[center][b]Chapter 7:  Last of the Brave[/b][/center]

"What the hell?"

Azumi stormed out of the portal, grabbing Batman by the shoulders where he sat, glaring into his face. Sure, her helmet was up, but her expression was palpable, her mouth a snarl. She leaned in, glaring as she asked again, completely ignoring Kira as she looked over at her.

"What the hell, Wayne? What was I supposed to learn from that, huh?! Was your great lesson how to [i]give up?![/i] Because I did that [i]twice[/i] there! What if I was serious in the real world, Batman? What if I actually turned on you?! Where's your test there? What's that teaching me then?" She let go, or, more accurately, shoved him away, turning her back on him as she stormed a few feet away. "I'm an ODST! I'm trying to train myself to fight better, not to [i]lose repeatedly![/i] Sure, I got to that woman on one count, but then I got tranqed!" She turned back in his direction. "If you wanted so badly for me to [i]surrender[/i] to them, [i]tell me outright and stop this bullsh**![/i]"

With that, she went to her second point. "And on Ra's! The only way I could have beaten him was with a kill! That's all I could do! I'm no swordswoman! I'm not an expert in that by any extent! So is [i]breaking your code[/i] another lesson?! Tell me how these things are supposed to [i]help[/i], Bruce! Tell me how any of it is supposed to help!"

"You missed the point of the exercise, then."  Batman was surprisingly casual about Azumi's rant.  Standing up, he continues.  "The point was not to succeed.  The point was to test the absolute limits of what you know, how far you will go, and see how well you can adapt to a chaotic situation."  He once more puts on his cowl.  "Things are never as clear-cut as you think they are.  You know this, but the routine fights against relatively unintelligent creatures like the Heartless have dulled that.  They may be deadly, but you should know that the intellect and cunning of humanity outpaces anything else."

"As for the supposed deathblow against Ra's, he's survived worse.  He hasn't lived for over 600 years without incident, you realize."

The soldier stood there, shaking with rage.... but she knew he was right. She knew he was almost in every case here, though she was enraged. Part of it was [i]because[/i] he was right. she hated that. She couldn't even have an argument to make against something like that. The woman walked to the nearest wall, not far from the entrance to the Central Computer Core, and shouted, punching it hard. She winced at the pain, but ignored it as best as she could. She just had to let that out.

Azumi didn't even turn around as she spoke, her voice still holding some malice, but letting herself calm down somewhat. "... Yeah, I overreacted." She sat down, still facing the wall, and mentally dismantled her helmet again, putting her head in her hands. "It's just that being captured like that... It just reminded me of them. I hate them, hate everything... I don't even know."

She didn't want an answer, but that was as close to an apology as she would give. She just had to let these things out. If he wanted to change the subject, that was up to him, but she couldn't look at him after making such a fool of herself in anger.

Batman nods in response.  "It's hard to let go."  He walks over to her side, and once again removes his cowl, once more revealing the face of Bruce Wayne.  "I know the feeling."

Azumi didn't turn, didn't even move much. She didn't want to talk about this. Too ashamed at her own behavior. Had she succeeded in the training? She didn't know. What she did was that she had only some knowledge of him and his enemies, so she changed the subject.

"Is there anything else to show me, to tell me?"

Batman shakes his head.  "This wasn't just purely physical training.  It was also psychological.  Physically, you're more than capable.  But when delving into the psychological aspect, there's very little I can do.  I am human, after all."  He pauses.  "If anything, you need someone you can talk to, someone who can understand you without condemnation, more than likely someone you can trust."  He pauses and removes a small item from his belt.  A micro transmitter, rectangular in shape, embossed with a bat emblem.  He places it in front of Azumi.  "If you need help."

The young woman took the communicator, looking it over. She saw that it probably fit into her own helmet outside, so she decided to use it that way when she could. "No offense, Batman, but... don't [i]you[/i] also need help? I told you how I could see your problems just by looking."

"I know you did, and I know it's there.  I choose a different path."  He pauses before he turns around.  "For me, it's a demon that stays within my mind, every hour of every day, motivating me so that no one else would suffer as I did.  The two gunshots... The sound of my mother's pearls striking against the street, my father's last breaths."  His eyes close, the images just as vivid as they were all those years ago.  "The sight cannot be erased.  Their voices cannot be ignored."

Azumi promptly shut her mouth. So he, too, was an orphan. She lowered her head. "...Sh**..." She closed her eyes. "Sorry, really. I... crap, I didn't know. I'm such an idiot...."

He doesn't respond.  Instead, he puts back on his cowl and exits the Core.  He felt he did all that he could for Azumi.  At least, that's what he told himself.  But he knew better.  He was getting too invested, too... attached.  He pauses to look once again towards the Core.

"Wait, wait!" She stood up, gripping the communicator tightly, and ran out of the core. She didn't even see the slight smirk, albeit sympathetic eyes, of K1-R4 as she continued her work. The soldier stopped behind Batman.

"Look, don't just run off, okay?" She did need his help, no matter what she said. "I need to know if there's anyone else, any other rogues, anything else you can tell me, show me, anything. I need to be prepared, and.... And I do think you need help, too. You can count on me if I can on you, okay?"

He pauses to give it some thought.  [i]She does have a valid point...[/i]  This was even more apparent since Scarecrow was now out and about.  "We're going to the Dataspace."  With that, Batman steps on board the Solar Sailor.

The soldier nodded, boarding it with her mentor. She sat on the side of it, waiting, wondering about something from the end of the session. "So... Ra's said something about a Huntress. Is that another person, or just what he'd call me if we actually met?"

Batman pauses.  She caught onto that...  He gives a slight smirk, his face away from Azumi.  "I'm sure that he meant it in a general term, but... there is one individual whom I've encountered that went by that name.  She is much like the both of us, with more of a lean towards you in regards to dealing with enemies."

Azumi shrugged. People could be pretty similar. She still wasn't wearing tights. "What's she like, then? Not so adverse to killing, or is it the skill set?"

"She's not adverse to using lethal force.  That, and she was dead-set on killing the person who made her life miserable."

"Oh." She didn't say she had changed. Not in the slightest. But she knew he wouldn't like that. Instead, she just remained silent, letting the Sailer go on its way.

Eventually, the Sailer stops at its destination.  After a few moments, Batman finds himself in front of the doorway to the Dataspace.  Entering into it, he stands in front of the console.  Pressing a tab inside his cowl, he speaks.  "Kira, can you hear me?"

As Azumi followed him in, Kira's voice came up. [i]"Loud and clear, Wayne. What is it?"[/i]


"First, I need full access to the console within the Dataspace.  Second, I need an open connection to one of the consoles within Radiant Garden."  Batman removes a small plug-in thumb drive.  He knew very well that, more than likely, Kira had access to the data.  But with the recent events, her information would require an update, if only a small one.

AI's voice came through as visual glitches crackled around the dataspace, transferred through the terminal in the Central Computer Mesa. [i]"Only for you, Batman, and only if you manage to get some form of genetic code into the system for me to crosscheck against in the future. I can't have random people with all the data. If you get access via the terminal at the entrance to this world, that'll have to be enough. I can't access anywhere else from here in terms of computers, just maybe some of the Claymores out there, and that's Tron's territory. Once you get a way to get the code set up, put it in the console on that end, and my skills probably can integrate it somehow. gotta be careful, though."[/i]

"Understood."  Batman looks down at his right hand and removes the glove on it.  Placing his hand on the marker on the keyboard, he leaves a small genetic impression.  As such, he taps two points above his left ear and presses once more on the tab to open communications.  "Alfred, do you read me?"

===

Onboard the Bat-G, the Advanced Logarithmic Function for Reconaissance, Emergencies and Distraction boots up.  [i]"Your transmission is well received, sir.  I'm just pleased that you haven't blown yourself up yet."[/i]

===

Batman shakes his head before plugging in the thumb drive.  "I need two things, Alfred.  First is a holistic copy of your programming ready for transmission.  Second, I need all the recent data on my rogues gallery, also set for transmission.  Set transmission recepticle to portable drive W."

Over his headset, he receives a response.  [i]"Understood, although I do have to question you stuffing a copy of my programming and the information of your enemies into such a tiny thumb drive.  It will be rather unpleasant, what with it being cramped."[/i]

"Just do it."

[i]"Very well.  Transmitting...[/i]  The thumb drive begins to flash green, signalling the beginning of the download process.  [i]"Might I enquire as to what program is watching over the transmission?  I do want to seem presentable, in some fashion."[/i]

[i]"UNSC artificial intelligence ZIV Twelve-Fourteen-Four, but people call me K1-R4 or 'Kira.'"[/i] She was probably rolling her eyes on the other end. [i]"Don't bother with looks. An AI avatar is just what we choose to look like where I come from, so it's not like it's actually what they are. If you look like Alfred Pennyworth, that's on you. I've seen far uglier, especially from an organic."[/i]

[i]"Well, I do suppose that comes as some kind of relief."[/i]  Alfred continues to transmit to the thumb drive, the rapidity of the green light beginning to slow, showing the rate of transmission.  After a few moments, the light stops blinking, signalling the completion of the transmission.

Beginning to type on the keyboard, Batman brings up his rogue's gallery.  Some of them were familiar, such as Killer Croc, Clayface, Mad Hatter, Talia and Ra's al Ghul.  But a large number of others were ones that Azumi never dealt with.  Pressing a few more tabs on his cowl, he reconnects with Kira.  "Kira, you can download a copy of the information on the drive.  And I suggest you take the copy of Alfred, as well.  The copy is linked to my ship's main AI.  That way, if the need arises, I can transmit any changes for you to update."

[i]"Aye aye,"[/i] she said, downloading everything from the drive to their network, in addition to herself. Alfred's copy was also brought in, but not to her, just the network. [i]"Done. Any particulars to show the corporal?"[/i]

"Bring up the information on Riddler, Poison Ivy, Two-Face, Catwoman, Mr. Freeze, Penguin, Scarecrow, Harley Quinn and the Joker."  Batman removes the drive and returns it to his belt.  Immediately, nine file names appear on the righthand side of the giant screen.  He immediately chooses the top two.  The two files open up, one on the left and one on the right. The one on the left reveals a man garbed in green and purple, a bowler hat upon his head, a cane grasped in his hands, and a obvious motif of question marks.  The right reveals a woman, pale-skinned, red-haired, green-eyed, covered with plants.

"The one on the left is Edward Nigma, better known as the Riddler.  Highly intelligent, with an innate obsession towards proving his mental superiority.  His criminal pathology show that he leaves clues at the scenes of his crimes.  Some are obvious, some are more cryptic, some can be utterly archaic.  His fighting ability is limited, instead preferring to use death traps to deal with his enemies."

"The other is Poison Ivy, real name Pamela Isley.  A botanist, chemist, and manipulator of plant life.  She functions as an eco-terrorist, targeting those whom she perceives as being threatening to the planet, specifically plant life.  She's not a fighter, per se, but she uses genetically modified plants.  Despite her aversion to actual physical combat, she is a skilled gymnist, and immune to any and all toxins, at the cost of being unable to bear children."

Suddenly, a blue rectangle came up in the bottom right corner. Kira's face was in there, her body to the waist. Her hands still moved, in work, but she seemed to have something to say.

[i]"Judging from the other universes, some of that information might be a bit inaccurate. Best to give a holistic view, Wayne,"[/i] she said. Before Batman could ask, she waved him off with one hand. [i]"Remember the Justice Lords? Yeah, there's plenty of possibilities, plenty of universes. Given the nature of our Interference multiverse, I think I'll give some more info."[/i]

First, the Riddler bio was highlighted. [i]"Nygma can have a pathological need to give any kind of riddle at all. That can be anywhere. Sometimes he isn't a good fighter, but he's pretty much always got that need. Break down his riddles, and he'll lose it. Refuse to play by his rules, and he'll kill people."[/i] Then to Poison Ivy. [i]"The former Doctor Isley can fight, but almost exclusively through the use of plant life. That can be vines, trees, the works. Sometimes she can even have psychic control of them. Bottom line: Mess with her plants, and it's unlikely she will ever let it slide. Help her a bit with the plants, and she might keep a relatively nice relation. Granted, given that you've allied yourself with Batman here, it's hard to say she'll just say you're good. While she can't bear children herself, she might call her plants her children. Oh, and watch out for her toxins. They can be anything from poison to mind controlling."[/i]

Batman pauses as Kira explains about this possibility.  Something far more than just beyond the Justice Lords and this 'multiverse'?  Just how many were there?  How many possibilities?  Were there a set arbitrary number, like 52?  Or were there an infinite number, far too vast to count?  In any event, he paid attention to the additions that Kira added to the information already given.  They fit in very well.

After that, he minimizes the files on Riddler and Ivy and brings up two others, once more split left and right.  The one on the left shows a man inside a piece of armor, holding a gun, the environment cold, bleak and frozen.  The one on the right features a single man, half of his face scarred, with the rest of his wardrobe representative of his divided persona.  "The one on the left is Mr. Freeze.  Born Victor Fries, his wife contracted a devastating disease.  Using his knowledge of cryogenics, he put her into suspended animation until a cure could be found.  However, an accident occurred which left him incapable of survivng outside a sub-zero climate.  This led him to take an icy outlook on life.  His suit enhances his strength, and his cryo-gun is capable of freezing his enemies in place."

He pauses to look at the one on the right.  [i]Harvey...[/i]  "Two-Face.  Formerly Gotham District Attorney Harvey Dent, he suffers from a split personality.  One side benevolent, the other malicious.  After his face was scarred, this schism became manifest physically.  Now, he dictates his actions by means of a coin, what he sees to be the the most fair choice.  He is also obsessed with duality, often theming his crimes along the number 2.  He is an above average fighter, and extremely competent with weaponry."

K1-R4 continued the pattern. [i]"Fries will do anything to protect and help his wife, including attacking others, but can be treated as an ally in some degree. Depends on how you handle him. As for his suit.... expect anything. I wouldn't be surprised if he had multiple types of technology in there that can find you or freeze your solid at the least. I don't know his specialties in terms of science, but he can have some type of variety. If someone is going to go to him, it's probably something that he needs on ice, literally. Likely organic."[/i] Then to Dent. [i]"The former Gotham DA is very highly unpredictable unless you can steal and load his coin. Scarred side means death or at least the worst decision, unscarred is comparatively better. Still, doesn't mean it's particularly good. His dissociated personalities can actually converse and argue with one another in some cases. He also seems to have a preference for handguns, most likely two on his person at any one time. Do not try to reason with him unless you know you will get the better end of his deals, and unlikely even then."[/i]

The files on Two-Face and Freeze are minimized, making way for two more.  On the left is a feminine figure, dressed in a black cat motif, wielding a whip, jewels being held in her other hand.  The other side features a stout man, dressed impreccibly, carrying an umbrella.  "Right side is Oswald Cobblepot, otherwise known as the Penguin.  Highly intelligent, often trying to hide his criminal working under the guise of legitimate business.  He carries an umbrella with him, and many times, if not all the time, they have a gimmick attached to them, such as swordplay or firearm."

"The one on the left is Catwoman.  Born Selina Kyle, she is a thief, and where I'm from, an animal rights activist.  She's not overtly violent, but she is more than capable of defending herself, especially when it comes to her use with a whip and the claws on her outfit.  She is an adept gymnist, and is known to use her wiles to get her way."

[i]"Cobblepot has a degree of schizotypal behavior. Probably some form of inferiority complex, but he hides it through his criminal activity. Approach with caution. I don't think he's a big deal once you take care of his weapons and goons, but be careful nonetheless. And never, ever, under any circumstances let him have an umbrella, for reasons Wayne just said."[/i] A roll of her eyes as she heard the description of Catwoman. [i]"Oh, you'd know all about her wiles, wouldn't you? Not to mention some vocal similarities."[/i] Before Azumi could make a comment to either of those, she continued. [i]"One of the fastest unaltered, nonpowered humans in his work. High level of hand to hand specialization, but she's got a lot of ways to steal things. Kyle isn't as villainous as the rest, but don't trust her too far."[/i]

Those two minimize, this time brining up the last three, two on the bottom, one on the top.  The top one features a man with a burlap mask and rebreather along with a severed noose, his right hand with four needles, his left hand now adorned with a yellow right.  "Johnathan Crane, aka the Scarecrow.  Former psychologist, limited fighting ability, knowledgable with chemicals, typically using fear and illusion-inducing toxins.  However, my recent encounter with him left him with a power ring of yellow energy, which I can gather is based around fear."

He then looks at the bottom left, featuring a woman garbed in a harlequinn uniform, face painted white and wielding a revolver with a extending boxing glove coming out of it's barrel.  "Harleen Quinzel, better known as Harley Quinn.  Former psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum, she was readily targeted by the Joker as an easy associate.  She's an expert acrobat, well versed, in lethal gag weaponry, and due to a friendship with Poison Ivy, was given toxic immunity as well."

The bottom right features a figure that makes Batman scowl.  Purple suit, green hair, shark white face, the impossible grin...  "Joker.  No other known name.  Toxin immunity, knowledgable in chemistry and engineering, intelligent but extremely psychotic, and has avoided death more than once.  He has no morals, he has no respect, and he sees life as nothing but a joke."

Kira's eyes widened, then a hand came over her face. [i]"Son of a... that psychopath got a Qwardian power ring? Sinestro type? And he's out? Fan[b]tas[/b]tic, let me tell you."[/i] She sighed. [i]"That thing can make any construct he can think of, no matter what, as long as he keeps it charged. Power is dependent on the target fearing it, but he can actually produce any feared object. About the man himself, Crane has a mastery of psychology and chemistry, as he needs for his toxins. Wouldn't be surprised if he collected other types of drugs to test their effects. He uses his methods as a need for research, but it's possible he isn't insane. He's just evil. Unrestrained evil."[/i]

As Azumi's scowl, having been growing for some time, increased, the AI continued. [i]"Quinzel isn't always a very good combatant, but she's not opposed to using firearms. I don't think she's particularly good at it, though. Her reliance on the Joker helps get a lock on her, even as he outfit might change."[/i] The picture decreased its width by half, a new one popping up. This one looked similar in some degrees, with the white and black makeup, but the outfit seemed similar to a red-white-and-purple nurse's uniform, with a white cap and two blonde pigtails, the top a red corset.  [i]"She was never very smart, though, not since the Joker. Now, on to the Clown Prince of Crime himself."[/i] She crossed her arms as she spoke. [i]"Closest thing Batman has to an arch enemy. He's like any other comedian to some degree, wanting to get a laugh. Never seemed to get one from Batman here. Treat with extreme caution, but don't let him win. Never ever let him win."[/i]

A new picture came up next to him, one of a shirtless man with a green mohawk and glowing green eyes, his purple pants torn. His entire body seemed to be massive, hulking, with long claws, but some similarity.... was this the same man?  [i]"In one universe, a prominent game, a drug called Venom was used to make a new version called Titan. Same Venom on Bane, Batman."[/i] A pause. [i]"Used it on himself. I don't know about side effect, but he was returned to normal size. If you ever go to what people called the 'Arkhamverse', be careful of him. All forms have some kind of harmful laughing gas of varying lethality called Joker Venom. Again, be careful, like all of his joke-based weaponry, the joy buzzers, chattering teeth bombs, the works."[/i]

Batman nods while staring at the Titan Joker.  What he became was so hideous...  He looks down at the keyboard and begins to type again, looking up the chemical compound for Venom.  He was able to acquire a sample after an encounter with Bane.  Bane's accompanying file opens up, revealing a large and muscular figure in a full-face mask, a tube going from his head to his left wrist, where the controls for the Venom flow sit.  He was a powerful enemy, not just physically.  He was highly intelligent, as well.  Shaking his head, he turns around.

Azumi looked over the list one more time, at the different rogues, the last one... she crossed her arms. "All right, that's all good. Thanks." She thought for a moment. "Kira, upload all of this to a file outside. I'll pick it up on my way out." As the AI did so, her avatar disappearing from the monitor, the soldier crossed her arms. "Do you have any allies at all? Outside of that team, anyone I should know of? And what's this about Catwoman?" She frowned. "Do you just have a fling with half of your female enemies or something? Talia, those comments."

Batman nods and turns around, bringing up three more images:  The first is that of an ordinary man, wearing an overcoat, a badge on his chest, a revolver in his hand.  The second is that of a young man dressed in red and black, a domino mask upon his face, a cape upon his shoulders and a bo staff in his hands.  The third is that of another young man, this one garbed in blue and black, capeless, wearing a domino mask as well, but wielding twin escrima sticks.  "The first is Commissioner Gordon, A good man and head of the GCPD.  The second is Robin, and the third is Nightwing.  They've both been trained by me.  Robin is my current partner, while Nightwing has decided to strike out on his own."

Then he pauses to come up with a retort, but ALFRED is the one to speak.  [i]"In Master Bruce's defense, he is a rather dashing individual.  It is not his fault that women are attracted to him, despite their dubious moral fiber."[/i]

The woman scoffed, rolling her eyes. Was the AI programmed to compliment her trainer, then? Still, she didn't deny ALFRED's comment. "Any actual names to this Robin and Nightwing? I assume they weren't born with them, and you'd probably know your allies' names better than enemies'."

"Those are one I'd prefer to leave anonymous."

[i]"Robin's real name is Timothy Drake, while the true identity of Nightwing is Richard Grayson, although he prefers to be called 'Dick."[/i]  ALFRED's digital likeness appears on the screen, while Batman glares at the AI's image.  [i]"I know you wished for their identities to remain off-limits, but to be fair, what you've done in training her is equivalent if not superior to their training.  I dare say she is part of the family now.  All she lacks is the heroic name and the spandex outfit, which I'm sure you will no doubt create as a official welcoming token."[/i]

Azumi tilted her head, making sure to remember the names. She wouldn't comment on the "spandex outfit" quip (having told Batman about seven weeks ago that she would not have any of it, but not being against some lighter armor for faster movement), but had to ask. "Family? What family? Do you adopt people or something, like them?" She wouldn't deny, at least not internally, that she did see Batman as a slight surrogate to a father. A really messed up one, but to a degree one nonetheless. "Care to explain?" she asked the butler's AI.

[i]"Gladly.  You see, young Masters Tim and Dick were orphans due in part to tragedy.  Seeing their plight, Master Bruce brought them to live at his home.  Eventually, he relented and revealed his secret to them.  Wanting to help, they both joined him in his crusade against crime.  However, there is one other who is considered part of the family, save that she is no orphan."[/i]  With that, ALFRED's head moves to the side as another image shows up, this one of a young woman in a costume much like Batman's, her red hair flowing.  [i]"This one is Batgirl, Barbara Gordon, the daughter of the Commissioner of Gotham City.  And before you ask, no her father doesn't know her identity or that of the others."[/i]

Azumi nodded silently, her eyes lowering. She, too, as far as she knew, was an orphan. Another similarity, it seemed. After a few seconds, she took a breath, asking. "So...I'm a member, then? I mean, if I had this training... Then again, I don't know the rules."

Batman speaks up.  He'd tell her the exact same things he told Tim.  "One, you give me everything you got.  Two, then you give me even more.  And three, I make the rules."

[i]"Giving the same rules to her as you did to Master Tim?"[/i]  ALFRED shakes its head.  [i]"It means simply that his word goes.  You go against it, and you're no longer part of the family.  Some of his words includes no killing in general, an aversion to firearms, and an unerring passion to bring justice."[/i]

Azumi frowned to the list of rules, and had to make a few objections. "I can't say I'll never kill, but I'll avoid it for a human. What about the Covenant, the enemies of my world? They eat humans, go against everything, don't stop if they're knocked out. Never, not even once. And what about Heartless? Do I have any [i]choice[/i] but killing those?" Then on to the second. "Bruce, I know you hate guns, but I'm a soldier. I can't say I'll never use one. Hell, I've carried a pistol with me all this time. I don't go around firing at everyone, but I still use one." A pause. "You might not like it, but sometimes we have to use those kinds of methods. The last one I'll stand by, though."

Batman pauses for a moment before nodding.  "One word of warning though:  If you do use your gun on people, make sure it's a last resort.  And if you kill any human being, any at all, I won't hesitate to hunt you down.  Understood?"

Azumi nodded, giving a solemn salute as if to a superior officer. "Yessir." She wouldn't outright tell people to kill under her command either. Telling them to do what they have to, yes, but if that was murder, that was on them. And she wouldn't stop a killing if they deserved it in her eyes. At least she had something, though. So she spoke again.

"Thanks again, both of you. I'll stand by what I said. Do you think we should head out, or do you both have something else to discuss?"

ALFRED looks over to Batman, who looks at the digital representation of his caretaker, ally, father figure and friend.  ALFRED once more looks towards the corporal and shakes its head.  [i]"I'd dare say that we have reached that pinnacle point at this moment.  However, if you ever need advice, you can readily contact either me at any time, or Master Bruce, provided he isn't accosting an enemy or enjoying the company of..."[/i]

"That's enough, ALFRED."

[i]"I was going to say allies, but of course you decided to take it in a far more adult theme in your mind."[/i]

Azumi just rolled her eyes. It was entirely likely it was just trying to cover for itself. She held out a hand, ready to shake his. "I'll see if I can make some kind of stealth outfit on my own. Again, I'm not wearing tights."

Batman nods and strethces out his hand, grabbing a hold of Azumi's hand, giving it a firm shake.  She'd earned his respect.  More... She was family now.  "Remember what you've learned.  Never let it go.  And welcome to the family."

Azumi smiled, stepping a bit closer. She had a new family, someone to rely on. It wasn't like she enjoyed killing, so following her parameters, which seemed relatively lenient, seemed to be easy enough. Without warning, she wrapped an arm around the Dark Knight, a half of a hug, whispering, hoping ALFRED would not hear.

"I lost my parents, too, I think."

She didn't elaborate, stepping back after that slightly more intimate moment. "If you ever have something you need from me, ask. I'll tell you if I find anything on your enemies. Maybe Kira will, if she gets out every so often. I hear she can make imperfect copies of herself to keep things running here with your AI."

Batman nods after the corporal's half-hug.  It was... unexpected.  However, the information that she gave would be useful if and when the time came.  Turning around, he pauses.  "See you later."  With that, he leaves the Dataspace.  It was time to head back into the real world.  He had work to do.

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