Cultivating in a Gothic City (DC OC-Insert)

[Fullyautomagic]

Cultivating in a Gothic City (DC OC-Insert)

Chapter One: A Catty Encounter​

There's a genre of fiction in which the main characters undergo a process called "Cultivation", where they pretty much sit down in a nice spiritual area and begin taking in universal energies, expanding their own reserves and gaining new abilities. They also accomplished this through alchemy, and absorbing the essence of slain magical beasts... I unfortunately didn't have access to any of the previously listed Cultivation methods, so things had been quite slow-going for me.

...but no more! I'd finally cultivated to the point that I attained and Olympian-level physique, and I could get what was most important for a new cultivator, money!

While many would see being stuck in Gotham as a disadvantage, I chose to see it as a place where I could operate guilt-free! Almost every other week I saw an array of henchman-driven vehicles careening down the street stuffed to the brim with ill-gotten goods and illegal substances. Today I was going to ill-get some goods of my own, but not from a bank, oh no. I don't want old Bats coming and snapping my spine non-lethally, instead I'd be targeting a 'casino'. I put casino in quotes since many of these places seem to be more auction-houses for high-powered weaponry and distribution centers for drugs than any house of gambling.

I cobbled together a costume from the bargain bin in a somehow still-functioning Halloween store and snuck my way there through the alleys of Gotham, avoiding any security cameras and guards with expert precision. Luckily for me, it seemed I arrived just as the shifts were changing.

I waited for the other two to leave before sneaking my way behind the remaining door guards, considering what would be the most effective way of incapacitating them... I grabbed their heads and smacked them together, then tied them up with a roll of duct tape.

Truly, my tactical genius knows no bounds.

I used one of their ID badges to get in and made my way towards the storage area, smiling to myself as I arrived at my destination. I was just about to start grabbing a few of the goods when a hand somehow made its way onto my shoulder without me noticing.

I turned around with shock in my eyes and- oh my...

My cheeks turned crimson underneath my mask as I tried to avoid staring at the tight-fitting costume of the cat burglar staring at me with with a smirk.

"Now, what is a cutie like you doing in a place like this?" She asked, letting out a chuckle as I turned away.

"T-that's none of your concern." I replied quietly, bumping into an antique table as I tried backing away from her.

She laughed and said, "Don't be so shy, dear. We're in the same business, aren't we?"

I frowned and said, "I-I don't usually do this sort of thing!"

She gave me another smirk, "That's what they say in the beginning~ Anyways, I'm here for something very specific, so don't you worry about me interrupting. If I was you, I'd look in that bag over there. It's got some interesting gemstones~!"

I let out a small gasp and did as she said, digging into the back to find boxes of rings and necklaces. I turned around to thank her, but stopped as I saw her biting her lower lip. I realized the position I was in and let out a squeak before standing straight up, "I-I'm going to be leaving now!"

She laughed at me the entire way out... despite getting away with what was likely tens of thousands of dollars worth of jewelry, I still somehow feel like I lost.

-0-0-0-0-0-
​

A/N: While the mechanics themselves probably won't come up in the story. I'm writing this as a test run of the mechanics I'm using for an RP I'm planning. Hopefully you guys are able to enjoy the story elements as well. ^-^

 

[Fullyautomagic]

Cultivating in a Gothic City (DC OC-Insert)

Chapter Two: Day Job Despair​

I shoved the door open and tossed the bag of goodies to the side, letting myself collapse onto the couch with a heavy sigh. Normally I'd be a bit more enthusiastic about getting my hands on several-thousands of dollars worth of goods, but I knew that they wouldn't be very useful for me in the short-term. After all, it's not like I can just go to any random pawn shop and sell these. Though this is Gotham... no! The people running the place I just robbed would probably be looking for that sort of thing, and while I'd probably get away with my life, it'd set my progress back a lot.

I got up and marched my way over to the stack of newspapers I'd been using to document the big players in the Underworld of Gotham, and started searching for any thieves similar to the one I'd encountered. Catwoman, eh? I guess those things on her head could've been ears, but she seemed more like a dominatrix than anything cat related...

Nevertheless, she had a high-probability of being someone very useful to me, especially since she didn't seem territorial about things at all when we ended up robbing the same place. If I encounter her again, I'll ask her about some willing to fence my goods and be quiet about it. Heck, I might even be able to collaborate with her and find another location or two to rob, or get her to assist me in cracking a particularly difficult location.

I blinked suddenly, realizing she'd managed to make her way into the 'casino' without having to knock out any of the guards. She'd be very very useful indeed.

Still, none of this was useful to me now. All I could really do was prepare a weak medicinal bath and get ready to head off to work in the morning at a WayneCorp Laboratory. As a janitor, not a scientist, but that's no reason not to be proud of my work. Especially considering the fact that I had no legal evidence of any education in this world, with only WayneCorps generous social programs letting me get a job with legitimate income.

It was only that generosity that prevented me from considering that lab as a possible target, it just wouldn't feel right to steal from those who'd helped me so much. No matter how much those rare plants and medicinal herbs called out to me.

Instead of acting on my desires, I started drawing myself a bath and dropping in a few herbs and flowers I'd bought from a nearby market. They didn't really do much to increase my cultivation, but anything was better than just sitting in silence and absorbing the meagre spiritual energies Gotham could provide.

I closed my eyes and brought up a mental image of my 'soul', showing me the variety of paths I could progress down if only I had more power available. So far I'd just been giving my body a few generic boost, from that of a professional athlete to someone who could receive a medal in any Olympic category they participated in. In fact, I was just a bit off from reaching the power of a 'Peak Human' which... wouldn't be the description I'd use if I was telling someone else about this ability.

Then again, in this world Peak Human apparently meant someone able to survive being pummeled with superhuman strength and having the ability to kick down a brick wall, so it wasn't like it was inaccurate.

Ignoring that for now, I took a look at the vague previews of Mystical Techniques I could use one I finished upgrading my body to the height of the Mortal Realm. After that, I'd only be able to improve my body once I hit the Awakened Realm. Once I reached Peak Human I'd be about... halfway to reaching the Awakened Realm. I could use the rest of the cultivation gathered on all sorts of abilities in the meantime~

While Mystical Techniques sounded pretty exciting... it'd be much more practical to go for some Martial Techniques instead. Even though I could technically learn them through practice in real life... I didn't wanna waste the time doing so. I could spend a decade or two getting to the level of a Master in a single Martial Art, or reach a near omni-disciplinary mastery of mortal martial arts with only about four months of cultivation.

I'd probably just spend a month and a half to reach the level of an intermediate fighter though, because over in the Body Alteration tree were a few abilities that could give me the power to immediately heal injuries, or remove diseases outright. Wait, there's an option for a low-rank Qi Core in the Body Alteration tree.

Gosh darn it. I was gonna have to get that first if I wanted to use any Mystical Techniques, wasn't I?

Ah well, that still gave me a goal to work towards. My plan is gonna be to finally finish reaching Peak Human, start working towards Amateur Combatant, pick up a Qi Core, and get the ability to heal wounds. After that I'd be at the level of an Awakened Cultivator, and I'd have much more power to work with~!

Though for now, I needed to get out of bath and rest well for work tomorrow. There's never a peaceful day in a WayneCorp lab, after all.

-0-0-0-​

I greeted the receptionist at the front desk with a friendly smile and made my way towards the janitorial meeting room, where I was assigned to the experiment rooms in Floor 2.

One of my fellow sanitation workers winced and said, "You'll need a lot of cleaning solution. I heard one of the rooms ended up scorched after they played around with one of the Jokers toys."

I blinked in surprise, "And they're not sending in a hazmat team to take care of it? I thought he had that laughing gas that killed people."

He let out a chuckle and said, "Nah, it's one of his more 'benign' little tricks. The closest barely got second degree burns, and there were no deaths."

I let out a sigh and said, "Can I have a facemask anyways? I don't wanna breathe in any leftover fumes."

The supervisor nodded and left us to get all the supplies we needed, heading off to do... whatever it is he does when he's not ordering us around.

I'd been scrubbing away at the walls for a few hours when an alarm suddenly went off, and one of the lab workers burst into the room breathing heavily.

As he peeked around the edge of the doorframe, I approached quietly and asked him if he was okay.

"Gah! No, of course not! The gottdamn Scarecrow is attacking and you're asking if I'm okay?"!" He shouted incredulously, shaking nervously as he backed away from the door.

I raised and eyebrow and said, "The Scarecrow?"

He stared at me for a few seconds and said, "You're a recent arrival in Gotham, aren't you?"

I nodded and said, "I only really know about the major players. Folks like the Joker, Poison Ivy, the Penguin, and Killer Croc."

His eyes narrowed and he said, "There's... quite a few missing spots there, miss. I'd recommend stopping by the library and asking for a briefing on the villain situation with Gotham. It's always useful to know what dangers you might face next in this damn city."

I nodded again and gave a peek around the doorway myself, "So, what's this Scarecrow guys gimmick?"

He shuddered and replied simply with, "Fear Toxin."

"...he makes people scared?" I asked, fishing for a little more clarification than that.

"The Fear Toxin doesn't just make people scared! It's a potent hallucinogenic that brings out the worst fears in people, yanking out their deepest and darkest memories for all to see!" He said, starting to hyperventilate a bit.

I gave a 'hmm' of interest and considered this information... and the striking similarity it had to many methods of cultivation I'd read about in books before I arrived here. Would it... no... but maybe?

I've gotta try it out.

"Hey, I'm gonna try getting some help. I'm a pretty fast runner." I said, smiling confidently and marching my way past the door.

"What? You crazy girl! Don't even think about doing that, he'll gut you like a fish if he spots you trapped in his Fear Toxin." He shouted, desperately trying to convince me not to go.

I just gave him a grin and said, "Don't worry, I've got a facemask. I should be good!"

Before he could force out a response, I dashed down the hallway at Olympic speeds and made my way towards the slowly expanding cloud of green gas. I grinned again as I found a particularly dense concentration of it and found a nice out-of-the-way corner I could start cultivating in. Crossing my legs into a lotus position, I waited for the fumes to wash over me and begin their assault on my mind.

It was actually a pretty terrible experience overall, would not recommend. But nonetheless, my body immediately began fighting off the mind-altering substance, pushing out impurities alongside a neutralized version of the toxin. Even better, the small boost was just enough to increase my cultivation and let me unlock an even better physique than before. Even though I had to give up the possibility of moving things with my mind, or firing out blasts of energy from my palms, I made the difficult decision of being practical and directed the energies towards improving my body.

I did so just in time to barely resist a scythe blade dragging itself along my back.

"OUCH! You jerk! What the heck is wrong with you?" I exclaimed angrily, standing up and backing away from the creepily-masked man.

"Oh? Someone resistant to my toxin. I'll need to update it further after today." He muttered to himself, swaying on his feet as he stared forward unerringly. "Tell me where the chemicals are stored girl, and I'll let you die quickly."

I let out a laugh and said, "Jokes on you, I have no idea where the chemicals are stored!"

"Unless you mean the cleaning chemicals." I added. "But you could probably grab those from a grocery store, so I assume that's not what you meant."

"...a-anyways! You're getting a bit ahead of yourself. How about I kick your butt and turn you in to the police instead?" I said, getting into a terrible approximation of a boxers stance.

I blinked once, and in that time his blade flew forward to be mere inches away from my face, my recently-upgraded body only having barely managed to react in time to bat it away. This situation was pretty bad, I'd assumed I'd be able to easily handle him with the strength of a Peak Human, but I guess there's a reason Batman hadn't put that jerk in prison yet.

Spotting a nearby mop, I snapped off the cleaning end and aimed the jagged piece of wood at the Scarecrow, grimacing as he sway in such a way that I almost felt sick trying to find an opportunity to thrust forward. I took too long and instead he went on the offensive, slicing my spear clean in half, but also giving it a nice edge. As I turned to face him again, I tossed the spread forward, grazing his scythe arm and causing his grip on the weapon to loosen the slightest amount.

"Ha! You should surrender, I can go all day. Not so sure about an old guy like you." I said, smirking confiden-

Oh wow, there's a blade in my ribcage.

I spat blood onto the floor and held onto tight to the steel shaft of the scythe, not letting that Scarecrow jerk retrieve his weapon. Eventually, my superior physique and youth won out, with my yanking it out of his grasp and withdrawing it from my lung all at once. On a side note, it seems Peak Humans can survive with a single functioning lung.

I breathed out heavily and said, "Okay, now you should definitely surrender."

I barely managed to lift the scythe into the air when he turned tail and ran away.

Well then, I'm heading home for a shower. With all the foul-smelling impurities and crimson viscera staining my shirt, I really needed one. Hopefully I wouldn't be interrupted on the way back.

 

[Fullyautomagic]

Cultivating in a Gothic City (DC OC-Insert)

Chapter Three: A Short Vacation and Scheming in the Dark​

I was heading towards the exit when I realized I should probably stay behind and give a statement to the GCPD, or at least let my supervisor know I'd be going home for the rest of the day. Instead of heading home for a refreshing shower, I sat down in the middle of the residue-covered hallway and started fiddling around with the scythe. Quite conveniently, I discovered a collapsibility function just before the arrival of the GCPD and WayneCorp security forces.

"Are you alright, ma'am?" One of the armored men asked warily, eyeing the red spots that stained my uniform. "The Scarecrow came through here, did he hurt you in any way?"

I gave him a smile and flexed my right arm, "Nah, me and my littles buddies here show him what for and chased him away!"

"...right." He said after a few seconds of staring at me.

One of the attached medics came and started leading me to a fortified section of the lab while the rest of them continued marching ahead to clear the rest of the rooms. I'd expected treatment upon arrival, but I quickly realized that such a thing would not be happening. The reason for this was the dozens of beds covered in maimed men and women, alongside those who were strapped down to keep from clawing out their own eyes. In fact, it seemed like I was the only one so far who hadn't been harmed in some way by the Scarecrow's attack. In a significant and lasting manner that is, a blade in the lung certainly qualifies as harm after all.

Once they saw I was fine for the most part, I was simply pushed into a De-Con room to get rid of the remaining residue and was given leave for the rest of the week. That was fortunate for me, it gave me plenty more time to cultivate and possibly look for a fence!

-0-0-0-

The Iceberg Lounge​

Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot sat quietly in contemplation, allowing a nearby waitress to refill his glass as his henchmen gave ever more excuses on why they still hadn't managed to stop his feline foe from continuing her thieving ways on his establishments. It was only the fact that the past three men he assigned to this task had also failed which prevented him from ordering another death be added to Gotham's staggering murder statistics.

"It was a clean job." Frank Murphy said quietly, handing his boss a sheaf of papers detailing the missing goods. "In and out without a trace. She nearly took the Cat's Claw we spent so much trouble getting our hands on."

"Nearly?" Cobblepot asked, lifting an intrigued eyebrow.

Murphy chuckled and said, "I had it remove from the place. I've been noticing a pattern in her movements, and I used last night to test out my theory. If it wasn't just a coincidence, we might be able to catch the cat the next time she tries ripping us off."

Cobblepot would've smiled at the thought of finally stopping that woman from ruining his auctions, but he was perceptive enough to notice one of Murphy's boys shuffling nervously behind him. Now, it could've been a simple mistake the boy had made while working for him, but the shuffling had only begun after Murphy told him of last night's events...

Raising his hand to silence Murphy's ramblings, he pointed at the boy and asked his question, "Why so nervous, boy? Do you happen to know something that contradicts Mr. Murphy's version of events?"

The boy gulped nervously under the combined stares of his boss and his boss's boss, "I-it's really nothing sir."

"I think I'll be the one to decide that. Now speak, boy." Cobblepot insisted.

"R-right! Well, I noticed that this robbery was a bit... clumsy, for lack of a better word." He answered.

Cobblepot clasped his hands together and asked, "How so?"

"Well, two of the guards were knocked out. Catwoman usually manages to get into places without being spotted by anyone at all, a-and she usually only targets a single object. Along with the main auction item, there's a sack of antique jewelry missing from our inventory." the boy clarified.

Cobblepot took that in and dismissed his men, thinking about whether Catwoman had taken on a new apprentice, or if the thief this time was someone else altogether. Well, he'd know soon enough.

-0-0-0-​

I let out a groan as I let my feet sink into the miniature medicinal bath I'd made. I reached over to turn on the t.v. and I began applying some healing paste to my wounds. Hopefully I would be able to do away with this lower-tier stuff soon, the money from the jewelry would be enough for me to actually start making some effective cultivation boosters and healing concoctions... though I should probably unlock an alchemical ability before I go into any of the insane stuff.

Gosh, there's just so much that I need to do. From actually finding a buyer for the jewelry, to getting some actual skill in combat, and then going further to unlock the more esoteric abilities of cultivation.

I grabbed the sack of jewelry and started looking through it to see if there were any materials I could use to craft magical items once I grabbed that ability as well.

...a jade bracelet, huh? Jade items are supposed to be pretty useful when it comes to cultivation, I might as well try this one out!

Almost as soon as I slipped the bracelet on, I felt the flow of universal energies into my body near double. Dang, this is some pretty good stuff!

I chuckled and leaned back on the couch, switching over to channel 52 and increasing the volume.

The TV crackled on, showing a frozen food commercial only to be cut off by a sudden news bulletin, "In a move that has shocked and delighted the people of Gotham, disgraced psychologist Jonathan Crane has been brought down by none other than the Batman himself! More well-known by his alias of the Scarecrow, Crane is facing dozens of counts of murder, assault, and robbery. While the police department may not show you the appreciation you deserve, the people of Gotham will always be grateful for what you've done, Batman."

I blinked slowly and crossed my arms with a pout, "I helped too..."

-0-0-0-0-0-
​

A/N: Since one of the reasons I've been writing this story is to test out an RP System I wanna run, I thought I might as well show you guys the character sheet I'm using. Now you can also know the character's name and appearance!

Spoiler: Character Sheet

Name: Emily Watson

Appearance:

Spoiler

Height: 5' 10''/178cm (Original Height: 5' 2"/157cm)

Cultivation: 10.8 (+.5/week)
-Realm: Mortal II

Spoiler: Abilities Unlocked:

Mortal Realm Abilities:
-2pt, All-Encompassing Athlete (Self): You have the capability to become a top-tier player of any sport.
-3pt, Omnidisciplinary Olympian (Self): You have the capability to earn a medal in any category of the Olympics, assuming you know the rules to said category.
-5pt, Peak Human (Self): You can perform any physical activity with 100% of your body's strength, and are at the very peak of what humanity can achieve.

Inventory:
-Jade Bracelet (+.2 Cultivation/week)

 

[Paloneia]

I love cultivation stories, and a story like this is something I have been looking for for a long time. I look forward to more in the future!

 

[irontony9065]

Watched.

Looks good. Hope to see more.

 

[Fullyautomagic]

Cultivating in a Gothic City (DC OC-Insert)

Chapter Four: Preparing for the Future​

Though I didn't expect work at the lab to start up again for at least a few weeks, I still decided to drop by and see whether they needed me to give any further statements to the police and check on the slim possibility that they did in fact want me to start work right away. I'm very glad I did so, as apparently Mr. Wayne felt a bit guilty that we'd all gotten hurt while working for him and as such had decided to give us all a $1000 bonus alongside an offer to pay for any medical bills we may have accrued as a result of the attack.

Since I didn't have any work to do for the next few weeks, I decided I may as well drop by the Asian Market. With this trip I could kill two birds with one stone, picking up some groceries and the supplies needed to make myself a few cultivation boosters.

While it was a particularly boring method of cultivation, soaking in a medicinal bath for most of my break would probably be the best course of action to take. For this I would need plenty of ling zhi, ginseng, and a couple of luohan guo. I would go ahead and get some supplies for cultivation pills too, but I was afraid I'd end up injuring my meridians from having so much energy flow through them.

No, it was far better to acclimate my self to the increased flow and save the booster combinations for when I unlock the skills to make sure such a thing won't end up crippling my progress.

-0-0-0-

The Market​

Almost as soon as I stepped foot into the store I was greeted by the smiling visage of Mr. Zheng, "Ah, Ms. Watson! It's so wonderful to see you again. Please, come and sit with me. I'll prepare us some tea."

I smiled back and gestured for him to sit back down, "It's nice to see you too, Mr. Zheng. Thanks for the offer, but I'm only here to pick up a few groceries and and see if you had anything interesting come by. How's Ms. Zheng been?"

He smiled widely and went over to resume his work, "Absolutely wonderful! She hasn't felt any pain from her leg for days, soon she might even start helping me man the store again."

I walked over with a grin and started helping him stack the crates of produce, "That's great! Tell her I'm glad she's been recovering so well."

"Oh, I'll be sure to! After all, she wouldn't have had the chance to recover if you hadn't been there to scare those goons away." Mr. Zheng said, bowing his head gratefully.

I chuckled in embarrassment and waved it off, "Don't worry about it, I just did what anyone else would've done."

He gave me a sad smile and said, "Not in Gotham, Emily. Not in Gotham."

We silently continued to stack the crates for a few minutes, Mr. Zheng eventually giving up and taking a rest as he saw I was transporting a dozen for every one he carried.

"Well, onto brighter news. I have something you might be interested in." He said, giving me a cheeky grin as he made his way into the storage area of the shop.

After a few seconds of anticipation, he walked out with a ginseng root held in his hands, "This plant has been harvested after over a century of living on this Earth. I know you love traditional medicines, so I bought it as soon as I saw it and set it aside for you."

I grinned and went over to take a look, "How much do you want for it, Mr. Zheng?"

He did a few mental calculations, and eventually came to an answer of, "Ninety-five dollars."

I winced as I heard the price, but I steeled myself and took out the money needed to buy it. While I wasn't skilled enough in alchemy to bring out its full potential, I knew it would still provide me with a significant increase in cultivation.

After buying the root, I grabbed a few more essentials (instant rice noodles and soda) and started making my way home. On the way there I saw a new store had opened up, one offering to buy what little gold and silver the residents of Gotham had at reasonable (ridiculous) prices. Normally I would've ignored it and carried on my day, but I felt it had a certain lack of... scruples, that would be quite convenient for me.

After dropping my groceries off, I picked out a handful of the least detailed and expensive looking silver jewelry and headed back to the store. Giving the attendant a $50 bribe, I melted that handful down into a $450 chunk of silver, which I ended up selling for a mere $300. The end profit was about $250, after I took out the cost of the bribe.

This... wasn't sustainable. I didn't rob a criminal organization's auction house just to earn pitiful sums like this! I desperately needed to find a fence I could rely on to sell my goods without also stabbing me in the back right away. I could talk to Catwoman about it, but there was no way I could come across her again so soon... was there?

 

[Ethan Eldritch]

This is something special I hope your muse won't abandon you during this fic

 

[Modus_Tollens]

I haven't a damn clue how the mechanics of this mess work, but I'm definitely reading this fic. I can't really make a full judgement call until I see what the dialog is going to look like, its nearly all internal monologue right now, but so far its hitting the right buttons besides my general in medias res confusion.

 

[Paloneia]

What cultivation style are you using for this? There are many different kinds, and I can't tell right now which one you are using. Also, Gotham is just a horrible place isn't it? I'm surprised your character hasn't left for a better place.

 

[Fullyautomagic]

I haven't a damn clue how the mechanics of this mess work, but I'm definitely reading this fic. I can't really make a full judgement call until I see what the dialog is going to look like, its nearly all internal monologue right now, but so far its hitting the right buttons besides my general in medias res confusion.

Click to shrink...

What cultivation style are you using for this? There are many different kinds, and I can't tell right now which one you are using. Also, Gotham is just a horrible place isn't it? I'm surprised your character hasn't left for a better place.

Click to shrink...

The cultivation style is fairly standard, where one meditates to draw in spiritual energies and expand their Qi. Where things differ is that within the soul and body of the cultivator are certain paths they can travel down, similar to a Dao. They gather enough cultivation to unlock certain abilities as they travel down these paths, rather than it simply being an overall upgrade.

They can improve their rate of cultivation through the assistance of Artifacts and alchemical Cultivation Boosters. They can also absorb the essence of magical beasts, but that probably won't happen often in this story.

As for Gotham, it's not mentioned explicitly in the story but she's not really from around here, if you catch my drift. She started from scratch, but thanks to WayneCorp's social outreach programs she's been able to build up a life for herself. Sure, she could head off somewhere safer and cleaner, but she's gotten used to Gotham. Don't worry though, later on in the story she will explore more of the world.

 

[Ethan Eldritch]

So i think you might like
A Mediocre Supreme Cultivator
by Litrpg101
On Royal Road

 

[Fullyautomagic]

Cultivating in a Gothic City (DC OC-Insert)

Chapter Five: Cultivating Abilities and Making an Appointment


The Tower of Fate

Salem, Massachusetts​

Kent Nelson was a tired man, one ready to give up the mantle of Doctor Fate and join his wife in the afterlife. He knew though, that no other would be able to restrain Nabu's actions as well as he. The Lord of Order meant well, but his definition of peace and order was a bit past what Nelson found acceptable. As such, he would have to continue protecting the world from mystic threats within and without.

With Nabu on his side, there was nothing he couldn't face.

'NELSON.' Nabu spoke into his mind from afar, violating the agreement they'd made decades ago to only use telepathy when he donned the Mantle of Fate. 'THERE IS A THREAT BEYOND ALL THAT WE HAVE FACED. IF WE DO NOT DESTROY IT NOW, ORDER MAY NEVER REIGN AGAIN.'

He gave the Helmet a grunt and began walking over, using his cane to support himself, "This must really have you shaken, Nabu. If it's made you disregard our agreement so easily."

While he was more than willing to help Nabu defeat threats to Earth, Nelson always took advantage of any opportunity to improve the terms of their agreement and possibly curtail his control over any further bearers of the mantle of Fate.

'THIS IS NOT A GAME, NELSON. WE MUST ANNIHILATE THE CULTIVATOR BEFORE THEY BECOME TOO POWERFUL.' Nabu said, his voice as emotionless as ever.

"Yeah, and what's in it for me?" Nelson said with a grin.

'...I WILL ALLOW THE NEXT BEARER A DAY EACH WEEK TO REMOVE THE MANTLE OF FATE.' Nabu replied.

"Damn, this really has you shaken! It's a deal then. Now, where are we headed?" Nelson said, donning the Amulet of Anubis and the Cloak of Destiny.

'THE CULTIVATOR IS HIDDEN FROM VIEW. YOU WILL NEED TO ASK YOUR FRIENDS IN THE JUSTICE LEAGUE FOR ASSISTANCE.' Nabu answered.

Nelson stopped putting on his uniform and said, "Well, that'll probably take a while. In the meantime, why don't you tell me what a 'cultivator' is?"

Nabu did so, and Nelson frowned.

-0-0-0-

Big Belly Burger, Gotham City​

I let out an annoyed sigh as the latest lead in my quest to find Catwoman down came up negative. Who would've thought that tracking down an internationally-wanted criminal would be such a difficult task? I was about to give up when I spotted an interesting article in the newspaper, one that I'm sure she would've been intrigued by as well.

Apparently Gotham was making the, rather foolish in my opinion, decision to hold an exhibit on the history of cats throughout human society. Why they'd do it in the city Catwoman calls home, I have no idea. But what I did know is that it was the perfect opportunity to meet up with her and set up an appointment for us to talk shop, and maybe even discuss the possibility of future partnerships.

So far the only wrinkle in my plan was that the exhibit was still a few weeks away, though it did give me the chance to build my abilities up a bit more before giving her my cooperation pitch.

Actually, just during my break from working at WayneCorp I'd gotten to the third and final level of Mortal Realm Cultivators. I wouldn't call my new skill in martial arts anything special, but they were greatly enhanced by my sheer speed and physical strength. In addition to that, I'd gotten a special technique that let me lock up people's meridians and prevent them from moving that section of their body for at least a few minutes. Great for tight situations where I didn't want to go lethal on those surrounding me.

Next, I'd-

"Ma'am, what's your order?" The cashier asked, looking around at the annoyed people standing behind me.

"Oh! Uh, I just want a large Big Belly Burger combo, please." I replied with a nervous grin.

"Alright, here's your receipt and drink. We'll call you over when your order is ready." She said, gesturing for the next person to step forward.

I walked over to a window booth and began sipping at my Zesti Cola, watching as a police car sped by. I often wondered what exactly Gotham used to be like if this is the sort of place it was after Bruce Wayne decided to direct his fortune towards social programs and bringing jobs back to the city. Well, I didn't actually have to wonder that. His billionaire parents were killed in the street during a mugging! That's pretty much all you need to hear when it comes to what Gotham was like back in the day.

Sadly, even now crime was rampant. The place I was staying in before my current apartment had a robbery take place every other week, and it was probably my lack of material possessions that prevented me from being a victim of thievery as well.

I guess it's a bit hypocritical to complain about that though, considering just what sort of plans were going through my mind just a few minutes ago. Luckily, I was able to justify those crimes to myself by pointing out that nobody I robbed was really hurt by it, as opposed to the regular citizens of Gotham to have to fear muggings once it reaches a certain hour at night.

...could I do something to help? I mean sure, there's Batman and his bud Robin. But were two people really enough to protect all of Gotham? The police force is still going through major reforms under Commissioner Gordon, somebody really had to step up!

I continued thinking this over and I went to pick up my meal, and came to a decision. In my current state, there's not much I can really do. After all, Batman and Robin aren't just strong or athletic, they've got themselves gear that's probably worth tens of thousands! While I'm a pretty dangerous opponent to the average street thug, I need to improve myself greatly if I want to face them in high numbers or go up against any of the superpowered gangsters of Gotham.

The second level of the Awakened Realm. That's when I'll start going out of my way to help people on the streets.

Heh, what sort of name should I give myself? Cultivator has a nice ring to it, but there probably aren't that many people who would get it. Well, that's a problem for the future me. The current me is gonna eat a nice burger and prepare for work tomorrow morning.

Soon though, the world will know my name!

-0-0-0-0-0-​

We should see a lot more action and character interaction in the next few chapters, hopefully you guys like what I have planned.

Spoiler: Updated Character Sheet

Name: Emily Watson

Appearance:

Spoiler

Height: 5' 10''/178cm (Original Height: 5' 2"/157cm)

Cultivation: 15.3 (+.5/week)
-Realm: Mortal III

Spoiler: Abilities Unlocked:

Mortal Realm Abilities:

Spoiler: Body Alteration

-2pt, All-Encompassing Athlete (Self): You have the capability to become a top-tier player of any sport.
-3pt, Omnidisciplinary Olympian (Self): You have the capability to earn a medal in any category of the Olympics, assuming you know the rules to said category.
-5pt, Peak Human (Self): You can perform any physical activity with 100% of your body's strength, and are at the very peak of what a humanity can achieve.

Spoiler: Martial Techniques

-3pt, Amateur Combatant: You have the close-quarters combat capability of a top-level Mixed Martial Artist or student of Kung Fu.
-2pt, Pressure Point Poke: Rather than relying on overwhelming strength, this move requires high levels of finesse and dexterity. Upon striking weaker opponents in their pressure points, they can be stunned or outright paralyzed in the respective muscle group.

Inventory:
-Jade Bracelet (+.2 Cultivation/week)

 

[Paloneia]

So, rather than make peaceful diplomatic contact, doctor fate is going to attempt to kill you, thus likely setting you on a path of villainy, cause that is a sound plan with no flaws what so ever. Nabu is not that bright is he.

 

[Fullyautomagic]

Cultivating in a Gothic City (DC OC-Insert)

Chapter Six: Bats and Cats​

I let a smile adorn my face as I sat down on a bench across the street from the Central Gotham Museum of History. It had been a tedious three weeks waiting for this day, but it was all worth it for the opportunity to finally start moving up in the world. Pretending to be a curious museumgoer with more money than sense, I'd managed to bribe one of the curators into telling me exactly when they'd start setting up the exhibit for the grand opening.

I'd be meeting Catwoman at 11:00pm tonight... but first I needed to make myself a combat suit!

Yeah I know my suit is probably going to come out horribly, but I needed something to prevent myself from being identified. After asking around a bit, I found that there were quite a few businesses in Gotham catering to that specific desire.

I couldn't go for any of the fancy stuff with special tools or hidden weapons, but I was able to nab myself a figure-concealing suit and a helmet with a voice modulator. I chose that specific helmet because rather than simply distorting my voice, it used a program to convert it to text and then used a synthesizer to produce a fully-artificial voice! The only issue with it was that it had a bit of a delay that made it uncomfortable to speak for an extended period of time.

Besides the suit and the helmet, I decided to bring the scythe I took from the Scarecrow along with me. I hope not to have to use it, but there's always a chance someone is going to come after me with lethal intent and do so in a way where I can't stop them non-lethally.

Enough thinking about stressful stuff, I'm gonna go grab a coffee and just... wait I guess.

-0-0-0-​

Turns out I've gotten a lot better at climbing into high places! I managed to sneak in through an open skylight and positioned myself above a marble cat with gemstones for eyes. This is probably the one she's gonna go after, so it's where I decided to wait.

CRASH!

Um, was that her?

There was an extended squeaking noise as Catwoman slid across the polished wood floor, "Ha... no need to be so rough~! How about we settle down and discuss this like civilized people?"

I shuddered as I heard the deep voice of the responder, "The chance to talk it over went out the window when you decided to work with Crane."

"Oh come now, you know I'd never do that. All I did was take advantage of the chaos to grab a few samples for Ivy. Nothing wrong with doing a favor for a friend, is there?" Catwoman replied, tilting her head and giving Batman a pout.

Batman was about to respond when he suddenly went silent and lifted a hand to his mask, after a few seconds of tense silence he turned directly to face me.

Crap.

I leapt down from the rafters to dodge a hail of batarangs and rolled to a stop near Catwoman. Using my helmet to speak in a deep monotone, I gave a greeting to Batman, "Hello, I'm a fan of your work. I'd appreciate it if you refrained from attacking me a second time."

Catwoman let out a giggle and said, "Who are you, one of the Penguin's lackeys? Poor Oswald's always had so much trouble getting his hands on me, but I see he's starting to improve a bit~"

I blinked under my helmet and hurried to clarify, "I am unaligned with any criminal organization. You may call me Cultivator."

"Oh, are you a friend of Ivy's? Or are you looking for me to get you in contact with her?" She asked, surprisingly calm for someone who'd been punched across the room not a minute ago.

"No, it is you I was searching for. Worry not, I mean you no harm." I answered, wincing as I realized how stilted I was sounding.

"Well, Cultivator. I'm giving you one chance to walk away. I don't see that you've done anything besides breaking and entering, so I'll be kind today." Batman said, causing me to let out a squeak that luckily wasn't caught by the synthesizer.

I turned nervously and took a deep breath, "Well, I'm afraid I can't do that. I came to meet with Catwoman, so I can't let you take her either."

Batman closed his eyes and let out a sad sigh, what's that abou-

I was interrupted from completing my thought when Batman's gauntleted fist buried itself in my stomach. I tried swinging back, but he easily weaved under the attack and hit me again. This time on the side of my head, knocking me to the floor.

"Stay down." He said, turning to face Catwoman once again.

"Urgh, I don't think so." I murmured, forcing myself back onto my feet and settling into a basic stance.

Catwoman let out a whistle and said, "Not many can take a punch like that. Maybe I could use a bit of muscle on my next mark~"

I smiled and gave her a quick salute, then dashed towards Batman. He grabbed onto my upper arm and my calf, then tossed me face-first into and through a stone pillar.

"W-was that load-bearing?" I asked in a daze, trying to keep my vision from spinning around like a top.

A whip suddenly wrapped itself around my leg, and I was yanked to a position just a few feet away from Catwoman. I blinked in surprise and quickly got to my feet again, standing shoulder to shoulder with Catwoman.

"I think I can see why you decided to come to me. I'm not exactly looking for an apprentice right now, but if you can help me bat the Bat away I'll give you a bit of advice." She said with a smile, using her whip to grab onto Batman's arm.

She smirked and pressed a button, causing an electric current to arc across the length of the whip and into Batman himself, "Tip One: Always adapt."

I nodded at her and tackled her to the floor when I realized the effect on Batman had been negligible and he was barreling towards us at this very moment, "A-are you okay?"

She blinked in surprise and said, "A girl, huh?"

I blushed deeply and got off her, turning to face Batman again, "T-that doesn't matter. How do we deal with him now?"

She smiled and pulled out, "A gun?!"

She blinked and said, "Don't worry, it shoots nets."

I let out a sigh of relief and watched as Batman dodged several nets, only to get nabbed by the last one. I grinned and said, "Great, now we can-"

Shing!

Blades popped out of his gauntlet, and I panicked as he started to easily cut through the net. I ran forward and channeled my cultivation-granted skills towards disabling an arm and a leg, only to watch in shock as he still managed to stand up.

"What did you do?" He asked, shooting me a stern glare.

"P-pressure point poke?" I answered.

"Hm." He replied.

I was going to ask if he had another question when I felt a woman's arms wrap themselves around my waist and lift me off my feet... several dozen meters into the air.

"So long, Bats. Hope you had as good a time as I did~!" Catwoman shouted smugly, one arm holding onto me and a bag of treasure, the other holding onto an quickly ascending wire.

I shouted down to him as well, "D-don't worry about moving around, it's gonna wear off in ten to fifteen seconds!"

She grimaced and said, "Now we're gonna have to be fast, he's coming after us for sure."

"S-sorry." I said, looking down embarrassedly.

She chuckled and waved it off, "Don't be, you did good." She guided the two of us to a nearby alley and told me to climb onto a motorcycle behind her, "You know, not many find themselves in this position. You should enjoy it while it lasts~"

...I fear this may have been a mistake.

-0-0-0-0-0-​

Spoiler: Updated Character Sheet

Name: Emily Watson

Appearance:

Spoiler

Height: 5' 10''/178cm (Original Height: 5' 2"/157cm)

Cultivation: 16.8 (+.5/week)
-Realm: Mortal III

Spoiler: Abilities Unlocked:

(Leftover Cultivation: 1.8)

Mortal Realm Abilities:

Spoiler: Body Alteration

-2pt, All-Encompassing Athlete (Self): You have the capability to become a top-tier player of any sport.
-3pt, Omnidisciplinary Olympian (Self): You have the capability to earn a medal in any category of the Olympics, assuming you know the rules to said category.
-5pt, Peak Human (Self): You can perform any physical activity with 100% of your body's strength, and are at the very peak of what a humanity can achieve.

Spoiler: Martial Techniques

-3pt, Amateur Combatant: You have the close-quarters combat capability of a top-level Mixed Martial Artist or student of Kung Fu.
-2pt, Pressure Point Poke: Rather than relying on overwhelming strength, this move requires high levels of finesse and dexterity. Upon striking weaker opponents in their pressure points, they can be stunned or outright paralyzed in the respective muscle group.

Inventory:
-Jade Bracelet (+.2 Cultivation/week)

 

[Ethan Eldritch]

Neko senpai squish squish against me Yuri😋

 

[Greater thunder]

Oh. Wow. The OC sure went full native fast. It was like watching the first embarrassments of Spidermen fighting crime, and thanks to Hollywood's very special remakes, those were seen many times more than needed.

Seriously, it went worse than the interaction with Crane, and I am not talking combat here. Do all DC fics just exaggerate canon characters into mythically charming figures to cover for the sterility of the setting? There is very little that is scary about Batman taking action once his opponent is someone who took the fear gas as an opportunity to speed up training. At least, before he stsrted pulling every tool as needed and shrugged off mystical poking.

Look, the story is all over the place. The MC is as bold as a lion when it comes to monologuing in her mind while at home, freezes up and or trips up with her field trips, and goes half cocked and boisterous again to another outing only to freeze worse.

You would think after her first time she would have learned the lesson her bought abilities mean squat given her own flaws. Those being she didn't actually train squat and is practically buying her powerset over time like in a clicker game.

How come the three week timeskip didn't have her go out and train her execution of fancy plans and real combat on some goons Gotham is flooded with? Crane was a hard encounter for an old man with a scythe, so in her case, some thugs with knives or guns aren't much different given her bought physique means she can take bullets like the standard unrealistic comic character.

She afraid, shy, performs badly under pressure? I don't feel like reading another fic where a character has a paved path in front of them and then snaps from middling outer threats ( given the level DC goes to in higher tier fights) causing them fear and nervousness.

 

[Fullyautomagic]

Cultivating in a Gothic City (DC OC-Insert)

Chapter Seven: A Pretty Penny and Positively Preposterous Plans​

Catwoman and I took quite the circuitous route into Upper Gotham, even stopping by a motel at one point to change our clothes in something less conspicuous. I nearly fell to my knees as I climbed off the motorcycle, relieved to finally be free from her traffic-law ignoring, sound-barrier approaching driving style.

She chuckled and helped me back to my feet, guiding me into the skyscraper and up towards her penthouse apartment, "You want me to take a look at those injuries of yours? Old Bats is really familiar with the concept of a gentle takedown."

I gave her a smile but declined, "It's no problem, I've got my ways of dealing with this sort of thing."

She lifted an eyebrow and gave me a grin, "Oh? Maybe you could tell me about those ways of yours."

I winced and looked down to my feet, "I-I don't think they'd really work on you. They're very specific to me, though I'm trying to make a version that works on others.

Sadly, I wasn't able to share my methods with her. Only a cultivator could do so, and I hadn't yet found any abilities that would kickstart somebody's cultivation. Luckily, alchemical concoctions infused with large amounts of Qi could work on even those without it... the only issue was that I didn't actually have a Qi Core yet.

She shrugged and said, "That's fine, I already owe you one anyways." She guided me over to a set of couches surrounding a tv and let herself collapse onto one of them, "Now, why were you looking for me anyways?"

I claimed a seat for myself and cleared my throat, "I just wanted to ask if you had any fences you could recommend to me, and whether you'd like to partner up with me on a mission or two in the future."

"Mmm, is that so?" She replied, letting out a yawn and kicking off her shoes. "Well... I don't really use fences these days. Usually I get a request for a specific item, or outright want the item I'm stealing for myself."

I wilted a bit at that, "Oh... I just wanted to sell some of the stuff I've stolen. You probably wouldn't want my help on any of your requests, would you?"

"When did I say that?" She replied with a frown. "Sure, you're a bit rough around the edges. But I think I can shape you into a suitable assistant, given time."

I gave her a conflicted smile and said, "I-I'm not sure about that. I want to be an independent, rather than the Robin to your Batman."

She rolled her eyes and said, "Fiiinne. If that's the case, you're gonna need to come up with a name for yourself. Are you sure you want to go with Cultivator? Some people might think you're trying to attach yourself to Ivy. That, or you're trying to become the latest drug lord in Gotham."

"Of course not!" I gasped. "I'm just doing this thievery stuff for money, I don't wanna be some sort of city warlord."

She giggled from her lying-down position and said, "I'm sure that's what the Penguin says too, or what Falcone and Maroni would've said back in the day."

I frowned and said, "I just wanna build up my strength, and I need money if I wanna get stronger. What I don't want is to rule over Gotham or control the drug trade or anything like that."

"Ah, is that why you want to call yourself Cultivator?" She asked suddenly. "I guess that sort of makes sense, a cultivator of personal power. Still, if that's what you wanna go with there's no point in trying to change your mind."

I nodded with a smile and continued speaking, "So, how soon do you expect our first mission to be?"

My frown returned as she turned to cover her chuckle from view, "Oh no, you need to be trained if you want to go on a mission with me. The first place you hit was guarded by a bunch of idiots, and the only reason you made it into the museum without getting caught was because of the escape route I set up beforehand."

"Oh..." I uttered, growing despondent at her rebuke of my skills in thievery.

She leaned forward and cupped my face with her hand, "Awww, don't worry. I'll be sure to train you up into an almost-perfect thief."

"Why only almost perfect?" I asked curiously.

"Because you can't be me." She said, letting out a laugh.

I rolled my eyes and leaned back out of her grasp, "I'm gonna head home now. Where do you wanna meet up?"

She got up and said, "Wait, how much were the things I gave you worth?"

I let out a grimace and answered, "I actually already sold a few of them for the silver content. From what I've seen online though, the remaining items should go for about $43,000 total at auction."

She nodded, "With your help today, let's round it up to $100k. Here you go, just get the bag to me whenever you can~"

I blinked as she dropped a gold card onto my lap, "...what's this?"

"Offshore back account with $100k in it, why?" She replied.

I nearly fainted at the answer, "H-how? Why?!"

"I'm quite wealthy, and because I want us to start things off on the right foot. Besides, that's chump change compared to what we'll be making soon~" She said with a grin. "Oh, and we'll be meeting in one week at the Iceberg Lounge. 5pm sharp."

"Isn't that a bit dangerous?" I asked quietly.

"Not if you know what to do." She smirked. "Get something nice to wear, don't want to take the chance of you getting us kicked out for violating the dress code."

I gave her a salute and started heading home... I really hope she knows what she's doing.

 

[SCO]

She does not. The batman interrupt after the date will be measured in the nanoseconds after the door is closed.

Interrupt his flirting and take one of his girlfriends on a date will you!?

 

[Paloneia]

Catwoman as a cultivator would be quite impressive, depending on the system, she could steal almost anything. I doubt you intend on making anyone else a cultivator, but it would be cool! Perhaps I could write an omake about it later? If that would be ok with you?

 

[Fullyautomagic]

Catwoman as a cultivator would be quite impressive, depending on the system, she could steal almost anything. I doubt you intend on making anyone else a cultivator, but it would be cool! Perhaps I could write an omake about it later? If that would be ok with you?

Click to shrink...

That's fine with me. ^-^

 

[Fullyautomagic]

Cultivating in a Gothic City (DC OC-Insert)

Chapter Eight: Points of View

Gotham Central Museum of History​

Bruce took a deep breath and began testing the limitations of the technique that woman had used, and quickly realized that he could force his way through it with a bit of effort. He had been a bit concerned when she appeared out of nowhere, but it quickly became clear to him that she was an amateur when it came to this lifestyle. And speaking of amateurs, Richard was marching his way over him with a glare on his face.

"What was that, I thought we were supposed to be equal partners now? Instead you told me to stand on the sidelines while you got your ass kicked!" He shouted, pushing Bruce's chest with a finger.

"Master Richard, please watch your language." Came in the voice of Alfred through their comms system. "I do believe everything has gone to Master Bruce's plan, judging from the tracking beacon I see here on screen."

He blinked in surprise at that news and turned to face Bruce, "Now when did you do that?"

The Dark Knight gave him a reserved smile and said, "I did it three times, actually. Once when I hit Catwoman in the shoulder, though she's probably already gotten rid of it. The other two were on the girl with her. One on the knee of her suit, and another embedded and self-sealed in her helmet."

"Interesting... why didn't you just catch them?" Richard asked, lifting a single eyebrow in Bruce's direction. "Having her trapped in one spot is surely better than knowing where she's prancing around, no?"

"No." Bruce smirked, reaching over to ruffle Richard's hair. "She's... innocent, I suppose."

Richard scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Innocent? She helped Catwoman commit a felony, and is probably gonna help her do many more!"

"She doesn't seem as jaded as her, she was almost reluctant to fight me. Didn't you see her reaction when Catwoman pulled out her net gun?" Bruce said, looking over the shattered pillar with a grimace.

Richard was about to object again when he came to a realization, "Don't tell me you're still trying to make your own Justice League. They've invited you over a ton of times, why don't you just join them?"

"Master Richard is correct, wouldn't it be more reasonable to open Gotham up to outside help?" Alfred piped in on the comms.

Bruce let out a sigh and said, "You know how I feel about other heroes operating in Gotham."

"Yeah, you've got no problem with it if they're under your control!" Richard said with a chuckle.

Batman glared at Robin for a tense few seconds before letting out a laugh of his own, "You're damn right!"

"Master Bruce, language. Really, it's like the two of you never grew up." Alfred scolded.

Bruce rolled his eyes and put a hand on Richard's shoulder, "I think this is a mission suited to you, Richard. We want to bring her in peacefully, with the offer of financial support."

He let out another laugh and said, "And they say you don't have superpowers, huh? Didn't you pretty much resolve the Fries situation by tossing a few million his way?"

"That I did, but we don't know if that's what she's after. I need you to approach and befriend her in her civilian identity." Bruce said.

Richard frowned and said, "Befriend, or befriend?"

Bruce thought back to the girl's reaction upon landing on Selina and chuckled, "The former."

-0-0-0-

Justice League Headquarters

Star City​

"So that's essentially the situation." Nelson said, leaning back in his chair as he awaited a reply from his friend's daughter.

Dinah frowned and said, "So why exactly do you want to hunt this Cultivator down? And yeah, I get that they're dangerous or whatever, but what have they done?"

Nelson sighed at that and leaned forward once more, "I asked Nabu the same thing. Apparently we can't take the risk, but I managed to convince him to take a more... diplomatic approach."

Dinah quirked a single eyebrow and said, "Kidnapping and interrogation in an off-the-grid blacksite is diplomatic?"

"Ha! For Nabu it is. Sadly I couldn't get him to agree to any looser terms than that, whoever it is, he wants them on the side of Order or taken care of."

"...I don't know if I can provide any backup, but I can ask Ollie to start a search for anyone matching the description you gave me. Past that, it's probably going to be up to you."

Nelson gave her a grin, "That's more than enough, Dinah. Thank you, truly."

"Hey, anything for my Uncle Nelly." Dinah replied with a smile, standing and walking over to give Nelson a hug.

Nelson smiled widely in her embrace and said, "So, does the league need help with any magical issues?"

"Surprisingly, we don't. We had a wizard who was giving Supes a lot of trouble, but this guy named Zatara came in from out of nowhere and saved his bacon from the fire. He's actually thinking about signing up with the league, and Supes is definitely pushing for it." Dinah said excitedly.

"Zatara, eh? Tell me more..."

 

[Vaalintine]

It seems to me instead of recruiting her Nabu will just convince her he wants to enslave or kill her.

 

[Paloneia]

Nelson proves that he is more rational than a god, Nabu continues being himself, and Bruce is the most diplomatic of the hero's thus far in a move that shows that you are writing Batman and not the dark knight. Batman and doctor fate are both going to try to recruit you, and will probably end up fighting each other because Batman has a tracking device on you and doctor fate will try to kidnap you. I would put my money on Batman.

 

[Fullyautomagic]

Cultivating in a Gothic City (DC OC-Insert)

Chapter Nine: A Metropolitan Adventure​

I nervously walked up to the bouncer and gave him a shy wave, already regretting my decision to wear a kimono for the evening. Sure, the material it was made of was giving me a minor boost to cultivation... but I'm not sure it's worth the uncomfortable sensation of people staring at me wherever I go. Nonetheless, I worked up enough bravery to ask the bouncer if he could let me in.

"Of course, ma'am. All I need is your invitation." He said, holding onto the doorhandle as he waited for me to retrieve my invite.

... and invite that I did not in fact have, "Oh, uh, the thing about that is-"

I let out a small squeak as I feel an arm hook itself around my own, and turned to see Catwoman standing there with a smirk on her face, "Don't worry, she's going in with me."

"Of course, Ms. Dubrovna." He said, giving her a small bow and quickly opening the door. "I hope you enjoy your time at the Iceberg Lounge."

"Dubrovna?" I asked, eager to have a name other than Catwoman to call her in my mind.

"Don't get so excited, it's not my real name anyways." She said with a chuckle. "Irena Dubrovna is a name I like using when I don't want things being traced back to me."

"Huh." I said, thinking that over. "Should I get a pseudonym too? Also... can I call you Irena? It feels weird just saying Ca-mmph!"

My eyes were wide as she quickly covered my mouth with her hand, "Don't talk about that sort of thing where people can hear."

"But, d-didn't you just say out loud your real name isn't Irena?" I asked with a confused look on my face.

"Ha! Half the people in here aren't using their real names, and the other half are people powerful enough not to need to hide their identity." She exclaimed, gesturing around the nightclub. "But yeah, it's probably best for you to use another name. Keep all of your identities segmented off from one another, entanglements always lead to sad endings.'

She looked a bit sad towards the end, and I barely restrained myself from putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, "So, uh, what are we here for anyways? I came in something fancy like you asked.

I spun around in my silk kimono with a happy smile, waiting for praise to be showered upon me.

"Speaking of that, I'm going with you the next time you go shopping for something fancy to wear." She said, looking me over with a a raised eyebrow. "It's... not bad, but it attracts the wrong kind of attention. The kind where people are watching for what you're going to do, and where they want to know about your life."

I blinked, "Isn't that a good thing?"

"Oh, heavens no." She said, shooting me a concerned glance. "You obviously want to look good, but you want any attention to be on your looks and not on what you're doing. That's why I asked you bring a costume, so we can speak with my client openly."

"Wait- a client?!" I exclaimed, growing even more nervous than before. "I-I thought you were just going to train me, why are we meeting with a client?"

She smirked, "There's no better way to learn than doing so on the job~"

Before I could respond, she grabbed my hand and lead me into a side-room of the nightclub. "Alright, change into your costume. The client is in the room next to this one."


"..."

"Don't worry, I won't peek~" She teased.

I just nodded and pulled the costume from my purse, retrieving a hood with a facemask instead of the much bulkier helmet. Luckily she'd managed to hook my up with some fancier equipment suppliers, now I could pretty much change into costume on-demand if I found a private area to do so.

"About this client, what sort of job does he want us to do?" I asked, slipping out of the kimono and climbing into the suit.

"Stealing, presumably." She answered with a chuckle. "More seriously, he probably wants us to nab a certain painting from Metropolis."

"...the home of Superman, you want us to steal from the home of Superman?" I asked, wondering whether she'd been hit on the head rather than the shoulder when she fought Batman.

"Yep~ Normally Metropolis would be a no-go for me, but the boy in blue hasn't been seen for days. Apparently he's been busy helping the Justice League with some sort of manhunt." She answered. "That's why he only asked about this now. While he's gone, we can take the painting from Lex Luthor's private collection and return it to the 'rightful owners'."

She said that last part with air quotes, and I let out a chuckle of my own, "I guess that makes sense. Do you just want me to come along as a bit of extra muscle, or am I gonna be learning about sneaking around and security systems?"

"A little of column A, a little of column B." She said with a shrug, turning to face me in costume. "Looking good, let's head in now."

I gave a quick salute, and followed her in.

-0-0-0-

Mercedes Falcone​

She watched the two women walk in, much too casually for her preferences. Of course if it were up to her she wouldn't be meeting in this godforsaken night-club in the first place, and Cobblepot's body would be somewhere near the bottom of the ocean.

Sadly this wasn't the case, and as such she had to agree to meet with Catwoman there if she wanted to make use of her services. Though what Mercedes hadn't been told was that Catwoman would be bringing in a partner. If she had known, she would've demanded to be allowed more than three measly bodyguards.

"Catwoman, I see you have a friend with you. Do you mind telling me her name?" Mercedes asked, watching closely for any signs of weakness or vulnerability.

"Oh, her? I'd call her my apprentice, but she's a bit more independent than that~ You can call her Cultivator if you want." The accursed woman answered.

Mercedes nodded coldly and snapped her fingers, ordering a guard to bring over a suitcase filled with neatly stacked bills, "I'll give you two-hundred thousand now, and another four-hundred once you bring back the painting. Is that acceptable to you?"

"Acceptable? Maybe if I was robbing an public museum here in Gotham. You want us to rip off Lex Luthor himself and that's all you're offering?"

Mercedes held back a growl and said, "I can toss into another hundred thousand on the second payment, but don't act like this is the only profit you're going to be getting from this."

The woman let out an infuriating giggle and clasped her hands over her chest, "Aw, you know me so well~! It's a deal then, but please direct the other half of the payment to my friend here."

Mercedes leaned back, "Yes, your friend. Why exactly is she here with you, and what does she bring to the table?"

"Oh, her? She's able to put up a fight against old Batsy himself, and she's being personally trained by moi in the arts of stealth. She's worth it, don't worry."

"I hope for your sake, that you are correct." Mercedes grumbled.

"Always so stoic, you should loosen up a little." Catwoman smirked. "Anyhow, we have quite a distance to travel. Don't want to be stuck there when Superman returns, do we?"

"...of course not." Mercedes forced out.

"Ta-ta dear, we'll be seeing each other again soon~"

 

[Ethan Eldritch]

Am i the only one that questioned Batmans gaydar?