The Archivist of Gotham (The Magnus Archive × Batman Fanfic)

Chapter 38

Chapter 38: A sick sense of Beauty

          
           With darkness and a grim atmosphere at night, Gotham City's atmosphere was more prominent and obvious. The city of crime and corruption. Hell on earth. That is the Gotham City.

Today was the Archivist's 3rd Patrol. It's been more than 12 hours since Jonas visited the original cane manor in the Old Gotham Borough.

Jonas discovered the existence of the original cane manor because of his father. Since the web goddess issued the mission, Jonas has started to look at various places where he would make his institution of fear.

In his mind, the idea of his institution of fear was something that would bring a sense of discomfort to the people. But Jonas doesn't have the intention of making a horror house or that creepy amusement park his institution of fear. He must please all of his gods and not just some few gods on his choice of institution.

Thanks to his father mentioning the original cane manor, Jonas ended up visiting the original cane manor after requesting his parents to visit the original residence and promising that he would be safe.

After his inspection ended, Jonas thought that the original cane manor is suitable and perfect. It gives off a looming and regal vibe. But also the creepiness because of the Gothic Architecture.

It needed a lot of cleaning and repairs before he can present it to his gods and make it to his institution of fear. Jonas hasn't also managed to explore the entirety of the original cane manor.

While he was standing at the edge of the building, specifically, standing straight at the top of a gargoyle while looking at the city of Gotham, he heard the sound of two people arriving behind him.

" Hey, were you waiting for us the whole time? "

He can hear the friendly voice of Nightwing, but despite being friendly, Archivist knows that Nightwing was still wary and keeping cautious around him. Archivist didn't hear the other person speak. From the sound of the person's landing earlier, the person was a few times lighter than Nightwing.

It was maybe the vigilante Little D or Little Duck as Jonas has called him.

Turning his neck but without his body moving along, Archivist grinned behind his mask. For today's mask, he was wearing the swirly mask.

" I haven't waited far too long. I now know why you birds like staring at the edge and here at the top, the view is so beautiful. "

What's more, with his improved eyesight and having been blessed recently with night vision, the view of Gotham City is amazing.

Glancing behind Nightwing, Archivist was indeed right. The person accompanying Nightwing is Little Duck. The little stabby vigilante.

When Archivist turned his neck like a possessed person by a demon or ghost in those horror movies, Nightwing brought down the feeling of being unsettled by the Archivist.

Squire and Knight have warned them that patrolling with Archivist was uncomfortable. The archivist was obedient and very cooperative. But some of his actions would always end up unsettling the vigilantes and last time, Archivist ended up scaring some of the victims that they save according to them.

According to the information that Squire has gained from the Archivist, this new wildcard vigilante admitted to being not a human.

'An Alien?'

In the years that he spent his time as a vigilante first starting as a robin before becoming Nightwing, he encountered aliens. Some of them are even his colleagues or heroes like Superman, Martian Manhunter, Miss Martian, Starfire, etc.

If his conclusion is true, Nightwing wondered what kind of alien is Archivist. Someone who has regeneration and can twist his body parts in whatever he wanted that it was disturbing and unsettling to onlookers.

They don't still know if Archivist was genuine in his goal to become a vigilante. But he wouldn't turn someone down just because he was unsettling. Nightwing would give Archivist a chance to prove himself.

And when he has shown signs of doing things beyond vigilantism and toward the path of villainy, Nightwing would be one of the vigilantes who would take down Archivist.

Before Nightwing could approach Archivist closer and give his friendly reply, Little D beat him to it. Instead of a friendly and positive reply, it was a little bit hostile.

" There's no beauty in Gotham. It reeks of crime and corruption. We stand and observe Gotham not for aesthetic purposes but to watch and look out for crimes, you fool. "

Nightwing was deliberating whether he should be proud or exasperated with Little D. Instead of being offended, Archivist started chuckling.

" The crimes, corruptions, and sins ongoing in this hopeless city are a perfect example of humanity. Aren't they so beautiful? Imperfect little things. Criminals, sinners, and wrongdoers. A perfect example of the wrongs of the world. "

Hearing an awed and reverent tone made Nightwing sick in his stomach. This is just his first patrol with Archivist, but this enigmatic vigilante was already giving several warning signs on his head.

Not bothered by the Archivist statement, Little D asks.

" Since you thought that the thing below us beautiful. Do you think we should preserve them like art or paintings on canvas displayed in a museum? "

" Of course preserve. It would be a pity if we just destroyed them, isn't it? Locking beautiful things and making them stay inside their cage forever is beautiful. "

While Archivist and Little D are engrossed in their 'art' discussion, Nightwing's computer lit up. The vigilante of Bludhaven instantly picked up the communicator and answered.

There was a relief that he can get away from the dark and serious conversation between the archivist and little D.

" Oracle? "

" Nightwing, did you already arrive and meet the Archivist? "

" Yes, he and little D was currently having a dark and serious discussion.  "

" Good. "

" Wait, what?  "

" That's not what I meant. It's concerning that they are having a dark and serious discussion but I can't care about it right now. On the other hand,  I'm glad that you arrive and we have an important and serious matter that needed to be taken care of. According to the intel that I gathered for the past week, two faces were planning to attack the Iceberg lounge. I want you to stop him and the penguin from going ballistic if his Iceberg lounge ended up with damages. "

The communicator then went silent. Turning, he saw Little D and Archivist who stopped at their topic and appears to have been eavesdropping on his conversation with the oracle. Signing, Nightwing declared.

" Let's head to the Iceberg lounge. "