Book One - Part One: Dark Knight

Chapter Twenty Five

In Tony's workshop, Tony's suit is now comprised of a stabiliser belt, partially chromed propulsion boots and the Mark II gauntlets. Everything connected by tubing and wires -- it looks like a crazy science experiment. Tony fires up the boots, hovers. Then he fires the gloves to stabilise. Weaving, tilting. He "surfs" mid-air, trying to maintain balance, slowly getting the hang of it. Then he ventures forward, moving along the expanse of the lab. Dodging pieces of equipment, his car collection, a few near misses -- but he maintains control. Debris and objects are blown from tables from the propulsive force. The joy of flight.

"Nothing to it..." He cuts the propulsion and lands. Looks to Jarvis. "All right. Let's get to work"

..............................

Bruce and Elena cross the newly refurbished Batcave, lit up, more high tech, holographic displays by the computer, Bruce leads through the stacks of boxes and crates. Bruce stops at a tall crate and checks the paperwork before he opens it revealing a bodysuit. A Batsuit. Her batsuit.

"Here it is: the nomex survival suit. Kevlar biweave, reinforced joints..." Elena feels the fabric of the suit.

"Bullet-proof?" she asks.

"Anything but a straight shot"

"Tear-resistant?" Bruce grabs his pen from his jacket and then hacks at the suit with it- it doesn't even mark.

"It'll stop a knife" Bruce assures her, she smirks. "Try it on" he tells her proudly.

....................

In Tony's workshop a humanoid form walks out, shrouded in shadow. Then, ceiling lights clunk on, one-by-one, revealing powerfully scaly arms and legs. Steel vertebrae. The intense glow of Tony's RT "heart" through the chest piece. Ailerons and air brakes pop up as Tony moves his head and arms, "stretching", getting the feel for his new body. The helmet -- its intrepid, steely gaze boring into us. The full-on Mark II suit. The suit hums as it powers up.

"Standby for calibration" The gauntlets and boots fire up, and Tony rises. Suddenly.. "Whoa" He loses balance, falls back onto the hood of his Saleen, crushing it. The alarm goes off. Tony kills the alarm with a blast of RT. "We should take this outside"

"I must strongly caution against that. There are terabytes of calculations still needed..." Jarvis starts to argue.

"We'll do them in-flight" Tony counters.

"Sir, the suit has not even passed a basic wind-tunnel test"

"That's why you're coming with me" Inside the helmet the HUD comes alive as Jarvis "loads" into the suit's onboard system. Tony fires boots and gauntlets again. He hovers, floating along the workshop's driveway.

"I suggest you allow me to employ Directive Four" Jarvis asks of him.

"Never interrupt me while I'm with a beautiful woman?" Tony asks.

"That's Directive Six. Directive Four: use any and all means to protect your life should you be incapable of doing so"

"Whatever floats you, Jarvis"

......................

Bruce glances up hearing the boots of the Batsuit approaching, Batwoman approaches him, in all her glory. He stands and smiles seeing her. She looks incredible.

"How do I look?" she asks, voice distorted by her mask.

"Like a bat" he comments warmly. "Batwoman" he adds, she takes a breath and nods. "I can't believe you're ready" he mumbles quietly.

"Thanks, Dad, great vote of confidence" she comments dryly.

"Oh I have every faith, just....part of me never thought this day would come, you always said you would never become this" she shrugs and looks down. "But the world needs the Bat to come back...." she nods in agreement. Behind her Nightwing approaches in his suit, he spins his Escrima sticks in his hands before sliding them onto his back.