History Fanfic / TheUndersideOfGotham

* SwitchingPov: Each chapter rotates between the different members of the Undersiders and Bat-Family told in third-person limited, much like the interlude chapters of ''Worm''. Every member of both teams gets a chapter to themselves, with two chapters that switch POVs more than once.

* YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre: Cassandra repeatedly urges Alec that its not too late to be better, [[spoiler: even as he's using his power to slowly, painfully, take control of her body. It rattles him, but not enough to get him to stop.]]

'''Cassandra:''' Yours. Made... [[NotSoDifferent Successor]].]]

'''Aisha:''' ...I'm gonna fucking kill him.]]

* EasilyForgiven: InUniverse; [[spoiler: Cassandra urges Bruce to give the Undersiders, even [[PeoplePuppets Regent]], a second chance after [[TraumaButton what they tried to do to her]]. The rest of the Batfamily, except for [[FriendlyEnemy Stephanie with regards to Aisha]], aren't willing to let it go, but Cassie gently but firmly reminds them that it's her decision, and they don't have the right to be offended on her behalf.]]

* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism: The Undersiders operate on the more cynical side of the equation, with ironically the grim and gritty Dark Knight residing on the more optimistic end. This causes tension for the two groups. [[spoiler:Even ''InUniverse'' this trope comes into play when, after kidnapping Orphan as retribution for Robin and Batman taking Imp as a prisoner, the Undersiders argue over whether or not to have Regent use his abilities to take control of Cass. Taylor, Lisa, Rachel and Regent vote yes against Sabah, Lily, and Brian, [[BigBrotherInstinct of all people]], voting no.

* AFatherToHisMen: Batman and Skitter ''both'' qualify, literally in the former's case. The Batclan fail to recognize this initially, and are blindsided when, after they take Imp prisoner, the Undersiders ambush and capture Orphan in return.

** Barbara, Tim, and Dick all try to figure out how the Undersiders work and where they came from. They try to deduce how their powers work with the logic of the DCU, with ideas ranging from Skitter being a [[MadScientist mad scientist]] to her being a metahuman who can control insects, given that Batman says that black widows aren't native to Gotham. Dick has a hard time figuring out their motives [[spoiler: after they kidnap Cassandra, seeing it as outside of their short MO of stealing from the mob and how nice Imp is after talking with Stephanie.]]
** Meanwhile, the Undersiders, a gang of teenagers and one adult who have been screwed over by every system that touched them, all believe that they're the only ones that can look after one another and refuse to seek any help from legitimate sources after being burned one too many times. Taylor justifies this by arguing that the heroes of the DCU put too much trust in a Scion level being like Superman by asking them to imagine that sort of power in the hands of Alexandria or Tagg, nevermind the fact that Superman is '''''nowhere close''''' to being like what she describes.
* FriendlyEnemy: It doesn't take long for [[TheGadfly Stephanie]] to get on nice terms with [[LittleMissSnarker Aisha]] during her time as a captive of Batman. Aisha even comments that she wouldn't mind the two of them being nemeses. Their relationship wavers after [[spoiler: the rest of the Undersiders kidnap Orphan, but by the end of the fic Aisha is welcome at the manor for Alfred's grilled cheese.]]

* OutsideContextProblem: The Undersiders. Not to a great extent, as Batman has faced equally and far more dangerous enemies than Skitter and her crew, but their clear experience and pragmatic tactics despite appearing from out of nowhere, not to mention the [[MagicAIsMagicA differing mechanics]] of their powers causes some hurdles when encountering them.

** Alec truly cares for Aisha despite being [[TheSociopath a sociopath]], calling out to her after Batman flees with her in tow after their confrontation. He's willing to do whatever it takes to get her back, [[spoiler: such as using his powers on Cass to give the team an edge against the Batclan.]]

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Parian ''tries'' to be this. Too bad that on a team with [[WellIntentionedExtremist Skitter]] and [[ManipulativeBitch Tattletale]], her concerns go unheard and ignored more often than not.
** In stark contrast to his [[{{Jerkass}} usual]] [[ControlFreak portrayals]], Bruce is this after Steph talks to him and says that he's going a bit too far with his usual interrogation methods with Imp. To her surprise and shock, he agrees with her and lets her take point on getting close to her.
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: A short yet succinct one from [[spoiler: Cassandra to Alec. While he's trying to take control of her with his power, she's trying to convince him and by extension the Undersiders to stop what they're doing and work with Batman, or at least just stop being criminals. When that fails, after learning of his past and what his [[AbusiveParents father]] did to him, she says that while her father tried to make her into a weapon and failed, Alec's father succeeded in turning him into a sort of 'successor.' It actually manages to piss him off enough to tase her into silence.]]
-->[[spoiler: '''Cassandra:''' Father. Made me. Made weapon.\\
'''Alec:''' And I'm so terribly sorry for your loss.\\
'''Cassandra:''' Yours. Made... Successor.]]

* ShellShockedVeteran: Brian is this, still recovering after his encounter with [[MadScientist Bonesaw.]] He's noted as being caught staring into nothing at times, and his chapters mention how he's sliding back into old coping habits due to being stuck in [[WretchedHive Gotham.]] He was actually starting to do somewhat better before he and his team wound up stuck in another world, but the stress and tension of the situation is starting to get to everyone, him in particular.
* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism: The Undersiders operate on the more cynical side of the equation, with ironically the grim and gritty Dark Knight residing on the more optimistic end. This causes tension for the two groups. [[spoiler:Even ''InUniverse'' this trope comes into play when, after kidnapping Orphan as retribution for Robin and Batman taking Imp as a prisoner, the Undersiders argue over whether or not to have Regent use his abilities to take control of Cass. Taylor, Lisa, Rachel and Regent vote yes against Sabah and Lily voting no. Even '''[[BigBrotherInstinct Brian]]''', the one who wants to get Aisha back the most, votes no.]]

* TheSociopath: Regent, though he's a slightly more sympathetic version than most. His chapters note how he knows that what he does and what's been done to him are wrong and messed up, but he's more concerned with experiencing the emotions and feelings of others in order to feel them himself, almost like a drug. The only somewhat redeeming factor he has is his relationship with Imp, [[spoiler: but given that he's willing to subject Cassandra to his power to try and take her over, which given her history is akin to a [[FateWorseThanDeath fate worse than death]] for her, it still showcases he is ''not'' a good person.]]

* YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre: Dick gives both Brian and Aisha a speech along the lines of "It's not too late to stop and turn yourselves in." [[ShutUpKirk They just find it condescending]]. Batman later gives a similar speech to the Undersiders as a whole, with similar results.
** Cassandra repeatedly urges Alec that its not too late to be better, [[spoiler: even as he's using his power to slowly, painfully, take control of her body. It clearly rattles him, but not enough to get him to stop.]]

* FriendlyEnemies: It doesn't take long for [[TheGadfly Stephanie]] to get on nice terms with [[LittleMissSnarker Aisha]] during her time as a captive of Batman. Aisha even comments that she wouldn't mind the two of them being nemeses. [[spoiler: It sadly doesn't last when Orphan gets taken captive.]]

* AdaptationalJerkass: Heavily downplayed, but Batman is shown to be more akin to his usual comics version rather than the AdaptationalNiceGuy he is in the webcomic when he first interrogates Imp.

''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/43819486/chapters/110186254/ The Underside of Gotham]]'' is an ongoing crossover between ''Literature/{{Worm}}'' and ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'', with primary inspiration from ''Webcomic/BatmanWayneFamilyAdventures'' written by [=ColossalMistake=]. The Undersiders have been transported to the city of Gotham after an incident with the portal during the Imago arc of ''Worm'', and focuses on the two groups coming into conflict and their interactions with one another.

* YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre: Dick and Stephanie both give Brian and Aisha, respectively, a speech along the lines of "It's not too late to stop and turn yourselves in." [[ShutUpKirk They just find it condescending]]. Batman later gives a similar speech to the Undersiders as a whole, with similar results.

* AnOfferYouCantRefuse: Ultimately how Batman gets the Undersiders to stand down. They'll cooperate with Batman to find them a way back to Earth Bet, or else [[spoiler: [[ComicBook/Superman Superman]] will take them down.]]

* WrongGenreSavvy: The Bat-Family initially assume [[TheBeastmaster Bitch]] is some sort of MadScientist, and that [[ScaryStingingSwarm Skitter]] controls her swarms with technology in her mask. The latter assumption bites them hard when [[spoiler: Cassandra unmasks Taylor during their fight, which accomplishes nothing ''and'' [[CultureClash further convinces Taylor that the Bat-Family cannot be trusted]].

* PityTheVillain: Cassandra genuinely sympathizes, even empathizes with Alec, and tries her best to reach out to him [[spoiler: during her captivity. Sadly, Alec is too bitter over Imp's capture to listen.]]

* SupermanStaysOutOfGotham: The main reason the Undersiders don't "run for the hills" is because of Gotham's comparatively low metahuman population. Or, as local social media calls it, ''#NoMetasInGotham''.
** [[spoiler: Subverted in the penultimate chapter, where [[GodzillaThreshold Superman has indeed come to Gotham]].

* WrongGenreSavvy: The Bat-Family initially assume [[TheBeastmaster Bitch]] is some sort of MadScientist, and that [[ScaryStingingSwarm Skitter]] controls her swarms with technology in her mask. The latter assumption bites them hard when [[spoiler: Cassandra unmasks Taylor during their fight, which accomplishes nothing ''and'' [[CultureClash further convinces Taylor that the Bat-Family cannot be trusted]].

** '''Taylor and Bruce:''' Both are the leaders of their respective teams who also cultivate a reputation as [[TheDreaded The Dreaded]]. Both believe that what they do is for the greater good and are willing to push or cross moral boundaries in order to uphold it. However, while Bruce, [[DependingOnTheWriter for the most part]], has a code of conduct that he absolutely refuses to compromise on and knows that he can go too far and tries to reign himself in. He also, despite the corruption around which he grew up in and faced during his early years, believes in the law and is willing to work with a select few who represent it. Taylor meanwhile has no faith whatsoever in any form of authority outside of her own and continually crosses moral lines that she knows she can't take back, but still believes (at this point in ''Worm'' canon) that what she's doing is necessary, even if it isn't the 'right' thing to do. In spite of this, deep down she is a good person and does what's best for the people around and under her.

* CultureClash: A minor example, but the way Batman and vigilantes like him operate throws the Undersiders for a bit of a loop, seeing as how the DCU doesn't have things like the 'three-strikes rule' or the Birdcage. While they've managed to adapt somewhat well, they haven't really changed how they themselves operate as a group, meaning that it's only a matter of time until they overstep. [[spoiler: They do just that when they not only kidnap Orphan but, much like how they would escalate back in ''Worm'', they get Regent to try and take control of her with his powers. They then do it again when they threaten to reveal Batman's identity. To the Undersiders, at least Skitter and Tattletale, this makes perfect sense. To everyone else, it's a complete [[DisproportionateRetribution overreaction]] that is going to bite them back ''hard.'']]

* DeathGlare: The Bat-Glare is in full effect when Batman first interrogates Aisha. Even while snarking at him, it still manages to scare her. [[spoiler: It comes back in full force when he angrily confronts her after Orphan gets taken, outright ''terrifying'' the girl.]]

* DidntThinkThisThrough: [[spoiler: From a meta perspective, Tattletale threatening to reveal Batman's identity as Bruce Wayne. To her, it's a perfect deterrent that will only result in [[MutuallyAssuredDestruction mutually assured destruction]] if he decides to retaliate. Unfortunately for her, this isn't the only time that Bruce's identity has been discovered, let alone [[ComicBook/BatmanHush used against him by his enemies.]] While his response to it hasn't been shown yet, it definitely won't go the way Tattletale wants.]]

* FriendlyEnemies: It doesn't take long for [[TheGadfly Stephanie]] to get on nice terms with [[LittleMissSnarker Aisha]] during her time as a captive of Batman. Aisha even comments that she wouldn't mind the two of them being nemeses. [[spoiler: It sadly doesn't last when Orphan gets taken captive.]]

* GenreSavvy: Tattletale and Grue are able to recognize that, due to being in a different world and the heroes of the DCU acting differently from the Protectorate, they aren't going to have the same sort of ease to operate that they did back home due to Batman and his allies being able to focus solely on them since they're vigilantes and not a goverment organization like the PRT. However, it somewhat morphs into [[WrongGenreSavvy Wrong Genre Savvy]] when she and the Undersiders still operate the same way they did in Brockton Bay, leading them to work with the likes of [[spoiler: The Penguin and Scarecrow so they can stage a fight to kidnap Orphan in order to gain an edge in a plan to recuse Imp after she's been taken hostage.]]

* NiceJobFixingItVillain: [[spoiler: Grue's decision to force an exchange between the Undersiders and Batman for Aisha. Due to his building frustration with Taylor and Lisa's decisions while stuck in Gotham, such as staging a fight with Batman and his allies due to thinking that they'd want retribution for injuring Red Hood, which eventually led to Aisha getting captured and then the Undersiders taking Cassandra in response, he goes behind their back after the team votes to let Regent try and control her and frees her for the exchange. Unfortunately, this winds up being [[SubvertedTrope subverted]], as Tattletale decides to reveal she knows Bruce Wayne is Batman to gain some sort of leverage on the team in case they retaliate further.]]

* SwitchingPov: Each chapter rotates between the different members of the Undersiders and Bat-Family told in third-person limited, much like the interlude chapters of ''Worm''. Oddly enough, Taylor and Bruce have been exempt from this despite being the leaders of their respective teams.

'''Tattletale:''' Never been great with rhymes, but I think it gets the point across.]]

* AmicableExes: Brian comments during his PointOfView chapter how he and Taylor are this, which he is rather grateful for given what he's [[Main/ColdBloodedTorture dealing]] with and how he sees her as a form of stable support. Granted, it's somewhat [[Main/SubvertedTrope subverted]], as Taylor's tendencies towards escalation and deciding to stage a fight with Batman and his allies after injuring Red Hood goes against his desire to simply lay low and get enough resources to go back home, simply under the assumption that Batman will want to retaliate for injuring one of his compatriots. [[spoiler: When that results in getting Aisha taken hostage, after which Taylor responds by taking Cassandra prisoner and letting Regent use his powers on her, he decides to go behind her back and make contact with Nightwing to exchange her for Aisha.]]

* NiceJobFixingItVillain: [[spoiler: Grue's decision to force an exchange between the Undersiders and Batman for Aisha. Due to his building frustration with Taylor and Lisa's decisions while stuck in Gotham, such as staging a fight with Batman and his allies due to thinking that they'd want retribution for injuring Red Hood, which eventually led to Aisha getting captured and then the Undersiders taking Cassandra in response, he goes behind their back after the team votes to let Regent try and control her and frees her for the exchange. Unfortunately, this winds up being [[Main/SubvertedTrope subverted]], as Tattletale decides to reveal she knows Bruce Wayne is Batman to gain some sort of leverage on the team in case they retaliate further.]]