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It's been a good day.
Today, 549 members of Gotham's criminal underworld were brought before Judge Surrillo by Harvey Dent and Rachel Dawes, were indicted, and were put behind bars awaiting trial. It took nerve, it took co-operation. Most of all, it took a man who's not afraid to stand up for what needs to be done, no matter how hard it will make life for him. In one move, Harvey Dent did more to damage organised crime in Gotham than Batman has done in nine months of campaigning. And he did it legitimately, in his legal capacity as Gotham City District Attorney. He did it with theatricality and flair - those things, he has in common with Batman - but he did it publicly and openly, and it was a brilliant move.
Bruce stands in front of the mirror and shrugs into a light, fine silk shirt. Only the best for Bruce Wayne, especially at something like tonight's event, a spectacular fundraiser hosted in his own penthouse. Impressions, after all, are an important part of any deception.
When he first conceived the notion of Batman, Bruce didn't know how long it would take to bring justice to Gotham. He was prepared to face a long, hard battle. He expected help from some quarters, from Alfred, from Rachel, whose words on the difference between justice and vengeance stunned him into seeing the reality of Gotham all those years ago. What he didn't expect was allies like Jim Gordon, like Harvey Dent.
When he said he'd host this fundraiser, it was both a mark of how impressed he was when he first met Dent, and a chance to get to watch him closer. And now, with all that's happened since the day he made that commitment, he's glad to be contributing to Dent's cause. Why shouldn't billionaire Bruce Wayne pitch in something for a charismatic and popular man he just happened to meet and like, a man who's the talk of Gotham? Especially when they have a mutual friend in Rachel. No, it won't do his cover any harm. He's earned rather a reputation for throwing his money behind causes on a whim.
But this isn't a whim, far from it. No, he's really wondering if perhaps Dent can do what he talked about the night Bruce met him, take up Batman's mantle and champion justice in Gotham using the law and the law alone and stand for the people's will to use the system to conquer the corruption.
If he can do that, then he can be the man that Gotham really needs to lead it forward. Bruce told himself when he started all this that he'd do it as long as it was needed, that he would be Batman until his mission was accomplished and Gotham was safe again, safe for the poor and underprivileged, no longer ruled by crooked cops and crime families. Maybe, just maybe, he thinks as he does up his buttons, that day Rachel mentioned is coming. The day when he can put aside Batman. The day she said she'd be there, waiting. He's wondered, at times, if he'd ever see that day. Today is not one of those days. Today, he can see it coming.
And he's going to tell her that. Tonight. So she knows that day is almost here.
He studies his reflection in the mirror. He's freshly shaven, hair neatly parted and brushed back. His shirt's pristine, and the fabric's got a slight sheen under the light.
Perfect. He selects a pair of silver cufflinks and begins fastening one as he steps out the door and out onto the stairs to the bottom floor of the penthouse.
Today, 549 members of Gotham's criminal underworld were brought before Judge Surrillo by Harvey Dent and Rachel Dawes, were indicted, and were put behind bars awaiting trial. It took nerve, it took co-operation. Most of all, it took a man who's not afraid to stand up for what needs to be done, no matter how hard it will make life for him. In one move, Harvey Dent did more to damage organised crime in Gotham than Batman has done in nine months of campaigning. And he did it legitimately, in his legal capacity as Gotham City District Attorney. He did it with theatricality and flair - those things, he has in common with Batman - but he did it publicly and openly, and it was a brilliant move.
Bruce stands in front of the mirror and shrugs into a light, fine silk shirt. Only the best for Bruce Wayne, especially at something like tonight's event, a spectacular fundraiser hosted in his own penthouse. Impressions, after all, are an important part of any deception.
When he first conceived the notion of Batman, Bruce didn't know how long it would take to bring justice to Gotham. He was prepared to face a long, hard battle. He expected help from some quarters, from Alfred, from Rachel, whose words on the difference between justice and vengeance stunned him into seeing the reality of Gotham all those years ago. What he didn't expect was allies like Jim Gordon, like Harvey Dent.
When he said he'd host this fundraiser, it was both a mark of how impressed he was when he first met Dent, and a chance to get to watch him closer. And now, with all that's happened since the day he made that commitment, he's glad to be contributing to Dent's cause. Why shouldn't billionaire Bruce Wayne pitch in something for a charismatic and popular man he just happened to meet and like, a man who's the talk of Gotham? Especially when they have a mutual friend in Rachel. No, it won't do his cover any harm. He's earned rather a reputation for throwing his money behind causes on a whim.
But this isn't a whim, far from it. No, he's really wondering if perhaps Dent can do what he talked about the night Bruce met him, take up Batman's mantle and champion justice in Gotham using the law and the law alone and stand for the people's will to use the system to conquer the corruption.
If he can do that, then he can be the man that Gotham really needs to lead it forward. Bruce told himself when he started all this that he'd do it as long as it was needed, that he would be Batman until his mission was accomplished and Gotham was safe again, safe for the poor and underprivileged, no longer ruled by crooked cops and crime families. Maybe, just maybe, he thinks as he does up his buttons, that day Rachel mentioned is coming. The day when he can put aside Batman. The day she said she'd be there, waiting. He's wondered, at times, if he'd ever see that day. Today is not one of those days. Today, he can see it coming.
And he's going to tell her that. Tonight. So she knows that day is almost here.
He studies his reflection in the mirror. He's freshly shaven, hair neatly parted and brushed back. His shirt's pristine, and the fabric's got a slight sheen under the light.
Perfect. He selects a pair of silver cufflinks and begins fastening one as he steps out the door and out onto the stairs to the bottom floor of the penthouse.
