True_Falsity
Selected Sat, Feb 11, 2023
“Well, you could still-“
“I am not perfect,” Bruce said. “I know that I could be doing better. I also know that punching bad guys isn’t the long-term solution. Believe it or not, but I do know that.”
The Dark Knight sat back into his chair, looking much more tired than you expected from him.
“But Gotham doesn’t always give us the time for long-term plans. Someone has to put out the fires as they come.”
You scowl, holding onto the idea that you knew better.
“Bullshit!” You spat, refusing to see a person. Bruce Wayne was a symbol of rich and powerful making the world their personal playground. “If you had just invested in research of someone like Crane-“
“Crane?” Wayne laughs. Bitterly. “Did you just suggest I give money to Crane?”
You roll your eyes. Of course, he would never see the potential in his villains. He was a bully.
“Yes, if you gave him money to work on Fear Toxin, he would have created cure for anxiety and phobias!”
The silence reigns over the cave. You know that you have won this one.
“… You do realise that Crane is not interested in curing or helping anyone, right? You do know that he was fired from his job as a professor at Gotham University for firing a gun in the class?”
You shrug. That was not important to you.
“He could still help.”
“He doesn’t want to help anyone,” Wayne shakes his head. “If he did, he would attend therapy to improve himself.”
“Fine!” You spat and switch the topic. “Then what about Poison Ivy? Huh?! She wants to make the world a green paradise!”
“At the cost of humanity. I have offered her grants and support of Wayne Enterprises in developing the sustainable practices. But she believes that wiping out people and replacing them with plants is better.”
“Riddler? Two-Face? Mr. Freeze?”
“Riddler only cares about proving himself the smartest. Harvey and Victor are in desperate need of help.”
“And yet you beat on them like a bully!”
You smile smug and confident in your moral victory.
“I do so only when they threaten innocent lives. Their personal problems are not the excuse to endanger or harm others.”
You seethe, trying to find anything that could you hold onto your white horse.
In the end, all you can do is say:
“You could still do more.”
And, in the calmest voice possible, Wayne looks you in the eyes and says:
“I always do.”
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Submitted by True_Falsity on Wed, Feb 08, 2023 to /r/WritingPrompts/
Full submission hereThe prompt
"Batman, you should really be helping the city by donating your wealth instead of wasting it on this crime fighting thing" "What are you talking about? I am literally the biggest donator in the city, I run multiple orphanages, I own basically every hospital in the city, WHY DO PEOPLE THINK TH-"
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