October 24th, 1997

General POV

Around midnight the next day, a rich billionaire was at his computer in a famous cave. He was going over footage of Creed. Bruce hoped this meeting would go well without any surprises. Just as he finished watching the footage from when Trey was kidnapped when suddenly, a whoosh was heard behind him.

“Aww, Bats I didn’t know you were such a fan. Next time instead of a video I’ll give you an autograph. I’ll sign your suit.” Trey said with a laugh. The Dark Knight turned around to look at Desmond and Trey. Safe to say the joke did not amuse him.

“Forgive him. He makes jokes when he’s nervous. I hope I can ask about the cave when you’ve dropped your suspicions about our character. I’ve always wondered how you put this giant penny in here without Clark’s help.” Desmond said. Bruce sighed before gesturing the men to a round table he set up for the meeting. They all took their seats.

“Okay, Bats ask away.” Trey said enjoying messing with his favorite hero.

“What’s your goal? What are your intentions for this planet? Who are you? Who are you working for? How did you….” Bruce started ringing off questions like a seasoned interrogator. Desmond put his hands up in surrender.

“Whoah, chill man one at a time. To answer your first question I wanna live a happy life. Protect my family, friends, earth, and the universe etc. “ Desmond said. Trey nodded in agreement. Bruce then continued his questions.

“What’s the deal between you two?” Bruce asked. This was the main question plaguing his mind since last night.

“Well that’s complicated. Initially, Desmond was a clone of me are thoughts use to be nearly identical via the mental connection we have. Over time I began limiting it, and he became his own person. Still fundamentally me but different. Almost like another version of myself from a parallel universe. I’ve come to view him like a brother.” Trey explained truthfully. While Bruce took a moment to process that Trey looked over at his brother.

“Uhhh you had to make it all mushy.” Desmond said facepalming his face but Trey could see the corner of his mouth smiling a bit.

“Ok putting your connection as brothers aside, what are you? You mentioned a few times since you came to this universe. Are you a human, metahuman, or some form of alien?” Bruce asked.

“I’m human as the day I was born in both of my lifetimes.” Trey said.

“You're a reincarnator?” Bruce asked his eyebrows raised at another revelation.

“Yup, I had no powers in my first life though. In the world from that life, no one had powers. It was only when I was reborn did my powers manifest.” Trey explained

‘That should be a good enough explanation of my origin. I could never tell him or anybody in this universe that their comic book characters. Breaking the fourth wall is an easy way to get the attention of some top dogs of the verse. I’m nowhere near ready for that. Though I’m sure, the Presence already knows about me.’ Trey thought to himself.

“So a metahuman. What are your powers?” Batman asked. Trey could tell this was the one he wanted an answer to the most, but he had other plans.

“And here I thought we were becoming friends, Bruce. You know it's incredibly rude to ask someone you're just getting on good terms with their secrets. Especially when you plan to use it against them.” Trey said with a knowing grin.

“If you can’t answer that question. I won’t be able to trust you.” Batman said giving him an ultimatum.

“Bruce, don’t threaten me or make demands. We don’t owe you anything. Our agreeing to answer your questions and not exposing your secret identity is already a show of good faith. You can’t ask me to tell you my biggest secret when we barely know each other. At the very least, I won’t be giving it up for free.” Desmond responded.

“What do you want?” Batman asked toning down the hostility in his voice.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“Well for starters, I’d appreciate it if the blue boy scout would stop spying on our meeting, isn’t that right, Clark.” Desmond exclaimed. A moment later Superman flew into the room.

“How’d you know?” Superman asked.

“Please, it was easy to deduce. You’re the only person Bats trusts, he also knows he can’t take me in a fight without knowing any of my weaknesses, and most importantly I sensed you when I arrived. You were outside the range of the normal five senses but not my telepathy.” Trey explained. Superman went a tinge red in embarrassment at how easily he was seen through. Desmond coughed to get the conversation back on track.

“Gentlemen, I have a proposal I think could help everyone involved.” Desmond said, grabbing the attention of the two heroes.

“Look my goal in coming here was for us to trust each other. That won’t happen as I keep secrets, or your both are hostile towards me for having them. Everyone has secrets. I doubt either of you has told each other all your secrets of the Bat Cave or the Fortress of Solitude. You know some things about each other and trust each other's character. I want the same treatment and one other thing.” Desmond explained. Bruce and Clark shared a look before Bruce addressed them.

“Okay that’s reasonable, but what’s the other thing you want.” Batman asked.

“Train us.” Desmond and Trey said together.

“Why? You already know how to use your powers well.” Superman said, confused.

“True, I’ve been trained on how to use my powers, but I’m not asking you to train me for that. I need to be taught restraint. That day I was kidnapped, I was going to kill those men if you hadn’t stopped me. Part of me still wants them dead despite giving them a life sentence to repent. What I’m about to say is what will make or break if we can work together. Truthfully I know I will eventually kill one day.” Trey said with a sigh before continuing. Batman and Superman both went on alert when he said that.

“My powers will grow, and one day, I will be stronger than you, Superman. I may have the mind of an adult but this body is still that of a child. Bats, can you imagine someone like him(pointing to Superman) without any restraints? It’s a disaster waiting to happen. I know you both have rules against killing but I don’t have that version of justice in me. So teach me. I’ll explain part of my powers to you and we will come up with some non-lethal solutions like I did that day. It won’t stop me from ever killing people that deserve it, but I think you both will feel better knowing I tried other avenues and did everything I could before killing someone.” Trey finished.

“Why should we train you if you're just going to end up a killer in the end?” Superman countered with his arms crossed. The blue boy scout was vehemently against killing. Surprisingly it was Batman who responded.

“Because If we don’t, the situation will only get worse. You took my words from that day to heart. I can see you still have some faith by asking us for help.” Batman said, cracking the first smirk he had all day. He was finally understanding why Creed agreed to the meeting.

“I agree but there will be some conditions.” Batman continued. Superman looked mad but decided to hear Batman’s proposal before saying something.

“One no one can leak any sensitive details about each other under any circumstance, Two you can’t kill while training under us, Three you share one weakness with us, Four you tell us about the Brotherhood.” Batman said the last part with a serious face. Desmond and Trey were shocked he knew anything about that. They were going to ask how but the look on his face said it all.

‘It's because he’s Batman.’ They both thought.

“I can agree with the first three conditions with the exception I can leave when I want. As for the fourth one, I can’t say anything. A magic contract binds me.” Trey said, bringing out the contract as the perfect excuse. He excluded most of the details from the contract except for the rules he can’t harm the innocent, harm other members, or betray them etc. Superman was relieved seeing the rule for not harming the innocent.

“I can see they have a bottom line they won’t cross, which is fine by me for now. I’ll find another way to get information on them. Can you make another contract for us with our agreed-upon conditions?” Batman asked.

“Sure no problem.” Desmond said he made a contract and they all signed. Once it was done the four of them all smiled. Tentatively this was the start of a great partnership between the four of them.

Elsewhere a hooded figure waited patiently in the new OASIS room(virtual reality) at the Tower. He spent the next couple of hours building a new training environment for his new apprentice. Not long after he was done, he heard a whoosh behind him.

“How was the meeting?” Ezio asked.

“Good. Superman and Batman agreed to train us. Batman is also aware of the Brotherhood, by the way.” Desmond said while taking in the virtual reality Rome Ezio had created. Ezio noticed this and smirked.

“Beautiful, isn’t it? There’s no place like Roma.” Ezio said, looking out at the city.

“Yes, even my memories of it can’t compare.” Desmond said, basking in the view of 1500 Rome.

“I’ll inform Mentor about Batman. Moving on, my friend, are you sure you want to take this path? Once you truly join, you can never go back.” Ezio asked.

“I’m sure. I decided on this since that day I let those men go. I never want to be as indecisive as I was that day. I’ll have Bats teach me restraint and how to be a hero. While you teach me the resolve needed to kill and how to be an assassin. When I have learned from both of you, I’ll be able to make better decisions. Those who can be saved or redeemed will get my mercy. For those that deserve death, I will never hesitate again to end them. This is the path I’ve chosen for myself.” Desmond explained. Ezio gave him a serious look before nodding in agreement.

“Very well brother, let us begin,” Ezio exclaimed, beginning his training.