Batman blinked, disoriented by his abrupt arrival in this unfamiliar yet eerily similar Gotham City. The rain fell in a steady drizzle, soaking his cape as he quickly assessed the environment, his mind racing with questions.
"Where am I?" he wondered aloud, his voice barely audible over the patter of raindrops.
Alternate Batman emerged from the shadows, his eyes wide with a naive curiosity. His suit was similar, yet subtly different, marked by an emblem that shimmered peculiarly in the dim light.
"Who are you?" Batman asked cautiously, eyeing his counterpart with a mix of suspicion and intrigue.
"I'm Batman," the alternate version replied with an earnest smile, oblivious to the gravity of the situation.
Batman listened intently as his alternate self explained his peculiar beliefs. "When I stop the bad guys, they just fall asleep. No one gets hurt," he said innocently, his gaze drifting to the bright city below. Batman felt a pang of sympathy, realizing this version of himself was shielded from the harsh truths he knew all too well.
"Your parents..." he hesitated, unsure how to broach the painful topic. "They're alive," [@ch_2]the alternate Batman interrupted, his eyes shining with childlike certainty. Batman felt a surge of emotion, torn between revealing the truth and preserving his counterpart's fragile world.
Batman decided to let his alternate self live in his illusion, realizing that perhaps this version of Gotham could benefit from a guardian unburdened by tragedy. "Take care of them," he advised gently, nodding towards the city below.
"Always," the alternate Batman replied, his smile unwavering.
Batman stepped towards the swirling vortex, casting a final glance at his alternate self. "Goodbye," he murmured, stepping through the portal back to his own reality, leaving behind a Gotham that might never know the darkness he had faced.
