

Would you ever write commissions?

Share a snippet from a WIP

If someone were to make fanart of your work, what fic or scene would you hope to see?

Do you tend to reread fics or are you a one-and-done kind of person?

What’s the last fic you read? Do you recommend it?

Do you take a sadistic joy in whumping your characters, or are you more the "If you hurt them I would kill everyone and then myself" kind of person?

What mistakes do you keep making no matter how many times your beta corrects you?

Do you want to break your readers‘ heart or make them laugh?

How would you describe your style? (Character/emotion/action-driven, etc)

How many times do you usually revise your fic/chapter before posting?

What do you look for in a beta?

Do you ever get rude reviews and how do you deal with them?

How long is your longest fic?

What’s your total AO3 word count?

Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

How do you spend your time when it comes to fanfiction? Are you primarily a fic reader, writer, or a perfect 50/50 split of both?

What’s your favorite part about the fanfiction writing process?

Of the characters you write for, which is your favorite? Has that choice been swayed at all by your followers/readers’ reactions to certain ones?

What’s something about your writing that you pride yourself on?

Do you prefer editing as you write, or waiting until it’s finished? 

What part of the writing process do you enjoy the most? (Brainstorming, outlining, writing, editing, etc) 

Does anyone in your personal life know you write fic? if not, would you tell anyone?

Have you had a writer you admire comment on your fic? What was that like?

Why do you continue writing fics?

Thoughts on cliffhangers?

Something you hate to see in smut.

Something you love to see in smut.

Tell us about what you’re most looking forward to writing – in your current project, or a future project

How do you deal with writing pressure (ie. pressure to update, negative comments, deadlines, etc.)?

Do you prefer prompts and challenges, or completely independent ideas?

What, if anything, do you do for inspiration?

What work of yours, if any, are you the most embarrassed about existing?

When asked, are you embarrassed or enthusiastic to tell people that you write?

When it comes to more complicated narratives, how do you keep track of outlines, characters, development, timeline, ect.?

What order do you write in? front of book to back? chronological? favorite scenes first? something else?

What do you think makes your writing stand out from other works?

You’ve posted a fic anonymously. How would someone be able to guess that you’d written it?

What scene in [Fanfic Name] took the longest to write? What was difficult about it? 

Did you have any ideas that didn’t make the final cut of [Fanfic Name]? 

Do you have a favorite scene you’ve written from [Fanfic Name] story/chapter? 

[lfthinkerwrites]

Interlude: Plots Within Plots

Title: Downfall

Chapter Title: Plots Within Plots

Fandom: Batman

Rating: M

Chapter Summary: News of Edward's coma spreads, within and without Gotham City. People are watching and taking notes.

Author's Notes

The next chapter's taking a little longer to get out, so here's a smaller bonus chapter to make up for it. Imagine that this takes place during and between Aftershock and Original Sin.

AO3 Link

preview

"So Machin wasn't just blowing smoke," Flag said. "Do you think Strange was behind all of this? Even the power outages?"

"Do I know it for a fact?" Waller shrugged her shoulders. "No. Given what Fugate told us, however, I'd bet good money on it." She picked up her remote to mute the television, then turned her attention to the files spread out on her coffee table. One was hers, two others had come with Flag. The top file was one of the man seemingly at the center of all this chaos: Edward Nashton, aka Edward Nigma, aka The Riddler. The file photograph was a few years out of date, as was most of the information contained in it, no doubt. Waller frowned. She'd never cared for Edward Nigma, even by Rogue standards. He was the wrong combination of intelligent and unstable. Arrogant and uncontrollable. And yet, over the past two years, he'd become the rare Rogue to genuinely turn his life around. Now he was in another coma for it.

"What's your plan then?" Flag asked. "Fugate got made when we sent him in. It's too risky to send anyone else right now."

"I agree," Waller said. "For now, we watch and we wait."

"Wait for what?"

"For Nigma to wake up. I told Fugate to tell Batman that as long as he could keep Nigma in line, I would not interfere in the situation. I need to know exactly what kind of man is going to come out of this coma. Edward Nigma, the Private Investigator, or Edward Nigma, the Riddler. If Batman can still work with him, that will be the end of the matter. If he can't, then I'll intervene. Until then, I need more information from my contacts in Gotham. And we need more information on Hugo Strange." She'd met Sharp once. He was a weak, pompous coward. Strange was the true power in Gotham City now. A power that had seemingly come out of nowhere and seemed to be accountable to no one. A power that Waller couldn't tolerate, no matter how she may agree with some of his policies.

[lfthinkerwrites]

In which Digger still can’t read between the lines. James is no help.

[lfthinkerwrites]

It might not be fun reading about Ellen turning against Batman, but then again, the closest Batfam/Batfam adjacent relationships she has are with Jason and Stephanie. I feel like that should have been a bit of a tip off.

Also keep in mind, the very first interaction she had with any of the Batfam was way back in Christmas in Gotham, when she directly intervened to protect Ed from Damian.

Conflict was inevitable.

[lfthinkerwrites]

Losing Faith

Title: Downfall

Chapter Title: Losing Faith

Fandom: Batman

Rating: M

Chapter Summary: Ellen has two encounters that shake her faith in heroes.

AO3 Link

preview

Tim blinked. That sounded like a kid. Wait, was that...? He gently pushed the pantry door open and looked outward. Sure enough, there was a girl in the living room wearing a beat-up brown backpack. Her back was to him as she was looking around, but Tim recognized her bright red hair instantly. Nigma's daughter. As if she sensed him, she turned to face the kitchen and their eyes met. The girl jumped back. "What the fuck!?" she shrieked in a high-pitched voice.

Tim raised a finger to his mouth. "Shh!" he hissed.

"What the fuck!?" the girl repeated in a slightly quieter tone.

"Look, relax, would you?" Tim said. He stepped out of the cramped pantry with as much dignity as he could and walked around the sofa and coffee table to reach the girl. She pressed herself against the door and put her hands up. "It's okay," Tim said, pausing as soon as he reached the dining room table. "What are you doing here?"

The girl blinked. "What am I doing here?" she repeated. Then her eyes narrowed. "This is my father's house. What are you doing here!?"

"It's nine in the morning and you don't live with your Dad," Tim said. He looked at the front door. "Is Batgirl with you?" He hoped that she was and wasn't in equal measure. He didn't want to have to explain this to Steph.

"No," the girl hissed. She kind of looked like a jumped-up alley cat. Even her hair was slightly puffed out like one. "I came here on my own."

Tim cocked his head. "Shouldn't you be in school?"

The girl snorted. "Shouldn't you? Jagoff."

[lfthinkerwrites]

Being mean to Tim is damn therapeutic.

Remember this line from all the way back in Road to Arkham?

“Edward decided he liked this Timothy Drake-Wayne. He was the kind of boy he wouldn't mind Ellen bringing home if Ellen was inclined towards boys.”

Yeah, that’s finally getting a pay off next chapter.