The Man With a Dream pt 7

....

Oswald Cobblepot, aka Penguin, is a powerful man.

[Image here]

He wasn't the physically strongest of Batman's villains, or the most cognitively competent.

Even when he was still actively attempting to exterminate the bat he fell short as a plausible threat.

Yet, what he lacked in other areas he made up for in knowledge and fortune.

Despite having "retired" from criminal life, Penguin operated the largest underground information network in Gotham.

Even Batman's elusive identity was discerned by him.

No matter what it was, with a snap of his fingers, he'd know it.

Nonetheless, with such notoriety came the price of prestige.

Typically, he'd entertain such a thing. It meant fresh clients after all.

He was an info broker peddling illicit information, and not a personal investigator.

However, some couldn't grasp the hint. Case and point, the young man who currently sat opposite of him.

If there was an image for a generic rich kid it'd be him.

Oozing arrogance, brown hair, green eyes,  average looks, intrepid tone, and luxurious apparel.

Presently, the youth was rambling something about a cheating girlfriend. Babbling on about how he would crush the man who touched her and ruin his family line.

Who the fuck even says shit like that anymore?

Sighing, Cobblepot coughed in his hand to grab the boy's attention.

" While all incredibly interesting, why exactly did you come to me with this? I have employees who are paid to handle these matters."  Oswald explained in irritation.

He contracted those people for a reason dammit! So that he didn't have to deal with irrelevant issues like this one.

The sole reason he even let the boy come see him is because he's the son of a rich businessman from overseas.

 The boy scoffed at his remarks before conveying Penguin a preposterous look.

"I heard you were the best at obtaining information in this wretched city. Was I mistaken to assume that?" The man-child inquired with a challenging tone.

Oswald merely kneaded the bridge of his long nose at his response.

He had half a mind to have his men take care of the kid. Consequences be damned.

But, he had matured since his less stable days.

"Look kid, I'm sure this is real important to you, but I got better things to do than look out for some girl who ran away from you," Cobblepot announced while signaling his guards to take the kid away.

Doing so, his duo of guards grabbed either side of the kid and began to haul him out of the room.

The youth managed one final scowl before he was thrown out.

Penguin let out a frustrated sigh as he leaned back into the chair he was sitting in.

People like that were getting more widespread by the day.

With the ongoing "Golden Age of heroes" villains, and by default himself, just didn't create the same impact they formerly did.

Ever since superhero teams began springing in the last few years, the general public has grown less afraid of the monsters that went bump in the night.

Only truly horrid villains still made an impact.

Still, it wasn't all bad. 

With the rise of the THA, discovering others willing to take on jobs for people like him was easier than ever. The Integrated Superpower Act enabled the legal recruitment of the super-powered population.

In fact, as an individual, Penguin was thriving.

Glancing around his office room, Oswald mentally notes he could use a redesign.

At the moment it was what you'd anticipate from the office of an ex-penguin-themed villain.

The walls were dyed an arctic blue, with statues of penguins placed meticulously throughout the room. The only two seats in the office had engravings of Emperor Penguins, and a miniature aquarium was embedded into the wall next to his head.

Overall, it was fairly outdated if he was being honest. He had designed the room when he was still a supervillain and had meant it to be intimidating. 

Looking at it now however, he understood how ridiculous it is. 

Suddenly the voice of his assistant rang out from the phone on his desk.

" Mister Cobblepot, there's a Carl Wesley here to see you for your ten o'clock appointment." 

Penguin narrowed his eyes at her words.

 He hadn't organized anything past nine today.

Reaching under his desk, the ex-villain made sure his emergency umbrella was still there. 

"Send them up Miranda, make sure to have Josh and Darius escort them here." Responded Oswald.

Accepting her silence as confirmation, Penguin tidied up his posture and braced himself for whoever would step through that door.

This wouldn't be the first time someone pulled a stunt like this. 

The Mad Hatter had performed the same act last week when he wanted news on his sister Alice's whereabouts.

And before that Harley had barged in demanding to know where Joker was.

So he wasn't taken by surprise really.

After a while, the entrance to his office opened with his bodyguards filing in first, accompanied by a person he recognized.

'Wesley, good lad, he's done a few jobs for me in the past. The last I heard of him though was that he took off after murdering his family.' Thought Cobblepot with a critical gaze.

Though he didn't know the man well, he could tell something was different about him.

'Does he look younger?' He wondered with a raised eyebrow.

Even if a small difference, he could tell some wrinkles were gone and his skin looked fresher. You learn to pick up on such things when growing up in Gotham with people like Clayface running around.

"It's been a while Carl, what bri-" 

Penguin's utterances died in his throat when he watched another man follow in behind Wesley.

With his ebony pupils, red eyes and pale skin, Alastor followed Wesley at a close distance. His presence promised mayhem. Per usual, a perpetually crooked smile enveloped his face, and filled the room with sadistic amusement 

Penguin didn't know who this man was, but every modicum of experience and instinct he possessed was warning him this man was just like the Joker.

Except, he was an unknown. Unlike the prince of crime, he couldn't foresee this mysterious man's tricks or rationale.

That only made him more dangerous.

Swallowing a glob of saliva he didn't realize he had, Penguin turned towards Wesley for his unspoken question.

" Penguin, this is Alastor, my new boss. He, uh, wanted to discuss something with you." Wesley explained seriously.

Slowly Cobblepot nodded his head at Wesley's words and veered his attention to Alastor.

Whom had already settled down in the seat adjacent to Penguin.

" So, Alastor, what do you wish to discuss?" Asked Oswald, outwardly serene.

Mentally, however, he was looking over strategies to flee or slay the man in front of him if necessary.

Alastor meanwhile merely grinned wider at the candid words of the ex-villain.

This put him more on edge.

" Simply put, I don't know what to do with you." Alastor let out with a shrug.

Silence reigned in the room for a few moments before the penguin processed those words.

" What?" He interrogated, confused.

"To be Frank, I forgot about your existence before Wesley reminded me of you. You were just so inconsequential that you slipped through the cracks of my plans."

Penguin could feel anger gradually boiling to the surface at Alastor's proclamations.

Him? Inconsequential! What horse shit is this?!

He is the best source of information this city has ever possessed! Even Batman, Batman of all people, came to him for information at times!

If that doesn't imply how crucial his existence is, then what did?!

He was about to tell off the man when Alastor resumed speaking.

"Normally it wouldn't be of consequence and I'd incorporate or just get rid of you. However, you're in a particularly unique position. You're both beneficial as an asset and unsatisfactory as a character.  So, I implore you, how can you prove useful in my show?"

As Alastor said those last words, Penguin didn't hesitate.

He reached for his umbrella.

....

A/n: I demand your thought!

Alt title: Penguin