GOTHAM CITY, 2008
HOW WAS IT you genuinely went about defining good and evil? The very essence of that question was peculiar. What is defined as morally right or corrupt? What—or who—was it that made those decisions? It was something Veronica pondered often. Looking out on the world—for all of its entirety—she had come to realize at a very young age just what was hidden behind the mask that everybody wore.
When those things had been exposed, and the paint had first started chipping away, it was almost abating. Part of her was relieved, knowing she wasn't alone with how she felt sometimes.
Though, when the first crack appeared, she was taken aback by the cruelty, the things she hadn't even thought of once before now laying barren and exposed right in front of her innocent eyes.
The day everything really began setting in, was the day death took the most important things from her, snatched them from her grasp before she could even plead for it to let them go.
She remembered that day vividly.
How couldn't she?
Since then, her perception on most everything had been skewed, abolished. Wandering the lonely streets at night, unaccompanied except by her ever so cruel thoughts, she often wondered if there was another life.
That, maybe, she would awake and find this all to be a dream, conceived only in her head.
Because there had to be, right? It didn't seem right humans could be created for this kind of endless suffering. And hell, she hadn't even endured the worst of it yet.
Hadn't endured the extent it could go.
However, throughout all of it, she knew those thoughts were childish fantasies made to comfort her somehow.
Now, standing in the foyer of Wayne Manor, hand clasped against her heart as she attempted to keep herself calm, Veronica knew.
There was no good.
At least, not truly. No one was ever good, no.
There were just those who were sinful and immoral, or somewhere above and slightly better. But never moral or virtuous. Even if there might've been someone out there who was, someone who perhaps fit the definition, she didn't ever think she would come across them.
It was the lament of morality.
All of this she began to think of once again now.
Because as if it wasn't something she should be used to by now, she had been lied to. Betrayed.
Her gaze rose from the floor and met Selinas eyes then. There was a hint of remorse there, sadness etched into her frown.
"Why?" Was all that came out of Veronica's mouth, turning to look at Bruce then. "Why did you do it?"
"I didn't mean to-"
"Bullshit!"
"Veronica!" Selina exclaimed, eyes wide and frantic.
She took a deep breath then, recalling the previous night. It had all seemed so amicable. Her and Dick together, Selina and Bruce working on plans for Arkham. It seemed...fine.
Until patrol. And then it all went to shit. Of course it did, because that was fucking life. No matter how cliche it sounded, it was the brutal honesty.
Patrol always came with risks, that much was evident.
But letting Dick get kidnapped by the Scarecrow?
Of all people?
Especially on Bruce's watch?
Now that was just appalling.
"You're supposed to be the most qualified one here, Batman. Aren't you? So tell me what the hell happened, because I sure as hell don't think Dick is stupid enough to just rush in the way you said he did!"
"We understand you're upset Veronica, but it's no reason to speak to him that way!" Selina reprimanded her. Veronica sent a glare her way, eyes boring into hers, gaze sharp.
Fuck that, she internally scoffed.
"You're not going to side with me on this? I thought you were pissed off at him, hm? I'm not stupid, I know you two have been fighting recently." She spat, animosity laced in with her words.
That seemed to shock both of the adults, neither of them speaking but rather glancing at each other and then looking away. "You're not as discreet as you both think you are. So. Tell me what really happened, Bruce. No lies."
He sighed then, dragging his bloodied and battered hands along his face. He still wore his Bat suit, having been far too concentrated on getting Dick back to change out of the cowl. Hours had already passed, hours which could mean life or death for the young boy.
"Like I said, we were on patrol. Dick seemed to notice something I hadn't yet, and then ran after it. I didn't know what he was doing, so I chased him down, naturally. Turns out, he was chasing someone down too. Before I knew it, there was smoke all around us and I had lost sight of him."
She knew he hadn't told the exact situation before.
"So how the hell do you know it was even Scarecrow?"
"I only know one person who has the type of toxin that makes you begin to see your worst fears."
"But I don't understand, Dick wouldn't just rush in-"
"Maybe he didn't, Veronica." Selina spoke up, eyes alight with realization as she walked over to the Bat computer. "We're dealing with Fear Toxin here. Who's to say he wasn't hit with it before Bruce was?"
"Doesn't the Scarecrow have to inject it himself, though? Through a syringe?" Veronica questioned, eyes narrowed and a skeptical tone to her voice. She went to stand beside Selina.
"It's been awhile since we last saw him, doll. It's possible he created other ways to administer it. We can't forget how intelligent Crane is. Besides, if he can make it appear in a smoke cloud now, which it's safe to say he has, maybe, he's come up a lot of other ways. It makes sense." She tapped on the screen, and a blueprint of what Veronica knew to be Arkham appeared. "It's possible he has an inside person, and if we know Scarecrow, I wouldn't put it past him to have used said toxin on someone from the Asylum in order to do his bidding. Get his hands on the technology inside it."
"But, if he's upgraded it to the point it can do all of that, what will happen to Dick?" The dread began to resurface, panic burning its way through her like an acid. She could only laugh pitifully on the inside, however. How unlucky were they? First her getting kidnapped, and now Dick. She really could only chuckle at how fickle it was.
Selina glanced at Veronica, then. Her eyes that glistened with sadness and despair, unable to bear telling the truth of what she knew of the dire situation. It was like a parallel, and she recalled how Dick had looked the same way when Veronica had been taken. "You don't have to worry about that. He'll be okay. We'll make sure of it." There was no certainty of that, but what else could she say?
Veronicas gaze dropped to the floor, not a word spoken.
Turning to Bruce then, Selina nodded, a moment of understanding shared between them. "I'm going to get suited up."
Veronica's head shot up, "What about me?"
"You're staying here. It's safest."
Aghast at the mere suggestion, Veronica shook her head harshly, eyes wild and frantic. "No! I'm coming with." She began to walk over to where her suit was displayed, but Bruce grabbed her arm.
"Veronica, I understand I might be the last person you want to listen to right now. But you need to stay here. Dick would want you safe. You're too emotional right now, the perfect target for the toxin."
"Are you kidding? I'm coming with you two."
With a sigh, Bruce nodded, and Alfred emerged from the corner. She hadn't even noticed he was there. Alfred took her arms then, holding her back. He was gentle in a way, but yet his hands duplicated the strength of steel.
"Good luck, Master Bruce."
Bruce just nodded back solemnly, him and Selina walking away, leaving Veronica behind.
She struggled against Alfreds arms, hoarse cries leaving her lips.
"Let me go! Please, Alfred! I need to help him!"
Her pleads were futile, and all she was left with was a crumbling resolve as she watched them speed out of the BatCave in Bruce's car.