This is the very first event that I'm joining so yay!

And this... I actually had no idea what to write when I was doing this so please bear with me.

Bruce Wayne, or should he say right now, Batman, wasn't really sure how to react. Today, he was about to meet the daughter he'd always wished to see but was not allowed to for eighteen years; the only problem was that something came up. And that something is a pest named Riddler.

The riddle-enthusiast had just escaped from Arkham and is causing trouble in a nearby museum. And honestly, Batman was almost tempted to use his "No Killing" Rule. Instead of spending the time to prepare for his daughter's arrival, he has to subdue Riddler and his goons! All on his own, if he might add, since his sons are all occupied, so it may take a little while to subjugate them (meaning less time to prepare)!

Dick is away, visiting his own wife and daughter. Tim had been too worn out in handling the company (which, he realized, must've been too much for a preadult like him to do and should've been his job to handle), so Alfred had made him stay back and rest (and sleep, most importantly). Damian is still in school and he can't really pull him out all of a sudden just for some vigilante work (because, honestly, even if lives could be at stake, it's still a pretty lousy excuse to skip school. Not to mention, secret identities are still a thing, right???). And Jason might be away for a mission, he wasn't really sure whatever he does anymore.

Letting out a sigh, the Dark Knight skids the Batmobile (can't he just call it a car? Or will that ruin the whole "aesthetic" he has going on?) into a stop in front of the museum where Riddler was supposedly causing a scene, again.

"Batman," Commissioner Gordon greets him as soon as he steps out of his vehicle.

"Any updates on what's happening inside?" he marches over to the building that's on high lockdown.

"Riddler's been targeting on this one hostage and he's locked her in another room, all by herself." he passes over a device and shows him a video—or was it a live feed? —from the scene inside where a girl is in a room solving what seems to be a whole wall of puzzles. Interesting how she looks a bit too calm for someone who's in such a situation.

"And he's also activated a bomb," the cop adds.

"A bomb?" Batman raises an eyebrow as he continues to watch the feed. That's a pretty unusual move for someone like Riddler.

The officer nods and takes back the device and gives it to another cop who runs off to who knows where. "Riddler says that if the girl hasn't gotten out of the room and finished all of his puzzles yet by the timer runs out, then the whole building would explode."

"Did he ask for anything? He's bound to have some sort of goal he's trying to get," Batman asks as his eyes roam around the building to look for a possible entrance since the front door is most likely barricaded from the inside.

"There's a kid—some billionaire's kid—inside and he's asking for ransom," the older male explains and waves over to the side of the building. "We've also found a way to get inside for you and—" he briefly looks over behind Batman and pauses, "—you."

"Everyone has prior commitments today," the Dark Knight answers his unasked question and pauses for a bit as he tilts his head to the side by just an inch so the action isn't really that visible. "Although, I do have Agent A to look out for me." his voice a tad bit soft for he knows that his pseudo-father is listening in on their conversation through the Comms.

"All right," Commissioner Gordon nods and looks at him straight in the eyes. "Good luck."

Batman nods back, a small smile (though he was sure it wasn't really that visible to anyone) gracing his features as he rushes over to where the entrance they were talking about was.

Jumping down inside the building, the room he was met with was pretty dark. The only light he had was the spotlights from the sculptures showcased on the sides and the paintings hanged on the walls.

"Any intel on where Riddler and the hostages are?" he asks through his Comm and briefly looks around.

"Based on the live feed, they seem to be in exhibits that focus solely more on monochromatic paintings." the regular posh voice of Agent A calms him down to a silent rage (to Riddler for interrupting his preparation time for his daughter's arrival!). "And from what I've gathered, those kinds of paintings are in Building A, Room 203." Batman grunts in affirmation and races to where the Englishman had just instructed him to head, running and knocking out goons that he encounters on the way.

Standing in front of Room 203 with the door jammed shut, he briefly wonders why the other side is surprisingly quiet instead of hearing the regular maniacal laughs and blood-curdling screams. Wasting no time to idle around (his meeting with his daughter is on the line here!), the vigilante busts down the door, only to be met with a scene shocking enough to break through his expressionless mask.

Five to ten people are huddled on the side with loose ropes on their feet, their eyes filled with awe as they hug whoever they might be associated with. Three to five goons, that must be the ones guarding them, lie unconscious on the floor. While on the opposite side of the room, stood a girl—a very tiny girl—holding an afraid(?) Riddler by the collar, muttering words that make the vigilante look at her with mixed surprise and amusement before punching the said villain square in the face and dropping his now unconscious body to the floor like a sack of potatoes.

As soon as the villain's body hits the floor, the girl spins around and their eyes meet (though he was sure the girl didn't know that because of his cowl) for a moment and Batman briefly wonders why her eyes seemed so familiar; where he had already seen those same blue eyes that stare right back at his own, when it hits him! Her blue eyes have the exact same shade his own eyes have!

"Merci Dieu," he hears the girl mumble and her shoulders sag in what seems to be relief in seeing him. She immediately runs over to and drags him by the arm with enormous strength that it almost made him stumble. "Come, Monsieur Batman, we need to open the doors to get out of here!"

It took a minute before the initial shock wore off as he stares at the girl—the super tiny girl—that's hauling his two-hundred-pound body over to the exit. What has she been doing all this time to get this strong?

Batman quickly shakes his head to rid of his shock and solemnly nods before following her pace. Something about helping the small girl beside him open the barricaded doors felt somewhat familiar that it didn't seem strange at all.

As soon as his body hits the chair, Bruce sighs in relief in making it back in the manor before his daughter and her parents arrive. "I suggest you get ready, Master Bruce, they are bound to arrive in any minute now," Alfred says and disappears just as quickly as he appeared. One day, he's sure he'll get a heart attack and die with all of Alfred's surprise attacks.

Just as he was contemplating his life choices, Bruce hears the front door shut and talking voices emit from the foyer. He quickly stands up from his seat and brushes and straightens his suit. Better make the best first impression or else his daughter might not want to come over and visit him a second time, or a third time, or any time at all.

A genuine smile splits his face as a familiar French couple comes into view and right behind them is a very familiar girl. That very same girl who has very familiar blue eyes that just handed Riddler his ass a while ago...

Well, now at least he'll have a chance to ask her what her training regimen is. And maybe even have a try in training her himself too (hopefully Sabine will let him).

P.S. The "billionaire's kid" they were pertaining to wasn't Marinette ;)

Okay so a little backstory on why Bruce didn't see Marinette until she was eighteen:

You see Bruce and Sabine had like a relationship back in the day which led to of course Marinette but Bruce didn't know that. He only just found out when like he was invited to Sabine and Tom's wedding (they broke up yes but they were still friends). And Bruce was... let's say he was panicking? Because "oh dear I wasn't being careful" "I'm so sorry"?

So yeah that thing led to another, Bruce saying he'll pay for the medical expenses Sabine and Tom saying "no it's okay", then all of a sudden, because of his panicked state, Bruce says "I'm not asking to be a part of her life (I mean I really do want to be) but if you say no then I won't be. Jut please let me see her, let me meet her when she turns eighteen."

Then like before either Parisians could say that everything's all right, he could still be a part of their daughter's life, Bruce goes away.

Basically Bruce was thinking too far ahead... A bit too far ahead. And then he got the wrong idea.

So yeah, but don't worry, he still sends Marinette gifts for whichever events come... anonymously though.